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236 BATHS OF NATERS.
comparing it to that of Domo d’Ossola,
on the Italian side of the Alps, where his
hrother-in-law kept an hotel, became quite
poetical for an innkeeper, exclaiming, “ Oh,
la belle Italie ! cest le pays des dieux."
We walked down the valley of the Rhone,
on the other side of the river, about three
miles nearer to Leuk, to see the warm
spring of Naters, which rises at the foot
of the mountains that form the northern
boundary of the valley ; it fills an aperture
in a natural cavern, which serves as a bath.
The rock above the spring is mica slate. I
found the temperature of the bath 86°, but
I could not try the spring itself. The German
physician, who accompanied us to the
bath, said its temperature was much higher
in dry seasons. Bubbles of gas were rising
from the water, which had the odour of
sulphurretted hydrogen. There is a small
wooden house or shed, built for the use of
the bathers, but the patients are generally
carried on sledges from Briegg, where they
reside during the season. From the nature
of the accommodations, I should suppose
that the waters are principally used by persons
who cannot afford to go to the baths
of Leuk. As both baths belong to the
same proprietor, he has no inducement to
encourage the baths of Naters. I have
made some observations on these waters,
and on those of Leuk, Vol. I. Chap. IX. The
source at Naters is not very abundant, but
probably were passages opened in the rock,
the water might be procured in greater
quantity, and at a higher temperature. I
have before mentioned that the country,
from Briegg to Leuk, has been frequently
agitated by earthquakes, and we were told
that the rock above the bath of Naters
opened at the time of the earthquake at
Lisbon, and threw out hot water. Before
arriving at the baths of Naters, we passed
an ancient stone wall, of a rude style of
architecture, which extended across the
valley of the Rhone. Its present height is
not more than seven feet, but it is flanked
with towers, and was evidently intended
as a fortification. It is said to have been
built to stop the passage of the Romans,
but it is more probable that it was raised to
prevent the incursions of savage tribes
from the upper end of the valley. The
period at which it was built is unknown.
The old Swiss geographers call this wall
Murus Vibericus.
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