An Accompt of Some Books

called Berkelfe-Sea, whose bottom in many places is very moorish. This water is in Winter very clear, but about beginning or in the midst of Summer it grows whitish, and there are then small green clouds permeating it, which the Country-men dwelling near it say is caused from the Dew then falling, and call it Henry-dew. This water is abounding in Fish, which is very good and savoury. Passing lately over this Sea at a time, when it blew a fresh gale of wind, and observing the water as above described, I took up some of it in a Glass-vessel, which having view'd the next day, I found moving in it several Earthy particles, and some green streaks, spirally ranged, after the manner of the Copper or Tin-worms, used by Distillers to cool their distilled waters; and the whole compass of each of these streaks was about the thickness of a man's-hair on his head: Other particles had but the beginning of the said streak; all consisting of small green globules interspersed; among all which there crawled abundance of little animals, some of which were roundish; those that were somewhat bigger than others were of an Oval figure: On these latter I saw two legs near the head, and two little fins on the other end of their body: Others were somewhat larger than an Oval, and these were very slow in their motion, and few in number. These animalcula had divers colours, some being whitish, others pellucid: others had green and very shining little scales; others again were green in the middle, and before and behind white, others grayish. And the motion of most of them in the water was so swift, and so various, upwards, downwards, and round about, that I confess I could not but wonder at it. I judge, that some of these little creatures were above a thousand times smaller than the smallest ones, which I have hitherto seen in cheese, wheaten flower, mould, and the like. An Accomp of some Books. I. Die AFRICANISCHEN Landschaft FETU beschrieben durch Wilhelm Johan Muller von Harburgh; Gedruckt zu Hamburg, 1673, in 120. This piece, composed and printed in High-dutch, containing divers not inconsiderable observations made by an Author, that lived eight years in Fetu; it was thought, the Reader would not be displeased to find such of the Observations as are suitable with the design of these Papers, Englished, and transferred hither. The Province or Country of FETU, (the subject of this Book,) is situate about the middle of the Gold-coast in Guiny, in 5½ deg. Northern latitude: In length reaching from Cabo Corso to the bor- ders of the Kingdom Abraham Bu; in breadth, from Annoma Gruf- fu, (a Sea-port between the mountain Congo in the Land of Sabu, and Amamfro or Friedrichs-burg, belonging to the King of Denmark,) to Commende. Through the middle of it runs a River, which dis- charges itself at St. George della Mina into the Sea. The Author having ditcourfed at large of the Towns, Forts, and Villages of Fetu, describes the Nature and Quality of that Coun- try and its Inhabitants. The Soyl so fertil, that there is a double Harveft every year, viz. in July and December; but the Air very unhealthy to strangers, especially in the rainy season, of April, May, and June; not so to the Natives, who are not afflicted with that pestilential Fever, which commonly invades our Europeans living there; though they, as well as Forrainers, be troubled with a kind of Worm, that breeds in the fleth, which, in the opinion of the most intelligent, proceeds from the drinking of troubled and fetid waters, which the poorer sort, that cannot get or pay for their Palm-wine, must be contented with. For the cure of which worms they use Palm-oil, wherewith they anoint the place which the infect will issue at, where when it appears, they wind it gently about a slender twig, and so fetch it out whole, being very careful that it break not. As for the Natives, they are Black; though the Author observes, that their Children, when first born, are not so, but of a white- yellowish colour, which yet in a month or so changeth into black. They take great care of keeping their teeth very white and clean, chewing to that end little peeled savoury sticks, and therewith rubbing them; which wood is not named here, but is said to grow in Acania, a neighbouring Kingdom. These Blacks are here commended for their excellent memories, which they culti- vate by the frequent repetitions of ancient actions and passages hap'nd in their Country: To which is here added an Observation of their singular