‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎193r] (390/470)

nodules found in the magnesian limestone of Sunderland. This, however
only occurs on the surface of the blue limestone-pebbles, and is not observed
on that of any other of the components of this gravel.
Throughout the whole of this vast accumulation the various pebbles are
thrown together without the slightest appearance of order or stratification.
They are nearly, if not all, derived from the rocks composing the mountains
immediately adjacent; namely, the blue limestone from the ambiguous Lower
Secondary series; the white and cream-coloured limestone and”the pebble-
breccia from the nummulitic formation ; the red sandstones and variegated
cherts, with probably the quartzose sandstone and white quartz, from the
sands and gravels of the gypsum series, which this gravel conglomerate
immediately overlies. It is remarkable that the boulders derived from the
greatest distance are the most common, while a very small percentage is found
of the nearer rocks. This, however, may be accounted for by the soft and
friable nature of all the latter, which have been ground down and form the
sandy matrix.
No trace of fossils has been met with in the limestone gravel, excepting
such few as occur in the pebbles themselves.
II.— Tertiary Rocks.
(11 Gypsiferous Series.
In this series I include all the stratified deposits above the nummulitic
limestone, to be hereafter described.
The series consists of the following beds in descending order of stratifica
tion :—
( 1 ) Fine gravel passing into
( 2 ) Friable, red, calcareous sandstone.
( 3 ) Variegated marls, frequently saliferous, with vast deposits of gypsum
and thin beds of impure limestone.
I have traced this formation in a north-west direction from Kazran to
Jezireh-ibn-Omar (hit. 29° 4>7' to 36' 3 00' N.), nearly 700 geographical miles.
Ifo>v much further it extends in either direction I am unable to say with
certainty, though there is every reason to believe that towards the south-east
it passes through Baluchistan, and is a prolongation of a similar formation
described by Captain Vicary as occurring in Sind.
The actual breadth of this zone varies considerably, and, in consequence
of the beds passing imperceptibly under the alluvium to the westward, it is
very difficult, as I have previously remarked, to define its limits in that diree-
Considerable outliers of this formation extend in long lines of sandstone
and gravel hills parallel to, and at a distance of twenty or thirty miles from,
Striking off from it near Behbahan, in lat. 30° 14 N the Zeitun Hi Is
rise into bold, rounded, and sometimes precipitous cliffs through winch tne
Jarrahf river forces a passage into the plains of Dorak.^ - er con mum
about fifty miles, the range sinks into the desert, and is just distingmsha de
from the general level by a low, continuous, undulating me on it lonzjn
thirty miles in extent. It again rises into the Ahwaz range, and, crossing
the river Karun, constitutes the celebrated ledge of roc s mown as