276 



Scientific Intelligence. 



have occasioned the death of the animals themselves. The Quebrada of 

 Murco trends from the northwest to the southeast, and consists, as far as 

 in view, of sandstone and black schist, Fifty ranchos (huts of straw or 

 stone) are occupied by the natives in charge of their herds, and this is all 

 the population. They cultivate Indian corn, poor peaches, together with 

 the Chilca (Eupatoria resinosa) a shrub that grows abundantly and which 

 dug into the ground makes an excellent fertilizer. At four to six cua- 

 dras from these ranchos, on the banks of a stream which is impassable in 

 the rainy season, there are some beds of coal in the slate, which dip to 

 the north, the strike east-southeast and west-northwest. They are ex- 

 plored at the surface for a breadth of some varas, and are associated with 

 ironstone and pyrites. I have observed other beds near, whicli appear 

 to be of better quality. One explored under the direction of M. Uria, 

 has a breadth of more than a yard, and the coal has been tried in the Pa- 

 cific steamers. It is carried to Arequipa, 15 to 16 leagues, for the forges 

 there in operation. I believe that it will soon be employed in the valleys 

 of Siguas and Vitor for the distillation of wine. 



In the valley of Mages, near the property of Querulpa, I have found 

 in a limestone a small and nearly horizontal bed of coal which I have left 

 to Manuel Reyes to explore. In the Quebrada of the warm springs of 

 Yura, nine leagues north of Arequipa, I found, in 182*7, coal in a 

 blackish schist like that of Compuerta, on the road from that village 

 to Puno. There are said to be other beds at Esquino, on the route 

 from Moquega, and at Morro on the way from Sama. From the nature 

 of the beds, coal may yet be found near Arica. There are still other 

 places in La Costa or the Coast Region, where it may be found. 



Thus Peru is not destitute of beds of mineral coal. But owing to the 

 great distances and the want of roads, the industrial establishments of the 

 coast are still compelled to provide themselves from foreign dealers at 

 great expense, paying 20 to 25 dollars a ton. 



7. Waters of Lake Ooroomiah ; by Henry Witt, (Phil. Mag. [4], xi, 

 257 ) — The waters of Lake Ooroomiah examined, were collected by Mr. 

 W. K. Loftus. The lake, he says, is "about 82 miles in length and 

 24 wide, its height being 4100 feet above the level of the sea. The wa- 

 ter is of a deep azure color, but there is something exceedingly unnatural 

 in its heavy stillness and want of life. Small fragments of Fuci, saturated 

 with salt, and thrown ashore, form a ridge at the margin of the lake, 

 and emit such a noxious effluvium under a hot sun as to produce nausea 

 at the stomach. The sulphuretted hydrogen generated from the lake itself 

 without doubt adds to this sensation. The water is intensely salt, and 

 evaporates so rapidly, that a man, who swam in to bring me a bottle of 

 the water for analysis, on coming out was covered with particles of salt, 

 and looked as white and ludicrous as though he had been thrown into a 

 flour tub." 



The sample was taken from the lake at Guverjin Kalah, on the 

 north-western shore, on the 14th of August, 1852, the temperature of the 

 water at the time being 78° F. at 11 a. m. 



As 1 received it (the cork having been well secured by a coating of wax), 

 the water still retained a strong smell of sulphuretted hydrogen, and was 

 moreover supersaturated with carbonic acid, which it evolved on being 



