1757

OBSERVATIONS on the BRIMSTONE-HILL

which is a proof, that thefe two pools are
both filled with the waters that drain from
the great cleft. The interior pool may
be about 15 feet wide across the cave:
They have thrown up a kind of bank,
made of rocks, to cross it without fink-
ing into the mud. Before we entered the A
cave, we lighted fome torches made of
candle-wood, which I had taken care to
provide. The candle-wood is full of re-
fin, and very inflammable; the inhabi-
tants cut it in fplinters, and tie it up in
bundles, which they cail torches. When
they were well lighted, we croffed the B
pool, and got upon a fmall eminence
made of stones, that have fallen or fepa-
rated from the vault: You then go down
into a great hole or cave, about fixty feet
in length, as much in breadth, and forty
in height. Here the heat is moderate.
My guide got up upon a fecond eminence, C
but told us he was ftifled, and could ad-
vance no further; and indeed his torch
was going out. This fecond eminence,
or rifing, is likewife formed by ftones fall-
ing from the vault. They are a kind of
whitish free-ftone, covered and incrufted
with a very sharp, white, aluminous falt. D
I then took a torch, and having left a
negro at the entrance, with another torch,
to fetch us out, in cafe of need, we en-
tered the third cave. Here the heat is
exceffive, the torch gave no light, and
was almoft extinguished for want of air,
fo that we were obliged to wave it about E
continually. We could hardly fetch breath,
and were covered with sweat, and found
nothing remarkable but this violent heat.
The vault ends here, and we could go
no further. We perceived on the left,
at coming in, a great hollow place, where
we heard the falling of water; we ima- F
gined the vault continued on that fide,
and stepping down, were agreeably sur-
prized to find it cool, and that our torches
revived. The pace of one fathom made
this alteration; for holding our torches
in the right hand extended, they could
hardly burn; whereas in the left ftretched G
out, they burnt very clear. This puts me
in mind of what happens in the Grotta
de Cani, near Pozzuolo in Italy, de-
feribed by Miffon, Vol. II. p. 63. let. 23.
too long to be related here. (See the vol.
1756, p. 173.)

I went down to the bottom of this hole, where I found nothing but a furprizing rcool air. Afterwards we found feveral holes full of water, lefs impregnated with falt and alum than that at the entrance. When we came up again, in order to proceed on our way, we were fuffocated with the fame heat we had felt in coming

445.

in. I endeavoured to advance to the right. of the cave, but the heat was fo violent, that it stopt my breath.

It appeared to me pretty extraordinary, that in one and the fame cave, 300 feet under-ground, there should be fuch a ftiffing heat on one fide, and on the other fuch an agreeable fresh air. Perhaps the cool fide answers to fome vent, or communicates with the great cleft by fome unknown channel, thro' which the outward air penetrates and cools the place.

In coming out we took care to rest a confiderable time in the fecond cave, to let the violent heat go off, and to dry our fhirts, that were foaked thro' with fweat. We brought away fome of the incruftations, and fome of the aluminous falt, which I found to be a true alum.

When we came out, I perceived two remarkable things upon my waistcoat First, That the filver lace was gilt, and looked like tarnished gold lace: But this I was not furprized at, as I knew that fulphur, mixed with falt of tartar, will produce that effect. Secondly, That the drops of water, which were fallen upon me, were by the heat of the cave turned to alum, and had dried and fastened upon my cloaths. In this cave we found the fame forts of earth as we had met with at the three fprings of the river of Galleons, as I mentioned above. They dyed our fingers, and were taftelefs as the former. This is all I obferved in the interior cave.

We spent the night in the great cavern. I had brought with me a thermometer and a barometer ; but this last was broke by the way, fo that I could make no obfervations upon the weight of the air; but with the thermometer I obferved, that when we got there, in rainy weather, the glafs fhewed 15 degrees above temperate, at fun-fet 2 degrees; in the night s degrees below temperate; and at daybreak 8 degrees. The thermometer, placed at the entrance of the cave, and Theltered from the wind, fhewed 5 degrees of cold; and expofed to the wind on the outside, where I felt a very sharp cold, only 2 degrees; fo that there was three degrees difference, which furprized me, as my natural thermometer, I mean my body, convinced me of the contrary. I was very cold without, and felt little or H no cold within; whereas the observations by the thermometer fhewed the reverfe. I had obferved in the plains below, that it fhewed about 10 degrees above temperate. By the report that was made us, the night we spent at the Brimstone hill had been as cold, the wind had blown, the air was

very

446

SULPHUR analyfed naturally.

very damp, and we had found but 5
degrees of cold; fo that there was 18
degrees difference between the Brimstone-
hill and the plains.

