and Tellow-Amber than for Gold or Silver in regard the other is more in esteem among the Natives where they live Tavernier also tells us That after they have kill'd the Creature they cut off the Bladder that grows under the Belly as big as an Egg nearer to the Genital parts than to the Navel And that then they take out the MUSK that is in the Bladder which at that time looks like Clotted-Blood He observes to us That this Creature is not to be found in 65 degrees but in 60 there are vast Numbers the Country being all over cover'd with Forrests But he says that in the Months of February and March after they have endur'd a sharp Hunger by reason of the great Snows that fall where they breed Ten or Twelve Foot deep they will come to 44 or 45 degrees to fill themselves with Corn and new Rice And then it is that the Natives lay Gins and Snares for them to catch them as they go back Shooting some with Bows and knocking others o' the head Nay he says some have assur'd him That they are so lean and faint with Hunger at that time that one may almost take them running He also informs us That none of these Creatures have above one Bladder no bigger thâ—n a Hen's_Egg which will not yield above half an Ounce of MUSK and that sometimes three or four will not affâ—rd an Ounce and yet what a world of MUSK is bought up There are three sorts of MUSK Black Brown and Yellow of which the First is naught the Second is good the last best which ought to be of Colour like the best Spikenard that is of a deep Amber Colour inclosed with one only Skin and not one over another as it is oftentimes to 〈…〉 moist which makeâ—◠〈…〉 but in a mean having som◠〈…〉 like Bristles but not over many clear of Stones Lead or â—ther Trash intermix'd and of so strong and fragrant a smell that to many it is offensive and being tasted in the Mouth it pierceth the very Brain with the Scent and ought not oversoon to dissolve in the Mouth nor yet to remain very long undissolv'd in any hand it must not be kept near to any sweet Spices lest it lose the scent PVRCH. Pâ—lgr Vol. 1. Pag. 389. That the Testicles of the Animal call'd MUSK-QUASS do smell strong of MUSK as Mr. Iosselin in his Treatise of the Rarities of New-England affirms is most certain for a certain Person as you may see in the Philosoph Transact tâ—lls us There is a Plant pretty common in England viz. One kind of Cranes-Bill call'd Geranium Moschatum that smells just like MUSK especially Morning and Evening There are several ways of adulterating MUSK Sometimes with Roots of Angelica a Kids Liver or Goats Blood p. iiii of it to i. p. of MUSK As also with Nutmeg Cinnamon Cloves Spikenard ana mixt with MUSKED Rose-Water And sometimes with Benjamin Storax and Laudanum The King of Boutan fearing that 〈◊〉 Cheats and Adulterations of 〈◊〉 â—â—SK would spoil the MUSK 〈◊〉 order'd that none of the 〈◊〉 should be sow'd up but 〈◊〉 they should be all brought to 〈◊〉 and there after due inâ—ction be seal'd up with his Seal 〈◊〉 notwithstanding all the wariâ—â—â—s and care of the King they will 〈◊〉 cunningly open them 〈◊〉 put in little pieces of Lead to 〈◊〉 the Weight Observations concerning CIVET and CIVET-CATS THe CIVET-CAT is a Beast almost as big as a good Dog it hath a sharp Snout small Eyes little Ears and Mustachios like a Cat the Skin of it is all spotted Black and White with some yellowish specks and hath a long bushy Tail almost like a Fox It is a very Wild Creature and I believe the bite of it would put a Man to no small pain There is great plenty of this sort of Animals in Aethiopia but especially in the Kingdom of Naria Tributary to the King of Aethopia where the Iews keep them in great square Wooden Cages feeding them with raw Mutton and Beef cut into small pieces When they would get from them that which is call'd CIVET and is the Sweat of this Beast that smells so sweet they make him go back with a Stick which they thrust in betwixt the Bars of the Cage and catch hold of his Tail when they have that fast they take hold also of his two hind Legs pulling him half out of the Cage by the Door which falls down upon his back and keeps him fast there then another opens a certain â—od of Flesh that these Beasts have which is shaped like a split Gysern and with an Iron-Spatula scrapes all the Sweat off it within The Males have that piece of Flesh betwixt their Stones and Yard which is like a Cats The Females have it betwixt their Fundament and Privities and it is emptied of the Sweat but twice a Week each Beast yielding about a Drachm at a time When that Sweat or Excrement is taken out it is of a whitish Gray but by little and little in some short space it turns to a very brown Colour It smells very sweet at a distance but near hand it stinks and causes the Head-ach There are as many Kinds of CIVET-Sweat as there are of CIVET-CATS for it is more whitish grayish or yellowish and drier in some than in others and yet they mingle all together After all it is in vain to think to have pure CIVET for the Iews falsifie it and if a Man imagine it to be pure because he has seen it taken from the Beast he is mistaken for the Iews before People come to their Houses rub the inside of that piece of Flesh with a little Oyl or some such stuff that so the Sweat and it together may make more Weight but when no body is present they take it out pure and mingle it afterwards The Iews hold this Beast very dear the common rate for a CIVET-CAT being an hundred Chequins THEVENOT's Travels Pag. 239. The Island of Socotora in the East-Indies does so abound with CIVET-CATS that as Purchas Vol. 1. Pag. 419. tells us They often take them with Traps on the â—ountains and sell them for Twelve Pence a piece to such as will buy them Dr. Stubbes in his Iamaica Observations saith That CIVET-CATS will live above a Month without drinking as he himself once try'd on one that he kept But that if they drink once a Mâ—nth they will then yield more CIVET and so if they be fed with Fish He also says they Piss much as do Rabbets PHILOS TRANSACT Numb 36 Pag. 704. The Lord Bacon in his Natural History Cent. X. Pag. 204. says That the smells of MUSK Amber and CIVET are thought to further Venereous Appetite Which in his Opinion they may do by the Refreshing and calling forth of the Spirits It is a certain Receiv'd Opinion That CIVET put into Wine adds much to the strength of it and gives it a more Inebriating Quality CIVET is adulterated with the Gall of a
