Il6 TRAVELS THROUGH 



lodgement to the King; for which reafon, they 

 would confider any examination of their moun- 

 tains as incroaching treafon, and accordingly put 

 a flop to the curiofity, if not to the life, of 

 adventurous mineralogies. There is befides much 

 unfafety on account of robbers, and much incom- 

 rriodity on account of the public houfes j which 

 generally makes this country unfrequented by 

 foreigners, and caufes even the natives to go by 

 water from Naples to Kheggio. 



It is the fame with Sicily y an excellent country, 

 cultivating palm trees and fugar. A few fine cities 

 on the fea-fhore ; as, MeJ/ina, Catania, Palermo ^ 

 Drapani, and Girgenti, excepted, fcarce any 

 ftranger has feen the inner parts of the country *. 



Mongibello or Mtna is, on account of its nature 



. 

 and 



"* However, audaces forluna juvat, and feveral foreigners 

 hare of late, under convenient eafy cautions, penetrated into 

 thefe inner parts; whofe romantic, claffic, and unknown 

 ground, certainly invites the bold undertaking genius of 

 Britifh Antiquaries and Naturalifls. If the pretended rob- 

 beries and hardfhips of the Eaft did put no flop to our Po- 

 tockes, Heed's, Stuart's, and Chandler' 's ; and the horrors of 

 an unknown ocean could not abate the undaunted fpirit of 

 our navigators, and the curiofity of our^aw^'jand Solander*:', 

 if fo.many bardfliips generoufly undergone by Britons have 

 proved fuccefsful for the fciences, and glorious to the nation ; 

 why do not we then take proper notice of Sicily and Calabria ? 

 Why do not we then reap the laurels and knowledge left 



