222 Salt Springs of Mouiiers. 



air, and supported firmly in their position by transverse pieces of 

 wood. In the middle of each Maison d'Epines is a stone building, 

 containing the hydraulic machine for pumping the water to the top 

 of the building; it is moved by a water-wheel. When the water is 

 raised to the top, it is received in channels on each side, which ex- 

 tend the whole length of the building ; froni these long channels it is 

 made to pass into smaller ones by the side, from which it trickles 

 through a multitude of small holes, like a very gentle shower, upon 

 the faggots, where it is divided into an infinite number of drops, fall- 

 ing from one point to another. Being thus exposed to the contact 

 of the air, it gains one degree of strength in falling, and, by the ac- 

 tion of the pumps, it is raised again, and falls in other showers, till it 

 has acquired the strengdi required for passing to the evaporating 

 house, No. 3. 



The process is conducted with less nicety in Nos. 1. and 2. than 

 in the others, and, as I mentioned before, die houses are not covered. 

 The pumps moved by the machine in the centre of the building, are 

 distributed at equal distances on each side of the Maison d'Epraes. 

 The water is not always let to trickle down on both sides of the thorns, 

 but only on that exposed to the wind. The two buildings, Nos. 1. 

 and 2., are placed at different angles, to catch the different currents 

 of wind that rush down the valley. No. 3. is constructed on the 

 same principles as Nos. 1. and 2. ; it receives the water from them 

 both; it is three hundred and seventy yards long, and is covered to 

 preserve the salt water from the rain. There are twelve pumps on 

 each side in this building, and more care is taken to distribute the 

 water equally ; here it is concentrated to the strength of twelve per 

 cent., and deposits most of its remaining sulphate of lime, in incrus- 

 tations on the twigs. 



The water being now reduced to about one seventh of the original 

 quantity, and raised to the strength of twelve degrees, is passed 

 along channels to the Maison d'Epines, N. 4. This is only seventy 

 yards in length : here it is further concentrated by a similar process, 

 tillit nearly reaches the point of saturation, but this depends on the 

 season. In dry weather, it is raised to twenty-two degrees ; but in 

 rainy, moist weather, to eighteen degrees only. In summer-time the 

 whole process of evaporation, in passing through the different houses, 

 is about one month ; in wet seasons it is longer. The stream of 

 water that sets in motion the hydraulic machines for raising the sa- 

 line water to the top of the buildings, is brought by a small aqueduct 



