252 SYLVA BOOK ii 



mention'd by Witsen (a late Dutch writer of that 

 useful art) to have been found not long since in the 

 Numidian Sea, twelve fathoms under water, being 

 chiefly built of this timber, and cypress, both reduc'd 

 to that induration and hardness, as greatly to resist 

 the fire, and the sharpest tool ; nor was any thing 

 perished of it, though it had lain above a thousand 

 and four hundred years submerg'd : The decks were 

 cover 'd with linnen, and plates of lead, fixed with 

 nails guilt, and the intire ship (which contain'd thirty 

 foot in length) so stanch, as not one drop of water 

 had soaked into any room. Tiberius we find built 

 that famous bridge to his Naumachia with this wood, 

 and it seems to excel for beams, doors, windows, and 

 masts of ships, resists the worm : Being driven into 

 the ground, it is almost petrified, and will support an 

 incredible weight ; which (and for its property of long 

 resisting fire) makes Vitruvius wish, they had greater 

 plenty of it at Rome to make goists of, where the 

 Forum of Augustus was (it seems) built of it, and 

 divers bridges by Tiberius ; for that being attempted 

 with fire, it is long in taking hold, growing only 

 black without ; and the timber of it is so exceedingly 

 transparent, that cabanes being made of the thin 

 boards, when in the dark night they have lighted 

 candles in them, people, who are at a distance without 

 doors, would imagine the whole room to be on fire, 

 which is pretty odd, considering there is no material 

 so (as they pretend) unapt to kindle. The larix bears 

 polishing excellently well, and the turners abroad much 

 desire it : Vitruvius says 'tis so ponderous, that it 

 will sink in the water : It also makes everlasting 

 spouts, pent-houses, and featheridge, which needs 

 neither pitch or painting to preserve them ; and so 



