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P. S.-Whether REMUSAT'S avenu' be understood loosely, as meaning come, or strictly, as signifying come to pass, it will be equally inadmissible as the interpretation of the word Tathagata; because Tathágata is designed expressly to announce that all reiteration and contingency whatever is barred with respect to the beings so designated. They cannot come; nor can any thing come to pass affecting them*. And if it be objected, that the mere use of the word avenu, in the past tense, does not necessarily imply such reiteration and conditional futurity, I answer that REMUSAT clearly meant it to convey these ideas, or what was the sense of calling on me for the successive incarnations of these avenus? It has been suggested to me that absolu, used substantively, implies activity. Perhaps so, in Parisian propriety of speech. But I use it merely as opposed to relative with reference to mere mortals; and I trust that the affirmation-there are many absolutes, many infinites, who are nevertheless inactive-may at least be distinctly understood. I have nothing to do with the reasonableness of the tenet so affirmed or stated, being only a reporter.

IV.-Geological Section across the Valley of the Nerbudda, from Tendukhérí to Bittoul. By J. G. SPILSBURY, Esq. Ben. Med. Est. Plate XXIII.

your

In No. for November last, you expressed a wish that some one should give you a section of the geological features of the country from Tendukhérí to the hills south of the Nerbudda. Opportunity has been afforded me of making such a trip, and as probably you may not receive an account from one versed in the subject, I send you such notes as I made on the excursion, together with specimens of the rocks met with.

The conical hill to the S. E. near Tendukhérí is the point from which I started, the same to which Captain FRANKLIN alludes in the 1st part of the Transactions of the Physical Class of the Asiatic Society, and which he describes as being capped with basaltic columns.

The specimens from this hill are T 1, forming a platform with T1 a mixed in detached pieces. Above the platform are trap boulders reaching Burmese writings, as the scene of GODAMA's adventures, to which if the exact site and present designation of each can be assigned from the Sanscrit or the Tibet authorities, it will confer an important favor on Burmese literati." It is highly interesting to see the spirit of inquiry stirring in the high places of this hitherto benighted nation. The information desired is already furnished, and as might be expected, the Burmese names prove to be copied through the Prakrit or Pali, directly from the Sanscrit originals, in this respect differing from the Tibetan, which are translations of the same name.-ED.

* Avenu signifies quod evenit, contigit, that which hath happened.-(Dictionnaire de Trevoux.) Tathagata; tathá thus (what really is), gata (known, obtained).-(WILSON's Sans. Dict.)-ED.

to within some 50 or 60 feet of the summit where the columns T 2 are found. On coming to which, one would almost fancy that some vast temple had been thrown down by an earthquake. At the very top T 3 was lying-(see Pl. XXIII. fig. 1.)

From this hill to Beltari Ghát, on the Nerbudda, is a distance of about 10 miles, the first part of the road much intersected by ravines of the Baranj, a considerable nalá rising in the hills north of Tendukhérí; after which is the black alluvial soil of the valley, until you approach the Nerbudda. About a mile to the east of Beltari, in a water-course of one of the ravines I obtained the accompanying fossil remains*, the matrix of which is (S C Bel) a conglomerate, very similar to the one forwarded with the fossils from Segouni, on the Omar nádí near Umaria. This conglomerate forms also the bed of the river at this Ghat (Bel. 1.) but is so friable and little coherent that it is difficult to procure a specimen; it is also accompanied by the same nodules, (vide Bel. 2.)

On crossing the Nerbudda, about a mile inland, in a south-east direction, a low detached range of hills, some four or five miles in extent, rising to the highest perhaps 200 feet, is met with B H 1; first occurring at the bottom of a ravine distant some 2 or 300 yards from the range: the strata running nearly east and west, with veins of quartz (B H 2) traversing in the same direction, varying from a line to upwards of two inches breadth. Near is seen the same conglomerate (S C Bel.) of the opposite side of the river, and which appears to me to be spread over a considerable extent of country, if it be the same as mentioned by Captain FRANKLIN, as occurring at Janee Ghat. I have found it in several places along the course of the Nerbudda, as far as Hoshungabad, and one specimen I picked up in the bed of the Duhi, near Gurawára proper.

