56 
province of Brabant; and, according to Olaus Wormins*, they 
have even been found in the loftiest and most craggy mountains of 
Iceland, and in almost all the maritime parts of Holland, Friesland, 
Zealand, &c. Subterranean trees have also been found by Fran- 
ciscus Stellutus, not enveloped merely in earth, but in stone. In 
Misnia, a beech tree, with all its leaves and branches, was found in 
a stony stratum, a hundred and eighty ells deep. In the valley of 
St. Joachim, at a considerable depth, was found an oak, with its 
roots and branches, in a petrified state, according to Leibnitzf. 
Both Gesner and Albinus mention a beech having been found which 
was afterwards formed into whetstones. Leibnitz also mentions a 
stone, which was in the possession of Benjamin Olitsch, an ingenious 
miner ; and which he had procured from Augustoburg, in Misnia, 
which would be directly known to have been part of an alder. 
Bufibn relates, on the authority of Rammazini, that for four miles 
round the town of Modena, wherever the earth is dug to the depth 
of 63 feet, if the workmen pierce about five feet further, with a 
boring instrument, the water rushes up with such impetuosity, that 
it fills the wells to the top, almost instantaneously. The water in 
these wells continues perpetually ; and is neither augmented nor 
diminished by rains or drought. It is still more remarkable, that 
on this spot, whenever the workmen dig to the depth of 14 feet, 
they find the rubbish and ruins of an ancient citv% paved streets, 
houses, and different pieces of Mosaic work. Below this, the earth 
is solid, and appears not to have been moved. StiH lower, they 
find a moist soil, mixed with vegetables ; and at the depth of 
26 feet, entire trees, as filberts, with nuts upon them, and great 
quantities of branches and leaves. At 28 feet there is a stratum of 
soft chalk, 11 feet thick, mixed with sea shells ; and after this they 
again meet with vegetables, leaves, and branches of trees, till they 
* Lib. ii. cap. 15. 
f Leibnitii Protogsa. Getting, sect. xlv. 
