41 



overflows the surface, and becomes crystallized 

 into a salt as white as snow. This valley is 

 about fifteen miles in circumference, and is en- 

 tirely covered, for the depth of six feet, with a 

 crust of salt, which is collected by the inha- 

 bitants in large pieces, and used for all domestic 

 purposes. The surrounding mountains afford no 

 external indication of mineral salt, but they must 

 necessarily abound with it^, from the great quan- 

 tities deposited by these springs. 



Mineral waters are common in Chili. The 

 most celebrated are those of the Spanish settle- 

 ments of Peldehues and Cauquenes. The source 

 of the former is on the summit of one of the ex- 

 terior mountains of the Andes, to the north of 

 St. Jago. It consists of two springs of very 

 different temperatures, one hot, and the other 

 cold ; the former is sixty degrees above the 

 freezing point by Reaumur's thermometer, the 

 latter four degrees below it. They are about 

 eighty feet distant, and their w aters arc united, 

 by means of canals, so as to form a tepid bath, 

 which is found very efficacious in many disorders. 

 The water of the hot spring is oily to the touch, 

 and foams like soap suds ; it abounds with mi- 

 neral alkali, which appears to be combined with 

 an unctuous substance in a state of solution. 

 It is clear, inodorous, impregnated with a very 

 littl fixed air, and its specific weight is but 

 two degrees above that of common distilled 



