74 TRAVELS IN 
of the flream. A green Conferva grew on the margin of both. 
No change of color was produced upon the plants and ftones 
with which the water came in contact. With fulphuric acid it 
depofited no fediment, nor became in the leafi; turbid, nor were 
blue vegetable colors at all afFe£ted by it. No impregnation of 
any kind was difcoverable, in the fmalleft degree, by the tafle. 
On the contrary, it is confidered fo pure that the family living 
near it generally employed it for dreffing their victuals ; and 
all their linen and colored clothes were waflied in it without 
fuftaining any injury. The thermometer I had with me was 
graduated only to 140°, to which point it afcended almoft in- 
ftantaneoufly. The temperature appeared to be very nearly 
that of boiling water. 
The duration of hot fprings for ages without any confider- 
able variation in temperature, or in the quantity of water 
thrown out, is one of thofe fecret operations of nature that has 
not as yet been fatisfadtorily explained, but which has baflfled, 
at all times, the fpeculations of philofophers. The decompofi- 
tion of pyritical matter, the flacking of lime, and the fubterra- 
nean furnace, heated with combuftible materials, have each 
had their advocates, but each when " weighed in the balance 
" has been found wanting." 
From the hot wells we croflfed the Breede, or broad river, 
and entered a kloef on the oppofite, or northern, fide of the 
vale, which opened a paflage through the fecond great chain 
of mountains. It is called the Hex river's kloef, and is about 
four miles in length. The afcent is much lefs than that of 
Roode 
