238 SYLVA BOOK ii 



barous inhabitants, by reason of their continual issuing 

 out of those intricate fortresses and impediments, they 

 caused whole forests to be cut down by their legions 

 and soldiers, whom they never suffer'd to remain idle 

 during their Winter quarters, but were continually 

 exercis'd in such publick and useful works, as required 

 multitude of hands ; by which discipline they became 

 hardy, active, and less at leisure to mutiny or corrupt 

 one another : I do not affirm that this answers all 

 submerg'd trees, but of very many imputed to other 

 causes. 



But we shall enquire farther concerning these sub- 

 terranean productions anon, and whether the earth, 

 as well as the water, have not the virtue of strange 

 transmutations : These trees are found in moors, by 

 poking with staves of three or four foot length, shod 

 with iron. 



13. In Scotland many submerged oaks are found 

 near the river NefFe ; and (as we noted) there is a 

 most beautiful sort of fir, or rather pine, bearing 

 small sharp cones, (some think it the Spanish pinaster] 

 growing upon the mountains ; of which, from the 

 late Marquess of Argyle, I had sent me some seeds, 

 which I have sown with tolerable success ; and I 

 prefer them before any other, because they grow 

 both very erect, and fixing themselves stoutly, need 

 little, or no support. Near Loughbrun, 'twixt the 

 Lough, and an hill, they grow in such quantity, that 

 from the spontaneous fall, ruin and decay of the trees 

 lying cross one another to a man's height, partly 

 covered with mosse, and partly earth, and grass 

 (which rots, fills up, and grows again) a considerable 

 hill has in process of time been raised to almost their 

 very tops, which being an accident of singular 



