NERBUDDA DISTRICT. 1 1 1 



In 1844-46, Mr. Rammel, an accomplished engineer, connected with 

 Messrs. Hunt and Co., of Mirzapore, sunk pits and shafts on the Lameta 

 ghat shale, in hope that what was rubbish at the outcrop might prove 

 cleaner inside ; but he was soon obliged to abandon it as useless : yet 

 this is the subject of the above remark of Dr. Carter. Much of the 

 work of reporters subsequently to Col. Ouseley's time, has been based 

 upon data similar to the above, and elaborated in a similar spirit, and 

 each one in his turn has discovered any of the previously known 

 localities which he had time to visit. Moreover, their measurements 

 are not generally more accurate than those of the original explorer. 



Mr. Johnson, in 1848, worked the Sonadi seams successfully, under 

 the instructions of Sir Robert Hamilton: he confirmed Col. Ouselev's 

 measurements, and was successful in getting coal of good quality to the 

 surface, but the difficulties of carriage put an impassable barrier to the 

 undertaking. 



Mr. Jacob, in 1854,* speaking of the same place, Sonadi says that 

 the " three seams which outcrop, though of little value, are sufficient 

 indication of a rich seam beneath," an assertion unsupported by the 

 slightest evidence : he adds that " the available coal measures will be 

 about 15 miles long by 7 wide." Abundant proof might be adduced 

 against this latter statement ; it is indeed difficult to conceive on what 

 ground it was made. At Mopani, Mr. Jacob speaks of three seams of coal 

 outcropping close together near the village of Berar : he failed to per- 

 ceive that a small fault causes the outcrop of the beds (of which only 

 two exist) to be repeated at the surface. He saw both outcrops of 

 one of the beds, and one of those of the other, but the second ap- 

 pearance of the second had escaped him, nor did he see a locality 

 decribed by Col. Ouseley a mile down the stream, where another bed 

 occurs. 



* Selections from Records of Bombay Government, No. XIV, p. 136. 