We spent the night very fnug, upon
beds of fern, with a good fire at the
mouth of the cave, and were much lefs
troubled with the cold than I expected in
fo bleak a place.

We came down by the Tarare, which, as I have obferved, is a very steep defcent. You let yourfelf down upon a Marrow ridge. On each fide are precipices, which indeed do not look frightful, because they are covered with trees which conceal them. Half way down the mountain you find a hot fpring, that has nothing particular. At last we got to our horfes, and reached our habitation at the elofe of night.

A

B

Any quantity of brimftone might be C fetched from this mountain, even shiploads. It might be refined upon the spot, or made up into lumps to be fold, and hipped in the ore, if it was neceffary; and fhould this fcheme take place, I do not question but the roads might be made eafier, fo as to load it upon mules at a D hundred paces from the gulph : But it is foo cheap a commodity to be worth gathering up, in a country where the price of labour is fo high from the fcarcity of hands. Bright yellow brimstone, with a greenith caft, might be gathered round the vent-holes of the burning gulph, and likewife large quantities of fine natural flowers, or very pure fulphur. What we call flowers of fulphur, is brimstone sublimated, raifed and fixed into a very fine and fubtle powder.

Thefe chymical

E

Sept.

cryftallizations, and drop down like very clear water. The chemifts agree, that fulphur is no other than an oily matter) fixed by an acid fpirit. This is evident from artificial fulphur. By mixing oil of tain a fulphur equal to natural brimftone. turpentine with fpirit of vitriol, you ob-. It is farther proved by analyfing it. An acid fpirit may be extracted from it, and its afhes afford but a very fmall quantity of alkaline falt. What paffes in this mountain may be called a natural analyfis in the center of the earth, as in chemical and diftillation. The brimftone takes fire operations, when the mixture of fpirit of nitre, and oil of turpentine, fuddenly produces a furprizing heat and flame: In like manner an oily and fulphureous exhalation inflames and fends forth fires, ing or falling ftars. which the ignorant vulgar take for shoot

The flowers rife with the acid fpirit, which being condenfed by the cool air, falls down in drops. By fixing bell-glaffes to the apertures of the funnels, one might collect a fpirit, that rifes naturally. One one of the funnels, and not being able to of us having thruft his cane too far into pull it out again, helped himself with the blade of his fword to catch hold of it. In an instant we faw the hilt quite wet, and the water dropping off, and when he drew it out, we were furprized to find the fave any of this fpirit, nor make any exblade extremely hot. We could not then periments upon it. However, I do not believe it is like that, which flows from the baths of Wolckeftein in Germany, which Charles Patin fays turns to brimftone when expofed to the air, and is liquid and clear as water under-ground.

I have gone up this mountain feveral times to gather fimples; but as the plants it produces have already been defcribed by the Rev, fathers Plumier and Feuillée, the two minims, who went for that pur the island of Martinico, which is likewife pofe upon the mountain called Pelée, in Ga volcano, and produces the fame plants as the Brimstone-hill of Guadelupa, I fhall forbear giving an account of my enquiries in this particular.

flowers harden and cake together, and form a folar fulphur as fine as that, which F comes from Peru. It is of a bright gold colour. It is found on the fides of the burning funnels or vent-holes ; and likewife upon the ground, at the foot of the great cleft northward, is found a kind of brimftone refembling karabe or yellow amber, and altogether as bright and tranfparent, fo as to be mistaken for it. Thefe are particles of fulphur washed and purified by the air, rain, and fun, and I do not think it is poffible to fee any thing more beautiful of the kind.

I do not doubt but thefe two forts of brimstone would be as much valued as what comes from Peru; which being mixt with falt of tartar, produces that liquor, which is made ufe of to gild metals, and chiefly filver.

In the fame funnels you fee the spirit of Riphur rife against thofe fulphureous

H

An Account of the Cafe of a Man who died
of the Effects of the Fire at Eddy-Stone
Light-Houfe. By Mr. Edward Spry,
Surgeon at Plymouth.

