A Relation Concerning Quick-silver Mines in Friuli; communicated by Dr. Edward Brown; confirming as well the AccomptAccount formerly given of that subject, in Numb. 2. of these TransactiousTransactions, as enlarging the same with some Additions.

THeThe town of Idria, in the County of Goritia and Province of Friuli, is seated low, and encompass'd with Hills on all sides. A River of the same name runs by it, which although Leandro terms it superbissimo siume d'Idria, yet I found small and shallow at the time when I was there; though upon plentiful Raine it proves sufficient to convey down the Firr-Trees and other Wood required in the building of the Mines, and also for Fuel required in the service of them: And to this end there is an handsome work of Piles made sloaping athwart the River (after the same manner as I observ'd in Newsol in upper Hungary cross the River Gran;) to stop the Trees, which are cut down, and cast into the River above this place.

What is chiefly considerable in this Town, are the Quick- silver-Mines, very well known to the Neighbouring parts, and exceeding useful to many at greater distance.

The entrance into these Mines is not high, or upon an Hill, as in many other Mines; but in town it self, whereby they are somewhat the more troubled with Water, against which they are provided with many excellent Engins and Devices, as at other deep Mines. The deepest part of the Mine from the entrance, is between 120 and 130 fathoms.

Of the Quick-silver of this Mine they make two sorts: The one they call Iungsraw, that is, Virgin-Quicksilver; the other, plain Quicksilver. Virgin-Mercury they call that, which discovers it self without the help of Fire; and is either plainly to be seen in the Ore, or falls down in little drops in the Mine, and sometimes streams out in good quantity; as about seven years agoeago it ran out of the Earth at first in a streame as small as a thred, and afterwards as big as a pack-thred, but ceas'd in three of our dayes.

That also is accounted Virgin-Quicksilver, which, having no (1081) need to pass the fire, is separated by water first in a Sive, and afterwards in a long trough, having very small holes at one end. So that there are in a manner two sorts of Virgin-Mercury; the one, running out and discovering itself without labour; the other, requiring some way of Extraction and separation, though not so high an one, as by Fire.

Plaine Quicksilver they name that, which is not at first perceived by the Eye, or falls from the Ore, but is forc'd out by Fire. And this they obtaine out of the Ore, or out of the Cinnaber of Mercury, which they digg out of this Mine. The Ore of this Mine is of a dark colour, mix'd with red. But the best is an hard stone; which they commit not presently to the operation of the Fire, but powder it grossly, and work it by the Sive, that so, if any Virgin-quicksilver be found in it, it may be separated in this manner, and what doth not pass the Sive, may be separated by Fire in Iron-furnaces; Fifty of them in a Fire.

The Quicksilver-ore of this Mine is the richest of all Ores, I have yet seen; for ordinarily it contains in it halfe Quicksilver, and in two parts of Ore one part of Quicksilver, and sometimes in 3. parts of Ore, two parts of Quicksilver.

I went into the Mine by the Pitt of St. Agatha, and came up again by that of St Barbara, descending and ascending by Ladders. I ascend at one of 639. staves or 89. fathoms. Andreas Siserus, in Kircher's Mund Subterraneus, makes such a dreadful description of this Mine, that it might discourage any from attempting the descent; which makes me doubt, Whether he had been in any other Mine, especially where the descent is made by Ladders.

This Mine, I was inform'd, hath been wrought 200. years, about the same space of time with Newsol-Mine, but comscomes much short in time of the Silver-mine at Schemnitz; and much shorter yet of the notable Lead-mines in upper Carinthia. Some hundreds of men are employed about this Mine of Idria; of which the chief Officers are the Prefect, the Controller, and the Judge.

I heard no complaint of the Damps of this Mine, as I have heard of divers others; Yet the workmen are sufficiently mischiev'd without them: for, though they be not suddenly suffocated, (1082) yet the Mercury getting into their Bodies, they are languishingly destroyed by it. Much less could I hear any news of eitheeither noxious or innocent Apparitions, Virunculi &c. such as some write, and many talk of in other Mines.

