18 
Chandrasekhara Banurji —The Kahnur Range. 
[No. 1, 
throughout its course with huge masses of rock fallen from above. From 
each side of the stream rise the undercliffs of the escarpment, covered 
with tangled jungle and debris, and crowned by vertical precipices which 
cut off all access to the plateau above, save by one or two narrow paths 
known only to the wood-cutter or the charcoal-burners, by whom alone the 
gorge is ever visited.” 
Geological features.—The escarpment of the Kaimur Range which 
faces the Son for more than 200 miles between Rohtasgarh and Bilhari 
is nearly a straight line for the entire length, without any indentation, 
except the curve at Bijayagarh. The northern escarpment, however, from 
Sahasram westward is deeply indented by intricate and ramifying gorges. 
The spurs which shoot out from the main range on the northern face seldom 
lie detached. They either project like bastions, or run in belts to join ulti¬ 
mately the chain itself, although there are some breaks between the ram¬ 
parts to serve as passes to the wild glens embosomed by them. 
At places the chain runs in double lines, branching off and extending 
for miles in two parallel high upright walls, enclosing a narrow strip of 
land between their feet, and displaying only a short strip of the sky over 
their summits. These long labyrinthine glens are cut by the beds of some 
mountain streams, with trees along their banks, and transparent pools along 
their stony beds. 
The stone of the hills is chiefly composed of sandstones of different 
hues, varying from gray to red, either in the grains or the veins. It is to 
this sandstone that the mountains owe their grand appearance, displaying 
the most stupendous precipices. In his geological account of Shahabad, 
Major Sherwill observes—“ The vast precipices exhibited in this sandstone 
admirably display the horizontal formation of the mass ; one of the preci¬ 
pices at the foot of Rohtas, I found by measurement to be 1,300 feet, a 
sheer mass of stone without a bush or tree on its surface ; it is situated 
close to an over-hanging mass of building known as the Hajam’s palace, a 
few minutes walk from the gateway leading up from Rajghat. The echo 
at this spot, which is a complete amphitheatre of precipices, is very distinct 
and grand, giving seven distinct responses to several syllables ; the report 
of a gun reverberates like thunder ; the sandstone at this spot is of a dark 
red, an overhanging rock at this spot enabling a person to look over and to 
fully contemplate this fearful abyss.” 
Next to the sandstone is the limestone. From the fact of its appear¬ 
ing in many places, though far apart, separated even for many miles, Major 
Sherwill was inclined to think that “ it penetrates in unbroken stratum 
under the sandstone.” Mixed with the limestone is chalk, called by the 
natives khari matti , “ which is unctuous to the touch”, “ has a shiny ap¬ 
pearance, but soils the fingers.” 
