302 The Disasters of Tivoll 



Tlie right brancli of the river watered another part of the city, 

 and, after passing under the bridge of St John, formed the 

 Cascade of Bernin, and fell into the Gulf, not far from the 

 Cave of the Syrens, margined with trees and shrubs. 



During the last inundation of the river, the waters attacked 

 the dike forming the sluice so violently that they broke it in 

 several places, and precipitating themselves with their whole 

 weight on the right side, left dry the left branch, which supplied 

 Tivoli with water, and formed the Cascatelles. Several houses 

 were carried away by this sudden irruption ; and the Church of 

 St Lucia was overthrown, as well as some old walls along the 

 banks of the river. 



This disaster, the details of which have been related in the 

 public prints, is not the first that has been mentioned in history. 

 In the preceding ages the city of Tivoli had been exposed to 

 similar floods, and had suffered from the ravages of the river, 

 which becomes formidable at this place, by the rapidity of its 

 current, and the violence with which it precipitates itself over 

 the rocks. The most distinguished architects and engineers 

 were successively employed in repairing these ravages ; and it 

 was after an irruption which took place about the end of the 

 17th century, that the celebrated Chevalier Bernin formed the 

 cascade which bears his name. 



As soon as the irruption of the 16th November last was 

 known at Rome, the Pope hastened to send to the place engi- 

 neers, who were directed to examine the state of things, prevent 

 any further damage, and repair the injuries sustained, as 

 quickly as possible. Their first care was to prop up the buildings 

 that were already undermined, and that threatened to destroy 

 in their fall a great number of other houses. The spectacle 

 which Tivoli presented was frightful. Piles were hastily driven, 

 which were supported with stones and fascines^ to guard the 

 right bank, which was already damaged, preserve it from total 

 destruction, and get the river to return to its channel. They 

 had next to endeavour to force a part of the water into the right 

 branch, which, in consequence of this event, was left dry, as we 

 have already said, and left unemployed the numerous manufac- 

 tories and mills which it formerly moved. Ancient traditions 

 had given rise to a conjecture, that, in the time of the Romans, 



