COAL-SEAMS. 
411 
tho throat, but is not inflammable, as it did not burn whoD 
l held a bunch of lighted grass over tho bubbles. The 
mercury rises to 158° when tho thermometer is put into 
tho water in tho hole; but after a fow seconds it stands 
steadily at 160°. Even when flowing over tho stones the 
water is too hot for the hand. Littlo fish frequently leap 
out of tho stream in the bod of which tho fountain rises, 
into tho hot water, and got scaldod to death. Wo saw a 
frog which had performed the experiment and was now 
cooked Tho stones over which the water flows aro in- 
crusted with a white salt, and tho water has a salino taste. 
Tho ground has beon dug out near tho fountain by tho 
natives, in order to oxtract tho salt it contains. It is 
situated among rocks of sycnitic porphyry in broad dikes, 
and gneiss tilted on edgo and having a striko to tho N.15. 
Thoro are many specimens of half-formed pumico, with 
greenstone and lava. Some of tho Bandstono strata aro 
dislocated by a hornblondo rock and by basalt, tho sand 
stone nearest to tho basalt boing converted into quartz. 
Tho country around, as indood all tho district lying N. 
and N.W. of Toto, is hilly, and, tho hills being covered 
with trocs, the scenery is very picturesque. Tho soil of 
tho valleys is very fruitful and well cultivated. There 
would not bo much difllculty in working the coal. Tho 
Lofubu is about sixty yards broad : it flows perennially, 
and at its very lowest period, which is after September, 
thoro is water about eighteen inchos deop, which could bo 
navigated in flat-bottomed boats. At tho time of my visit 
it was full, and the current was very strong. If tho small 
cataract referred to wore to bo avoided, tho land-carriage 
beyond would only bo about two miles. Tho other seams 
farthor up tho river may, after passing tho cataract, bo 
approached moro easily than that in tho Muatizoj as tho 
seam, howovor, dips down into the stream, no drainage 
of tho mine would bo required, for if water wore come to 
it would run into tho stream I did not visit tho others, 
but 1 was informed that thoro aro scams in tho indopondont 
