the gentleman may enjoy retirement in its utmost perfection.

'We were surprised to find on this coast quantities of the true pumice-stone, which at first we supposed to have been brought by the sea from Etna, till we likewise discovered many large pieces of lava, which makes us imagine there must have been some eruption of fire in this part of the island; yet I see no conical mountain, or any other indication of it.

If our officer's prognostications prove true, and we are detained here any longer, I shall examine the country to a much greater distance. The wind continues directly contrary; the sea is very high in the canal of Malta, and our Sicilian servant is in a sad trepidation.-But I see Glover and Fullarton coming for their dinner; so I shall be obliged to give up the basket. This sea air gives one a monstrous appetite; and it is with grief that I mention it, we are already brought to short allowance; -only one cold fowl amongst three of us; all three pretty sharp set, I assure you.-Those infamous rascals to lose our turtle !-They have spied a fishing boat, and are hailing her as loud as they can roar-but alas! she is too far off to hear them.-They have just fired a gun to bring her to, and happily she obeys the.

signal, so there is still hopes; otherwise we shall soon be reduced to bread and water. Our tea and sugar, too, are just upon a close, which is the cruelest article of all; but we have plenty. of good bread and Hybla honey; so we are in no danger of starving.

We have likewise made an admirable and a very comfortable disposition for our night's lodging. The sparonaro is so very narrow, that it is impossible for us all to lie in it: besides, we are eat up with vermin, and have nothing but the hard boards to lie on all these considerations, added to the cursed swinging of the boat, and the horrid sickness it occasions, have determined us rather to trust ourselves to the mercy of the banditti than to lie another night at sea; besides, we have made the happiest discovery in the world; a great quantity of fine, soft, dry sea-weed, lying under the shelter of a rock, and seems intended by providence for our bed: over this we are going to stretch a sail, and expect to sleep most luxuriously; but to prevent all danger from a surprise, we have agreed to stand centry by turns, with Fullarton's double-barrelled gun, well primed and loaded for the reception of the enemy; at the first discharge of which, and not before, the whole guard is to turn out, with all the re

maining part of our artillery and small arms; and as our situation is a very advantageous one, I think we shall be able to make a stout defence.

As we are six in number, three masters and three servants, the duty, you see, will be but trifling; and five of us will always sleep in security. Our guard, to be sure, might have been stronger; but our sparonaro men have absolutely refused to be of the party; having much more confidence in their own element; however, they have promised, in case of an attack, immediately to come to our assistance. I think the disposition is far from being a bad one, and we are not a little vain of our generalship.

The fishing-boat is now arrived, and they have bought some excellent little fishes, which are already on the fire. Adieu. These fellows are roaring for their cold fowl, and I can command the basket no longer. Ever yours.

LETTER XIV.

Malta, June 4.

IN spite of appearances, and our officer's wise prognostications, the wind changed in the

1

afternoon, and we got under sail by six o'clock; we passed the Straits, and coasted along till eight, when we landed to cook some macaroni we had purchased of our sailors, and try if we could shoot something for sea-store, as we have still a long voyage before us.

We came to the side of a sulphurous lake, the smell of which was so strong, that we perceived it upwards of a mile distant. We found the water boiling up with violence in many places, though the heat at the banks of the lake is very inconsiderable. However, this, added to the pumice and lava we found near Capo Passero, tends greatly to confirm us in the opinion, that this part of the island, as well as about Etna, has, in former ages, been subject to eruptions of fire.

I think it is more than probable, that this is the celebrated Camerina, which Æneas saw immediately after his passing Pachynus, (or Capo Passero), which Virgil says, the Fates had decreed should never be drained:

"Hinc altas cautes projecta que saxa Pachyni Radimus; et fatis nunquam concessa moveri Adparet Camarina procul."

Virgil had good reason to say so; for the level of the lake or marsh (it being somewhat betwixt

the two) is at least as low as that of the sea, and consequently never could be drained.

It is surrounded with a variety of fine evergreens and flowering shrubs, of which the paimeta, and the arbutus or strawberry tree, are the most beautiful. We saw a great many wild-fowl; but what surprised me, in so unfrequented a place, they were so shy, that there was no getting near them: there was one kind, in particular, that attracted our attention; it was of the size and form of a grey plover, and flew in the same manner; but had a tail of a great length, which seemed to be composed only of two small flexible feathers, that made a very uncommon appearance in the air. After using all our art to shoot one of them, we were obliged to give up the attempt.

Here we killed a small black snake, which I think, answers the description I have seen of the We dissected out its tongue, the end

asp.

of which appears sharp like a sting, and I

sup

pose is one, as it darted out with violence against our sticks, when we presented them to it. Now as all animals, when attacked, make use of those weapons that Nature has armed them with for their defence, it appeared evi. dent to us, (supposing this rule a just one,) that this animal was conscious of a power of