Page:Philosophical Transactions - Volume 004.djvu/147

 in manner of a wall, which they said would resist the fire as not being mixt with lime; though it was the great weight and force of that fiery matter in pressing forward, and not its burning, that overthrew the buildings, as plainly appeared in the Convent of the Benedictins, and in the Town-wals, where the great deluge of Fire did pour it self; it not breaking into the City, but pouring it self over the wals, as hath been said.

Unto this very time 'tis said to have run at mile into the Sea, and as much in front, though it was much less, when we were there. The shore goes gently declining, having at the extremity of the Sciarri about 5. fathoms, and about half as much they are above water.

The superficies of the water, for 20. foot or more of those rivolets of fire, was hotter than to endure on's hand in it, though deeper it was more temperate, and those live Sciarri still retain'd their fire under water, as we saw, when the Surges of the Sea retreated back in their ordinary reverberations.

The general face of these Sciarri is in some respect not much unlike, from the beginning to the end, to the river of Thames in a great frost at the top of theJce above bridg; I mean, 'ying after such a rugg'd manner in great flakes: but its color is quite different, being most of a dark dusky blew, and some stones or rocks of a vast bigness, clole and solid.

But notwithstanding their ruggedness, and store of fire, which we could see glowing in the clefts and cavaties, we made a shift to ramble over a good part of them; as 'tis said also, that people would doe the same in its greatest violence of burning. For as those live Sciarri, and those Rivers of fire themselves were so tough and impenetrable as to bear any weight, so the superficies of the Scarri might be toucht and handled, the fire being inward, and not to be discerned but near hand, especiciallyespecially [sic] in the day time: And 'twas somewhat strange fight to see so great a River come so tamely forward; for, as it approached unto any house, they not only at good leisure removed their goods, but the very tiles, and beams, and what else was moveable.

'Tis observable, that none of those, that went to see it, when there was little else to be fern but the cold Sciari, but declared