CONTENTS.

XI

CHAPTER XIV.

Wheels for raising water—Machines described by Vitruvius—Tympanuin—De La Faye’s improve-ment.—Scoop wheel—Chinese nona—Roman do.—Egyptian do.—Noria with pots—Supposedorigin of toothed wheels—Substitute for wheels and pinions—Persian wheel: common in Syria —Large ones at Hainath—Various modes of propelling the noria by men and animals—Early employment of the latter to raise water- Antiquity of the noria—Supposed to be the ‘ wheel of for-tune’—'An appropriate emblem of abundance in Egypt —Sphinx—Lions’ heads—Vases—Cornuco-

pia Ancieut emblems of irrigation—Medea: inventress of vapor baths—Ctesibius—Metallic and

glass mirrors—Barbers ----------- 109

CHAPTER XV.

The chain of pots—Its origin—Used in Joseph’s well at Cairo—Numerous in Egypt —Attempt ofBelzom to supersede it and the noria—Chain of pots of the Romans, Hindoos, Japanese and Euro-pcans—Described by Agricola—Spanish. one—Modern one—Applications of itto other purposesthan raisiug water—Employed as a first moverand substitute for overshot wheels—Francinrs ma-chine—-Antiquity of the chain of pots—Often confounded with the noria by ancient and modernauthors—Introduced into Greeoe by Danaus—Opinions of modern writers ou its antiquity—Refer-red to by Solomon—Babylonian engine that rai&ed the water of the Euphrates to supply the hang-ing gardens—Rope pump—Hydraulic beit - -- -- -- - 122

CHAPTER XVI.

The serew—An original device—Various modes of constructing it—Roman screw—Often re-invented—Introduced into England from Germany —Combination of several to raise water to great eleva-tions—Marquis of VVorcester’s proposition relating to it exemplified by M. Pattu—Ascent of waterin it formerly considered inexplicable—Its history—Not invented by Archimedes —Supposed tohave been in early use in Egypt —Vitruvius silent respecting its author —Conon its inventor or re-inventor—This philosopher famous for his flattery of Ptolemy and Berenice—Dinocrates the archi-tect—Suspension of metallic s.ubstanees without Support—The screw not attributed to Archimedes tili after his death—lnventions often jfiven to others than their authors—Screws used as ship pumpsby the Greeks—Flatterers like Conon too often found among men of Science—Dedications of Eu­ ropean writers often blasphemous—Hereditary titles and distinctions—Their acceptance unworthyof philosophers—Evil infiuence of scientific men in accepting them—Their denunciation a proofof the wisdoin and virtue of the framers of the U. S. Constitution —Their extinction in Europe de-sirable—Plato, Solon, and Socrates—George 111—George IV —James Watt —Arago—Descriptionof the • Syraeusan,’ a ship built by Archimedes , in which the screw pump was used - - 137

CHAPTER XVII.

The chain pump—Not mentioned by Vitruvius —Its supposed origin—Resemblanee between it andthe common pump—Not used by the Hindoos, Egyptians, Greeks or Romans—Derivedfrom China —Description of the Chinese pump and the various modes of propelling it—Chain pump from Ag-ricnla—Paternoster pumps—Chain pump of Besson—Old French pump from Belidor—Superiorityof the Chinese pump—Carried by the Spaniards and Dutch to their Asiatic possessions—Best modeof making and using it—Wooden chains—Chain pump in British ships of war—Dampier—Modernimprovements—Dutch pump—Cole’s pump and experiments—Notice of chain pumps in the Ame­ rican navy—Description of those in the U. S. ship Independence—Chinese pump introduced intoAmerica by Van Braam—Employed in South America —Recently introduced into Egypt —Used asa substitute for water wheels—Peculiar feature in Chinese ship building—Its advantages - - 14S

CHAPTER XVIII.

On the hydraulic works of the ancient inhabitants of America : population of Anahuac—Ferocity ofthe Spanish invaders—Subjectof ancient hydraulic works interestiug—Aqueductsof the Toltecs—Ancient Mexican wells—Houses supplied with water by pipes—Palace of Motezuma—Perfectionof Mexican works in metals—Cortez—Market in ancient Mexico—Hydraulic works—Fountainsand Jets d’eau—Noria and other machines—Palenque : its aqueducts, hieroglyphics, &c.—Wells inancient and modern Yucatan—Relics of former ages, and traditions of the Indians. Hydraulicworks of the Peruvians: Customs relating to water—Humanity of the early incas—Aqueducts andreservoirs—Resemblanee of Peruvian and Egyptian customs—Garcilasso—Civilization in Peru before the times of the incas—Giauts—Wells—Stupendous aqueducts and other monuments—Atabalipa —Pulleys—Cisterns of gold and silver in the houses of the incas—Temples and gardenssupplied by pipes—Teraple at Cusco : its water-works and Utensils—Embroidered cloth—MancoCa.pac - -- -- -- -- -- -- 159

BOOK II.

MACHINES FOR RAISING WATER BY THE PRESSURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE.

- CHAPTER I.

On machines that raise water by atmospheric pressure—Principle of their action formerly unknown—Suction a chimera—Ascent of water in pumps incomprehensible without a knowledge of atmo-spheric pressure—Phenomena in the Organization, habits and motions of animals—Rotation of theatmosphere with the eartli—Air tangible—Compressible—Expansible—Elastic—Air beds—Ancientbeds aml bedsteads—Weight of air—Its pressure—Examples—American Indians and the air pump—Boa eonstrictor—Swallowing oysters—Shooting bullets by the rarefaction of air—Boy’s sucker—■Suspension of flies against gravity—Lizards—Frogs—Walrus—Connection between all depart-ments of knowledge—Sucking fish—Remora—Lampreys—Dampier—Christopher Columbus at St.Domingo—Ferdinand Columbus—Ancient fable—Sudden expansion of air bursting the bladdersoffish—Pressure of the atmosphere on liquids -------- 173

CHAPTER II.

Discovery of atmospheric pressure—Cireumstances which led to it—Galileo—Torricelli—Beautifulexperimentof the latter—Controversy respecting the results—Pascal—His demonstratio» of the