HISTORY OF 



to be almost his natural element. He frequently 

 was known to spend five days in the midst of 

 the waves, without any other provisions than the 

 fish which he caught there, and ate raw. He 

 often swam over from from Sicily to Calabria, a 

 tempestuous and dangerous passage, carrying let- 

 ters from the king. He was frequently known 

 to swim among the gulfs of the Lipari islands, 

 no way apprehensive of danger. 



" Some mariners out at sea one day observed 

 something at some distance from them, which 

 they regarded as a sea monster ; but upon its ap- 

 proach it was known to be Nicolas, whom they 

 took into their ship : when they asked him whi- 

 ther he was going in so stormy and rough a sea, 

 and at such a distance from land, he showed 

 them a packet of letters, which he was carrying 

 to one of the towns of Italy, exactly done up in 

 a leather bag, in such a manner as that they could 

 not be wetted by the sea. He kept them thus 

 company for some time on their voyage, convers- 

 ing and asking questions ; and after eating a 

 hearty meal with them, he took his leave, and, 

 jumping into the sea, pursued his voyage alone. 



" In order to aid these powers of enduring in 

 the deep, nature seemed to have assisted him in a 

 very extraordinary manner ; for the spaces be- 

 tween his fingers and toes were webbed as in a 

 goose ; and his chest became so very capacious, 

 that he could take in at one inspiration as much 

 breath as would serve him for a whole day. 



" The account of so extraordinary a person did 

 not fail to reach the king himself, who, actuated 