From this low range to Futtehpoor, the country presents no particular feature for the geologist. Near all the rivers, and nalás, ravines abound: generally a light soil mixed with kankar, on which is grownt cotton, kodo, urhur, juwár, and rain crops. At a greater or less distance from the ravines, the rich black soil of the valley prevails, fitted for gram, wheat, and rubee crops in general.

As from this point I proceeded to visit one of the hot-springs, I shall here insert my remarks on the westernmost of them.

It is situated some 14 miles, in a westerly direction from Futtehpoor, about four miles in a S. S. E. one from the village of Kyrie, belonging to Lala Thakur. A short distance before reaching the spring, * The upper jaw of a horse.-ED.

+ My observation does not accord with that of Lieut. MILES', (p. 55 of your Journal.) Great quantities are grown on the banks of the Heren and Nerbudda, but in soil as described above.

in crossing a small nalá (chiefly derived from these springs), the bed was formed by the specimens K 1, 2, and 3; No. 1 formed a small fall (see fig. 2,) and No. 2, intersected the strata running in a E. N. E. direction. No. 3 being the general bed of the river, and giving it a greyish appearance.

There are two springs, distant some five or six paces from each other, the southern one has been squared by stones being placed tank fashion, forming an area of about five feet each way: the other is left pretty much to nature; depth about a foot and half. Much gas is extricated, of an offensive sulphureous odour, temperature 114°; that of the air 86°, time noon, (28th February, 1833.) At 12 paces distant, is a cold spring; the temperature of which I found to be 82°. Of the specimens accompanying, K 4 is the rock from which the springs issue; a pace or two above, K 5 juts out; K 7, is a rocky ledge just below the junction of the hot and cold springs; K 6, is a small detached hill, large masses of which are lying at the junction of the springs, on which are carved the yoni. In a watercourse between the hill K 6, and the springs, lie large rolled pebbles of different colors, jasper, agate, and boulders of all sizes, precisely similar to those at Futtehpoor (F. 1.)

Futtehpoor (at which reside three Goand Rajas) is situated first within the gorge of the low range of hills that form the southern boundary of the valley of the Nerbudda. On passing through the town, which is built on both sides of the Unjon nála, the road winds through the low* hills, varying from 150 to 200 feet in height, composed of F 2, capped with F 3. F 2 descends all the way, and is seen forming the bed of the nála; at one place where they crossed it, the rock puts on the appearance of a platform, covered with rough mortar, in which numerous small siliceous pebbles were mixed. In the nála and all about, are boulders of F 1, as at Kyrie hot spring. About six miles round the western end of Chuttair, the road up to this being undulated low jungle, the country becomes more open, and the soil changes from siliceous to decomposed trap, small hillocks and ridges of which are seen jutting up in this valley. The intermediate spaces, being the black alluvial soil similar to that of the Nerbudda, had crops of gram and wheat on them. About four miles from Maljihir S. S. E. near a small low range of hills (specimen M H) is the other hot-spring. The gas extricated is more offensive than the Kyrie one; temp. 134° air 92°; time 2 P. M. (3rd March, 1834,) cold spring about 20 paces off, 78°. This spring bubbles

*It is to be noted that although the hills are generally low, yet some high peaks, as Chuttair and Douria, (probably rising to 800 or 1000 feet above the plain,) are met with.

up much more than the other, and a greater volume of water issues. It has also been rudely enclosed, and at a short distance off is a Mahadeo temple in ruins. MS is the rock from which the spring issues, and M N is a ledge of rocks, and G the nála, some 200 yards off.

From Maljihir westward to Kunchari, a ridge of trap is traced, which crosses the river Deinwa at this place, and through which the river has cut its way; changed into the solid compact rock of D at K 1; a similar ledge being seen above the ford: the strata appear to run nearly east and west, with a dip of about 30°, in places traversed by thin veins of quartz and agate, D at K 3, forms the bed of the river at the ford, while large rolled conglomerates D at K 2, are thickly strewed in the bed, varying in size from a small pebble to large masses, a foot in diameter.