ΟΝ

N Thurfday, the 4th of Decem-
ber, 1755,
at three in the after-
noon, Henry Hall, of Eaft-ftone-houfe,
conftitution, and extremely active for one
near Plymouth, aged 94 years, of a good

1757. Extraordinary CASE of fwallowing melted Lead.

of that age, being one of the three un-
fortunate men who fuffered by the fire of
the light-houfe at Eddy-stone, nine miles
from Plymouth, having been greatly hurt
by that accident, with much difficulty re-
turned to his own houfe. I being fent
for to his affiftance found him in his bed, A
complaining of extreme pains all over his
body; efpecially in his left fide, below
the short ribs, in the breast, mouth and
throat. He faid likewife, as well as he
could, with a hoarfe voice, scarce to be
heard, that melted lead had run down his
throat into his body.

447

ftomach greatly inflamed and ulcerated, and the tunica in the lower part of the ftomach burnt; and from the great cavity of it took out a great piece of lead, which weighed exactly feven ounces, five drachms, and 18 grains.

It will perhaps be thought difficult to explain the manner by which the lead entered the ftomach; but the account which the deceafed gave me and others was, that as he was endeavouring to extinguish the flames, which were at a confiderable height over his head, the lead of the lantB horn being melted dropped down, beforę he was aware of it, with great force into his mouth, then lifted up and open, and that in fuch quantity, as to cover not only his face, but all his clothes.

Having taken the proper care of his right leg, which was very much bruised and cut on the tibia, I examined his body, and found it all covered with livid fpots and blitters: and the left side of the head and face, with the eye, extremely burnt; which having washed with linen C dipt in an emollient fomentation, and having applied things ufed in cales of burning, I then infpected his throat, the root of his tongue, and the parts contiguous, as the uvula, tonfils, &c. which were greatly fcorched by the melted lead. Upon this I ordered him to drink frequently of water-gruel or fome fuch draught; and returning to my houfe, fent him the oily mixture, of which he took often two or three fpoonfuls.

D

The next day he was much worfe, all the fymptoms of his cafe being heightened, with a weak pulfe, and he could now E fcarce fwallow at all.

The day following there was no change, except that, on account of his too great coftiveness, he took fix drachms of manna diffolved in an ounce and half of infufion of fenna, which had no effect till the day following; when just as a glyfter was F going to be administered, he had a very fetid difcharge by stool.

That day he was better till night, when he grew very feverish.

The next day, having flept well the preceding night, and thrown up by coughing a little matter, he was much better.

He began now to fpeak with lefs difficulty, and for three or four days to recover gradually; but then fuddenly grew worfe, his pulfe being very weak; his fide, which grew worfe daily from the first, now reddened a little and fwelled; to which I applied the emplafter of gums. But all methods proved ineffectual, for the next day being feized with cold weats and fpafms in the tendons, he foon expired.

Examining the body, and making an incifion thro' the left abdomen, I found the diaphragmatic upper mouth of the

Plymouth, Dec. 19, 1755.

AR

To the Right Hon. George Earl of Macclesfield, Prefident of the Royal Society. My Lord, Plymouth, Jan. 30, 1756. S the late cafe I took the liberty of troubling your lordship with, was fo very fingular, as to make it by fome gentlemen greatly doubted, on account of their imagining, that the degree of hear in melted lead was too great to be borne in the ftomach, without immediate death, or at least much more fudden than hap pened in this cafe; I herein can not only convince your lordship of its fact, by my own and (if requifite) the oaths of others, but alfo by the following experiments, which from fimilarity of circumstances must not only render that probable, but (in the most convincing manner) the abfolute poffibility of my affertion. I extracted in three pieces, from the ftomach of a fimall dog, fix drachms one fcruple of lead, which I had poured down his throat the day before.

N. B. The mucous lining of the fophagus feemed very vifcid, and the stomach much corrugated, tho' its internal coat was no ways excoriated.

The dog had nothing to eat or drink. Gafter; nor for twenty-four hours before. the experiment, when, being very brisk, I killed him. I alfo took from the ftomach of a large dog (in feveral pieces). fix ounces and two drachms of lead, three. days after thrown in. The pharynx and cardiac orifice of the ftomach were a little inflamed and excoriated; but the afo phagus and ftomach feemed in no manner affected. I gave this dog an half pint of milk just before I poured down the lead ;. very foon after which alfo he eat thereof freely, as if nothing ailed, him; which he daily continued to do, being very lively

H

at

448

EXPERIMENTS with melted Lead.

at the time I killed him. From the crop of a full grown fowl, I (in company with Dr. Huxham, F. R. S.) extracted of lead one folid piece, weighing two ounces and a half, together with nine other finall portions, weighing half an ounce, which

Sept.

