HUER. 
each is covered by a rough stalactic crust, 
and the latter is nine feet higher than the 
aperture. 
The water has not been known to ascend 
regularly in a continued stream, but in sud- 
den impulses after rather long intervals of 
quiet. The inhabitants of the neighbour- 
hood assert, that the ascent is higher in 
cold bad weather than at other times, and 
they, and other observers affirm, that it is 
elevated sixty fathoms, though without any 
means of deciding beyond mere conjecture, 
indeed, the method adopted by Dr. Von 
Troil and his friends, to ascertain the height 
to which the water ascended on the 21st of 
September, 1772, was equally fallible ; they 
supposed the greatest elevation to be 
only sixty feet. The gentleman alluded 
to, mentions, at thirty -five minutes after 
twelve, they heard three distinct noises, 
like the discharge of cannons, in the sub- 
terraneous caverns whence the spring issues, 
which were followed by a trembling of the 
earth and an immediate rise and fall of the 
water in the bason. At eight minutes after 
two the water flowed over the border of 
the bason; at fifteen minutes after three 
several subterraneous noises were heard, 
but not so loud as the first; at forty-three 
minutes after four the water rushed vio- 
lently over the edge of the bason for about 
a minute; at forty-nine minutes after the 
last named hour, many loud explosions 
were heard, as if near the source of the 
spring, and the ridges of rocks in the vici- 
nity ; after this great effort the water be- 
came comparatively quiet. 
The impelling power within the earth is 
very great at Geyser, and is sufficiently so 
to prevent stones from sinking that are 
thrown into the aperture ; on the contrary, 
the force of the water carries them up with 
it to a considerable height. We sh^ll conclude 
our account of these Icelandic springs in 
the words of the Doctor. “ When the ba- 
son was full of water, we placed ourselves 
before the sun in such a manner, that we 
could see our shadows in the water, every 
one observed round the shadow of his own 
head, though not round the heads of others, 
a circle of almost the same colours which 
compose the rainbow, and round this ano- 
ther bright circle : this most probably pro- 
ceeded from the vapours exhaling from the 
water. I remember to have seen some- 
thing similar to it when travelling in the 
summer, particularly in the meadows. Not 
far from this place, another spring, at the 
foot of the neighbouring ridge of rocks, 
j 
spouted water to the height of one or two 
yards each time.” The gentlemen present 
thought it possible to close the mouth of 
this liner with stones, and made the experi- 
ment, but the water removed the whole 
from the aperture, and threw them in a cir- 
cle round it, afterwards gushing forth with 
its original freedom. 
The waters of these large springs were 
violently heated, and seemed slightly im- 
pregnated with sulphur, though perfectly 
clear and pure in other respects; some 
others, less considerable, near them, were 
thick and turgid, as if mixed with clay. A 
third class presented the fluid as white as 
milk, and a few force their way through 
the earth, heated to a red glow. Near 
most of the springs are baths, frequented 
by the natives, some of which are dry, and 
for sweating. The vapour is collected 
into those through fissures in the earth, and 
the thermometer rose from 57 to 93 on 
introducing it into the open hut used for 
this purpose. 
As it is not our present intention to no- 
tice those heated springs which are impreg- 
nated with mineral substances, we shall 
refer to Mineral waters for an account 
of them. The Island of Ceylon furnishes 
an instance of hot springs under the class of 
the huers of Iceland, except that no volca- 
nic cause exists sufficiently near them to 
force the water out of the earth with vio- 
lence. At Cannia, about six miles north- 
west of Trincomallee, are six wells, built of 
stone and mortar, in square and circular 
forms, generally about four feet deep, and 
less than two in circumference, which are 
inclosed by a stone wall six feet high, and 
contain the superior springs, though there 
are others in the neighbourhood in their 
natural state. In each the water is refresh- 
ing and pleasant to the taste, and air is 
continually rising to the surface in bubbles, 
accompanied by steam. The natives of the 
island, and of the adjacent coast of India, 
delight to bathe in this water, and seating 
themselves by the sides of the wells, they 
lade the warm fluid in earthern or brazen 
vessels, and pour it over their heads for 
hours together. Either imagination, or the 
inherent qualities of the water, produce 
benefit to those who use it in cases of 
strains, bruises, or rheumatisms ; or possi- 
bly the warm bath may accomplish the 
cure, as it appears from the following ana- 
lysis, made by Thomas Christie, Esq. sur- 
geon of the 80th regiment, that there are 
very few proofs of the incorporation of mi- 
