The Introduction. 
sa 
water is pafsd through three of thefe plac’d one under another, 
Thames-water, at Sea, 1s generally thought to ferment, and torife to 
a vinous Spirit, but it is not fo; for this is to be afcrib'd moftly to 
the filth or tin@ure of the Cask, for the Water itfelf in Jars, does 
not ferment nor fmell; in Cask firft it acquires a colour from the’ 
filth or Wood, then ferments, {mells, and turns vinous, neither is 
itallfo, but only thatin fome Casks, Brandy, by the Cask, from 
limpid, turns yellowifh in colour, butdoes not fo in Jars or Bottles. 
Water gather’d off the Ships Decks from Rain, fmells and ferments 
prefently, becaufe of Spittle, Dung, ec. Thames-water is accounted 
_ the beft for Ships, though probably paffing by fo great a City as Lon- 
don, it be the fouleft in Contents. 
Spring-water is reckon‘d preferable to other kinds ; there are fine, 
large Springs here, many of them as well as Rivers, petrify their 
own Channels, by which they fometimes ftop their own Courfes, 
by a Sediment and Cement uniting the Gravel and Sand in their 
bottoms. When this petrifying water falls drop by drop, it makes 
the Stalattites. Several Caves have their bottoms and tops united by 
this Stone, fo that they appear Pillars. | 
Upon the whole matter, the cleanfing Water from Clay, Mould, 
Water-Herbs, and other accidental Impurities it meets with in its 
Courfe, feems to be the way of making it good in all parts of the 
World. In many places the Inhabitants let it purifie itfelf by quiet 
and {ubfidence, in others they do it by help of a fort of Beans, or ra- 
ther mux vomica, as on the Coaft of Coromandel; in others by pre- 
colating through porous Stone-Mortars. I have feen in London the 
muddieft Water made as fine as ever I faw any, by filling a Ciftern 
with Sand, f{cattering the muddy Water on the upper part of it, 
which foaking through by a Hole*(guarded fo as not to be choak’d 
with mud) atthe bottom of the Ciftern, lefc behind all its impurities 
inthe Sand. ‘This Sand is curn’d into a foft Stone, which once a 
year is taken out, broken with Mallets, cleans‘d ofits Clay, and put 
again into the Ciftern to ferve for the fame purpofe another year. 
A hot Bath or Spring is near Morant in the Eaftward part of the 
Ifland, ficuated in a Wood, which has been bathed in, and drunk of 
late years foi the Belly-ach with great Succefs. 
A great many Salt-Springs arife in level Ground under Hills, in 
Cabbage-Tree bottom, at about a Mile or two diftance from the Sea, 
which united make what is call’d the Salt-River. 
Salt is made here in Ponds, whereinto the Sea or Salt-water comes 
_and by the Heat of the Sun, the moifture being exhal’d, leaves the 
Salt, which is in great plenty at the Salt-Ponds, about Old Harbour , 
exc. The Sale is not perfectly white, nor in {mall Grains, but in 
large lumps, and has an Eye of red in it, as fome fal gemme I have — 
{een 
