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COnsidering the great Im∣provements, that have of late been made of Natural History (the only sure Foundation of Natural Philosophy,) by the Travels of Gentlemen, Seamen, and others; And the gread Disadvantage ma∣ny Ingenious Men are at in their
Travels, by reason they know not before-hand, what things they are to inform themselves of in every Country they come to, or by what Method they may make Enquiries about things to be known there, I thought it would not be unacceptable to such, to have Directions in Ge∣neral, relating to all, and also in Particular, relating to Particu∣lar Countries, in as little Bounds as possible, presented to their View.
As for the General Heads, I shall offer them to your Conside∣ration in such Order, as they were some Years ago given to the Publick by the worthy and never∣to be forgotten Mr. Boyle; which are those that respect the Hea∣vens, or concern the Air, the Water, or the Earth.
First. Under the first kind may be reckon'd the Longitude and
Latitude of the Place, and that in respect to the Changes made in the Air; the Climate, toge∣ther with the Length of the long∣est and shortest Days, and the Parallels come here to be consi∣dered; the Retrogradation of the Sun upon Dials, within the Tro∣picks, and that naturally; what fixt Stars, and what not seen there, &c.
Secondly, About the Air is to be considered, its Temperature as to Heat, Dryness and Moi∣sture, and the Measures of them, its Weight, Clearness, Refractive Power, its Subtilty or Grosness, its abounding with or wanting an Esurine Salt; its Variation ac∣cording to the several Seasons of the Year, and the Times of the Day: How long the several kinds of Weather continue, what sort of Meteors it breeds most com∣monly; in what Order they are
generated, and how long they usually last: Especially what Winds 'tis lyable to; whether any of them be stated, and or∣dinary, &c. What Diseases are Epidemical▪ that are suppos'd to flow from the Air: What other Diseases the Country is subject to, wherein that had a share, e. g. the Plague and contagious Sicknesses. What is the usual Salubrity or Insalubrity of the Air. And with what Constitu∣tions it agrees better or worse than others. As also the Speci∣fick Gravity of the Air, com∣par'd with the other foregoing Qualities, for this Effect it will be convenient the Traveller be provided with a Travelling Baro∣scope, having the Divisions usual in the other Baroscopes, markt upon a sliding Ruler, which be∣ing once exactly mark'd for Lon∣don, may serve for other Places;
and for observing the Difference between the Air here and in other Places, and in most differing Climates, as in the Torrid and Frigid Zone, it has another Ruler coming out perpendicular from the lower End of the Slid∣ing Ruler, that it may mark the heighth of the Mercury, in the lower Leg of the Syphon; so the Divisions in the upper end will tell you the Specifick Gravity of the Air at that Time. I am the shorter in describing this, be∣cause I have left with Mr. Papin, lodging at Mr. Carpenters in Fri∣daystreet, over against the Bell Inn, the whole Method of this Contrivance: Whether it will not be more serviceable both at home and abroad than that with stagnant Mercury, I leave to the Judgment of the Ingenious,
Thirdly. About the Water are to be considered, 1. The Sea,
its Depth, specifick Gravity, Dif∣ference of Saltness in different Zones, the Plants, Insects and Fishes to be found in it, Tides, with respect to the adjacent Lands, Currents, Whirl-pools, &c. 2. Rivers, their Bigness, their Course, their Inundations, their Saltish Taste, as they report ob∣servable in Jordan, Subterrane∣ous Passages, fruitfulness of their Waters, &c. Their Lakes, as that of Schernitzer in Carniola, Ponds, Springs, and especially Mineral Waters, what sorts of Earth they run through, their Kinds, Qualities and Vertues, and how examin'd; the Sorts of Fishes, their Bigness and Good∣ness, compared with the Ground at the Bottom, their Plenty, their Seasons, their ways of Breeding, their Haunts, and the ways of Taking of them, especially those that are not purely Mechanical.
