62 



Notes, chiefly Geological, of a Journey 



the base, however, and some way up, many blocks are seen apparently 

 of the same nature as those on the sides. Many of these are in situ, ; 

 but some have evidently been hurled dowra* from the summit or sides 

 of the hill. They are all hornblende slate, probably a diramation of the 

 Sittumpetta group, being composed of felspar, hornblende in large pro- 

 portion, and a few garnets — the fracture glimmering and texture ex- 

 tremely tough (No. 50). Although, generally speaking, this rock is 

 stratified, yet there are some blocks that put on the appearance of a 

 granitic, unstratified rock. There is a huge block, just above a hamlet, 

 at the southern base of the hill, which seems to have been precipitated 

 from near the summit of the hill, where many similar are perched, 

 nodding to their fall. This mass, of an oblong shape, is traversed in 

 different directions by regular dykes, either of hornblende, or of green- 

 stone. The diagram (PI. 17 fig. 6), is meant to represent this block : 

 A is the longitudinal face of its north side, and B the fracture perpen- 

 dicular to it. Along the lower margin of the northern side, runs hori- 

 zontally a very thick dyke, the line of demarcation, between the in- 

 truding and intruded rocks, being well marked. The dyke having 

 reached the middle of the mass, bifurcates to inclose an oblong mass 

 of felspar, which follows all the wavings of the dyke which thus imbeds 

 it. Looking at the fracture B, we see that the dyke of greenstone did 

 not penetrate so far into the substance of the hornblende slate, as to 

 burst through the other side of the mass ; but, having intruded some 

 inches, ended in the substance of the rock (PI. 17 fig. 7). The texture of 

 this hornblende slate appears to have suffered no change, by the con- 

 tact and proximity of the dyke. This dioretic rock is of a composition 

 common in India, entire strata being formed of hornblende with a few 

 garnets, and others of felspar alone. The greatest number of loose 

 blocks along the road, from Neemgaum to Kimidy, are gneiss, compos- 

 ed of quartz, felspar and garnets (No. 51). Some masses have oc- 

 casionally a small stratum, a few lines, of gold coloured mica in the 

 seams. 



Kimidy, Feb. 23. — At day-break I saw a hillock near the road, formed 

 of immense unstratified masses, which proved to be common granite, 

 with the addition of a few garnets. Although this rock is unstratified 

 in the large, it is laminar in the small, on account of the mica being 

 placed in parallel lamina?. The felspar is in large well-formed crys- 

 tals in some masses. Close to the town of Kimidy are many erratic 

 blocks of hornblende rock. 



March 1. — I rose early this morning, with the intention of ascending 

 to the summit of the high hill which rises behind Kimidy, and had 

 mounted nearly half way up, along a fatiguing path, when a thick fog 



