THE COASTS OF SICILY. 245 



siologist and the zoologist, is not the less sugges- 

 tive to the geologist of the gravest subjects of medi- 

 tation. 



The loose and porous structure of the Palermo 

 limestone permits rain-water to accumulate within 

 it, as in a sort of sponge, and thus provides the thin 

 stratum of earth covering the rock with the humi- 

 dity necessary to counteract the effect of the longest 

 droughts. These waters, the further course of which 

 is stopped by the more dense limestone whose strata 

 form the basis of the whole island, combine to form 

 subterranean reservoirs, which feed a large number 

 of wells and inexhaustible springs. On this account 

 the cultivation of the island is concentrated upon 

 the points occupied by this beneficent rock, which 

 alone prevents Favignana from becoming, like Le- 

 vanzo, a dreary and uninhabitable desert. 



The capital of Favignana is situated nearly in 

 the centre of the island, on the side of a small 

 harbour, which penetrates far inland. It contains 

 from 300 to 400 tolerably well-built houses, and 

 numbers about 3000 inhabitants, who appeared 

 to us to enjoy a degree of general prosperity 

 unknown in the villages of the coast. But al- 

 though a state of general competency seemed to 

 prevail amongst this isolated population, it appeared 

 to us to be very deficient in other respects; and 

 we observed amongst the inhabitants, various cus- 

 toms which showed significantly enough that they 

 were still in the infancy of civilisation. One in- 

 stance will suffice by way of illustration. There is 

 no public clock at Favignana, and it seems that no 



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