CATARACTS, AND INUNDATIONS. 5J) 



respectively to the residence of some illustrious personage of anti- 

 quity. The >ands abound with fragments rolled from the ruins, and 

 some men employ themselves in the summer time in dragging the 

 bottom of the sea with small baskets: they wash the sand in several 

 vaters, anil seldom fail of bringing up a cornelian or medal that re- 

 pays them tor their time and labour. 



From the highest point that forms the bay, a large castle com- 

 mands the road, where foreign ships of war usually ride at anchor, 

 the harbour of Naples not being spacious enough for the reception 

 of a fleet: here they enjoy good shelter, watering, and victualling; 

 but in summer risk the health of ihcir crews, on account of the uiu 

 \vholesorneness of the air. 



At the bottom of the bay, and at the foot of the steep rocks whuk 

 serve as a foundation to the ruins called Nero's house, are some dark 

 caves of great depth, leading to the hottest of all vapour butns: no- 

 body can remain long in them, or indeed penetrate to ihe end, with- 

 out an extraordinary degree of strength and resolution*. The 

 springs at the bottom of the grotto are so hot as to boil an egg hard 

 almost instantaneous!)'. These caverns seem to be the spot where 

 Nature has opened the readiest access to the very focus of a vol- 

 cano, which has been within the two bst centuries most outrageous 

 in its operations; for to them must be attributed the overturning of 

 the adjacent country, and the total alteration of its surface, by the 

 i)irth of Monte Nuovo, which now blocks up the valley of Averuo. 

 In 1538, after previous notice by repeated quaking 4 , the convulsed 

 arth burst asunder, and made way for a deluge of hot ashes and 

 flames, which being shot up to an immense IK igiit into the darken- 

 ed atmosphere, fell down again all around, and formed a circular 



* These Laths, thirty in number, are said, but how truly I know not, ta I ave 

 lieen adorned with Greek inscriptions, and statues denoting by their expres- 

 sions and attitudes, what particular part of the human frame \ias aflected and 

 relieved from its pains by each panicular bath. Parrino, in his Theatre of 

 Viceroys, informs us, that three physicians of Salerno, apprehensive of the ruin 

 the surprising elfieacy and reputation of these waters would bring upon their 

 college, came hither in the dead of night, mutilated the figures, defaced the 

 letters, and, as far as their lime would allow, disturbed the course of the 

 spring?; but the historian adds very gravely, that Hygeia, ever watchful over 

 Ihe health of Naples, revenged this bararous outrage, by conjuring up a storia 

 that buried the three doctors in the sea, before they could reach their aoms, 

 Of triumph in the success of their villainy. 



