INTRODUCTION. 



3 



ledge of the Umaria and Johilla fields was gained. The more import- 

 Mr.'T. Forster M.E., an ^ duties of Mining Engineer were discharged by 

 and Mining Assistants. ' Mr Thomas Forster, M.E., whose name came into 

 prominence in connection with the extinction of the disastrous fire of 

 1882 in the Warora Colliery. The Assistant Mining Engineers, MM. 

 Hallett and Munsch, during their connection with the coal explorations, 

 performed their duty efficiently and willingly. The latter had special 

 charge of the borings in the Korar coal-field, and recorded his observa- 

 tions with minute precision. I am sorry to say that while residing at 

 Jabalpur, after the close of the season, he died from weakness of heart, 

 and we have thus lost an intelligent and conscientious worker. 



I have to acknowledge my obligation to Captain Barr for his un weary. 

 Captain l5arr, acknow- ' m S promptitude in sweeping away difficulties as they 

 ledgmeut of assistance. arose, some having their origin in the irritation of 

 the native chiefs who deemed their rights invaded, and of petty officials 

 whose dignity was compromised by the presence of foreigners, and others 

 having their source in the unforeseen contingencies of a novel under- 

 taking. In securing and moulding labour we should have been perfectly 

 helpless without Captain Barr's aid, and the end of our researches would 

 have been in the far future, instead of having its termination in the season 

 1883-8 1. It is no detraction from the service rendered to us, that we were 

 working in the interest of the Rewah State ; the professional reputations 

 of all were at stake, and they would have been seriously impaired if 

 apathy on the part of the Political Agent had prolonged the term of 

 our probation. 



I would enter a warning concerning village sites. In many instances 



the present hamlets are at some distance from the positions indicated on 



the maps. This is due to the migratory and shift- 

 Village sites, shifting'. , ... P , i i n . , ., 



mg habits of the bond and Baiga tribes, who, from 



one cause or another, rarely remain stationary for more than six or seven 

 years. Over and over again have I been the victim of misplaced confi- 

 dence in the accuracy of my Atlas-sheets, and it was not until experience 

 had enlightened me, that I found out on whose shoulders the blame of my 



( 139 ) 



