566 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO I67I. 



Where we suppose any mine to be, we diligently search that hill and country, 

 its situation, the earth, or grewt, its colour and nature, and what sort of stones 

 it yields ; that we may the better know the grewt and stones, when we meet 

 with them at a distance in the neighbouring valley ; for mineral stones may be 

 found 2, 3, 4, 5 miles distant from the hills or loads they belong to. 



After any great land flood, we go and diligently observe such frets as are 

 usually made by those floods, to see if we can discover any metalline stones in 

 the sides or bottoms thereof, together with the cast of the country (i. e. any 

 earth of a different colour from the rest of the bank) which is a great help to 

 direct us, as to which side or hill to search into. Neither will it be amiss in 

 this place to subjoin the few, but sure characters of mineral stones, by which 

 we know the kind of metal, and how much it yields. The first way is by its 

 ponderousness, which easily informs us whether it be metal or no. The second 

 is its porosity ; for most tin-stones are porous, not unlike great bones almost 

 thoroughly calcined ; yet tin sometimes lies in the firmest stones. The third 

 is by water, which we term vanning, and that is performed by pulverising the 

 stone, or clay, or what else may be suspected to contain any mineral body, and 

 placing it on a vanning shovel ; the gravel remains in the hinder part, and the 

 metal at the point of the shovel, whereby the kind, nature, and quantity of the 

 ore is guessed at ; and indeed most commonly without any great deception, 

 especially if the vauner have any judgment at all. 



But if no shoad may be found or discovered in such frets, then we leave that 

 place, nor do we trust to any metalline stones found in the common river, for 

 the reason before-mentioned, and because they rather cause distraction, than 

 guide us to the finding out the load, especially if they are smooth, without pro- 

 tuberances, and asperities, such as are usual to stones newly broken : for then 

 they plainly show they have been brought a great way, and in their tumblings 

 thither are worn smooth. Then we go to the sides of those hills most suspected 

 to have any loads in them, where there may be a conveniency of bringing a 

 little stream of water, the more the better, and cut a leat, gurt, or trench, about 

 two feet over, and as deep as the shelf, in which w^e turn the water to run two 

 or three days ; by which time the water, by washing away the filth from the 

 Stones, and the looser parts of the earth, will easily discover what shoad is there. 

 If we find any, we have a certainty of a load, or at least a squat, in the upper 

 parts of the hill. Squats are certain distinct places in the earth, not running in 

 veins, differing from bonnys in this only, that squats are flat, bonnys are 

 roundish. 



Sometimes shor.d may be found upon the open surface of the ground, being 

 tlirust up by moles in their hillock, or turned up by the plough, or by some 



