210 SALT SPRINGS. 



is little doubt, but that if the proprietor 

 had taken some trouble, and dug down a 

 few yards, he would have met with the 

 rock-salt itself. In widening the well a 

 short time back, several emeralds were 

 found in the strata, which are composed of 

 slate and grey sandstone, — being the same 

 as the strata of the Cordillera of Muso, 

 where the finest emeralds in the world have 

 been obtained ; indeed this spot almost ap- 

 pears to be a continuation of that Cordillera. 



The salt springs are situated about fifty 

 feet below where the boiling-houses have 

 been built ; and so little idea have they 

 of the least mechanism, in order to save 

 the expense of manual labour, that they 

 fill large jars at the wells, and bring the 

 water up on the heads of men and women, 

 employed for that purpose. Two common 

 pumps, placed one over the other, with a 

 small reservoir, would send whatever quan- 