Fourthly. In the Earth may be observed,
I. It self.
II. Its Inhabitants, and its Productions, and those internal or external.
I. As to it self: What are its Dimensions, Situation, East, West, South or North, its Figure, its Plains, Hills or Valleys, their Extent, the highth of the Hills, either in respect of the neighbour∣ing Valleys, or the Level of the Sea; as also whether the Moun∣tains lye scatter'd or in Ridges, and whether those run North or South, East or West, &c. What Promontories, Fiery or Smoak∣ing Hills, &c. the Country has or hath not; whether subject to Earthquakes or not. Whether the Country is coherent, or much broken into Islands. What De∣clination
the Magnet has in seve∣ral Places at the same Time, and how much it varies in different Times at the same Place: Whe∣ther before the Turnados or Hur∣ricanes, the Magnetical Needle loses its Direction towards the North, and turns to all the Points of the Compass; and if this De∣clination is influenced by Subter∣raneous Fire, destroying it with∣in, or by Water overflowing the Surface of it, or by its vicinity to Iron Mines. What kinds of Soyls are there, whether of Clay, Sand, Gravel, &c. What are its Products as to Minerals, Vege∣tables or Animals: And more∣over how all these are or may be further improved for the Benefit of Man; what are the Qualities of that Soyl, peculiar to it, e. g. that of Ireland's, contrariety to poysonous Beast.
II. The Inhabitants themselves are to be consider'd, both Na∣tives and Strangers, that have been long settled there; parti∣cularly their Stature, Shape, Fea∣tures, Strength, Ingenuity, Dyet, Inclination, that seem not due to Education. As to their Women, their Fruitfulness or Barrenness, their easie or hard Labour, with their Exercises and Dyet; the Diseases both Men and Women are subject to, peculiar to them∣selves, compared with their Dy∣et, Air, &c. that do influence them.
The Products External are Plants, Trees, Fruits, &c. with the Peculiarities observable in them (e. g. that of the Poyson-wood, call'd Machenil in New-England, with its Cures) and what Soyls they thrive best in. What Animals, Terrestrial or Volatile, or Insects of all sorts,
they produce, and to what Use applyed by the Inhabitants, as to Meat, Physick, Surgery, or Dying, &c.
By the Internal Production of the Earth are to be understood here, things procreated in the Bowels of the Earth, either for the Benefit or Hurt of Man; where Notice is to be taken, what way the one may be best found out, and the other most easily avoided or cured. Under these are com∣prehended Metals, Minerals, Stones Precious or Common, and how these Beds lye in reference to North or South, &c. What Clays and Earths it affords, e. g. Tobacco-pipe-Clay, Marles, Boles, with their Physical or other Uses, Fullers Earth, Earth for Potters Ware, Soap, Earths, Axungiae, &c. What Coals, Salts, or Salt-Mines, as Allom, Vitriols, Sul∣phurs, &c. it yields. As for
Mines, you are to consider their Number, Situations, Depths, Signs, Waters, Damps, Quan∣tities of Ore, goodness of Ore, extraneous things, and ways of reducing their Ores into Metals, &c. Where, by the way, you may inform your selves of the Truth of what is reported by A∣gricola, Kircher, &c. of Appariti∣ons, and their Operations under Ground.
To these General Articles of Enquiries (saith their Proposer) should be added Enquiries about Traditions, concerning all par∣ticular things relating to that Country, as either peculiar to it, or at least uncommon else∣where.
II. Enquiries that require Learning or Skill in the Answerer, to which should be subjoyn'd, Proposals of ways to enable Men
to give Answers to these more difficult Enquiries.
After the General Heads now propos'd, we shall mention those that concern Navigators into Re∣mote Places.
The first agrees with what has been said before, viz. the observ∣ing the Declination of the Com∣pass, in the different Longitudes and Latitudes the Ship comes to, and setting down the Method by which the Observation was made.
2. To take notice of the Dip∣ing Needles, and their Observa∣tions in the like manner.
3. To observe the Odors, Co∣lours, Tastes in Sea-water, and what are the Particularities of that Sea Water, where Ships do soonest rot, as in the Streights of California the Sea looks red, with innumerabl▪ Worms that are in it.
4. To remark, if (as is re∣••orted by Kircher) there be near ••he South Pole a constant Cur∣••ent, setting from the South, so ••rcibly, that Ships with a stiff Gale are hardly carried up against ••t; and near the North a Cur∣••ent forcibly carrying Ships to∣wards the Pole, or if this Moti∣••n reciprocate once in half a Year.
5. To observe what subterra∣••eous Passages there are, where∣••y Seas communicate with one ••nother, as the Caspian is sup∣••osed to do with the Black Sea; ••nd the Dead Sea with the Red Sea.
