PAUT 1.] 
Annual Report for 1874 . 
7 
Since the stoppage at Sukakheri near the close of the year, work has been resumed at 
Khapa and Manegaon, and progress has been already made beyond the depth attained before 
stopping for the monsoon. In December also two new borings were commenced in the 
Tawa valley, at Kesla and the Suk Tawa: the latter is certainly in the Damuda rocks; the 
former is in lower Mahadeva beds. The hope is to strike the Barakur coal-measures, and 
thus, if coal be found, to save twenty miles of rough carting from the Shapur or Betul coal-field 
to the south. As has already been fully explained, it is impossible to speak of success as any¬ 
thing more than a chance, inasmuch as no outcrop) of these measures is seen north of the 
Shapur field. 
Mr. Willson steadily continued his mapping of the northern portion of the Bundel- 
kund Survey and finished several sheets of the 1-inch plans. One of the principal points 
of interest connected with this area is the great prevalence of quartz reefs or veins, having 
a very constant and definite direction and occurring in large number and of great size. 
There are also two systems of trap dykes in considerable number, and Mr. Willson finds 
evidence, which seems almost conclusive, that both these systems of trap-dykes are younger 
than the great quartz reefs, a conclusion of the highest interest as bearing on the geolo¬ 
gical history of the district. Mr. Willson has again resumed this work for the coming 
season. Mr. Willson’s mapping is always distinguished by care, neatness, and accuracy. 
Mr. Hacket resumed bis labour in Bajputana, mapping in a large area of the country 
lying between Bhurtpur and Jaipur, and to the south, included in the sheets 27, 35, 37, 38, 
39, and 41 of the Bajputana Survey, and in parts of 10a, 106, and 12 of the Gwalior Survey, 
(scale 1 mile = 1 inch). All the rocks met with belong generally to the samec lass as those 
previously described by Mr. Hacket in the Biana hills, being chiefly quartzites, with very 
irregularly intercalated zones of schists, limestone, and trappean rocks resting upon or against 
gneissic masses. Mr. Hacket is disposed to adopt the name attached to the general range of 
these hills as a general inclusive name for the whole series of rocks, and to call them the 
Aravali series. 
This work will be continued on Mr. Hacket’s return from furlough, on which he is now 
absent. It has been for some time anxiously looked for, as tending to fill in one of the oreat 
lacuncB on the map of India, with a view to a general geological sketch of the country, and 
one of such importance that nothing very satisfactory can be done towards such a map until 
this portion of the country has been examined. 
Mr. Mallet accomplished the examination of Sikkim (British) and of the Western Dhuars. 
The interest attaching to this field, from the probability of the coal forming an useful 
source of fuel, led to the publication of Mr. Mallet’s report as quickly as possible. It has 
been issued with two geological coloured maps. Excepting iu the Darjiling district his 
examination had to be limited to a mere fringe of the mountains; in places, indeed, even this 
much is beyond reach of the British boundary. There would appear to be some prospect of 
the Damuda coal of that region being made serviceable by the adoption of suitable con¬ 
trivances for the utilization of such dust or powdery coal. 
Mr. Mallet’s observations have led him to the conclusion that the Damuda formation is, in 
this country, the lowest member of the rock series of the outer Himalaya ranges, the Darjiling 
gneiss being the topmost and youngest member of the same series. This, if confirmed, is a 
result of very great interest and importance, and would tend to establish a well marked 
common horizon between the rocks of the Himalaya and those of the Peninsula of India. 
Mr. Mallet’s researches, excepting in the point to which his attention was specially directed, 
were necessarily rapid and cursory, and the maps can only be viewed as preliminary sketches. 
Until the country on either side is worked up to this portion, no really trustworthy or reliable 
section can be obtained from such isolated areas. 
