(483) 
ftake not) about a mile from the Town, in that Road which leads 
to Warrington 2iud Chefler. 
The people of this Town did confidently sfBrn), that the Wa- 
ter of this Spring did burn hke Oyle 5 into whiph Error they fuf- 
fered themfelves to fa!i for wane of a due examination of the 
following particulars. 
For when we came to the (aid Spring(being five or fix in com* 
pany together)and applyed a lighted Candle to the forface of the 
Water i 'tis truej there was fuddenly a large flame produced^ 
which burnt vigoroufly ; at the fight of which they all began to 
laugh at me for denying, what they had poficively afl^erted But 
I, who did not think my felf confuted by a laughter grounded 
upon inadvertency, began to examine what I faw ^ andobferving, 
that this Spring had its eruption at the foot of a Tree^growing on 
the top of a neighbouring Bank, the Water of which Spring fiird 
a Ditch that was there, and covered the burning place lately men- 
tion'd j I then applyed the lighted Candle to divers parts of the 
Water, contained in the faid Ditch^ and found as I expedied^ that 
upon the touch of the Candle and the Water, the Flame was ex- 
tinft. 
Again,having taken up a difiifull of Water at the flaming place, 
and held the lighted Candle to it, it went out. Yet I obferved 
that the Water at the burning place did boyle, and heave like 
Water in a Pot upon the Fire, though my hand put into it percei- 
ved it not fo much as warm. 
Ihisboyling I conceived to proceed from the Eruption of 
fome bituminous or fulphureous Fumes , Confidering, this place 
was not above go or 40 yards diftant from the mouth of a Coal- 
pit there. And indeed Wigan.Afhton^ and the whole Country , for 
many miles compafs, is underlaid with Coal. Then applying my 
hand to the furface of the Burning place of the Water, I found a 
ftrong breathjas it were a Wind, to bear againfl: my hand. 
Then I caufed a Dam to be made, and thereby hindering the 
recourfe of fre(h water to the Burning place • I caufed that, whic^ 
was already there, to be drained away > and then applying 
burning Candle to the furface of the dry Earth at the fame 
where the Water burned before 5 the Fumes took Bve^anr^ 
very bright and vigorous. The Cone of the Flame afc. 
foot and a halffrom the Superficies of theEarth. TheBafisv 
B b b 2 w» 
