346 



Memorandum relative to an ancient Cemetery. 



[Oct. 



lines of a vliite substance, decomposed {e\?^^^r. It is an iron clay, in- 

 termediate between the laterite of the coast and indurated lithomarge, 

 and in agreement with the views above detailed, entitled to the name of 

 laterite. Is it the iron clay of Voysey ? It appears to be the result 

 of decomposition and liyperoxidation of a trap rock, containing a 

 great deal of hornbleDde, and a smaller proportion of felspar; the 

 hornblende highly ferragiiious ; for upon the hard brick looking portion 

 of the specimens there are small holes, dots and lines of a blue ferru- 

 ginous aspect. The hills form.ed of this laterite or clay iron stone are 

 closely allied to the lithomargic hill, called the Belfry, near Bangalore ; 

 they are on a line with it and distant only a few miles, showing the 

 connection between the two fonnations. 



VII. — Memorandum reJative to an ancknt Cemetery situated about 

 II miles N. W. of Madras. 

 About two miles west of the lake at the Red Hills, or three miles 

 N. N. W. of Major General Farran's bungalow, are situated many 

 singular tombs, apparently of great antiquity ; it is believed that they 

 were first observed by Captain A. T. Cotton, of the Engineers, who, it 

 is hoped, wall one day publish an account of them. They are situated 

 on a barren plain, a little elevated above the adjoining country, composed 

 of laterite, and partly covered with stunted thorny bushes, few of 

 which are more than two feet high. 



Each tomb consists, or rather did consist, of a parallelogram, within a 

 circle. The squares and circles are of various dimensions ; the square 

 generally six feet in length, the breadth of different tombs varying from 

 2i feet to 4 feet, the diameter of the circle generally 18 feet. 



Each square is composed of four pieces of laterite, one piece form- 

 ing one side of the square ; the pieces are set in the earth on their 

 edges ; at the surface of the earth they (the several stones) are 

 about two feet in thickness, tapering a little to the upper edge ; the 

 height generally about 3^ feet above the earth ; the surface of the 

 interior of the square is rather higher than the surface of the circle. 



Each circle is formed of 1 6 pieces of laterite, set on their edges like 

 the stones that foim the square ; each of the 16 stones is a rude seg- 

 ment of a circle, the surface of the circle outside of the square is 

 on the same level as the surrounding plain. 



The above is a pretty correct description of the outward appearance; 

 of the few tombs that remain in a tolerable degree of preservation. 



