CAMBUKE. 53 



exit from the mountains when npon our memorable tiger- 

 hunt. Here we halted for coffee, and visited the thermal 

 springs which have given such a world-wide celebrity to 

 this place. They are situated a short distance from the 

 road, in a deep hollow, through which flows a rivulet, 

 from whose surface rose hot vapors, giving forth a strong 

 odor of sulphuretted hydrogen. The springs, wl^cli issue 

 from a coarse-grained granite, possess a temperature of 

 196° Fahrenheit, and, according to Humboldt, are, next 

 to the fountain of Urijino in Japan, the hottest in the 

 world. The vapor of the water deposits carbonate of 

 lime, which forms incrustations upon the plants and stones 

 in the vicinity of the stream. If exposed in an open 

 vessel until the gas has escaped, it becomes in a short 

 time as pure as distilled water. 



It was not a little surprising to behold how luxuriant 

 was the vegetation along this hot-water river. Giant 

 trees reared high their heads, and stretched their sjjread- 

 ing branches over this Stygian stream, as if delighting in 

 the hot, sulphurous exhalations that rose from the surface, 

 while other plants sprung up in the very midst of the 

 rivulet and flourished where we could not for a moment 

 endure to hold our hand. It is also a singular phenom- 

 enon that, at less than fifteen yards from the thermal 

 springs, there gush others from the granitic rock, whose 

 waters are perfectly pure and cold. 



Resuming our journey from Trinchera, in four leagues 

 more, accomplished in as many hours, we came to the 

 wretched little village of Cambure, comprising about 

 thirty huts situated in a pestilential swamp. Having 

 rested a couple of hours, we proceeded on our way, the 

 valley widening as we neared the coast, and the stream 

 called Hio Agiia Caliente, Hot-water lliver, that flowed at 

 the bottom of the ravine, swelling into a considerable tor- 

 rent. At 4 p. M., at a sudden turn in the road, we were 



