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.