EFBIDGE — EOCKS OF THE CAPE TOWN D [STRICT. 
369 
on this question. He soon discovered Pliacops Kofer, Ortliis pal- 
onata, Spirifer antarcficus. two species of Stroj3hoiriena, and several 
of Eucrinites, which clearly established the Devonian character of the 
slates about the mouth of the Kabeljouw river. Last year, in a 
professional journey to those parts, 1 was fortunate enough to find 
fossils in the bed of the Kromme river («), near Diep river (Z;), aud 
at Hermansdorp, which, together with the section, show that all 
these slates, supposed to be so ancient, were Devonian throughout. 
At different periods the discovery of the same species at Coxcomb, in 
"VYinterhoek, at Chatty, and Xaroo, and a few weeks ago near Van 
Stadensberg, has clearly proved the identity of the palaeozoic strata 
in the eastern province as far as the Fish River's mouth with the clay- 
slate of the region I have described, and almost certaiulv of Cape 
Town. 
Now, the quartzite of the Cougha range is continuous with that 
of the Coxcomb, and both are so with the Yan Stadensberg. I 
could give a sketch of very nearly the same relations of these ranges 
with the slate as those described, but they are not quite so well 
marked. The directions of the ranges of quartzite hills, as shown 
on any map of the colony, with the explanation that the strike dif- 
fers not very considerably throughout the province, will render this 
unnecessary. The quartzite ought then to be newer than the Devo- 
nian in the Eastern province also. Yet in this province it has never 
been regarded by any geologist as otherwise than conformable with 
the Devonian (Carboniferous, Bain). Dr. Atherstone and I believe 
that of the Cougha as equally conformable with the Devonian slates 
of the Kromme, Kabeljouw, and Gamtoos. The relations of the 
mountain chains I have shown to be the same in both provinces. 
I will now quote authorities to show that the conformability is un- 
mistakeable in this province. If some of the extracts are long, it 
must be attributed to my belief that this is the most important part 
of my argument. If I can convince geologists that mountains 1200 
to 3000 feet or more in height, which take the direction in reference 
to the strike, which, as I have said, any map of the colony will show 
they do take, are really composed of quartzose sandstone conform- 
able, and at their junctions, and in valleys, interstratified with the 
Devonian slates they thus cross ; it will, I think, be admitted that 
the rocks of this country (of different ages) have been subjected to a 
metamorphic action of a peculiar nature, and which has not received 
sufficient attention.* 
Bain. — Carboniferous System. This system differs but little, li- 
thologically, from the quartzose sandstones of the Silurian ranges of 
* Tn explanation of the great desire 1 have always felt for the opinions of European 
geologists of note on the subject of these relations of our rock, I must remark, that 1 am 
quite a self-taught geologist, and have had no experienee in any country but this. 
Moreover, all the colonial geologists, while admitting the relations described, see nothing 
inexplicable by admitted theories in them. Dr. Atherstone, for instance, believes that 
the quartzose sandstones were originally deposited in the positions mentioned, interstra- 
tified with the slates. Mr. Bain believed them of different aud unconformable formation: 
so does Krauss. Since he has seen the Devonian fossils, Mr. Bain is inclined to think 
YOL. V. 3 B 
