the Earthquakes m Italy in 1783. T93 
fhat after the fecond, which followed immediately, he found 
himfelf fitting adride of a beam at dead fifteen feet high in 
the air. I heard of many luch extraordinary efcapes in all 
parts of the plain, where the earthquake has exerted its greateft 
force. 
From Palmi I proceeded through the beautiful woody moun- 
tains of Bagnara and Solano ; noble timber oak trees on high 
rocks, narrow valfies with torrents in their bottoms, the road 
dangerous both on account of robbers and precipices. My two 
guards, indead of leading the way, as they had hitherto done, 
now feparated and formed an advanced and a rear-guard. The 
narrow road was often interrupted by the fallen rocks and trees 
during the earthquakes, and obliged us to feek a new and hill 
more dangerous road ; but the Calabrefe horfes are really as 
fu re-footed as goats. I11 the midft of one of thefe paffes we 
felt a very fmart fhock of an earthquake, accompanied by a 
loud explofion, like that of fp ringing a mine : fortunately for 
us it did not, as I expe&ed, detach any rocks or trees from the 
high mountains that hung over our heads. After having paded 
the woods of Bagnara, Sinopoli, and Solano, I went through 
rich corn-fields and lawns, beautifully bounded with woods and 
fcattered trees, like our fined; parks, and which continue vary- 
ing for fome miles till you come upon the top of an open plain 
on a hill, commanding the whole Faro of Medina, the coad 
of Sicily as far as Catania, with Mount Etna ridng proudly be- 
hind it, which altogether compofed the fined view imagi- 
nable. From thence I defcended a horrid rocky road to the 
Torre del Pezzolo, where there is a country- feat and a village 
belonging to the Princefs of Bagnara. There I found, that an 
epidemical diforder had already manifeded itfelf, as it probably 
will in many other parts of this glorious but unhappy country, 
Vol. LXXIII. C c in 
