THE SIRGORA FIELD. 21 



been examined by Mr. Blanford in 1866, it was not advisable to have 



the well cleared out, for unless further excavations were made 



nothing new could have been learned. Mr. 



Exploration. . 



Blanford writes 1 : — 



"The most eastwardly locality in which coal has yet been discovered is close to the 

 village of Sirgori, and nearly a mile north of the Pench river. The coal was found 

 in a well sunk, twelve years ago, by the malguzar or patel of the village; and this 

 circumstance coming accidentally to the knowledge of Major Ashburner, led to 

 the discovery not only of this seam but of all the others between Sirgori and 

 Barkoi. Major Ashburner sank a shaft by the side of the well, and at the depth 

 of 28 feet came upon the coal. All the beds cut through were of sandstone, coarse 

 or fine; and the roof of the coal consists of coarse sandstone, obliquely laminated. 

 After cutting into the coal more than 3 feet, water came in rather rapidly, and the 

 shaft was stopped. With some little difficulty from the influx of water, I succeeded 

 in digging into the coal further, until I had reached 4 feet 9 inches from the top of 

 the seam. How much thicker it may be I cannot say. The whole is of good 

 quality, perfectly uniform, without shale partings." 



In addition to this well, which is situated on the right bank of 



the Jobe stream, south-27°-east from the north- 

 Coal in other wells. 



eastern portion of the village and east-5°-south 



from the south-western portion, I was shown three other wells in 

 which coal is said to occur, one immediately to the south of the north- 

 eastern portion of the village near the position Mr. Blanford recom- 

 mended as a boring site ; here 4 to 5 feet of coal is said to have been 

 found in digging the well, at a depth of about 12 feet ; this is only a 

 few yards north of the trap beneath which the outcrop of the coal must 

 be situated. The dip in the stream close by is north-west at io°. 



To east-32°-north from the larger or north-eastern portion of the 

 village, on the bank of the Jobe stream, is a well which was dug 

 about 1880, in which coal was found, but I was unable to obtain any 

 information as to its depth beyond the fact that the usual depth of 

 water in the well was 20 feet. 



The third well is to the west of the north-east portion of the vil- 

 lage, close to a small hillock, the coal is here said to be at a depth of 

 about 15 feet. 



1 Rec. Geol. Surv. India, XV, 2, 124. 



( 21 ) 