ability in casting, even large, accounts merely in their heads, without using any writing or counters. Their whole year consists only of Eight months; and to avoid mif-reckoning, they tie eight knots in a string, one every time that a new Moon appears. And by these knots they also reckon their Age. Concerning the Dispositions of these Blacks, they are humane and kind when not provoked, and liberal enough (according to our Author,) and very compassionate to one another, having also a great sense of gratitude: Mean time they are idolaters, revenge- ful and choleric when provoked; luxurious, thievish, false, and masters masters in palliating or maintaining falsities; wherein our Author notes them to be so stubborn, that they will rather suffer themselves to be tortur'd to death, than confess the truth. On which occasion, 'tis here related, that a Youth endured a very sharp whipping with thorny rods, together with a rubbing of his wounds with Salt and Lemon-juice; and a burning of the middle of his fingers and toes with a lighted Match, rather than that he would confess the thing he was accused of. Touching their Worship, and Civil Government, the particulars thereof are very largely described here, but are besides our purpose. It seems, (to touch so much in short,) that they, upon occasion, by their Priests consult their Idol, call'd Oboffum, Summan, or Fitiso, and receive Answers from him, that they sacrifice to him, keep Holy days in honor of him, and eat and drink certain things in his name. They have a King over them, who yet may decree nothing but by the approbation and consent of the chief persons of the Nation. He proceeds in the administration of Justice not according to any written Laws, but received Custom, punishing Murder and Theft with death, as also such Adultery as is committed by a Concubin; a true wife being, in that case, repudiated. In their Wars they use Musquets, Bows, and Arrows, Zables, Javelins; and for their Trumpets they employ great Elephants-teeth. They poison their darts with a preparation of Crocodils-gall. As to their Oeconomy, our Author relates their manner of Building, Householdstuff, Washings, Cloathing, Painting, Meat, and Drink, Marriage, Weddings, Education of Children. 'Tis somewhat strange, that they relish their Fish most, when such of them as are unsalted have lain several days exposed to the Sun, and are become stinking. Elephants-flesh is also a great delicacy, amongst them, even after it has been dead many days, and stinks like carrion. Their drink is Water, Palm-wine, and Bier, which latter they make of the great Millet and Water; after they have malted their Millet, by infusing it in water, and so letting it shoot or sprout, and then exposing it to the Sun to dry. They are exceedingly addicted to drink French Brandy, in comparison of which they despise all strong Waters made of Corn, and all that sort which comes hither from the Barbadoes, call'd Kill-devil. Discoursing of their Marriages and Weddings, he taketh notice of an Herb, (which yet he names not) bearing a yellow flower, which is shut in the morning and the whole day, but opens about evening; evening; wherewith their women wash and rub their bodies before they are bedded the first time, from a persuasion that it maketh fruitfull. They have a very barbarous custome amongst them, to kill those of their children, that are born with the least monstrocity or defect in any of their limbs; as also one of such twins, as are born of different sexes, viz. that which they like worst; though, when twins are of one and the same sexe, they preserve them both alive. Their Women brought to bed, are generally able to go abroad the second or third day, and to betake themselves to their ordinary work and labour again. They never swaddle their children, but loosely put about them a piece of linen-cloth, and so lay them upon a straw-matt to the mother. What concerns their Husbandry, they have chiefly two sorts of Corn, which our Author calls the great and small Millet, but by his description seems to be the same with Turky-wheat; of which one grain often produces two or three ears of Corn, which not seldom yield five or six hundred grains. They use no Plow, but a Mattock, for sowing; making therewith a furrow of three or four fingers deep with one hand, and fetching the seed out of a little sack, tyed about their body, with the other. And instead of a Sith they make use of a great knife. The Juice of their Palm-trees is very agreeable both to the tast and smell, when drunk fresh; and grows so strong by standing but one night, that it will soon intoxicate. 