144 On the Coal $ Iron Mines of Tdlcheer fy Ungool. [Feb. 



to proceed further. There was sufficient coal at this place to afford an 

 ample supply for the next century. 



The cost here of working either the coal or iron mines would be the 

 same as at Talcheer, it would, however, be necessary to construct a road 

 (perhaps a rail road) to the river side, a distance of sixteen or eighteen 

 miles, but perhaps less in a direct line. The nulla is not navigable at 

 any season, however from the tolerably level nature of the country it 

 might be rendered so for two or three months, by constructing dams 

 and locks at convenient distances. At all seasons water is found from 

 one to three feet below the surface of the sand ; this prevented my 

 ascertaining the actual depth of the coal measures and the quality of 

 the lower veins. 



Note on the Iron Mines. 



Iron ore is found in great abundance both in Talcheer and in the 

 adjacent states of Ungool and Dhenkennal. There are iron works in 

 each, and the Cuttack and Berhampoor markets are supplied by 

 them. Some of the iron is of a superior and malleable quantity, but 

 much of it is very coarse-grained and brittle, the prices vary accord- 

 ingly. 



I saw the remains of several iron works on the road between Tal- 

 cheer and Mungulpersad, the " Lohoras," or iron workers, having for- 

 saken them last year in consequence of the famine, and subsequent 

 pestilence (cholera) which almost depopulated the country. 



The process of smelting the ore is the same as that pursued in other 

 parts of India, and which therefore it will be superfluous for me to 

 describe. 



Had I met with any iron workers I would have tried to smelt 

 the ore with coal, as it is abundant on the surface at the coal mines, as I 

 have before mentioned. 



A great quantity of iron is made in the Sumbulpoor state also. 



