24 
The Natural Hiftory of the Book I. 
neighbouring Plantations. To complete this uncommon Contraft, adeep 
rapid River runs through the Valleys at the Bottom of thefe Precipices 5 
which, tho’ in the dry Seafons it is almoft without Water ; yet eae the 
rainy Months of June, July, and Auguf, it often overflows its higheft 
Banks ; and its then irrefiftible Courfe may juftly be {aid to anfwer 
Florace’s Defcription of the River Tiber in a Storm. 
oc Rae ss = = ~ Cetera Fluminis 
Ritu feruntur, nunc medio alveo 
Cum pace delabentis Etrufcum 
In mare ; nunc lapides ade/as, 
Stirpe/q; raptas, & pecus, & domos 
V olventis una, non fine montium 
Clamore, vicineg;, five, 
Cum fera diluvies quietos 
Lrritat amnes. 
Like Tiber’s {mooth and glafly Face, 
When gently rolling to the Main ; 
Life fometimes glides with a foft Pace, 
Unvanquifh’d with the Edge of Pain. 
Like Tiber, oft ’tis in a Roar, 
When his rough Billows lath the Shore ; 
Rocks, Trees, and Cattle, down are borne, 
And Domes from their Foundation torn ; 
Huge Mountains found, as well as Woods; _ 
And all around the Plains are Floods. 
As the above-mentioned ftupendous Clifts are intirely impaflable 
for many Miles, except by Three narrow Chafms hewed through the 
Rocks, where Ten Men can refift a Hundred ; this, with their Vicinity to 
the Sea, reminds me of Mr. Giover’s beautiful Defcription of the Streights 
of Thermopyle. 
- + - = - There the lofty Clifts 
Of woody Octa overlook the Pals ; 
‘And far beyond, o'er half the Surge below, 
_ Their horrid Umbrage caf. - - - = Lzonipas. 
_ This Place is ftill more melancholy, if we caft our Eyes upon the 
feveral Catacombs, which on our firft Settlement in this [land were du 
out of the Rocks in the Side of this Clift, where lie the Remains & 
Hele who, like the Patriarchs of old, procured to themfelves Places of 
Relt a 
‘The Antients, efpecially Ariforle, were of Opinion, that the Tora 
Zone was uninhabitable, by reafon of its fuppofed great Heat; but. 
when we confider the almoft conftant Regularity of the Trade-Winds 7 
and 
