BORACIC  ACID  IN  CALIFORNIA. 
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in  the  coast  mountains.  Borate  of  soda  was  so  abundant  in  one 
particular  locality  that  enormous  crystals  of  that  salt  were 
formed  at  the  bottom  of  a  shallow  lake,  or  rather  marsh,  one  or 
two  hundred  acres  in  extent.  The  crystals  were  hexahedral 
with  beveled  or  replaced  edges,  and  truncated  angles  ;  attaining 
the  size,  in  some  cases,  of  four  inches  in  length  by  two  in  diame- 
ter, forming  splendid  and  attractive  specimens.  In  the  same 
neighborhood,  a  cluster  of  small  thermal  springs  were  observed 
holding  free  boracic  acid  in  solution.  A  few  hundred  yards 
from  these,  a  great  number  of  hot  springs,  of  a  temperature  of 
212°  F.,  rose  up  hrough  the  fissures  of  a  silicious  rock.  These 
springs  held  a  considerable  quantity  of  borax,  as  well  as  free 
boracic  acid.  Many  other  localities  furnished  similar  indica- 
tions, but  in  a  less  extensive  form. 
In  progress  of  the  examination  I  found  that  the  common  salt 
(chloride  of  sodium)  exposed  for  sale  in  the  San  Francisco 
market,  and  which,  it  was  understood,  came  from  certain  de- 
posits of  that  article  on  the  sea-margin  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  State,  also  furnished  boracic  acid.  I  was  led  to  attribute  it 
to  the  fact  of  mineral  springs  emptying  into  the  lagoons  furnish- 
ing the  salt.  It  was,  therefore,  a  matter  of  no  small  surprise, 
when  on  a  visit  to  the  localities,  I  found  no  trace  of  acid  in  any 
of  the  springs  in  the  adjacent  district.  This  led  to  an  examina- 
tion of  the  sea-water,  and  a  detection  of  an  appreciable  quantity 
of  boracic  acid  therein.  It  was  at  Santa  Barbara  where  I  first 
detected  it,  and  subsequently  at  various  points  from  San  Diego 
to  the  Straits  of  Fuca.  It  seems  to  be  in  the  form  of  borate  of 
soda,  and  perhaps  of  lime.  The  quantity  diminishes  toward  the 
north.  It  is  barely  perceptible  in  specimens  of  water  brought 
from  beyond  Oregon,  and  seems  to  reach  its  maximum  near  San 
Diego. 
This  peculiarity  seems  to  extend  no  great  distance  seaward. 
Water  taken  thirty  or  forty  miles  west  of  San  Francisco  gave 
no  trace  of  acid.  In  twelve  specimens  taken  at  various  points 
betwixt  this  port  and  the  Sandwich  Islands,  furnished  me  by 
Mr.  Gulich,  of  Honolulu,  only  that  nearest  our  coast  gave  bora- 
cic acid.  In  ten  specimens  kindly  furnished  me  by  Dr.  W.  0. 
Ayers,  taken  up  by  Dr.  J.  D.  B.  Stillman,  in  a  trip  of  one  of 
the  Pacific  mail  steamers  from  Panama  to  this  place,  no  acid 
was  discovered  south  of  the  Cortez  Shoals. 
