THE EARTH. 71 



workmen are killed, sooner or later j first becom- 

 ing paralytic, and then dying consumptive : and 

 all this they sustain for the trifling reward of 

 sevenpence a-day. 



But these metallic mines are not so noxious 

 from their own vapours, as from those of the 

 substances with which the ores are usually united, 

 such as arsenic, cinnabar, bitumen, or vitriol. 

 From the fumes of these, variously combined, 

 and kept enclosed, are produced those various 

 damps that put on so many dreadful forms, and 

 are usually so fatal. Sometimes those noxious 

 vapours are perceived by the delightful fragrance 

 of their smell,* somewhat resembling the pea- 

 blossom in bloom, from whence one kind of 

 damp has its name. The miners are not de- 

 ceived, however, by its flattering appearances; 

 but as they thus have timely notice of its com- 

 ing, they avoid it while it continues, which 

 is generally during the whole summer season. 

 Another shews its approach by the burning of 

 the candles, which seem to collect their flame 

 into a globe of light, and thus gradually lessen, 

 till they are quite extinguished. From this, also, 

 the miners frequently escape ; however, such as 

 have the misfortune to be caught in it, either 

 swoon away, and are suffocated, or slowly .re- 

 cover in excessive agonies. Here also is a third, 

 called the fulminating damp, much more dan- 

 gerous than either of the former, as it strikes 

 down all before it, like a flash of gunpowder, 



* PhiL Trans, vol. ii, p. 575. 



