253 



We conimeneed our search at the place where mercury had previously been 

 found (marked G on the sketch), but for some time without success, owing to 

 the soil having been a great deal disturbed by former explorers ; at last, after 

 turning aside the small stream that here joins the larger one, and carefully 

 washing in a tin plate the grit in its bed, we succeeded in obtaining a few 

 specks of cinnabar and a few small globules of mercu.iy. Thus encouraged, we 

 continued our search, but with only moderate success, and as it was getting 

 late, we thought it advisable to examine other localities, in order more 

 effectually to test the thermometer theory. Accordingly, we crossed over the 

 hills to the sources of the stream (a), but in our necessarily hurried exami- 

 nation, could find nothing. We then followed down to the second hollow, 

 and began, a little before dusk, trying the spot marked B, whei"e we at once 

 found grains of mercury in the sand, and on continuing our search, we dis- 

 covered a small vein in the soft decomposing sandstone. This vein was from 

 a quarter to half an inch in width, open in the centre, and lined on each side 

 by a black ore of mercury, and contained, both in the lining and centre of the 

 vein, globules of mercury, often of considerable size, and accompanied by 

 deposits of siilphur. Soon afterwards we found a precisely similar vein a few 

 yards distant (at c). Mercury was also distributed in fine globules through 

 the rock on each side of the veins, and on breaking this down and washing it in 

 a small tin plate, I obtained about two-thirds of an ounce in half an hour, besides 

 many small angular grains of red cinnabar. Much of the mercury, however, 

 escaped me (pei-haps an equal quantity to that which I obtained), for the particles 

 were so minute that much of it floated on the surface of the water, and refused 

 to run together. Even the larger particles amalgamated with difficulty, owing 

 either to the sulphur, or to a black greasy hydro-carbon, which is found at all 

 the springs where mercury occurs, and which may be derived from the lignite 

 beds at or near the surface, or may have a deeper origin. 



The black mineral found in the veins is a sulphide of mercury with some 

 iron. It is insoluble in boiling nitric or hydrochloric acids, but dissolves readily 

 in aqua-regia. It is generally black and dull, but sometimes the colour is lead 

 grey, and the lustre sub-metallic. Streak metallic, lead grey, powder black, 

 sometimes mixed with particles of red, or reddish black. Hardness about 5. 

 S.G. = 9*224. Before the blow-pipe it gives a greenish yellow bead, with 

 borax. 



I also took home with me a small bottle of water from the spring at G, 

 and found it to contain zinc, manganese, silica, and free sulphuric and hydro- 

 chloric acids. I could obtain no trace of mercury. The specific gravity of the 

 water was I'Oi. On passing sulphuretted hydrogen through it no precipitate 

 was formed, but it turned a beautiful pale blue colour, very like that of 

 Te Tarata, and other hot springs in the interior of the island. 



