104 THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA 



in diameter, and is something less than six inches in 

 height. When the sea is calm it is easy to see ver- 

 tical jets of water springing from the bottom. This 

 water is found to be fresh, and it comes from a sub- 

 marine spring. Its superior lightness causes it to 

 reach the surface of the sea before the salt-water has 

 time to affect it. 



At some distance from the embouchure of the Ga- 

 laso, in the Gulf of Tarentura, there springs from the 

 bottom of the sea a jet of fresh-water so powerful 

 that it can be procured without mixture with the salt- 

 water. A similar jet exists in the famous salt-pool 

 of Thau, near Cette (on the Mediterranean coast of 

 France) ; here the fresh-water rises so rapidly that it 

 produces waves. 



What may be called a true subterranean river de- 

 bouches under the sea near Ragusa. There are sweet- 

 water springs in the ports of Cattaro and Aulona, 

 near the embouchure of the Acheron, in the midst of 

 the sea ; over a space of 40 feet in diameter fresh-water 

 is thrown up abundantly with great force. This is 

 probably the same spring of which Pausanias speaks. 



A stream of fresh- water springs from the bottom 

 of the sea near Tortosa, on the coast of Syria. Its 

 force is so great that the sweet water can be taken 

 without mixture with the salt. Pliny speaks of a 

 similar phenomenon near Arcadus. 



