Purchas his pilgrimes. part 3 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

Of the wonderfull Mountaynes in Island.

[ 10]

THere are three Mountaynes in Island very admirable, the one is called the Mountayne of the Crosse, the other Sneuelsiockell. These two pierce the cloudes with their heigth, whose heads, or tops no man euer saw, nor are they euer seene without Ice and Snow; in those, Light∣nings and horrible Thunders are daily heard, when neuerthelesse, in the neighbouring Valleyes the Aire is faire and cleere, as in Summer time. The third Mountayne lyeth on the North of the Iland, and not very high, but it hath burned very many yeeres; with what fire or matter, it is vnknowne; but seeing Brimstone is digged out of the Earth throughout the whole Land, it see∣meth, that the Sulphurie matter is sometime inflamed. This Mountayne is not farre from the Sea, and the Sea on one side beates vpon it: it is called Hecla, sometimes it casteth forth flame, sometimes fierie water,* 1.1 then blacke ashes and Pumis stones, in so great abundance, that it darke∣neth [ 20] the Sunne. No man also can dwell neere it by sixe mile, neither are there any pastures a∣bout it. Sometimes bold men, and such as regard not their liues, cast stones into the hollow pla∣ces; for sometimes there is a wonderfull calme in the Mountayne; especially when the Westerne wind blowes,* 1.2 it casteth backe the stones flung into it with an horrible noyse and sound: the common people thinke the soules of the damned to be tormented heere: it is certayne that di∣uers and horrible spirits are obserued in this Mountayne and about it; for if a Battaile be fought in any place, the Islanders, especially they that sayle and fish in the Sea neere to Hecla, know the day of the Battaile fought, although they know not where it be done: for they see (as they re∣port) wicked spirits going forth, and returning, and bringing soules with them. And such a sto∣rie is rep••rted all Island ouer. [ 30]

A Fisherman sayling by Hecla, met with another ship, both had a prosperous wind, and when (after the manner of Saylers) he was demanded who hee was and of what place, hee answered, that hee had the Bishop of Breme in his ship,* 1.3 whom hee would conuay to Hecla: and it was knowne that the Bishop dyed the same day, which notwithstanding, I would not set downe for truth. If any perish by Sea, or otherwise dye, sometimes leauing their Friends and Acquain∣tance, they appeare very heauie, being demanded whither they goe, and from whence, they answere they are brought to Hecla, vnder a cruell Master the Deuill, and so vanish. And they are so bewitched of Satan, that they thinke them the soules of the departed.

But because no man that is well in his wits, will thinke that Hell is in this Mountayne, yet it may be demanded, whence the Hill hath this matter, whereby it should bring forth so many [ 40] yeeres flames, so many ashes, and such abundance of Pumis stones? For wee see the most sollid and firme bodies, and all things to be consumed by fire: and for that cause some thinke, that it shall come to passe that these flames shall once be extingished? for the cause fayling, they deny that any effects can follow. But heere (what I thinke) I will freely speake, yet sauing other mens judgements. It is manifest by watry Meteors, that there is a continuall generation of water, by the vapours gathered together in the cauities of the Earth; which issueth forth by Fountayns; but the efficient and materiall causes abiding perpetually, the effects also continually remayne: so also in the bowels of the Earth, there are certayne places, which by their owne nature draw vn∣to them a hote and dry exhalation, and that it resolues it into flames, ashes, and Pumis stones, which may easily be done in this Mountayne, by reason of the Sulphur matter, which is found in [ 50] Island throughout the whole Land. And as Fountaynes send forth more abundance of water in the Winter time, then in the Summer, nay, some of them are dry, because matter failes; so is it with this Mountayne: for sometimes matter failing, it hath neither flames, nor smoke, and all is quiet, whereby it appeareth that the matter and efficient cause faile. Howeuer it bee, I know this, that no man may come to the foot of the Mountayne without danger and feare, as hereafter shall be declared.

* 1.4The same yeere I was in Island, the nine and twentieth of Nouember, about midnight in the Sea, neere Hecla, there appeared a flame, which gaue light to the whole Iland, so that all of vs astonished, wondred, and carefully expected the issue thereof: the elder sort and such as were skilfull in this matter, said, that this light came from Hecla: an houre after, the whole Iland [ 60] trembled, as it should haue beene moued out of the place: after the Earthquake followed a hor∣rible cracke, that if all warlike Ordnance had beene discharged, it had beene nothing to this ter∣rour. It cannot be thought, much lesse expressed by word, how horrible it was. Wee thought that the whole frame of the World would fall, and that the last Day was at hand: but it was

knowne afterwards that the Sea went backe two leagues in that place, and remayned dry.

About the beginning of Iuly, at a certayn time of the yeere great store of Ice suddenly floteth to the Iland about Hecla, and there goes a rumour through the whole Iland, nay it is beleeued, that the damned soules are tormented in this Ice by course, in the Flame, in the Mountayne, and after in the Ice. This Ice for three whole moneths swimmeth only about Hecla.* 1.5 If you take a∣ny part of this Ice out of the Sea, and wrap it in a linnen cloth, and lay it vp in a Chest, it re∣mayneth so long vnmelted, as it swimmeth in the Sea; but if the Ice in the Sea vanish, which suddenly in one night happeneth, this appeareth not, nor leaueth any signe of moysture in the linnen cloth, which is not a hard thing for Satan to doe, to take away the Ice without moysture, [ 10] to increase their incredulitie. Olaus Magnus maketh mention of this Ice in his eleuenth Booke. But because I determined to search out all things diligently, I sayled not without great feare vnto this Ice, and I obserued, that this Ice was violently cast against the Rockes by force of the winds, and so made a mournfull sound afarre off, as if miserable howlings were heard there. Hereupon the Islanders thinke the soules of the damned are tormented in this Ice.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hecla a bur∣ning Hill.
• * 1.2

  Conceit of Purgatorie.
• * 1.3

  Collusions of men, or Illusi∣ons of Deuils. A••ngim Ionas an Islander scoffes at 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as fabu∣lous.
• * 1.4

  Strange Story.
• * 1.5

  Another won∣der.