THE COAL OP ASSAM. 19 



may tlierefore be sought for in the same region. The enormous thickness 



of the younger series is the great obstacle to the search ; it is impossible 



to know with any precision how near or how far we may be from the base. 



In the region of the Dunseeree I have no observation of the 



Region of the Dun- S^'^^^^ ^^^^ which any thing may be expected— 

 seeree. j^]^q jjjUg Qf ^]jg Angami Nagas. It seems pro- 



bablcj from the considerable suppression of the lower flanking hills to 

 the south-west of Gabaroo^ that the coal-bearing band may there be 

 brought within reach of the plains. Close to the left bank of the 

 Dunseeree^ at the Namba Falls, about 10 miles above Golaghatj crystal- 

 line rocks appear; and close to them is an undisturbed remnant of 

 sedimentary rocks, which I conjecture to be of an older period than the 

 coal-measures. All the hills to the west of the Dunseeree below Gola- 

 ghat are of crystalline rocks. 



All the hills below Kerania on the Kopili are of crystalline or 

 schistose rocks. At the Falls there is a section 



Eegion of the Kopili. ^ ^ ^ ^•^ i -n n 



remarkably like that at the Falls of the Namba : a 

 small rib of gneissose rocks partially covered by sandstones. The probable 

 position of the coal band on this section is well out of reach of Assam. 



It may be affirmed with great probability that all the rocks on the 

 south of the Assam Valley, west of the Dunseeree, are crystalline rocks. 



It has been already stated that the excellent quality of these Assam 



coals has been placed beyond a question by years 



Quality of the coals. „ . i . , t • i i • • 



of experience ; results to which analysis gives com- 

 plete confirmation. The following quantities were determined hy 

 Mr. A. Tween for three samples of coal brought by me from Assam : — 



Fixed Volatile . , 



Carbon, matter. ^ * 



Terap 61-8 36-5 1-7 



Namchik ... ... 50-4. 44-6 5-0 



Jaipoor ... ... 53-0 43-3 3-7 



The first is an average sample of the coal now quarried at the Terap, 

 taken from a heap ready for shipment. The second was taken from the 



( 405 ) 



