it was impoffible to clear the choaked way; and befide, we had but one flam left. An accident might likewise extinguish it, and then what could we do? Once more then I quitted my ftool, and with the light in my hand, began to look with all my eyes for fome fecret door I fufpected to be near hand. I judged that the carmelite had fome ready pass to make his exit at, when he had done his task in the room; and fo it was; for, in a dark hole, on one fide of a floping narrow way, that went from a door oppofite to that we came in at, I discovered a large iron ring fastened in the floor, and by it raised a thin marble flag which refted upon a curb of stone: Then appeared a flight of ftairs, and at the bottom of them a defcending walk which terminated by an opening into a fine vale. The opening was ftopped up by a little wood of briars and thorns, the growth of a great number of years; but this we confidered as nothing, and tore ourselves through it with fongs of joy. I brought off in triumph the carmelite's book, Hiftoriæ Naturales, and confefs, fince I have made out the alphabet of it, that it is a fine reward for the danger I ran in acquiring it. But as to my friend Tunfall, when he found himself at large, he went down on his knees, and swore in a very folemn way, that he would never more ac company Gg 449 An account of the val ley of Wells. A burning fulphur fpring. company me in my afcents or defcents for curiofitys in any untravelled way. He had fome reafon, to be fure. We were four and twenty hours in the bowels of this mountain, and ten thoufand to one against us that we never got out. The vale we fell into is one of the fineft in the world: It is covered with wild thyme, betony, and balm, blue lavender, and carmels fpicy root. They ambrofiate every breeze with fragrance, and the ocean at the end of the deep, romantic glin, forms a fine point of view. It is called the valley of Wells, on account of a number of medicinal fprings, which rife in the place, and are able to communicat fanity in the most deplorable cafes.. One of these fountains takes fire upon the application of a torch, and is fo richly impregnated with the infinitefimals of fulphur, (which is one of Cheyne's words, and I had rather fay original minims or leafts) that it may be as valuable as that in the palatinate of Cracow in Leffer Poland. A glass of this water gives a strange chearfulness of spirit, and the fediment of it heals a cut finger very speedily. Not far from this fulphur fpring is another of a different kind, but that has as direct a tendency to promote, ftrengthen and confirm the natural action of body, and the motions ne neceffary to life and health. This fpring has licked up a copious quantity of irony particles in its paffage over beds of ore, and gathered several other miasma in its journey to the spring head, which give it a more naufeous taste than the waters of Harrigate, in the West Riding of Yorkshire: And as it is more offenfive, fo it is far more falutary. One of the failors of our fhip was in a terrible way with the fcurvy, and tormented with a pain in his ftomach, that made life a burthen to him. I advised him therefore to drink plentifully of this fpring, and told him it would, in all probability, be with good fuccefs, as the bleffed God hath given many waters a falutary power, and ordained them to be a more effectual remedy for our recovery from diftempers, than all the other medicines the world affords us. He began then. He took down a gallon the first morning, at several draughts, with no more than a minute's intermiffion, and foon after a violent operation followed by fiege and urine. He voided many worms, and brought up one that was a foot long, thick as a man's finger, and the back as broad as a large thumb. In every part it resembled the earwig, and feemed to be one of them grown to this monftrous fize. It was the fierceft and frightfulleft small creature I have ever feen. He had no more pain in his ftomach after parting with this amazGg 2 ing A reflexion upon me dical fprings. ing worm, and by continuing to drink the water in the fame manner for feveral days, intirely recovered his conftitution. About twenty yards from this nauseous water, there is another fpring of a very falt chalybeate tafte, which smells like ink, and is very difagreeable; but it is a ftrong purgative, and diuretic beyond all the waters I have seen. It is clear and sparkling, and throws out much oker as it ftreams away. -Many other fulphur and chalybeate fountains there are in this valley, and all of them perennial fprings; the fame in all weather and feasons; but these three are the ftrongest and most useful. They always foretell rain by a very loud noife of the water rifing in great bubbles. By the way, Jerks, let me obferve to you that fuch medicinal fprings, almost every where to be found upon our globe, are amazing inftances of defign, wisdom and goodness. They are not only of fuch virtue and efficacy, for the prefervation of health, and the cure of diseases, as in the highest degree to exceed the shop remedies, prepared by the niceft art, and thereby approach the nearest of any thing in nature to what has been fo much fearched after, an univerfal medicine ; curing with expedition, without weakening, and discharging at every pore, the matter which generates, and forms diseases; but whilst whilst other common fprings dry up, the more capital and ferviceable fprings of medical use, afford a fufficient quantity of water even in the hottest seasons, and retain their virtues through the courfe of many ages. They continue to abound with the fame quantity of principles, or ingredients of the fame quality, in an equal proportion of the water; and though the bowels of the earth, through which these waters país, are pregnant with metals and minerals, fome of them prejudicial and poisonous to the body, yet the waters of thofe fprings diffolve, and drink up nothing of this kind; but, as if directed by an appetite of choice, impregnat themselves with only fuch principles in their paffage, as render them in the highest degree agreeable to the folids and fluids of the human body. Wonderful are the works, and great is the goodness of almighty God to his creature man. Numberlefs are the inftances of his extended love to the human race. We have even healing waters in every country, which far exceed in benefits the beit endowed Savoy. Health is restored. Life is prolonged by them. And as I regard your body as well as your foul, I recommend to you, when any thing ails you, thofe easy, cheap, and ferviceable remedies that nature, or rather the God of Nature, hath provided for us in every land, as medicines Gg3 more |