Sir Hans Sloane to Mr. Ray. 19 j 



this was a whitifh coloured Water, which upon {land- 

 ing in a Vial fome Days, lets foil a brownifh Sedi- 

 ment, and by that means becomes diaphanous : It 

 fmelt very ftrong, as the Earth did, was fome what 

 bitter and clammy, as one may fee by putting his 

 Hands in it, and fuffering them to dry without wi- 

 ping. If you put fome powder'd Galls into a Glafs 

 of this Water, fo foon, or a little after you take it out 

 of the Well, it will turn of a purplifh red* but if it 

 Hand a Day or two, it will not at all. 



Several Perfons having drunk of this Well about 

 3 Pints, fay, that ufually it works about 3 times by 

 Stool, and very much by Urine. 



From which I conclude it to be a natural Bitumen, 

 perhaps fui generis ', that impregnates both Water and 

 Earth. I delire your Opinion in it, and remain, 



. Mr. Ray to Sir Hans Sloane. 



S I i?, Black Notley, Nov. 17. ~8f. 



I Now return you many Thanks for the Pains you 

 have taken in affifting me in the carrying on the 

 Hiftory that is now before me, and the many Infor- 

 mations and Advices you have given xne, and other 

 Contributions you have made thereto, which fhallbe 

 owned, and gratefully acknowledged by me, 



I thank you for the Account of the Hockefdon 

 Earth, and the rather, becaufe I was lately informed 

 that it was no natural Bitumen mingled with it, but 

 had its Original from the burning of a Painting-Shop 

 Handing over the Spot where the Earth was digged 

 up, and that there was no fuch Earth round a- 

 bout, but juft within that Compafs. So that as the 

 Corinthian Brafs was made by an accidentall Mixture 



Ccz of 



