On a Mineral Water, 385: 



the regions of eternal snow, and affords the extraordinary phe- 

 nomenon of the presence of a substance always obtained from 

 saline bodies, that either are, or have been in communication 

 with the sea, at a height above and a distance from it, which 

 precludes the probability of such communication, but at the 

 time of an universal deluge. These springs are constant in 

 their course, and in their progress they percolate a rough 

 stony soil, and are spread over a surface of nearly seven 

 leagues, that is to say, in an extent of seven leagues there are 

 multitudes of these springs. These springs are denominated in 

 the idiom of the Indians indigenous to the district of Paes, in 

 the province of Popayan, in the Cordilleras, Asnenga, which 

 means a mixture of salt and aracachas *, as being the name 

 for aracacha, and nenga for salt. This mixture forms their 

 common food. The temperature of the air at this spring ave-. 

 rages 55° Fahrenheit all the year round. 



Analysis of the Water, 



Its properties. — Cold, limpid, no smell, specific gravity at 

 60° Fahrenheit, 1018, taste salt, and slightly astringent. It 

 restores the colour of litmus reddened by an acid, turns tur- 

 meric paper brown, and effervesces with acids. Acetate of 

 silver occasions a copious white precipitate in the water, all of 

 which, except a veiy small portion, is soluble, in ammonia. 

 Acetate of barytes occasions a white precipitate, which effer- 

 vesces with acids, and is partly dissolved. Oxalic acid occa- 

 sions a white precipitate ; muriate of platina no change ; -sul- 

 phuric acid and starch, no change. 



1. Ten ounces, by measure, of this mineral water were eva- 

 porated down to half the bulk, when some carbonate of lime 

 separated, which was collected and dried at a temperature of 

 150° Fahrenheit, and weighed two grains. 



2. The remaining liquid was evaporated down to dryness, 

 and the residue digested in alcohol of specific gravity 82, at 

 60° Fahr. The spirit was then evaporated, and the dry mass 

 weighed 1.8 grain, which was again dissolved in water, and 

 treated with a saturated solution of acetate of silver ; the white 

 precipitate thus procured was then digested in ammonia, in 



♦ The carrot of the country, 



