1834.] Geology of the South of India. 340 



it is seen that great ranges of volcanic rock has been forced through 

 the more ancient strata lying to the N. and S. and that the simila- 

 rity of their geological composition is proved by numerous observa- 

 tions at very distant points. The Neelgherries may have been 7000 

 or 8000 feet above the sea, and have possessed a vegetation partak- 

 ing of the European character, when Berar was under the sea. The 

 granite underneath, however, was raised at the same time, as it of- 

 ten rises above the plains and in one place supports a bed of marine 

 shells, 12 feet thick, amongst which some masses of fiiable volcanic 

 sand is found, and within a few hundred yards a great eruption of 

 trap has taken place, rising precipitously from the granite, and cover- 

 ing it with calcedonies &c. which have been washed down its very 

 steep sides. North of Nagpore, near the cantonment of Kamptee, 

 the granite is also seen to have elevated the sandstone and to have 

 been forced amongst it, bending its strata or converting them into 

 a quartz rock, and within a mile of this, are some small hills of 

 upraised gneiss strata, and a small conical hill of vitrified and 

 strangely altered rock, (from which 1 broke pieces of carnelian), 

 which has burst through a limestone bed, which it appears to have 

 converted into a fine crystallized mass like the m^ountain limestones 

 of Scotland. From the summit of this little mound is seen a few 

 miles to the south, the flat topped basaltic hiils of Seetabuldee rest- 

 ing on granitic rock and others containing very perfect columns, 

 and 12 miles to the north, the rounded granite or mica slate 

 hills of Ramteak. 



The facts discovered in these examinations, leave no doubt of the 

 volcanic eruptions to which the Berar valley owes its rich black soil 

 and extraordinary fertility being posterior to the deposition of the 

 argillaceous limestones and sandstone, which are in every respect 

 similar to the formations in the districts of Cuddapah in M'hich the 

 diamond is found. The sandstone has been raised by these convul- 

 sions at Won, 7 miles souih of theWurdah river, v.'here a fine fossil ve- 

 getable was found, which, when identified, will be of great interest, 

 no remains having yet been discovered in this formation which oc- 

 cupies so important a place in the geology of India. It is thus de- 

 scribed by Mr. Conybeare in his report to the British Association. 



" Next to the coal we have to notice a great sandstone formation, 



which is usually considered equivalent to our new red-sandstone ; 

 " this includes many variations of character, comprising,besides sand- 



stone and conglomerates, shales often approximating to oldei slate ; 



the diamond mines of Panna (in Bundelkhand) and of the Golconda 



