624 
THEEMAL AND OTHEE SPEINGS. 
It is desirable to record in this place such information as we have on the subject 
of the 't hermal and other Sj^rings which breali out, chiefly, in the Western Interior. 
The subject is closely connected with Artesian Wells, as has been remarked in a previous 
chapter. 
Further notes on the springs which break out at the base of the Desert 
Sandstone will be found in Chapter xxxiii. (p. 513). 
Mud Springs, Hamilton River. — Mud springs break out in many places between 
the channels of the Hamilton liiver (Lat. 23° 20' S., Long. 140° E.). These are 
described by a writer in the Townsville Bulletin* as “miniature volcanoes casting out 
liquid mud instead of lava.” In several bores in this neighbourhood Artesian Water 
has been met with at shallow depths. 
Hot Mud Springs, Flinders River. — Daintree, in his “Notes on the Geology of 
Queensland, ”f described as follows the hot spring on the Saxby Eiver : — 
“ At Gibson’s Cattle station, on the Saxby Eiver, a tributary of the Flinders, a 
spring of hot water rises above the surface of the plain ; and its overflow deposits a 
white incrustation, which, on analysis by Dr. Flight, under the direction of Professor 
Maskleyne, afforded : — 
Water 
Silica 
Clilorine ... 
Sodium 
Carbonic acid 
Soda 
27'793 
0-600 
3-369 
2-183 
33-735 
31-690 
99-370 
“ The sulphuric acid, of which there was a small portion, was undetermined. 
“ Apart, therefore, from the 5-552 j’er cent, of chloride of sodium, the deposit 
consists of sesquicarbonate of soda, or native Trona, and as such it is used by the 
settlers for culinary purposes, &e.” 
I do not gather from Daintree’s Paper that he had seen the hot spring referred 
to ; at least he gives no description. This is supplied by Mr. E. Palmer, M.L.A., in a 
Paper on “ Hot Springs and Mud Eruptions on the Lower Flinders Iiiver.”j; 
Mr. Palmer remarks that the Springs “ on the Lower Flinders occur in separate 
clusters, each consisting of innumerable small eru])tions, surrounding one or two large 
central or main springs, within a radius of a mile or so, and all more or less in a stai e 
of activity — that is, they emit streams of thin mud or water intermittently. They are 
found on either side of the river, and seem to have no connection with, or influence on 
the water in the river, which may be said to be only a surface water. Although 
possessing a striking similarity to each other, still any connection between them must 
exist beneath the present course of the Flinders, which is cut out of the level plains 
by the annual tropical rains, and is a river of Eecent times ; no hollow or valley exists 
where the course of the river runs ; the banka are nearly perpendicular, but not 
very deep, while the level plains extend right up to the bank of the river. The springs 
belong to an older formation than present river system, and must derive their force 
from some very distant inland mountainous country.” 
* 23rd July, 1891. 
+ Quart. Journ. Geol. Soo., xxviii. (1872), p. 28 . 
t Proc. Eoy. Soc. Queensland, i., 1884 [1885], p. 19. 
