Geological researches in China, Mongolia, and Japan, during the years 1862-1865.

52 GEOLOGICAL RESEARCHES IN
stone (?). The high Liushan [west of Poyang lake and south of Kiukiang] are of
fine-grained granite and micaceous schist poor in quartz, in vertical strata trending
N. E. S. W.' On the left bank of the Kan river, above Kihngan (fu), there is sandstone. Between Wanngan (hien) and Kanchau (fu) there is dark gray schist resting on granite. Black slate occurs between Kanchau (fu) and Nanngan (fu). The
summit of the Meiling pass is of argillaceous sandstone, immediately south of which
begins limestone. Between Nanhiung (fu) and Shauchau (fu) the limestone ceases
and is followed by red sandstone with coal seams. Nearer to Shauchau (fu) there
is limestone resting on a breccia of limestone, calcareous red sandstone, and quartz,
the whole cemented by limestone. Near Yingting (hien) there is grayish-black
limestone in which is the cavern of Kwangsin. Hills of grayish-yellow, argillaceous
sandstone, with veins of quartz, occur about half way between Yingting (hien) and
Hingyuen (hien); [on Abel's route map the whole country between these two places
is represented as sandstone.] The coal brought to Abel from the towns on the
Yangtse resembled cannel coal, that in Kiangsi "bovey" coal.
At Fuhutang (on the Kan river), soon after leaving the Poyang lake, there are
vertical coal pits. The fragments at the bottom of the hill where these are situated
appeared to be pure slate.2
Canton to Hankau through Hunan.3-The rocks noticed on the North river (Peh
kiang) were red sandstone and limestone. Four miles inland from Pangkwang
there are coal mines, belonging to the government, 40 to 50 feet deep. Red sandstone occurs along the boundary between Kwangtung and Hunan on the Meiling
pass. Red sandstone occurs near Shachulung, a coal village on the north slope of
the Nanling near the end of the Meiling pass. A few miles below Laiyang (hien)
there are limestone quarries. At Pingtan, a few miles below Siangtan (hien), there
are limekilns and quarries of limestone. Sandstone is quarried at Kingtsewan,
about twelve miles below Changsha (fu).
Chehkiang and Fuh7cien.4-About ten to fifteen miles west of Yenchau (fu) (Chehkiang) are limestone mountains, and a few miles farther west beautiful green granite.
Near Hwuichau (fu) (Nganhwui) the -hills consist of a red sandstone resting on
slate. Near Kiichau (fu) (Chehkiang) there is red, calcareous sandstone. The road
on the pass between the Shangyang river and the Chehkiang river is paved with
granite. The road at the N. W. foot of the Bohea mountains leading from Hokau, in Kwangsin (fu) (Kiangsi), into Fuhkien, is paved with granite. The rocks
at Wuishan, on the east side of the Bohea mountains in Fuhkien "consist of clay
slate, in which occur, embedded in the form of beds or dykes, quartz rock, while
granite of a deep black color, owing to the mica which is of a fine deep bluish black,
cuts through them in all directions." "Resting on this clay slate are sandstone
conglomerates formed principally of angular masses of quartz, held together by a
calcareous basis, and alternating with these conglomerates there is a fine, calcareous,
1 Ritter, Asien, III, p. 675, citing Ellis' Journal, p. 342, and Clarke Abel, p. 167.
2 Ellis' Journal, II, p. 107.
3 Rev. Mr. Bonny. A Trip from Canton to Shanghai. Pamphlet. Shanghai, 1861.
4 Fortune. Tea Districts, etc.