Hydrography^ and the Art of Navigation. W6 



trict of Barret to be filled up, and in twenty-two days after this 

 operation, the waters of the Baths of Sextius were augmented 

 three-fourths, and many springs which had become entirely dry, 

 that of Grioulet, for example, again began to flow. 



In May 1772, Vaurenargues having been superseded, the 

 dispossessed proprietors opened, under ground, the work which 

 had been constructed the year before, and immediately the 

 warm springs of the town were seen to diminish, and even en- 

 tirely dry up. 



In July 1722, the breaches were again carefully repaired by 

 the " procureur-general,*' and the inhabitants of Aix saw the 

 waters reappear. Things continued in this state for five years; 

 but in 1727, the inhabitants of the mills of Barret clandestinely 

 made a new opening in the dam constructed in 1722. The 

 knowledge of this misdeed was only acquired by the falling off' 

 io the quantity of water. In order to terminate this obstinate 

 contest between private interest and the general benefit, by a 

 definitive act regarding the right of property, the town caused a 

 stone pyramid to be erected on the lands in 1729. 



To these details, which we have entered into in order to esta- 

 blish the fact, that the waters of the pyramid of Barret feed the 

 warm springs of the town of Aix, we shall add, that M. Dau- 

 phin, locksmith, assured M. Robert, a doctor of Marseilles, in 

 1812, that he witnessed an experiment which places the matter 

 beyond a doubt : he stated, that lime was mixed with the water 

 in the basin of the pyramid, and that the springs of Cours and 

 of Mennes became milky. 



Under the pyramid of Barret, the water occupies a basin re- 

 gularly built with stone, about thirteen feet long and upwards 

 of seven feet broad. In June 1812, M. Robert sent down two 

 men to ascertain the temperature of the water ; they found it 

 62° 6 Fahr. (-f- 17° cent.). At the same period, the baths of 

 Sextius were at 84-° 2 Fahr. (-f 29° cent.) 



It appears, therefore, to be established, that the cold waters of 

 Barret become, at least the greater part, the warm waters of Aix, 

 while traversing the short space which separates these two points, 

 that is to say, a horizontal distance, which is estimated in the 

 officiaL memoirs, from which we have given an extract, at about 

 a thousand geometrical paces. 



It will be observed, that we have employed the words the 



