168 
Record a' of the Geological Survey of India. 
[vol. x. 
In the Khond Malias, as the zone south of the Mahanadi is called, the peaks are com¬ 
monly from 2,000 to 3,000 feet high, a few rise to 4,000 feet, and there are some known 
to exceed 5,000 feet in elevation. 
In the neighbourhood of Sambalpur and southwards, in Patna and the western portion 
of Kalahandi, there is a good deal of tolerably level ground, but here and there isolated 
peaks and ridges rise from it. To the west of Sambalpur an extensive group of hills is 
situated on the south bank of the Mahanadi, spreading thence into Phuljkar and Borosam- 
bar. To the north-west of Sambalpur is the hilly country of Raigarh and llingir, which is 
continued towards Korba and Udaipur. Still further west is the Mandla plateau. In the 
Raipur states of Karial and Howagarh, to the south-west of Sambalpur, the country is 
excessively hilly. First we have, centrieally situated as regards the two states, an extensive 
plateau averaging about 2,500 feet in elevation, and on either side of this plateau, there are 
numerous ranges and groups of hills, the latter being of more or less foliated metamorphic 
rocks, while the plateau is formed of horizontal beds of quartzite. To the south of this 
rises tho Jaipur-Bustar plateau, which averages about 1,800 feet in elevation. On the east 
and south it is hounded by still higher ridges, spurs from the Eastern Ghats; on the west 
and also below the southern bounding ridges, It falls by rapid steps to the Godavari valley; 
on the north-west it slopes off gently towards Raipur, hut- on the north-cast it is bounded 
by steep scarps, tho ghats through which lead down into the valley of the Tel River, some 
1,000 feet below. 
The watershed between the rain-basins of the Mahanadi and Godavari traverses the 
northern portion of this plateau from west to east, and then runs to north-east through 
the Kalahandi portion of the Eastern Ghats. 
Rivers. —The principal rivers of our area are the Mahanadi, with its tributaries the Tel, 
Ebe, Kelu, Maud, and Hasdu, besides many other minor streams too numerous to be men¬ 
tioned here. The total length of the Mahanadi from its sources in the north-western 
corner of Jaipur and the neighbouring district of Bustar to the sea is about 500 miles. Of 
rivers belonging to other basins, but portions of whose courses are included in the accom¬ 
panying map, the Brahmini on the north-east, the Weingunga on the west, and the Indravati 
on the south are the principal, The first mentioned is the principal river of its own system, 
while the two latter arc tributaries of tho Godavari. 
General Geology.—So far as is at present known, no series of rocks other than those 
included in the following list occurs within the limits of this area:— 
Alluvium. 
Laterite. 
Deccan trap and Lameta beds. 
Rajmehal series— 
Atgarh group. 
? Mahadeva series. 
Damuda series— 
Kamthi (Raniganj) group. 
Barakar group. 
Talchir group. 
Vindhyan (Karnul) series— 
A. Karial quartzites and sandstones. 
B Raipur limestones, shales and sandstones. 
. [Sakoli beds.] 
Metamorphic series. 
