ORIGIN OF MINERAL SPRINGS. 227 



lines of the State derive their sah, were considered to be one and 

 the same. Two groups of rocks separate the two, the Niagara and 

 the Chnton groups, above which, and above the red shale, the 

 base of the Onondaga salt group, is the position of the greatest 

 number, and most copious springs of sulphur waters. 



The fact is certain, that north of the Highlands, and west of 

 the Hudson, sulphur springs are extremely numerous, and are 

 seen issuing from most of the rocks, from the Utica slate, to the 

 Catskill group ; but it is equally true that sulphur springs are far 

 more numerous and more copious in the Onondaga salt gi'oup, 

 which group, as before stated, may, in New York, be considered 

 comparatively as the peculiar position of such springs. 



In aU that part of the State where its Sulphm* Springs are 

 most numerous, there are none which will, for abundance of 

 waters, compare with those which issue from the gi-oup in ques- 

 tion, and usually below that part which corresponds with the 

 range of plaster masses ; such as Charm springs, springs north of 

 Cherry Valley, Sanquoit springs, those of Chittenango, Lake 

 Sodom, Messina springs, &c. &c. So abundant are the waters 

 from that part, along the Avhole line of the group, and so few and 

 small are those below and above that line, that the admitted fact 

 in mining, that all waters are from the siu-face, making their way 

 through the rock, either by its mass or fissures or both, appears 

 to be confirmed by these springs, so local do then* nature or 

 origin appear. 



In the dissent, there was no intention to prove that the mineral 

 contents of the waters actually existed in the rocks ; but to show 

 from the connection of rocks and springs, and from the existence 

 of a series of different kinds of mineral springs, one placed above 

 the other in geological position, that then origin must be local, 

 and not foreign or volcanic, and, as a necessary consequence, the 

 materials must exist in the rocks of their som'ce. 



To prove the existence of materials so small in amount as 

 those required for mineral springs, could not be expected by 

 ordinary analysis, which rarely reaches beyond the tenth part of 

 a grain. Where it ends, the mind, to a certain extent, must take 

 its place. All are aware that waters may permeate masses of 



