THE COASTS OF SAINTONGE. 301 



at different levels, so that the liquid may easily pass 

 onwards from the first to the last in the series. 



The marsh is a large square, enclosing on the side 

 nearest the water the first basin or tank, which is 

 about one yard deep, and called the jard, in which 

 the sea-water is allowed to deposit its sediment by 

 remaining at rest before it enters the conches, in 

 which begins the work of evaporation. These 

 conches are three very narrow basins, from six to 

 eight inches deep, and arranged in such a manner 

 that on passing from one to the other the water 

 is obliged to traverse the whole width of the marsh 

 in a zig-zag direction. The mors and the tables, 

 in which the sea-water is subjected to a second and 

 third evaporation, are of very nearly the same dimen- 

 sions and surround an oblong space occupying about 

 the third of the marsh. This enclosure is divided 

 into two parts by a broad basin, about two inches 

 in depth, called the muant. To the right and left of 

 the latter are arranged the compartments known as 

 the nourrices, which are only an inch deep. Here the 

 solution, which has become more and more concen- 

 trated by its sojourn in the preceding compartments, 

 undergoes its fourth and last preparation before 

 it enters the enclosures in which it is suffered to 

 crystallise. Small elevations of clay are arranged 

 with the most perfect regularity around the different 

 compartments, which they sufficiently isolate from one 

 another, and thus serve all the purposes aimed at by 

 this mode of arrangement. The whole lies upon the 

 blue or yellow argillaceous earth *, which is entirely 



* It has been remarked that the nature of the soil influences the 



