AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1592. 



Island lying neere the Sea, and covered over with con- 

 tinuall snow and frost, a marveilous eruption of smoake 

 and fire, casting up abundance of stones and ashes. But 

 this mountaine is farre from the other three, which the 

 sayd authours doe mention. Howbeit, suppose that 

 these things be true which they report of firie moun- 

 taines : is it possible therefore that they should seeme 

 strange, or monstrous, whenas they proceed from naturall 

 causes? What? Doe they any whit prevaile to estab- 

 lish that opinion concerning the hell of Island, which 

 followeth next after in Munster, Ziegler, and Frisius? 

 For my part, I thinke it no way tollerable, that men 

 should abuse these, and the like miracles of nature, to 

 avouch absurdities, or, that they should with a kinde of 

 impietie woonder at them, as at matters impossible. As 

 though in these kindes of inflammations, there did not 

 concurre causes of sufficient force for the same purpose. 

 There is in the rootes of these mountaines a matter 

 most apt to be set on fire, comming so neere as it doeth 

 to the nature of brimstone and pitch. There is ayer 

 also, which insinuating it selfe by passages, and holes, 

 into the very bowels of the earth, doeth puffe up the 

 nourishment of so huge a fire, together with Salt-peter, 

 by which puffing (as it were with certeine bellowes) a 

 Three naturall most ardent flame is kindled. For, all these thus con- 

 causes of firie curring, fire hath those three things, which necessarily 

 make it burne, that is to say, matter, motion, and force 

 of making passage : matter which is fattie and moyst, 

 and therefore nourisheth lasting flames : motion which 

 the ayer doeth performe, being admitted into the caves 

 of the earth : force of making passage, and that the 

 invincible might of fire it selfe (which can not be without 

 inspiration of ayre, and can not but breake foorth with 

 an incredible strength) doeth bring to passe : and so 

 (even as in undermining trenches, and engines or great 

 warrelike ordinance, huge yron bullets are cast foorth 

 with monstrous roaring, and cracking, by the force of 

 kindled Brimstone, and Salt-peeter, whereof Gunne- 



106 



mountaines. 



