2:50 An Account of the Fetroleum IVells 



of trying the temperature. The oil is of a dingey green, and 

 odorous; it is ufed for lamps, and hoiled with a little dammcr 

 (a reiin of the country), for paying the timbers of houfes and 

 the bottoms of boats, &c. which it preferves from decay and 

 vermin; its medicinal properties known to the natives are as 

 a lotion in cutaneous eruptions, and as an embrocation in 

 bruifes and rheumatic atleftions. 



The miners politively aiTured me no water ever percolates 

 through the earth into the wells, as has been fuppofed ; 

 the rains in this part of the country are feldom heavy, and 

 during the feafon a roof of thatch is thrown over the wells, 

 the water that falls foon runs off to the river, and what pe- 

 netrates into the earth is effectually prevented from dcfccnd- 

 ing to any great depth by the increaling hardncfs of the ole- 

 aginous argil and fchlit: this will readily be admitted when 

 it is known that the coal mines at Whitbv are worked below 

 ihe harbour, and tlie roof of the galleries not more than fifty 

 feet from the bed of the fea : the deliciency of rain in this 

 ira6l may be owing to the high range of mountains to the 

 ueftward, which range parallel to the river, and arreft the 

 clouds in their paflage, as is the caie on the eaftern fide of 

 the peninfula of India. 



Solicitous to obtain accurate information on a fubjec?!: fo 

 intercfting as this natural fource of wealth, I had all the prin- 

 cipal proprietors affembled on board my boat, and colle6led 

 from them the following particulars; the foregoing I learned 

 at the wells from the miners and others. 



I endeavoured to guard againll exaggeration, as well as to 

 obviate the caution and referve which mercantile men in all 

 countries think it neccflary to obferve when minutely quef- 

 tioned on fubje^ls afi'e6ling their interefts, and I have reafoa 

 to hope my information is not very diflant from the truth. 



The property of thefc wells is in the owners of the foil, 

 rjatives of the country, and defcends to the heirs general as 

 a kind of entailed hereditament, with which, it is faid, go- 

 vernment never interferes, and which no ditlrefs will induce 

 them to alienate. One family, perhaps, will poflefs four or 

 five wells; I heard of none who had more, the generality 

 bavelpfs; they are funk by and wrought for the proprietors; 



the 



