142 On the Coal fy Iron Mines of Tdlcheer Sf Ungool, $c. [Feb. 



rocks, iron clay, jasper, &c. Half a mile or less above the gurh, 

 is a small nulla called, " Billaijooree," about fifteen yards wide, 

 with a sandy bed, and dry except in the rainy season after heavy 

 falls in the interior, where it takes its rise, and winding considerably, 

 joins ultimately with the Brahmenee at this place. 



About 400 yards from the mouth of the nulla, coal seams are expos- 

 ed to view for some distance along the banks, alternately, on either 

 side; these seams vary in quality and thickness, and are curved 

 parallel with the undulations of the superstrata. In almost every 

 place where the coal seams cease abruptly, they will be found to rest 

 against the sandstone. 



The superstrata generally consist of alluvial soil, shingle, marl, 

 blue clay passing into peat, mixing with shale and coal of inferior 

 quality, beneath which the good coal is found ; this again rests on 

 indurated blue clay containing particles of coal, mica, and fossil plants. 

 The stratum is about 1J foot thick, beneath which a stiff grey clay 

 mixed with sand and, mica, is found. 



I made a perpendicular cut in the north bank, at a spot where 

 inferior specimens had been collected by workmen sent some years ago 

 by Mr. G. Becher, executive officer of the division. Having dug down 

 for two or three feet below the surface of the bed of the nulla, I met 

 with a hard blue rock containing particles of coal and fossil plants, in 

 this I bored a hole 1^ foot deep, and blasted it with one pound of 

 country powder, which enabled me to ascertain the thickness, viz, 

 lrj foot, as before said. 

 The section thus afforded, gave 



Shingle and clay, averaging, 10 ft. 



Blue clay passing into peat, 1^ ft- 



Shale, or slaty coal and lignite, .... 1^ ft. 



Good glistening coal, 1 to 1^ ft. 



Grey rock with fossils and coal, .... 1 ft. 



Ditto ditto, with mica, 6 inches, 



Stiff grey clay with mica and sand (?) 

 Digging a few feet apart from this spot, in the bed of the nulla, the 

 coal was three feet below the surface, without the peat and clay, &c. and 

 under the opposite bank the coal is several feet deeper still. 



I burnt a heap consisting of several maunds of the different kinds 

 mixed together, the whole was consumed, leaving fine white ashes, but 

 no cinder or coke. The glistening or good qualities emitted much gas, 

 and burnt with a bright flame ; the remainder soon attained a red 

 heat with less gas— the whole gave out an intense heat. 



The bed of coal thus examined is (as will have appeared) very thin, 



