CHAP. XXIII.] THERMAL SPRINGS. 327 



not our fault, as we had solicited it the day before. 

 Titipa started off to a neighbouring Heathen pa, 

 although the rain fell in torrents, and came back in 

 the afternoon with a pig. 



About three miles from this place I saw masses 

 of white vapours rising in jets, and the natives told 

 us that they were caused by the hot-springs (puhia). 

 The way to them leads through a valley, on the 

 sides of which I again observed the curious terraced 

 appearance which I have lately mentioned. The 

 springs, three large and many small ones, were 

 situated at the base of a range of low hills, of 

 a conical shape, and consisting of scorise. They 

 ranged in a linear direction from north-west to 

 south-east. The larger ones are formed in the 

 shape of a funnel, with a diameter of about twenty- 

 four r feet. The water, which was not easily ap- 

 proached, had a milk-white, clayey appearance, and 

 was continually in a state of ebullition, or thrown 

 up in jets : it had a slightly acidulous taste. Steam 

 issued from a number of crevices at the sides of the 

 funnel ; the gas was sulphurous, and efflorescences of 

 sulphur and alum lined the rock ; there were also 

 some traces of sulphate of iron. The temperature 

 of this milky and muddy mass was above the boiling- 

 point of water, as the mercury rose to 216 Fahr., 

 the highest gradation on the scale of my thermo- 

 meter. The margin of the funnel was much altered 

 in its chemical composition, and formed a yellowish 

 or reddish clay. The Leptospermum scoparium 



