1851.] 



Statistics of the Sircar Yelyunthul. 



23 



The third or Podoor range is partly granite, partly gneiss, the 

 South side presenting an even grained rock constituted of the four 

 ingredients of granite, the summit of the range is of the same 

 formation, at a distance of 100 yards from which, down the North- 

 ern slope it passes into gneiss, this disappears one mile from the 

 base. Tracing this rock N.W. it is found to maintain its position 

 with regard to the range as far as Murragoodum 15 miles ; and is 

 then lost, but appears again as the surface rock near Metpully 

 20 miles more to the N.W. where it is lost ; in the S.E. direction 

 it disappears near Rammudoogoo, 12 miles from Podoor, making 

 the whole length of this formation 32 miles with an average breadth 

 of 1 — the bed is almost vertical. In this rock mica is sparingly 

 abundant, and frequently the felspar gives place to thin layers of 

 iron ore. Pursuing the N.E. direction from Juctial, there is a 

 broken line of granite hills seen, passing from Thevecondah by 

 Polass in a N.W. direction ; the altitude of these does not exceed 

 300 feet and upon the highest is a portion of masonry, all that re- 

 mains of the Fort of Thevecondah. The granite of these passes 

 into gneiss at Murrealah forming a range of low conical shaped 

 hills, witk a direction parallel to those already described, and offer- 

 ing a striking contrast to them, in their smooth tops and slopes ; 

 towards the N.W. they are lost a short distance from the right 

 bank of the Godavery ; to the S.E. they are continued into a simi- 

 lar range in the adjoining Sircar. In contact with and accompany- 

 ing them on the N.E. side is a band of limestone, about 80 yards 

 broad, and parallel with it, a belt of silicious sandstone between 

 this and the river a distance of 5 miles the surface rock is granite. 



Trap dykes are common, traversing the Sircar from E. to W. 



The mineral substances worthy of notice are kaolin, steatite, 

 corundum, limestone and the ores of iron ; kaolin is abundant but 

 of a yellowish colour, and although found in various parts of the 

 Sircar little difference is observed in its quality — that found at 

 Linganapett is the purest ; it is never used. Two varieties of 

 steatite Eire found, one in the first range of hills near Yellareddy- 

 pett, the other in the third near Korutla ; the first is of a greyish 

 colour, the other black, the former is not so common as the latter. 



