Notice of Sketches of IS' aval Life. 331 



is red ; the lower, white and pearly : pearls are usually found 

 in them, sometimes of large size, but colored : I have some, 

 however, that approach the true pearl, in color. The sea-horse 

 is a curious little thing. It is not more than three inches long, 

 hard and bony, but with a head bearing great resemblance to 

 that of a horse : it has no tins : but has the power of coiling up 

 the lower part of the body, and, I suppose, moves by throwing 

 this out again ; for, though we often meet them in a dried state, 

 I have not been able to see any in their proper element. The 

 finer Nautilus, (Argonauta or Argo,) a beautiful thing, is also 

 found here. The natives work the smaller shells into handsome 

 mantle ornaments : I have seen Neptune in his car, with irident 

 and sea-horses, and they are now making for me, two urns, with 

 flowers ; all of marine substances." — Fol. I. pp. 80 — 3. 



The catacombs of the island of Milo are interesting if 

 for no other reason, on account of their containing lachry- 

 matories made of glass. 



" The catacombs are mostly single chambers, cut in the soft 

 rock, about eight feet square, and of proportionate height: at 

 each side, is a low recess, running the whole length : this is 

 paved with large flags, and under these flags, in a rectangular 

 cavity, just large enough to contain a full grown person, the body 

 was deposited. Some consist of a succession of chambers, like 

 this. There are no inscriptions ; but among the decayed bones, 

 are found coins, ornaments of gold and precious stones for the 

 ears, lamps, lachrymatory vases, with large quantities of glass, 

 earthen and copper vessels, probably, for oils and perfumes. 

 You know the ancients were in the habit of coming, at stated 

 seasons, to weep over the dead : the lachrymatories, (long slen- 

 der vessels,) it is supposed, were used at such times, to catch 

 their tears. One of the first visitors we had on board our ship, 

 was a man, with a basket of these cups : for the natives dig 

 open the catacombs, whenever the ground is soft enough ; and 

 drive a good trade, with these relics of the piety of their ances- 

 tors. One would naturally doubt the genuineness of wares, 

 where deception is so easy ; but I have satisfied myself, that they 

 are what they profess to be : they would form an interesting 

 study to the antiquarian. Many of the earthen cups are of the 

 form, we call Etruscan : the larger are painted with a light pen- 

 cil ; often only the outlines are given, but, generally, with 

 much force and spirit. The question, whether the ancients 

 knew the use of glass or not, was settled some time since, by 

 the discoveries in Pompeii : this is the first I have heard of, 

 among the Greeks. The vessels discovered are generally flat 

 at the bottom, and four inches over: they rise one inch, of this 



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