A Book of the United States: Exhibiting its geography, divisions, constitution, and government ... and presenting a view of the republic generally, and of the individual states; together with a condensed history of the land, from its first discovery to the present time. The biography of about two hundred of the leading men: a description of the principal cities and towns; with statistical tables
History
A Book of the United States: Exhibiting its geography, divisions, constitution, and government ... and presenting a view of the republic generally, and of the individual states; together with a condensed history of the land, from its first discovery to the present time. The biography of about two hundred of the leading men: a description of the principal cities and towns; with statistical tables
United States -- Biography; United States -- Description and travel; United States -- History
‘To a person placed in a skiff,’ says Mr. Flint, ‘in the centre
of this splendid fountain basin, the appearance of the mild azure
vault above, and the transparent depth below, on which the floating
clouds and the blue concave above are painted, and repeated with an
indescribable softness, create a kind of pleasing dizziness, and a
novel train of sensations, among which the most distinguishable is a
feeling, as if suspended between two firmaments. The impression only
ceases, when the boat approaches the edge of the basin near enough to
enable you to perceive the outlines of the neighboring trees pictured
on the margin of the basin. It has been asserted, that limestone
water, in its utmost purity, has less refractive powers for light, than
freestone water. The water of this vast spring, even in this sultry
climate, has a coldness almost like ice-water. The water, probably
from the pressure of the sulphuret of lime, is slightly nauseous to
the taste. Beautiful hammock lands rise from the northern acclivity of
this basin. It was the site of the English factory in former days. Here
resided the famous Ambrister. The force, which throws up this vast mass
of waters from its subterranean fountains, may be imagined, when we
see this pellucid water swelling up from the depths, as though it were
a cauldron of boiling water. It is twelve miles from St. Marks, and
twenty from the ocean.’
III. BURNING SPRINGS.
Burning springs, or springs of water charged with inflammable gas,
are found in many places in the western part of the state of New-York,
chiefly near Canandaigua Lake. Their positions are known by little
hillocks of a dark bituminous mould, through which an inflammable
gas escapes to the surface. The following description is taken from
a Canandaigua Journal.
‘These springs are found in Bristol, Middlesex, and Canandaigua. The
former are situated in a ravine on the west side of Bristol Hollow,
about half a mile from the north Presbyterian meeting-house. The ravine
is formed in clay slate, and a small brook runs through it. The gas
rises through fissures of the slate, from both the margin and the
bed of the brook. Where it rises through the water, it is formed into
bubbles, and flashes only when the flame is applied; but where it rises
directly from the rock, it burns with a steady and beautiful flame,
which continues until extinguished by storms, or by design.
‘The springs in Middlesex are situated from one to two miles
south-westerly from the village of Rushville, along a tract of nearly
a mile in length, partly at the bottom of the valley called Federal
Hollow, and partly at an elevation of forty or fifty feet on the south
side of it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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