sometimes of Animal Bodies None more memorable than that mention'd by Pliny of Pyrrhus King of Epyrus in which without much strain of Phancy one might imagine a Representation of the Nine Muses and Apollo with his Harp in the middle of them 'T is used for Sword-Hilts Knife-Hasts Beads Cups and the like There are pieces of it sometimes as thick as a Man's Arm. GREW's Mus. Reg. Societ Pag. 287.288 The AMETHYST hath its Name from the Opinion of its being an Amulet against Drunkenness and so much the Word in Greek imports The Best are those of a Purple Colour Shining and Sparkling It is brought from India Arabia Armenia and Egypt The AMETHYST is often called GEMMA VENERIS from its Beauty and Splendor Pliny observes that the Indian AMETHYSTS have the exact Colour of the Phoenician Purple which says be the Diers would be glad if they could but imitate CRYSTAL deriv'd from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because suppos'd to be only Water contracted or condensed with Cold. It is a Stone found in India Scythia Spain Germany and Asia more transparent than clear Glass It is the softest of all Gems that which is most pure and transparent is best CRYSTAL at least some sorts of it is the softest saith Boetius of all Gems He should have said of all perspicuous Gems For the Turcois is much softer The most usual Figure of CRYSTAL is Sexangular Yet Terzagi mentions a Rock of square pointed ones But it is observable says Dr. Grew that he saith the Bed on which they grew seem'd to be Gold-Ore If so it might proceed from some Governing Principle in the Ore For I have heard it Noted saith the Dr. as I Remember by Sir Christopher Wren That Grain-Gold is often found naturally Figur'd into Cubes CRYSTAL grows in most Countries both cold and hot The Globous especially in Bâ—hemia and Silesia GREWS's Mus. Regal Societ Pag. 284. Dr. Grew in the same place takes notice of a Massy Piece of CRYSTAL now in possession of the ROYAL SOCIETY He saith it is not pointed nor angular but of a roundish Figure much bigger than any Man's Head One way near a Yard in compass the other above three Quarters In Weight Thirty Nine Pounds and a quarter Haver dupoise Yet it is very clear beyond the clearest Ice of the same thickness The biggest Piece of CRYSTAL the Dr. says he finds mention'd else-where is a Ball of thirty six Ounces in Septalius's Musaeum It hath been much Controverted amongst the Learned concerning the Original of CRYSTAL Pliny will have it that it is made by the most Violent Frost from Snow or Ice But Georgius Agricola in his De Natura Fossilium faith it is some Sap Congeal'd by Cold in the Bowels of the Earth Both these Opinions have had their several Champions and though the first be most Generally receiv'd yet the Learned Dr. Brown will by no means admit of it The EMERALD is a Clear Transparent Gem of a very beautiful and Glorious Green Colour and is either Oriental or Occidental The Oriental are the harder more Beautiful and Precious found in Scythia Egypt and Cyprus The Occidental are worse being had in Peru and several Parts of Europe Monsieur Chapuzeau in his History of the Riches of the East and West affirms that EMRALDS are never to be foundi n the East-Indies but in Peru whence they were carried by that Trading People to the Moluccas even before America was Discover'd by the Europeans and so they came from the Orient of much less value now than they were formerly by reason of their Commonness The Author notes that EMRALDS grow in Stones just as Crystals forming a Vein in which they are by little and little refined and thickned And that some of them are seen half White and half green others all White and others all Green and perfect PHILOS TRANSACT Numb 23. Pag. 430. The Learned and Ingenious Dr. Grew saith that there is in Gresham Colledge a Clear and Green Stone a kind of Smaragdus which being heated red hot shineth in the Dark for a considerable time sc. about 〈◊〉 of an Hour Given by Dr. William Crown Dr. Grew says He tried the Experiment himself and at the same time observ'd that as it grew hot in the Fire its Green Coâ—our was changed into a Sky-Blue which it likewise retain'd so long as it continued to shine But after that recover'd its Native Green again GREW's Mus. REG. SOCIET Pag. 287. The RUBY or CARBUNCLE is either White or Red The White are unripe for that is their Primary Colour then as they grow to perfection they grow to a Rose Red and at last they bâ—â—ome as Red as Blood The best come from Ceilan and Pegu the worse and lesser are found in Calicut Bisnagar Coria and Camboia being found in the same Mines with the Saphire It is a most Transparent Red Gem and so hard as not to be touch'd with a File The best are the Hardest and Coldest which you may perceive by your Mouth and Tongue and such as Isidore saith shine in the Dark Pliny saith that among the Red Gems the RUBIES or CARBUNCLES challenge the first Place It is called in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from its likeness unto Fire and yet the Fire hath no Power over it which is the reason that some call them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are saith he several sorts of RUBIES among which there is the Male and the Female those are taken for the Male whose red is briskest and most Fire-like He tells us that the Aethiopians were wont to steep their dusky dark RUBIES in Vinegar and that in fourteen days they would be pure and resplendent and that for fourteen Months they would hold it In conclusion he says that it is a very difficult thing to distinguish the several sorts of RUBIES one from another in that they are so easie to be counterfeited and falsified by the Art and Skill of Lapidaries and Goldsmiths who commonly lay some foil under to make them shine and glister like Fire PLIN. Lib. 37. Cap. 7. The Natives of Pegu call all colour'd Stones RUBIES distinguishing them only by the colour Saphirs they call Blue-Rubies Amethysts they call Violet-Rubies Topazes Yellow-Rubies and so of other Stones Tavernier saith that among all the RUBIES found in the Mountain Capelan within the Kingdom of Pegu you shall hardly see one of three or four Carats that is absolutely clean by reason that the King strictly enjoyns his Subjects not to export thâ—m out of his Dominions besides that he keeps to himself all the clean Stones that are found So that Tavernier as himself informs us got very considerably in his Travels by carrying RUBIES out of Europe into Asia And this may very well render the Relation of Vincent le Blanc suspicious who reports that he saw in the King's Palace RUBIES as big as Eggs. The other place where RUBIES are found is a River in the Island
many of the Subjects here treated of as mean and trifling What! Entertain such brave Heros such mighty Dons with an insipid Discourse of PLANTS INSECTS and REPTILES away with them this is an Impertinence not to be bore with But let these high-flown Topping Sparks swell and strut as much as they please I am sure one who may be allow'd to have a great deal more Wit than Themselves I mean the Wise Solomon was of another Opinion for he thought it not beneath him to take notice as well of Abject REPTILES as of Lions Eagles Elephants and other noble Animals nor did he only write of the tall Cedars of Lebanon but also of that Dspicable Plant which grows out of the Wall Pliny in his Treatise of INSECTS seems to be transported with an unusual admiration of the Workmanship of NATVRE in them Nusquam alibi spectatiore Naturae rerum Artificio In nothing saith he is the Workmanship of NATVRE more remarkable than in the Contexture of these little Creatures And after a Wonder not unworthy a Philosopher He concludes Rerum Natura nusquam magis quam in Minimis tota est NATVRE in her whole Power is never more wholly seen than in her smallest Works And from this very Opinion in all probability did Epicurus frame his Doctrine of ATOMS The Gods saith Aristotle are as well in the least INSECTS as in the most bulky ANIMALS and therefore we ought not to despise these little Creatures For on the contrary as in Art the less room a Picture takes up the more it is esteem'd so in Nature the less Volume Things are in the more worthy they are of Admiration Much to the same Effect saith that Noble Philosopher Mr. Boyle viz. That Gods Wisdom appears not less in lesser Creatures than in the larger and that there is none of them so little but would deserve a great deal of our Wonder did we attentively enough consider it History