the Earthquakes in Italy in 1783. i8r 
the ground was always low and rufhy. Between this place and 
Role irno we pafled the river Mellano or Metauro (which is near 
the town above mentioned) on a flrong timber bridge, 7c. o 
palm long, which had been lately built by the Duke of 
Monteleone. From the cracks made on the banks and in the 
bed ot the river by the earthquake, it was quite feparated in 
one part, and the level on which the piers were placed having- 
been varioufly altered, the bridge has taken an undulated form, 
and the rail on each fide is curioully fcolloped ; but the parts 
that were feparated having been joined again, it is now pafiable. 
The duke’s bridge-man told me alfo, that at the moment of 
the earthquake, this great river was perfectly dry for fome fe- 
conds, and then returned with violence, and overflowed ; and 
that the bridge undulated in a mod: extraordinary manner. 
When I mention the earthquake in the plain, it mud be always 
underdood the fil'd diock of the 5th of February, which was 
by far the mod terrible, and was the one that did the whole 
milchief in the plain, without having given any previous 
notice. The town of Rofarno, with the Duke of Monte- 
leone’s palace there, was entirely ruined ; but the walls re- 
mained about fix feet high, and are now fitting up as barracks. 
The mortality here did not much exceed 200 out of near 3000. 
It had been remarked at Rofarno, and the fame remark has 
been condantly repeated to me in every ruined town that 1 
have vifited, that the male dead were generally found under 
the ruins in the attitude of druggling againd the danger; but 
that the female attitude was ufually with hands clafped over 
their heads, as giving themfelves up to defpair, unlefs they had 
children near them ; in which cafe they were always found 
clafping the children in their arms, or in tome attitude which 
indicated their anxious care to protect them ; a flrong indance 