A Letter of John Huxham, M. D. F. R. S. to Mr. William Watfon, F. R. S. comcerning the foregoing Cafe.

Dear Sir,

Think there are few things remark

lead was thrown down the fowl's throat Aable in art of nature, in this part of

twenty-five hours before. The fowl was
kept without meat for twenty-four hours,
before and after the experiment, eating
(being very lively just before we killed
him) dry barley, as faft, and with nigh,
if not quite, the fame eafe as before. The
mucus on the larynx and cefophagus was B
fomewhat hardened. The external coat
of the crop appeared in a very finall de-
gree livid; and the internal, fomewhat
corrugated. The barley was partly in the
afophagus, tho' moftly in the craw, which
was almoft full with the lead. I took
two ounces one fcruple from the crop of C
another fowl, three days after the experi-
ment, which fowl was very brifk to the
laft. Allowing, for a further fatisfaction,
that the experiment be tried, it is requi-
fite in making thereof, that the melted
lead be poured into a funnel, whofe spout
being as large as the throat of the animal, D
(whole neck must be kept firmly erect)
will conveniently admit of, must be forced
down the cefophagus, fomewhat below
the larynx, left any of the lead might fall
therein; and according to the quantity,
either by totally, or partly obftructing the
afpera arteria, caufe immediate, or a lin- E
gering death; which accidents happening,
in my first experiments on two dogs, di-
rected me to proceed in the above manner!
At prefent, I have a dog with lead in his
ftomach, which I intend to keep, to prove
how long he may live. My lord, your
lordship may depend on it, that fo far
from my afferting any thing in the
leaft degree uncertain, that, as I always
have, I always fhall act with so much
circumfpection and integrity (efpecially
in these tender points, where my cha-
racter is at stake) as to be able eafily to
prove what I may affert, as in the prefent G
cafe, fo very extraordinary, that scarce
any of the faculty (unless particularly ac-
quainted with me) would give credit to,
till I demonftrated it by the above expe-
riments; which, I doubt not in the least,
will be fufficiently fatisfactory to your
lordship, and to the honourable fociety;
to serve which venerable body, as much as
lies in my power, will, at all times, give
the greatest pleasure to,

My LORD,

the country, that do not, fooner or later, come to my knowledge. Our worthy commiffioner, Fred. Rogers, Efq; fent me the lead you mention, three days after it was said to be taken out of the man (Hall) who was faid to have fwallowed it. I immediately fent for Mr. Edward Spry, an ingenious young furgeon of this town, who attended this Hall during his illness, and extracted the lead from his ftomach (as was reported) when dead. Mr. Spry folemnly affured me, that he did actually take the lead, that was fent me out of the man's stomach, and offered to make oath of it. This Hall lived 12 days after the accident happened, and fwallowed several things, folid and liquid, during that time; and he spoke tolerably plain, tho' his voice was very hoarfe. And he constantly affirmed, that he had swallowed melte ed lead.

However, as the story feemed very extraordinary, and not a little improbable, I did not chufe to tranfmit any account of it to the Royal Society, as I could have wifhed for more unexceptionable evidence; for Mr. Spry had no one with him when he did extract the lead, but one woman, Philips, the daughter of Hall, and another woman, who were alfo in the house, not being able, as faid, to fee the operati on, but immediately called in after it, and Mr. Spry fhewed them the lead. I fent a F very fenfible gentleman to enquire into this affair, and he had this account from them.

H

This Mr. Spry is, to the best of my knowledge, a perfon of veracity, and I think would not utter an untruth. But, what is more, last Wednesday he brought me a live young cock, into the crop or craw of which he had, the day before, poured fomewhat more than three ounces of melted lead. The cock indeed feemed dull, but very readily pecked and swallowed feveral barley-corns, that were thrown to him. I had the cock killed and opened in my view, and in the crop we found a lump of lead, weighing three ounces (lefs 20 grains) and fome other little bits of lead. I make no doubt the cock would have lived feveral days longer, if it had not been then killed. There feemed a flight efchar in the cock's mouth, occafioned by the melted lead,

and

17578

CADIZ DESCRIBED, &c.

and the crop feemed as if parboiled. This experiment is very easily made, and feems to confirm the probability of Mr. Spry's

account.

