v( 49 ° ) 
Bed of Clay. Here the Springs come in, and below 
this the Clay was darker coloured, and interlaid with 
fmall Shells of the Gyfter, Efcallop and Mufcle Kind, 
and with a few Belemnites curioufly lhaped. Here 
they met with Stones of a very clofe Texture, which 
when wafhed feemed to be nothing but a Mafs of 
Shells jumbled and embodyed together. And a little 
lower the Clay produced fome Lumps of a black, bi- 
tuminous Sulphur, interlaid with fome fmall thin La- 
minae, feeming to be metalline and bright like the 
pureft Silver : Upon firing this fulphurous Bitumen on 
a red-hot Iron, it emitted a blue Flame, and ftrong 
Smell like Brimftone, but the Metal was loft. From 
this Account of the different Strata found in (inking 
thefe Wells, their Impregnation feems to be from Alum, 
Vitriol of Steel, Ochre and Sulphur, and from an ac- 
curate Mixture of all thefe, which no Art can imitate, 
it feems to derive thofe admirable Qualities with which 
it is endued. 
Some Conje&ure may be made of its Nature and 
Qualities from the Tin&ures it gives upon chymical 
Experiments : With aftringent Drugs, as Galls, Oak- 
Leaves and Balauffians, it fometimes tinges Red, in- 
clining to Purple, and fometimes will not tinge at all : 
With volatile Alkalies, as Spirit of Urine, and Sal 
Armon. it turns milky, with lixiviate Salts, as Oil of 
Tartar, and Deliq. it rifes in a white Curdle: 
But acid faline Liquors, as Spirit of Salt, Nitre, 
caufe no Alteration. 
A Gallon and Half of this Water being evaporated 
ad Siccitatem , the Reliquiae weighed 3 Drams, 1 
Scruple and 19 Grains, fome Parts of which were 
white, and fhot into Sririae like Needles, and others 
into Piifms. The 
