56 NOTES ANfi 



NOTE 9. 



In the country about Salina, the place where the principal manufactory of 

 ealt is, there are immense quantities of gypsum. It appears that there is some 

 natural affinity between gypsum and salt. Mr. Pennant thus speaks of North- 

 wich, a small town long famous for its rock salt and brine pits : " The stratum 

 of salt lies about forty yards deep. Above the salt, is a bed of whitish clay 

 (argilla ccerula cinerea) used in making the Liverpool earthen ware j and in the 

 same place is also dug a good deal of the gypsum, or plaster stone. The fossil 

 aalt is generally yellow and semi-pellucid, sometimes debased with a dull, 

 greenish earth, and is often found, but in small quantities, quite clear and 

 colourless." Tour in Scotland, 1769. 



NOTE 10. 



It is highly probable that there. are other springs of petroleum in other parts 

 of the country. Large oil stones are found at the indian saw mill twelve miles 

 up the buffalo creek, strongly impregnated with Seneka oil. These stones are 

 produced from bituminous springs flowing over beds of madrepores underground. 

 Pennant says, that petroleum, or rock oil, is found sometimes in the mines in 

 Wales, has an agreeable smell, and is esteemed serviceable in rheumatic cases, 

 if rubbed on the parts affected. The miners call it the fairies' butter. Tour in 

 Wales, vol. I. 



But the most extraordinary bituminous springs of which we have any account, 

 are in the Birman empire. In the province of Arracan, major Symes met with 

 a considerable cluster of them, the depth of whose wells was about thirty- 

 seven fathoms, and the column of oil contained in them generally as high as the 

 waist of those who descended for the purpose of collecting it. Siymes^s Embassy 

 to Am. 



NOTE 11. 



Since writing this discourse I have been favoured with " A Discourse o 

 some of the Principal Desiderata in Natural History, and on the best means of 

 I'roraoting the Study of this Science in the United States," by Dr. Barton, of 

 Philadelphia. I regret that I had not before the benefit of this ingenious and 

 learned work, having been often instructed by other writings of this distinguish 



