(loSi) ^ ^ 
need to pafs the fire , is ftparated by water firft in aSivei and af 
terwardsin a long trough, having very fmall holes at one end 
So that there are in a manner two forts of T/V^^V Mercury ^ * 
one, running out and difcovering itfelf without labour 5 } 
thcr, requiring fome way of Extraftion and feparationj thuu^ 
not fo high an one , as by Fire. 
Quickfilver they name that , which is not at firft per- 
ceived by the Eye , or falls from the Ore, but is forc'd out by 
Fire. And this they ohtaine out of the Ore , or out of the Cin- 
naber of Mercury, which they digg out of this Mine. The Ore 
of this Mine is of a dark colour , mix'd with red. But the beft 
is an hard ftone 5 which they commit not prefently to the opera- 
tion of the Fire , but powder it grofsly , and work it by the Sivei 
that fo^if any r/>^/»-quickfilver be found in it , it may be fepa« 
rated in this manner , and what doth not pafs the Sive , may be 
feparated by Fire in Iron- furnaces 5 Fifty of them in a fire. 
TheQuickfilver-oreof this Mineisthericheft of allOres, I 
have yet feenj for ordinarily it contains in it ^^//^Quickfilver , 
and in two parts pf Ore onepartof Quickfiivcr , and fomctimes 
in 3. parts of Ore^, two parts of Q^'ckfilver. 
I went into the Mine by the Pitt of St. Agatha y and came up 
again by that of St Barbara^ defcending and afcending by Lad- 
ders. I afcended at one of ^39 Jtaves or 8p. fathoms. Andre^^ 
as SiferusMKirchers Mund.SuhtmmeuSy makes fuch a dread- 
ful defcription of this Mine , that it might difcourage any from 
attempting the defcent 5 which makes me doubt, Whether he 
had been in any other Mine , efpecially where the defcent is made 
by Ladders. 
This Mine J I was informed, hath been wrought 200. years, 
about the faiirtefpace of time with iV^n/^?/- Mine, but comsmuch 
fliort intin/e of the Silver- mine at Schmnitz s and much fhor- 
ter yet of the notable LcAd-mines in upper Carmthia. Some 
hundreds of nien are employed about this Mine of Idria 5 of which 
the chief Officers are the PrefeiS, the Controller ^ and the 
Judge. 
1 heard no complaint of the Damps of this Mine, as I have 
heard of divers others? Yet the wforkmen are fuffide'ntly mifchie- 
v'd without them : for^ though they be not fuddenly fuffocated, 
yet 
