PART 2.] 
Ball: Bisrampur Coal-field. 
31 
A few very striking instances occur, where the hidden boundary of the Barakars is 
Boundary of Barakars sharply defined either by the character of the jungle growing 
marked by vegetation. above, or by the undulating or sloping character of the surface, as 
compared with that of the ground, where the underlying rocks are Talchirs or metamorphics. 
At the north-east corner of the field close to Mukanpur there are some small mounds 
„ . of a coarse grit, which are separated from the gneiss by a run of 
fault-rock. In the country to south-west bending to south 
as far as Chanchi, there is high ground, some of the hills, as the Bal H. S., rising 
100 feet above the plain. The rocks are coarse sandstones and grits, with bands of pebbles, 
which are sometimes of considerable size and little water-worn. 
Punri hills of pebbly grit. 
In the neighbourhood of Koilari there are coarse grits near the surface, most of them 
excessively ferruginous. 
At Bardba there are mounds of whitish grit sandstones. 
Close to Pundih (or Punri) there are several small hills, the highest of which is 200 feet 
above the plain. The principal rock forming them is an open- 
textured grit with pebbles, which I was at first disposed to regard 
as belonging to the upper group, as it presented the very strongest- resemblance to tbe rocks 
of the Pilka bill. However, with the general resemblance which exists between the Barakars 
and rocks of the upper group, it is, in the absence of any well marked geological features, 
almost impossible to attempt the separation of such isolated patches. South of the hill there 
is a run of fault-rock, which marks the continuation of the bound- 
Fiullt ' ing fault of the north-west corner of the field. So far as I could 
see. its throw must he inconsiderable. I am the more inclined to regard the Punri rooks as 
Barakars, in consequence of the range near Bhatgaon, which is at the same level, being 
formed of rocks exactly similar to the grits and pebble-beds on the east of the field, north 
of Chanchi. Towards the south and south-west of the field, as at Sidma, Bisrampur, Karwa, 
and Jamnagar the coal-measure rocks are completely concealed by alluvium. 
In describing the river sections, I shall begin with the Mahan, and then take up the 
tributaries successively from east to west. 
Mahan River Section .—The first Barakars exposed in the Mahan section* are seen near 
the village of Barbaspur, where, as already stated on a previous page, they are faulted 
against Talchirs. South of the river Barakars occur outside the fault; possibly some of the 
sandstones seen in the river too, should be so grouped, but at the fault there is a greenish 
sandstone which is certainly Talcliir. 
On the west of the fault there is a small seam of carbonaceous 
Seam ' shales with irregular coaly layers. 
From this down to the mouth of the Dekia stream the section exposes sandstones with 
some carbonaceous shales; but even of the latter, at the point west of Bedrf where coal is 
marked on the published map, there is not a trace of shales, much less any sign of coal. Here 
as well as at several other points to he noticed in due course, the Topographical Survey 
must have marked coal from seeing drifted pieces lying at those points and not seams in situ. 
Opposite the mouth of the Dekia stream there is a seam, of which 4 feet, consisting of 
coal and carbonaceous shale, is exposed. The eoal is of inferior 
Seam ' quality, hut burnable. The base of the seam is quite concealed by 
sand and water; possibly there may he a better quality of coal below. 
* Disregarding for the present the probable occurrence of Bardkars in higher reaches of the river outside tbe 
limits of the Bisrampur coal-tieid. 
