Remarks on the Moving Rocks of Salisbury. 239 



this respect the situation of Palermo is very advantageous ; 

 since it is distant from ^tna, and from Eoha, and is near to 

 Sciacca only, which is the least energetic. And this grand 

 and respectable city would be less exposed to such grievous 

 disasters, than all the other cities of Sicily, did its edifices 

 possess that character, which they might easily be made to 

 possess, which constitutes true solidity and resisting firmness. 



Art. III. — Remarks on the moving rocks of Salisbury, 



TO THE EDITOR. 



Dear Sir, 



In the winter of 1822, 1 sent you an anonymous communi- 

 cation respecting the moving rocks of Salisbury, which was 

 published in the 5th volume of the Journal of Science and 

 Arts. In the last number of your Journal I observe some 

 remarks on the same subject, by the Rev. J. Adams, Princi- 

 pal of Charleston College, South Carolina. I have no wish, 

 as your correspondent intimates, to shrink from the respon- 

 sibility attached to the communication, which I have now 

 acknowledged. 



The facts which I then stated, however marvellous and 

 extraordinary they might appear, I can now substantiate by 

 my own observation. The cause, which was then a mere 

 matter of surmise, has for the last two years been generally 

 known in this vicinity. Being fully convinced that the rocks 

 were moved by the agency of the ice, in the month of De- 

 cember, 1823, 1 took the distance of one of the largest, to a 

 tree on the shore. In the month of January, 1824, there 

 were several very cold nights, during which the ice was 

 heard to roar, not unlike the discharge of a cannon. I visited 

 the spot immediately after, and was no longer in doubt re- 

 specting the true cause of the movement of the rocks. On 

 most of them the ice was piled up several feet in height, 

 projecting from the side of the rock, next to the main body 

 of (he ice, towards the shore. Some which did not oppose 

 so strong a resistance were evidently displaced, and the one 

 in particular which I measured, was moved several inches. 



