the Earthquakes in Italy in 1783. iq , 
trees of fuch a fize as I could never have conceived, being half 
as big as the oaks themfelves, which are fine timber-trees, and 
more than treble the fize of the olive-trees of the Campagna 
Felice. The olive woods, in fome parts of the plain, are regu- 
larly planted in lines, and in others grow irregularly. Though 
the objeT of my prefen t journey was merely to take a hafty 
view of the Ipots which had buffered fo much by the calamity, 
my attention was continually called away, and I was loft in 
the admiration of the fertility and beauty of this rich province, 
exceeding by many degrees (as to the firll: point) every country 
I have yet been. Bolides the two rich products of bilk and oil, in 
which this province furpafies every other, perhaps, in the whole 
world, it abounds with corn, wine, cotton, liquorice, fruit, and 
vegetables of every kind ; and if its population and induftry kept 
pace with its fertility, the revenue of Calabria Ultra might 
burely be more than doubled in a fhort time. I baw whole 
groves of mulberry-trees, the owners of which told me, did 
not let for more than five {hillings an acre, when every acre 
would be worth at leaft five pounds, had they hands to gather 
the leaves and attend the ftlk-worms. The town of Monte- 
leone, anciently Vibo Valentia, is beautifully bituated on a hill, 
overlooking the bea and the rich plains above mentioned, bounded 
by the Apennines, and crowned by Abpramonte, the higheft 
of them all, interlperied with towns and villages, which, alas ! 
are 110 more than heaps of ruins. The town of Monteleone 
buffered little bv the firft ftiocks of the earthquake ; but was 
greatly damaged by that of the 28th of March (though only 
twelve lives were loft), and all the inhabitants are reduced to 
live in barracks, many of which are well conftruTed with 
either planks or reeds, covered with plailler on the outkde. As 
Vol. LXXIII. A a this 