'Tis used, when recent, against Obstructions, it being then considerably laxative; and 'tis likewise so very diuretique, that very few among the Blacks are afflicted with the Stone or Gravel. Besides, it causes no head-ach, though it be drunk plentifully. There is two sorts of them, of which they count, the one Male, the other Female, this bearing a fruit resembling peeled Plums, and yielding an Oyl by expression; the other bearing no fruit at all. The Oyl is both medicinal, esculent, and serving for Lamps. The trunk of this Tree is good fuel; the branches serving for the covering of their houses; the Leaves for thred to sew their cloaths withal. Their chief and best fruits are, the Banannas, Baccoles, En-jamos, Patattas, Aggwivre, Croffe, Turreba, Aduba, Malaguette, Colà, Cocos, Brambas, Anaffas. The Banannas grow on a Tree having no wood at all, but only meer leaves, which twist together, sometimes to a stem of a German Ell thick, which when 'tis grown up two or three such Ells high, it forth other leaves, &c. And as oft as new leaves grow out of this Tree, the former dry up, until the Tree do arrive to its full growth, and the fruit to its due perfection; which how it grows, and how pleasant it is both to the Eye, Taste, and Smell, is here largely described. The Baccos differ from the former only in this, that this fruit is shorter and thicker, and within whiter; the taste also and smell more pleasing. Of it 'tis noted, that being cut thorough into slices, it presents a perfect Crucifix. Whether Imagination do not herein help Superstitious men, I must leave to the Autopsy of severe Examiners of truth. Enjamos is like to the greater sort of our European Turnips, though not so juicy and sweet as they. Their Patattas are so good, that if they be boiled with unsalted flesh, it gives the broth and meat so agreeable a taste, as if Rose-water had been put to it. Aggwiure is their Sugar-Cane. Croffe is like our Hazelnuts, but hath no hard scale. Turreba is a sort of Earth-apple. Aduba, a kind of Bean. Malaguette is their pepper, inferior to that of the East-Indies. Cola is as bitter a fruit as bitter Almonds, growing upon tall trees, and in coats like Chestnuts: The Blacks that take no Tobacco, use it to make a cup relish. Brambus is a small round Limon, of much juice, and a thin shell, bearing leaves of an admirable fragrancy when rubbed. The express'd juice of it, saith this Author, is sent into Europe not only for a condiment to meat, but also for the use of Dying. The Anassas is in the Authors Judgment so excellent a fruit, that he thinks it cannot be sufficiently commended, for its pleasingness, both to the Eye, Taste, and Smell, insomuch that the little scruples to affirm it to be the best Vegetable production of the Earth; observing, that the English at Capo Corso call it the Pine-apple, and that it grows to the bigness of a Melon, changing its greenness into an Orange-colour when ripe. The taste of it sweet-piquant. Speaking of their Fishery, he reckons up many sorts of Fish, they are stored with, among which are the Dorado, Bonito, Oyster, and Esua or Tubaron; of which latter sort he observes, that they emit no seed into the water, but couple together like Whales, he having seen a Female-Tubaron taken, and six or seven of her young ones cut out of her belly. They have Oxen, Cows, and Goats, but they are no good meat; yet their Sheep well-tasted, but very dear. European Hoggs, Geese, Ducks and Hens will not thrive there. They abound in Deer, Ti- gers, Porcupins, Civet-cats, which latter the more they are fed with pulse of meal and honey, the more Civet they yield. Discoursing of their Salt, he takes notice, that they let in Seawater, which having stood awhile, is in great Earthen vessels put over a great fire, and boiled to Salt, which they let dry in the Sun, often stirring it; whereupon 'tis found both so strong and white, that 'tis inferior to no European Salt whether in tast or whiteness. Speaking of the Commodities, bought of the Europeans by those of Petu and their Neighbours of Acania, he observes, that they are by Slaves carried to Asingrudin Acania, and from thence through Alance to Accabel, which he faith is another and a potent and opulent Country, twelve dayes Journey behind Acania, and that very Country, wherein are those rich Gold mines, out of which comes the most and best Gold, for which the European