tells us that Apelles was discover'd by the skillful Protagoras by drawing so fine and slender a Line that Protagoras by being scarce able to discern it discover'd it to have been drawn by Appelles even so Almighty God in these little Creatures does often draw such exquisite and delicate Lines and Traces that nothing less than the Divine Pencil could ever have fram'd the like How can any thing be more stupendious and wonderful than to see in these little Creatures all the Perfections of the largest Animals They have the same Organs of Body multiplicity of Parts variety of Motions diversity of Figures and severality of Functions with those of the largest Size And that which is still more wonderful is that all these in so narrow a room do neither interfere nor impede one another in their several Opâ—rations And now that I may not be too tedious I will close this PREFACE with a word or two in Answer to one Objection that this following Piece may seem liable to I know many will think it very ahsurd and preposterous that I should undertake to write a NATVRAL HISTORY in so small a Volume and Contract a Subject of the largest Field into so narrow a Compass But in Answer hereunto I have this to say that indeed had I taken in all things that properly relate to Natural History instead of an Octavo I could easily have swell'd it into a Folio but I consider'd that by reason of the present Taxes men now are forc'd into good Husbandry and that the laying out much Money in Books is by most men thought an unnecessary Charge fit to â—e retrench'd wherefore I resolv'd to make my self as easie to the Reader as I could by not being too chargeable to him and this I thought was best to be done by singling out such Subjects only as I knew contained in them matters of the greatest curiosity So that in a word my chief Design is that by the help of such a Vade Mecum Gentlemen may entertain themselves upon these following Subjects without too great an Expence either of Time or Money The several Subjects here treated of are as follow MVsk Pag. 1 Civit and Civet-Cats Pag. 9 Amber Pag. 13 Ambergreece Pag. 17 Coral Pag. 23 Bezoar Pag. 30 Cinnamon Pag. 37 Nutmegs Pag. 44 Pepper Pag. 49 Cloves Pag. 54 Ginger Pag. 57 Manna Pag. 61 Mastick Pag. 65 Lignum Aloes Pag. 70 Cochincel Pag. 75 Indigo Pag. 80 Coco-Nut Pag. 85 Cacao-Nut Pag. 91 Tea or Thé Pag. 99 Coffe Pag. 107 Opium Pag. 116 Tobacco Pag. 123 Planting and Ordering Tobacco Pag. 132 Sugar Pag. 136 Ordering the Canes and how the Sugar is made Pag. 141 Diamonds Pag. 150 Pearl Pag. 158 Of the way and Manner of Diving for Pearl Pag. 167 Several Precious Stones Pag. 170 Loadstone Pag. 182 Sea Ccompass Pag. 190 Petrification Pag. 195 Salt Pag. 209 Gold Pag. 225 Silver Pag. 237 Generation of Mettals Pag. 245 Damps in Mines Pag. 251 Generation of Insects Pag. 262 Ants Emmits or Pismires Pag. 276 Bees Pag. 293 Gloworm Pag. 303 Spiders Pag. 313 Silkworm Pag. 325 Snakes Serpents or Vipers Pag. 337 Tortoises Pag. 349 Remarkable Trees Pag. 356 Mountains Pag. 368 Vulcano's or Subterranean Fires Pag. 388 Earthquakes Pag. 403 Hurricanes Pag. 416 Tornados Pag. 434 Islands Pag. 443 Origine of Fountains Pag. 451 A Natural History Observations concerning MUSK THe MUSK-Cat is a Creature almost like a Goat bred in the Kingdom of Pegu in the Indies as also in Egypt and other places It has been brought into our Northern Countries but through the disagreeableness of the Climat it will not with us yield any MUSK nor will it live long Schroder says that MUSK is an Excrement or matter included in a Cistis or Bladder about the Navel while the Creature is full of Venery When this Impâ—sthume swells much and puts him to Pain he rubs it against Stones or Shrubs and breaks it upon which the Matter falling it sticks and by Virtue of the Sun-beams it becomes sweet-scented MUSK Monsieur Thevenot tells us That in the Province of Azmer belonging to the Great Mogul there is a Beast like a Fox in the Snout which is no bigger than a Hare The Hair of it is of the Colour of a Stags and the Teeth like to a Dogs He says it yields most excellent MUSK for at the Belly it hath a Bladder full of corrupt Blood and that Blood maketh the MUSK or is rather the MUSK it self which they take from it and immediatly cover the place where the Bladder is cut with Leather to hinder the Scent from evaporating But after this Operation is made the Beast is not long-liv'd Monsieur Tavernier in his Travels in India says That the best sort and the greatest quantity of MUSK comes from the Kingdom of Boutan from whence they bring it to Patna the chief City of Bengala to truck it away for other Commodities And that all the MUSK which is Sold in Persia comes from thence And that the MUSK-Merchants had rather deal with you for Coral
to grow up to a Tree This Bird is shap'd like a Cuckoo and the Dutch prohibite their Subjects under pain of Death to kill any of them THEVENOT's Trav. into the Indies Pag. 109. 'T is to be Noted that the Oyl of Mace or NUTMEGS by Expression is the Ground Foundation and Body of all Great Nâ—ble and Generous Artificial Balsoms As for Example if to Oyl of Mace or NUTMEGS by Expression you add a small proportion of Oyl of CINNAMON you then have Balsam of CINNAMON c. The best NUTMEGS are those which are fresh heavy fat and which when pricked force out Oyl Observations concerning PEPPER THere are divers sorts of PEPPER viz. Black White and Long PEPPER The Black is the commonest The Plant that beareth the Black PEPPER groweth up like a Vine among Bushes and Brambles where it naturally grows but where it is manur'd it is Sown at the bottom of some Tree where it climbs up to the top The Leaves are few in Number growing at each joint one first on one side of the Stalk then on the other like in shape to the long undivided Leaves of Ivy but thinner and broader The Plant that bears White PEPPER is not to be distinguish'd from the other but only by the Colour of the Fruit no more than a Vine that beareth Black Grapes from that which bringeth White And by some it is thought that the self same Plant does sometimes change it self from Black to White The Tree that beareth long PEPPER is quite different from the Two former and grows in another Country It is much hotter than the common ' Black PEPPER yet sweeter and of better taste GERRARD's Herbal Tavernier says there are two sorts of PEPPER one is very small another sort much bigger both which sorts are distinguish'd into Small and Great PEPPER The larger sort comes from the Coast of Malavare and Tuticorin and Calicut are the Cities where it is brought up Some of this PEPPER comes from the Territories of the King of Visapour being vended at Rejapour a little City in that Kingdom The Hollanders that purchase it of the Malavares do not give Money for it but several sorts of Commodities in Exchange as Corten Opium Vermilion and Quick-Silver and this is the PEPPER which is brought into Europe As for the little PEPPER that comes from Bantam Afchen and some other parts toward the East there is none of it carried out of Asia where it is spent in vast quantities especially among the Mahumetans For there are double the Grains of Small PEPPER in one pound to what there are of the Great PEPPER besides that the Great PEPPER is hotter in the Mouth TAVERN of the Commodities of the Dominions of the Great Mogul Philippus Baldaeus in his Description of some of the Chief Parts of the East-Indies says that PEPPER grows best