392 
GEOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHY 
which a varying structure is discernible; some of them 
shewing a distinctly granular one, such being generally in a 
state of decomposition passing into a clay in which the 
rounded pebbles of sandstone in the bed of the water courses 
become imbedded, forming a coarse conglomerate rock, 
indurated by oxide of iron. This apparent discrepancy in the 
structure of a rock, which must evidently have been homo¬ 
geneous at the period of its deposition, is to be accounted 
for by the exposed surface having been nearest the plutonic 
action which created the range of hills, some portion of the 
main body shewing in fact a highly vitreous surface, the 
undoubted result of the cause assigned. The sandstone 
rests upon a micaceous schist formation, very fine grained, of 
irregular fracture, this being present with other “detritus” in 
the hollows of the vallies, accompanied also by water worn 
fragments of a blue clay slate similar to that of the primary 
order of argillaceous schists, of which the main range of hills 
is principally composed. No line of junction ofthe sandstone 
with the schists of the lower strata is visible, but it may be 
stated to occur at about the 15° of N. latitude, where this 
formation as a connected range ends, separated by a narrow 
valley from the clay slate of the principal or superior range 
of hills. 
In the absence of personal observation, any remarks on the 
geological features and characteristics of the boundary range 
of hills, which extend in an unbroken line through the centre 
of the Peninsula, must necessarily be crude and imperfect; 
a proximate knowledge may however be derived from the fact 
that in the head waters of the streams throughout the coast, 
having their sources either in the main range or spurs there¬ 
from, stream tin is found, and from several localities nearer 
the base of that range, gold also is found in the alluvium ; 
from which we may infer that in its general characters it 
agrees with the stanniferous formations ot the Straits, ot 
which mountain system it forms a portion, produced by the 
same subterranean forces, and varied only by local causes, 
of which nothing less than personal investigation would war¬ 
rant more than this passing notice. 
Granite in fragmentary masses accompanied by g een- 
stone, quartz rock, and greenstone schist is tound, composing 
the principal rock of the reefs and juttirg headlands which 
occur throughout the line of coast from Amherst point to the 
Tenasserim river. It is equally abundant on the main, forming 
low ranges of hills or isolated masses which abut upon or 
permeate the sandstone,—these hills are ol inferior altitude. 
