of Wielitjka, in Poland. £91 



more or lefs pure, which reflected the rays of light proceeding 

 from our lamps in a thoufand different points. We then 

 directed our conrfe to a large flair of a hundred fteps, each 

 nearly fifteen feet in length and one in breadth, covered with 

 planks to prefervc the angles of them : by this ftair we de- 

 fcend twenty- five fathoms without experiencing any very 

 fenfible change in the temperature ; the dampneis of the air 

 even is fo weak, that planks which have been in ufe for up- 

 wards of a hundred years, and at the depth of 270 feet below 

 the furface of the earth, appear ftill as frefh as if new. The 

 workmen afTured me that they experienced almofl the fame 

 degree of heat during the whole year: the air here is fo fur- 

 charged with fait that the faline particles are depofited on the 

 hair,~eyebrows, and eyelaflies of the workmen. 



We foon arrived at a hall of as great extent as the former, 

 in which the miners were employed in digging out the fait 

 with great activity. By the chifel and gunpowder they fome- 

 times cut out blocks three feet in breadth, and fufficiently 

 thick to form three mafTes, each weighing 560 pounds. 

 When the edges are rounded off, they give them the form of 

 an elliptical cafk. ■ * 



The workmen employed in thefe mines are in number 800; 

 they work in the interior of the mine from five o'clock in the 

 morning to one in fummer, and from feven to three in win- 

 ter. They are naked to the middle, (which announces a very 

 mild temperature,) and are not fubjecl to any particular ma- 

 lady : their palenefs arifes from the want of light and bad nou- 

 rifliment. They have nothing to dread but the terrible ex- 

 plofions which often buril forth from places formerly worked 

 and now clofed up. At the moment when they enter with 

 their lamp, the air feems as if traverfed by flaflies of light- 

 ning in every direction : the combuftion is fudden, extends 

 to The neighbouring galleries, extinguifhes the lamps, and 

 feverelv fcorches the workmen if they do not throw them- 

 felves flat on their faces* 



We now defcended a fecond magnificent ftaircafe to the 

 depth of 30 fathoms more, and of 450 feet below the furface 

 6f the mountain, where we found horfes yoked to a wheel 

 like the former, and which ferves to move the rope that 

 brings up the fait dugout in the lower galleries. Thefe ani- 

 mals pafs the greater part of their lives in thefe fubterranean 

 regions, and vet enjoy good health. At fome diftance is a 

 large ftable with fix pair or horfes which relieve each other. 

 Being here iiruck with a ftrong fmell of fulphur, I found that 

 it arofe from the difengagement of fulphunzed and phofpho- 

 rated hydrogen gas, produced by the fermentation of the 



T % horfes' 