in shady places that it hath a weak Stem to be supported like Vines having on each Branch commonly six Clusters each a Foot long in Colour like unripe Grapes that they gather it being Green in October and November exposing it to the Sun to dry whereby it grows Black in a few Days Ligon says that in the Island of Barbadoes there is a kind of Red PEPPER which is of two sorts the one so like a Childs Coral as not to be discern'd at the distance of two paces a Crimson and Scarlet mixt the Fruit about two Inches long and shines more than the best Polisht Coral The Other of the same Colour and glistering as much but shap't like a large Button of a Cloak both of one and the same Quality both so violently strong that when they break but the Skin it sends out such a vapour into their Lungs as makes them fall a Coughing which lasts a quarter of an hour after the Fruit is remov'd but as long as they are garbling it they never give over The Spaniards are so much in love with this Spice that they will have it in all their Meat that they intend to have piquant for a greater Haut-goust is not in the World Garlick is faint and cool to it It grows on a little Shrub no bigger than a Gooseberry Bush. LIGON's Hist. of Barbadoes Pag. 79. Piso Describes and Figures nine or ten sorts of Guiny-PEPPER all growing in Brasile and there called Quiya The Guiny-PEPPER is used as a great Stomachick Medicine and in Sauces both in substance and infusion in America Spain and other Countries and by many preferr'd before the best PEPPER GREW's Mus. Regal Societ Pag. 231. Mr. Hughes in his Treatise call'd The American Physician mentions a sort of PEPPER called the Sweet-Scented PEPPER which he says he never saw but in Iamaica it groweth much after the same manner as the East-India PEPPER does He also says that the Red PEPPER-Tree grows in many Plantations in Iamaica Observations concerning CLOVES THe CLOVE-Tree groweth in Form much like to our Bay-Tree the Bark of an Olive Colour The CLOVES grow Ten and Twenty together among the Leaves The Blossoms at the first are White then Green and at last Red and hard which are the CLOVES The Leaf Bark and Wood being Green is as strong as the CLOVE When the Blossoms are Green they have the pleasantest smell in the World The right Colour of CLOVES when they are dry is a dark Yellow and to give them a black Colour they are commonly smoakt The CLOVES are gathering from September unto the End of February not with hands as we gather Apples Cherries and such like Fruit but by beating the Tree as we do Walnuts The CLOVES that stay on the Tree ungather'd are thick and continue till the next Year and these are called The Mother of CLOVES This Tree grows in great plenty in the Molucca Islands as also in Amboyna where they grow of themselves without Planting by the falling of the Fruit and when they are of Eight Years growth they bear Fruit and so continue bearing for an Hundred Years together In the place where these Trees stand there is neither Grass Weed nor any sort of Herbs for that the Tree draweth unto it self all the moisture round about The CLOVES are so hot by Nature that whensoever they are made clean and separated from their Garbish if there chance to stand either Tub or Pail of Water in the Chamber where they clâ—anâ—e them or any other Vessel with Wine or any kind of moisture it will within two Days at the furthest be wholly dried up although it stand not near them by reason of the great heat of the CLOVES that draw all moisture to them Of the same Nature is the unspun Silk of China so that whensoever the Silk lieth any where in a House upon the Floor that is to say upon Boards a Foot or two above the Ground and that the Floor is cover'd with Water although it toucheth not the Silk in the Morning all that Water will be in the Silk for that it draweth all unto it And this trick the
know not the Nature of the CACAO do now imitate them For in Iamaica as well as other places when they make it into Lumps Balls Cakes c. they add to the CACAO Paste Chille or Red Pepper Achiote sweet Pepper commonly known by the Name of IamaicaPepper or some or one of them as also such other Ingredients as the place affordeth or as most pleases them that make it or else as the more skillful Persons may think it to agree with this or that Individual Person adding thereto as much Sugar only as will sweeten it First of all drying and beating every Ingredient apart and then at the last mixing them together as it is wrought up into a Mass. HUGHES's American Phisician Iosephus Acosta says that in several places in the West-Indies The CACAW-NUT is so much esteem'd that the Kernels are us'd instead of Money and commonly given to the Poor as Alms And that the Indians are wont to Treat Noble Men with CHACAWLATE as they pass through their Country IOS ACOST Hist. Lib. 4. Cap. 22. Observations concerning THEE or TEA THEE is a Shrub growing in most parts of China and Iapan it arises generally to the height and bigness of our Garden-Rose and Currant-Trees the Roots are Fibrous and spread into many little Filaments near the surface of the Earth the Flowers are like those of Rosa Sylvestris the Seeds round and black which being sow'd come to perfection in three Years time and then yield yearly a Crop but these are little valued the great and only Virtue of this Plant being supposed to consist only in the Leaves of which there are five sorts both as to bigness and valued for the largest at bottom are sold for about one Penny half Penny the Pound but the smallest at the top for Fifty nay sometimes one Hâ—ndred and Fifty Crowâ—s the Pound IOH. NIC. PECâ—LIN De potu THEâ—E This Plant saith the Learned Pechlin abounds with a brisk volatile Salt which he adjudges very agreeable to our Northern Constitutions whose Blood is naturally very heavy and sluggish it carries also with it a sine thinner sort of Oyl but so admirably well tempar'd that as this hinders the Spirit from Evaporating so that corrects the Inflammability of this from whence results the very agreeable latter Aâ—tringent All which together as they rectifie the Ferment of the Blood and at the same time strengthen and confirm the tone of the Parts contribute so much to the assisting of Nature in her Operations as to prevent if not to Cure most Chronical Distempers Because the discreet Choice of a proper Vehicle for this great Panacea may be very material the Learned Author therefore thinks good to shew his dislike of Milk in that it very much obstructs its more lively and quicker parts as always leaving behind it much acidity which how prejudicial to Hypochondriacal Persons is sufficiently obvious He dislikes the Custom they use in Iapan of drinking the Leaves powder'd supposing that it may dry the Body too much In short He concludes warm-Water to be the most Natural and Effectuâ—l Vehicle as being pure and voâ—d of all Saline or other ways pernicious Particles and being more ready to be impregnated with the Virtue hereof which when Armed with this powerful Vegetable Nature easily admits into its obscure Channels and dark Recesses He approves well enough of the use of Sugar as it serves not only to qualifie the bitter taste by its sweetness which at the same time is corrected by the Heat but as being good also for the Kindnies and Lungs He thinks the difference of Constitutions too great to be insisted on and therefore only says this viz. That those of a dryer Habit may take it more diluted because their