26 



rick never freezes over, be the frost ever so sharp, (ill 

 February. But after the first part of this month, a. 

 slight frost will freeze it over in a night's tjme. There 

 are also two other remarkable lakes in the same country. 

 The one Loch Monan, which is considerably large, ob- 

 serves the same rule, freezing over in February, with a 

 slight frost, but never before, be the season ever so 

 rigorous. The other in Sti aglash has a contrary quality. 

 It lies between two high hills, and is itself considerably 

 above the level of the rest of the country. This freezes 

 continually, having ice in the middle, even in the hottest 

 summer month*, while the sun, by reflection from the 

 hills on each side, gives a very considerable heat. There 

 are many other lakes in the neighbouring country which 

 yet have no such property: so that this, and the pro- 

 perty of the two other lakes, must be owing to some 

 peculiar cause. The herbage about the sides of the last 

 lake mentioned, has a kiwi of perpetual spring, which 

 continues throughout the whole year, and is much 

 esteemed by the country peopie, for feeding cattle in 

 one month, more than the best land in the country s will 

 do in, two. The lake is very deep, and the water does 

 not manifest any particular quality. 



9. Rain and snow, which rise in vapours, both from 

 the earth and waters, descending on hills, sink through 

 tlie earth, till they meet with a bed of clay or stone, 

 Tiiis retains the water and gathers it together, in a 

 4arger or smaller bason, till running over the edge, it 

 makes itself a way, and rises in a fountain. Hence 

 issues a rivulet, many of which joining together, con- 

 stitute a river, which continues its course, till it empties 

 itself into the grand receptacle of water, the sea. 



But it has been asked, " Is tjiere a sufficient quantity 

 of vapours raised, in the ordinary course of nature, to 

 supply the demand of fountains and rivers'?" We 

 answer, there is abundantly sufficient, from the surface 

 of the sea alone, leaving the earth out of the account. 

 For it has been shewn by clear experiments, 1. That 

 water salted to ab<; Taie s&uic degree as sea-water, and 



