PART 1.] LydehheT'. Geology of Laddli and Neiglilourwg Districts. 35 
referred to (probably by some clerical error) in the above-quoted passage from 
Dr. Stoliczka’s notes. 
III.— Rocks of the LadAk and ZAnsk^r basin. 
I now come to the consideration of a series of rocks mostly newer than those 
of which I have already treated, which occupy a large elliptical area bounded 
to the north by the crystalline series described in the last section, and to the west 
and south by the Silurians which rest on the gneiss of the Ziinskar range, already 
described in a previous paper.' The area occupied by thc.se rocks comprehends 
a considerable portion of Ladak and nearly the whole of Zanskar, together with 
parts of Rupsu and other districts. As Ladak and Zanskar foi-m the greater 
part of this area, it may be well termed the “ Ladak and Zfinskar basin. The 
whole of this large area has not at present been completely surveyed, owing to the 
very difficult nature of the country, but sufficient is known to indicate the general 
distribution of the rocks. I have said that the greater portion of the rocks in 
this area are newer than those previouly treated of; but from the south-eastern 
extremity of the basin a ridge of older rocks runs up, separating this end of the 
basin into two divisions. I shall treat of the rocks of this area in their serial 
order, commencing with the Tertiaries. It may be observed that the long axis 
of this basin or ellipse has the normal Himalayan north-westerly and south¬ 
easterly strike. 
The Tertiaries. 
The Tertiary series forms the north-eastern band of the area under considera¬ 
tion and, rests immediately on the Ladak crystallines. Coming from the west, 
these Tertiary rocks are first met with dose to the town of Kargil, where they 
rest unconformably upon a denuded surface of the syenitic gneiss, and have a 
low and regular dip to the south-east. Masses of the gneiss may here and there 
be observed within the Tertiary area, protruding through the newer rocks. The 
lower beds of the Tertiaries near Kargil consist of soft grey and brown sand¬ 
stones, shales, slates, and limestones, with here and there bands of conglomerate. 
Near the village of Rashkam the dip of the rocks ha.s increased, being about 40 , 
and the higher beds, which are here well exhibited, consist of bright purple and 
green shales and sandstones, with occasional bands of a yellowish sandy lime¬ 
stone. 
The northern boundai'y of the Tertiary zone is continuous with the southern 
boundary of the Laddk crystallines, and need not be exactly traced, and I, 
therefore, at once proceed to describe certain sections of the Tertiaries which 
will best exhibit the general characters of these rooks. 
It may, first of all, be observed as a very important point, that along the 
whole of the northern boundary of these rocks, from Kai’gil to south of the 
Pangtir lake, (a distance of nearly 200 miles), the dip of these rocks is to the 
south-west, and that to the westu'ard of Lch the same dip continues (with an occa¬ 
sional exception) throughout the entire width of the series. For some distance to 
the west of Leh this dip seldom exceeds 30° or 40", and is of great regularity, 
' Rec. Geol. Surv. of India, Vol. XI, p. 52. 
