'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎45] (66/458)

DR. BUIST ON THE GEOLOGY OF BOMBAY.
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Oonale is the native term for a hot spring. The temperature of all the springs examined
exceeded, with a single exception, 100° Fahr., and amounted to 109°. That of Tooril, which,
unfortunately, was not thermometrically ascertained, appeared to Mr. Duncan to be almost
at the boiling point. The water was not found to be mineral, though impregnated with sul
phuretted hydrogen. A little higher up, in the hill where the thermal spring, No. 1, occurs,is a
singular intermittent cold spring, over which a temple has been built. It is resorted to by
crowds of Hindoos, during the season when the fountain periodically flows, viz., during tha
hot months. A more minute analysis of the water, and a more continued series of thermometric
observations, are a great desideratum.
The temperature of a hot spring at Oonye, in the jungle between Bansda and Boharee, is
asserted by the Brahmins to dimmish annually at the time of the full moon in April, so as to
admit of persons bathing in it at this period, when the natives assemble there in great numbers
for that purpose. The assertion was contradicted by the late Dr. White; but the question, I
see, has again been raised by the observations of Mr. J. S. Law, of the Civil Service, who found
the temperature of the hottest part of the spring to have diminished, at this period, from 124°
to 94° Fahr. It is probable, however, that future observations on this supposed singular an
nual variai ion will set the matter at rest. Captain Newbold on the Temperature of the Intertro-
phical Springs and Hirers-—Edinburgh New Philosopical Transactions, p.p. 114-115.
The information then wanted was —1st,—The temperature of the springs by day
and by night, at every season of the year. 2nd ; —The discharge when procurable
— this being most readily obtainable by baling out the water from them with a ves
sel of known capacity, so as just to keep them below a fixed point, which might be
marked by laying a bamboo across them, making a mark in the rock or bank, or by
any other contrivance,—noting by a watch the number of measures dis
charged in a given time;a second method was to lead away the water from the
spring in any sort of spout that was most easily come by, into a vessel serving as a
measure ; the third to dig a hole, and have the rivulet from the spring discharged
intoit, and keep emptying this down to a mark, as before recommended for the
spring itself. A little practice in this way soon accustomed the eye to guess within
a trifle of the discharge of any fountain or stream. 3rd,—The character of the rock
from which the fountain issued, and of the rocks around. Where the observers
were not geologists, good clean specimens, about the size of the hand,would bo
desirable. Should the observer desire to make a collection for himself, he might
keep duplicates, numbered in the same way as those transmitted, when a list of the
names belonging to the numbers would be returned. A sketch of the country,
with a note of the place of the spring on the map, was also most desirable. And
finally, specimens ot the water should accompany the description.
Dr Buist then laid the following specimens on the table from excavations now in
progress:—From the railway cuttings on the Flats-kunkur, km.kur tubes found
in mineralised mangrove roots, selenite, and masses of oyster shells. From the Town
JJram near the theatre-masses of oyster shells, kunkur, and shell-gravel. From
tie l nolne lank—intoral concrete, cemented by calcareous spar, by which
minerals theslmlis were filled up. From the well on the glacis betwixt the Apollo
tl'.' a "in? 1 (jat<!S concrete, gravel and shells, and large masses of coral nnal-
ea. i lie present was a peculiarly fortunate season for geological enquiries at
'? ^ ar ^ e nuiI1 I >er °f excavations now in progress ; the extreme
mrnea '.T," 01 tlle . lev e 1; * o/tlie Railway and Town Drain had been deter-
,. f Sa T ei \ e geologist in this way a large amount of survey work. The sec-
i °u le . rai wa y showed very clearly the relative positions of the blue
mn ^ °w c ays-—the former being invariably above the latter, which seemed in
m st cases to be the result of the decomposition of the rocks underneath, and for the
os par a ounded with fragments of these ; when it extended to ti>e sur-
th ^ f U,aS rm W ^ 1 y eIlowish brown coloured kunkur, such as was found in
e in enor. The blue clay becomes brown and friable on exposure to the air