CATARACTS, AND INUNDATIONS. 14? 



* r Lo, gleaming blue o'er fair Sumatra's skies, 

 Another mountain's trembling flames arise ; 

 Here from the trees the gum all fragrance swells, 

 And softest oil in wond'rous fountain wells. 



MlCKLE." 



So far the learned translator and commentator upon the NATURE 

 OF THINGS* : who has travelled so widely and explained himself 

 so fully, that it only remains for us to offer a few other singular 

 examples, in addition to those he has so curiously selected. 



EDITOR. 



i 



2. Wigan Well, in Lancashire. 

 By Thomas Shirley, Esq. 



ABOUT a mile from Wigan in Lancashire is a spring, the water 

 of which is supposed to burn like oil. It is true that when we came 

 to the spring, and applied a lighted candle to the surface of the 

 water, there was suddenly a large flame produced, which burned 

 vigorously. Having taken up a dishful of water at the flaming 

 place, and held the lighted candle to it, the flame went out. Yet 

 I observed that the water at the burning place boiled and rose up 

 like water in a pot upon the fire, though my hand put into it felt 

 no warmth. 



This boiling T conceived to proceed from the eruption of some 

 bitumoiu or sulphurous fumes ; considering this place was not above 

 3O or 40 yards distant from the mouth of a coal-pit there. And 

 indeed Wigan, Ashton, and the whole country for many miles 

 compass, is underlaid with coal. Then applying my hand to the 

 surface of the burning place of the water, I found a strong breath 

 like a wind bear against my hand. Upon making a dam, and 

 hindering the recourse of fresh water to the burning place, I caused 

 that which was already there to be drained away, and then applying 

 the burning candle to the surface of the dry earth at the same point, 

 where the water before burned, the fumes took fire and burned 

 very bright and vigorous. The cone of the flame ascended a foot 

 and a half from the surface of the earth. The basis of it was of 



* See Good's .Translation of Lucretius, Vol. II. p. 552- 