6. To examine the Map made ••f the Straits by Captain Bol∣and, and the Account of the Tides he there gives.
7. The effect the Winds have ••pon the Seas, and how far down ••rom the Surface they agitate the Waters.
8. To take notice of the Tide of the Ebbings and Flowings with the Age of the Moon whe•• the Neap and Spring Tides d•• happen, to what heighth it doe Ebb and Flow at these Times up on the Coast of the Terra Firma or upon the Islands far off in th•• Sea, as at S. Helena; and if i•• flow there with difference from the Tides near the main Lane and how much sooner it begins a•• one Side than another.
9. To take notice of the Coas•• and to make narrowly the way o•• coming into particular Creek•• and Harbours, with their Bear¦ings and Distances from the neigh¦ouring Places, as you com•• in.
10. Not forgetting at th•• same Time to sound all a long a•• you come in, and to mark th•• Depths and Shallows near th•• Shoar, or further off from th••
Coast, near Shelves or Banks, and whether it increases or de∣creases in any Order.
11. To mark in the Sounding all Grounds, whether Clayie, Sandy or Ousie, &c.
12. To take Notice of the Winds, their Changes, or set Times of Blowing, and in what Longitude and Latitude, espe∣cially the Trade-Winds; upon what Coast the Trade Winds are most frequent, and by what Signs they may be Foreseen.
13. To Observe and Record all extraordinary Meteors, Light∣nings, Thunders, and their Ef∣fects, Ignes Fatui, Comets, &c. marking the Places of their Ap∣pearing and Disappearing.
14. To be provided with a Nice pair of Scales, and exact Weights, for examining the Weights of the several Waters, that occur, which I think may
be most exactly done after the Method proposed by the Incom∣parable Mr. Boyle, in his Medi∣cina Hydrostatica, viz. weighing a Vial close stopt with a Glass-Stopper first in the Air, then in Liquor: If the Vial be about two Ounces in the Air it will do the better; for the whole Method, be∣cause 'tis too long to insert into the Tract, I refer you to the Book itself. This I propose as the most Subtile and Accurate. If you like a plainer way, you may use the Method practised by the Noble Author elswhere, viz. To fill a Glass Vial of four Ounces or more, with a small Neck, full of the Water to be try'd, and to exa∣mine the Weight of it, which you may compare with another.
15. 'Twill be convenient both for the Navigator and Philoso∣pher, to be provided with an Instrument for fetching up Wa∣ter
from the Bottom of the Sea, first publish'd by the Ingenious Mr. Hooke, and transferr'd hi∣ther for the Benefit of the Curi∣ous Traveller; for by this he may know whether the Water at the Bottom be Heavier; and Salter than at the Top; or whether there be fresh Water at the Bot∣tom, occasion'd by Springs of Fresh Water there, as some pre∣sume there are, having observ'd in some Places Springs of fresh Water, a great way within the Sea-marks: The Contrivance is this, a Wooden Bucket is fasten∣ed to an Iron rod, with a Weight to sink it; this Bucket is shut at Top and Bottom with two Valves or Clacks, so contriv'd, that when in descends, it may open and let the Water pass through; but when 'tis pull'd up again from the Bottom, it may shut so close as to keep in all the Water it has
at that Time, by the under Valve, and the ambient Water over it, from getting in by the upper Valve. If any be desirous to have one of these, they may have them at Mr. Papins in Frydaystreet, at Mr. Carpenter's, over against the Bell-Inn.
Having gone through the Ge∣neral Directions both for Sea and Land, we come to more Particu∣lar ones, and shall begin first with those that concern Mines; the Knowledge of which, tho it be∣gan very early, and has been continu'd to our Times, yet is still found improveable by Hu∣man Industry, as Experience has taught us, and therefore worthy to be consider'd in the next Place, especially seeing the Arts and Inventions most useful for Man's Life, depend more upon this than any other; and that without it
the World should want little of Returning to its former Barbarity. All shall be reduced to six Gene∣ral Heads, as has been done by the worthy Patron of Ingenious Arts, the Honourable Robert Boyle, now in Glory.
The First. The neighbouring Country about the Mines.
The Second. The Soyl where the Mines are.
The Third. The Sign of Mines.
The Fourth. The Structure, and other Particulars relating to the Mines themselves.
The Fifth. The Nature and Cir∣cumstances of the Ore.
The Sixth. The Reduction of the Ore into Metal.
