MINERAL SPRINGS, ETC. 177 



sulphurous, and considered as highly effica- 

 cious in the cure of rheumatisms and other 

 chronic diseases. Some are bold springs, 

 and of a very agreeable temperature for bath- 

 ing ; but there is one in the west of the pro- 



which does not flow very freely, but 



through the crevices of the 



merel] 



rocks, yet it is hot enough to cook any 



of ^od. It is a curious phenomenon, that, 

 withui a few paces of it, as in the case of the 

 hot springs of Arkansas, there is another 

 spring perfectly cold. 



New Mexico affords many interesting geo- 

 logical productions, of which the most useful 

 to the natives is yeso or gypsum, which 

 abounds in many places. Being found in 

 foliated blocks, composed of laminae, which 

 are easily separated with a knife into sheets 

 from the thickness of paper to that of window- 

 glass, and almost as transparent as the latter, 

 It is used to a great extent in the ranchos and 

 yiUages for window-hghts, for which indeed 

 It IS a tolerable substitute. 



In several places about the borders of the 

 'ytiesas are to be found some beautiful speci- 

 niens of petrified trees. One hes between 

 ^-anta Fe and the Placer, broken into blocks 

 smce its petrifaction, which shows every knot, 

 crack and splinter almost as natural as in its 

 hgneous state. It is said that there are 

 sorae of these arboreous petrifactions in the 

 "ncinity of Gahsteo, stiU standing erect 



