86 MALLET : COAL-FIELDS OF THE NAGA HILLS. 



be necessary to transport the coal by land for a distance of about 4 miles. 

 From Kumar's ghat to Disang Mukh is 100 miles^ the river being con- 

 siderably smaller and less easily navigable than the Dihing. The dis- 

 tance by land to the Brahmaputra is about the same as from Jaipur. 



In the Saffrai all the known coal is below the alluvium level.* 

 South of the Dhodar Alii, the stream is quite 



Saffrai. 



unnavigable in the dry season from want of water, 

 and almost equally so in the rains on account of the violence of the 

 current.f The distance by land from the mouth of the Chota Taukdk 

 to Disang Mukh, via Charaido and Nazira, is about 30 miles, with a low 

 range of hills to cross west of the Tiru.J 



A large proportion of the available coal in the Dikhu valley is 



above the level of the plains, or the river bed. As 

 Dikhu. . ., 



far as Santak, however, there are contmual rapids 



in the Dikhu, and for the steady transport of any considerable quantity 



of coal, the stream may be considered unnavigable. § Any scheme, 



therefore, for conveying the coal to the Brahmaputra by water would 



almost necessarily involve the construction of a road from the mines to 



Santak, a distance of 7 or 8 miles. Below Santak the river is navigable 



for the largest-sized boats in the rains, but in the cold weather it is 



impassable for those drawing much over a foot of water. The distance 



* The quantity in the hill east of Tirugaon, ahove the water level, is very trifling. 



t p.4. 



X The highest point of the present path from Charaido to the Saffrai valley is 220 

 feet ahove the plains, but it is quite possible that a lower route than this could be found. 



§ Less than a mile above Tel Pung the Dikhu flows through a narrow rocky gorge 

 encumbered with fallen masses of rock, the stream being quite impracticable for even the 

 smallest dug-outs. From the lower end of the gorge to Santak, the course of the river 

 includes short reaches of quiet water connected by rapids, the fall of some of which amounts 

 to several feet. The exact number between Tel Pung and Santak, a distance of about 15 

 miles, is said to be 48, or one every third of a mile on an average. This part of the river 

 is navigable, even in the dry season, for dug-outs lightly laden — Mr. Thornton states that 

 canoes of 15 or 20 mans burden can ascend at that time, and of 100 mans in the rains — but 

 for the steady transport of any large quantity of coal, it must, I think, be considered 

 impracticable. 



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