BY E. PALMER, M.L.A. 



21 



is extremely disagreeable. No change has been observed in the 

 hot springs in level or temperature since 1865, when a cattle 

 station was settled there by Mr. James Gibson. The ground 

 round all these springs is treacherous, is hollow, shakes to the 

 tread, and feels like a huge blister, merely covered with a skin 

 of soil, held together by roots and rushes, over which one can 

 walk. At times the pressure from below forces the thin crust 

 upwards, and a flow of thin brown liquid mud spreads about, 

 sometimes in great quantities. In ore of the springs at Mount 

 Browne flakes of granite are forced up, and lie on the surface. 

 It seems as if a connection existed down by the side of the 

 mountain to subterranean regions, whence the hot water flows, 

 and is kept at one constant level and. temperature. Most of the 

 mud springs have formed large mounds, or cones, by constant 

 overflow, and the water now stands on the top, while the sur- 

 rounding parts are spongy, and liable to break through when 

 stock comes near them ; at others lagoons are formed, and kept 

 at a uniform level by the flow of water. The occurrence of 

 these hot and cold mineral springs, suggests the possibility 

 of obtaining supplies of water on the artesian principle over 

 some portion at least of these extensive plains. Some mud 

 springs, as they are called, opened at Manfred by a small shaft 

 at the side, produced a permanent flow of good water. The 

 overflow from some of the mineral springs deposits a white in- 

 crustation, " which on analysis by Dr. Flight, under the direction 

 of Professor Maskelyne, afforded : — 



Water 

 Silica ... 

 Chlorine ) 

 Sodium J 

 Carbonic acid 

 Soda 



27793 

 o'6oo 



3*369 

 2'i83 



33735 

 31-690 



99-370 



The sulphuric acid, of which there was a small portion, was 

 undetermined." (Daintree, Quart. Geolog. Journ. Vol. xxviii, 

 p. 285.; 



Fresh ground keeps continually breaking up, or is forced up, 

 while old cones are sometimes falHng in, forming hollows half- 

 full of reddish water, strong as lye, and quite undrinkable. None 

 of the springs are isolated, but confined to the vicinity of one 

 or other of the half-dozen groups which compose the collection 

 on the Lower Flinders. The direction of these groups is in a 



