14. New Account of the Salt 



teiliinloJ \v:lh veins or nests of salt. 

 There arc fraj;mcnt.s also, or irrfgular 

 ])icces of argile, the surface of h liicli 

 is commonly very smootli, brilliant, 

 and appearing as if anointed witli oil. 

 Tiie veins or nests of salt observable 

 in the mass, and which arc found 

 twisting in every direction, arc often 

 partially tilled v.iUi little irregular 

 balls of the same argile. 



Passing this earthy receptacle, we 

 come next to a vast body oi »alt, very 

 potent, and nearly in a pure state, 

 with hardly any traces of argile per- 

 ceptible. Wc then pursue the track 

 of this immense deput of solid salt, 

 down to the very lowest part of the 

 labours, — the salt appearing pnrer as 

 we descend. The massive parts arc 

 reduced to powder, and detached por- 

 tions arc conveyed to the reservoirs, 

 where, by solution, the salt is disen- 

 tangled from its earthy particles. Tlie 

 water of these is afterwards transmit- 

 ted to Reiehcnhall and Traunstebi, 

 lor the purposes of evaporation. In 

 the lowest part of the works, under the 

 mass of pure ssilt, we again find a new 

 depot of argile. the body of vrliich is in 

 general more compact and less bioken 

 tlian that of the higher part. 



If the interior of the saline caverns 

 of Bcrchlcsgaden may be thought 

 interesting to one that would study 

 the structure and nature of those dc/wU 

 of ancient seas, it presents also beau- 

 ties to the general traveller, that is in 

 quest of miscellaneous entertainment. 

 In fact, 1 enjoyed here, in the midst of 

 these mine-works, one of the finest 

 spectacles that can possibly be eon- 

 <-eived. After passing through a long 

 g:dlery, 1 came to one of those vast 

 cavities, from which large quantities 

 of salt had already been extracted ; 

 it V. as a .sort of subterraneous gulph, 

 but at present illuminated by tiie 

 miners, not only through its whole 

 outline, but even in the sinuosities of 

 its deepest recesses. A glimmering 

 light was every-whcre visible, but not 

 clear enough to distinguish objects ; 

 this threw an air of mystery over the 

 whole, so as to form a scene truly lua- 

 jfical. The elfeet was still more im- 

 posing, from being blended with ter- 

 ror, when I caught a glimpse of the 

 steep walls of the surrounding pre- 

 cipices, with the ladders and machines 

 for drawing up the salt. The view 

 was tremendous and enchanting, and 

 produced a sensation of which no 



.Mines of Salzburg. [Feb. ly 



description can convey an adequate 

 idea. 



Quitting Bcrchtesgadcn, I proceed- 

 ed next for llallcin, which lies in the 

 bottom of a valley ; the descent to it 

 is very rapid, by a cut out of the 

 abrupt declivities of the mountain, and 

 to a stranger has a very picturesijuo 

 effect. 'J'hc district no longer forajs a 

 part of Bavaria, having been lately 

 ceded to Austria. The entrance of 

 the gullcries is at Dnrnberg, and there 

 the master minerbad,by appointment, 

 agreed to accompany me. 



The entrance is by an horizontal 

 gallery, lined with solid walls in all 

 the /irst advances; afterwards we come 

 to a timber wainjcoting, and then 

 appear mus.ses of saliferous argile, 

 solid enough not to require props or 

 supports. In the midst of these argil- 

 lous walls wc see pretty large nests of 

 purcs.ilt, grey or reddish. 



1 had not at Hallein the view of an 

 illumination so rich as at Bcrchtes- 

 gadcn; but, by the light of tlieir little 

 lamps, the eye could discover a num- 

 ber of large lakes formed in the inte- 

 rior of tlie mine, on which are conveyed 

 the saliferous ^ubs1ances dug up by 

 the workmen. These lakes arc thirty- 

 two in number ; several were of pretty 

 large dimensions. I launched into 

 the middle of one of them, on the same 

 radeau as had served the Emperor 

 Francis. At the time of that monarch's 

 visit, the whole area was lighted up 

 with great magnificence ; and, to judge 

 from the space which the lamps occu- 

 pied, the spectacle must have been 

 very imjiosing. 



One particularity attached to the 

 works of Uallein is the inclined planes 

 on which we glide, to pass from the 

 higher to the lower galleries. Of these 

 the number is considerable, and much 

 of the time is spent in the exercise. 

 It may seem strange that we thus 

 glide, pretty rapidly, in an obscure 

 path, over acclivities of from eighty to 

 a hundred feet in length, holding a 

 bougie in one hand, aad the rope 

 which serves for a guide in the other. 

 The old miner that conducted me was 

 ill a transport of joy to see me move 

 along fis dexterously as himself. These j 

 miners in general expect to receive 1 

 money from visitors ; but if they find I 

 a stranger lake an interest in their la- - 

 hour, converse with them on their 

 business, and shun no difficulties, be- 

 tray no fears in following tlicm into 



their 



