the Earthquakes hi Italy in 1783. 203 
and partly cretaceous), fituated between the Torre del Ca- 
va llo and the rock of Scilla. This having fallen with violence 
into the lea (at that time perfectly calm) railed the fatal wave, 
which 1 have above defcribed to have broken upon the neck of 
land, called the Punta del Faro, in the ifland of Sicily, with inch 
fury, which returning with great noife and celerity di recti v upon 
the beach, where the prince and the unfortunate inhabitants of 
Scilla had taken refuge, either dallied them with their boats 
and richeft effects againft the rocks, or whirled them into the 
fea ; thole who had efcaped the frit and greateft wave were 
carried off bv a fecond and third, which were lefs conliderable, 
and immediately followed the firft. 1 Ipoke to feveral men, wo- 
men, and children here, who had been cruelly maimed, and 
l'ome of whom had been carried into the fea by this unforefeen 
accident. Here, laid one, my head was forced through the door 
of the cellar, which he {hewed me was broken. There, laid 
another, was I drove into a barrel. Then a woman would 
fhew me her child, all over deep wounds from the ftones and 
timber, &c. that were mixed with the water, and dafhing 
about in this narrow port ; but all affured me, they had not 
perceived the lead: lymptom of heat in the water, though I 
dare fay, Sir, you will read many well attefted acounts of 
this water having been hot ; of many dead bodies thrown 
up which appeared to have been parboiled by it ; and of many 
living perfons, who had evidently been fealded by this hot wave : 
lo difficult is it to arrive at truth. Had I been fatisfied with the 
firft anfwer of the prieft at the Punta del Faro, and fetit down 
in my journal, who could have doubted but that this wave 
had been of hot water ? Now that we are well acquainted 
with the caufe of this fatal wave, we know it could not have 
been hot ; but the teftimony of fo many unfortunate lufferers 
D d 2 from 
