A Relation of the Advice Given by Monsieur Petit, Intendant of the Fortifications of Normandy. Touching the Conjunction of the Ocean and Mediterranean

A Relation of the advice given by Monsieur Petit, Intendant of the Fortifications of Normandy, touching the Conjunction of the Ocean and Mediterranean. This Intelligent Gentleman, Monsieur Petit, having been consulted with, touching the Conjunction of the Ocean and Mediterranean, delivers first the Proposition, and then giveth his thoughts upon it. The Proposition is, That there being about two Leagues below Castres in Languedoc a Rivolet, called Sor, passing to Revel, there may by the means thereof be made a Communication of the two Seas, by joyning the Waters of this Rivolet by a Channel (to be kept full all the year long) With those of St. Papoul, and others, which fall into Fresqueil (another small River) that runs into the Aude below Carcassone, and go together to Narbonne, situated upon the Mediterranean. Having given the Proposition, he adds some particulars, to illustrate the same, before he declares his judgment upon it. For herelateth, that there is but one way, after the division of the Waters, to pass to the Mediterranean, which is by a Rivolet, called Fresqueil, that is conjoin'd with the Aude: But, to pass to the Ocean, there are three; One, by Riege, entering into the Garonne above Thoulouse; the other, by Lers, passing on the side, and below the same Town; and the third, by Sor, falling into the River Agoult under Castres, afterwards into the Tarn, and thence to Montauban, and lastly into the Garonne. And that, to compass this design, all these Rivers and Rivulets are first to be made Navigable unto their Sluices; that of Aude and Fresqueil for the Mediterranean, and one of the others, such as shall be chosen, for the Ocean. He addeth, that, as to the several Ways passing to the Ocean, all of them commended as proper and convenient, and the three Countries concerned therein, speaking every one for their advantage: Those of Castres and Montauban, Montauban, are for the River Agouft; those of Tholouse, for Riege; and the rest, for Lers. Now concerning his Opinion upon this Proposition, he thinks, that all that hath been represented touching this matter, can signify very little, seeing that the main thing is wanting, which is the assurance, and certain and positive mensuration of the height and quantity of the Waters, necessary to fall into both the Channels of the Aude and Garonne: that there must be plenty of that, to furnish at all times and always the highest and first Sluice, since what once issues hence, doth never enter again into them; and after some Boats are passed, if there should not be a sufficient supply for those that come after, either to go up, or to go down, all would stand dry, and Merchants and their Commodities would stay long enough expecting the supply of Rains, to their great detriment. He conclude therefore, that no knowing and discreet Person is able, in matters of this nature, to give a positive answer, without having before him a large and exact Topographical Map of those places, and of the sources of all the Rivulets, that are to supply the Water to the Head of the pretended Channel, together with a full account of the survey and mensuration of all the places, through which it is to pass; of the Nature of the Ground, whether it be stony, sandy, rocky, &c. of the exact level of all the places, where it is to be made, and of the several risings and depressions thereof, to be assured that the Water may be conveyed to the greatest rising, and to the highest Sluice; and lastly, of the quantity, that may be had at high, middle, and low Water, to have enough for all times; that all these things being first made out, 'tis then time enough to judge of the possibility of the thing, and to calculate the Charges necessary for Execution. This Artist having thus prudently waved this Proposition, diverts himself with reflecting upon several others of the like nature, among which he insists chiefly upon two, whereof one is that so much celebrated in Egypt, the other, of Germany. And he is of Opinion, that the most important of all is that, of conjoining the Red Sea by the Nile with the Mediterranean, which he looks upon as the most excellent conveniency to go into the East-Indies without doubling the Cape of Good-Hope; and yet it could could not be executed by those great Kings of Egypt, that raised so many stupendious Pyramids; although in his Opinion the reasons alleged by Historians to justify them for having abandoned that undertaking, are of no validity, and that the Red Sea cannot be, as they feared, higher than the Nile, and therefore not endanger the inundation of Egypt. The other Proposition was made to Charles Magne, Anno 793, for joyning the Euxine Sea and the Ocean together, by a Channel, which was begun for that end, and designed to be 2000. paces long, and 100. paces broad, betwixt the River Altmull, falling into the Danube above Ratisbon, and the River Rott, passing at Nurenberg, and thence running into the Main, and so into the Rhine. But yet this also proved abortive, though there was great appearance of success at first. Of A Way of killing Ratle-Snakes. There being not long since occasion given at a meeting of the Royal Society to discourse of Ratle-Snakes, that worthy and inquisitive Gentleman, Captain Silas Taylor, related the manner, how they were killed in Virginia, which he afterwards was pleased to give in writing, attested by two credible persons in whose presence it was done; which is, as follows. The Wild Penny-royal or Ditany of Virginia, groweth straight up about one foot high, with the leaves like Penny royal, with little blue tufts at the joyning of the branches to the Plant, the colour of the Leaves being a reddish green, but the Water distilled, of the colour of Brandy, of a fair Yellow: the Leaves of it bruised are very hot and biting upon the Tongue: and of these, so bruised, they took some, and having tyed them in the cleft of a long stick, they held them to the Nose of the Ratle-Snake, who by turning and wriggling laboured as much as she could to avoid it: but she was killed with it, in less than half an hour's time, and, as was supposed, by the scent thereof; which was done Anno 1657. in the Month of July, at which season, they repute those creatures to be in the greatest vigour for their poison.