It was
differing from Wood:
First; in _weight_, being to common water as 31/4 to 1. whereas there are
few of our _English_ Woods, that when very dry are found to be full as
heavie as water.
Secondly, in _hardness_, being very neer as hard as a Flint; and in some
places of it also resembling the grain of a Flint: and, like it, it would
very readily cut Glass, and would not without difficulty, especially in
some parts of it, be scratch'd by a black hard Flint: It would also as
readily strike fire against a Steel, or against a Flint, as any common
Flint.
Thirdly, in the _closeness_ of it, for though all the _Microscopical_ pores
of this _petrify'd_ substance were very conspicuous in one position, yet by
altering that position of the polish'd surface to the light, it was also
manifest, that those pores appear'd darker then the rest of the body, onely
because they were fill'd up with a more duskie substance, and not because
they were hollow.
Fourthly, in its _incombustibleness_, in that it would not burn in the
fire; nay, though I kept it a good while red-hot in the flame of a Lamp,
made very _intense_ by the blast of a small Pipe, and a large Charcoal, yet
it seem'd not at all to have diminish'd its extension; but only I found it
to have chang'd its colour, and to appear of a more dark and duskie brown
colour; nor could I perceive that those parts which seem'd to have been
Wood at first, were any thing wasted, but the parts appear'd as solid and
close as before.
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