4 Dr, Darwin's Account of 



This being accompllfhed, the bottom of the well remained 

 quite dry, and the new water quickly role about a foot above 

 the top of the wdll in the leaden pipe ; and, on bending the 

 mouth of this pipe to the level of the furface of the ground, 

 about two hogfheads of water flowed from it in twenty- four 

 hours, which liad fimilar properties with the water of St. Alk- 

 mund's well, as on comparifon both thele waters curdled a 

 folution' of foap in fpirit of wine, and abounded with calca- 

 reous earth, which was copioufly precipitated by a folution of 

 fixed alkali; but the new water was found to poffefsa greater 

 abundance of It, together with numerous imall bubbles of 

 rlVial acid or calcareous gas. 



The new water lias now flowed about twelve months, and, as 

 far as 1 can judge, is already increaied to almoft double the quan- 

 tity in a given time ; and from the rude experiments I made, I 

 think it is now lefs replete with calcareous earth, approaching 

 gradually to an exact correfpondence with St. Alkmund's well, 

 as it probably has its origin between the lame ftrata of earth. 



As many mountains bear inconteftible marks of their having 

 been forcibly railed up by fome power beneath them ; and 

 other mountains, and even iflands, have been lifted up by fub- 

 terraneous fires in our own times, we may fafely reafon on the 

 lame fuppoiition in refpedt to all other great elevations of 

 ground. Proofs of thefe circumftances are to be feen on both 

 fides of this part of the country ; whoever will infpe£l, with 

 the eye of a philofopher, the lime-mountain at Breedon, on 

 the edge of Leicefierfhire, will not heiitate a moment in pro- 

 nouncing, that it has been forcibly elevated by fome power 

 beneath it ; for it is of a conical form, with the apex cut off, 



and 



