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.

A fuller Relation of the Spanish Priests Error and attempt, about getting Gold out of one of these flam∣ing Mountains in the West-Indies.

THE most famous Vulcano's in the West-Indies, are the Gua∣tamala, discernable at vast distance on the South-Sea. A Spanish Priest out of Avarice would needs sound this Mountain, supposing the bottom to be full of Gold. This Priest was called Mossen, born at Antequera, who came to the In∣dies with Pirarow at the time of Ferdinand Cortez's Conquest. He had a Sister living with him who had a fair Daughter, whom the Captain married to Lazart d' Almadia, Clark of the Ship, promi∣sing 1000 Duckets in Marriage. But the Clark being jealous of his Captain, left his Wife in Spain; and the Captain being come on Shore, with grief for his Mistress absence, died; to whom by his last Will he ratified the 1000 Duckets. Mean while the Clark took command of the Vessel, and arrived in New Hispaniola, where the Priest was very welcome, Priests being there very acceptable; and was accommodated in the Town of Sanda, where he lived in great esteem for sincerity and devotion; so in few years he grew very wealthy. But not content with this, upon suggestion that the slam∣ing Mountain, not far thence, was a Mine of Gold, he thought to get inestimable riches out of it: for this purpose he caused a strong Iron Chain to be made, to the measure of the height of the Mountain, which he had taken by Artizans; then by strength of Men began to cut a way for portage of his necessaries, which could not be done but at great expence, a mans labour there being worth two Crowns a day; nevertheless Avarice made him pass it easily. But this be∣ginning was a mean matter, for he must continue the Labourers; being yet not advanced far, by reason of the height of the Mountain, and firmness of the Rock, which he must cut through: nor though many looked upon the Enterprize as extravagant and inconsiderate, yet the Priest every day got nearer to the mouth of the Fornace with expence of time, labour and difficulty. After four moneths space

the pondrous Chains and Caldrons, with great cost and pain were drawn up. The good man boasted, He donbted not now to come short∣ly to his ends, and that he had a Revelation of it in his sleep.

At length all these Iron Engines were set in order, and the work∣men, to the number of fifty began to let down a Caldron well fasten∣ed to a strong Iron Chain, with other Engines secured, and the Priest himself set his hand to the work: But as they thought to draw up the Caldron full of rich melted mettal, the strength of the fire consumed all, and they hardly escaped without burning their hands and feet, so violent a heat burst out upon them. The Priest half mad cried out, The Devil had broken his Chain; with a thousand Curses, ready to throw himself headlong into the Precipice, covered over with Soot and Cindars, and frying with heat, fright, and toyl, that he looked like a right Fury, running like a mad man to and fro; the rest in little better condition, the greatest part being saur'd and consum'd with labour and the violence of heat which had even melt∣ed them. The good man at last was brought to his Lodging in ex∣tream torment, where they laid him to bed in so much grief and discomfort that he was the pitty of the World. Walking in the night he was surprized with such a rage, that he gave himself seve∣ral stabs in the throat with his knife; and in the morning his Sister coming to visit him, found him steeped in blood and gastly, half dead, whereupon she cried out for help, and friends came immediate∣ly in, and a Chirurgion applyed the Country Balsom so fortunately to his wounds, that he was well within few dayes; nevertheless for extream grief and sullenness, he could eat nothing; At last he languished to death, having consumed all he had gotten, besides what his Sister had also, and other Friends, whom he quite ruined. The poor woman lived a while after, but miserably. Her Son-in-Law making some Voyages betwixt the Indies and Spain in the best sort he could; who afterwards had other strange misfortunes upon his Wifes account, esteemed the Daughter of that Unfortunate Priest. Thus do greatest disappointments procure the greatest desperations.