Faraday to Thomas Livingstone Mitchell   2 October 1837

<q>Royal Institution | 2 Oct 1837.

Dear Sir

I have examined the three waters you sent me as far as their quantity & my time would admit and have no doubt the account I now send you will be sufficient for your purpose¹[.] All² of them are solutions of common salt much surpassing the Ocean or even the Mediterranean in the quantity of salt dissolved[.] Besides the common salt there are present, (in comparatively small quantity,) portions of sulphates & muriates of lime and magnesia: The waters are neutral and except in strength very much resemble those of the ocean. That labled Greenhill lake 24 July had a Specific Gravity of 1049.4 and three measured ounces gave on evaporation 97 grains of dry salts. That labled Mitre lake 24 July had a specific gravity of 1038.6 and three measured ounces of it yielded 77 grains of dry saline matter. The water labled Cockajemmy Lake Camp 20 Sept had a specific gravity of 1055.3 and the amount of dry salts from three measured ounces was 113 grains[.]

The small portions of water left I return to you as I presume you would be glad to preserve them[.]

I am Dear Sir | Yours Very Truly | M. Faraday

Major Mitchell | &c &c &c