Origin of Springs. 319 



water ; 3dly. That the Cruft of the Earth has the re- 

 quifite number of cracks and fiflures ; and 4thly. That, 

 near the furface, the vapour finds the proper caverns 

 or refrigeratories to con den fe in : we fliall have made 

 but two more luppofitions than the Indian, who put 

 the Earth on an Elephant, and the Elephant on a Tor- 

 toife. 



If Vapour is thus continually rifing from the Abyfs, 

 v/hy do we never fee it making its way above the fur- 

 face in a vifible fhape ? To this queftion, Mr. Cat- 

 COTT replies, " As to the afcent of Vapour through 

 the filTures of the Earth, this is a fadt, the reality of 

 which any one may be convinced of, who will give 

 himfelf the trouble of looJdng into the ivfide of the Earth.'" 

 Of the Earth, moft of us, probably, are merely fuper- 

 ficial obfervers. For myfelf, unfortunately, I never 

 had an opportunity of examining its iij/ide except 

 while exploring a cave about 70 feet deep. In that, and 

 in mod other caverns and mines, water is feen dropping 

 from the roof, and trickling down the fides, of thofe 

 fubterranean receffes ; and the atmofphere, thus conti- 

 nually moiftened, has no chance of being dried by the 

 heat of the Sun. Miners, however, and moft other 

 viliters of caverns, guided by com.mon fenfe, have 

 been led to attribute the moifture to thefe caufes, and 

 not to fubterranean exhalations. 



The fecond method devifed for the afcent of the wa- 

 ters of the Abyfs is Upward Filtration. I flatter my- 

 felf, that it has been already evinced — rhat water can- 

 not, thus, afcend to a fuflicient height :— That, if it 

 could, it would not run over ; and that, fuppoling it 

 would run over, yet, if originally fait, it could not be 

 made frefh. 



With regard to the quality of the water of the A- 

 byfs, Mr, Catcott obferves, that " we cannot have 

 any abfolute proof that it is fait ; and I could give fe- 

 veral reafons to Ihow that it may not be fb ; at leaft, 

 not equally fait with the fea.'' What thefe reafons are 

 he does not inform us. Perhaps it is owing to this o- 