I. Whether the Country be
Mountainous, Plain, or distin∣guish'd with Valleys? And in case it be Mountainous, what kind of Hills they are, whether High or Low, or indifferently elevated; whether almost equal, or very unequal in heighth? whether Fruitful or Barren, Cold or Temperate; Rocky or not; Hollow or Solid? whe∣ther they run in Ridges, or seem confusedly plac'd; and if the former, what Way the Ridges run, North or South, &c. And whether they run any thing pa∣rallel to one another?
II. What the Country produ∣ces, and what is most plenty?
III. What Cattle it produces? whether they have any thing peculiar in point of Bigness Co∣lour, Longevity, Fitness or Un∣fitness to make good Meat, and other Things, which may ra∣ther be attributed to the peculiar
Nature of the Place, than the Barrenness of the Soyl, or other manifest Causes?
IV. What Health the Inhabi∣tants enjoy? what Diseases they are subject to, and to what not? for 'tis said, that such as dwell near Quicksilver Mines are seldom troubl'd with the Plague: And lastly, what Remedies are found for the Epidemick Diseases of the Place?
V. What plenty of Rivers, Brooks, Lakes, Springs, &c. in these, and how these are in Colour,* 1.1 Taste, &c. and how they affect the Health of those that use them?
VI. How the Air is disposed, as to Heat or Cold, Calms or Winds, and whether these Winds do proceed from, or are infected
with Subterraneous Steams; whether Clear or Foggy.
VII. Whether the Soyl that is near the Surface of the Earth be stony? and if so, what sort of Stones it abounds with, whether it be Claye, Marlie or Chalky? and of how many kinds this is, and by what Properties they are distinguish'd?
VIII. By what Signs they con∣jecture a Mine to be in a Place?
IX. And seeing these Signs are either above or beneath the Sur∣face of the Earth, Quaer. Whe∣ther the Ground be barren where these Metal Mines are?
X. What Trees or Plants do most plentifully grow in these
Places, and do thrive well or ill in these Places? whether they be more dwarfish, more disco∣lour'd in the Leaves, or have any Preternatural Colour in them?
XI. What Alteration is pro∣duc'd in the Waters that run from them, either as to their Colour, Taste, Smell, Ponderousness, or the Matter that they leave upon the Stones they run over.
XII. Whether Snow or Ice continue as long in these Places as they do in the Neighbouring Places?
XIII. Whether the Dew that falls on the Ground will discolour a white Linnen Cloth, spread on the Surface of the Earth; and whether the Rain brought thi∣ther from other Places will disco∣lour such Cloaths, or afford any Residence of a Mineral Nature?
XIV. Whether Thunder, Light∣nings and Storms do abound
there, and if there be any Fiery Meteors and Nocturnal Lights observed there?
XV. Whether Mists do arise from such Mineral Grounds; what is observable in them; what Minerals they signifie, and may be suppos'd to be produc'd by?
XVI. VVhether the Virgula Divinatoria be us'd for the find∣ing out the Mines, and with what Success?
As for those Signs that are be∣neath the Surface.
XVII. Quaer. Whether there be any Clays, Marles, or other Mineral Earths, and of what Con∣sistence they are that give Notice of the Ores, and if they be more than one, and at what Depth they lye, in respect of one ano∣ther, and how thick they are?
XVIII. What Stones, Marca∣sites, &c. there are to be found near or not far from the Surface,
which give Signs of those Mines, as it happens in the Tin-Mines of Cornwal, where Marcasites are often found above the Ore; what is the particular Shapes, Bigness, Colour and Weight of such Stones, whereby they are distin∣guishable from others.
XIX. Whether Heat or Damps are a Sign of a Mine.
XX. Whether Water found in Digging be a Sign of a Mine.
XXI. By what Signs the Near∣ness of a Mine is known, and whether by any Sign one may know whether he is above, be∣neath, or at the Side of the Mine.
XXII. By what Signs the de∣terminate Kinds of Metals are known, with their Plenty or Goodness.
XXIII. What Signs there are of the Depth of the Mines; what Signs there are of the Mines be∣ing
hopeless, or at least unlikely, to find a Vein in the Place where 'tis digged for; and what these are.
XXIV. What is the Depth of the Shaft or Groove, till you come at the Vein or Ore. Whe∣ther the Vein run or lye horizon∣tal or dip; and if it dip, what Inclination it hath, how deep the lowest part lies, and consequent∣ly how much deeper than the uppermost.
XXV. As also what its flex∣ures, if it have any, are; and whether it runs directly North or South, East or West, or seem rather to have a casual Tendency than any Determination by Na∣ture, and how far it reaches in all.
