In The Buildings Of Their Monastery They Use No More Materials Than Are
Presented To Them By The Before Mentioned Volcano.
Taking the burning
stones which are thrown from the crater, they throw them, while hot, into
water, by which they are dissolved into excellent lime; which, when used in
building, lasts forever.
The same stones, when cold, serve to make their
walls and vaults, as they cannot be broken or cut except with an iron
instrument. The vaults which they build with these stones are so light as
to require no props for supporting them[15]. On account of these great
conveniences, the monks have constructed so many walls and buildings of
different kinds, as is really wonderful to see. The coverings or roofs of
their houses are constructed for the most part in the following manner:
Having carried the wall to its full height, they make it to incline or bend
in gradually till it form a regular vault. They are little incommoded with
rain in this country; as the climate is so extremely cold, that the first
snow that falls does not thaw for nine months.
The monks live mostly on fish and wild fowl; for, in consequence of the
boiling hot water running into a large and wide haven of the sea, that bay
is kept from freezing, and there is so great a concourse of sea fowl and
fish in that place, that they easily take as many of them as they can
possibly have occasion for, with which they maintain a great number of
people round about, whom they keep constantly employed either in building
or in catching fish and fowls, and in a thousand other necessary
occupations relative to the monastery. The houses of these natives are
built on the hill near the monastery, of a round form, about twenty-five
feet wide at the bottom, and growing gradually narrower as they go up, in a
conical form, ending in a small hole at top, to admit light and air; and
the floor of the house is so hot, that the inhabitants feel no cold within
doors at any season. To this place many barks resort in summer from the
neighbouring islands, from the cape above Norway, and from Trondon or
Drontheim, which bring to the fathers all kind of commodities and
merchandize that they have occasion for; taking fish in exchange, dried
either in the sun or by means of cold, and the furs of various animals. The
commodities brought here for sale are, wood for fuel, wooden utensils, very
ingeniously carved, corn, and cloth for making into garments. By these
means the monks are plentifully supplied with every thing they need, in
exchange for their furs and fish, which are in great request by all the
neighbouring nations. Monks resort to this monastery from Norway and
Sweden, and other countries; but principally from Iceland. It often happens
that many barks are detained here ail the winter, by the sea becoming
frozen over.
The fishermens boats of this country are made in the form of a weavers
shuttle, long and narrow, and pointed at each end; constructed of a light
frame of fish bones, cased all over with the skins of fishes, sewed
together in many doubles, and so tight and strong, that it is wonderful to
see the people bind themselves fast within them during storms, and allow
the winds and waves to drive them about, without fear of their boats
splitting or of themselves being drowned. Even when they are driven against
a rock, they remain sound and without hurt or damage. In the bottom of each
boat there is a kind of sleeve or nose, tied fast in the middle by a
string; and when any water gets into the boat, they let it run into the
upper half, of the sleeve, which they then fasten with two pieces of wood,
after which they loosen the under band, and squeeze the water out; and they
repeat this operation as often as may be necessary with great facility, and
without danger.
The water, of the boiling spring, being sulphureous, is conveyed into the
monastery, and the cells of the principal friars, by means of pipes made of
copper, tin, or stone; and is so hot that it heats the apartments like a
stove, without communicating any disagreeable or unwholesome stench. Their
sweet water for drinking is conveyed in a subterraneous canal of masonry,
into a great copper reservoir in the middle of the court of the convent;
and this reservoir being contained within a larger bason supplied from the
boiling, spring, is continually kept of a proper temperature, and prevented
from freezing. This they use in the preparation of their victuals, for
drinking, and for watering their gardens. Thus they derive much convenience
and comfort from the adjoining volcano, and these good friars make it their
chief study to keep their gardens in order, and to erect commodious and
even elegant buildings. For this latter purpose they are in no want of good
workmen and ingenious artizans, as they give good wages, so that there is a
great resort of workmen and artizans of every denomination; they are
likewise very bountiful to those who carry them fruits, and seeds, and
other articles; and as great profits are to be made, and provisions are
very cheap, there is a great resort of workmen and artists of every
denomination, and of traders to this place. Most of these monks speak
Latin, particularly the superiors and principals of the monastery.
This is all that is known of Engroveland or Greenland, from the relation
of Nicolo Zeno, who gives likewise a particular description of a river that
he discovered, as is to be seen in the map which I, Antonio Zeno, have
drawn of all these countries. Not being able to bear the cold of these
northern and inhospitable regions, Nicolo Zeno fell sick, and soon
afterwards returned to Frisland, where he died. He left two sons behind
him, John and Thomas; the latter of whom had likewise two sons, Nicolo, the
father of the celebrated Cardinal Zeno, and Peter, from whom was descended
the rest of the Zenos who are now living.
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