I, 



54 Dr. TeNxVEy's Account of Several Medicinal Springs. 



I will here make the conjecture which I promised, respect- 

 ing the cause of the rupture of the rocks nfear the upper 

 ■\\(A\. That the apparent ruins are the product of some vio- 

 lent convulsion of the earth, cannot he douhted by those who 



i 



have seen them : and that they could have been produced 

 by an earthquake, the scene of whose immediate action lay 

 at a distance, does not appear probable :* the effects are evi- 

 dently too great. The most reasonable supposition then 

 seems to be, that however extensive the commotion might 

 have been, which attended this explosion of the rocks, the 

 cause of it must have been in the vicinity, and\ave operated 

 immediately on this mass. 



In searching after substances capable of producing such 

 effectvS, the ledge of calcareous rock (already described) ad- 

 joining the springs, presents itself to our view. These rocks, 

 called here lime rocks, are found in this part of the country 

 m very large masses ; and it is probable, that this ledge ex- 

 tends to ar considerable distance below the surilice. It is 



p 



well known, that this lime rock contains a large portion of 

 fixed air; that it is capable of being decomposed by acids, 

 fire, &c. and that the subterranean regions abound with the 

 vitriolick acid, where it unites with various bases, forming 

 the vitriols, allura, &c. If we suppose a quantity of this rock, 

 at a distance from the surface, decomposed by the vitriolick 

 acid, or otherwise, and its fixed air rendered elastick, would 



the force with which 



to expand 



Itself, be sufficient to produce such an explosion, as would 



burst asunder the most solid rock t The principal apertures 



would probably be immediately closed; but if the same 



cause 



