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A Relation
THe Town of Idria, in the County of Goritia and Province of Friuli, is seated low, and encompass'd with Hills on all sides. A River of the same name runs by it, which although Leandro terms it superbissimo fiume d'Idria, yet I found small and shallow at the time when I was there; though upon plentiful Raine it proves sufficient to convey down the Firr-Trees and other Wood required in the building of the Mines, and also for Fuel required in the service of them: And to this end there is an handsome work of Piles made sloaping athwart the River (after the same manner as I observ'd in Newsol in upper Hungary cross the River Gran;) to stop the Trees, which are cut down, and cast into the River above this place.
What is chiefly considerable in this Town, are the Quick-silver-Mines, very well known to the Neighbouring parts, and exceeding useful to many at greater distance.
The entrance into these Mines is not high, or upon an Hill, as in many other Mines; but in the Town it self, whereby they are somewhat the more troubled with Water, against which they are provided with many excellent Engins and Devices, as at other deep Mines. The deepest part of the Mine from the entrance, is between 120 and 130 fathoms.
Of the Quick-silver of this Mine they make two forts: The one they call Iungfraw, that is, Virgin-Quicksilver; the other, plain Quicksilver. Virgin-Mercury they call that, which discovers itself without the help of Fire; and is either plainly to be seen in the Ore, or falls down in little drops in the Mine, and sometimes streams out in good quantity; as about seven years agoe it ran out of the Earth at first in a streame as small as a shred, and afterwards as big as a pack-thred, but ceas'd in three or four dayes.
That also is accounted Virgin-Quicksilver, which, having noneed