I never difpute a matter of fact, when
I am fully convinced that it is fo; but I
think it my duty to enquire narrowly into A
the circumstances of it, before I admit it
as fuch. With refpe&t to the prefent cafe,
you now know as much of it as,
Dear Sir,

Plym. Sat. even. Your most faithful and
Jan. 31, 1750.
obedient humble fervant,

TH

J. HUXHAM. B

HE city of Cadiz in the province of
Andalufia in Spain, ftands upon a
point of land fo very narrow, that there
is little ground between it and the fea, ex-
cept on the S. W. It contains about 5000
houfes, and has a great foreign trade; C
the galleons annually take in their lading
there, and return again with the treafures of
America. It is upwards of 300 miles dif
tant, S. W. from Madrid. The island of
Leon, on which it ftands, is fix leagues in
length, about half a league broad, where
the town ftands, and on the S. W. three D
leagues over. The island, with the con-
tinent overagainst it, form a bay four
leagues long, and, in most places, two in
breadth. About the middle of the bay

are two points of land, one on the con-
tinent and the other on the illand, fo near
together that the forts upon them com- E
mand the paffage, and within thefe points
is the harbour, which cannot be entered
by an enemy till the two forts are taken.
See the annexed beautiful plan of the bay and
roads of Cadiz.

800 Bags of ginger.

11 Cafks of tortoife-fhell.
336 Elephants teeth.
253 Cafks of
gum fenega.
75 Tons of fundry woods.
38 Hhds of caffia fitula.
173 Bags ditto.

35560 lb. ditto.

T

122 Cafks of Arenatto.

14 Scrivello.

4 Cafks of dragon's blood. 24 Tons lignum vitæ.

547 Rolls of tobacco.

And fundry other different forts.

449

A Queftion in Navigation. By Mr. J. Dial.
HREE fhips fail from a port in lati-
tude 50° N. One fails S. E. b S.
another S. and the third S. S. W. when
they had been a few hours at fea, the first
obferved the fecond lying too, between
north and weft, diftant feven miles, the
fecond obferved the third in the S. W.
quarter, diftant nine miles; the third was
diftant from the first 12 miles: Quere the
diftances failed, and latitudes come to?

A Pamphlet has been lately published by Dr.
Hill, entitled, The Sleep of Plants ex-
plained, in a Letter to C. Linnaus,
Profeffor of Botany at Upjal.
they mean thofe plants, whole leaves
DY what herbalifts call fleeping plants,
naturally affume, at night, a pofture or dif-
pofition different from that of the day,
which quality has been long fince taken
notice of by herbalifts, and is very re-
markable in fome of thofe plants that are
natives of hot climates, particularly that
which they call the Abrus.

The caufe of this natural effect has

AN authentick list of the cargoes of F been long fearched for by philofophers,

French Weft-India prize ships, fold at publick fale in London, Bristol, Liverpool, &c. from September 9, 1756, to September 1, 1757, including those taken before the declaration of war.

Note, The cargoes of the prizes taken in the Weft India fhips, and brought G home in English ships, are not in this lift. 28324 Hhds fugar.

900 Tierces ditto. 1097 Barrels ditto.

2987 Pipes and hhds of Coffee.
4660 Tierces ditto.
7997 Barrels ditto.

6851 Bags ditto.

3264 Bags and pockets of cotton. 1669 Caths of indigo. 11188 Hides, whole and half.

82 Cafks of cocoa.

198 Bags ditto.

September, 1757

and Dr. Hill shews, in his Pamphlet, that it is entirely owing to the influence of the rays of light, for which purpose he firth gives us a defcription of the leaf of the Abrus, as follows:

"The leaf of this plant confifts of thirteen pairs of lobes, fixed by very fhort and extremely flender footftalks to the middle rib; and this to the main ftem of the plant. Examining its internal flincture by the microfcope, we find a number of delicate fibres, rifing from the central part of the main ftem, and continued in Ha courfe obliquely upwards, thro' the intermediate parts, and to the outside of the rind. Here they fwell; and run into feveral regular clutters, fpreading, downward and on each fide; and thefe form (under the continued covering of the fton) the bafe of the common foodtalk, or midLII die