290 BcfcriplloH of the Salt Mhics 



from the mine is collected, and conveyed to the top of the 

 pit by means of the fame rope that brings down thofc who 

 vifit it from curiofity. 



The firft remarkable abject that occurs is a magnificent 

 altar, of moderate dimennon?, cut out of the purelt fait, and* 

 decorated with four columns ten feet in height, one and a 

 half in diameter, and perfectly tranfparent: it is ornamented 

 all around with fculpture reprcfenting the attributes of the 

 vine and agriculture: on the right is Jefus on the crofs, of 

 the natural fize, and executed with great elegance ; on the 

 left is a faint in the attitude of offering up his devotions, the 

 work of the fame chifel : three fteps conduct to the altar, 

 which is richly ornamented with elegant veifels of fait ; and 

 the whole receives a very remarkable decree of fplendour 

 from about thirty fmall flambeaux lighted around it. 



In this place the fait is remarkably pure, and is diftin- 

 jriiifhed bv the name of fchihika\ the fecond kind, which is 

 found at the cliilance of a few fathoms, is mixed with argil, 

 and is called griifr, the third, called fplza, is mixed with 

 calcareous earth, argil, and water : the argil is almoft always 

 of a fchiftous form and of a dark gray colour ; in fome morfeta 

 it ferves as a bale to the calcareous earth, difpofed with great 

 elegance in cottony balls, exceedingly white and of different 

 iizes. 



The ftrata of fait are always parallel to the furface of the 

 mountain ; but no regularity has hitherto been obferved in 

 the refpeclive iituations of the different ftrata: they are often 

 feparatcd from each other by ftrata of argil, and in fome 

 places interiecled by veins of calcareous fpar : where the air 

 Is damped the foil falls into a ftate of efflorefcence, and is 

 remarkably white; everywhere elfe the colour varies from 

 blackith blue to a dirty white. Where the water is collected 

 and remains the fait diffolves, and then moots into very re- 

 gular cubic cryflals : cryftals of the like kind are found fome- 

 times buried in the mountain itfelf; the cryftallization found 

 there is quite formed in the manner of four fteps of equal 

 dimenfions, which, placed in a fquare, and converging to- 

 wards a centre, form a pyramid of great elegance and re- 

 gularity. 



We proceeded from the altar through a large alley fifteen 

 feet in height and twelve in breadth, entirely cut out in the 

 fait, which conducted us to an immenfe magazine filled with 

 cafks. This cavity, of an enormous fize, conttructed at the 

 depth of 120 feet below the furface of the earth, was [im- 

 ported only by four pillars of fait, and thefe even were con- 

 fidered as fuperfluous. The fides of this hall gonfift of fait 



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