40 



Chili, abounding in mineral and bituminous sub 

 stances, must necessarily produce a great number 

 of mine al springs, the virtues of whose waters 

 must have become known to the inhabitants. 

 Gaseous and acidulated waters are common in 

 all the provinces, particularly in the valleys at 

 the foot of the Andes. Some springs are vitriolic 

 and impregnated with iron, others sulphuric or 

 muriatic; their temperature is in general that of 

 the atmosphere ; but there are some that are cold 

 in summer, a quality probably derived from their 

 sources being in the vicinity of mines or springs 

 of salt. But as I have never carefully analyzed 

 these waters, 1 am not able to give accurate in- 

 formation respecting them. 



The provinces of Copiapo and Coquimbo are 

 rich in salt springs. In the former, there is a 

 river called from its saltness Salado, which, like 

 the other large rivers, has its source in the An- 

 des, and falls into the Pacific Ocean. The water 

 of this river is very clear and extremely salt ; and 

 its specific gravity is, according to the season of 

 the year, from fifteen to eighteen degrees. 



The salt crystallizes naturally upon the 

 shores ; it is excellent and fit for use without any 

 preparation, as it is very pure and not mixed 

 with calcarious earth, or any heterogeneous salts. 

 In a valley of the Andes, inhabited by the Pe- 

 hucnches, in 34 dcg. 40 min. latitude, arc eXeyen 

 springs of very clear and lin)pid water, which 



