VOL. LXIV.] PHILOSOPHICAL TKANSACTIOMS. £47 



acidum centrale perpetuum inexhauribile of Beccher; with thespiritus sulphureus 

 aereo-aetliereo-elasticus of Hoffman; and the sal embrionatus and sal esurinus of 

 the sagacious Helmont, which, he says, corrodes the ore of iron, and with it 

 forms a volatile vitriol in the Pouhon water. All these, and many other philoso- 

 phers, had acquired some knowledge of this subtile aereo-saline principle from 

 contemplating its effects; but, not having obtained it in a palpable form, were 

 unacquainted with several of its principal properties. 



From considering the great subtilty of this aereo-saline principle, its power 

 of dissolving many earthy substances, with its property of uniting readily to 

 water, and with it, of pervading the very minute vessels of the animal frame, 

 without injuring them, as stronger acids do by their corrosive quality, we may 

 thence form some judgment of the great efficacy of this air, as a de-obstruent 

 and solvent, in many diseases of the human body, arising from preternatural 

 concretions and obstructions thence ensuing. If to these we add the geat anti- 

 septic powers of this kind of air, which it possesses in common with acids, and 

 which were first detected by Sir John Pringle, and have since been more fully 

 explained by Mr. Macbride and Dr. Priestley; we then, in some measure, may 

 account for those extraordinary effects which this kind of air is found to produce, 

 in the cure of many obstinate diseases, with which mankind are afflicted. 



XL. Particulars of the Country of Labradore, extracted from the Papers of 

 Lieut. Roger Curtis, of H. M. Sloop the Otter, p. 372. 



This vast tract of land is extremely barren, and quite incapable of cultivation. 

 The surface is every where uneven, and covered with large stones, some of which 

 are of amazing dimensions. There are few springs ; yet throughout the country 

 there are vast chains of lakes or ponds, which are produced by the rains, and the 

 melting of the snow. These ponds abound in trout, but they are very small. 

 There is no such thing as level land. It is a country formed of frightful moun- 

 tains, and unfruitful vallies. The mountains are almost devoid of every sort of 

 herbage. A blighted shrub, and a little moss, is sometimes to be seen on them ; 

 but in general the bare rock is all you behold. The vallies are full of crooked 

 low trees, such as the different pines, spruce, birch, and a species of the cedar. 

 Up some of the deep bays, and not far from the water, it is said however there 

 are a few sticks of no inconsiderable size. In short, the whole country is nothing 

 but a vast heap of barren rocks. 



The climate is extremely rigorous. There is but little appearance of summer 

 before the middle of July; and in September the approach of winter is very evi- 

 dent. All along the coast there are many rivers, which empty themselves into 

 the sea; yet there are but few of any consideration, and you must not imagine 

 that the largest are any thing like what is generally untlcrstood by a river. Cus- 



4 A 2 / 



