44 



T)are claypan, which is now covered to dazzling whiteness for 

 an area of several hundred acres with an incrustation of salts. 

 The water, however, was of fair quality. 



On the following morning I examined the two smaller 

 springs that are situated north of the Beresford or Trig. Hill, 

 and found the waters much similar in taste to those of the 

 "Warburton, or chief spring of the group. From the height the 

 travertine has attained around these springs, and the compara- 

 tive smallness of the volume of water issuing therefrom, it 

 appears to me that at some former period in their history these 

 two springs were the main outlet to the water which now flows 

 from the chief spring in large volumes. The travertine around 

 the lesser springs is about fifty feet in height, and the 

 reason why their waters have now become languid in their out- 

 flow may be on account of the greater distance they have to 

 rise before reaching the surface, whilst the greater outflow of 

 water at present from the much lower situated spring, south of 

 the Beresford Hill, may arise simply from the difference of 

 level at their exit. 



The most interesting section of the secondary strata I met 

 with in my travels in the north was obtained in connection 

 with the Beresford Hill, but for various reasons it did not get 

 the thorough inspection from me it otherwise should have got. 

 Prom the imperfect view I obtained of it I saw that the beds 

 constituting the upper portion of the hill, though seemingly 

 perfectly horizontal, were much harder in texture than those 

 forming the lower parts. 



The Strangways Springs are a remarkable group, amounting 

 in all, I was told, to about 400. I observed whilst some had a 

 considerable volume of water, others seemed to have about at- 

 tained their maximum height of travertine, and consequently 

 discharged their waters more slowly ; while others, again, 

 seemed to be completely choked up through the accumulations 

 of travertine that had collected around their outlets. The 

 travertines from these waters consist chiefly of carbonate of 

 lime, a little soda, and sulphurous matter, and in many cases a 

 considerable percentage of ferruginous matter. I also observed, 

 in several cases, that these mounds of travertine have been ap- 

 parently acted upon by internal forces. Mr. Warren, sen., of 

 Springfield, informs me that not unfrequently strange sounds 

 have been heard about the Strangways, as if the pent-up gases 

 in the water below were escaping upwards and exploding on 

 reaching the surface, and he attributes to this cause the pre- 

 sent shattered-like appearance many of the mounds present. 

 In support of this theory he stated that one night a peculiar 

 rumbling sound was heard in the neighbourhood of Finniss 

 Springs, and on the following morning water was found to be 



