1890.] Hot Springs in South Bihar. 227 



Ldu-ldu-ddh is the Santali name for ' hot water.' This spring is 

 situated in a slight hollow in lateritic soil near the bank of a small 

 stream called the Boru nadi, about half a mile north-west of Sibpur 

 village in the Pakur subdivision of the Santal Parganas. No rock is 

 visible in the immediate neighbourhood, but the surrounding country is 

 undulating with occasional outcrops of trap and quartzose grit. The 

 spring is very copious ; I roughly measured the outflow at about 26 

 gallons per minute. This copious outflow in a somewhat sandy tract of 

 soil has resulted in a small crater or basin-like depression from the 

 centre of which the spring issues. The depression is about 3 feet deep 

 and at its margin about 10 feet in diameter. Profuse discharge of gas 

 bubbles forth. The gas has a slightly sulphuretted odour, it is not 

 inflammable, and no perceptible blackening of a silver coin ensues after 

 immersion for two miautes in the spring. A small quantity of flaky 

 sulphurous looking* precipitate is deposited along the course of the out- 

 flowing stream. A few tufts of confervoid growth grow within the spring 

 at a temperature of 122° F. ; but these become much more profuse along 

 the stream. The spring itself and its outflowing channel for many yards 

 are apparently devoid of large animal life, and contain numerous 

 macerated bodies of frogs and other small animals which have perished 

 in attempting to cross the hot water : in front of me, a frog in the en- 

 deavour to escape leaped into the stream and was instantly killed by the 

 hot water. The water has a slightly saline taste, with a neutral reac- 

 tion. By the side of the spring are the ruins of a small temple to Sib 

 (from which the adjoining village derives its name). An isolated pool 

 of water only three yards above the spring has a temperature of 79° F. 

 The spring is perennial ; its water is not drunk. 



Bdrdmasia in Hindif signifies literally ' of 12 months,' and the 

 spring is so called because it flows throughout the 12 months of the 

 year. The Santals call it ' Bhumuk.' The spring appears close to an 

 outcrop of trap in a limestone ; it issues in two places about 4 feet apart, 

 and the discharge is only about one -third of the above described spring. It 

 has no sulphurous odour ; the few gaseous bubbles discharged are not 

 inflammable and do not support combustion ; silver is not blackened 

 on short immersion ; the reaction is neutral. Small fish-fry and ordinary 

 waterweeds and confervee are abundant. The water is used for drink- 

 ing and bathing. Mahadeva is worshipped here. The temperature of 

 a cold spring 20 yards off is 62 5° F. 



* A similar looking deposit from another hot spring was very kindly analysed 

 by Dr. Warden, the Chemical Examiner, with the result of showing that it consisted 

 of ''free sulphur, sulphuric acid, iron and siliceous matter." 



t The Hindus here, living on the border between Bihar and Bengal, speak a 

 mixture of Hindi and Bengali. 

 30 



