Chap. I. J history of geology. 9 



The Geological map, which also bears the date of 1847, was published 

 in India, together with some horizontal sec- 



His Geological Map. . . 



tions, and a vertical section of the whole ot the 



strata contained in the field. Of the map, considering that the topo- 

 graphical and geological work was necessarily carried on at the same 

 time, it is difficult to speak too highly. The boundaries are mostly 

 true and well mapped; the coal seams correctly laid down. The sec- 

 tions, however, show what is also evidenced by the Report, that Mr. 

 Williams, while he clearly understood, and satisfactorily explained, 

 many of the geological problems presented by the field, still remained 

 in error on several points of detail. Although he clearly saw the rela- 

 tions of beds to each other in particular localities, he did not recon- 

 struct the general section accurately, and he was occasionally misled 

 by applying his English experience too literally in the explanation of 

 the various phenomena which he observed. But his Report is of so 

 much importance, both in consequence of the large amount of detailed 

 information which it contains, and also of its being the only account of 



the Raniganj field on which any reliance could 



Abstract of Report. 



be placed, that a recapitulation of its contents is 

 essential, in order to show what knowledge existed on the subject of 

 the coal field of the Damuda before the commencement of the present 

 survey. 



The Report commences with a description of the physical geography 



of the district. This is followed by an account 



Metaruorphic Rocks. 



of the gneiss and metamorphic, or, as Mr. Williams 

 terms them, " the inferior stratified rocks," perhaps the least accurate 

 portion of the whole Report. It commences thus: — 



" The lithological composition of those ranges which environ the coal 

 " field is as follows : — On the North side of Telindah Village, in the bed 

 " of the Damoodah River, the rocks are constituted of nodular syenitic 

 " greenstone, arranged in four parallel bands, separated from each other 



