NAPLES BAY AND FISH-MAEKBT. 99 



that the deluge of water will drown the lightning, or 

 render it innoxious ; but that thought has scarcely given 

 comfort, when a flash more Winding than any yet §een, 

 accompanied by an instant loud explosion, which makes 

 every shutter shake, and the whole house tremble, dissi- 

 pates the illusion. That detonating crack was no brutum 

 fulmen, but has done its work somewhere in our imme- 

 diate proximity. As the howling of the wind subsides, 

 the waves, lashed into fury, may be heard thundering 

 against the cUfFs. Oh, what a terrible night at sea ! 



Another hour, and the rain has entirely ceased ; we 

 throw open the casement, and look out upon the wild 

 night with something like the 'suave mari magna' feeling ; 

 then close the window and retire to bed, where, lulled 

 by the distant roar of the waters, we soon fall asleep, 

 and rise next morning to find everything much as it was 

 at the same hour yesterday. Vesuvius, more solito, 

 sending up his grey ivreath, the bay scarcely ruffled, 

 fishermen in all directions putting out their boats, and, 

 but for the ponds about the house, no indication afforded 

 that there had been any disturbance in the weather last 

 night.* This calm — we are speaking of the latter end 

 of September, when summer breaks up, and the periodical 



* Both the seas of Italy are subject to a very sudden agitation 

 of their waters. The Adriatic fisherman has just as much need 

 to invoke the Virgin 



In mare irato, 



In sulita procella, 



as the Neapolitan sailor. On one of the bastions of the Castle of 

 Duino, on the shore of the Adriatic, an iron staff is erected during 

 summer, and it is part of the duly of a sentinel, whenever a storm 

 threatens, to raise a halberd on the summit of this staff. If, on 

 the approach of the halberd, sparks are emitted, it is held sure 

 that a storm is impending, and he toUs a beU, which sends forth 

 the tidings of danger to the surrounding country. 



The sentinel mounts the turret stair, 

 His halberd is raised in the sultry air, 



r 3 