Salts may more easily be carried off And for the Moister and Hydropical Temper He supposes this Water if more strongly impregnated may make way for the Evacuation of the other As to the Times of taking it He says the more empty the Stomach the passage will be the more easy and therefore in such the more effectual He condemns the use of it after Meals because the Volatiâ—e part flies off before the Meat is any ways digested after which the Concoction is difficulty perform'd because the Ferment as well as the Volatility of the Chyle is suppressed by the Astringent Quality which in those Circumstances oft proves a thing of very pernicious Consequence To conclude our Author notwithstanding all his Encomium's of this Exotick can be content to think we might receive as much benefit from some Plants of our own Growth were People industrious to search after them such as Veronica Lingua Cervina Marrhubium Hepatica Cichoreum and some others which he names PECâ—LIN Ibidem The Physicians of Tunquin in India do mightily admire the Herb TEA which comes from China and Iapan which latter Country produces the best It is brought to them in Tin Pots close stopp'd to keep out the Air. When they would use it they boil a Quantity of Water according to the proportion they intend to use and when the Water seeths they throw a small Quantity into it allowing as much as they can nip between their Thumb and Fore-Finger to a Glass This they prescribe to be drank as hot as they can endure it as being an excellent Remedy against the Head-ach for the Gravel and for those that are subject to the Griping of the Guts but then they order a little Ginger to be put into the Water when it boyls At Goa Batavia and in all the Indian Factories there are none of the Euiâ—â—â—â—â—ns who do not spend above four or five Leaves a day and they are careful to preserve the boil'd Leaf for an Evening Sallad with Sugar Vinegar and Oyl That is accounted the best TEA which colours the Water greenest but that which makes the Water look red is little valued In Iapan the King and great Lords who drink TEA drink only the Flower which is much more wholsome and of a taste much more pleasing But the Price is much different for one of our ordinary â—eâ—â—-Giasses is there worth a French Crown TAVERN of the Kingdom of Tunqin Chap. X. In Iapan there is a Plant called TSIA it is a kind of THE or TEA but the Plant is much more delicate and more highly esteem'd than that of THE' Persons of Quality keep it very carefully in Earthen Pots well stopp'd that it may not take Windâ— but the Iapponneses prepare it quite otherwise than is done in Europe For instead of infusing it into warm Water they beat it as small as Powder and take of it as much as will lye on the point of a Knife and put it into a Dish of Porcelane or Earth full of seething Water in which they slir it till the Water be all green and then drink it as hot as they can endure it It is excellent good after a Debauch it being certain there is not any thing that allays the Vapours and settles the
Stomach better than this Herb does The Pots they make use of about this kind of Drink are the most precious of any of their Houshold-Stuff in as much as it is known that there have been TSIA-Pots which had cost between Six and Seven Thousand Pounds Sterling MANDELSLO's Trav. into the Indies pag. 156. The Persians Indians Chineses and Iaponneses assign to TEA such extraordinary Qualities that imagining it alone able to keep a Man in constant Health they are sure to treat such as come to visit them with this Drink at all Hours The Quality it is by experience found to have is that it is astringent and that it consumes superfluous Humours which incommodate the Brain and provoke Drowsiness OLEARIVS's Ambassadors Trav. into Musc. Pers. and Tartar pag. 241. The Dutch are said to transport the dried Leaves of Sage into China and under the Name of European TEA to barter it with the Chineses for their TEA Observations concerning COFFEE or CAVPHE THis Tree is said to grow only in that part of Arabia Foelix which lyeth within the Tropicks and that it very much resembles our Cherry-Trees but scarce so big It bears a Berry about the bigness of a small Bean of which is made a thick and bitter Drink as black as Soot and of a strong Scent but not Aromatical which is commonly called COFFEE This Drink is in such mighty request among the Turks that as the Learned Veslingius affirms there are no less than some Thousands of COFFEE-Houses in that one City of Cairo It is also much used in Barbary and great part of Africk And of late Years it hath crept into Europe nay even into our Northern Climate So that we now see great plenty of COFFEE-Houses not only in the City of London but also in other pâ—rts of the Kingdom And whâ—â— a mighty Consumption there is of this Drink plainly appears from that considerable Revenue which yearly arises to the Crown from the Impost laid upon that one Commodity of COFFEE In the COFFEE-Houses where the Turks use to resort to tipple there is usually one hired by the Owneâ—s to read either an Idle Book of Tales which they admire as Wit or filthy obscene Stories with which they seem wonderfully affected and pleas'd few of them being able to read These are the Schools which they frequent for their Information though in Times of War when Things went ill with them their Discourses would be of the Ill Government and the Grand Signior himself and his chief Ministers could not escape their Censures which maniâ—estly tending to Seditiâ—n and to the heightning of their Discontents by their mutual Complaints and by this free venting of their Grievances during the War at Candia the wise Visier seeing the evil Consequences that would follow if such Meetings and Discourses were any longer tolerated commanded that all the publick COFFEE-Houses should be shut up in Constantinople and several other great Cities of the Empire where the Malecontents used to rendezvous themselves and find fault upon every ill Success and Miscarriage with the Administration of Affairs Dr. THO. SMITH's Account of Constantinople c. in the PHILOS TRANSACT Numb 155. The Turks look upon CAUPHE â—o be good all Hours of the Day â—ut especially Morning and Evenâ—ng when to that purpose they enâ—ertain themselves two or three Hours in CAUPHE-Houses which â—hroughout Turky abound more than â—â—s and Ale-Houses with us This Drink is thought to be the old Black Broth used so much by the Lacedemonians it dryeth ill Humours in the Stomach comforteth the Brain never causeth Drunkenness or any other Surfeit and is a harmless Entertainment of Good-Fellowship Sir HENR BLOVNT's Voyage into the Levant Pag. 137. The Lord Bacon in his Natural History says That this Drink comforteth the Brain and Heart and helpeth Digestion Monsieur Thevenot speaking of the Qualities of this Drink says that if it be drank very hot it clears the Head of Vapours moderately hot it binds up the Body and cold it is Laxative THEV. Trav. into thâ— Levant Part 2. Chap. v. Those who write of COFFEE do almost all reckon it amongst the Antihypnoticks agreeing that it is a Driver away of Sleep The Learned Dr. Willis in his Discourse of COFFEE is of the Opininion that this Drink though most commonly used and very profitable in some Cases and very Medicinal is to others perhaps very hurtful or less healthful Indeed that it is so not only Reason says the Doctor but also common Observation every where dictates for we see