( 401 ) 



^vfls deftitute of it when firft ejeded ; but, 

 after fome time was elapfed, began to ac- 

 quire it. 



The idea occurred to me whether this 

 acid' might not be derived from the ammo- 

 niacal muriate, as this fait is almoft always 

 found in volcanos. I, therefore, poured a 

 fmall quantity of the acid liquors obtained 

 from the two glafles upon lime w^ithout 

 making ufe of the carbonate of pot-afh ; 

 but I did not perceive any thing of the 

 ilrong odour of ammoniac ; an evident 

 proof that it was not the ammoniacal mu- 

 riate. 



I rather incline to fuppofe that this acid 

 originates either from the fubterranean 

 places in which we know that it is fome- 

 tlmes found, or rather perhaps from the fea, 

 penetrating beneath the volcanic mountains; 

 that it is generated from the decompoH- 

 tion of the muriate of foda, by the means of 

 lulphureous acids in w^hich volcanos abound; 

 and that, abforbed by the humidity of the 



VOL. III. D d air. 



