[ 3°7 ] 
€< which had been wafhed by the Water for about 
c ‘ i 9 Years, yet remained there without any Altera* 
tion, or the leaft Advance to Petrification/ 
Another Reafon for his doubting of this Quality 
is, “ That tho' it is reported that the Water hath 
c ‘ this Virtue, efpecially where the Black- Water dif 
charges itfeif into the Lake, yet that, as it feems 
“ evident, from the Nature of liquid Bodies, that 
€< any Virtue received in one Part muft neceffarily 
“ be diffufed thro' the Whole, at leaft in feme de- 
<c gree j therefore (faith he) there is good Reafon 
ci to believe,, that the Water is wholly deftitute of 
<c this petrifying Quality */’ But a few Lines lower 
he tells you (a), cc That he had fufficient Ground to 
“ conje£ture r that other Wood as well as Hody had 
“ been petrify'd about this Lough 5 becaufe fome 
“ Fifhermen, being Tenants to a Gentleman from 
“ whom he had this Relation, told him, that they 
<c had found buried, in the Mad of this Lough , 
<c great Trees, with all their Branches and Roots 
“ petrify ’d 5 and fome of that Bignefs, that they be- 
c f lieved they could fcarcely be drawn by a Team of 
“ Oxen 5 that they had broke off feveral Branches 
“ as big as a Man's Leg, and many bigger, but could 
a not move the great Trunk/' 
I fuppofe Mr. Smyth (or the Gentleman his Friend) 
faw thefe Branches, and was thereby convinced of 
their 
(*) Ibid* ut fupra. 
