antient wall remains, as alfo its four gates, which are ftill
kept in repair ; but the caille of the lord o f the manor,,
though of a late date in cbmparifon with the reft, feems
to have been abandoned for fome years, and is in a moft
ruinous condition. Caldas is iituated in a very romantic
part of the country, which rifes into abrupt hills all
round, and in a manner encircle it. Thefe hills, or rather
mountains, are for the moft part covered with olive
groves, which yield a confiderable quantity o f bil, for
the extraction of which the hot water that flows fo plentifully
in the town is of infinite ufe. As this place is at
prefent in no wife recommendable, either for its elegance
or accommodations, you may well imagine that the baths
are not much frequented with a view o f diflipation or
pleafure, but numberlefs are the votaries o f health that
vifit it from all parts o f the country in fpring and autumn,
and they are accommodated in the bell manner
that a Spaniih country town can afford. Some of, the apor
, thecaries, and many of.the private houfes at Caldas have
neat baths for thofe that choofe to hire them ; and there
is an hofpital where the poor are admitted gratis’. Va-;
, rious are the virtues that this water is faid to poflefs, and
many the cures that it daily performs, an fcorbutic, fcro-
phulous, as well as rheumatic complaints, ftiffnefs in the
joints proceeding from old,w,bunds.,.&c, I cannot however
pretend to defcribe to you any of its particular qualities,
fuch as what mineral it is chiefly .impregnated
SncftîriE with,
with, or the caufe.of its extraordinary heat, or any part o f
its analyfis, having had but little time during my rein
dence in that country for the inveftigation of things o f
that fort, and I never found any of the inhabitants that
could give me any fatisfacftory account about the matter,
all that I know of from my own obfervation, is that it
rifes much hotter that either the fpring near Aix laCha-
pelle, or thofe of Bath or Briftol; it is boiling hot, and
the people o f the town come conftantly there to boil their
eggs, cabbage, and all forts of vegetables, by limply fuf-
pending them under the fpout of the fountain in abaiket',
and yet make ufe of no other water, when fufficiently
cooled, for drinking either alone, mixed with wine; of
cooled with fnow in orgeats, fherbets, &e. Some- years
ago there was a-ihort treatife written-on the qualities of
thefe waters, by fomc well-difpofed and intelligent pen-
fon ; a few detached flieefs of this work once fell into my
hands, when I was at Caldas, but the-whole edition has
now fome how or other difappeared. The general opinion
is, and I believe not without foundation, that fome
invidious, perfons after the deceafe o f the author, made a
point o f buying up the work, and have fecreted or de-
ftroyed every page o f it, except here and there a few copies
that fell into the hands o f ignorant people who tore
them to pieces without confideration.
Another.