THE BATHING AND DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS.

73

of an opium eater. The head is calm, the beart is calm, every sense is calm; yet there is neither drowsiness, stupe- faction, nor numbness; for every feeling is fresher, and the memory of worldly pleasures keen and sharp. But the operations of the moral as well as physical man are under the spell of some powerfully tranquillising agent. It is the human tempest, lulled into all the delicious playings of the ocean’s afterwaves. From such a position I willingiy never would liave stirrcd. To prolong its delicious effects what would I not have given? but the Bad-mcister appeared at the top of the steps of the farther door, and warned me to eschew the danger of my Situation; for there is danger even in such pleasures as these, if greatly prolonged.

I looked at the watch and the thermometer before I quitted my Station. The onc told nie I had passed a whole hour, in the few minutes I had spent according to my ima- gination; and the other marked 29° of Reaumur, or 98'/2 0 Fahrenheit. But I found the temperature warmer tban tliat, whenever, with my band, I dug into the bed of sand, as far down as the rock, and disengaged myriads of bubbles of heated air, which imparted to the skin a satiny softness not to be observed in the effects of ordinary warm baths.

These baths are principally used from five o’clock in the morning until seven, and even much later; and again by some peoplc in the evening. The time allowed for re- maining in the water is from half an hour to an hour; but it is held to be iinprudent to continue the bath to the latter period, as experience has shown tliat such sensations as I feit, and have endeavoured to describe, prove ultimately too overpowering to the Constitution, if prolonged to excess.”

2) The gentlcmen’s-bath ( Herrenbad ), is the largest ba­sin, as it presents an area of 750 square feet. It is divided by a low wall into two compartments of equal dimensions,