DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70300#0121
SUBTERRANEAN FIRE.
97
a bird was seen fluttering about his head, a little before he
expired, which vanished afterwards.’
“ At the bottom of the stone there is-
‘ Here lies Elizabeth Oxenham, the mother of the said
John, who died sixteen years since, when such a bird with a
white breast was seen fluttering about her bed before her death.’
“ To all these were divers witnesses, both squires and
ladies, whose names were engraved on the stone. This stone
was to be sent to a town hard by Exeter, where this hap-
pened.” Gentleman's Magazine, 1786. p. 999.
A SUBTERRANEAN FIRE
DISCOVERED ON DIGGING A WELL.
At Antignac, a village in France, near Eesiers, in Lower
Languedoc, some workmen in digging a well, when they had
reached the depth of about twelve yards, were surprised with
a sudden explosion, and a gush of water that immediately
followed. Frightened, they quitted their work till the noise
abated; but on approaching the pit, and looking into it,
they perceived one of their company lying motionless. His
brother instantly descended in a bucket to bring him up, but
he too came up no more ; a third ventured down, and then a
fourth, with a rope fastened round the waist. Those who
held the rope, perceiving his head droop, instantly drew him
up; but it was more than two hours before he recovered his
senses. They then let down a cock in a bucket, and he
came up with his feathers scorched, on the point of expiring.
A cat was the next subject of experiment, and was almost
instantly drawn up; she was in the same condition, singed,
and almost lifeless. The three men who unfortunately pe-
rished, were drawn up by means of barbed hooks: their
clothes were consumed, and their skins calcined. It is
added, that a subterraneous noise continued, and that vitrified
matter has been drawn up, which it is supposed had been in a
VOL. VI. H
97
a bird was seen fluttering about his head, a little before he
expired, which vanished afterwards.’
“ At the bottom of the stone there is-
‘ Here lies Elizabeth Oxenham, the mother of the said
John, who died sixteen years since, when such a bird with a
white breast was seen fluttering about her bed before her death.’
“ To all these were divers witnesses, both squires and
ladies, whose names were engraved on the stone. This stone
was to be sent to a town hard by Exeter, where this hap-
pened.” Gentleman's Magazine, 1786. p. 999.
A SUBTERRANEAN FIRE
DISCOVERED ON DIGGING A WELL.
At Antignac, a village in France, near Eesiers, in Lower
Languedoc, some workmen in digging a well, when they had
reached the depth of about twelve yards, were surprised with
a sudden explosion, and a gush of water that immediately
followed. Frightened, they quitted their work till the noise
abated; but on approaching the pit, and looking into it,
they perceived one of their company lying motionless. His
brother instantly descended in a bucket to bring him up, but
he too came up no more ; a third ventured down, and then a
fourth, with a rope fastened round the waist. Those who
held the rope, perceiving his head droop, instantly drew him
up; but it was more than two hours before he recovered his
senses. They then let down a cock in a bucket, and he
came up with his feathers scorched, on the point of expiring.
A cat was the next subject of experiment, and was almost
instantly drawn up; she was in the same condition, singed,
and almost lifeless. The three men who unfortunately pe-
rished, were drawn up by means of barbed hooks: their
clothes were consumed, and their skins calcined. It is
added, that a subterraneous noise continued, and that vitrified
matter has been drawn up, which it is supposed had been in a
VOL. VI. H