THK .Mi:i)U'l iN \l. SI'KINCS OK SOL'Til Al'Klt.X. 533 



large amount of calcium and sodium carbonates, which make it 

 partake of the nature both of earthy and alkaline waters. The 

 Balmoral spring dilYers from the others in containing the iron 

 as sulphate. A noteworthy feature of South African chalybeate 

 springs is that most of them are thermal. Iron springs in other 

 parts of the world are, as a rule. cold. 



The South African Sa-lf Spriii/js are not comparable to any 

 of the well-known Central European salt springs. The pecu- 

 liarity of these is their higher sodium chloride content, and the 

 presence in most of them of a])preciable f|uantities of potassium. 

 Those in which the value of sodium chloride is low usually 

 contain bromine and iodine. 



Alkaline Waters contain a minimmn of i gram of solid con- 

 stituents per litre, among which the carbonate or hydrocarbonate 

 ions predominate. If this definition were rigidly adhered to, all 

 the springs which 1 have classified under the above heading 

 would have to be transferred to some other group, as the total 

 of the solid constituents is only about 0.4 of a gram per litre in 

 all cases. But I think I can justify my decision in the matter of 

 classification on the grounds that in all cases (except Msali) 

 sodium carbonate or bicarbonate preponderate to such an extent 

 as to determine the natm-e of the water. The Msali spring might 

 be regardeed as a sulphated alkaline spring. 



Earthy JVaters are defined as such containing at least i gram 

 of solid constituents per litre, among which the bicarbonates of 

 calcium and magnesium predominate. None of the waters 

 answer entirely to this definition. Wonder Water approaches 

 nearest to it, but it contains less than 0.4 of a gram of dissolved 

 solids ])er litre. Moreover, it is used almost exclusively as a 

 table water. 



The Table Waters are not, strictly speaking, medicinal, inas- 

 much as they are taken mainly as beverages, and only incidentally 

 on account of an}' niedicinal virtues they may be endowed with. 

 They are usually rich in carbon dioxide, being aerated with the 

 gas before bottling. Judged on the basis of the chemical classifi- 

 cation adopted above, thev form a heterogeneous group, compris- 

 ing alkaline waters (Driebad), earthy waters ('^^^onder \\'ater). 

 and alkaline salt s])ring?^ (Van Riebeek and Cirendel). 



I 



Part II. — Description of Individual Sprinc.s. 



i The springs are umnbered to correspond 7vith the numbers 



on the map. ) 



A. Indifferent Waters. 

 I. Brandx'lei. 

 A most excellent descrijjtion of this spring is given by Bur- 

 chell in his book, " Travels in the Interior oif Southern Africa '" 

 \ 181 1 ) 1. from which I take the lil)erty of quoting: 



