35 



in the vicinity of its source. The water of the cold 

 spring is iron and vitriolic, and, when mixed with 

 that of the warm, deposits Glauber's salt and a yel- 

 lowish ochre. 



The baths of Cauquenes • are in one of the vailles 

 . of the Cordilleras, near the source of the Caciapoal, 

 a very considerable river. As the situation is very 

 pleasant, great numbers of persons resort there dur- 

 ing the summer, as well for amusement as for the 

 recovery of health. 



The springs are numerous and of various qualities 

 and temperatures. Some of them are cold, others 

 hot; some acidulated, and impregnated in a greater 

 or less degree with iron ; while others are alkalescent 

 or vitriolic, and several, like those of Pisa, are merely 

 gaseous. The principal spring is very warm and sul- 

 phuric ; its margin is covered with a yellow efflores- 

 cence of sulphur, and the water has a strong hepatic 

 smell ; it contains besides an alkali and a neutral salt. 

 The surrounding mountains abound with every kind 

 of mineral, and near the spring are great numbers of 

 willows, which, are covered with a species of manna, 

 in globules of the size of grains of gun-powder. 



Three mineral springs, adjoining the high road to 

 Cujo, afford a neutral salt, with a calcareous base, of 

 a sharp and bitter taste and easily soluble ; it is col- 

 lected in great quantities upon the borders of these 

 springs, where it shoots into cristals that are usually 

 of a quadrangular prismatic form. The inhabitants 

 use it for Glauber's salt, which they believe it to 

 be ; but I am more inclined to think it a species of 

 Epsom salt, as it has neither the base nor the form 



