281. _BRISTOL HOT─WELL WATER is pure, warm, and slightly acidulated, clear, sparkling, and agreeable to the palate, but without any very decided taste. It is also destitute of smell. When poured into a glass it sends forth numerous air─bubbles. The heat of this spring is very moderate, the average_ _being about 74° of Fahrenheit’s thermometer; and this heat does not sensibly vary during summer or winter._ _The foreign contents of the hot─well water are muriat of magnesia, common salt, Glauber’s salt, sulphat of lime (192), and chalk: but these are in extremely small quantity. It also contains at the rate of about thirty cubic inches of carbonic acid gas, or fixed air (26), in every gallon._ This water springs from the bottom of the southern extremity of St. Vincent’s rock, a lofty cliff of limestone situated on the north bank of the river Avon, and about a mile below the city of Bristol. And, although it is considerably higher than the river, it is so far affected by the spring tides as to become, thereby, in some degree turbid. The discharge of water amounts to about forty gallons in a minute. There is another spring at _Clifton_, on the summit of the same hill, from the bottom of which the waters of the hot─well issues. This is called the _Sion spring_, and is one or two degrees colder, but, in other respects, it very nearly resembles the water of the hot─well. Its discovery was somewhat remarkable. A Mr. Morgan, an attorney of Bristol, having erected a house near the spot, sunk a well for the supply of his family with water. The workmen had proceeded to the depth of nearly 240 feet without success, when they were suddenly alarmed by the gushing forth of such an abundance of water that they were compelled to retreat with precipitation. The proprietor was so far disappointed of his hopes as to find that this was a spring of warm instead of cold water. But the circumstance induced him to erect an engine to raise the water for medicinal purposes; and, since that period, a pump room and bathing houses have been prepared for the accommodation of visitors. The water of each of these springs, besides being used medicinally in pulmonary consumptions and other complaints, is employed very extensively at table, and for all domestic purposes. It is remarkable for softness and purity; and, from its quality of continuing untainted for a great length of time, even in hot climates, is a valuable water for long voyages, and is accordingly exported in considerable quantities to distant parts. The season of general resort to Clifton and the hot─wells is from about the middle of April to the end of October. 282. _MATLOCK WATER is a simple warm water, which, in its sensible properties, exclusive of its temperature, which is only about 66° of Fahrenheit, is scarcely different from good spring water. It is beautifully clear, and exhales no steam, except in very cold weather._