22 BALL : GEOLOGY OF AURUNGA AND HUTAR COAL FIELDS. 



It is Dot easy to say how many distinct active springs there are at 



Tatapanij but there were seen by me certainly not 

 Number of outlets. , • i i • i j i • t 



less than a score, besides which there are indi- 

 cations of many others whose action has been either temporarily or 

 wholly suspended. 



As a rule, these springs rise in small basins with a bottom formed 

 of large-grained quartz sand. Round the edges of these basins there 

 is frequently an encrustation of silicious sinter. A strong odour of 

 sulphuretted hydrogen pervades the atmosphere all round. 



Occasionally these springs have given rise to marshy and boggy 

 ground all round, which is most treacherous, as it is generally covered 

 with a thin upper crust which simulates firm ground. 



Proceeding from east to west, the Fahrenheit * temperatures in the 



successive basins were as follows : east 185°, 174°, 

 Temperature. „ „ , 



162°, 130°, 170°, 144°, 168° (166° close to temple) 



(154°, 184°, 180°, in bed of stream) west. These were all taken in the 

 early forenoon on a day near the end of March, when the sun was hot and 

 there was no perceptible condensation of the vapour. Early on the fol- 

 lowing morning the position of each spring was distinctly marked by a 

 column of condensed steam. On this occasion the temperatures were 

 somewhat different from what they had been the previous evening. In 

 the bed of the stream one was 190°, while the spring close to the temple 

 was 185°. The highest temperature observed was in a basin off the 

 general line and north of the temple ; in it the thermometer registered 

 196°. I think it probable that this spring is situated on a small 

 branching fault, of the existence of which the neighbouring rocks afford 

 some evidence. . 



The temple above alluded to was built over what was considered by 

 the natives to be the hottest spring ; but that particular outlet being 

 now closed, the temple has been allowed to fall into ruins. I was told 



^ Taken by a Negretti and Zambia's boiling-point tliermometei'. 



( 22 ) 



