Ohfervat'wns &c. 22? 



The Water oi thQ H ammain Mellivdn, is not only rcmatk- o/-?/.. Ham- 

 able for being very brackiili and highly dilagrceablc to the "'a';" ^^'•^^" 

 Palate, but alfo for being vaftly ponderous. The Water of 

 the lower Bath at Mereega, is of an infipid Tafte when cold, Mercega, 

 and would not evaporate, by an ordinary find Heat. The upper 

 one, which is rarely cleanfed, befides tinging with a rufty Co- 

 lour the Walls and whatever elfe It relleth upon, is full of a 

 tawny ochre-like Sediment, and may pafs therefore for a Bath 

 of the Chalyheat Kind, though the Water, a Week only after 

 I took It from the Fountain, (fori had no Inftrument to exa- 

 mine It upon the Spot) would not anfwer to the Experiment 

 of the Galls. However, whether the Baths of Mereega, El 

 Hammah and Leef, (the three principal ones of this Kingdom) ei Hammah 

 contain any or no latent mineral Qualities and Effluvia, yet"""^ ^'''^' 

 they are reforted to from all Parts, keeping up the Credit and 

 Reputation at leaft, of being very beneficial in removing the 

 Rheumatifm, Jaundice, and Diftempers of all Complexions. 



The Rivulet of El Ham7nab and others in the Jereed, h^LVi^ne s-ituation 

 their Sources in large extenfive Plains, far removed from any'-^'^'"'^'^'^'* 

 conliderable Chain of Mountains: and as little or no Rain falls 

 in thefe Diftrifts, This Circumftance feems to be no fmall 

 Teftimony in Favour of that Syftem, which deduceth the O- 

 rigine of Fountains from the great Abyfs. The Wells, which 

 I have taken Notice of, in JVadreag ', feem likewife further to 

 confirm It. The Situation of Capja to the Weft ward, is under 

 the Shade of very high Mountains, though the Springs are in 

 the eaftern Part of the City, at fome Furlongs Diftance. The 

 Baths of Leef, Gtirbos, Harmnaite, IVarran^ and Mellwan , 

 are each of them at the Bottom of a high Mountain ; thofe of 

 Mereega and ^m el Houie are about the Middle ; whilft the 

 Situation of the Hammam Meskotiteen, of the Baths of Elelma, 

 and Seedy Ehly, is in uneven Ground, neither plain nor moun- 

 tainous, though inclining rather to the latter. 



The Weight of theWater of the Hammam Mereega is to That rke Hvdro- 

 of Rain Water, as 836 is to 830; that oiWarran as 837: th^.t ofXlwlfer. 

 oi Mesliouteen as 8 5^0 ; and that of Mellwan as 910. I had no 

 Convenience or Opportunity of weighing the reft. 



Befides the hot mineral Efflti-via that are continually diii^- of the Eank- 

 charged by the Therms, there ftill remain below the Surface l/X'o«»^ 

 fome vaft and inexhauftible Funds of Sulphur, Nitre, and other ^''^' 



I Vid. p. 135-. 



Nnn in- 



