The vulcano's, or, Burning and fire-vomiting mountains, famous in the world, with their remarkables collected for the most part out of Kircher's Subterraneous world, and exposed to more general view in English : upon the relation of the late wonderful and prodigious eruptions of Ætna, thereby to occasion greater admirations of the wonders of nature (and of the God of nature) in the mighty element of fire.

Of the Liparitan or Vulcanian Islands adjoyning, com∣monly called the Vulcanello's.

West of Sicily in the Tuscan Sea; but South and within sight of Messina, an hundred and fifty miles distant from Aetna, are the Aeolian Islands, so called from Aeolus King thereof. He taught at first the use of the Sail; and by observing the Fire and Smoak that ascended from these Islands, (for heretofore they all of them slamed) prognosticated of Storms to come. And thence the occasion of the Fable of Aeolus's being Godd and King of the Winds, for us ad∣mirable skill and invention that way. Of these anciently there were Seven only; (But now are Eleven; 'tis like made since out of the excessive burnings of the other; as 'tis said of the little one cal∣led Vulcanello) almost of an equal magnitude. Yet Liparis is the greatest, (being ten miles in circuit) as also the most famous, to which the others were subject. (And hence they are now call'd the Lipa∣ritan, and Vulcanian Islands, or Vulcanello's) Its fruitful and abound∣ing with Bitumen, Sulphur, and Alumne; having hot Baths much frequented by the diseased. The Fire here went out about an Age agoe; having (as is to be supposed) consumed the matter that fed it. But at this day Strombolo only burns; and that with ragings not inferior to the Aetnaean or Vesuvian. Yet Volcano smokes continu∣ally, from Subterraneous Fires. They are said heretofore to have burnt wholly, together with the Mountains, and Sea, as Strabo wit∣nesses.

Volcano, formerly call'd Hiera, is a little Island, burning in the midst of the Sea; where Antiquity placed Vulcans Shop, or Forge; Because of the Fires seen by night, and abundance of smoak by day. And therefore received its name from its nature; consecrated former∣ly to Vulcan, and called his Mansion. It is said but first to have ap∣peared above water, about the time that Scipio Africanus dyed. A barren Island, stony, and uninhabited. It had three Tunnels, where∣with it evaporated Fire; But now hath but one out of which it smoaketh continually, and casts out stones with an horrible roaring. It was heretofore all on Fire, and the Sea round about, for some dayes together, which Pliny reports, as a known truth, and an instance neer at hand. And has not ceased to be on a flame since, as it were a Mountain of flames only, in the midst of the Sea. For even in the

year of our Lord 1444, on the 5th of February, it flamed so abun∣dantly, and flung forth fire and stones, with such an hideous noise; that not only the rest of the Islands; but also Sicily trembled thereat. Perhaps the last blaze. For now flame it doth not: but retaineth the rest of its terrours.

But now Strombolo is the most notorious at this day. Here the Inhabitants formerly were wont from the Smoak, to predict what Winds would blow. Where Aeolus also, the first so skilled there∣in, was King, &c. as before. It was formerly call'd Strongyle, (corrupted at last into Stromboli) from the rotundity thereof. For it seem no other than an high round Mountain in the Sea; out of the top whereof issueth continnally a flame like a burning Beacon; and exceeding clearly; so that by night especially it is to be discern'd a wonderful way. A place so full of horrour to the Neighbouring-Islanders; (And yet in those parts where the Rage of the Fire offendeth not, it is of a very fruitfull Soyl, and apt for Tillage) and many others of the Ignoranter Romish Catholicks, conceive it (and such like places) to be the Jaws of Hell it self; and that with∣in the damned Souls are tormented. To which purpose the good Catholicks (who are excellent at pious frauds and tales) have, or rather have rais'd, a pretty Story of Sir Thomas Gresham, London's most glorious Benefactor; which we shall by and by transcribe out of Mr. Sandys's Travels verbatim; True it is he was full of pious and charitable good works and bublick Benefactures in his latter dayes. But upon such an occasion, as this Story pretends; we have not the least reason to believe: For surely all our Histories and Memories could never have been wholly silent thereof; and of a thing so publickly attested before the King, &c. But to return to the business again.

Kircher, in the said often mentioned year 1638, thought good also to examine among others of these Islands, those two chief ones, Volcano, and Stromboli. And Stromboli indeed for the fierceness and outrages of its Fires, which it continually vomited, was guarded from all access. But Volcano making Truces and Intervals with the Aestuaries, discover'd nothing else besides Smoak: Yet it hath an Island adjoyning, call'd Volcanello, annexed to Volcano, which they relate to have been generated of the rejected refuses and offalls of the Mountain, which it belch'd forth out of the last burning thereof; (perhaps that in the year 1444, a little before mentioned) All the Island springs and abounds with Sulphur, Nitre, Bitumen;

Yea and the very bottom of the Sea is burrow'd through with innu∣merable Caverns and Tunnels or Trunks; which both the Vortices, or Whirlpools, and also the frequency of Winds bursting forth, and puffing the Sea after a wonderful manner, do shew. And this made our Author, as himself acknowledges, that he could in no wise dissent from those, who say, There are Submarine Mines and Bur∣rows under the Sea; which correspond with Aetna; and thence, by continued passages and conveyances, through the concavous spaces of the Back of Appenine, with Vesuvius; which he, a pre∣sent and Eye-witness, found most true in the said year 1638. when in his return home from these Travels, he was driven on the Coasts of Terra di Lavoro, in the Kingdom of Naples, which he found almost reduced unto utter ruine and desolation, at the same time, by most horrible Earthquakes; wherein he very narrowly escaped himself with his life; and accordingly hath writ very sen∣sibly and feelingly thereof; too large for this place. But on a certain day more curiously viewing Stromboli at this time, about sixty miles distant, he observ'd it to be more than ordinarily fu∣rious: For it appear'd wholly overwhelm'd with Fire, in so great plenty, that it seem'd to belch out flamy Mountains; (A most horrendous spectacle!) And then heard I know not what kind of dull murmur from the Mountain so far off, which time after time seem'd to grow towards them through Subterraneous Burrows, till it reached the subterraneous place, on which they stood; and there utter'd such horrendous Thunderings within the Earth, with so formidable Earthquakes, that none of the company were able to stand on their feet. After the Violence was over, getting up a∣gain, not without ineffable consternation, they beheld the Sub∣version and lamentable Catastrophe of the most famous Town St. Euphemia, three miles off, (which happened in that time;) and the Citty wholly swallowed up. For, seeking for the Town, they found in stead thereof, (wonderful to be spoke!) nothing but a most putrid Lake sprung up in its place. They could find no Men, nor Inhabitants: Thence passing on their Journy, they found no∣thing else for two hundred miles, but the Carkases of Cities, hor∣rid Ruines of Castles, Men stragling up and down in the open Fields, and through fear, as it were, withering away. Then passing by Naples, he could not after all this, leave out Vesuvius out of the way of his Observations; what that did also; Of which

before in its place. And this was a leading us to another Chap∣ter, concerning Earthquakes, as the proper effects and products of Subterraneous Fires also; and alwayes preceding, and concomitant with these Vulcanian Eruptions; But that we found a Chapter was not sufficient for so great a Subject; and that we had already transgressed and exceeded the intended and prescribed bounds of This.

FINIS.