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CHAP. XIX.
BVt to returne vnto my purpose,* 1.1 take this for a certaine argu∣ment, that in the hollow places of the earth, there is a great a∣bundance of hidden waters that breed much corrupt and mud∣dy fish, which if at any time they breake forth, bring with them an immeasurable troope of fishes horrible to sight, and filthy and vnwholesome in taste; truely at such time as a great quantity of this water is sued out o•• the earth in the country of Caria, neere to the City of Lorina: all they died whosoeuer did eate of those fishes that were drawne out of that Ri∣uer which before time was vnknown.* 1.2 Neither is this to bee wondred at; for such fishes as these•• because they had beene long time shut vp, were become great, fat and long, but slimy and fetured in the darkenesse, and had neuer seen the light, whence commeth the wholesomenes of all victuals. That fishes may breede in the hollow of the earth, it appeareth because that E••les are taken in hidden places, in troubled waters and pits which yeeld a meate of hard digesti∣on, by reason of their sluggishnesse, especially when they are taken in those places where there is so much mudde, as they may wholy bury themselues ther∣in: so then the earth hath not onely vaines of water, which by their current may make riuers, but also floudes of great extent, whereof some runne al∣wayes vnderneath the earth, vntill such time as they discharge themselues in some gulfe, some appeare vnder some lake. And who knoweth not that there are certaine pooles which appeare without bottome? whereto tendeth this? to show that the great riuers haue a continuall matter to maintain them, whose extremities are not to be touched as they may be in springs & fountains.