Part 14 (1/2)
Munday, _Januar._ 8. 1665/6.
The Contents.
_An Account of the Tryals, made in _Italy_ of _Campani's_ new Optick Gla.s.ses. A further relation of the Whale-fis.h.i.+ng about the _Bermudas_, and upon the Coast of _New England_, and _New Netherland_. Of a remarkable Spring of _Paderborn_ in _Germany_. Of some other uncommon Springs at _Basel_ and in _Alsatia_. Of the richest Salt-springs in _Germany_. Some Observations of Strange Swarms of _Insects_, and the mischiefs done by them: as also of the Brooding of Snakes and Vipers.
Observations of odd Const.i.tutions of humane Bodies. Of a way, used in _Italy_, of preserving Ice and Snow by _Chaffe_. Directions for Sea-men bound for far Voyages, drawn up by Master _Rook_, late _Geometry_ Professour of _Gresham Colledge_. Some Observations of _Jupiter_; Eclipsed by one of his _Satellites_: and of his Conversion about his _Axis_. Of some Philosophical and Curious Books, that are shortly to come abroad._
_An Account of the Tryalls, made in _Italy_ of _Campani's_ new _Optick Gla.s.ses_._
An Inquisitive _Parisian_ writes to his Correspondent in _London_, as follows;
We received lately news from _Rome_, from a very Curious Person of our acquaintance, importing, that _Campani_ hath had the advantage of _Divini_.
The Great Duke of _Toskany_, and Prince _Leopold_, his Brother, upon Tryal, made of both their Gla.s.ses, have found those of _Campani_ excel the other, and with them they have been able, easily to distinguish people {132} at 4 Leagues distance: Of which I intend you more particulars hereafter.
Among them are expected the _Length_ of these _Telescopes_, and the Largeness of the _Aperture_ of their _Object-gla.s.ses_. In the mean time, the _Parabolical-gla.s.ses_, formerly mentioned to be in hand here at _London_, are finis.h.i.+ng with all possible care and industry.
_A Further Relation of the _Whale-fis.h.i.+ng_ about the _Bermudas_, and on the Coast of _New-England_ and _New-Netherland_._
The same Person, that communicated the particulars about the new Whale-fis.h.i.+ng near the _Bermudas_, mentioned in the first of these _Tracts_, gives this further Information; That there have been since taken by order of the _Bermudas_ Company, sixteen of those Whales, the Oyle whereof, to the quant.i.ty of 50 or 60 Tuns arrived in _Ireland_ at _Limrick_, some few months agoe.
He adds, that about two years since, there stranded upon the Coast of _New-England_ a dead Whale, of that sort, which they call _Trumpo_, having Teeth resembling those of a Mill, and its mouth at a good distance from, and under the Nose or Trunk, and several boxes or part.i.tions in the Nose, like those of the Tailes in Lobsters; and that that being open'd there run out of it a thin oily substance, which would candy in time; after which, the remainder, being a thick fatty substance, was taken out of the same part, with a scoope. And this substance he affirmed to be the _Sperma Ceti_; adding further, that the _Blubber_, as they call it, it self, of the same sort of Whales, when stewed, yields on the top a creamy substance, which taken off, and thrown upon white wine, lets fall a dirty heterogeneous sediment, but what remains aloft, affords a _Sperma-Ceti_-like matter. {133}
He concluded his relation with observing, that these whales were to be met with, between the Coast of _New-England_, and _New-Netherland_, where they might be caught eight or nine months in the year, whereas those about the _Bermudas_ are to be found there only in the Months of _February_, _March_ and _April_.
Concerning the death of the Whale, which hath been related to have stranded upon _New-England_, it is not very improbable, but, (that Fish having also more than one Enemy, whereof a small Fish called the _Thresher_ is one, who, by Mr. _Terry's_ Relation in his _East-Indian_ Voyage, with his nimbleness vexes him as much, as a Bee does a great Beast on the land; and a certain h.o.r.n.y Fish another, who runs its horn into the Whal's belly) it may have been kill'd by the latter of these two; which kind of Fish is known, sometimes to run its horn into s.h.i.+ps (perhaps taking them for Whales) and there snapping it asunder; as hapned not long since to an English Vessel in the _West-Indian_ Seas; the broken piece of that Horn being by the Master of that s.h.i.+p presented to the King, and now kept in His Majesties Repository: the like whereof befel a _French_ Vessel, sailing towards the _East-Indies_, according to the Relation, made by Monsieur _Thevenot_ in his second _Tome_ of _Curious Voyages_.
_Of a remarkable Spring, about _Paderborn_ in _Germany_._
An inquiring Gentleman of those parts writes to his Friend in _London_, as follows;
In this Diocess of _Paderborn_, about 2 leagues from that Town, is a treble Spring call'd _Metborn_, which has three streams, two wherof are not above one foot and a half distant from one another, and yet of so differing qualities, that whereas one of them is limpid, blewish, lukewarm, bubling, and holding Sal-armoniack, Ochra, Iron, Vitriol, {134} Allum, Sulphur, Niter, Orpiment, used against Epilepsie, bad Spleens, and the Wormes; the other is Ice-cold, turbid and whitish, much stronger in tast, and heavier than the former, holding much Orpiment, Salt, Iron, Niter, and some Sal-Armoniack, Allum and Vitriol; Of this all Birds, observed to drink of it, doe dye; which I have also privately experimented by taking some of it home, and giving it to Hens, after I had given them Oates, Barly and Bread-crums; For, soon after they had drunk of it, they became giddy, reeled, and tumbled upon their backs, with convulsion-fitts, and so dyed with a great extention of their leggs. Giving them common-salt immediatly after they had drunk; they dyed not so soon; giving them vineger, they dyed not at all, but seven or eight days after were troubled with the _Pipp_.
Those that dyed, being open'd, their Lungs were found quite shrivelled together. Yet some men, that are troubled with Worms, taking a litle quant.i.ty of it, and diluting it in common water, have been observed by this means to kill the Worms in their bellies, so that a great number of worms come from them; whereupon though they are sick, yet they dye not. As to the third stream, that lyes lower than the other two, about 20 paces distant from them, it is of a greenish colour, very clear, and of a sowre sweet tast, pleasing enough. It hath about a middle weight between the other two; whence wee guess, that it is mixed of them both, meeting there together: to confirm which, we have mixed equal quant.i.ties, of those two, with an addition of a litle common well-water, and have found that they, being stirred together and permitted to setle, made just a water of the same colour and tast of this third stream.
_Of some other not-common Springs at _Basel_ and in _Alsatia_._
A Curious Person writes from those Places in manner following; {135}
At _Basel_ the Spring, running in the _Gerberga.s.se_ (or _Tanners-street_) from St. _Leonard's_ Hill, is of a Blewish colour, and somewhat troubled, holding Copper, Bitumen, and Antimony, about 3 parts of the first, one of the second, and two of the last, as has been examined by skilful Persons.
Our Tanners do water their Skins in it; and being a well-tasted and wholesome Water, it is both much drunk, and used to Bath in. It mingles with another Spring water, call'd the _Birsick_, and with it, between the _Salt-tower_ and the _Rhine-gate_ runs into the _Rhine_.