This Artist having thus prudently waved this Proposition, diverts himself with reflecting upon several others of the like nature, among which he insists chiefly upon two, whereof one is that so much celebrated in _Egypt_; the other, of _Germany_. And he is of Opinion, that the most important of all is that, of conjoyning the _Red sea_ by the _Nile_ with the _Mediterranean_, which he looks upon as the most excellent conveniency to go into the _East Indies_ without doubling the _Cape of Good Hope_; and yet it {43} could not be executed by those great Kings of _Egypt_, that raised so many stupendious _Pyramids_; although in his Opinion the reasons alleged by _Historians_ to justifie them for having abandoned that undertaking are of no validity, and that the _Red Sea_ cannot be, as they feared, higher than the _Nile_, and therefore not indanger the inundation of _Egypt_. The other Proposition was made to _Charles Magna_, _Anno_ 793. for joyning the _Euxine_ Sea and the _Ocean_ together, by a Channel, which was begun for that end, and designed to be 2000. paces long and 100. paces broad, betwixt the River _Altmull_, falling into the _Danube_ above _Ratisbone_, and the River _Rott_, passing at _Nurenberg_, and thence running into the _Main_, and so into the _Rhine_. But yet this also proved abortive, though there was great appearance of success at first. * * * * * _Of the Way of killing _Ratle-Snakes_._ There being not long since occasion given at a meeting of the _Royal Society_ to discourse of _Ratle Snakes_, that worthy and inquisitive Gentleman, Captain _Silas Taylor_, related the manner, how they were killed in _Virginia_, which he afterwards was pleased to give in writing, attested by two credible persons in whose presence it was done; which is, as follows. The Wild _Penny-royal_ or _Ditany_ of _Virginia_, groweth streight up about one foot high, with the leaves like _Penny-royal_, with little blue tufts at the joyning of the branches to the Plant, the colour of the Leaves being a reddish green, but the Water distilled, of the colour of Brandy, of a fair Yellow: the Leaves of it bruised are very hot biting upon the Tongue: and of these, so bruised, they took some, and having tyed them in the cleft of a long stick, they held them to the Nose of the _Ratle-Snake_, who by turning and wriggling laboured as much as she could to avoid it: but she was killed with it, in less than half an hours time, and, as was supposed, by the scent thereof; which was done _Anno_ 1657. in the Month of _July_, at which season, they repute those creatures to be in the greatest vigour for their poison. {44} * * * * * _A Relation of Persons killed with subterraneous _Damps_._ This Relation was likewise made to the _Royal Society_, by that Eminent _Virtuoso_ Sir _R. Moray_, who was pleased, upon their desire, to give it them in writing; as followeth.