210 Contributions to Physical Geography. 



1 . Account of the Conflagration in the Quicksilver Mines of 

 Idriain 1803.* 



In 1803, on the night between the 15th and 16th of March, 

 the workmen observed a thick smoke issuing from some of the 

 lower galleries. It ascended and spread itself through the 

 higher. No fire was seen, no sound of flames was heard ; but 

 it was too evident that the mine was on fire below. Some of 

 the workmen, with great intrepidity, endeavoured to reach the 

 scene of the conflagration. It was in vain ; they were forced 

 to retreat from one gallery to another, flying before an enemy 

 whom they could not discover, for the smoke, which continued 

 to make its way upwards to the open air, was not merely so 

 dense and suffocating, but so loaded with noxious fumes, and 

 particles let loose from the fossils among which the flames were 

 raging in the bowels of the earth, that no living creature could 

 safely meet it, much less penetrate it. They were fortunate 

 enough to save themselves above ground, and the idea was 

 adopted of extinguishing the fire by excluding the air. All 

 the passages were closed as near to the supposed scene of the 

 conflagration as they could be reached. The two shafts which 

 lead immediately above ground were stopped up outside, and 

 plastered over with clay. Five weeks the mine remained thus 

 sealed up, but without effect. Twice, during this period, the 

 coverings above were removed ; each time the enemy was found 

 more furious than before. The flames were heard raging be- 

 low with a sound at which the miner still trembles when he 

 relates it ; the smoke, burdened with mercurial and sulphur- 

 ous exhalations, rolled forth from the mouth of the pit, like 

 streams from the jaws of Acheron, striking down every one 

 that came within its reach. It was apprehended that the fire 

 had attacked the upper works, and was thus threatening the 

 final destruction of the mine. As a last resource, the director 

 resolved to hazard the experiment of laying the mine under 

 water. A stream was turned into the perpendicular shaft, and 

 allowed to flow two days and three nights. During the first 



* A very complete account of the Quicksilver Mines of Itlria will be 

 found in the Edinburgh Encyclopedia, Art. Idria, vol. xi. p. 720, 

 The following account of the conflagration, which is not given in that 

 work, is taken from Russell's Tow in Gertnant/, vol. ii. 