Commodities are brought, &c. II. The first Book of the ART of METTALS, written in Spanish by Alonso Barba, &c. and English by the R. H. Edward Earl of Sandwich. London, 1674. in 8°. This Picce being originally written by one, that had lived a considerable time in Peru at Potosi, and having been thought worthy to be English by so noble and intelligent a person, as the late Earl of Sandwich, we cannot but take notice and give some account of it to the Curious in this argument; passing by those particulars that are obvious and common, about the associating substances of Mettals, (such as Stones, Earths, Juices,) and their various qualifications, and confining our selves to those that are less so, viz. 1. That the Provinces of the West-Indies do as much abound in Salt, as they do in Mettals; that a piece of the Sea between the Lipes did coagulate into a Crystallin Salt; that the Salt-pits, call'd Garci Mendoza, are forty leagues long, and (where narrowest) fifteen broad; that in the Lipes, four leagues from the Mines of St. Christopher de Achocolla, in the middle of a Lake, on the top of a Hill, the water boiling up, there is one small gutter, where it running over, the water issued forth becomes red Salt, as it runs along in little channels, and proves a mighty strong Salt, having double the virtue of common Salt in the working of Metals. Which Salt being an excellent remedy for the Dysentery, 'tis thought to have a mixture of a kind of red Allum, found also in those parts. 2. That that Sulphurous liquor Naphtba and Petroleum will take fire at a great distance from the flame; here confirm'd by a sad instance instance, in which it came to pass, that a Nobleman, having a Well in his ground, the water whereof was mixed with Petreol, and much of this water, by some cracks in the wall, running to waste, commanded it to be repaired by a labourer, who being let down into the bottom of the Well with a candle (in a Lanthorn,) to see this work, the Petreol immediately through the holes of the Lanthorn suckt, (as they speak) the flame to itself, and set fire on the whole Well, which instantly discharg'd itself like a piece of Cannon, and blew the poor man into pieces, and took off an arm of a Tree hung over the Well. 3. That, though Albertus M. and others do think, Marcasites contain no metal in them; yet Experience has taught the contrary; seeing that the diggers of the Mines of Monserrat en los Chichas found the Ore to contain as much Silver as it did of Marcasite; and that in the Mountain of Potosi there is a fine fort of this Marcasite, which is incorporated with the black Silver-ore, and is a certain sign of its richness. 4. That were Orpiment is found, 'tis a certain sign of a Mine of Gold, whereof also it always contains some little particle. 5. That there is a water in Peru, near Guancavelica, of which all the cattle that drink it dye; and which they take and put into moulds of what form and bigness they please, which being for a few days exposed to the Sun, is thereby made perfect stone, with which they build their houses: And that in the mountain Pacocava, a league from the Mines of Verenguela de Pacagues, there are springs (that are whitish, inclining to a yellow) of so petrifying a nature, that as the water runs along, it concretes into very hard and weighty stones, of different shapes. 6. That there is a stone in the province of Atacama, that is six palmes (or about four foot) in length, and four inches and a half in breadth, and two inches thick; in form like a Table, full of delicate clouds, made by the composition of its colours; some being red, and shining, others more obscure, as black, yellow, green, and white: Upon the blackest spot in all the stone is resembled Snow, as 'twere, falling upon it, or Milk, according as the White happens to be mixt with shadow. 7. That whereas concerning those stones, call'd Conchites, resembling in their lineaments the Cockles of the Sea, some are of opinion, that those Shell-fishes lying a long time in a petrifying Soyl, the petrific liquor converted them into stone; grounding their opinion upon that other, that the Sea in former times hath overflowed such Land: Land: All colour of reason is taken away from that conceit by the wonderful veins of stone found in the high-way going from Potgi to Oruro down the hill; where stones are gathered having upon them impressions of divers sorts of figures in them, so much to the life, that none but the Author of nature (faith our Author) could have produced such