BOOK 1 1 .] History of Nature. \ 4 1 



Water whereof whosoever drinketh is sure to die of it, reme- 

 diless, and yet without Pain. In a Country of Spain, called 

 Carrinensis, two Springs run near together, the one rejecting 

 and the other swallowing up all Things. In the same Coun- 

 try there is another Water which sheweth all Fishes within 

 it of a golden Colour; but if they be taken out of that Water, 

 they be like other Fishes. In the Cannensian Territory, 

 near the Lake Larius, there is a large Fountain, which every 

 Hour continually swelleth and falleth down again. In the 

 Island Sidonia, before Lesbos, there is a hot Fountain that 

 runneth only in the Spring. The Lake Sinnaus, in Asia, is 

 infected with the Wormwood growing about it. At Colo- 

 phon, in the Cave of Apollo Clarius, there is a Channel with 

 Water: they that drink of it foretell strange Things like 

 Oracles ; but they live the shorter Time for it. Rivers run- 

 ning backward even our Age hath seen in the latter Years of 

 the Prince Nero, as we have related in the Acts of his Life. 

 Now, that all Springs are colder in Summer than Winter, 

 who knoweth not? as also these wondrous Works of Nature, 

 that Brass and Lead in the Lump sink down in Fluid, but if 

 they be spread out into thin Plates they float : and let the 

 Weight be all one, yet some Things settle to the Bottom ; and 

 others, again, are borne above : that heavy Burdens be re- 

 moved with more Ease in Water. Likewise that the Stone 

 Thyrreus, however large, doth swim when entire: but broken 

 into Pieces, it sinketh. Bodies newly dead fall to the Bottom 

 of the Water, but when swollen they rise again. Empty Ves- 

 sels are not so easily drawn out of the Water as those that be 

 full : Rain-water for Salt-pits is more profitable than any 

 other : and Salt cannot be made unless fresh Water be min- 

 gled : Sea-water is longer before it freezes, but it is sooner 

 made hot. In Winter the Sea is hotter, and in Autumn 

 salter. The whole Sea is made still with oil : and therefore 

 the Divers under the Water scatter it with their Mouths, be- 

 cause it allayeth the rough Nature thereof, and carrieth a 

 Light with it. No Snows fall where the Sea is deep. And, 

 whereas all Water runneth downward, yet Springs leap up; 

 even at the very Foot of ^Etria, which burneth so far as that 



