846 Supposed Coal Field at Bidjeegurh. [Oct. 



Soane, and the annexed is a general section of the hills of my then 

 locality ; the heights are merely estimated, not having an opportunity 

 of measuring them ; the scenery of the back-ground is also sketched in, 

 shewing the position of the fortress of Bidjeegurh. 



38. At a is a section of the Ghaggir ; there it is deep, its waters 

 being stopped by a solid bund of masonry, on which is erected a hand- 

 some bridge of ten arches, now in good repair. By a Hindee inscrip- 

 tion it appears to have been constructed in 1829 Sumbut, (1771 A. D.) 

 by Bulwunt Singh Deo, The Ghaggir, in its course to b, is precipi- 

 tated over two falls, the last of which is of some magnitude ; the point b 

 is at the junction of the Savndha and Ghaggir nullahs, where the strata 

 of sandstone and shale, are confusedly and violently contorted. 



39. On Monday the 18th December, I reached the Soane by a 

 pass, known as the Ek Poway Ghat. On the route I passed over 

 an extensive formation of what, from its geological position, I consider 

 to be mountain limestone. It is of various colors and the lighter 

 description, will, as I have already ascertained, answer for the purposes 

 of lithography*. 



40. Other varieties become black on exposure to the atmosphere, 

 the specimen, marked D, appears capable of receiving a good polish ; 

 in this case, it will answer all the purposes — in fact, it is a black marble. 

 I had not leisure to ascertain the extent of this interesting formation ; 

 from native report however it is by no means limited ; its general dip 

 is north, and northwest, and it is well developed in the bed and banks of 

 the nullah near Marhoundeh. 



41. About a mile south of this village it is covered by soil, or only 

 occasionally seen ; it is seen again on the banks of the Soane, and there 

 reposing, upon Greywacke : this formation I traced for 3 miles along 

 the banks of the river, east of my encampment near the confluence of 

 the Ghaggir with the Soane. 



42. On the right bank of this river, I also found limestone in 

 regular strata protruding from the banks, and whilst examining this 

 formation, I accidentally picked up a single specimen of a bituminous 

 coal. 



43. Not to enter into a minute detail of my labours, it will, I trust, 

 suffice, to say, that for four days, I narrowly scrutinized the banks of the 

 Soane, the bed and banks of the JRehr nullah for about 3 miles, the 

 Eijul for about 10 miles, and the Nowah nudee, for about 3 miles % 

 from the last three, I did not obtain a single specimen of coal, whilst 

 from the bed of the Soane I collected about 30 or 40 specimens of 



* See specimen C. 



