1838.] Supposed Coal Field at Bidjeegurh. 845 



32. I here prosecuted my researches until the evening of the 15th. 

 I penetrated to some depth below the bed of the nullah, and came to 

 what I am inclined to consider a primitive rock, without meeting with 

 the slightest indication of coal. The following sketch shews the result 

 of my labours. The dotted line a, b, is the outline of the face of the 

 nullah ; the strong line a c E, is the sectional line of the part removed, 

 exposing the strata as they occur. 



33. The rock which I found protruding at b, was so excessively 

 hard, that fragments were with great difficulty excavated ; the tools 

 from the Chunar magazine were broken ; the common native imple- 

 ments were fractured at once ; the rock exhibits numerous threads of 

 iron, a specimen marked, I have the honor to forward. By analysis 

 I find it contains about 35 per cent, of iron (vide page 44) ; the want, 

 however of a platinum crucible, alone, prevented my attempting a more 

 decisive analysis. 



34. The recent fracture of the massive slate had a greenish-black 

 appearance ; it was slaty, splintering with a glistening lustre ; when the 

 slate was drier, it was more of an Indigo-black. The upper surface of 

 the strata at c, was perfectly smooth, the line of separation between 

 that and the bituminous marie slate beautifully distinct : the strata 

 run northwest, dipping in that direction at 1° 40'. 



35. I had not leisure to ascertain the depth to which this interest- 

 ing formation descended : the large metalliferous mass before mentioned 

 was enclosed, or enveloped, in the strata, the form very irregular, and 

 the cavities formed by its protuberancies were filled up with smaller 

 slaty fragments, some in a pulverized state, united into a tolerably 

 compact mass by water — which arose almost faster than it could be 

 baled out. 



36. The bituminous marie slate, super-imposed upon the massive 

 slate, follows the same order of formation ; the divisions of the strata 

 are not at right angles with the plane of the horizon, but recline at 

 an angle of 20^° ; they are separable with the greatest ease, and with 

 care might be taken up in layers ; they all dip to the northwest at an 

 angle of 2^° : these seams are crossed by others at an angle of 37-J . 



37. This bituminous marie slate is to be seen, cropping out from 

 the banks, in a very great number of places along the Samdha and 

 Ghaggir nullahs, but not a vestige of coal. My own observations, 

 therefore, coupled with the corroborative statements of many residents 

 of this neighbourhood, lead me to the conclusion, that coal has never 

 yet been found in the bed of the Ghaggir, or of its tributary rivulets. 

 I, however, began to trace the channel towards its confluence with the 