XXVI. What is the wideness of the Groove at the Top and els∣where; whether the Groove be perpendicular or crooked, and if crooked, after what manner, and with what Distance it winds.
XXVII. How the Groove is supported; what are the Kinds, Length, Bigness and way of plac∣ing the Timber, Poles, &c. that are employ'd to support it; and how long the Wood lasts, with∣out being spoyl'd by the Subter∣raneous Fumes and Waters, and what Wood lasts longest.
XXVIII. What Air-shaft be∣longs to the Mine; whether it be single or more than one; of what Breadth the Air-shaft is at the Orifice; whether it be convenient enough or not; how near 'tis plac'd to the Groove, and in what Position; if there be several Air-shafts, what their Distances and Situation are, in
reference to the Grove, and to each other; and how Air is sup∣ply'd, if there be no Air-shafts.
XXIX. Whether they meet with Waters, and what plenty there is of them; at what Depth they are found, and how qualifi∣ed, and what way they spring, &c.
XXX. Whether they are con∣stant or Temporary; whether they increase or diminish notably in Summer, or at any Time of the Year; and what that Season is, how long it lasts, and the Pro∣portions of Increase and Decrease.
XXXI. What Engines or Con∣trivances are made use of for drawing up the Water, and con∣veying it away, the Materials they are made of, the Parts, the Bigness, the coaptation, and in short the whole Structure, num∣ber and way of applying the In∣struments, that are made use of to free the Mines from the Water.
XXXII. What are the Condi∣tions, Number, &c. of the Adits.
XXXIII. Whether the Mines be troubled with Damps, and of what kind they are, whether they come often or seldom at any Time of the Year, or altogether irregularly.
XXXIV. What Signs forerun them; what Mischief they do; what Remedies are the most suc∣cessfully employed against them as well in referencce to the clear∣ing of the Mine, as to the Preser∣vation and Recovery of the Men.
XXXV. What Methods the Mine-men use in following of the Vein, and tracing their Passages under Ground (which they call Plumming and Dyalling) accord∣ing to the several exegencies; and whether they employ the Instru∣ments made with the Help of the Loadstone, the same way that is usual; and, if not, wherein they
differ in the Use of the same In∣struments; and what Instru∣ments they substitute in their place.
XXXVI. What ways they se∣cure themselves against the uncer∣tainty that the Magnetical Needle is subject to, when it comes near to Iron Ore (of which yet per∣haps there is not so great Danger as one may imagine, as far as I could find by a Tryal purposely made in a Groove, where I was sure there wanted not Iron Ore;) and what other ways may be used, besides a Load-stone, to help a Miner.
XXXVII. How the Miners deal with the Rock and Spar they meet with before they come at the Ore; and how they use Fire to soften, calcine or crack them; with what Success they employ it.
XXXVIII. By what means they free the Mines and the work∣men, from the Inconveniences arising from the much use of the Fire.
XXXIX. With what Instru∣ments they break the Rock, how they are used, and how long they last.
XL. How the Miners work, whether cloathed or naked, and what Lights they use to work by; what Materials they are Made of, and what Light they give; how long they last, and by what ways they are kept burning in that thick and foggy Air.
XLI. How Veins are follow∣ed, lost and recover'd; and how several Miners work on the same Vein, and what is the best way of getting all the Ore in a Vein, and most conveniently.
XLII. How they convey out their Ore, and other Things that
are to be carried out of the Mine; whether they do it in Baskets, drawn up by Ropes, or upon Mens Backs; and if this last kind of way, what kind of Vessels they use for Matter, Shape and Capacity, and whether the Work∣men deliver them one to ano∣ther; or the same Workmen car∣ry them all the Way; and whe∣ther the Diggers descend and as∣cend by Ladders of Wood or Ropes, &c.
XLIII. Whether the Ore runs in a Vein; or lye dispers'd in Scat∣ter'd Pieces, or be divided partly into a Vein, partly into loose Masses, or like a Wall between two Rocks, as it were in a Cleft, or be interspers'd in the firm Rock, like speckled Marble, or be found in Grains like Sand or Gravel, as
store of excellent Tin is said to be found in some Parts of Corn∣wal, at the Sides and in the Chan∣nels of Running Waters, which they call—or whether the Ore be in a softer Consistence, like Earth or Lome, as there is Lead-Ore in Ireland, holding store of Silver & Iron-Ore in the North Parts of Scotland and elswhere, and what is observeable in it, as to Weight, Colour, Mixture, &c.
