Artesian Water tor Convalescents. 
3S 
er conditions, tlie fact may be instanced that upon one farm alone, 500 
out of 1,300 head of cattle perished during the long drought of 1831. 
130. At the present time 17 artesian wells have been sunk in George 
tow n, partly by private enterprise and partly by Government. These 
give a daily supply of 00,000 gallons of water which lias a temperature 
of 84° Fahr, and is about 5 higher than that of the river-water of a 
morning. 0 
TEMPERATURE OF THE ARTESIAN WELL AT PLN. MON REPOS UN 
THE EAST COAST OF GEORGETOWN. 
1844 
Time 
Temperature 
of the air. 
Temperature 
of the water 
of Artesian 
Well. 
Wet Bulb 
Thermometer. 
Fahrenheit 
Thermometer. 
Fahrenheit 
Thei mometer 
9 a. m. 
84-2 
84.2 
78" 
Wind E. by N. 
7 th 
March 
12 noon 
89- 
84.5 
82-5 
Sky partly clouded 
3 p.in. 
00 
I 
1 dr 
84-5 
79.5 
Wind E. W N. 
Sky partly clouded 
137. Although the water, owing to the quantity of iron it contains, 
is not adapted for drinking purposes it can be nevertheless utilised for 
all kitchen requirements — except for tea, which cannot be drunk if made 
with it after a short exposure to the air — and all other purposes in gen- 
eral : cattle swill it indeed more freely than any other water. According 
to tin* analyses that have been carried out with absolutely correspond- 
ing results it contains a quantity of iron dissolved in carbonic acid, and 
a small amount of magnesia, 
138. During 1835, a year so notorious for the spread of yellow fever, 
the convalescents at the garrison, under Dr- Hone's orders, had to drink 
this water of a morning, with marked results. 
139. As the water streams out of the bore it is still quite clear, but 
on escape of the gas, the released iron forms on its surface a pellicle 
which then becomes deposited at the bottom : on nitration now, it retains 
its pure colour. If the water be filtered before complete escape of the 
gas, the process is continued later, the sediment forming in the kitchen 
and other wares. 
140. A peculiar phenomenon in some of the wells appears to be this 
that the height of the flow strictly depends on the ebb and flow. In some 
bores the difference during the interval is not less than 18 inches, and 
when spring tides set in, even 2 to 3 feet. Although many explanations 
have been attempted, no one has yet fully solved the problem, although 
there can be no doubt that the increased pressure at flood tide and per- 
°In the matter of drinking water supply, too, we seem to have retrogressed : we caimo 
boast of 96,000 gallons of artesian well water daily for the supply of the town. (F.G.R) 
