ABOUT SLIM AND BEBXAM. 35 



totted in a most extraordinary way; and fifty yards away from the 

 springs all round the ordinary granitic formation prevailed. From 

 the cursory observations I was able to make, it appeared to me that 

 these springs formed the apex of some irruptive force, although a 

 stratified rock underlying the granite appeared strange. 1 am 

 unable to give the temperature as I had no thermometer registering 

 high enough, but the heat was too great to have the hand in the 

 water ; there was a decidedly sulphurous smell in the neighbour- 

 hood, and I also saw a good deal of a bright green filmy matter 

 adhering to the stones in the water similar to what I have observed 

 at the hot springs amongst the limesto .e hills in the Kinta valley, 

 but whether it is of a vegetable or mineral origin I was unable to 

 determine. 



Immediate]}'" after leaving the hot springs, the road lay among 

 a number of small hills, the offshoots apparently of higher hills to 

 the North, and here, for the first time, Mr. Smith appealed tho- 

 roughly satisfied with the soil, although to my uninitiated eye there 

 was not so much difference Detween it and lots of other soil we had 

 passed; I, however, bow to his opinion on the subject of soils, as I 

 know nothing about them. 



After leaving the low hills I have just spoken of, the path 

 runs through a broad belt of gigantic bamboos, after which the river 

 Slim is reached. Just opposite the mouth of a tributary of it called 

 the Graletin, a prettier view than the one that here met our gaze I 

 have not often seen, audit was one that I was not prepared to find ; 

 fruit trees and houses bore testimony to a considerable population 

 and an old hampong. 



Crossing to the left bank of the Slim, our route lay nearly due 

 North for about three quarters of a mile, till we reached Kampong 

 Chan'cat, where the Pengulu Toh Semptjh lives. 



Here I remained for a day transacting some business with the 

 people. Immediately opposite the kampong, about a quarter of a 

 mile from the river, there is an extensive hot spring, or rather I 

 should say group of springs, hotter than any I have yet met with in 

 Perak ; they can be recognised from a distance by the clouds of 

 steam rising over the trees, and standing on the edge a man can 

 scarcely be seen on the opposite side through the vapour, 



