256 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA. 



coal for the North-Western Provinces, and immediately west of the 

 immense coal field of Sohagpur, which district is also rich in 

 agricultural produce, and the natural entrepot for the surrounding 

 forest tracts, whiie southwards from Sohagpur lies the least difficult 

 line of communication between northern and southern India, into the 

 plains of Ohattisgarh, leading down the Mahanadi valley to Cuttack, 

 and up it over the plateau of Bnstar to Vizagapatam. Again, an 

 opportunity was also offeree 1 for successful iron manufacture, there 

 being probably no spot in India where such an abundant supply of 

 first-class iron ores exists as at Katni, on the Bast Indian Railway. 

 A survey for a line from Katni to the coal field was commenced. 

 The Skapur coal borings in the Satpura region proved unsuccessful, 

 but the cretaceous coal field of Darangiri, in the Garo hills, reported 

 on by Mr. La Touche during the preceding season,* proved good, the 

 quantity being very considerable and the quality serviceable. 



Mr. Foote was engaged in Madura and Tinnevelli, principally in 

 completing his map of the coast region and joining this work on to 

 Dr. King's in Travancore. Mr. Hacket took up work in the wilder 

 parts of the Arvali range in Southern Mewar, but being warned by 

 the Political Agent of the hostility of the Bhil tribes, he employed 

 the rest of the season very usefully in examining some intricate 

 feat ii res along the Vindhyan boundary north-east of Neemuch. In 

 Kathiawar a large area along the coast region, from Bhaunagar 

 to Madhapur, consisting mostly of trap and post-tertiary rocks, with 

 a remnant of tertiary beds on the western sea-margin, was examined 

 by Mr. Fedden. 



The principal object of Mr. Blanford's work in the field season 

 L881-82 was to endeavour to trace northward the well-marked series 

 of tertiary rocks of Sind, and to follow their continuation if possible 

 into the Punjab, where there is not the same clue to classification in 

 the presence of marine beds above the eocene. Before taking up 

 this work Mr. Blanford was called upon to report again upon the 

 coal deposits to the west of Sibi, so he marched by the Bolan pass 

 in Quetta, examining the coal seams of Mach on the road. From 

 Quetta to Sibi he returned by the Hamai route, and visited the 

 Sharag coal locality, after which he skirted the western boundary 

 of the Bugti hills, and then marched from Jacobabad to Harrand in 

 the Punjab, through the heart of the Bugti country. From Harrand 

 he proceeded northward along the eastern flank of the Suliman 



* " Records," Vol. XV., Part 3. 



