of one of the enemy’s ships having likewise been forced to take refuge in Grisland.  Finding himself driven so far to the north, and having repaired his ships, Zichmni now resolved to make an attack upon the island of Iceland, which was under the dominion of the king of Norway; but finding it too well fortified and defended for his small force, and reflecting that his diminished fleet was now in bad repair, he deemed it prudent to retire.  In his way homewards, however, he made an attack upon the islands of Estland, of which there are seven in number.  These are Tolas, Yeal or Zel; Broas, Brassa sound; Iscant, Unst or Vust; Trans, Trondra; Mimant, Mainland; Danbert[12]; and Bres, or Bressa; all of which he plundered, and built a fort in Bres, where he left Nicolo Zeno in the command, with a sufficient garrison and a few small barks, while he returned himself to Frisland.  In the ensuing spring, Nicolo Zeno resolved to go out upon discoveries; and, having fitted out three small vessels, he set sail in July, shaping his course to the northwards, and arrived in Engroveland[13], where he found a monastery of predicant friars, and a church dedicated to St Thomas, hard by a mountain that threw out fire like Etna or Vesuvius.

In this place there is a spring of boiling hot water, by means of which the monks heat their church, monastery, and cells.  It is likewise brought info their kitchen, and is so hot that they use no fire for dressing their victuals; and by enclosing their bread in brass pots without any water, it is baked by means of this hot fountain as well as if an oven had been used for the purpose.  The monks have also small gardens, covered over in winter, which being watered from the hot spring are effectually defended from the extreme cold and snow, which are so rigorous in this region so near the pole.  By these means they produce flowers, and fruits, and different kinds of herbs, just as they grow in temperate climates; and the rude savages of those parts, from seeing these to them supernatural effects, take the friars for gods, and supply them with poultry, flesh[14], and various other things, reverencing the monks as their lords and rulers.  When the frost and snow is considerable, the monks warm their apartments as before described, and by admitting the hot water, or opening their windows, they are able in an instant to produce such a temperature as they may require.

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