workmanship: Amongst with stones one may see (faith he further) Cockles of all sorts, with the smallest lineaments of those shells drawn in great perfection; and this place in the heart of all the Country, and the most double mountainous land therein, where it were madness (as he speaks) to imagine that ever the Sea had there only prevailed and left Cockles only in this one part of it. 8. That abundance of Brimstone in Mines is an especial good sign of their richness: A considerable instance whereof is the Rose-colored Ore of the famous mountain of St. Isabella of new Potgi, in the rich Province of the Lipes, which is almost all Plate, and bred among such abundance of Brimstone, that the cavities in the rocks are presently all on fire, if a lighted candle touch them. 9. That the opinion confining the Number of Metals to Seven is very uncertain, since 'tis very probable, that in the bowels of the Earth there be more sorts than we yet know; and that in the mountains of Sudnos in Bohemia there was some years ago found a metal, by them called Bismuto, which is a metal between Tin and Lead, and yet distinct from them both. 10. That many excellent Mines have been found out by chance, and many others by Art and Industry; concerning which latter divers ways and signs are here deliver'd, ch. 24, 25. 11. That from Experience the first place for riches of metals may be assigned to those Veins that run North and South on the North-side of the mountain; and that the four principal Mines in the Mountain Potgi do observe this point of the Compass with a very little declination Westward: That from the same ground, the second place for that abundance may be given to them that run North and South, on the South-side of the Hills; the best veins of the second famous Mine of that Kingdom, Oruro, running parallel to that point of the Compass: That in divers places very rich Mines of metal run East and West, and also to several other points of the Compass; so that the best rule to go by in this matter, is to follow the metal as it discovers itself, and to pursue it, as long as one gains thereby or at least saves himself, because being sure to lose nothing one hath, the Vein may lead him to great riches: And if the vein be large, and have any signs of Gold or Silver in it, though though for the present it should not quit cost, yet men ought to go on courageously with hopes of gaining at last great profit; it having been confirm'd by Experience in all the Mines of those Provinces: A fresh Instance whereof our Author alledges in the rich Mine of Chocaja, whereafter the Miners had follow'd its Veins forty years with very little profit, at length they met with that extraordinary riches, as is notorious to all people of that Kingdom. 12. That if the Metal be found clinging about stones, and be found likewise in the hollows of them in grains like corns of Gunpowder (being that which the Spaniards call Plomo, and is Silver unrefined,) though these grains be but few, and the rest of the metal have no Silver in it, 'tis nevertheless a sign of the riches of the vein, when it meets with more moisture; as it fell out in that great Mine of St. Christopher of the Lipes, which they call the Poor man's treasure. If, as they dig forwards, they meet with more abundance of those grains de plomo, 'tis a sign that the rich Ore is very near. 13. That Garabaya in Peru is a Country stored with plenty of the finest Gold, as fine as the finest Gold of Arabia, it being of the fineness of 23 Carats and 3 grains; which though formerly hath only been gather'd up in fragments, wash'd off by rains, yet 'tis now wrought by following the veins of it underground: That the Country Tipuane, inhabited by savage Indians, next unto Larecaja, is by many eye-witnesses reported to be rich in Gold, that thence 'tis call'd Chacra, that is, the Farm of Gold; where, in the time of the rains, the boys often pick up gold in the streets in small bits, like apple-kernels: That the bounds of Chayanta are full of Veins of Gold, and that the River of St. Juan, running at the bottom of the Province of the Chiques, abounds in the same metal, &c. 14. That in the circuit of the Charcas there is such abundance of Silver-mines, that they alone, if there were no other in the world, were sufficient to fill it with riches; in the middle of the jurisdiction of which stands Potosi, surrounded almost with abundance of rich Mines, whereof the famous one of the Ingas, called Porco, was the first, out of which the Spaniards dug any Silver: That those very ancient Mines of Andacocha are admired by all Miners for their vast depth, strange contrivance, and plenty of Ore, which is such that it promises continual employment for half the Indians of that Kingdom: That the Lake, near to Tobaco Nuncio, contains so much water, as would make a running River all the year long, with which there are driven night and day an hundred Silver-mills, grinding grinding the Ore gotten from its own banks. The places and names of the many particular Mines of that Country, see in chap. 27. and 28. 