34 HUGHES : SOUTHERN COAL-FIELDS OF REWAH GONDWANA BASIN. 



necessity to have taken tbe precaution of examining the Johilla valley, 



but nothing has been lost by the course then pursued, and it is a matter 



of congratulation that we have acquired definite knowledge of a further 



and extremely valuable stock of coal laud. 



The rise of the Johilla river has already been described as being in 



the high trappean plateau of the Mandla District. 

 Jdliilla river. . . • 



It passes by a succession of descents into the lower 



level of the Singwara division of the Rewah State, and, after winding 



through a narrow valley known as the Kboli, which formerly enjoyed, 



and even now, though in a less measure, an inviting reputation as a 



6pleudid tiger-ground, exposes near Lakhanpura, 81° 6' E. Long., and 



23° 17' N. Lat., the thin strip of Barakars that forms the south portion 



of the Johilla valley coal-field. At Mangthar it passes through Talchirs, 



and then soon after enters the metamorphic area of Ponri, the rocks of 



which constitute its channel for 2 miles. A little to the north-east of 



Ponri, it strikes the southern boundary of the Talchirs connected with 



the northern division of the Johilla coal-field, and then, flowing past 



Bara Chada, offers from that point to its union with the Son, the most 



typical section of the Barakar and supra-Barakar rocks that can be 



found in the whole district. 



I think it unnecessary to defend the propriety of the designation 



Johilla coal-field. There are no other exposures of the Barakar 



gi'oup than those already alluded to ; and as the southern area requires 



only a brief notice, it may be dismissed in a few words. 



South area. — Johilla Coal-field. 



The measurement of its area gives 3£ square miles, which is a magni- 

 tude quite enough to make it a valuable field, if 



Area. 



coal occurred in workable thickness. 

 There are no out-crops, however, of any promise, and though I have 

 No out-crops of any q uote(i several instances, as warnings against form- 

 P romise - ing a damnatory opinion on the mere evidence of 



out-crops, I am now speaking with the knowledge acquired in the 

 ( 170 ) 



