330 



On the Geology of Cutch, 



[Oct. 



evidently the detritus of the hills. In this instance, the strata of the 

 Koss range dip towards the south ; and, at a short distance to the north 

 of it, we find amass of basaltic or igneous matter, which probably raised 

 the hills in its passage up, and established itself at tlieir foot. Large 

 basaltic dykes, disturbing the strata through which they pass, are obser- 

 vable in many of the river banks in the immediate neighbourhood. 



The beds of nummulitic limestone, on which Luckput stands, present, 

 as before stated (p. 321), most decided marks of elevatory movements, 

 consisting of a central platform of horizontal strata, with inclined beds on 

 the flanks. 



Another roost striking example of the effects of igneous action in up- 

 raising hills, occurs in the nummulitic limestone, near the village of Pun- 

 undrow ; and the phsenomena are so strongly marked, that they deserve a 

 detailed description. 



On leaving the village of Korah, in the north-west department of the 

 province, and proceeding westward, a range of hills is entered, of small 

 altitude, but covering a considerable area. Jt is composed of a confused 

 assemblage of basaltic cones in broken columns, or rather of a number 

 of sugar- loaf-shaped masses piled one on the other. The surface of the 

 hills is covered with fragments of a hard greenstone, the crystals of fels- 

 par being numerous. The perpendicular banks of the nullahs and ravines 

 which intersect this range, present, in some places, entire sections of 

 the columnar basalt ; whilst others consist of a friable, sandy clay, dis- 

 posed in horizontal, thinly laminated strata of every shade of black, red, 

 and yellow, to white ; and associated with it is a beautiful purple loam. 

 The basalt sometimes overlies these beds, sometimes forms dykes in 

 them ; and one side of the ravine frequently consists of this variegated 

 loam, and the opposite of basaltic pillars. In many places the ground 

 has an altered appearance ; the ironstone, of which large quantities are 

 lying about, appearing partially fused, and the clays or variegated marls 

 variously acted on, and always accompanied by dykes of basalt. These 

 hills continue about eight miles from Korah to the village of Ukri, where 

 they gradually decline into a plain, throwing off numerous ridges or forks. 

 About three miles distant, a solitary hill, with a flat but uneven top, 

 called Baboa, rises out of the plain. To this hill I wish to draw particu- 

 lar attention ; and the fi-regoing account of the basaltic range has been 

 given as necessary to a proper understanding of it. 



The first part of this plain is composed of thick beds of gravel, but fur- 

 ther westward it consists of the nummulitic formation. Out of this soil 

 rises the Baboa hill, composed of hard limestone, full of marine remains. 

 One of the forks projecting from the basaltic range reaches to within 



