AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1592. 



Neither hath Island any Vultures, but that second 

 kinde of Eagles, which Plinie noted by their white 

 tayles, and called them Pygarsi : neither are there any 

 with us, that can beare witnesse of the foresaid spec- 

 tacle : nor yet is it likely that Ravens and Eagles would 

 nestle in that place, when as they should rather be 

 driven from thence by fire and smoke, being things 

 most contrarie to their nature. And yet notwithstand- 

 ing for proofe of this matter, as also of a strange 

 tumult heard within the hollow of the mountaine, they 

 allege the experience of the inhabitants, which indeede 

 testifieth all things to the contrarie. But whereabout 

 should that hole or windowe of the mountaine be, by the 

 which we may heare outcries, noyse and tumults done 

 among them, who inhabite the most contrarie, distant, 

 and remote places of the earth from us.^ Concerning 

 which thing I would aske the author of this fable many 

 questions, if I might but come to the knowledge of him : 

 in the meane time I could wish that from hencefoorth 

 he would learne to tell troth, & not presume with so 

 impudent a face to enforme excellent Peucer, or others, 

 of such unknowen and incredible matters. 



But to returne to Munster, who endevouring to 

 search out the causes of the great and strange fire of 

 that famous hill Aetna, is it not monstrous that the very 

 same thing which he there maketh natural, he should 

 here imagine to be preternaturall, yea infernal ? But 

 why do I speake of Aetna ? Let us rather consider what 

 Munster in another place thinketh of the burning of 

 Hecla. 

 Munsterus It is without doubt (saith he) that some mountaines 



Comographi'. ^^^ fields burned in old time throughout the whole 

 world : and in this our age do burne. As for example : 

 mount Hecla in Island at certaine seasons casteth abroad 

 great stones, spitteth out brimstone, and disperseth ashes, 

 for such a distance round about, that the land cannot 

 be inhabited within 20. miles thereof. But where 

 mountaines do continually burne we understand that 



116 



i.cap. 7. 



