464 tte Sirocco. [Book V. 



xvind has continued a whole night, to inquire who is 

 dead . 



Whether 



* * The evil mod to be dreaded in travelling thefe regions is, 



^s, the firocc, or lout') wind, which it is imagined blows 

 from the burning deferts of Africa, and is fcmctimes productive of 

 dangerous confequences to thofe who are expofed to its fury. 

 During the con linuance of this wind all nature appears to lan- 

 guifh, veg-station withers and dies, the bcafts of the n>ld droop, 

 the animal fpirits feem too much exhauiled to admit of the leaft 

 bodily exertion, and the fpring ar.d elafticity of the air appear to 

 be loll. The heat exceeds that of the moft fervid weather in Spain 

 or Malta, and is felt with peculiar violence in the city and neigh- 

 bourhood of Palermo. 



* The fenfation occafioned by the firocc wind is very ftriking- 

 and wonderful. In a moment the air becomes heated to an ex- 

 ceffive degree, and the whole atmofphere feels as if it was in- 

 flamed, the pores of the body feem at once opened, and all the 

 fibres relaxed. During its continuance the inhabitants of Pa- 

 lermo (hut their doors and windows to exclude the air, and where 

 there are no window (hutters, wet blankets are hung on the infide 

 of the window, and the fervants are kept continually employed in 

 fprinkling the apartments with water. No creature, whofe ne- 

 ceflities do not compel him to the exertion, is to be feen while this 

 tremendous wind continues to blow, and the ftreets and avenues 

 of the city appear to be nearly deferted. 



' The iirocc generally continues fo fhort a time in Sicily, that it 

 feldom produces thofe complaints which are the confequcnce of the 

 duration of its fcorching heats in feveral parts of Italy, though its 

 'violence in thofe countries is much inferior to what is felt in this 

 ifland. Here it feldom endures longer than thirty* fix or forty hours, 

 a time not fufficicnt to heat the ground, or the walls of the houfes, 

 in a very intenfe continued degree. It is commonly fucceeded by 

 the tramontane, or north wind, which in a fhort time reltores the 

 exhaufted powers of animal and vegetable life, and nature foon 

 aflumes her former appearance. The caufe of the firocc wind has 

 been frequently attempted to be explained, but the different hypc- 

 thefes are perhaps more to be admired for their ingenuity and fancy 

 than for being very fatisfadlorily explained. The fuperior intenfe- 

 nefs of this fcorching wind at Palermo, may probably be accounted 

 for from the fituation of that city, which is almoft furrounded by 



lofty 



