agreeable. It was in walking along the shore, a few years ago, that Mr. Waterworth's attention was accidentally directed to this spring, which he traced to its present source, by observing black stains formed by rivulets flowing from that spot.
With regard to the mineralogical history of that district, I have been favoured through the kindness of my friend Dr. Berger, who visited the spot very lately, with so much more accurate an account of it than I should, from my own observation, have been able to offer, that I shall make no apology for transcribing it in his own words.
“ The albuminous chalybeate spring,” says Dr. Berger, “ issues from the cliff on. the S.S.W. coast of the Isle of Wight, below St. Catherine's Sea Mark, in the parish of Chale. The bearing of the needles from the spot is N.W. while that of Rockenend, not far distant, is S.E. by S.”
“ The elevation of the spot, as far as I could ascertain it by the barometer, is one hundred and thirty feet above the level of the sea. Its distance from the shore may be about one hundred and fifty yards. ”
“ The water is received into a bason formed in the rock for that purpose, and flows, as I was informed, at the rate of two or three hogsheads in a day. Its temperature I found to be 51°, that of the atmosphere being 48°; and it may be worth while to observe that this temperature corresponds with that of several springs of pure water which I have met with in the island.”
“ The lower part of the cliff is rather incumbered with masses of rock, or portions of soil, which have fallen from the upper strata. Immediately above these, the spring issues from a bed of loose quartzose sandstone containing oxyd of iron. This sand, in which vestiges of vegetable matter are discoverable,[1] alternates with a purplish
- ↑ On being sprinkled on heated shovel, this sand scintillates as if undergoing a partial combustion. When submitted to chemical analysis, it yields a quantity of iron, but no lime, nor alumina, nor any other earthy matter soluble in an acid. Close to the spring, this sand contains some traces of sulphuric acid, but not at a distance from its it is evident therefore that the sand-rock is not the medium through which the spring is impregnated.
