2/2 



3L>moir on the Geology of the 



[Oct. 



ation of the metallic vein near the lake, many of the strata being con- 

 torted and waving (No. 104), and containing hardly any metal. 



Less than a mile further on, the road has cut through a not very thick 

 stratum of pebbly detritus of the haematitic iron ore, agglutinated by a 

 clayey paste, and converted into a pisiform iron ore (No. 105). The 

 masses, from disintegration of which this rounded detritus originated* 

 are seen on the road a little further on, and also in the declivity of the 

 hill close to it. 



Before we come to the little jungle, some miles from this place, the 

 hill to the right of the road has many blocks of this lateritic iron ore* 

 the greatest number of which are become very like lithomargic earth. 

 After passing the jungle we come to the head of the descent to the 

 Elephant valley.* In this place we see numerous masses of the late- 

 ritic iron ore, having an east and west direction, the appearance, frac- 

 ture, cavernosity and compactness, being analogous to that of Scotland 

 valley (No. 106). It extends east as far as the one Kairn hill (about 

 half a mile) and to the west it is probably connected with the iron ore 

 of Scotland valley. 



Half way down the descent we meet with both loose and fixed blocks 

 and pieces of magnetic iron ore, the quartz being granular and brown, 

 without much metal (No. 107). 



Arriving at the foot of the descent and fording the rivulet, the coun- 

 try begins to be rather level, strewed with an immense number of loose 

 pieces of quartz and felspar, resulting from the disintegration of the 

 veins of those minerals which accompany invariably the primitive 

 rocks, not only of the Neelgherries, but nearly of all India— the en- 

 closing rock decaying, the quartzy veins disintegrate, and are scattered 

 over the soil (No. 108). 



Just before reaching the large stream, about a couple of miles far- 

 ther on, we see the huge outgoings of such a bed of quartz as those just 

 alluded to, of a snow-white colour (No. 109), its direction being N. W. 

 and S. E. and which evidently has been imbedded in sienitic granite, 

 the thick decomposed laminae of which are still surrounding the lower 

 portions of these quartz masses. 



The little ascent, close to Nungengode, is covered with the same pieces 

 of quartz, and the hill to the left of the road is sienitic granite, passing 

 occasionally into hornblende rock. The hillock on which Nungengode 

 stands is the same rock ; but in such a state of decomposition as to 

 form a clayey hill. 



About two or three miles after passing Nungengode, we come to a 

 hut, which, I think, is called the half way house, having a little enclo- 

 sure for cattle near it. All the ground just below it, and probably for 



* So called because a tame elephant died there. 



