54 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
[vol. v. 
This is the thickest part of the Kamthis and Barakars together ; the latter thin out to 
the south. 
Area of Barakars about 156 acres. 
Average thickness of coal may be 
taken at 12 feet. 
Quantity of coal available. 
Supposing that the western boundary has a nearly vertical edge, which I think is the 
true state of affairs, it may then, without allowing for 
greater area by the pocket-shaped form of the bottom, and 
the high dip, be considered that the area of Barakars is about the same as the area of the 
field in plan; and this is about 156 acres. I think I am very well within the mark by taking 
12 feet or 4 yards as the average thickness of coal through¬ 
out the two seams together. There are about 4,840 tons in 
a square acre of coal, 1 yard in thickness; but only three- 
fourths of this can be got out in the working, so that we may 
calculate on 3,630 tons, which being multiplied by 156 for the area, and again by 4 for the 
thickness of coal, gives 2,265,120 tons of available coal. The coal, as described above, is 
about half shaly, and stony, the shaly being the best; so taking half this number of tons, 
it may be said that there are available in the Pangadi Vagu field 1,132,560 tons of fairly 
good coal. 
I could only judge of its powers by making ordinary fires (assays will be supplied from 
the Geological Survey Office by Mr. Tween). These were 
Power of coal in an ordinary fire. , , „ , , ,, . ., ,, , ,, 
made betore my tent ol an evening; it was cold at the 
time (February) in this elevated region; and with merely a starting of a few sticks of 
wood, there was very soon a good blazing coal-fire which burnt with a brilliant flame for a 
loner time. It then quieted down into a red-hot fire, with a pale low flame, lasting so for 
2 or 3 hours; in the morning the fire was still in existence, but most of the burnt fragments 
still retained their general form in a heavy light-colored ash. For such a fire, 4 or 5 lumps 
of coal, each as big as an English brick, were used. The coal can be quarried in large 
lumps, which will bear rough carriage. The fragments used by me were just dug out from 
the bed of the river, where the coal must be much deteriorated from that unexposed to the 
atmosphere. 
So far, the favorable aspect of the Pangadi Vagu coal has been given. 
Against it there is the extremely high dip, and the fact that as its outcrop is for the 
Disadvantages connected with the greater, part of its length either in the river bed or eloso 
coal of this field, very great.. along-sido—the only pools of water in the river being now 
Dip high, and seams full of water. on geams —it j s extremely probable that even in such 
an exceptionally dry season as this, the seams are full of water from outcrop to full depth. 
The area is very small and it is situated in the heart of an elevated and completely 
Area small, and situation very out jungle-covered region, in which the number of villages, or 
of the way. rather small groups of huts, is extremely small and scattered. 
The only useful route for the coal to be drawn out is northwards by the valley to Salevoy or 
Mungumpett. In the present condition of the jungle, work could only he done from early in 
January to the end of May, as the country is reported to 
he either highly feverish, or rendered impassable owing to 
flooding by the rains during the rest of the year. 
Unhealthy region. 
From Kamarum, the path continues still westward, first of all traversing the western 
Continuation of route from ran g e of Vindhyans, already referred to, by a cross valley, 
KamSrum westwards. thickly grown with jungle, through which a clearing has 
lately been made; and so, across the rest of the Paltbal Talook to Hauamconda. Beyond 
. 
