NARSINGHPUR. 223 pits are on the north of the Narbadá at Tendúkhers, and produce ore of excellent quality. From the exclusive employment of charcoal in smelting, the town is free from smoke, and only the ceaseless clink of hammers distinguishes it from the agricultural villages of the vallcy, All these mines are leased by the Narbadá Coal and Iron Company. Besides the high-road from Jabalpur towards Bombay, which runs through the District from east to west, the chief lines of communication are the route northwards across the Narbadla and through an opening in the hills towards Sígar; the road southwards by Srinagar towards Seoni; and the road by Haraí to Chhindwara. None of these roads has yet been netalled, and they are only partially bridged, so that they become impracticable during the rainy season. The Great Indian Peninsula Railway passes through the District from east to west for a total length of 70 miles, with stations at Chhindwara, Korakbel, Narsinghpur, Kareli, Sihorá, Mandesar, and Gadarwará. During the rains, the Narbadá, Dúdhí Shakar, and Sher afford means of transit by water for 224 miles. Administration. In 1861, Narsinghpur was formed into a scparate District of the British Government of the Central Provinces. It is administered by a Deputy Commissioner, with Assistants and tahsildurs. Total revenue in 1876-77, £54,584, of which the land-tax yielded £42,269. Total cost of District officials and police of all kinds, £13,362. In 1883-84, the total revenue of Narsinghpur was £62,181, of which the land-tax contributed £42,305. Total cost of District officials and police, £12,156. Number of civil and revenue judges of all sorts within the District (1883), 7; magistrates, 17. Maximum distance from any village to the nearest court, 32 miles; average distance, 10 miles. Number of regular police, District and town, 360, costing £4853, being i policeman to about every 5 square miles and to every 1023 inhabitants. There was also in 1883 a rural police force or village watch of 1127 chaukidúrs. The daily average number of convicts in jail in 1883 was 86, of whom 6 were females. The total cost of the jail was £508. The number of Government or aided schools in the District under Government inspection in 1883 was 88, attended by 4542 pupils. Medical Aspects.—In 1876, the average temperature in the shade was returned from observations taken at the civil station of Narsinghpur as follows :-May, highest reading n° F., lowest 92°; July, highest 86°, lowest 74° ; December, highest 78°, lowest 52°. The average annual rainfall for a period of 25 years ending 1881 amounted to 46-84 inches. In 1883 the rainfall was 65.88 inches, or 19'04 inches above the average. The prevailing diseases of the District are malarious fevers and bowel complaints; but cholera and small-pox occasionally prove fatal to large numbers. In 1883, three charitable dispensaries afforded
