118 Prof. E. D. Smith, on the Warm Springs 



one mile. They are generally so near to the bank, that in 

 moderate freshets the river comes into them, and it was as- 

 serted by one of the present proprietors that at a particular 

 spot in the bed of the stream, about ten yards from the usu- 

 al bank, there was a constant jet of warm water. The depth 

 of the river is various, being in some places 10 to 15 feet, 

 and in others very shoaly. The last spring which has been 

 opened, is perhaps twenty yards further from the river than 

 the former ones, but its temperature is not quite so high. — 

 The supply of water in all of them is very abundant. 



The original proprietor of these springs, a respectable 

 and intelligent old gentleman by the name of Nelson, in- 

 formed me that he supposed the first discovery of them to 

 have been made about forty years since, at which time this 

 part of the country was altogether uninhabited, and the per- 

 sons who resorted to the waters, had to encamp in their vi- 

 cinity. He has been personally acquainted with them, for 

 upwards of twenty years, and made the first and lowest es- 

 tablishment for bathing, near to a ferry, which is opposite to 

 his residence. Mr. Nelson further states that he has known 

 sundry cases of palsy, rheumatism, cutaneous affections, &;c, 

 greatly benefited by the internal and external use of the 

 waters. The large establishment, and the one that is now 

 principally visited, is seated about half a mile higher up the 

 river, and has at the present time two large baths, whose 

 temperature at the boils of the springs is 104° of Fahrenheit; 

 but at the surface the temperature of the old bath, which is 

 very near to the river, is 100°, while that of the new which 

 is higher up the bank, is but 94°. I was informed that this 

 temperature was much increased, when there was a consid- 

 erable swell in the river, but I had no opportunity of wit- 

 nessing the fact. 



A smaller stream of water, which is usually limpid and 

 shallow, comes into the French Broad on its southern side, 

 and separates the first bathing establishment from that which 

 is now used. The stream affords the conveniences of a 

 saw, and grist mill, within a very short distance of the estab- 

 lishment, and without the necessity of a mill-pond. The 

 whole are situated in a beautiful and romantic spot upon 

 a large flat, contiguous to the water, and embosomed in 

 lofty mountains, among which the river winds, while the 

 valley in this spot nppears not to exceed a mile 'u% width, and 



