. Palestine : the physical geography and natural history of the Holy Land. uined houses, and thrown into large woodenvessels perforated with small holes on one sidenear the bottom. Water is then poured in,which drains through the holes into a lowervessel, from whence it is taken and poured intolarge copper kettles: after boiling in these fortwenty-four hours it is left in the open air,when the sides of the vessels become coveredwith crystals, which are afterwards washed tofree them from all impurities. It appearsthat, by this process, 100 pounds of the salineearth yield one and a half of saltp
. Palestine : the physical geography and natural history of the Holy Land. uined houses, and thrown into large woodenvessels perforated with small holes on one sidenear the bottom. Water is then poured in,which drains through the holes into a lowervessel, from whence it is taken and poured intolarge copper kettles: after boiling in these fortwenty-four hours it is left in the open air,when the sides of the vessels become coveredwith crystals, which are afterwards washed tofree them from all impurities. It appearsthat, by this process, 100 pounds of the salineearth yield one and a half of saltpetre. Theproduction is so abundant, that one personengaged in the manufactures informed Burck-hardt that he alone, on his own account, sent100 cwt. of saltpetre to Damascus every this and the other sources of supply inthe same districts, all Syria is furnished withthe article. At no greater distance than thelake of Tiberias, our traveller saw it sold atdouble the price for which it might be obtainedon the spot. CHAPTER IV. VOLCANIC INDICATIONS AND [Hot-Springs and Ruined Bath near the Hieromax.] In the country which we are now describing, the traces of volcanic action are abundant; butare nearly confined to the basin and enclosing hills of the Jordan and its lakes. The bitu-minous and sulphureous sources of the Lake Asphaltites, says Volney, the lava, the pumice-stones thrown upon its banks, and the hot-baths of Tiberias, demonstrate that the valley hasbeen subject to volcanic eruptions, and the seat of a subterraneous fire which is not yet ex-tinguished. Clouds of smoke are often observed to issue from the lake, and new crevices tobe formed upon its shore. The same writer elsewhere says that the Lake of Tiberias, asviewed from Mount Tabor, looks as if enclosed in the crater of a volcano, and other travellersallow the fitness of this comparison. (]) The hot-springs thus alluded to, as affording evidence of still existing means which it pleasedGod in form
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