54 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



are posted on boards. Professor Rush of Philadelphia 

 has written a pamphlet on this water, giving the re- 

 sults of his experiments ; he himself says that it is but 

 very lightly charged with particles of iron, but, for the 

 rest, is a very pure and pleasant water. He does not 

 recommend it in special cases, but merely for its gen- 

 eral curative properties for this spring is not superior 

 to many other iron springs in Pensylvania and indeed 

 throughout America. At Gloucester, at Abington &c. 

 in Pensylvania, there are iron springs ; the Abington 

 spring is said to be especially strong, depositing much 

 yellow ochre and therefore commonly called the Yellow 

 Spring. The habitual drinking-water of Philadelphia 

 contains much iron. The metal is so general over the 

 whole surface of America, and particularly in the wilder 

 parts, that it is impossible iron springs should be in- 

 frequent. I have come upon them in Rhode Island, and 

 on York and Long Islands. The especial excellence of 

 such springs lies in the more or less purity and very 

 agreeable taste of the water. Bristol must attribute 

 the honor done it more to its fine and convenient situa- 

 tion, only 20 miles from Philadelphia, than to any- 

 thing else. At the usual seasons all manner of guests 

 come hither seeking health and diversion, and more 

 would come if the people of Bristol were willing to de- 

 vote themselves to matters of entertainment and service. 

 From Bristol to the Sign of General Washington, a 

 lonely tavern, is 10 miles through a somewhat hilly 

 country, for the most part sandy, here and there red- 

 dish. The traveller comes by two walled bridges (a 

 sort still rarely seen) to the village of Frankfort, a 

 handsome little place five miles from Philadelphia ; 

 from that point to the city the road is quite level, over a 



