58 



BOOK III. 



II are northern directions lying toward the east, IV and V are eastern 

 directions lying toward the north, and III is assigned, half to the north and 

 half to the east. 



One who wishes to know the direction of the veins underground, places 

 over the vein the instrument just described ; and the needle, as soon as it 

 becomes quiet, will indicate the course of the vein. That is, if the vein 

 proceeds from VI to VI, it either runs from east to west, or from west to 

 east ; but whether it be the former or the latter, is clearly shown by the 

 seams in the rocks. If the vein proceeds along the hne which is between V 

 and VI toward the opposite direction, it runs from between the fifth and 

 sixth divisions of east to the west, or from between the fifth and sixth 

 divisions of west to the east ; and again, whether it is the one or the other 

 is clearly shown by the seams in the rocks. In a similar manner we 

 determine the other directions. 



Now miners reckon as many points as the sailors do in reckoning up 

 the number of the winds. Not only is this done to-day in this country, but 

 it was also done by the Romans who in olden times gave the winds partly 

 Latin names and partly names borrowed from the Greeks. Any miner who 

 pleases may therefore call the directions of the veins by the names of the 

 winds. There are four principal winds, as there are four cardinal points : 

 the Suhsolanus, which blows from the east ; and its opposite the Favonius, 

 which blows from the west ; the latter is called by the Greeks Zi^pvpoc, and 

 the former 'ATr-iXiwrTjc. There is the Auster, which blows from the south ; 

 and opposed to it is the SeptentHo, from the north ; the former the Greeks 

 called Noroc, and the latter 'ATra/j.v-T.'ac. There are also subordinate winds, 

 to the number of twenty, as there are directions, for between each two 

 principal winds there are always five subordinate ones. Between the 

 Suhsolanus (east wind) and the Auster (south wind) there is the OrnitMae 

 or the Bird wind, which has the first place next to the Suhsolanus ; then 

 comes Caecias ; then Eurus, which lies in the midway of these five ; next 

 comes Vulturnus ; and lastly, Euronotus, nearest the Auster (south wind). 

 The Greeks have given these names to all of these, with the exception of 

 Vulturnus, but those who do not distinguish the winds in so precise a manner 

 say this is the same as the Greeks called Eipcr. Between the Auster (south 

 wind) and the Favonius (west wind) is first Altanus, to the right of the 

 Auster (south wind) ; then Libonotus ; then Afrkus, which is the middle 

 one of these five ; after that comes Suhvesperus ; next Argestes, to the left 

 of Favonius (west wind). All these, with the exception of Libonotus and 

 Argestes, have Latin names ; but Africus also is called by the Greeks All. 

 In a similar manner, between Favonius (west wind) and Septentrio (north 

 wind), first to the right of Favonius (west wind), is the Etesiae ; then 

 Circius ; then Caurus, which is in the middle of these five ; then Corus ; 

 and lastly Thrascias to the left of Septentrio (north wind). To all of 

 these, except that of Caurus, the Greeks gave the names, and those 

 who do not distinguish the winds by so exact a plan, assert that the wind 

 which the Greeks called Ko>ot and the Latins Caurus is one and the same. 



