and other Mountains of the Dutchy of Nassau. 267 



Quartz slate from a quarter of an inch to two inches in thickness frequently 

 alternates with the talc slate on the south declivity. It abounds near Schlan- 

 genbadj a wild and sequestered spot, remarkable for the cosmetic virtues at- 

 tributed to its waters. The talc slate is frequently traversed by large veins of 

 crystalline quartz, in many parts of a pale red and amethystine colour. The 

 schistose quartz is found in a few low mountains, on the left bank of the Lahn, 

 opposite the baths of Ems. 



In the south chain bordering the valley of the Mayne, the union of the 

 strata of the opposite sides is nowhere to be seen. All the roads which lead 

 from the valley of the Mayne into the heart of the dutchy, pass over the 

 ridge, and descend on the grauwacke. 



At the base of these mountains towards the Mayne, masses of conglomerate 

 are common. They consist of rounded and also angular pieces of quartz, 

 cemented by talc and a little ferruginous clay. This degenerates into a thick 

 bed of sandstone, which spreads itself out to the distance of about two English 

 miles from the foot of the mountains, over the tertiary formations of the 

 valley of the Mayne. 



This sandstone is composed of quartz sand, oxyd of iron, and talc ; and if 

 a piece of it were exhibited without any account of its position, it might 

 easily be mistaken for the English new red sandstone. It is fine-grained, and 

 of various shades of colour, passing from yellowish white to deep yellow, 

 and from light red to dark brown. Its particles have very little cohesion. 

 Many quarries of this sandstone are to be seen close to Wiesbaden, where 

 it is dug for mortar. It terminates in loose sand on the surface of the calca- 

 reous deposits of the valley, and, from its constituent parts, appears to have 

 been produced by the attrition of the talc and quartz slate. 



A strong and copious salt-spring is met with at the base of the mountain 

 near Soden. From this source the salt was extracted for many years by the 

 usual processes ; but an exclusive privilege of selling foreign salt having been 

 lately sold by the government to some individual, this establishment has fallen 

 into decay. 



In the village itself are three copious sources of mineral water, all of which 

 contain muriate of soda, although in smaller quantity than the one just men- 

 tioned. They also contain a great proportion of carbonic acid, and some iron. 

 I know of no mineral waters similar to them. That they might be usefully 

 employed both as baths and external medicines, especially in scrofula, rheu- 

 matism, and many diseases arising from worms and chronic weakness, is pro- 

 bable from their composition. But although their value begins to be appre- 

 ciated in the neighbourhood, yet the smallness of the village and the want 



