(l028) 
bignefs of the ^ea-jralt made by Fire • bat ours i$ of the fize of a 
Pepper-grain> and of a Cubical fliape. 
The Mariflhesare prefer v^d from one year to another by over- 
flowing them , fo that the water be near a foot high above the 
Mariflies. 
There are Marifties, that are not feparated from the iea but 
by a ditch of ao. or 30. foot large : others are further diftifK^rc- 
ceiving the Water by Channels, that are^jnade according to 
the 5citu^tionbfthe Mariflies. ToprcferVe this Ditch, it is 
(Irengthened with ftones from the foot to the top ^ as we ufe to 
pave ftrcets. 
The Timber of the Marlflics , if it be of good Oak , keeps 
©ear thirty years 5 bat there is'iifed^but little Wood, all the 
Ditches and Apertures being done with ftones. 
An Anfwtr 
to feme Inquiries imerning the Bruftions of Mount iEtna , An, 
1669, CmmunieAtedhy fomclnqitt^tive Mnghjh Merchants^ 
nonfrifidingmSkily^ 
Touching the Forerunners of this Fire, there was, for the 
fpaceofiS, days, befoie it broke out, a very thjcfc 
dark sky in thofe parts, with Thunder and lightning and fre- 
quent Concuflions of rhe E rth , which the people make terri- 
ble reports ot , though I never CiW nor heard of any Ba Jdings 
caft down ther<^by , fave a fmal ;own or village , call'd NicoU^j, 
about halfea mile dift nt from the New Mouth , and fom^rmch 
other flight Buildings among thofc Towns, tbat were after 
ovf r-run by the Fire. Btfides, it was obferv'd thnt^e Old top 
or Moutbof o/Cmidid, for 2. or j. months before, rage more 
thanufuah the like of which did Vofcm tnd Strombilo ^ two 
Burning Iflands to the Weft- war^. And the top ol muft 
aboac the fame time have fuak down into its old VorAgo oth k, 
in that 'tis agreedby all,jhat had fcen this rro'Jnt.m before ^ 
that it was very itiuch lower'd. Other Forcrunnt rs of this Fire 
I ! ave not heard nor met with. 
It firft bro*<eout on the Eleventh of March 669. -^bou' two 
hours before night , and that oa the Sm h-^afi- fde oi sk'rc of 
the 
