©bferv^tions o f the founding line would no longer be of
ufe to the mariner, who always finds the fame , bottom
when he heaves the lead at one time as at another (a).
: W True wHttrefpe& to-the Britiib Channel, and-of which I have been often an eye wfr.
ncfc, and fean die tune kind o f fand,. ftqaU fliells, and pehbl«s, brought up 3t the bottom o f
the lead as were defcribed in charts publilhed many years sgp, b y which the mariner on.
entering the channel in a d a r t winter night can know in what part he is in ; but this is not
the general uf? o f the fpunding line, which is thrown out ocfafienaily, tQ tnow the depth o f
water, and n um b e red fathoms, when approaching the coaft, or amidfl ftoals, and in every
Gtuation o f d an g e r .' W i l l Mr. Bowles perfuade'us, contrary to o cu la r 'conw iioh , that great
quanuues o f pebble ate not daily thrown up upon the beach hy the waves, and choak up.
the month o f harbours,.while others are brought down b y rivers.with Gmilat inconvenience!
L E T T E R XXI.
IfeJcriYmg the hot wells at Caldas in Catalonia, and, thofe 0/ Caldetm,
near the city, o f Malaro.
A S I had not an opportunity o f vifiting the hot.
? wells and baths o f Caldas in Catalonia I was favoured
with the following account of their fituation and
prefent ftate, by my worthy friend William Gregory, Efq;.
his majeily’s conful at Barcelona.
“ There are feveral hot wells in the neighbourhood o f
Barcelona, but the principal fpring is at Caldas de
Monbuy, about five leagues North o f Barcelona. The
town takes its name from the waters, but at prefent is
much decayed and dwindled into a very inconfiderable
place, with a few priviledges to fupport its rank as a
town, though it was once the capital o f a diftri<fl inhabited
by a people known in the earlieft periods o f the annals
of Catalonia, under the denomination of Aquicaldenfes,
o f whom frequent mention is made during the conteil
between Rome and Carthage for the dominion o f that
part o f Spain, fometimes taking part with one- fide,,
ibmetimes with the other. The gee ate ft part o f a flight
amtienfc