2u2 Dr. D. Prain — The hot springs of the Namba Forest. [Aug. 



centre, two well marked minor rents, and small bubbles coming np 

 everywhere, these last not confined to the part nnder water at the time 

 of my visit. The gas was odourless and did not burn. The water was 

 five inches deep in the centre ; my feet sank slowly in the sand, causing 

 more violent ebullition of gas ; by the time the sand had reached my 

 knees it was difficult to extract my feet. The water was beautifully 

 clear, with a sharp but not disagreeable taste. The temperature of the 

 spring was 110° Fh., that of the Namba being 63*6° Fh. The effects on the 

 skin appeared to be only those of hot water. Still, all classes of natives 

 attribute to it curative properties in cases of skin disease, and take 

 long journeys to bathe there, leaving offerings of money in the pool. 

 These disappear ; removed they suppose by the spirit of the spring. I 

 was fortunate enough to find a bronze coin. Its upper surface is much 

 corroded : that which rested on the sand is less affected. To an expert* 

 the effects looked like those which H 2 S would produce. From a rough 

 calculation I estimated the discharge at over eight gallons per minute,. 

 I brought away some of the water for chemical examination. 



Before the result of this examination was received a number of 

 manuscripts were discovered in a long unopened drawer in the Library 

 of the Royal Botanical Gardens. Among these was a series of MS. 

 memoranda relating to the hot springs of the Namba forest ; these 

 appear so valuable as to deserve publication now. 



" Memorandaf relative to the hot-springs situated in the bed of, 

 and near to, the Nambur river, on the left bank and right bank of the 

 Dhunsiri river in Upper Assam ; obtained from personal observations 

 registered on the spot at the hours and dates stated below. 



" No. 1. Soroo Noon-poong, the principal spring, is eleven miles from 

 Golaghat and situated close to the edge of the right bank of the Nambur, 

 exactly where the road leading from Golaghat to Deemapoor crosses it, 

 on the left bank of the Dhunsiri. 





Date. 



Temperature. 





1845. 



Feb. 17, 1 p. m. 



Air 



72° 







Water of Nambur 



64° 







Ditto spring 



112° 



1851. 



Jan. 1, 12.30 p. m. 



Air 



65° 







Water of spring 



110° 



* Dr. Warden, tho chemical adviser to the Government of Bengal, who also 

 kindly undertook the examination of a sample of the water. 



f Tho quotation is a transcript of pp. 489-492 of the MSS. memoranda of the 

 late Mr. Masters, consisting of his notes on the hot-springs in full. 



