RUBIDOE — EOCKS OF THE CAPE TOWN DISTIITCT. 



on tins question. lie scon discovered VJiacops Knfcr, Orthis pal- 

 Qfidla, Spirifcr antarcHcufi, two species of" Str()j)li()Hie]ia, and several 

 ot* Encriniles, which clearly establislied the Devonian character of the 

 slates about the mouth oF the Kabeljouw river. J^ast year, in a 

 professional journey to those parts, 1 was fortunate enough to find 

 fossils in the bed of the Kromme river («), near l)iep river (/v), and 

 at Jlerinansdorp, which, together with the section, show that all 

 these slates, sup))Osed to be so ancient, were Devonian throughout. 

 At different periods the discovery of the same species at Coxcomb, in 

 Winterhoek, at Chatty, and Naroo, and a few weeks ago near Van 

 Stadensberg, has clearly proved the identity of the paheozoic strata 

 in the eastern province as far asthe]^^ish liiver's mouth w itli the clay- 

 slate of the region I have described, and almost certainly of Cape 

 l^own. 



Now, the quartzite of the Cougha range is continuous with that 

 of the Coxcomb, and both are so with the Van Stadensberg. I 

 could give a sketch of very nearly the same relations of these ranges 

 with the slate as those described, but they are not quite so well 

 marked. The directions of the ranges of quartzite hills, as shown 

 on any map of the colony, with the explanation that the strike dif- 

 fers not very considerably throughout the province, will render this 

 unnecessary. The quartzite ought then to be newer than the Devo- 

 nian in the Eastern province also. Yet in this province it has never 

 been regarded by any geologist as otherwise than conformable with 

 the Devonian (Carboniferous, Bain). Dr. Atherstone and I believe 

 that of the Cougha as equally conformable with the Devonian slates 

 of the Kronnne, Kabeljouw, and Gamtoos. The relations of the 

 mountain chains I have slunvn to be the same in both provinces. 



1 will now quote authorities to show that the conformability is un- 

 mistakeable in this province. If some of the extracts are long, it 

 must be attributed to my belief that this is the niost important [)art 

 of my argument. If I can convince geologists that mountains 1200 

 to 3000 feet or more in height, which take the direction in reference 

 to the strike, which, as I have said, any map of the colony will show^ 

 they do take, are really composed of quartzose sandstone conform- 

 able, and at their junctions, and in valleys, interstratified with the 

 Devonian slates they thus cross ; it will, I think, be admitted that 

 the rocks of this country (of dilferent ages) have been subjected to a 

 metamorphic action of a peculiar nature, and which has not received 

 sudicient attention.* 



Uain. — Carboniferous System. This system diffcM^s but little, li- 

 thologically, from the (piai'tzose sandstones of the Silurian ranges of 



* In cxplaiKilioii of Uio great doirc 1 liavc ahvays felT for the opinions of Enropoan 

 gcolou;ijits ot note on tlic subject of tliesc I'elalioiis of onr rock^ 1 mnst remark, that 1 am 

 (jnito a sclf-lnniilit geologist, and have had no ex[)erienec in any country but Ibis. 

 Moreover, all (be colonial geologists, while admitting the relations described, sec notiiing 

 inexplicable by admitted theories in them. Dr. Atherstone, for instance, believes that 

 the (piartzose sandstones were originally deposited in the j)ositions nienlioued, interstra- 

 tilied with the slates. Mr. Main believed them of dilferent and nnconfornjable formation: 

 80 does Krausa. Since he has seen the Devonian fossils, Mr. I5ain is inclined to think 



VOL. V. W U 



