146

LIFE OF COLONEL MACERONI.

occurred of equal violence in reality, but less fatal to humanlife; inasmuch as the inhabitants already deprived of homesand shelter, stupifxed or frantic, were more free from dangerin the open air. But from this second shock, the noblecities of Messina and Reggio and all that part of Sicily called Valdemone, partook of the catastrophe. In thatyear, 1783, Messina had scarcely yet recovered from theeffects of the terrible earthquake of 1744 ; so that palaces,churches, and houses already injured were more easilyoverthrown; and new ruins were accumulated and mixedalong with the old. The shocks continued at variousintervals, and literally turning up the surface of the earth,destroyed fields and vineyards ; and to the light of day,exposed the bodies of numerous persons deposited in theirgraves. The high chain of Appennine , on which are placedthe cities of Monteleone and Nicotera, still resisted thecommotion. The edifices were cracked, but not overthrown,the lands disturbed but not subverted ; but on the 28th ofMarch, at nine in the evening, deep, rumbling, explosive,subterranean sounds were heard, and then, anon, greatagitation of the earth throughout all that district, comprisedbetween the Capes Colonna and Stilo, including as a focus,at least one thousand two hundred square miles of denselypopulated territory. This shock also endured about twominutes, destroyed above two thousand persons ; seventeencities or towns were totally overthrown, and twenty-onereduced to a falling state; one hundred villages moreor less destroyed, and those which did withstand the firstattack, at length fell under the repeated shocks, whichcontinued to desolate that devoted country until the monthof August following, a dreary and agonizing period of sevenlong months a period which seemed endless to the sufferers,who may be said to have reckoned it by seconds.

Whirlwinds, tempests, volcanic eruptions, and urbane

j