that great COFFEE Drinkers become lean and are very often subject to be Paralytick and grow impotent for Generation Yet as to Affects of the Brain and the Genus Nervosum I very often says the Doctor prescribe this Drink for them For indeed in very many Cephalick Diseases and Infirmities viz. in Head-aches Giddiness the Lethargy Catarrhs and the like where with a full habit of Body and a cold Temperament or one that is not hot and a Watery Blood there is a moist Brain with a Sluggishness and Dullness of the Animal Spirits COFFEE has often a very good effect for being daily drank it wonderfully clears and enlightens each part of the Soul and disperses all the Clouds of every Function But on the contrary those who being thin and of a Bilious or Melancholick Temperament have a sharp or burnt Blood a hot Brain and the Animal Spirits too much stirr'd and restless ought to forbear this Drink altogether as being apt to pervert both the Spirits and Humours in a greater measure and to render them wholly unfit and unable to perform any Functions For I have observ'd many says the Learned Doctor not having a sufficient plenty of Spirits and being also subject to the Head-ach Vertigo Palpitation of the Heart and a trembling or numbness of the Limbs who presently after drinking COFFEE became worse as to those Affects and suddenly found an unusual Languor in their whole Body WILLIS Pharmaceut Ration Sect. 7. Cap. 3. COFFEE hath a cooling Quality and the Persians think it allays the Natural Heat And therefore they often drink of it on purpose to avoid the charge of having many Children To this purpose they tell a Story of one of their Kings named Sultan Mahomet Caswin who Reign'd in Persia before Tamerlane's time that he was so accustom'd to the drinking of COFFEE that he had a strange aversion to all Women and that the Queen standing one day at her Chamber Window and perceiving they had got down a Horse upon the Ground in order to the Gelding of him ask'd some that stood by why they treated so handsome a Creature in that manner whereupon answâ—r being made her that he was too Fiery and Meâ—tlesome and that the business of those that were about him waâ— with the taking away of the Exceâ—s of Mettle which Stone-Horses are guilty of to deprive him of all Gâ—nâ—rative Vertue the Qâ—een reply'd that that trouble might have been spar'd since COFFEE would
it into Philosophy It were perhaps a vain attempt to try to cure such Men of their groundless Hopes It may be they are happier now as they are And they would only cry out with the Man in Horace that their Friends who had restor'd them to a perfect Sense had Murther'd them But certainly if these Men could be brought to content themselves with moderate Things to grow Rich by degrees and not to imagine they shall gain the Indies cut of every Crucible There might be wonderful things expected from them SPRAT's Hist. of the ROYAL SOCIETY Pag. 37 38. Dr. Hackwell in his Apology of the Power and Providence of God speaking of the Philosopher's Stone saith He much doubts whether any such Experiment be yet really found or no and if it be whether the Operation of it be not more dangerous and difficult then the effect arising from it is or can be advantagious But of this saith he I am well assur'd that as he who digg'd in his Vineyard for GOLD miss'd it but by opening the Roots of his Vines thereby found their Fruit the next Year more worth unto him than GOLD So whilest Men have labour'd by Transmutation of Mettals from one Species to another to make GOLD they have fallen upon the Distillations of Waâ—ers Extractions of Oyles and such like râ—re Experiments unknown to the Ancients which are undoubtedly more pretious for the use of Man than all the GOLD of both the Indies HAKEWILL Lib. 3. Chap. 9. Sect. 2. Observations conserning SILVLR SILVER is the most Perfect of all Mettals Except Gold whereunto it comes so near as to want nothing but the Colour and therefore those that most of all oppose the Opinion of the Transmutation of Mettals one into another do yet hold it possible to turn SILVER into Gold because the Colour only being wanting the Fire and Artificial Concoctions can supply that whereof there be many Experiments From the good Mixture and Fineness of its Parts proceeds its induring the Fire with very little waste as also its being Tough and Malleable and endures the drawing out into very Thin Leaves and small Wyre if it were not a Common Trade to do it it would not be believ'd to be possible that an Ounce of SILVER should be Drawn out into Fourteen Hundred Yards of Wyre and it is yet more admirable that all that shall be made Guilt Wyre with only six Grains of Gold So that although SILVER can be Extended to admiration yet Gold is a Hundred times more Ductile than it BARBA of Mettals Chap. 27. The Chief Places of the Indies from whence they draw SILVER are New Spain and Peru but the Mines of Peru saith Acosta far surpass the rest and amongst all others of the World those of Potozi The greatest Riches of the Kingdom of Peru is most out of sight hid in the Bowels of the Earth but found in those never decaying Mines of GOLD and SILVER more eminently abounding in this one Province than in all America For instance whereof we may take the SILVER Mines of Potozi Discover'd in the Year 1545 the fifth of which Payable into the King's Exchequer amounted in Forty Years to one Hundred and Eleven Millions of Pezoes every Pezo being Valued at Six Shillings and Six Pence and yet a third part of the Whole was discharg'd of that Payment By this one we may guess somewhat of the rest as by the proportion of one Member the Dimentions of the Whole Body may be probably geuss'd at unless the Riches of these Mines be beyond conjecture of which it is affirm'd by some knowing Men that they yield in many Places more Gold than Earth PET. HETLIN How these Rich Mines of Potozi came first to be discover'd since it was a thing somewhat Remarkable I shall here give an account The manner therefore of this Discovery was as followeth A Peruvian call'd Gualpa who Work'd at the Mines of Porco going a Hunting it chanc'd that the Game ran up the steep Mountain of Potosii which prevented his Pursuing of it any â—urther but the Mountain being over grown with Trees he got hold from one Bough to another to help himself up and at last taking hold of the Bramble call'd Quinua he pull'd the same out of the Ground and finding it heavy lookt upon it and espy'd a great Lump of SILVER hanging at the Root of it whereupon viewing the Hole he discover'd a Rich SILVER Vein of which taking some Pieces home and Melting them he found that it was the best SILVER that ever he had known wherefore he privately got a greater quantity and by degrees grew Extraordinary Rich But tho he carried his design never so close yet he was at last suspected and especially by his Neighbour Guanca Born in the Valey Xauxa who was the more jealous of him because he sold greater Bars of SILVER than any were Cast at Porco Whereupon he resolved to speak to him and getting out the Secret it came to this Agreement between them that they should both be Partners and share the Booty Gualpa was to keep the Vein since call'd the Rich Vein and Guanca was to have another at Present Nam'd Diego Centeno But they agreed not long for Guanca finding much Labour upon his Vein by reason of the hardness and that he could get no share in what Gualpa got acquainted his Spanish Master Vilaroel with