28. That the Mine call'd Oloque in the Lipes was at the top, in a manner, all Copper, & every Spades depth as they dug downwards, the Ore grew more and more rich in Silver, until it came to be pure Silver at the bottom of the Mine, where the water increasing to a man's height stopp'd them from prosecuting its further riches: That there are many Mines of Copper in these Provinces, and that the bottoms of all the Mines, out of which Silver hath been taken, have been found to yield great store of it; so that how many Silver-mines there are, so many mines there are esteem'd to be whence Copper may be got also. 16. That those Provinces are not destitute of Iron, though none employ their labour to seek it out or work it, because there is such abundance of Silver that ingages their industry. The places and names of divers Iron-mines in that Country are particulariz'd chap. 30. 17. That there hath been no Silver-mine discover'd in all that Kingdom, wherein some Lead hath not been found; which metal is rarely found mingled with Gold, most commonly with Silver, and sometimes with Copper. 18. That Tin also is not wanting in those rich Provinces; there being a Farm of Mines, nam'd de Colquiri, not far from the hill of St. Philip de Aytria de ORURO, which is famous for the abundance and excellency of Tin, gotten there, wherewith they have furnish'd all that Kingdom. See other Tin-mines marked ch. 32. 19. That the Quick-silver, come to Potosi for collecting the Silver out of the Ore, and registred upon the King of Spain's account A. 1574. and from that time till 1640, amounted upwardsof 20,4600 quintais, besides a vast quantity brought in upon other accounts: That, to supply the excessive expense of this Mineral, they have discover'd the famous Mine of Guancabellica; and that there are other Quick-silver mines in the Provinces subject to the Chacras in Challatiri, and near to Guarina, &c. There is a second book annexed to the first; about the Refining of Silver by Quick-silver; which we must refer to another opportunity. III The ROYAL ALMANACK, &c. by N. Stevenson, one of his Majesties Gunners. London, for 1675. in 12°. This full and very ingeniously contrived Diary, contains first the true Places of the Sun, Moon, and other Planets together with their Rising and Setting. Secondly, the High-water at London-bridge, with Rules to serve other places after the New-Theory of Tides, and Directions of that knowing and public-minded Gentleman Sir Jonas Moor, Kt. Thirdly, the Eclipses; as also the Tables of the Suns Rising, Moons Southing, Moons Rising and Setting. Fourthly, the Moons and the other Planets Appulses to the Fixt Stars for the Meridian of London, procur'd from the Learn'd and Industrious Astronomer, Mr. John Flamsted, here deliver'd in Latin (as the like have been done by the same for some former years, and were then inserted in these Tracts,) because it may also be of use to Strangers abroad; who are desired to impart their Observations of this nature to Mr. Hook, Professor of Geometry at Gresham-Colledge, or to one of the Secretary's of the Royal Society in London. Advertisement. Having already given an account both of Antoniile Grandhis institutio Philosophiae secundum principia R. des Cartes, and of Mr. Kersey's Body of Algebra in English: of the one, in Numb. 80; of the other, in Numb. 90. and 91, of these Tracts: These are to give notice, that the former is now reprinted with many and very considerable additions, for Mr. Martyn at the Bell in St. Paul's Churchyard; the other, finish't, in all its four Books; much commended by competent Judges; and to be had at the same Shop. Errata in Numb. 107. P. 151.l. 9.r. Salt as ruben. p. 154.l. 23.r. conjure with an. p. 166.l. antepen. r. Urine for Wine. p. 168.l. 20.r. Numb. 106. for Numb. 120. Errata in this Numb. 108. Pag. 174.l. 5.r. or their. p. 178.l. 12.r. amter phantasme. LONDON. Printed for John Martyn, Printer to the Royal Society. 1674.