From this to Pugara is about nine miles. After leaving the Deinwa, the road is sandy, and a small ridge of sandstone is passed over, leading into a valley of black alluvial soil, up to the village of Singanama; from which commences what may be termed the Mahadeo Hills. The road is one unvaried ascent, but by no means steep, through a forest jungle, (scarcely any low bush jungle,) the rock of which is a sandstone, P 1, (and P 2, much intermixed with it,) the whole very practicable for all sorts of baggage, carts excepted. About seven miles from the river, the chief ascent in this march is attained, and the road keeps along the west of the ridge, which becomes more open and level up to Pugara, a small Goand village, belonging to a Thakur. The scenery about is very picturesque: a small nála, the Kanjundeo, is in front, and on every side fine large trees of mango, jamin, mahwa, semul, &c. ; less than a mile to the eastward rises a small stream, the Kanjun Koonr, which after a very small course falls over a precipitous rock, some 3 or 400 feet perpendicular; it has obtained the name of Butkee Boorán. Tradition saying that it derived its name from a young Goandee (it might add to the romance to style her lovely, but judging from the faces of this race in our days, it could not be the truth,) being forced over; however Miss Butkee has had her companions, as in the days of Goand rule, obnoxious individuals on being brought before their ruler, had the laconic sentence of "Shew him Butkee Boorán," passed on him. This nála, after winding through the hills, falls into the Deinwa at Pissun.

From Pugara to the table land of Puchmuree, the distance is about seven miles, the road being a series of rocky sandstone ledges, occasionally intersected by small streams; the road on the whole is very practicable for all sorts of laden cattle, there being but one or two places where even camels experience any thing like difficulty. On passing the last elevation, one of the Kodri range (being the husks of the kodo thrown aside by Mahadeo when resident here), you come to an open, rather level plain, of irregular size, the longest part probably not exceeding six miles

from Dobgur west to the Kanjee Ghatee, east, by five from the Pugara Ghatee to the cave at Mahadeo. There being no underwood or low jungle, this plain has much the appearance of a park; two or three streams wind through it in different directions.

The whole of these hills are almost entirely one rock, a sandstone (Dok 2) varying a little in color. I visited the top of one of the peaks, Dokgur* by name, the same which is stated by Captain Franklin to be 4800 feet high. On the pinnacle of this hill the pebbles were lying, evidently detached from the sandstone by the action of weather. These pebbles are to be seen in horizontal strata in many places, where the bare mural rock rises 300 or 400 feet from the plain. The only exception to this sandstone was, Dok 1, forming a water-course about 200 feet below the summit, and which is crossed once or twice in ascending to this peak, and Dok 3, about 150 feet from the summit.

In a cave, through which passed a stream, called Jumbo Dweep, the specimen of silicified tree was found by Captain OUSELEY, the description of which I give you in his own words.

"After having swam in as you know some 40 or 50 yards, with torches, where several passages appear to branch off, and not liking to go farther in water, the depth of which was great but unknown, I came back to the debris on which you stood, formed of broken masses from On descending with the stream above, under which the stream runs. by torch light about 20 feet through the sandstone excavated by the action of water, we came to a small room 10 feet square by 10 or 12 high, the stream falling by a crevice through the floor, about two feet wide. We descended about 15 or 20 feet more, and between the sides of the crevices was jammed the tree, a trunk with apparently stumps above, part of the bark, all fallen forward and caught in a hollow of the sandstone made by water about 4 feet long by 18 inches wide, from 2 to 6 inches thick: of this I struck off the piece† I gave you, and have brought away the whole fragment, but not the tree,for what appeared was fully four feet wide, but how large it may be I did not carefully observe.”

p.

79, appears

Lieutenant FINNIS, in the Journal for February last, my observation to meto give a greater degree of extent to these hills, than warrants. More than three sides of them are defined by the Deinwa, taking its rise between the peaks of Bhimgur and Dokgur, and to the Whether westward of Dokgur a deep chasm immediately commences.

the geological formation differs on the side towards the Tek, I have no

* There are two other peaks exceeding this in height, viz. Putta Sunkur, (above the cave of Mahadeo,) and Choura Deo, the highest of all which I conjecture to be about 5000 feet above the sea.

The one I send.

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