TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 29 



before us to the north-west, we coiild discover 

 nothing but one solitary church. In this latitude, 

 where we saw the islands of Merlera and Corfu to 

 the south-east, in a grey mist, and nearer to us the 

 mountain ridge of the island of Fano and the Mon- 

 tague di Cimara, on the coast of Albania, which 

 joins the higher chain of Pegola, the temperature 

 remained higher the whole day than we had hi- 

 therto observed it. The thermometer stood in the 

 morning, in the air, at 9° 50', R. ; in the water, 10° ; 

 at noon, in the air, 11° 75'; in the evening, in the 

 air, 10°; in the water, 11° 75'. But the night 

 during which we were in the gulf of Tarento, was 

 again, however, remarkably cold. The horizon 

 was enveloped in dark clouds ; and we had fre- 

 quent lightnings, succeeded by long-continued 

 peals of thunder. The sea in the gulf of Tarento 

 is often stormy and very dangerous, particularly 

 for small coasting vessels. In the night of the 25th 

 we doubled Capo Spartivento, the most southerly 

 promontory of Italy, and with a fresh breeze from 

 E. S. E. directed our course towards Malta. Thus 

 our voyage through the Adriatic sea was happily 

 completed ; and we left behind us those countries 

 in which, above all others, ancient and modern 

 history are blended together. 



The awfully majestic Etna soon came in sight : 

 its snow-crowned summits were veiled in a thick 

 fog. Soon after we beheld, on the Sicilian coast, 

 about ten miles to the north of us, the renowned 



