380 
Scientific Intelligence. 
Grenada. The discovery of these relics of antiquity arose from the 
accidental circumstance of a quarry having been formed on the 
spot. It was not doubted but that these deposites were made by 
the Moors, previous to their expulsion from Spain, which took 
place about the year 1491 . — Major Morison. 
33. Pornpeii and Vesuvius. — Alhergo Vittoria^ 8th Feh. 1824. 
— About 50 miles from this place, are the ruins of three temples, 
standing together on the sea-shore, at a place called Pcestum. We 
made up a party last week, and drove out to these ruins. It was 
cold clear weather, and the Apennines were covered with snow, 
but a more interesting trip we never made. The ruins are the 
most magnificent in Italy ; particularly what is called the Tem- 
ple of Neptune, with 14 large Doric pillars in length, and 8 in 
the other direction. Farther than these ruins, and the wall of 
the town, not a vestige of it remains; and, what is very singular, 
scarce a notice now exists of any account of the town, though it 
must have been a very considerable maritime place. Like most 
of the other places on that coast, it must have been a Greek 
settlement : but times, alas ! have changed sadly with it ; for 
now three solitary farm-houses are all that remain, owing to 
its being unhealthy in summer. There is something very 
incomprehensible about the unhealthiness of towns in Italy ; 
for the town of Salerno, situated on a beautiful bay, which 
we passed along, is almost deserted by its inhabitants in sum- 
mer; and yet they find safety at another small town, simi- 
larly situated, and not a mile off* from it. In returning to 
Naples, on the third day, we stopped at a large sandy looking 
bank, on the right side of the road, about ten miles from town. 
The bank was that which destroyed Pompeii., a. d. 79 ; and we 
were now at the walls of that city. There are few things so 
strange as a walk through the silent streets of a town, which, for 
1700 years, has been hid from the light of day and the world, 
when the manners and every day scenes of so remote an age 
stand revealed, unchanged, after so long an interval. It would 
appear, that, 16 years before the shower of sand and ashes from 
Vesuvius occurred, an earthquake had nearly ruined the town ; 
so that the houses are roofless, partly from that cause, and from 
the weight of the ashes which fell. Otherwise, they stand just 
as they were left. The streets arc narrow, but paved ; and the 
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