In a Laboratory, where the Quicksilver is separated by Fire, I saw an heap of 16000. Retorts of Iron; every one of which costs a Crown at the best hand from the Iron-furnaces in Carinthia. There are 800. Retorts and as many Recipients employ'd together, in drawing over the Quicksilver in 16. Furnaces; 50. in each Furnace, 25. of a side, 12. above, and 13. below of each side.

June 12, when I was there, they carried out 40. Saumes of Quicksilver into forrain parts, each Saume containing 315. pound weight, to the value of 400 ducats of Gold. Though the conveyance be not easy, yet some is sent as farr as Cremnitz in Hungary, for the use of the Gold-mines; and very much carried away Southward. For, though the River by the Town be but small, yet they are not very farr from the Sontius or Lysonzo, a considerable River, which runs into the Gulf of Trieste in the Adriatick Sea.

In the Castle I saw 3000 Saumes of Quicksilver together, in barrels; the Quicksilver being first made up in double leather: And in another house as much rich Ore, as can be distill'd in 2. years, except they have great plenty of rain to bring down the wood; but, the Hills being high about them, it snows at the tops of them oftner than it rains.

The Countrys, through which I pass'd, are singularly well wooded, and well stor'd with fair Trees, wherein, beside such as grow with us in England, are stately Firrs, Larches, Pines, Pinasters, Picea's, and that nobly crisped and well grain'd kind of Acer, whereof Viols and Violins are made: Whereof there is also plenty in the Country of Saltzburg and Carinthia.

Travelling sometimes in the night, we had continually about us a great number of large Glow-worms, which put into papers gave a dimm light like Candles in Lanthorns; and the Aire also full of flaming Flyes, affording some delight to us.

The way unto this place I found difficult; for, travelling from places on the borders of Croatia by Lovitch, I was faine to pass (1083) over great mountains, and coming from it, I pas'd over Swartzenburg or the Black mountain, from whence I descended 10. miles in a rocky Country, and farr more stony than the Cran or Campus lapidosus in Provence; and so to Aidoschini and Goritia, and leaving the Sclavonian behind, entred into the Lingua Fullana, and so onto this Noble and incomparably fortified City; where being yet uncertain, whether I should go to Venice, I would not omit to present you this accomptaccount, which I beseech you to accept from &c.

Palma nova in Friuli June 15. 1669.

Of STONES Irregular.

ASAs Gems are chiefly distinguished by their Colours, and Formed or Regular Stones by their Figures, so the Irregular by the different Degrees of Hardness. But as some Gems were premised in the preceding Paragraph, before the Crystals and Diamonds, with which Mr. Lhywd begins his Catalogue, so must others here before the Marbles: As an Amethist more deeply tinctured than the former. The Sardins or Cornelian, of which more amongst the Antiquities; as also of the Turcois (a blew Stone) which have been engraved, and used as Roman Signets. The Mocho Stones, half a Dozen of different Colours or Mixtures, polished and curiously marked; one with a Plant, the rest with Variety of Colours. The Agate (so called from the River Achates in Sicily, near which it was first found) some very light, clear, others, variegated with waved and figured Veins of different Colours, Yellow included in Blew, &c. To these Exoticks Dr. Woodward added two Specimens of English Agate, viz. from Gravesend in Kent, and Belford in Darbyshire, which looks well when polished. To the Onyx (before-mentioned) may be added a Peble of Kin to the Onyx; the Stone it self is semiperspicuous, round a Point in the Center is a Circle of white, which is surrounded by another of red, and so alternately five Rings.

(b) Grew's Mus. Reg. Soc. p. 287.

