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Show !56 propelling it in its progress over the 1noss, or through the water. It would be desirable to ascertain the cause of that perpetual fire \vhich keeps up the high te1nperature of so tnany springs as flow from this hill, at a considerable distance from each other: upon 1 ooking around, however, sufficient data for the solution of the difficulty is not discoverable. Nothing of a volcanic nature is to be seen in this country; neither could they learn that a11y evidence in fav.or of such a supposition '"''JS to be found in the mountains connected with this river. An in11nense bed of dark blue schistus appears to form the base of the hot spring hill, and of all those in its neig·hborhood: the bottom of the cree~ is fonned of it; and pieces are frequently met w1th rendered soft by decomposition, and possessing a strong alumnious taste, requiring nothing but lixiviation <cmd chrystalization to complete the manufacture of alum. As bodies undergoing chemical changes g nerally produced an alteration .of tempera~ure, the heat of these springs may be owmg to the disengagement of chaloric, or the decomposition of the schistus: ·another, and perhaps a more satisfactory cause may be assiglled: it is well known, that within .the ci~·cle of the waters of this river vast beds of martial pyntes exist; they have not yet, however, been discovered in the vicinage of the hot springs, but may, nevertheless form in1mense beds under·the bases of these hills; ;nd as in one place at least, there is evidence of the presence of bitumen,* the m!i?n of these aget:ts will, in the progress of decon1position, by the a?Inission• of air and moisture, produce degrees of heat capable of supporting the phenomen~ of. the hot springs. No sulphuric acid is present In th1s ·water; the springs may be supplied by the vapor of heated it Having thrust a stick down in~o the crater of one of the springs, at some distance up the lnll, seYeral drop.s of petroleum, or naptha, rose and spread upon the surface : It ceased to rise after three or four attempts. • 157 water, ascending from caverns \vhere the heat is generated, or the heat may be immediately applied to the bou.om of an innnen~e natural caldron of rock, con~ tamed in the bowels of the hill, from \vhich as a reseTvoir the spr ings n1ay be supplied. A series of accurate observations detennined the la ritude or the hot springs to be 34 o 31' 4'', 16 N. and long 6h. 11 ' 25", or 9~· 50' 45,, west fron1 the n1eri. dian of Green,,·ich. \tVhik Mr. Dunbar was making arrangements for tran ~porting the baggage back to the river can1p, doctor Hun er, \\·ith a small party, \Yent on an excursion into 1he country. l-Ie left the hot springs on the Jnorning of the 27th, and after travelling s01nctimes over hills ~md steep craggy mountains with narrow valleys between them , then up the valleys and generally by the side of a branch emptying into the ';y ashita, they reached the main branch of the Calfat in the evening, about hvclve n1iles from the springs. 'fhe stones they met with during the first part of the day \\'ere silicious, of a whitish-grey, \vith flints, white, cremn-colorcd, red, &c. ,.fhe beds of the rivulets, and often a considerable way up the hills, shewed in1mense bodies of schistus, both blue and grey, some of it efflorescing and tasting strongly of alum. The latter part of the day, they travelled over and between hills of black, hard and compact flint in shapeless masses, Yvith schi~t as before. On ascending these high grounds you distinctly perceive the commencement of the pim·) region, beginning at the height of sixty or seventy feet and extending to the top. The soil in these narrow valleys is thin and full of stones. The next dav, Yvhich was ;tm·my., they reached a branch of the bayau de saline, "hich stretches towards the Arkans::t, and · empties into the 'tV ash ita In any leagues below, h~1ving go11e about twelve 1niles. The mountains the; had passed being of the primitive kin<.l which seldom produce metals, and having hitherto seen nothing of a mineral kind, a little poor iron ore excepted, and the |