it who rested not till he had sound out the truth thereof for which Valaroel obtain'd according to the Custome of Porco several Rods to work for him only Paying the King one fifth Part of what he got and so remain'd owner of the Mine Centeno This Discovery of the Rich Mine Potozi is said to have happen'd on the 24 th of April 1545. Soon after which they found the SILVER Vein Del Estanno which tho it was very Rich was difficult to be digged because of its hardness The first Vein which Gualpa search'd after stood upright from the bottom of the Mine and contain'd above Three Hundred Foot in Length and Thirteen in Bredth and continuing good for Two Hundred Foot in Dâ—pth afâ—â—r which the SILVER begins â—o lessen These Mines produce Yearly for the Kings fiâ—th Part Forty Thousand Pieces of SILVER each valued at Thirteen Ryals each Ryal being Four Shillings besides what he is desrauâ—eâ— of which is perhaps half as much more OGILBâ—'s America pag 463. For the more easie Working in the Mines the Spaniards have digged Trenches which they call Socabonâ—â— at tâ—e Foot of the Mountain of Potozi towards the West cross thrâ—ugh the Mountain to the Mine each of them being Eight Foot Brâ—â—d and a Fathom Deep and lock'â— up with Gates through which the SILVER is carried out whereof the Owner of the Socabon recâ—ives a fifth Part. The Socabon which leads to the Rich Vein was begun Anno 1556. and finish'd in Twenty-nine Years Extending it self Two Hundred and Fifty Rods in Length The Miners work by Candle-Light both Day and Night by turns
his Discourse of Iamaica saith That the Flesh of a TORTOISE maketh a most pleasant Jelly And that the Callapee viz. the Belly-part so called baked is an excellent Dish The Legs saith Schroder out of Solenander applied to the part affected are a most Experienc'd Remedy in the Gout In Turky the Shells are used for Bucklers In Tabrobana according to Aelian to cover their Houses And in China to make Girdles for Noble Men. In the Kingdom of Tunquin in India there arâ— infinite Number of TORTOISES which are esteem'd such excellent Food that the Tumquineses and Cochinchineses do not believe they have entertain'd their Friends at a Banquet as they ought to do till the TORTOISES are brought in Those two Nations pickle up great Quantities of them and send them abroad which is a vast Trade among them and indeed the chiefest occasion of the Wars between them is because the Cochinchineses do all they can to hinder the Tunquineses to Fish for them alledging that those Seas and Islands where they breed belong to them Neither is the Meat but the Shell also of great esteem and one of the most considerable Commodities for Trade in Asia TAVERNIER's Relat. of the Kingdom of Tunquin Cap. 3. Observations concerning several Remarkable TREES IN the Islands of Solon and Timor in the East-Indies there grows a Tree called the STINKING-TREE and indeed well may it be so called For it naturally smells like the strongest Humane Excrements especially as upon the Emptying of a House of Office Sir Philiberto Vernatti procur'd an Arm of this TREE and sent it to the ROYAL SOCIETY at Gresham Colledge Where though it hath now been preserv'd many Years yet seems to give as full and quick a Scent as ever Yet in burning it yields no smell as do Lignum Aloe and some other Woods 'T is ponderous hard and of the Colour of English-Oak and as that hath large Aer-Vessels yet but few I should have conjectur'd saith Dr. Grew that this Wood belong'd to the TREE called Ahovaj which hath a Stinking smell but that this is said to be the more odious when it burns GREW's Mus. REG. SOC Pag. 180. There is in Iamaica a sort of Tree called the SOAPE-TREE the Berries whereof being as big as Bullets of Musquets without any proportion of Salt-Lixiviate or Sulphur or Oile wash better than any Castile-SOAPE but they rot the Linnen in time The Negro's use them Dr. STVBBES In the Caribe-Islands grows the Famous TREE called the Cabbage-Tree which tho one would not imagine I assure you saith Dr. Stubbes is a sort of Palme-Tree All that part which is eaten as the Cabbage is what sprouted out that Year and so is tender If eaten raw it is as good as New-Almonds and if boil'd it excels the best Cabbage When that Top is â—ut off the TREE dies The Dr. saith There was one of those TREES at Barbadoes above Three Hundred Foot high as He was credibly inform'd This TREE will never Rot and when 't is dry'd grows so hard that you cannot drive a Nail into it STVBBES Account of the Carbie-Isâ—ands In Barbadoes there is a particular sort of TREE called the POYSON-TREE Its Leaves are full out as large and beautiful as the Lawrels and so like as not to be known asunder The People that have liv'd long there say 't is not whole some to be under the Shade of this TREE The Work-Men as they cut them down are very careful of their Eyes and those that have Cipers put it over their Faces for if any of the Sap fly into their Eyes they become Blind for a Month. A Negro had two Horses to walk which were left with him by two Gentlemen and the Horses beginning to fight the Negro was afraid and let them go and they running into the Wood together stuck at one another and their Heels hitting some young TREES of this kind struck the poysonous Juice into one anothers Eyes and so their Blindness parted the Fray and they were both led home Stone Blind and continued so a Month all the Hair and Skin peeling off their Faces Yet of this Timber they make all or the most part of the Pots they Cure their Sugar in for being Sawed and the Boards dryed in the Sun the POYSON vapours out LIGON's Hist. of Barbadoes pag. 68. He also tells us of a certain Sort of POYSONOUS CANE so like the SUGAR-CANE as hardly to be discern'd the one from the other This Plant hath this Quality that whosoever chews it and sucks in any of the juice will have his tongue mouth and throat so swell'd as to take away the faculty of Speech for two days and no remedy but patience Ibidem Pag. 69. Among the Rarities of the Malacca or rather of the World is the Arbor Tristis which bears Flowers only after Sun-set and sheds them so soon as the Sun-rises and this every Night in the Year ROB. MORDEN's Geogr. Pag. 413. In the Molucca Islands in the East-Indies there is a certain Wood which laid in the Fire burns sparkles and flames yet consumes not and yet a Man may rub it to Powder betwixt his Fingers MANDELSLO's Travels into the Indies Pag. 133. In the Philosophical Transactions we have an Account of a sort of INCOMBUSTIBLE CLOTH called Linum Asbestinum which was esteem'd by the Ancients though then more common and perhaps better known than 't is yet amongst us equally precious with the best of Pearls But as great a Rarity as it now is it seems one Mr. Nicb. Waite Merchant of London hath lately procur'd a piece of it an Account whereof he gives in a Letter to Dr. Plot He says he receiv'd it from one Conco a Natural Chinese Resident in the City of Batavia in the North East parts of India Who by means of Keayarear Sukradana likewise a Chinese and formerly chief Customer to the old Sultan of Bantam did after several Years diligence procure from a great Mandarin in Lanquin a Province of China near ¼ of a Yard of the said Cloth and declar'd that he was credibly inform'd that the Princes of Tartary and others adjoyning to them did use it in burning their Dead and that it was said and believ'd by them to be made of the under part of the Root of a Tree growing in the Province of Sutan and was supposed in like manner to be made of the Todda Trees in India And that of the upper part of the said Root near the Surface of the Ground was made a finer Sort which in three or four times burning the said Mr. Waite saith He has seen diminish almost half They Report also that out of the said Tree there distils a Liquor which not consuming is used with a Wiek made of the same Material with the Cloth to burn in their Temples to posterity Mr. Waite shew'd a Handkerchief or Pattern of this INCOMBUSTIBLE LINNEN to the ROYAL SOCIETY which being measur'd was found in length Nine Inches between the Fringe or Tassells the
