An Abstract of a Letter from Liege concerning a Strange Preservation of Four Men in a Mine 24 Days without Any Food, April 9. 84

An Abstract of a Letter from Liege concerning a strange preservation of four Men in a Mine 24 days without any food, April 9. 84. Some Colliers working in a Cole-Pit at Herstol about half a League from Liege on our Shrove Monday Feb. betwixt 7 and 8 in the morning, one of them pierced a vein of water, which gushing in violently drowned one, those that were near the mouth of the Pit were drawn out, but four of them being further within saved themselves upon a little ascent within the Mine, which has several Lanes or Alleys in it, and were shut in by the water which stopp'd their passage out. 24 days were spent in drawing off the water rather to render the mine useful again than out of any hopes of saving the men: at last on Thursday March the 9th, being the 25th of their confinement, men entered in, found these 4 alive, and drew them out and I myself among many others saw and examined them about these particulars: they had not a morsel of Bread with them, but lived on the water of a little Fountain which broke out by them: 2 bottles of which I caused to be evaporated to see if it were any thing extraordinary, and found nothing but a scarce perceptible Calx remaining.