152 Topographical and Statistical Account of 



The prevalent rock is gneiss, the colour and structure of which 

 vary considerably in different localities. It is frequently tra- 

 versed by veins of quartz and felspar ; but no circumstance of 

 interest connected with these has attracted my notice. This 

 gneiss here, as elsewhere, has a tendency to exfoliate in layers 

 concentric to the present surfaces, the plates which thus 

 scale off are of all thicknesses, from two feet downwards. 

 This peculiarity renders it a matter of ease to split off toler- 

 ably regular pillars and slabs, and there can be no doubt 

 that this circumstance has had a very considerable influence 

 on the character of the national or adopted architecture. 



Imbedded in the gneiss, at various places, one finds mag- 

 nesian limestone, generally of a brilliant white colour and of 

 a coarse crystalline structure ; occasionally it contains crys- 

 tals of hornblende, and also orange red spots, the composition 

 of which I have not ascertained. The stone bears a good 

 polish, and I am now trying it for flooring, a purpose for which 

 it will, I think, be found well adapted, being clean, cool, cheer- 

 ful looking, enduring, and ornamental. It is only within the 

 last couple of years that the majority of the localities where 

 this mineral occurs has been ascertained, and the discovery 

 happened most opportunely, as numerous public works are in 

 progress or contemplation. Hitherto lime has been brought 

 from Arripo, a distance of forty-four miles. 



In the early part of this year, I discovered in the bed of 

 the Kalaar, about six miles east of the Doric, a number of 

 fossil shells and corals converted into a beautiful semi-trans- 

 parent amber coloured mass ; the associated nodules of varie- 

 gated chert also contain numerous petrifactions and casts. 

 I was unable to examine the beds at leisure, and therefore 

 only obtained mutilated specimens, but judging from these, I 

 should think that these limestone strata belong not to the 

 present, but to the tertiary formation. 



On a late circuit Mr. Quinton pointed out to me consider- 



