no 
230 Earthquakes in Sicily. 
teen days, it suffered “ most severe and unrengibal shocks. 
For some months in 1724 the earth was so frequently and 
violently agitated va all the inhabitants fled into the coun- 
try. In September 1726, all the western part of Sicily was 
shaken with the greatest severity; and in Palermo at that 
time many lives were lost, and many edifices destroyed ; in 
June of 1740, Siracca felt twenty-two shocks, with injury 
- buildings and loss of lives; that of the 25th was of such 
mense Bae, that it extended as far as Palermo. After 
the middle of December 1816, the inhabitants heard extra- 
ordinary rumblings under the mountain, and in January of 
the succeeding year, the shocks were so frequent, that twelve 
were sometimes counted in one day, and so violent, that it 
seme that the foundations of buildings must be rooted up— 
ings and explosions under the mountain became 
fearfully loud—and the sea dashed in great waves against the 
shore at its foot. Sambuca, fifteen miles distant. suffered 
pres es A strong odour of sulphur pervaded the air all 
ut Sciacca. While nature was in this agitation in the 
paras part of the island, the eastern was enjoying perfect 
quiet. Over against Sciacca at the distance of seventy 
m 
no 
‘streams of heated vapour of water, and of ap eee issuing 
incessantly oon its cavities, show a great fermentation in the 
rr caverns under the sea, and to which little is wanting to 
renew its ancient conflagrations. Off the northern coast of 
Sicily, i is situated a chain of islands extending from east to 
west, and terminating with Ustica at the distance of forty- 
two miles from the western shore of Palermo. All of these 
islands, sons of volcanic fire, which has raised them from 
under the depths of the sea, bear the impressions of the ter- 
rible element ; and some are still burning, and serve as out- 
lets to the subterranean furnaces. Vulcano, twenty-two 
miles frorn Cape Milazzo, burns, me thunders, and belches 
out continually immense columns of smoke and flame-— 
Stromboli ceases not a moment in Yointtibe forth smoke, 
rae and streams of vapour, which, rushing from the in- 
mouth, produce a horrible roaring, spreading terror 
g all the Eolian islands and the adjacent coasts of Sicily 
bria. Lipari still preserves in its baths, a part of 
vic y fused into glass the matter of which 
yn of these islands has almost always 
it is formed. The act 
