Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1901-11-16

does not reach the surface, but Is FOUND
by sinking wells, the water being rails
ed to the surface by donkeys and bull
locks and poured into the channels
from which the date palms and other
crops are irrigated. These springs can
not possibly be derived from the island,
and 1t is no more likely that they come
from the sandy wastes OF neighboring
Arabia. The Arabian shore as far as
can be seen is low and devoid of water
except at El-Katif where similar
springs are found.
Arabs say that these streams come
straight from the Euphrates river
through an underground channel by
which the great river, In part, flows be-
meath the Persian gulf. Biologists,
however, have dismissed this theory.
Though the origin Of the springs has
not yet been satisfactorily explained,
the most favored theory Is that they
come from the we'll watered slopes OF
the Persian mountains far to the north.
II this theory Is correct, it means that
the rainfall sinks into the earth's crust
until 1t reaches impermeable rock
strata along which 1t Is, carried for a
great distance to the south out under
the sea until the rock, sloping upward,
again brings the water near the sur
face on Bahrein island. Some of the
wells that are thus supplied are enor-
nous, and one of them, the Adari,
serves for the irrigation OF many miles
of date palms through canal OF an
cient construction. The Adarl well Is
one of the great sights Of Bahrein, be-
Ing a deep basin Of water % by 40
yards In size. The fact that 1t comes
from a far higher source Is shown by
the force with which 1t enters the well.
Divers, driven back by the strong cur
rent, are unable to reach the bottom.
There being no wells within miles Of
some of the coast towns of Bahrein,
they obtain water from springs that
issue from the bottom Of the gulf not
far from the shore. These springs OF
course have the same origin as the
wells. Divers, with gontskins under
their arms, dive through the salt water
and fill the skins with the cold, fresh
llqnid ut the bottom. The water OBJ
| tulueu III tus way uouhhJ ~oht"'H'
slight admfXture Of salt water, &C
: that the mixture is just little brack
ish. At some of these openings at the
sea bottom the head of water entering
the sea Is 80 strong that when hollow
bamboos are pushed down into 1t thu
water rises through the tubes, deliver
ing the fresh water directly into YES
sells that are held by men and womeI
who are sitting in the boats tha
brought them from the land. Tit
force of some of the streams as the!
come from the earth is so considerable
that It pushes back the salt water, ant
the spring is not mixed with the sci
water for quite space around th
place Of entrance.
1t has been practically determined
within the past few years that the wa
tiers of small river In West Africi
which disappeared In fresh waite
swamp that has no visible outlet nm
their way by an underground channe
into the Atlantic and mingle with IN
sea through an opening In the bottor
that has been discovered few mile
from Cape Verde. A channel has bee
found on the sea door which. appal
| emily, was cut by some fresh waite
stream. During some soundings tina
r were made In 1895 for the purpose
finding and raising broken cable IN
vessel engaged in the work was SUI
rounded by swamp vegetation that wa
. continually rising to the surface,
9 was evidently brought through the III
= derground channel from the swamp.
The breaking Of cable of the mout
. OF the Rovuma river In East Afric
has been attributed to the destructi,
action Of strong current OF swe'
water entering the sea level sewers
miles from the land. Another remarl
d able example Of a submarine river
. found to the north Of the city OF AriS
|. on the Pacific coast Of South Americ
r A river from the Andes that Is gra
It ually swallowed up In the sand hi
E, been found to make Its way invisibl
10 into the sea, with which II unites son
l. miles from the land.--New York Sun.
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