On Malaria. 166 



of the river, and farther down on a hill at La Palla, the malaria 

 appears. When in the province Basilicata, we advance from 

 Molitano to the river district of Agri, we meet with large gypsum 

 craters, and more towards the Tarentine sea, white marly mud- 

 like masses, which, near Craco and Ilice, form innumerable 

 mud-hills or rather cones, which in summer resemble the ordi- 

 nary soil, but in winter become mud volcanos. In the most 

 fruitful part of that district, which is now an extraordinary 

 desert, for there is nothing human to be seen for a whole day's 

 journey, I found an old wall with an inscription announcing 

 that here Carolus dei gratia Hispaniorum Romanorum et Nea- 

 politarum Imperator had built a church in 1729, in order to 

 afford religious consolation to the inhabitants. But the malaria 

 and time have destroyed the church and the other buildings. 

 During my geognostical observations there, my servant, who 

 was an exceedingly strong and healthy individual, was attacked 

 by the malaria, and, according to the last letter I received, is 

 likely to sink under it. Rome seems to have much analogy to 

 the district I have described. The whole region is composed of 

 basaltic tuffa, which is continued as far as Naples, and there 

 unites with the pasilipo tuffa of the Pflegrean fields. To the 

 north this formation still continues ; and, as at Basilicata, ter- 

 minates with mud deposits. Over this whole extent of country 

 basalt or lava masses are frequent, and volcanic products are 

 accumulated in hills. Even the limestone of the Apennines has 

 in some places suffered alterations. The neighbourhood of 

 Rome is also very hilly, dry, and entirely without vegetation. 

 For days together, one sees nothing but desolate dried up corn 

 fields witliout trees, bushes, or wood of any description. In 

 ^arly Umes Rome was surrounded by extensive sacred woods, 

 which were not suffered to be destroyed. At that period malaria 

 was unknown, though intermitting fevers were well known in 

 the Pontine marshes The avarice of the Popes, however, con- 

 verted these sacred woods into gold, and so desolated the re- 

 gion that not a tree or wood are to be met with around Rome. 

 With the commencement of this system of extirpation the malaria 

 appeared ; and has at length reached such a height that, yearly, 

 many are carried gradually off by it ; and in the summer months 



