the Quicksilver Mifies of Jdria hi Illy via. 333 



Influence of the Vapours of the Furnaces on Animals and 

 Fegtlables. 



All the vapours which issue finni the furnaces while they are 

 at work, pursue, as I have already observed, the course of the 

 torrent of the Idrixa, and proceed almost always to Lower Idria, 

 or into the valley of the Canonila : it ought therefore to be iu 

 the places where these gases seem to be accumulated, that their 

 influence should be exercised in all its fury on the animals there 

 reared ; but nothing of this kind seems to act upon them: there 

 cannot be liner animals than are to be seen in the opposite di- 

 stricts of Zaia, Nicova, &c. The general diseases are, in fkct, 

 much less frecpient among the inhabitants of the Lower Idrixa 

 and the Canomla than at Idria. 



Epizoolies, or cattle epidemics, are extremely rare In this vil- 

 lage, while on the other side of the Alps, and at the distance of 

 three or four leagues, they exercise frequent ravages : hence it 

 appears natural to conclude, that if the finer kindsof animals do 

 not prosper in the district of Idria, this may be owing to other 

 causes than to the deleterious influence of the vapours which are 

 extricated from the minerals while they are in the furnaces. I 

 am greatly inclined to think, that if cultivators gave themselves 

 the trouble to renew the species, and to rear them with more 

 care than they have generally done, they would soon meliorate 

 the breed. 



Situation of the Mine. 



It is at the lower end of the valley or basin of that name, and 

 the town, as I have already said, is built with the materials of 

 the subterranean excavation. 



This metallic stratum has been recognised to be 400 toises 

 (fathoms) or 800 metres in length, 500 toises or 1000 metres 

 in breadth, and 120 toises or 240 metres in depth. 



There are six apertures or chief borings in this mine, four of 

 whicli are vertical. Three of the latter are intended for theexi- 

 traction of the ores, rubbish, or for pumping out the water. 

 The fourth is solely used for conveying into the mine all that 

 is necessary for the wood or mason work, to make the interior 

 operations safe. The names of those vertical wells are Saint 

 Barba, Saint Theresa, Saint Francis, and the Emperor Joseph. 



The machines for drawing off the water are common pumps; 

 fifteen cylinders are adapted to each other, with fifteen pistons 

 with suckers. Every pump has its reservoir, wliich serves at 

 the same time for a feeder to the upper cylinder. The hydraulic 

 wheel which sets these various pumps in motion is about 36 feet 

 tliaineter. 



The machines for drawing up the ore, &c. are boxes of a 



