A OHVSER IN SOUTH AFRICA. 

 (Plate 2.) 



By Prof. Pall Daniel Hahx, Ph.D., iM.A. 



When I visited Rhodesia in June, 1909, I saw and heard' 

 much about this wonderful country ; and I came away with the 

 conviction tliat Rhodesia had a g-reater future than any other part 

 of South Africa considering- its unUmited agricultural and immense 

 mineral resources. In addition to all these advantages, which 

 form the solid basis of the future development of Rhodesia, there 

 are many other objects of importance which attract the attention 

 of all who take an interest in the future of this g^rand country, 

 h'oremost among-st these are the numerous mineral spring's, of 

 which one stands out as a g^enuine gfeyser. 



I received the following- information on this g-evser through 

 the kindness of C. L. Carbutt, Esq., Bulawayo, who has visited' 

 the spot several times and also supplied me with some water 

 from the geyser for analysis. Mr. Carbutt gave me a photo of 

 the geyser, which is a good illustration of the localitv where the 

 geyser occurs. 



Mr. Carbutt writes : — • 



The water from the above geyser is emilted in a continuous stream,.. 

 and thrown about iS feet into the air. I cannot sav how much water 

 is thrown up per minute. The aperture from which it issues is a round 

 hole about i j or 2 inches in diameter. 



I am unable To give the temperature, never having taken it, but I 

 should think it is slightly below boiling point, where the water leaves ■ 

 the ground. It is certainly far too hot to put one's hand into it. The 

 geyser is situated near Fidunka's Kraal, about two miles south of the ■ 

 Zambesi River and 40 miles down stream, from the confluence of Gwai 

 and Zambesi. The geyser is in the Zambesi \'allev, at the foot of somr 

 low hills, running parallel with the river; it is well above the level of 

 the Zambesi on a low spur of the above-mentioned hills. The country 

 between the river and the geyser is covered with loose sandstone 

 boulders. The geyser itself issues from what appears to be solid sand- 

 stone, with here and there a slight overburden of alluvial soil. 



It is uncertain how long the natives have known this geyser, but 

 doubtless for a considerable period. They do not consider it to be of 

 recent origin. They assert that formerly there was a greater volume 

 of water thrown to a greater height (about 15 feet, according to their 



indications). , , 1 r r>, i • 



The vegetation in the vicinity is the usual scrub b\isli ot Rhodesia, 

 which, as far as I know, has not yet been botanicallv classified : at any 

 rate I am ignorant of the botanical or ordinary Rhodesian names of the 

 plants. The natives do not ascribe any curative properties to the 

 water, but rather that it exerts supernatural influencp on crops, etc., 

 and consequentlv propitiatory ceremonies are occasionally held round it. 

 From the confluence of the Gwai and Zambesi to the Kariba on the 

 latter river there are many hot springs on both sides of the Zambesi ; 

 none of them, however, take the form of a gevser. Round the ge>-ser 

 itself there is a considerable amount of hot water, sprmging from thr 

 ground in the ordinary wav, and no doubt subterrancously connected 

 with the gevser. The force with which the water is expelled is not 

 great, as the gevser can be easily plugged with a stick, or the play oj^ 

 water prevented'bv placing over the aperture a stone weighing 10 or i-' 

 lbs , nor does the force seem to be cumulative, for the activity ot ttie 



