1890,] Hot Springs in South Bihar. 229 



channel to allow of the free escape of the water the temperature rose 

 in 15 minutes to 119'5° F. A considerable ebullition of slightly sul- 

 phuretted gas occurred. A silver coin on immersion for five minutes was 

 very slightly discoloured. The rock in the neighbourhood is sandstone 

 and quartzose grit intersected by trap. 



Two more hot springs are reported to occur about half a mile 

 further down the course of this river (here called Nun-bil nacli) but the 

 temperature is reported to be not more than that of the springs in the 

 bil which I found to be 1005° F. 



The direction of the ISTau-bil spring given by Sherwill from native, 

 information, and for which he gives latitude and longitude, is most in- 

 accurate and misleading. Dr. Buchanan on the other hand elicited its 

 true position approximately.* It lies 9| m. south-west of Kumrabad, 

 near the village of Kendghata. 



Tapat-puni, a colloquialism for tapta pdni or ' hot water,' is the 

 name of a small sulphuretted spring on the left bank of the Mor river 

 near the village of Hetbeliya, about \\ miles north of Kumrabad. Tt 

 issues from a sandy pool below a lateritic stratum and near an outcrop 

 of coarse conglomerate. The outflow is only about two gallons per 

 minute. Sulphuretted fumes are given off, and the j)Ool and its out- 

 flowing channel contain a considerable quantity of yellowish flaky 

 deposit, evidently sulphur. The temperature of the spring is 102° F., 

 while that of the Mor river, about 10 yards off, is 62° F. 



Susum-pdni means ' tepid water ' in the vernacular. This spring 

 is situated about 3 miles S. E. of the last noted spring and close to the 

 village of Baghrnara, on the opposite bank of the Mor river, in a small 

 marsh, which is in line with another outcrop of coarse conglomerate 

 dipping to the N. W. The temperatui'e of the spring is only 84° F., 

 but it is said to have been formerly much hotter. The temperature of a 

 small stream 15 yards off is 62° F. No sulphurous odour is perceptible, 

 and the outflow of water is sparse. 



Bhumka, apparently the same name as ' Bhumulc ' applied by the 

 Santals to the first noted spring and apparently related to the Hindi 

 bhumi earth, is situated in a small marsh on the right bank of the Mor 

 river a quarter of a mile from Ranibahal village. It seems an instance of 

 a hot spring which has regressed. It has the reputation of having been 

 hot till quite recently— the village headman of Ranibahal who led me to 

 the spot seemed surprised that the spring was not decidedly hot. Its 

 deity, called ' BhumJca burhi,' is still worshipped at the place by the Mai 

 Paharias from the hill three miles off, who call the spring ' Ghoto Nun-bil ' 



* Loc. cit., p. 200. 



