1834,] Account of the Christians on the Malabar Coast. 342 



or Sehsa hills seem to be lost in the eastern gauts near this, but no 

 hills or rocks were observed in the immediate neighbourhood. Mr, 

 Geddes unfortunately was travelling mostly at night, and has not 

 stated if the wood was petrified by lime or silex. When in this di- 

 rection in 1828 I was informed that hot springs existed in the neigh- 

 bourhood. I am also informed that a rich mine of fossil bivalve 

 shells has been lately discovered in the Salem hills. Such fticts 

 certainly should not be concealed, at a time when India is looked 

 to for facts to confirm or refute the principal speculations on which 

 geologists are divided, and when Russia is enjoying the honor of 

 having successfully explored the regions of Asia lately" added to her 

 dominions, and has at the same time been rewarded by the disco- 

 very of some of the richest mines of the precious metals in the 

 world.* 



J. G. Malcolmso^^, 



Assistant Surgeon. 



Reference to the Drawing. 

 No. 1, Gawilgerh shells. No. 2, Sagar fossil. 

 No. 3, a recent species of Voluta. No. 4, Section of No. 6. 

 No; 5, Section magnified, No. 6, Fossil from Won-sanclstone, 



IV. — An Historical account of the Christians on the Malabar 

 Coast J by the Venerable Archdeacon Robinson, a, m. 

 Part 4th. 



( Continued from the 269th page of our 4tk Number.) 

 The diocesan synod of the churches of St. Thomas, summoned 

 by proclamation of the Archbishop of Goa, assembled at the church 

 of Diamper on the 20th of June 1599. We have an exact and 

 authentic account of the acts of the synod, written immediately 



* " That the system of M. Elie de Beaumont is directly opposed to a fun- 

 " damental principle, vindicated by Mr. Lyell, cannot admit of doubt. And I 

 *' have decided to the best of my judgment, in favour of the former author." 

 « « * * ]yf j.^ Bou6 and other able writers have opposed the views of this 

 ** eminent geologist; they deny him the merit of being the first to point out, 

 " that different formations and masses of land have been elevated at distant 



and separate periods, and reject that part of his system which asserts the 

 " synchronous elevation of distant mountain chains parallel to each othor. 



Before we are warranted in arriving at general conclusions on this latter 

 " point, numerous facts must be collected, and we can but urge all our work- 

 " ing brethren to try the adequacy of M, de Beaumont's ingenious theory, 

 " by an appeal to nature; M. de Humboldt believes, that the four groat 

 " chains of Asiatic mountains are parallel to one another, and that cin uni- 



stance tends powerfully to confirm the theory. As however, the personal 

 " observations of this traveller have not extended beyond the Altai, wo must 

 *' still look for evidence whereon the synchronism of the elevations of those 

 " mountains may rest to our Indian geologists, whose exertions will naturally 

 " be stimulated to attempt the solution of the problem. Russia has hecu bo- 

 " fore hand with us in exploring their newly acquired portion of Asia." I'ro- 

 fessor Sedgwick's anniversary address to the Geological Society, Jouruulof 

 the Asiatic Society, November, 1832. 



