dom passed unless by the adventurous miners.-Asgarth force, in Yorkshire, is likewise a very interesting fall.

In SCOTLAND, the FALL OF FYERS, near Loch-Ness, is a vast cataract, in a darksome glen of a stupendous depth. The water rushes beneath, through a narrow gap between two rocks, and thence precipitating itself more than forty feet lower into the bottom of the chasm, the foam, like a great cloud of smoke, rises and fills the air. The sides of this glen are stupendous precipices, blended with trees overhanging the water, through which, after a short space, the waters discharge themselves into the lake. About half a mile to the south of this fall, is another which passes through a narrow chasm, whose sides it has undermined for a considerable distance. Over the gap is a true Alpine bridge, formed of the trunks of trees covered with sods, from the middle of which is an awful view of the water

roaring beneath. In Perthshire, the river Keith presents a very considerable cataract, the noise produced by which is so violent as to stun those who approach it.-The western coast of Ross-shire is, however, peculiarly distinguished by these natural wonders, among which may be cited the grand cataract of the river Kirkag, and the cascade of Glamma, which latter being situated amid the constant obscurity of woody hills, is truly sublime.

In IRELAND, the noble river Shannon has a prodigious cataract, which, at about fifty miles from its mouth, prevents it from being longer navigable for vessels of a large burthen.

SPRINGS AND WELLS.

SAINT WINIFRED'S WELL.

[See Plate, No. 47.]

HOLYWELL, in Flintshire, is famous for ST. WINIFRED'S Well, one of the finest springs in the world. On account of the sanctity in which it was holden, it gave name to the town. This well pours out, each minute, twenty-one tons of water, which, running to the middle of the town, down the side of a hill, is made use of by every house as it passes, after which it turns several mills, and is employed in various

manufactures, which greatly increase the population of the place, and its neighbourhood. Over the spring, where a handsome bath has been erected, is a neat chapel, supported by pillars, and on the windows are painted the chief events of St. Winifred's, or, as it was anciently written Wenefrede's life. About the well grows moss, which the ignorant and superstitous devotees most stupidly imagine to be St. Winifred's hair. This saint is reported to have been a virgin Martyr, who lived in the seventh century, and, as the legend says, was ravished and beheaded in this place by a pagan tyrant; the spring having miraculously risen from her blood. Hence this bath was much frequented by Popish pilgrims, out of devotion, as well as by those who came to bathe in it for medicinal purposes. Mr. Pennant says, "the custom of visiting this well in pilgrimage, and offering up devotions there, is not yet entirely laid aside: in the summer a few are to be seen in the water, in deep devotion, up to their chins for hours, sending up their prayers, or performing a number of evolutions round the polygonal well."

It might have been supposed that the present enlightened age would have been secure against a repetition of impostures of this kind; but Doctor Milner, a Catholic Bishop, of Woolverhampton, has taken much pains to persuade the world that an ignorant proselyte, of the name of Winefrid White was there cured of various chronic diseases so late as the year 1804, by a miracle. Sir Richard Phillips, having, in the Monthly Magazine, referred this pretended miracle to the known effect of strong faith on ignorant minds, in any proposed means of cure, has been attacked by the catholic clergy for his incredulity; but in number 302 of the Monthly Magazine, he replies in the following words.

"We have no doubt whatever that Winefrid White was cured by her journey to Holywell, and by bathing in the wonderful natural spring at that place; but we are not credulous enough to believe that her cure was effected by any antagonist properties of the water to the cause of her disease-nor impious enough so to sport with ETERNAL OMNIPOTENCE as to assert that a capricious suspension of the laws of Nature took place for this purpose. On the contrary, we believe that the poor woman was cured by causes

drop producing a musical kind of tinkling, probably owing to the concavity of the rock, which, bending in a circular projection, from the bottom to the top, occasions its brow to overhang about fifteen feet. This rock which is about thirty feet in height, forty-eight in length, and from thirty to fifty in breadth, started, in the year 1704, from the com mon bank, and left a chasm, from five to nine feet wide, over which the water passes by an aqueduct formed for the purpose. It is clothed with evergreen and other shrubs, which add greatly to the beauty of this very interesting scene.

The water is said to abound with fine particles of a nitrous earth, which it deposits, but when in a languid mo. tion only, and leaves its incrustations on the leaves, moss, &c. which it meets with, in trickling thus slowly through the cavities of the rock. This spring is estimated to send forth twenty gallons of water in a minute. Here are to be seen pieces of moss, birds'-nests, with their eggs, and a variety of other objects, some of them very curious, which have been incrusted or petrified by the water.

WIGAN WELL.

ABOUT a mile from Wigan, in Lancashire, is a spring, the water of which burns like oil. On applying a lighted candle to the surface, a large flame is suddenly produced, and burns vigorously. A dishful of water having been taken up at the part whence the flame issues, and a lighted candle held to it, the flame goes out; notwithstanding which the water in this part boils and rises up like water in a pot on the fire, but does not feel warm on introducing the hand. What is still more extraordinary, on making a dam, and preventing the flowing of fresh water to the ignited part, that which was already there having been drained away, a burning candle being applied to the surface of the dry earth at the same point where the water before burned, the fumes take fire, and burn with a resplendant light, the cone of the flame ascending a foot and a half from the surface of the earth. It is not discoloured, like that of sulphureous bodies, neither has it any manifest smell, nor do the fumes, in their ascent, betray any sensible heat. The latter unquestionably consist of inflammable air, or hydrogen gas; and it ought to be ob

served that the whole of the country about Wigan for the compass of several miles, is underlaid with coal. This phenomenon may therefore be referred to the same cause which occasioned the dreadful explosion of Felling Colliery; but in the present case, this destructive gas, instead of being pent up in the bowels of the earth, accompanies the water in its passage to the surface.

BROSELEY SPRING.

THIS celebrated boiling spring, or well, at Broseley, in Shropshire, was discovered in the month of June, 1711. It was first announced by a terrible noise in the night, there having been a remarkable thunder-storm. Several persons who resided in the vicinity having been awakened in their beds by this loud and rumbling noise, arose, and proceeding to a bog under a small hill, about two hundred yards from the river Severn, perceived a surprising commotion and shaking of the earth, and a little boiling up water through the grass. They took a spade, and digging up a portion of the earth, the water immediately flew up to a great height, and was set on fire by a candle which was presented to it. To prevent the spring from being destroyed, an iron cistern has been placed over it, provided with a cover, and a hole in the centre, through which the water may be viewed. If a lighted candle or any burning substance, be presented to this aperture, the water instantly takes fire, and burns like spirit of wine, continuing to do so as long as the air is kept from it; but on removing the cover of the cistern, it quickly goes out. The apparent boiling and ascent of the water of this spring, are still more obviously the result of hydrogen gas, or inflammable air, than in the preceding instance of Wigan well.

HOT SPRINGS OF ST. MICHAEL.

In the eastern part of this island, or one of the Azores, is a round deep valley surrounded by high mountains, in which are many hot springs; but the most remarkable is that called THE CALDEIRA, situated in the eastern part of the valley on a small eminence by the side of a river, on which is a basin about thirty feet in diameter, where the water continually boils with prodigious fury. A few yards distant from it is