MifceUaneA Curiofa. Vol. IIL 



Earth fo fix'd about them, that till they 

 grind them on a rough Stone with Sand, they 

 cannot move it fufficiently, to difcover they 

 are Tranlparent; or, were it not for their 

 Shapes, to ^ know them from other Stones- 

 At the firit opening of the Mine, the un- 

 sltilful Labourers, fometimes to try what 

 they have found, lay them on a great Stone, 

 End ftriking on them with another, to their 

 coflly experience difcover they had broken 

 E Diamond. One I knew who had an ex- 

 cellent Stone of 8 mangelleem^ jferved fo by 

 ignorant Miners he employed. 



Near the Place where they dig, they raifc 

 a Wall with fuch rugged Stones as they find 

 at Hand (whereof all the Mines afford 

 Plenty) of about two Foot high, and lix 

 Foot over, flooring it well with the fame 

 for the laying of which they have no other 

 Mortar than the Earth tempered with W4- 

 ter. To ftrengthen and make it tight they 

 throw up a Bank againft the fide of it : In 

 one whereof they leave a fmall vent about 

 two Inches from the bottom^ by which it 

 empties it feif into a little Pit, made in the 

 Earth to receive fmall Stones, if by chance 

 any fhould run through. The vent being 

 Hopped, they fill the Ciftern they have made 

 with JVater, fbaking therein as much as 

 the Earth they dig out of the Mines, as 

 it can conveniently receive at a time, break- 

 ing the Clods, picking out the great Stones 

 and ftirring it with Shovels, till the Wa- 

 ter is all Muddy, the gravelly fluff' falling 

 to the bottom \ then they open the vent^ 

 letting out the foul Water and fupplying 



