78 On the Advancement of Geological Science in India. [Jan. 



of the chiefs, and he will then accompany the travellers, and serve 

 them both as a guide and protector. About 30 verstes beyond the Moui* 

 ghab, the route passes to the left of Mawroutchak, a town about 180 

 verstes from Mawri. From the banks of the Mourghab to Herat is only 

 fifty verstes; according to the distances laid down in this route Herat 

 is 310 verstes from Kirki. 



Among the people inhabiting the neighbourhood of Bokhara, of whom 

 I have .spoken, it is possible there are some unknown, in which easel 

 shall have attained my object, if I have contributed any thing to the 

 geographical information, though not complete,to that already possessed, 

 concerning these distant countries. 



V. — On the advancement of Geological Science in India, — By Captain 

 J. Campbell, Assistant Surveyor General. 



In the study of the fossiliferoiis and stratified formations of Europe, 

 considerable progress has been made of late years ; but, eclipsed by this 

 fascinating employment, the study of the primary rocks has been almost 

 quite neglected. Dr. Boase remarks* " that, wi>h the exception of Dr. 

 " M.icculloch, no geologist of note, in this country, h is published any 

 *' minute, and descriptive details concerning the primary rocks; all 

 " have been absorbed in the pursuit of the wonderful and fascinating 

 " knowledu^e unfolded by the fossiliferous strata." The same author 

 remarks that Professor Sedgwick has pointed out the necessity of atten- 

 tion to the study of the primary rocks, and that De La Beche is enga- 

 ged in thf" examination of Devonshire. The Islands of Great Britain 

 aribrd but few opportunities for the study of primary geology, the tracts 

 are few and confined, and it may be even doubted if there is any forma- 

 tion of true granite, or formation in which granite prevails. Even in 

 the rest of Europe, where the primary rocks prevail, the climate im- 

 pedes, in a great measure, any proper examination. In the absence of 

 a sufficient collection of facts, on which to base a theory, the conse- 

 quence has been, that authors have promulgated various conflicting sys- 

 tems. One supposes the stratified primary rocks to have been formed 

 by aqueous action from the debris of the unstratified rocks; another, 

 that the stratified primary rocks are of aqueous origin, and of prior for- 

 mation to the unstratified, by which they have been metamorphosed and 

 indurated. And lately Dr. Boase produces plausible evidence of both 

 stratified, and unstratified being of contemporaneous origin. 



Treatise ou Primary Geology, 1834. 



