Page:A description of Greenland.djvu/77

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of Greenland.
49
pretended to contain a great deal of Gold; and again, (as we have above taken Notice of) of which ſome of the Daniſh Greenland Company's Ships returned freighted to Copenhagen in the Year 1636, is a Queſtion, which I have no Mind to decide. However thus much I can ſay, that by the ſmall Experience I have acquired in the Art of Chymiſtry, I have tried both by Extraction and Precipitation, if it would yield and thing, but always loſt my Labour. After all I declare, I never could find any other Sort of Sand, that contained either Gold or Silver. Greenland Cryſtal and Rubies.But as for Rock-Cryſtal, bothred and white, you find it here; the red contains ſome particular Solis, which can only be produced by the ſpagyrick Art. Stone-Flax, or what they call Aſbeſtus.Aſbeſtus, is ſo common here, that you may ſee whole Mountains of it; it has the Appearance of a common Stone, but can be ſplit or cloven like a Piece of Wood: it contains long Filaments, which when beaten and ſeparated from the Droſs, you may twiſt and ſpin into a Thread. As long as it has its
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