HISTORY OF MAURITIUS. 185 
In 1537, the wind bore the ashes, produced by the conflagration of the mountain, 
to upwards of an hundred leagues. 
In 1692 and 1693, on the 9th, 10th, and 1 ith of January, there was an earthquake 
throughout Sicily, which not only overthrew the town of Catania, but also of Agousta, 
greatly damaged that of Syracuse, with many towns and villages, and buried in their 
ruins upwards of forty thousand persons. But, notwithstanding such disasters, these 
towns have been re-established, perhaps, to be again destroyed. 
The destruction of Messina on the 5th of February, 1783, and the terrible phe¬ 
nomenon which occasioned it, is well known; we shall, nevertheless, present to the 
attention of our readers, the following correct and curious account, by the learned 
M. Gallo, who was himself a witness of it. 
“ The preceding adtumn had been rainy and cold; the winds varied between the 
south-west, the west, and the north-west; and if the south-east was at any time per¬ 
ceived, it was known' to foretel a sudden storm and of short duration. Before the 
rising and setting of the sun, the horizon appeared to be charged with thick clouds, 
which displayed themselves between the east, the south-west, and the south. The 
beginning of the winter was dry and temperate: in the month of January it frequently 
rained; and the showers were not only violent, but accompanied with a stormy 
wind from the south-east and the south. The air was rather temperate than cold, 
because after the rain the rays of the sun were extremely hot. The winds continued 
to be stormy. 
“ At the extremity of the Strait of Charybdis, there appeared some irregularity in 
tide, an extraordinary boiling up of the waters, and at intervals a noise was heard; 
but these phaenomena did not attract attention. On the 5th of February, at forty- 
eight minutes past eleven in the morning, the earth experienced some light shocks, 
which soon became violent, and were accompanied with r-oarings and such irregular 
motions that the ground was seen to undulate on all sides, while the walls of houses 
dashed against each other, and fell in large masses, with the floors and roofs. Three 
or four successive shocks increased the horror of the moment. Houses, palaces, 
steeples, and churches, were shaken down. The earth sunk in some places, and 
Opened in others, emitting flames from its burning chasms. The neighbouring 
mountains opened, the sea rose above its ordinary level, entered the mole, dashed 
its impetuous waves against the palace, and covered a considerable part of the 
maritime theatre, which is situated below the custom-house. In this scene of 
B b 