Emery or Smiris is said to be the hardest of unfigured Stones, and is therefore used for the polishing and cutting of all Gems, except the Diamond. But perhaps Porphyry is to be excepted, which is a Body so exceeding hard, that the Art of working it is supposed to be quite lost (c)(c) Phil. Trans. N° 217., by a learned Pen, which gives an Account of the noble Porphyry Pillars, yet remaining in the Ruins of Palmyra or Tad mor in the Desart, built by K. Solomon, 2 Chron. 8. 4. This here is dark coloured, adorned with white Spots, well polished. To this foreign Porphyry, I shall add one that I brought from Mount Sorril in Leicestershire, where is great Variety of Colours, so that the House built of the rough Stones look very beautifully, though not a squared one to be met with it is so hard to be wrought. It was not without Difficulty that I got a Sample broken off; one Part is a pale red, the other dark coloured, with shining Particles. That ingenious Artist, Mr. Place of Yorke, got a Piece polished to grind Colours upon, for which it exceeds Marble.

In the same Tour I observed a Sort of black Marble, the Product of the same County; of which I saw several Gravestones at Leicester, and seems capable of Improvement: Of this I have a Specimen, and of the Sussex Marble, which abounds with white turbinated Shells, and is therefore called Marmor Turbinites, by Dr. Cay who sent it me. Of the Florentine Marble adorned with Trees, see before. Here is a Murrey coloured Marble with white Specks, very beautiful and well polished. Also the Kilkenny Marble from Ireland; it is black with whitish Clouds. This with a Sample of the black Irish Slate, was sent me by Mrs. Marshal of Dublin. A different black Marble, with less white, by Sam. Molineux Esq;. Another Sort from Bolton in Craven, of which I have seen a Chimney-piece at the Lord Fairfax's at Denton, that looks very well. Two Samples of Darbyshire Marble (Don. Jo. Battie Arm.) one pale Red, with white Veins; the other curiously variegated with black, white and sad Colour, in which is the Figure of a Pyramid, &c. Of which Sort is a very curious Chimney-Piece at Alderman Atkinson's in this Town. A Marble Table with the exact Figure of the Belemnites upon it.

To Marble may fitly be added Alabaster, which some Naturalists account marmor incoctum sive imperfectum: Of this here are clear white of different Thicknesses, and white, with red Veins, and brown Spots, dug up at Fairburn near Ledston in this Neighbourhood. A globular Flint, of the Colour of Amber without, and a large Oval one, that within hath a Spar-like Substance, sent from Newcastle, by Dr. Cay. Lapis Armenius, or a Sort of Native Blew, of which Cæruleum nativum, see Dr. Plot (d)(d) Nat. Hist. of Oxon, pag. 57 & 161.. Don. Rog. Gale Arm.

Crystalline Pebles from the Durham Shore. Don. Jo. Woodward M D. Other transparent Pebles of very different Colours, white, yellow, brown, pale and deep Red: Others opace, remarkable only for their Form; some exactly Globular, others Oval, and another equally compress'd on the opposite Sides. One divided by a circular Zone, on one Side of which it is clear white, and upon the other yellow; and in the transparent there are Light and Dark like two distinct Bodies in the same Stone. In the Slate-delfs of this Parish are sometimes found globular Stones; one here (two Inches in Diameter) is surrounded with a Hoop of Iron-stone, of a quite different Colour and Consistence from that within. A black Ball from the Coal-mines: And a dark colour'd granulated Ball from Ireland.

