An Account of the Imperial Salt-Works of Sóowár in Upper Hungary, Translated from the High-Dutch of Ernest Bruckman of the Academy of Brunswick, M. D. Communicated by Sir Hans Sloane

In quibusdam saltem a Tulpianis Historiis supra citatis differt haec nostra: neque enim aliquid matri praegnanti negatum neque vel se Ictu aut Foetum Imaginazione læserat unquam, neque Spina hujus Infantis bifida aut lacera: quinetiam nec os sacrum solidum, nec Pedes contractos & immotos meminit Tulpius. Quandoquidem ergo singulare quidhabeat haec nostra Historia, hanc ego transcripsi. II. An Account of the Imperial Salt-works of Sóowár in Upper Hungary, translated from the High-dutch of Ernest Bruckman of the Academy of Brunswick, M.D. communicated by Sir Hans Sloane. Sóowár is an Hungarian Word (which signifies in German Salt-burg) composed of So, which is to say Salt, and Wa, which signifieth Burgh or Town. It is a large Village, about a Quarter of a Mile from Eper, a City of the County of Saár entirely peopled with Officers of the Excise, and Miners or Wood-cutters, and is situated on the Summit of a little Hill, with an agreeable Prospect. The 16th of July 1724, we came from Rosenau to Sóowár with Dr. Poekin, Physician to the City and County, to view this celebrated Salt-work, which furnishes the finest and most pure Salt of the whole Kingdom. We communicated our Intention to an Officer of the Salt-works, and having asked his Leave to go into the Cuts, he gave us two Guards for Guides. We first descended with them into the Well by a Rope, seated on Leather Dogs (as they term it) about forty Fathom deep; after which we again descended one hundred Fathom, by holding ourselves perpendicularly against the Wall and Sides of the Wells; and having again continued our Journey under Ground in the Salt-work, we then found ourselves in the Cuts, and saw all the Allies cut in the finest Rock-Salt; in the midst of which there were here and there some Veins of Flint of a dark Grey. The Miners work to cut this Rock-Salt, which they draw up by a Rope, and put it into a Reservoir, where they cleanse it with Salt-water. They boil it afterwards with the same Water, until it becomes of the Consistence of Crystal, and then put it into Vessels, which contain about 268lbs. Weight each, and then send it into Silesia and other Countries. In regard to the Vegetable or Fossil Salt, it is extremely white and transparent; it is in such Plenty in the Salt-works of the County of Marmar near Transylvania, where there are large Mountains entire of Salt, that one might furnish the whole World, in regard to the great Quantity; as also, because as soon as you cut it, it grows again anew in a very short Time. They break and cut it, and although it appear at first black, nevertheless in pounding it becomes extremely white: And so it is with that which they use themselves in Hungary (for they send all the Salt of Sowar into Foreign Countries.) You find almost in every Inn, two Stones like to those used to make Mustard, between which they pound and break that Sort of Rock-Salt; and one finds also in their Stables, large Pieces of that Mineral, which the Cattle lick at Pleasure. But to return to the Salt of Sóowár, one finds sometimes in the Cuts, Allies of Rock-Salt of the most delicate blue and yellow Colours: We observed, that of the first Colour being exposed to the Sun for some Days, lost entirely all that beautiful Ultra Marine, and became white as the other Rock-Salt, which did not happen to the Yellow, which preserved its Colour; but when you pound them both together, the Salt was neither Blue nor Yellow, but produced a Salt extremely White. Melissantes in his new Geography, Page 228, speaking of Salt-works, which the Spaniards have in Catalonia, says, that there is Rock-Salt, the Colour of which is so diversified, that it comes near the Rainbow, in having green, red, yellow, and blue Colours, but that by first preparing, and then grinding it, it became white. The same Thing happened also to the red Rock-Salt of Salzburg, which being pounded became White. There is in this Mine one very remarkable Thing, that is, a Chapel, which is able easily to contain a hundred People, cut in the Rock-Salt, with an Altar, a Pulpit, a Sacrifice, Chairs, and Forms cut in the same Rock. They celebrate once every Year, the Week after the Epiphany, Divine Service in this Chapel. It is always a Jesuite of Eper who preaches the Sermon. This Service was founded for the Officers of the Excise, and the Miners. There is in these Cuts, four Fountains of Salt Water, which they put into Buckets made of Buffalo's Skins sewed together, and draw it up by an Engine worked by Horses, and convey it by Pipes into the Boilers, where they put the Rock-Salt to dissolve, which which they afterwards boil till it becomes like Crystal. By express Mandates of the Emperor, no one can sell that Fossil Salt, neither can the Hungarians employ it for their own Use, much less drive any Trade in it, but they boil it all, and export it into foreign Countries. They find here also a Sort of Crystalized Salt, like to the Crust sticking to the Pipes of Wood: The Miners call it Salt of Crystal; it is very white and transparent, but this appeared to us, nothing else but Salt falling Drop by Drop in its Passage in the Pipes, and so crystallizing, which they easily also separate. But that which is most curious and remarkable in these subterraneous Fosses, are the Flowers of Salt which grow as the Beard of a Goat, with this Difference only, that these here are much whiter, and much finer. One cannot enough admire these Vegetables, yet one cannot find them in all the Cuts, nor at all Times, but they appear and grow according to the Temperature of the Seasons, which in those Parts is very wholesome, and without any thing noxious. These Sort of Plumes of Salt are very brittle, they melt also in moist Places, and dissolve into an evaporated Oil, but are nevertheless the most pure Salt, the finest, the most acid, the most white, and most beautiful; so that it is not without Reason they have given it the Name of Flower of Salt. The Salt of Sóowár is esteemed the best of all Hungary, the greatest Part of which they export into Silesia, Moravia, and Bohemia, and the Hungarians dare not use any of it themselves, under Pain of Banishment. They make every Year about 50,000 Tun, every Tun containing 268lb. but by an Ordonnance donnance of his Imperial Majesty, they will henceforward boil about 100,000 Tun, which they will export as the other. Martin Zeiler, in his Description of the Kingdom of Hungary, Pag. 119, makes but flight Mention of these rich Salt-works. In fine, we saw at Neusol, at Mr. De Neffzerns, Receiver of the Emperor's Rents, a Statue of Rock-Salt as large as Life, which serves as the Barometer of Neusol; for when it begins to sweat, or grow moist, it presages Rain, or wet Weather; but when it is dry, you may certainly promise yourself settled fair. After having employed three Hours to view these Salt-works, we ascended again by the upper Opening, by a common Rope, and returned to Eper, where we were civilly entertained by Mr. Topprerer, one of the most knowing Men in all Hungary, Rector of the Lutheran Academy, who understands and speaks ten Languages in Perfection. III. The natural History of Cochineal; being an Account of a Book entituled, Histoire naturelle de la Cochinelle justifiée par des Documens authentiques Amsterdam, 1729. By W. Rutty, M. D. R. S. Secr. A Dispute arising betwixt the Author (Melchior de la Ruyscher) and a Friend, concerning the Substance of Cochineal, the one maintaining it to be a small Animal, the other the Fruit, or Grain of a Plant, the Author took the Pains to procure from Antiquera