174 On American Springs.[Sept.

river; throughout the country upon the extenfive ſources of great Sandy river; many rivers of the Kentucky and Illinois countries z the territory, north weſt of Ohio and the fate of Tenneſſee; and in the Holíton ſettlements; beſides various waters at a greater diſtance, which form a confluence with remote parts of the Miſ- ſiſippi. i

The principal ſalt works upon Holíton river, were formerly the property of General Campbell,(diſtinguiſhed from others of the ſame name, by the epithet of King's Mountain Campbell; in honour of his command in that memorable battle). They went upon the marriage of his daughter and only child, into the hands of her huſband, Francis Preſton, Eſg. the preſent proprietor, who is ſaid to draw a nett rent from them little ſhort of five guineas per day, in the preſent ſtate of population.

Much more than this may of courſe be expe&ed, with the rapid progteſs of population; but it may merit caution as a bridle againſt the unruly conſequences of an inordinate thirſt for gain: leſt ſome unlucky ſtroke of the pick axe ſhould make an appurture into a freſh water vein below, which may not be readily ſeparated again from the lucrative ſalt.

The working of theſe falt ſprings has however hitherto been of very happy tendency, by accommodating the weſtern ſettlements at about one tenth of the price, which has been often paid for this ponderous article, while it was waggoned ſeveral hundred miles from the Liverpool ſhips to the exterior of the frontier countries.

“The ſulphureous and bituminous ſprings are perhaps ſomewhacr indiſtin&ly repreſented by the hunters, who frequent them moft of any perſons of tolerable intelligence; and our accounts of the burning ſprings are perhaps in ſome degree confounded with both kinds. One of this deſcription exiſts ator near the month of Elk river, in Kanhawa country; one upon Coal river in the ſame country 5; and one called the Sulphur Spring upon the waters of Green Briar river in the county of that name, which is adjacent to Kanhawa.

The firſt diſcovery of the burning vapour, which theſe ſprings or ſome of them, are ſaid to remit, was related by a hunter; who having encamped near to the air upon Coal river, which was at that day far beyond the uſual haunts of man, and who havin awakened in the night under the oppreſſion of a violent fever n thirſt, was led by the bubbling noiſe of the ſpring to the place 5 where, on waving his wooden torch in the air, for the better diſ covery of the water, he was ſuddenly aſtoniſhed by the vapour catching fire, and flaming vehemently until next day; when he found that pouring other water into it to extinguiſh the flame had no effe; nor could he find any other method of putting out the blaze than.wafting it with his blanket. I have been told of many inſtances in the weſtern country, where the earth round the verge of theſe ſprings has continued burning for ſeveral days,