OF ARKANSAS. 73 



This well-known land-mark is composed, in its upper part, of about 80 

 feet of schistose sandstone, forming a bold and conspicuous cliff on the 

 heights of the mountain, which is contracted in its upper part, so that the 

 area of the summit is only about 200 feet from north to south, by about 

 50 feet from cast to west, with a dip of a few degrees to the south, as 

 shown in the accompanying view. Forest and undergrowth conceal, for 

 the most part, the strata forming the slopes below this escarpment. 



The construction of the main ridges, in this part of Van Buren county, 

 of which this may be regarded as an outlier, together with the partial ex- 

 posures, here and there observed in the Sugar-loaf mountain itself, lead to 

 the conclusion that it is composed mostly of earthy varieties of sandstone, 

 resting on ferruginous and dark shales, similar to those observed at the 

 Bald Lick, and which seem to exist, almost universally, under the main 

 mass of the millstone grit of this part of the State of Arkansas. 



The Sugar-loaf springs are situated about three miles from the Sugar- 

 loaf mountain, in a course south of west. There are several fine springs of 

 mineral water at this place. 



The one known as the "Black Sulphur Spring," but which might be with 

 more propriety called the White Sulphur Spring, since it deposits a white 

 fibrous sediment in the trough into which it first flows, though, where it 

 subsequently dissipates itself over the ground, there is a black precipitate 

 formed by the mutual action between the sulphur in the water and the 

 iron contained in the soil. This has generally been regarded as the 

 strongest mineral water on the premises. 



Its principal constituents are : 



Free sulphuretted hydrogen. 



Bi-carbonate of lime. 



Bi-carbonate of magnesia. 



Chloride of sodium. 



Chloride of magnesium. 



No appreciable quantity of sulphates could be detected in the unconcen- 

 trated water. 



The "Puce Spring" contains the same ingredients, though it is not so 

 strongly impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen, but contains more- 

 chlorides than the other spring. 



The qualitative examination of the " Eye Spring," so called because 

 persons having inflamed eyes have used it most, gave the same reaction 

 with chemical reagents as the " Puce Spring." 



Besides these springs there is a good chalybeate water, that issues from the 

 bank a few paces from the " Puce Spring," containing bi-carbonate of the 

 protoxide of iron and a trace of chlorides, but no appreciable quantity of 



