Page:Books from the Biodiversity Heritage Library (IA mobot31753000820123).pdf/25

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water is pass'd through three of these plac'd one under another. Thames-water, at Sea, is generally thought to ferment, and to rise to a vinous Spirit, but it is not so; for this is to be ascrib'd mostly to the filth or tincture of the Cask, for the Water itself in Jars, does not ferment nor smell; in Cask first it acquires a colour from the filth or Wood, then ferments, smells, and turns vinous, neither is it all so, but only that in some Casks. Brandy, by the Cask, from limpid, turns yellowish in colour, but does not so in Jars or Bottles. Water gather'd off the Ships Decks from Rain, smells and ferments presently, because of Spittle, Dung, ''&c. Thames-water is accounted the best for Ships, though probably passing by so great a City as London'', it be the foulest in Contents.

Spring-water is reckon'd preferable to other kinds; there are fine, large Springs here, many of them as well as Rivers, petrify their own Channels, by which they sometimes stop their own Courses, by a Sediment and Cement uniting the Gravel and Sand in their bottoms. When this petrifying water falls drop by drop, it makes the Stalactites. Several Caves have their bottoms and tops united by this Stone, so that they appear Pillars.

Upon the whole matter, the cleansing Water from Clay, Mould, Water-Herbs, and other accidental Impurities it meets with in its Course, seems to be the way of making it good in all parts of the World. In many places the Inhabitants let it purifie itself by quiet and subsidence, in others they do it by help of a sort of Beans, or rather nux vomica, as on the Coast of Coromandel; in others by precolating through porous Stone Mortars. I have seen in London the muddiest Water made as fine as ever I saw any, by filling a Cistern with Sand, scattering the muddy Water on the upper part of it, which soaking through by a Hole (guarded so as not to be choak'd with mud) at the bottom of the Cistern, left behind all its impurities in the Sand. This Sand is turn'd into a soft Stone, which once a year is taken out, broken with Mallets, cleans'd of its Clay, and put again into the Cistern to serve for the same purpose another year.

A hot Bath or Spring is near Morant in the Eastward part of the Island, situated in a Wood, which has been bathed in, and drunk of late years for the Belly-ach with great Success.

A great many Salt-Springs arise in level Ground under Hills, in Cabbage-Tree bottom, at about a Mile or two distance from the Sea, which united make what is call'd the Salt-River.

Salt is made here in Ponds, where into the Sea or Salt-water comes and by the Heat of the Sun, the moisture being exhal'd, leaves the Salt, which is in great plenty at the Salt-Ponds, about Old Harbour, &c. The Salt is not perfectly white, nor in small Grains, but in large lumps, and has an Eye of red in it, as some sal gemmæ I have