XLIV. Whether any part of the Metal be found in the Mine perfect and compleat (as I have had presented me good valu∣able Copper, and Pieces of per∣fect Lead, that were taken up, the one at Jamaica, and the other by an Acquaintance of mine, that took them out of the Ground him∣self in New-England.)
XLV. Whether the Mine af∣fords any parcels of Metal, that seem to grow like Plants (as I
have sometimes seen Silver grow, as it seemed, out of Stone or Spar, almost like Blades of Grass, as also great Grains of Metal, which appear'd to me, and which those that try'd some of it, af∣firm'd to be Gold, abounding in a stony Lump, that seem'd chief∣ly to consist of a peculiar kind of Spar.)
XLVI. Whether the Vein lye near the Surface of the Earth, and at what Depth; whether the Vein have not any peculiar con∣comitant Coats (if I may so call them) and if any, what they are, and in what Order they lye▪ as the Veins of Lead-Ore, with us, have frequently annexed to them a Substance called Spar and next to that another, call'd Caulk.
Whether (besides these coats) they have belonging to it any other Heterogeneous Substance
(as in Tin mines we often find that yellow Substance they call Mundick).
XLVII. What are the princi∣pal Qualities of these extraneous Substances (as that Spar is white, but almost transparent, like course Crystal, heavy, brittle, easily di∣visible into Flakes, &c. Caulk is of a different Texture, white, opacous, and like a Stone, but much more ponderous: Mundick I have had of a fine golden Co∣lour, but tho it be affirm'd to hold no Metal, yet I found it in weight and otherwise to differ from Mar∣casites, and the Mine-men think it of a poisonous Nature.)
XLVIII. Whether the Vein be inclos'd every way in its Coats, or whether it lye only between them.
XLIX. Whether the Vein be every way of an uniform Breadth and Thickness; and if it be what
these Dimensions are; and if not, in what Places it varies, and in what measures (the like Questi∣ons are to be made concerning the Spar, Caulk, and other Mixtures of the Ore).
L. Whether the Vein be un∣interrupted, or in some Places broken off; and whether it be abruptly or not; and whether it be by Vales, Brooks or Gul∣lets, &c.
LI. How wide the Interrupti∣ons are; by what Signs the Veins are to be found again; whether the ulterior part or division of the Vein be of the same Nature and hold on in the same Course, as to its tendency upwards and downwards, or horizontally, Northward or Southward, &c. with the Vein from which 'tis cut off.
LII. Whether in case the last end of the Vein be found, it ter∣minate
abruptly, or elfe end in some kind of Rock or Earth, which does as it were close or seal it up, without leaving any Crack or Cranny, or otherwise. and whether the terminating part of the Vein tends either upward or downwards, or neither. Or whether in the Places where the Vein is interrupted, there be any peculiar Stone or Earth, that does, as it were, seal up the Extremity of it.
LIII. Whether it be observ'd that the Ore in Tract of Time may afford any Gold or Silver, which it doth not afford, or more than it would afford if it were not so ripe; and whether or not it have been found that the metal∣line part of the Vein grows so, that some part of the Ore will afford Ore or Metal in Tract of Time, that did not so before; and whether to this Maturation of the
Mine, the being exposed to the free Air be necessary; or whether at least it conduce to the accelera∣tion of it, or otherwise.
LIV. Whether all the Ore contain'd in the Mine be of the self-same Nature and Goodness, and if not, what are the differ∣ing kinds, and how to be discri∣minated and estimated.
LV. What is the Fineness and Goodness, by which the Mine is wont to be estimated. And,
LVI. What are the Marks and Characters that distinguish one sort from another.
LVII. What Proportion of Metal it affords; (as in our Iron-mines is observ'd, that about three Tons of Iron-stone will afford one Ton of Metal: And I have had Lead-Ore, which an ingenious Man, to whom I recommended such Tryals, affirmed to me, to afford three parts in four of good Lead.)
LVIII. Whether the Ore be pure in its kind from other Me∣tals, and, if not, of what Metals it participates, and in what Pro∣portion, which is especially to be enquir'd into, especially if the Mine be of a base Metal, that holds a Noble Metal (as I have known it observ'd, That Lead-Ore, that is poor in its own Metal affords more Silver than other; and I remember that the Ore late∣ly mention'd, being Rich in Lead, scarce afforded us, being cu∣pell'd) an Atome of Silver. And Mathesius informs us, That a little Gold is not unfrequently found in Iron-Ore: And I have by me some fine Gold, that never endur'd the Fire, taken out of Tin-Ore.
