488 ON THE BED OF THE GERMAN OCEAN 



subject. This great work is situate about fifteen 

 miles southward from the city of Venice, is built 

 across part of the apex of the Adriatic Sea, and is 

 almost three miles in extent. In part of its course, 

 it is carried through a morass, from L'Isle de 

 Chiusa on the west, along L'Isle de Murasse to 

 the Bocca di Porto on the east. The depth of 

 the foundations of this stupendous work varies 

 according to the nature of the bottom, and the 

 depth of the water, which at some places is said 

 said to be sufficient to float a frigate quite close 

 to the wall. The masonry terminates in a wall of 

 about ten feet in height, with a walk of four feet 

 in breadth, forming its thickness at the top, from 

 which this immense wall and embankment is seen 

 to slope and fall majestically into the Adriatic. 

 This proud monument of Venetian greatness, which 

 interrupts the natural current of the water, is the 

 scene of great contest, in stormy weather, between 

 the fury of the waves and the obstinate gravity 

 of the ponderous materials of which the greater 

 part of it is composed, and which are also firmly 

 cemented together with Puzzolano-mortar. The 

 sloping face of the wall in some places extends fif- 

 ty feet in breadth to the water's edge of solid ma- 

 sonry, beyond which is an irregular stratum or 

 heap of mound stones, consisting of large loose 

 blocks, which are notwithstanding at times set in 

 motion, and the smaller pieces thrown over the 

 wall by the waves. 



