bituminous Matter, which is contained and kindled in them (e). (e) Earthquakes and Vulcanos are both produced from the fame Caufe; which may be thus explained. Thofe Countries which yield great ftore of Sulphur and Nitre, or where Sulphur is fublimed from the Pyrites, are by far the most injured and incommoded by Earthquakes; for where there are fuch Mines they must fend up Exhalations, which meeting with fubterraneous Caverns, they muft ftick to the Arches of them, as Soot does to the Sides of our Chimnies, where they mix themselves with the Nitre or Saltpeter, which comes out of thefe Arches, in like manner as we see it come out of the Infide of the Arch of Bridge, and fo makes a kind of Cruft, which will very easily take Fire. There are feveral ways by which this Crust may take Fire, viz. 1. By the inflammable Breath of the Pyrites, which is a kind of Sulphur that naturally takes Fire of itself. 2. By a Fermentation of Vapours to a degree of Heat, equal to that of Fire and Flame. 3. To the falling of fome great Stone, which is undermined by Water, and striking against another, produces fome Sparks which fet Fire to the combuftible Matter that is near; which, being a kind of natural GunPowder, at the Appulfe of the Fire, goes off (if I may so say) with a fudden Blaft or violent Explosion, rumbling in the Bowels of the Earth, and lifting up the Ground above it, fo as fometimes to make miferable Havock and Destruction, 'till it gets Vent or a Discharge. Burning Mountains and Vulcanos are only fo many Spiracles ferving for the Discharge of this fubterranean Fire, when it is thus preternaturally affembled. And where there happens to be fuch a Structure and Conformation of the interior Parts of the Earth, that the Fire may pafs freely and without Impediment from the Caverns therein, it affembles unto these Spiracles, and then readily and early gets out, from Time to Time, without fhaking or disturbing the Earth. But where fuch Communication is wanting, or the Paffages not fufficiently large and open, fo that it cannot come at the faid Spiracles without first forcing and removing all Obftacles, it heaves up and fhocks the Earth, till it hath made it's Way to the Mouth of the Vulcano; where it rusheth forth, fometimes in mighty Flames, with great Velocity, and a terrible bellowing Noise. See Woodward's Effay Page 157. 158. Robault's Phyfics Part 3. Chap. 9. Sect. 23, 24. Philof Tranf. No 157. Pag. 512. PRO PROPOSITION VI. Some Ranges of Mountains afford no Apertures, as others afford many; and fome are discontinued but in one or two Places. THESE Streights, or Paffages, were formerly called Thermopyla, of which the most famous are, 1. The Thermopyla of Mount Oeta [or Banina] in Theffalia, [now called Bocca de Lupo] which gave Name to the rest. 2. The Caspian Streights, thro' which there is a Paffage between the Cafpian Mountains. 3. The Paffage thro' the Ridge of the Cordilleras in Peru. 4. The Paffage thro' the Mountains on the Weft-fide of the Arabian Gulph, by which Merchandize is carried from Abyffinia into Arabia. 5. The two Paffages thro Mount Caucafus, &c. PROPOSITION VII. When a Mountain runs out into the Sea, or feems [to Mariners] to overtop the rest of the Country, it is called a Promontory, Cape, or Head-land. The most famous are, 1. THE Cape of Good Hope at the extream Point of Africa, which must be doubled by those that fail into India. 2. CAPE Victory at the further end of the Streights of Magellan. 3. CAPE Verd, the most western Point of Africa, where the Coast begins to wind towards the East, 4. CAPE Vincent in Spain. 5. THE Promontory of Atlas was, fome Ages ago, called a Head-land by Mariners, becaufe they fuppofed it unpaffable, or that if any failed beyond it they could not return fafe; wherefore it was the utmost Bound of their Navigation on the African Coaft. Other Promontories may be feen in Maps. PROPOSITION VIII. To Mountains are oppofed Chafms, deep Pits, and THERE is a ftinking fulphureous Cave in Ireland, which was formerly very famous, now called St Patrick's Purgatory; and in Italy there is that called Grotta del Cane (f). Leo Africanus mentions one which emits Fire on a Mountain in Fez, called Beni-gua-zeval. IN Bardefay, an Island adjacent to the Principality of Wales in Britain, there is a Rock near the Sea in which there is a Cave, unto which if you apply your Ear, you will hear the Strokes of a Hammer, the blowing of Bellows, and the filing of Iron, as if it were in a Smith's Shop. NOT far from the Town of Besse in Aquitain, there is a Cave, called by the Natives Du Souley, in which there is heard a Noife like Thunder in the Summer Seafon.. IN feveral Places there are found among Mountains, Vallies of fuch a prodigious Depth, that they strike the Beholders with Horror, and caufe a Giddinefs in the Head. (f) See Sturmius Philof. Exercit. 11. de Terra Mot. Chap. 3. where fome of the moft eminent Specus's are enumerated, and fome of their Ufes, viz. that they serve for Spiracles and Funnels to the Countries where they are to vent and discharge the Damps and Va 2 pours which would otherwise, CHA P. 4 M CHA P. XI. Of Mines, Woods, and Defarts. NES, Woods, and Defarts, make several Tracts of the Earth remarkable, of which, tho' but little can be said, yet it will not be unneceffary for the more perfect Knowledge of the Parts of the Earth's Superficies, to confider thefe Places, and to trace out their Situations, which we fhall briefly do in this Chapter. PROPOSITION I Mines are Places in the Earth, out of which Metals, Minerals, and other Kinds of Earth are dug. SO many different Kinds of Foffils as there are, fo many various Names have their Mines, viz. Gold-Mines, Silver-Mines, Copper -Mines, IronMines, Coal-Mines, Salt-Mines, and fuch as produce Gems, &c. are. THE most celebrated Gold and Silver-Mines, 1. THOSE of Peru,and Caftella del Oro, which are the richest in the World, yielding Gold and Silver in abundance, and not being deftitute of other Metals; infomuch that the Natives of Peru, and the Spaniards used to boaft, that this Kingdom was founded upon Gold and Silver. Girava, a Spanish Writer affirms, that there were formerly Mines about the Town of Quito, which produced more Gold than Earth. And when the Spaniards made their first Expedition into this Golden Country, they found feveral Houfes, especially in the Regal City Cufco, which were all covered over within and without with Plates of maffy Gold. And the Officers of the Peruvian Forces, not only wore Silver Armour, but all their Arms were made of pure Gold. The most rich and advantageous Mine of Silver is in the Mountains of Potofi, where 20000 Workmen are daily employed to dig it, and carry it up at least 400 Steps. These Mines produce that vaft Quantity of Gold and Silver, which the King of Spain receives out of America every Year, to the Mortification of other Kings and Potentates; and which, he therefore keeps fortified with strong Forts and Garrifons. 2. THERE are excellent rich Mines of Silver in the Japan Islands, whence they are called by the Spaniards, the Silver Islands. There are alfo fome Mines of Gold found there; but thefe are not fo rich as formerly. 3. THERE were more plentiful Gold-Mines formerly in Arabia, than at present. 4. IN the Mountains of Perfia, and in China, there are fome Silver-Mines. 5. IN Guinea there are feveral Mountains, that produce Gold, but they are remote from the Shore, and the Gold-Duft that is brought from thence, is not dug out of the Ground, but gathered up and down by the Natives. Their in-land Kings are however faid to poffefs each his Mine, the Product of which he fells to the Neighbouring Merchants, and they again to others, till it reaches the Sea-Shore, where it is exchanged with the Europeans. |