LIX. What Preparations are us'd before the melting of the Ore, as Beating, Grinding, Wash∣ing, Tosting or Parting, as is most frequently us'd in Copper-Ore, and sometime in Iron-Ore; if they use this Burning more than once how often they do it (for Copper-Ore is in some Places wash'd eight or ten times, and in other twelve or fourteen) and with what Circumstances, as how long the Ignition lasts at a Time; whether the Ore be suffer'd to cool of itself; or be quenched; whether it be wash'd betwixt each Ignition; or whether the Ore requires no such Preparati∣ons, as it often happens in Lead-Ore and sometimes in Iron.
LX. Whether Mercury is made use of in separating the Nobler
from the Baser Metals (as in Peru, &c.)
LXI. Whether (as I have seen done in Iron-stone) the Ore be expos'd to the Air, as a Pre∣parative.
LXII. What Flux-powders they use for reducing their Ores in small Quantities.
LXIII. Whether in reducing or melting great Quantities they use any Addition of Flux-powder (or Fondant, as the French term it,) or only by the Force of the Fire, or in any way between both (as throwing in of Charcoals when they melt Iron-stone does not only serve to feed the Fire, but by the Alcali of the Ashes to promote the Fusion: So Lime∣stone, &c.) What is the Contri∣vance of the Furnaces, and if they be all of one sort or bigness; or differing; what Tools are used in Smelting, and how contriv'd.
LXIV. What Fewel they use, and how much is spent in a Day or Week, and what Returns they have in Metal, in a proportion∣ate Time.
LXV. Whether the Ore be melted in a Wind Furnace, made by the Fire's own Motion, or by Bellows; what their Dimensi∣ons are, and what way us'd.
LXVI. What way they take or let out the Metal that is in fusion, to cast it into Bars, Sows, Pigs; and what Clay, Sand or Mould they let it run, or pour it through; and after what manner they refrigerate it.
LXVII. Whether or not, to facilitate the Fusion, they mix several Ores of the same sort to∣gether (as in some Places 'tis usual to mix rich and poor Ore, and at Mendip they mix two or more of these differing kinds of Lead-Ores, that they call Firm
Ore, Steel-Ore, Pottern-Ore, &c.)
LXVIII. Whether or not, af∣ter 'tis once melted, they melt it again, to make it more pure; and if so, with what Circumstances they perform it.
LXIX. Whether they have Signs to know when the Fusion is well or ill perform'd, and the Metal have obtain'd a Perfection requi∣site in such a Fusion, and in such a Furnace.
LXX. Whether they observe any difference in the Goodness of the Metal that comes first, from that which comes last; and whe∣ther the Rule holds constantly (for though they observe in the Tin-mines, That the best Metal comes first, yet an Industrious Friend of mine informs me, that the best Metal comes last.)
LXXI. Whether the produc'd Metal be all of the same Good∣ness; and if it be, how good it
is in reference to the Metals of other Mines, or other Parts of the same Vein; and if it be not, what difference are between the pro∣duced Portions of Metal, and what disparity that amounts to in the Price.
LXXII. What are the ways of distinguishing them, and esti∣mating their Goodness.
LXXIII. Whether there be not elevated Flowers to the upper Parts of the Chimney, and whe∣ther they are barely excremen∣titious, or Metalline (as in the Cornish Tin mines, after some Years they pull down the thatch∣ed Houses, in which the Ore has been melted, to get the Stuff that adheres to the insides of the Roof, out of which they melt store of excellent Tin).
LXXIV. Whether when the Ores are brought to Fusion, they have any Recrements (as Iron∣stone
affords store of a dark Glass or Slag, the like does Tin, and if it do, what these Recrements are, and how to be separated from the baser Metal.
LXXV. Whether after the Metal has been melted, the re∣maining part of the Ore will in Tract of Time be impregnated with more Metal (for this is affirm'd to me of the Cornish Tin-Ore; and what remain'd after the Fusion of the Iron-Ore in the Forest of Dean, is so rich in Me∣tal, that a Tenant of mine in Ire∣land, though he had on the Land he held from me an Iron-Mine, found it less profit to work it, than to send to the Forest of Dean for this already us'd Ore, which having layn for some Ages since it. was thrown aside, in great Heaps, exposed to the Air, he affirm'd to yield a very great store of Iron and
very good; though I some what doubt
LXXVI. Whether this be to∣tally to be ascribed to the Air, and length or Time, or to the leaving of Metal in the Slags in old Times, before great Furnaces were in use.)
