1830 .] 
On Boring for Overflowing Springs. 
67 
Sketched by Kho-shang Lama, of the monastery of Oni-on-si, in the town of 
Thin-ta-phoo, 20 days W. of Peking. 
He travelled from Lhassa to Koombo, from Koombo toDeva Dharma, from Deva 
Dharma to Assam, from Assam to Bengal. Says the road from Lhassa to Koombo 
lies occasionally on bank of river, occasionally over mountains. 
IX . — On Boring for Overflowing Springs. 
To the Editor of Gleanings in Science-. 
Sir, 
. ^ ome doubt may perhaps be entertained of our being able to command never fail- 
ing supplies of fresh water in the central parts of Bengal by means of boring, as 
practised now so largely in London and elsewhere in England, from the great dis- 
tance ot the lulls, and the supposed depth that it may consequently be necessary to 
boie to reach the stratum of rock or diluvial clay retaining springs capable of rising 
to the surface, or nearly so. But there could be no doubt, I imagine, that on the 
con ines ot the valley of Bengal and Behar many spots would afford abundant 
springs of fresh water capable of overflowing; and I have pleasure in being able to 
send you the accompanying extracts from unpublished papers of Dr. Buchanan, 
. 1C \ u . r P oin ^ out such situations, where the process of boring would be 
a em '''lithe most successful results. As no precautions were taken to pre- 
len ic 10 e peifoiated in the bottom of the tank (mentioned in the first extract) 
trom choking, it is not surprising that the spring appeared to have failed ; it may, I 
conceive, )e considered as quite certain, that wherever the water rises in the wells 
\w i a gus l, on the clay at the bottom being tapped, unfailing springs of water may 
be commanded, by securing the hole with a metallic or other case, and that a ne- 
cessary consequence will he that a higher level for the water will be obtained, that 
it wifl rise near the surface or even above it (if the tube be carried up) , as the sources 
°1 the springs maybe more or less elevated above the situation of the wells. 
ro« ghou t greater part of Bel, ar, Patna, and Shahabad, it seems probable 
tiom these extrai ts, that boring would be attended with the most successful results; 
and I ic collect having read that the digging of wells in most parts of the Rungpore 
trSrts \lTr w a n en i de * d "?'• tbc ; sam(! sudden rise of water, as described in these ex- 
tracts, the well s being finished in precisely the same manner, by tapping through the 
r", a sUai-pened stake, ami that district may, therefore, be added 
.i , , ’ 1 which, ( l0m the facts recorded of the phenomena of the springs, lit- 
SuiSt.^t. e "' ertM ? ed -.} h, ‘‘ o'!***, from the little depth at 
winch the springs are met With, will, if properly conducted, completely succeed and 
repay the adventurers with ample supplies of water, and on a level much above that 
ot the present wells. q j 
tc ^ Of Springs find ft ells in the Bhagalpur District. 
„ n/1 \ e ” an S es > in n . lost P arts the wells are deep, and their water is often hard 
and very indifferent, especially if found in red sand or clay. 
' * t 0 S PUr ’ n , ear S™’ a yagarha, (Suragegurra, Rennell’s atlas,) about seven years 
4 "or 5 cubits7urthcw 45 A^tak?^’ ^ D °, * ater having beeu found ’ a wdl was sunk 
4 or 0 cubits tin the r. A stake was then driven 2 cubits into the ground, when the 
water gushed out, and in about 3 hours filled the tank. It was expected £ thl 
water ot this tank would have been uncommonly good ; but the spring seems to have 
\ as in 10 dry season the tank does not contain above 8 or 10 cubits of water 
and that, as usually, exceedingly dirty.” * 
rlk wfJ P,,lna ‘ ! ‘ At a distance from rivers, the water of the wells, in these 
naE ’te m . general Very good, although often found in clay even of a loose black 
nrorurp 1 1 *' ly ° fteD ba PP ens ’ tbat after Egging far through clay, the people neither 
w, 0 ie n n • r COme t0 any chan S e of substance. In this case they expect that 
, w f : jc It wi,h - a . t , 11 , ( “r j ; aod in *» -«* 
have come from Iff “u* ua • ?! ° m? a ? d pulled up by a ro P e when the workmen 
due- sompwli 1 1 i ’ I his sudden gush is expected whenever the workmen have 
ci JlV Zn l : °7 tht i depth a j Wh Ch Water is usua % found in the vicinity, es Z. 
cially when the whole substance dug through has been a day of one kind.” } 
a suddtn n.sh ‘I *?■ t ¥ s , district *!*>> the water in wells often rises with 
to tbp n«nai‘ i o 1UI ’. and t lis ls J 3ere expected, eitlier when a well has been dutr 
ItX? WM t wa * er is » «■« ™inity, without coming to anf 
stance but day, or when alter passing a bed of sand without procuring watcr^ 