White Cylindrical Pillars in a dark coloured Stone from Towneley in Lancashire. Don. Car. Towneley Gen These are near two Inches round. Another of a bright glossy black, with white Cylinders as small as Brush Iron. But the most remarkable is a Boulder, accidentally broken in paving the Court of William Cookson Esq; the present Mayor of Leedes, whereby were discovered two Mathematical Figures, viz. an Oval within a Quadrangle in red Lines upon a yellow Ground. Kircher, in his Mundus Subterraneus, gives an Account of certain Geometrical Figures, naturally imprinted upon Stones; but I have not the Opportunity in these remote Parts to consult that Author. A transparent Peble with the exact Resemblance of a Coat of Arms, viz. an Orle of three Pieces with an Inescochean. Another Peble hath an Orange Oval in a white Stone. A blewish Stone with twelve Rows of protuberant Lozenges, set most regularly in the QuincuuxQuincunx Order. Another which hath been a Mold as it were to the former, the Squares being hollow, and the Rows protuberant; it was found at the Coal-Pits near Beiston, and given me by Alderman Askwith. A white Stone from Weetwoodside with Rows of perforated Holes regularly placed at half Inch distance from each other. A Cylindrical Stone wrought quite round, with Ridges and Furrows the length Way of the Stone, the Rigs (to use the Local Word) thick set with Knobs. A small one of 29 Rigs that was found in the midst of a great Stone near Kirkstall, and given me by Mr. Tho. Dinsdale. Another with transverse Wreaths, and a Protuberance above the Neck, that, without much Stretch of Fancy, resembles the Head of a Quadruped. Another with Rows of Holes, and in the midst of each a small raised Point. A large one near half a Yard long, and a Foot thick, of the like Work, but as to the Form, tapering like the Branch of a Tree; and seems, by a Seam, and part of a Joint remaining near the Top, to have had an Out-branch springing from it, which would tempt one to think that even these large rough Stones do sometimes shoot forth like the tender Rock-Plants in Mendip Hills, so accurately figured by Rich. Waller Esq; (e)(e) Phil. Trans. N° 150.. These I had from Madam Leighton's Quarry at Great Woodhouse. A large round Stone, but somewhat compress'd, deeply chanell'd, not unlike the Radix of those Rock-Plants: This (which was brought me from Craven) is almost a Yard in Circumference, fit for so large a Stem as the last described. Don. Rev. Mil. Gale. Two small ones, with white Veins or Chanels, the larger about three Inches round, the other not two. Some of these might perhaps have been more aptly placed amongst the Formed Stones, but their Circumscriptive Form not being Regular, they were omitted.

The White great Glist, the Sparks of a bright, silver Colour. A Red Daze, or Small Glist. A brown Daze full of the small Sparks of the Mica, from the same Benefactor's Quarry at Great Woodhouse. A blewish Convex Stone full of the said Sparks of Cat-Silver. A soft Sort that sticks to the Fingers. A harder Stone that is striated with Silver.

A dark coloured Stone with red Veins, and black Clouds, with some shining Particles; it was found with three more near a Brook in the North of Scotland, Fourscore Miles from Edinburgh, whence it was sent me by Mr. Ja. Sutherland, Intendant of Her Majesty's Physick Garden there, who sent one to Mr. Lhywd for the Musæum at Oxford; and another to Mr. Charlton for his at the Temple in London; the Curiosity of it is, that it smels strong of Violets, or the Florentine Iris Root; and if put in warm Water communicates its Scent thereto, without diminishing its own.

A Lough Neagh Stone sent me from Ireland by the late Reverend Mr. Tho. Jackson. It is a Piece of Holly petrified, but whether by the Water of the Lough, or the Soil where it is found for about two Miles round it, is uncertain: See Phil. Trans. N° 158, and N° 174. A Fossil sent by the Name of Petrified Wood from Portland Quarry. Another from Crick Com. Northampt. And a third from an Encrustating Spring near Harrington in the same County, all presented to me by the Learned Dr. Woodward. Petrified Moss from the Dropping-well at Knaresborough in the West-Riding of the County of York, which a noted Physician says, is the most famous Petrifying Spring in the Kingdom (f)(f) Dr. Wittie's Scarb. pag. 54.. White Pumis-stone; there are also Ash-coloured and black, near Mount Vesuvius. Cinders from Mount Ætna, both of the Black and Red. Don. Tho. Sanders Arm. Other Sciarri, more Metallick. The like from Vesuvius, brought thence by my kind Friend Dr. Jabez Cay. This Sample hath more of the Pyrites in it. Sparkling Metallick Ashes from the same Volcano. A vitrified Substance almost in the Form of Garlick or Lilly-Root. In the Phil. Trans. N° 296, is an Account of the vitrified Cinders of a great Hay-rick burnt upon Salisbury Plain: Here is the like from Sir Edw. Blacket's at Newby in this County. Cinders from Almonbury, when old Cambodunum was burnt by the Pagans, of which see Bede and the new Britannia: It appears by these that the Flame was so vehement, that the Earth was melted rather than burnt.