DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4651#0029
IN THE BURMHAN EMPIRE.
19
sun, a native copperas is formed. All the rocks
on the surface near the large pool have the ap-
pearance of sand-stone, in many places skinned
over with a thin crust of red dephlogisticated iron-
ore ; but when exposed to the action of the air,
they fall into a yellowish white impalpable pow-
der. On the surface of the mud deposited in
those pools which have been dried up by solar
evaporation, a yellow scum appears ; and among
these rocks and hollows, the presence of sulphur
is strongly impressed on the external sense; but
I was unable to discover its actual presence by
my imperfect mode of analysis.
It may appear presumptuous in me to have at-
tempted an analysis of the water in this pool, ig-
norant as I was of chemistry; but as my efforts
might prove successful, and as every analysis of
the kind is best made on the spot, I shall candidly
state the process and results. I had no galls,
sirup of violets, Prussic acid, solution of silver,
vitriolic or nitric acid, stills, or evaporating appa-
ratus ; but instead of galls I had French brandy,
highly tinctured with the astringent resin of oak,
by being kept in an oaken cask; and a still better
test, in a strong infusion of green tea in water;
I had the animal, mineral, and vegetable alkalies,
and aqua-fortis, with which I made a solution of
silver, first purifying the silver by fusion, in the
usual way. I had iron, and I could easily make
c2
19
sun, a native copperas is formed. All the rocks
on the surface near the large pool have the ap-
pearance of sand-stone, in many places skinned
over with a thin crust of red dephlogisticated iron-
ore ; but when exposed to the action of the air,
they fall into a yellowish white impalpable pow-
der. On the surface of the mud deposited in
those pools which have been dried up by solar
evaporation, a yellow scum appears ; and among
these rocks and hollows, the presence of sulphur
is strongly impressed on the external sense; but
I was unable to discover its actual presence by
my imperfect mode of analysis.
It may appear presumptuous in me to have at-
tempted an analysis of the water in this pool, ig-
norant as I was of chemistry; but as my efforts
might prove successful, and as every analysis of
the kind is best made on the spot, I shall candidly
state the process and results. I had no galls,
sirup of violets, Prussic acid, solution of silver,
vitriolic or nitric acid, stills, or evaporating appa-
ratus ; but instead of galls I had French brandy,
highly tinctured with the astringent resin of oak,
by being kept in an oaken cask; and a still better
test, in a strong infusion of green tea in water;
I had the animal, mineral, and vegetable alkalies,
and aqua-fortis, with which I made a solution of
silver, first purifying the silver by fusion, in the
usual way. I had iron, and I could easily make
c2