o4 
freaks: Here, however, anew difficulty 
oceurred ; there’ was not a’ kaife in the 
whole houfe (the large one ufed- by the 
burchet excepted), nor in’ all probability 
in the whole parith ; but zeceffitas non ha- 
bet legem, which, for the benefit of ‘ladies 
and country gentlemen, F thus tranflate: 
«‘ Fingers were made before knives."— 
This dificulty, then, being furmounted, 
mine hoftefs’s pork was the beft I ever 
partook of. 
It had been our intention to have tra- 
velled this day as far as Tavormina, 
which is thirty-five miles from Catania, 
and half way from that place to Meffina ; 
but when we arrived at a néat little village 
called Mafcari, our guide abfolutely re- 
fufed fo proceed, alleging as the reafon, 
his apprehenfion of being attacked by 
banditti. This, being all well armed, we 
fhould have difregarded ; but to proceed 
without a guide was impoffible, and we 
were in confequetce obliged to {ubmit, up- 
on the condition, however, that he fhould 
ftart as foon as the Moon rofe in the mern- 
ing. Accordingly between two and three 
o’clock we were again on our journey. The 
toad Jed over precipices, rocks, &c.; our 
mules were frequently tumbled in the duft, 
and during thé whole day never once éx- 
ceeded a flow walk: but the beauty of 
the country amply compenfated for the 
tardinefs of the mules. The lofty hills 
were covered witha variety of evergreens, 
and the valleys with corn and vineyards : 
from the latter very confiderable quantities 
of wine are produced, and fome of a tole- 
rable flavour. We this day alfo paffcd 
through feveral fmall towns, and within 
fight of many others, forme of which are 
moft fingularly fiiuated, being built at 
the very fommit of the loftieft mountains. 
That of Tavormina aétuslly hangs over a 
very lofty and perpendicular rock : at 
this town are the ruins of an amphitheatre, 
and fome other buildings, in high eftima- 
tion amorgit antiquarians. t 
At length, about eight in the evening, 
exceffively fatigued, we arrived at Meffina, 
where with the utmoft difficulty we pro- 
cured one {mall room amongit four of us, 
which, like the cobler’s ftall, was to 
ferve for parlour, and bed-room, and 
all. In this fituation an Englifh travel- 
ler, hearing of our diftrefs, entered our 
wretched" apartment, and informed us 
that he had an excellent fitting-room in 
the houfe, which he begged we would 
rake ufe of upon all occafions; an offer 
which we gladly accepted. With this 
centleman we joined nieffes during our 
fay in Mefhina, and found hi to be a man 
oe 
a 
‘Remarks on Malta and Sicily. 
nations. 
[Feb. 1,. 
of fafhion and information, The inn, 
called the Leon d'Or, proved to be a very 
good one. Here it may not be amifs toe 
ebdferve, that the beft plan to fave a great 
deal of trouble, as well as expence, 18 to 
bargain with the inekeepers for your board 
and ledging. Wegave for ours, includ- 
ing wine, fomething above fix, fhillings 
each per day, and I believe we were over- 
charged. ‘ 
Mefiina is delightfully fituated. Bes 
hind the town are fomeé high, romantic; 
and well cultivated mountains: in ‘its 
front is a moft beautiful bay, on the oppofite 
fidé of which are the fnow-clad mountains 
of Calabria, and at their feet feveral confi- 
derable towns. It is alfo the feeond- 
largeft town in Sicily, and perhaps, in 
point of trade, not much infericr to Pa- 
lermo. It mantfatturés filks, cottons, 
&c., which, together with a vaft quantity 
of corn, it exports to the neighbouring 
At the time Iam {peaking of, 
the bay was crowded with merchantmen 
of different countries waiting for cargoes. 
Mefiina foffered dreadfully by the earth- 
quake of 1783, the ravages ot which have 
not been repaired, or-the ruins removed. 
Many of thefe, particularly a range of re+ 
gular buildings extending upwards of a 
mile by the fide of the bay, and called the 
Marino, are fill to be feen, and indicate 
that Meffina muft, prior to that time, have 
been cenfiderably larger and much hand- 
fomer than it is at prefent. The fame 
earthquake ravaged the greater part of Si. 
cily and Calabria. In the latter country 
it is faid to have deftroyed many towns, 
‘and upwards of forty thoufand inhabi. 
tants, Valleys were exalted, and moun- 
tains laid low : old rivers were choaked 
up, and in an infant new onés appeared: 
in fine, a more awful and deftructive con- 
vulfion of nature was never felt. 
Many parts of this town, particularly 
the quay, wore a greater appearance of 
indultry and the buftle of bufinefs than 
any other [ had feen in the country. Still 
I muft pronounce Sicily throughout to be 
the very hot bed and nurfery of depravity. 
Every ijecies of iniquity ts prattifed from 
chiidhood to old-age, almoft from the cradle 
tothe grave. I {peak chiefly of the loweft 
clafs of people, cumbers of whom obtain 
a livelihood by the loweft, the moft aban- 
doned, and the moft degrading of vices. 
‘This may perhaps be in fome meafure at- 
tributabie to a moft pernicious itch for 
gambling, which appears to pervade 
every rank, and employ almoft every hour. 
By thé bye, an itch of another fort is 
nearly equally prevalent in this country. ' 
The 
