48 HUGHES : WARDHA VALLEY COAL-FIELD. 



in India. The hole might perhaps have been put down in less time with 



a spring pole or a lever, but an average of 6' 6" daily is excellent 



progress. 



To the south and west of Wun, a boring was commenced at Manki, 



near the west border of the field, to try and dis- 

 Manki bore-hole 53' 0". .... . , 



cover within what approximate depth coal might 



occur. The area around Manki, with the exception of the small outcrop 

 of Kamthis north of the village, is covered by alluvium, and no dips are 

 visible to influence a surmise as to the probable thickness of strata 

 that would have to be pierced before coal was found ; but a boring was 

 suggested, and very good indicative sandstones are recorded in the section. 

 Unfortunately, only 53' 0" were proved, the hole having to be aban- 

 doned on account of the setting-in of the monsoon (1870). Much inter- 

 est was attached to the result of this boring, for if coal had been struck, 

 some further evidence to determine the nature of the western boundary 

 would have been acquired, and an opinion of some weight might have 

 been offered as to the lie of the measures between Manki and Wun. 

 The necessity of testing other portions of the field which possessed 

 advantages of position, and where coal could probably be reached with less 

 labour, prevented the resumption of the Manki boring, and further oper- 

 ations in this direction were never undertaken. 



The remaining bore-holes to be described accompany the belt of Bara- 

 kars that, appearing at Majri west-north-west of Bhandak in Chanda 

 district, follows the course of the bed of the Wardha to its junction with 

 the Pern Ganga. 



The most northerly of these is the one put down at Agasi, within 



the limits of Gaori. It was selected in the hope 

 Agasi. No coal. 



that sufficient horizontal allowance had been made 



to avoid the overlap which was proved on the other side of the river at 



Kiinara. After 90' 6" had been sunk, however, it was evident that the 



top coal had been missed, and that a position more to the deep would have 



( 48 ) 



