‘The original proprietor of these springs,’ says a writer in the Journal of Science, ‘informed me, that he supposed the first discovery of them to have been made about forty years since, at which time this part of the country was altogether uninhabited, and the persons who resorted to the waters, had to encamp in their vicinity. He has been personally acquainted with them, for upwards of twenty years, and made the first and lowest establishment for bathing, near to a ferry, which is opposite to his residence. Mr. Nelson further states, that he has known sundry cases of palsy, rheumatism, and cutaneous affections, &c. greatly benefited by the internal and external use of the waters. The large establishment, and the one that is now principally visited, is seated about half a mile higher up the river, and has at the present time two large baths, whose temperature at the boils of the springs is one hundred and four degrees of Fahrenheit; but at the surface the temperature of the old bath, which is very near to the river, is one hundred degrees, while that of the new, which is higher up the bank, is but ninety-four degrees. I was informed that this temperature was much increased when there was a considerable swell in the river, but I had no opportunity of witnessing the fact.
‘A smaller stream of water, which is usually limpid and shallow, comes into the French Broad on its southern side, and separates the first bathing establishment from that which is now used. The stream affords the conveniences of a saw, and grist-mill, within a very short distance of the establishment, and without the necessity of a mill-pond. The whole are situated in a beautiful and romantic spot upon a large flat, contiguous to the water, and embosomed in lofty mountains, among which the river winds, while the valley in this spot appears not to exceed a mile in width, and is much narrower in all others, both above and below.
‘These mountains seem to consist principally of rocks, of which a considerable proportion in the immediate vicinity are compact limestone, both blue and gray. About six miles above the springs there is said to be a vein of the sulphate of barytes, a specimen of which was given me; and in the vicinity of the ferry below, there is a cavern of limestone, which may be penetrated with convenience for thirty yards, and from the roof of which stalactites are pendant. Near to this cave there is another, containing a large quantity of yellow ochre.
‘There are said to be mines of cobalt, copper, and iron in the neighboring mountains, but these are lofty and not very accessible. I found that there was, from the local circumstances of the establishment, considerable humidity during the mornings and evenings, and a pretty high temperature for several hours of the day. There were also sudden and frequent thunder showers, but these were generally of short duration. These meteorological observations will perhaps lead to the conclusion, that this watering-place would not be advisable for persons laboring under pulmonic or dropsical affections, and I did not learn that any such had been benefited by their residence.
‘Persons using these waters, are in the habit of drinking from three to four quarts in a day, and also of bathing twice. They generally remain in the bath from a half hour to an hour, and find it so pleasant they are loth to leave it. It was stated to me by a very respectable gentleman, who has resorted to this watering-place for several summers past, that after drinking the water freely for several days, it generally had a brisk cathartic effect for a day or two, and after that produced no sensible result. This gentleman is afflicted with chronic rheumatism, and has always obtained decided relief from the long continued use of the waters, both internally and externally. Upon the record book of the establishment there are sundry interesting cases of benefit, imparted to persons laboring under rheumatism, palsy, or loss of motion from other causes. I am inclined to believe that long continued bathing in water of such an elevated and constant temperature, must produce some effect in such cases as have been alluded to, independent of the mineral ingredients, and, conjoined with them, it will probably be more efficacious. The healthy, cheap, and plentiful country, in which the Buncome Springs are situated, the novel and mountainous scenery and variety of company, present many attractions to the invalid, the idler, and the curious.’
GENERAL REMARKS ON SPRINGS.
The most common ingredient of mineral and medicinal springs, is iron under a variety of forms. But they also often contain magnesia, glauber salt, carbonic acid gas, and other substances, which, from their combinations, give great diversity to the waters. Springs impregnated with sulphur are also common in the vicinity of volcanoes, and in countries subject to earthquakes. They are usually warm, and the heat is sometimes accompanied by a violent ebullition which frequently projects the water to a great height. Iceland, the Azores, and various other places, afford striking examples of this kind. The celebrated fountain called the Geyser, in the first of these islands, often propels its contents the height of one hundred feet, and sometimes to double that height.
There are also springs which are inflammable without being hot. This generally arises from a quantity of inflammable gas, or oily matter, which floats on the surface of the water; as in the instance of a brook in the vicinity of Bergerac, in the south of France, the surface of which may be set on fire by a lighted straw. Others, being mixed with bitumen, which often floats on the surface, will easily take fire, as at Baku, and other places in Persia.
The waters of some springs and lakes have a petrifying, and others an incrusting quality. The former is impregnated with extremely fine silicious particles, which penetrate the pores of the substances immersed in them, and change their nature. This property is possessed by Lough Neagh. The Danube and the Pregel have also the same quality, but in a less degree. The waters which possess the incrusting property operate in a more rapid and manifest manner, by depositing the earthy particles they hold in solution, on the surfaces of bodies submitted to their action. This effect is produced by both hot and cold springs, particularly by the former. The matter deposited is usually calcareous, but in the instance of the Great Geyser it is silicious.
Waters holding salt in solution, or muriated waters, as they are commonly called, are perhaps the most common of all; but they are rarely found in a state of purity. Among the Uralian and Carpathian mountains, they are frequent, and in general in the zone comprised between the parallels fifty and thirty north latitude. More to the north they are rarely found; farther toward the south crystallized salt is abundant in certain regions, as in the great desert of Africa; but we find only a few salt springs there.
CHAPTER VIII.—CAVERNS.
THE most celebrated cave in the United States, is that in Rockingham county, Virginia, known by the name of Madison’s Cave. It is in the heart of a mountain, about two hundred feet high, which is so steep on one side, that a person standing on the top, might easily throw a pebble into the river which flows round the base; the opposite side of it is, however, very easy of ascent, and on this side the path leading to the cavern runs, excepting for the last twenty yards, when it suddenly turns along the steep part of the mountain, which is extremely rugged, and covered with immense rocks and trees from top to bottom. The mouth of the cavern, on this steep side, about two thirds of the way up, is guarded by a huge pendant stone, which seems ready to fall every instant; it is impossible to stoop under it and not reflect with a degree of awe, that, were it to drop, nothing could save you from perishing within the dreary walls of that mansion to which it affords an entrance. The description which follows, is from the Travels of Mr. Weld.
‘Preparatory to entering, the guide, whom I had procured from a neighboring house, lighted the ends of three or four splinters of pitch pine, a large bundle of which he had brought with him: they burn out very fast, but while they last are most excellent torches. The fire he brought along with him, by the means of a bit of green hickory wood, which, when once lighted, will burn slowly without any blaze, till the whole is consumed.
‘The first apartment you enter is about twenty-five feet high, and fifteen broad, and extends a considerable way to the right and left, the floor ascending toward the former; here it is very moist, from the quantity of water