CATARACTS, AND INUNDATIONS. 171 



t>eate. Iii those where sulphur predominates, the pipes contract a 

 crust of whitish salt. 



In addition to this account of gasses arising from the earth, 

 those arising from a Jake in Lapland may be very properly intro- 

 duced. M. Maupertuis, who describes them, says, " the fine lakes 

 which surround the mountain of Niemi, give it the air of an en- 

 chanted island in romance. On one hand you see a grove of trees 

 rise from a green, smooth and level as the walks of a garden, and 

 at such easy distances as neither to embarrass the walks nor the 

 prospect of the lakes that wash the foot of the mountain. On the 

 other hand are apartments of different sizes, that seem cut by art 

 in the rocks, and to want only a regular roof to render them com- 

 plete. The rocks themselves are so perpendicular, sa high, and so 

 smooth, that they might be taken for the walls of an unfinished 

 palace, rather than for the works of nature. From this height," he 

 adds, " we saw those vapours rise from the lake which the people 

 of the country call Haltios, and deem the guardian spirits of the 

 mountains. We had been frightened with stories of bears haunting 

 this place, but saw none. It seemed rather, indeed, a place of 

 resort for fairies and genii, than for savage animals." 



On an island which is formed by the rivers Persante and Raduye, 

 in Pomerania, are springs of muriate of sada, or common salt, of so 

 strong a quality, that the inhabitants obtain from them considerable 

 quantities of this material. 



3. Principal Domestic Mineral Waters, 



IN describing the mineral or medicinal springs which distinguish 

 England, it will be proper to begin with those in Somersetshire. 



BATH, an ancient and renowned city, is seated in a plain of 

 moderate extent, surrounded with hills, which form a kind of amphi- 

 theatre, whence flow the springs that render this city so famous. It 

 is situated a hundred and eight miles west of London, nineteen 

 north-west of Wells, and twelve south-east of Bristol. It rose into 

 consequence from its springs, which in the time of the Romans were 

 known to possess very salubrious qualities, and their reputation is 

 still higher than that of any other springs in England, and inferior 

 to few in Europe. The hot springs are peculiarly beneficial to the 

 paralytic, the gouty, and the bilious, but many other disorders are 



