176 VOLCANOS. 



LlB m - ing, imagining it coulde be no other matter or substance 

 which had burnt so many yeeres and not consumed. And 

 in this conceit hee made certaine kettles with chaines, and 

 an instrument to gather and drawe vp the golde out of this 

 pitte or Volcano; but the fire scorned him, for no sooner 

 did his yron chaine and caldron approach neere the fire, 

 but sodainely they were broken in peeces. Yet some tolde 

 mee that this man was still obstinate, seeking other inven 

 tions for to drawe out this golde as he imagined. 



CHAP. xxv. What sliould be the reason wluj the fire and 

 smoalie continues so lomj in these Volcanos ? 



There is no neede now to make any mention of other 

 Volcanos, seeing wee may well vnderstand by the former 

 what they are; yet is it woorthy the search what should be 

 the cause why the fire and smoake continues in these Vol 

 canos, for that it seemes a prodigious thing, yea, against the 

 course of nature, to vomite and cast out so many flames. 

 Whence dooth this matter proceede, or whether it be iu- 

 gendred within the bowelles thereof? Some have held 

 opinion that these Volcanos consume the inner substance 

 they have of nature; and for this reason they beleeve that 

 naturally they shal end whenas they have consumed the 

 fuell (as a man may say) that is within them. According 

 to which opinion we see at this day some mountaines and 

 rockes, from whence they drawe a burnt stone which is 

 light, but very hard, and is excellent to builde with, as 

 that which is carried to Mexico. And in effect there are 

 some shewes of that which hath beene spoken, that these 

 mountaines or rockes hadde sometimes a naturall fire, 

 which hath died after the matter was consumed; and so 

 these stones have remayned burnt and pierced with the 

 fire as we see. For my part I will not contradict it, that in 



