.  Defcription of the Lake Palius: 79 
may walk over it without the leaft fear of any pernicions’con- 
fequences. All thefe phenomena have a great fimilarity ‘to 
thofe of the Grotto del Cane, near the lake Agnano. 
On the banks of the lake Palius there are found a great 
many {mall clufters of afhes and flag, exactly like thofe ad- 
hering to the fides of the craters of AZtna and Vefuvius. The 
mountains and lava around this lake exhibit the moft evident 
marks of their great antiquity, as in many places they are 
covered with calcareous ftones, from which it may with cer- 
tainty be inferred that they muft have originated at a time 
when the prefent continent was not inhabited. In the time 
of Diodorus Siculus, however, the crater, which forms the 
prefent bafon of the lake, fhewed traces of its internal in- 
flammation: as we are informed by this. hiftorian, that 
flames burft forth from this fpot; that the water poffeffed a 
confiderable degree of warmth; and that a horrid thundering 
noife was heard. Being extremely defirous to know whether 
a connection actually exifted between this volcano and that 
of tna, as they are at no great diftance from each other, 
I enquired whether any affinity had ever been obferved be- 
tween the eruptions of AZtna and the before-defcribed phe- 
nomena of the lake; and whether, during thefe eruptions, a 
fironger ebullition had taken place: but I was affured that 
no perfon had ever obferved any thing of the kind. 
The phenomena of this lake have at all times been at- 
tended with fo many fingularities as to give rife to fables 
without number: at prefent it is faid to be inhabited by a 
fairy. In ancient times thefe phenomena were afcribed to 
the fuperratural power and influence of fome deity. On this 
account 4 very celebrated temple, the remains of which I 
could not ind, notwithftanding all the trouble I took to dif- 
cover them, was erected here to Jupiter and the nymph 
Thalia. People fwore alfo by this lake, with the fame refpec& 
and folemnity as by the river Styx. What aftonifhed the 
ancients, and what even at prefent excites the wonder of all.,, 
thofe who vifit this lake, is the inceflant ebullition of the 
water, though the leaft increafe is not obferved in it on the 
bank. 
> ete neighbouring mountains I found under the lava a 
: refinous 
4 