LXXVII. Whether the Air appears really to be cold in Sum∣mer and hot in Winter, by more evident Truths than the Testimo∣ny of our Touch.
LXXVIII. Whether they find the Stones and Ground actually hot, so that sometimes they can hardly stand upon the Place, as Glauber says, and from whence that proceeds.
LXXIX. Whether there be Mineral Juices that harden into Stones or Metals, upon the touch of the Air, called Gur; of this Helmont relates an Observation.
LXXX. What Laws, Con∣stitutions and OEconomy is ob∣serv'd among the Miners.
LXXXI. What way the Trees and their Leaves are affected by the Mineral Fumes and Juices, and if they be gilded or silver'd as along the River Meine in Germany is observ'd; and if these Trees be more ponderous than others; if they have any Metals or Metaline Concretes lodg'd in their Pores.
LXXXII. Whether there be Waters and Springs observ'd to rise near the Mines, and run their whole Course under the Ground, without ever appear∣ing above it.
LXXXIII. Whether Subter∣raneous Springs do rise with any VVind, or determinate Change of Weather.
LXXXIV. How much heavier the Atmosphere is at the Bottom than at the Top; and whether
damps considerably increase the weight of it.
LXXXV. Whether they find any strange Substances in the Mines as Vessels, Anchors, Fish∣es inclos'd in Spar or Metal.
Having gone through what be∣longs to the Mineral Kingdom, in as full a Method as we could; the next Head of Enquiries shall be about the Vegetable Kingdom, which though more proper for one that has his abode fixt, may yet be acceptable and useful also to the curious Traveller.
I. What Vegetables there are which having the wrong End of them set down into the Ground, will yet grow, as 'tis said Elders and Bryars will.
II. Whether the Branch of a Plant (as of a Vine or Bramble) being laid into the Ground, whilst
yet growing on the Tree, and there taking Root, being cut off from the Tree whilst so growing, will shoot out forward and back∣ward.
III. In Tapping, Cutting or Boring of any Tree, whether the Juice that vents at it comes from above or below.
IV. What part of the Juice ascends or descends by the Bark; whether what so ascends, ascends by the outward or inward part of it.
V. Whether if a Zone of about two or three Inches be cut off about the Bottom of a Branch, that Branch will die or cast its Leaves, or bleed out a Juice from the upper or lower part of the Bark so cut, or be apt to shoot out Leaves or Branches, or Knobs, either above or below that Bor∣ing.
VI. What the use of the Pith is; whether the Juice ascend or descend by it; and what ef∣fects will follow if the Trunk be bor'd to the Pith, and a Peg dro∣ven hard into the Hole of the Pith, both above and below; this to be tryed in the most pithy Plants.
VII. Whether the Points or Ends of the Roots being cut off, the Roots will bleed as copiously as Branches of the Trunks do when bor'd.
VIII. What Side of the Tree affords most Sap.
IX. Of what Age Trees afford most Sap.
X. What are the best Seasons of the Air for taking the Sap o•• every kind of Tree in greates•• Quantity, and how long that Season lasteth.
XI. Whether the Sap comes more copiously at one Time of
the Day or Night than at ano∣ther.
XII. Whether Trees afford any considerable Juice in the Fall.
XIII. What Effect, Copious∣ness, or Scarcity of Rain hath upon the Saps of Trees.
XIV. Whether or no the Na∣ture of a Tree may be changed by Applications of Juices or Li∣quors to the Roots, or other Parts.
XV. Whether a Tree, whose Root is covered from Rain, and not watered, if the Branches of it be exposed to the Air, will grow.
XVI. Whether inoculated Roots of a Tree will grow.
XVII. How short the Arms of the Roots of a Tree may be cut, and the Tree still grow.
XVIII. How deep the several kinds of Trees are to be set in the Ground to grow.
XIX. Wether, or no, a Seed being planted either way, it will grow equally.
XX. Wether the Stem of a Tree being set in the Earth, and the Root turn'd up into the Air, the Tree will grow, &c.
N. B. Mr. Boyle says some∣where, that a reddish Mine∣ral Water has been drunk to satisfie Thirst, without any Hurt.