RECORDS 
OF THE 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OE INDIA. 
Part 1.] 1869. [February. 
The Valley of the Pookna Biveb, West Beeab; by A. B. Wynne, Esq., f. g. s., &c. 
The Poorna valley between longitudes 76° and 78° east, is traversed by the 21sfc 
parallel of north latitude. It is about 124 miles in length from its upper or eastern end 
to where it passes into the larger valley of the Taptee ; the main directions of both diverging 
at first so as to include an angle of about 50,° hut afterwards becoming more nearly parallel 
or east and west. The width of the valley may be roughly estimated at from 30 to 40 miles 
on an average, hut is in places greater. 
Its boundaries are—on the south, the range of the Adjunta ghats,—an abrupt scarp of 
the Deccan plateau produced, and gradually becoming less marked, to the eastward—some 
hilly and undulating ground forming the watershed in that direction hetween the Poorna 
and Wurdah valleys; and on the north, the lofty hold and varied escarpments of the (lawil- 
ghur range, which carry a- high crest westwards near to where the Poorna river runs into 
the Taptee, the termination of the mountain range here sinking with some rapidity, though 
not being by any means abrupt. 
The southern ranges pass imperceptibly into the usual steppe character of the Deccan, 
while the mountains on the north are a complex mass or group with a generally east and 
west extension, and such summit elevations as 3,595, 3,778, and 3,975 feet, declining gradually 
northward into the valley of the (upper) Taptee.* 
These Gawilghur mountains are intersected by steep glens and wider valleys, sometimes 
presenting nearly vertical precipices of great but unmeasured height which may in places 
reach 1,000 to 1,200 feet. The glens and ravines wind intricately among the mountains, 
affording some very fine scenery, and as their streams seldom retain water for any considerable 
time, the wildness of this is increased by solitude. 
The valley of the Poorna possesses but little variety of geological interest and is prin¬ 
cipally distinguished by monotonous repetitions of features observable in crossing the Deccan 
from the seaward to this locality, where each hill and ghat and undulating slope or plain 
exhibits similar kinds of nearly horizontal flows of gray amygdaloidal trap, with here and 
there a bed of harder texture of columnar structure, or of bright red bole, or alternations of 
these; the traps sometimes containing numerous zeolites. 
In the river valleys, and where superficial 1 rain-wash’ has accumulated, a light brown 
‘ kunkury alluvium is associated with calcareous sub-recent conglomerate below and black 
cotton soil above, one being quite as occasional and accidental as the other, the conglomerate 
or concrete being perhaps the most persistent along the river courses, the brown alluvium 
or (p) “ soda soil f more universal and the cotton soil occurring, subject only to the rule that 
it is always uppermost. 
Upon descending the escarpment of the Deccan into the valley of the Poorna its alluvial 
plain is entered, often at no great distance from the ghat, and stretching away as far as can 
be seen; only clear days permitting some of the nearest mountains upon the opposite side 
* These heights are taken from a small photograph copy of a map of Gangra by J. Mulheran, Esq. 
t This efflorescing brown alluvium is considered by Mr. Blanford different from the “ soda soil” of Madras. 
