SPRINGS OF THE INTERIOR. 191 



MINERAL SPRINGS OF THE INTERIOR AND 



WESTERN SIDE OF THE CONTINENT OF 



NORTH AMERICA. 



THE vast region stretching from the Mississippi channel 

 to the Pacific Ocean, from the reports of travelers, pos- 

 sesses a large number of springs, mineral and thermal. 

 These are of an extensive variety and interesting character, 

 but the information with regard to them is meagre, there 

 being but few analyses of contents, and the accounts of ex- 

 plorers, who were intent upon other purposes, are necessa- 

 rily vague and unspecified. 



The more recent Reports of the Pacific Ocean Railroad 

 parties have given much additional information with regard 

 to the geography, geology, and climatology of this part of 

 the continent; but few of the mineral springs have attracted 

 much attention, or been the subject of careful chemical tests 

 or quantitative analyses. Enough, however, has been re- 

 ported to stimulate inquiry, and warrant the conviction that 

 we have as yet scarcely an intimation of the real extent of 

 our resources in this department. For full details in this 

 interesting field, see the valuable Reports of Fremont, Stans- 

 bury, Gunnison, and others, which have been published for 

 some time ; also, the splendidly-illustrated Reports of the 

 Pacific Railroad Routes, which have recently been given 

 to the world. 



On the Southern line, or the Pimas villages, Gila, and 

 Rio Grande Route, near the thirty-second parallel of north 

 latitude, Lieutenant Parke has reported mineral springs. 

 On Buenaventura River there is a spring which deposits a 

 large quantity of sulphur. It gave a temperature of 64 F., 

 the air being 55 F. "Along with the spring is an over- 