Aristotle he tells us that EARTHQUAKES are most frequent in Spring and Autumn which remark though slighted by Gâ—ssendus who generally affects to contradict that Philosopher is notwithstanding confirm'd by that great Naturalist Pliny and several other Learned Men in all Ages who do not deny but that EARTHQUAKES may and have several times happened both in Summer and Winter tho' not so commonly as in the other Two Seasons in which there is generally a greater abundance of Moisture sucked up more Vapours and a larger quantity of Nitrè as Experience doth demonstrate all which Ingredients may conspire to the producing of an EARTHQUAKE For if we consider how capable they are of a large Expansion how forcible they are when ratified in Vessels closed and placed over the Fire in Aeolypiles or vents from which they break out with forcible Blasts or in Winds which frequently proceed from the rarisaction of such Principles we may suppose that those Vapours which produce such great Commotions in the Air may cause a considerable Disturbance in the Earth when pent and locked up by Cold or any such like Accident It is generally observ'd that some little time before an EARTHQUAKE there is not only a great Calmness but likewise a sudden Coldness and Chillness in the Air which was observ'd just before the EARTHQUAKE that happen'd at Oxford and the parts adjacent Sept. 17. 1683. And the like Observations of Cold preceeding are in Dr. Wallis's Account of an EARTHQUAKE Numb 10. of the Philosophical Transactions as also in that of Mr. Boyle Numb XI concerning the same EARTHQUAKE THOMAS PIGOT's Account of the EARTHQVAKE at Oxford c. Sept. 17. 1683. in the PHILOS TRANSACT Numb 151. Pag. 312 313. In EARTHQUAKES the tremulous Motion sometimes extends so very far that tho' it seems highly probable that the Shake that is given to one part of the Earth by the Firing and Explosion of Subterraneal Exhalations if that be the true and only cause of EARTHQUAKES is not capable of reaching near so far as divers EARTHQUAKES have done but that the Fire passes through some little Subterraneal Clefts or Channels or hidden Conveyances from one great Cavity or Mine to another yet 't is not improbable but that the vehemently tremulous Motion does oftentimes reach a very great way beyond the places where the Explosions were made Since tho' Seneca would confine the Extent of EARTHQUAKES to two Hundred Miles yet Observations made in this and the last Century warrant us to allow them a far greater spread The Learned Iosephus Acosta affirms that in the Kingdom of Peru in the Year 1586. an EARTHQUAKE reached along the Shoar of the Pacifick Sea 160 Leagues And adds that sometimes it has in those parts run on from South to North 300 Leagues And in the beginning of this our Age Anno Dom. 1601 good Writers relate a much larger EARTHQUAKE to have happened since it reached from Asia to that Sea that washes the French Shoars and besides some Asiatick Regions shock Hungary Germany Italy and France and consequently a great part of Europe And if that part of the Narrative be certain which relates that this lasted not much above a quarter of an Hour it will be the more likely that this EARTHQUAKE shook great Tracts of Land beyond those places to which the fired Matter passing from one Cavity to another could reach in so short a time As you will the more easily guess if you try as I have done that in Trains of Gun-powder it self the Fire doâ—s not run on near so swiftly as one imagines ROB. BOYLE 〈◊〉 the great Effects of even LANGVID MOTION Pag. 49 50 51. where they â—age with the greatest Violence HURRICANES are no strangers to the Moluccas and Philippines and we have most incredible Relations of the Storms in the way to Iapan which have carried Ships a considerable distance from the Sea up the Dâ—y-Land Some have been miserably wrackâ— and buried in the Waves others split in a Thousand pieces against the Rocks that scarce one Ship in five escapes these Disasters in the Tempestuous Months about Autumn or at the Change of the Monsoons From thence we may collect this Considerable Remarque That they never happen but on the Eastern Shoars where they are Fatal to the Chinese and Caribbee-Seas and so as far as the River of Plate likewise to that part of Afric from the Cape to St Lawrence and the Adjacent Isles When they are altogether unknown to the African Ocean from the Canaries to Cape Bon Esperance nor are they ever heard of at New-Spain or the Coasts of Peru nor towards any other Western parts of America because there the Winds which blow off from Land make no Opposition against the General Brise but comply with the constant Motion of the Air between the Tropiques from East to West For the shifting of the Trade-Wind from the Easterly Points is usually the first On-set of an approaching HURRICANE Yet however these Suspicions of Mine be receiv'd I think it cannot be rationally disputed but that those diresul Tempests have their first Rise from the Western Continent For we seldom meet them very remote from Land and the Experienc'd Masters of Ships are never jealous of HURRICANES in the Spacious Ocean Or iâ— they perceive them coming imediately make out to Sea where their Fury is much less than near the Shoaâ—s HURRICANES are most to be dreaded about the end of Summer in the Months of Iuly and August For both the Winds and Seas imitate the Motions of the Sun and being dilated by the Celestial Heat annually revert from North to South and from South to North again So that the Sun hastening from one Tropique to another causes the like suddain Conversions in the 〈◊〉 and Winds and being the moâ—â— Vâ—iversal Efficient must neeâ—s â—â— principally concern'd in all Vicâ—â—â—â—udes of the Sublunary World HURRICANES are usually preceeded by an extraordinary Tranquillity of the Heavens and Seas Possibly some Counter-Winds may for a short space ballance one another and bring the Air to an equal poisâ— So that â—â—ose who hâ—ppen to be in the Center of the Whirl-Wind are at first sensible of no disturbance as we see in Eddys or Whirl-Peo's of Water that while the Circumference is violently agitated in the middle it continues for some time quiet and calm R. BOHVN's Disc. of the ORIGINE and PROPERTIES of WIND Pag 255 256 c. This following Account of the Nature of HURRICANES is given us by an Ingenious Frenchman in his History of the Caribbe-Islands quoted by the aforesaid Mr. Bohun Pag. 280 281 c. HURRICANES are terrible and violent Tempests which may be term'd the true Images of the last Conssagâ—ation of the World Formerly they happen'd but once in Five or Seven Years but they are now become more frequent since the Antilles were inhaâ—â—ted for there was One in 51 another in 52 Two in 53 and Two in 50 Nay in the Islands of Gardaloupe lying about the 16