84 BALL : GEOLOGY OF THE RAJMEHAL HILLS. 



the two small hills east and west of Sahibganj, and close to the river at 

 Tekroganj and Sikrigali, is friable and much decomposed near the 

 surface ; possibly a better quality may exist below. 



Undoubtedly the most favorably situated locality in the hills for 

 The most favorable the P ur P ose of quarrying- and transmitting road 

 local %- metal to Calcutta is at ttdwa-Nala, which has 



been selected for that purpose by the Messrs. Atkinson. The stone, 

 which is a compact bluish-green basalt, forms a small hill which is 

 about one-third of a mile from the river. This distance during the dry 

 weather involves some carting ; but in the rains the flooding of a nala 

 renders it possible to bring the boats alongside the quarries to be loaded. 



I have no statistics regarding the amount of stone turned out annu- 

 ally and transmitted to Calcutta ; but it is a somewhat variable quantity, 

 as the indigenous supply purchased by the Calcutta Municipality is 

 dependent on the amount of foreign stone ballast in the market. 



The works at tTdwa-Nala are based upon a system which is worthy 

 of much commendation. It is one which might well be adopted by all 

 who embark in similar undertakings in India. Perhaps the best testi- 

 mony to the character of the management is afforded by the fact that 

 the generally unruly boatmen of the Ganges submit themselves to the 

 regulations and terms established by the Messrs. Atkinson, and perform 

 their contracts without supervision both faithfully and well. The coolies 

 come of their own accord in greater numbers than are required from far 

 distant Chutia Nagpur,* being confident of receiving good treatment at 



* As an illustration of the effects which may be produced by particular modes of 

 life among uncivilised tribes of people, it may be noticed that while the Dhangas of Chutia 

 Nagpur travel 200 miles to obtain employment, the Rajmahal Pahareas, or Mal6s, who are 

 a nearly allied Oraon race (but who, instead of being descended from cultivators, are the 

 children of a race of f reebooting bandits who were at one time the terror of the inhabitants 

 of Birbhum and Bhagalpur), cannot be induced to engage in what they consider such 

 undignified work as stone -breaking, although their hereditary profession has been suppressed 

 by the British Government for nearly a century. 

 ( 238 ) 



