198- Miscellanemis Intelligence. 



Fire, Sabots, or wooden shoes, are worn by those who collect 

 the naO'Cha, for shoes of leather would be soon burnt. 



The people of the neighbourhood also collect the mother- 

 ■v^aters, which they boil in vessels, and obtain from them the 

 sal ammoniac in lumps or loaves, like those of common salt. 

 The whitish nao-cha is considered the best. The nature of the 

 salt is very penetrating. It is suspended in a stove to make it 

 very dry, and ginger is added to it to preserve it. Exposed 

 to cold, or to moisture, it deliquesces and is lost." 



M. Remusat adds in his observations, that it is a curious fact, 

 and very little known, that there are two volcanoes actually in 

 combustion in the central regions of Asia, 400 leagues from 

 the Caspian, which is the nearest sea to them. — Annales des 

 Mines, v. p. 135. 



6. Temperature of Lakes. — From observations made by M. 

 De la B^che, on the lakes of Thun and Zug, in Switzerland, the 

 following temperatures were found to exist at different depths. 

 The lake of Thun is about midway, between a point called 

 the Nase, and the village of Leissingen. 



Fahr. 

 At a depth of 105 brasses the temperature was .... 41*^5 



50 41°5 



15 42° 



At surface 60° 



The bottom of the lake was sandy, and the water not very 

 transparent ; the thermometer and weight disappeared at the 

 depth of 7 or 8 feet. 



The observations on the lake of Zug were made about a league 

 from the town, and in the direction of Mount Riggi. 



Fahr. 



At a depth of 88 brasses the temperature was 41° 



25 41° 



15 42° 



At surface c 58° 



The water of this lake was clear, and the lead brought up 

 very small gravel from the bottom. 



