THE FIRE-DAMP'S FAMILY CIECLE. 187 



of its protection, the coal was worked down to the bottom of 

 the original seam, the fire-damp not being again met with 

 until the latter end of the year 1675, when it reappeared 

 under a more redoubtable aspect. 



Observations having demonstrated the existence of an 

 outcrop of coal belonging to a seam underlying the last, the 

 original workings of the mine were deepened, when there were 

 many appearances of the fire-damp flashing and dashing from 

 side to side of the pit. The enemy appeared to have esta- 

 blished himself in strong force ; but so little does the presence 

 of fire-damp seem to have been dreaded in those early days of 

 coal-miningso little were the full powers it was capable of 

 bringing into operation known that my chronicle states, 

 ' the miners frequently lighted their candles at its flame, 

 when from any cause they would become extinguished ; and 

 so in this pit it did no farther harm.' 



Nevertheless, as the works advanced, the fire-damp grew 

 in energy; until a cessation from labour of some days allowed 

 it to accumulate in proportions more dangerous than hitherto. 



6 In the interim the damp gained great strength ; so by the 

 time the workmen went down they would see it flashing and 

 shooting from side to side like sword-blades cross one another, 

 and none durst adventure to go down into the pit. Upon 

 this they took a pole, and bound candles several times to the 

 end of it, which they no sooner set over the eye of the pit, 

 but the damp would fly up with a long sharp flame and put 

 out the candles, leaving a foul smoke each time behind it. 

 Finding that these things would not allay it, they adventured 

 to bind some candles at a hook hanging at the rope's end 

 that was used up and down in the pit; when they had lowered 

 down these a little way into the shaft of the pit, up comes the 

 damp in a full body, blows out the candles, disperseth itself 

 about the eye of the pit, and burneth a great part of the 

 men's hair, beards, and clothes, and strikes down one of them, 

 in the mean time making a noise like the lowing or roaring 



