374 Confequences of the Earthquake. [Book VI. 



eluding thofe who were burnt, or afterwards crufhed 

 to death whilft digging in the ruins, is fuppofed, on 

 the loweft calculation, to amount to more than fixty 

 thoufand ; and though the damage in other refpe&s 

 cannot be computed, yet you may ibrm fome idea of 

 it, when v I afTure you, that this extenfive and opulent 

 city, is now nothing but a vaft heap of ruins, that the 

 rich and poor are at prefent upon a level, fome thou- 

 fands of families which but the day before had been 

 cafy in their circumftances, being now fcattered about 

 in the fields, wanting every conveniency of life, and 

 finding none able to relieve thejn. 



< A few days after the firfl confirmation was over, 

 I ventured down into the city, by the fafeft ways I 

 could pick out, to fee if there was a poflibility of 

 getting any thing out of my lodgings, but the ruins 

 were now fo augmented by the late fire, that I was fo 

 far from being able to diftinguifh the individual fpot 

 where the houfe flood, that I could not even diftin- 

 guifh the flreet, amidft the mountains of flone and 

 rubbifh which rofe on every fide. Some days after, 

 * I ventured down again with feveral porters, who, 

 having long plied in thefe parts of the town, were well 

 acquainted with the fuuation of particular houfesj 

 by their affiflance, I at lafl difcovered the fpot ; but 

 was foon convinced, that to dig for any thing there, 

 befides the danger of fuch an attempt, would never 

 anfwer the expence. 



' On both the times when I attempted to make 

 this fruitlefs fearch, efpecialiy the firfl, there came 

 fuch an intolerable flench from the dead bodies, that 

 J was ready to faint away, and though it did not feem 

 fo great this lafl time, yet it had nearly been more 

 fatal to me, as I contracted a fever by it, but of which, 

 God be praifed, I foon got the better. However, 



this 



