LETTER

XXXIII.

Palermo, June 24th.

IN the course of our acquaintance with

fome gentlemen of fenfe and obfervation in this place, we have learned many things concerning the island, that perhaps may be worthy of your attention; and as this day is fo hot that I cannot go out, I fhall endeavour to recollect fome of them, both for your amusement and my own. The thermometer is up at 81. So you may judge of the fituation of our northern conftitu

tions.

There is one thing, however, that I have always obferved in these fouthern climates; that although the degree of heat is much greater than with us, yet it is not commonly attended with that weight and oppreffion of spirits that generally accompany our fultry days in fummer. I am fure, that in fuch a day as this, in England, we should be panting for breath; and no mortal would think either of reading or writing. That is not the cafe here; I never was in better spirits in my life: Indeed I believe the quantities of ice we eat may contribute a good deal towards it; for I find, that in a very violent heat, there is no fuch cordial to the spirits as ice, or a draught of ice-water:

it is not only from the cold it communicates, but like the cold bath, from the fuddennefs of that communication, it braces the ftomach, and gives a new tone to the fibres. It is strange that this piece of luxury (in my opinion the greatest of all, and perhaps the only healthy one) should still be fo much neglected with us.

I knew an English lady at Nice, who in a fhort time was cured of a threatening confumption, only by a free indulgence in the ufe of ices; and I am perfuaded, that in skilful hands, few remedies would be more effectual in many of our stomach and inflammatory complaints, as hardly any thing has a stronger or more immediate effect upon the whole frame; and furely our adminiftering of warm drinks and potions in these complaints tend often to nourish the disease. It is the common practice here, in inflammatory fevers, to give quantities of ice-water to drink; nay, fo far have they carried it, that Dr. Sanghes, a celebrated Sicilian phyfician, covered over the breast and belly of his patients with fnow or ice; and they affure us, in many cafes, with great fuccefs. But, indeed, I ought in juftice to add, that this phyfician's practice has not been generally adopt

ed.

Perhaps it is from the prefent benefit I find from ice, that I have faid fo much in favour of it; for I am fully perfuaded, that if I had not a quantity of it standing here below the table, I should

very foon be obliged to give up writing, and go to bed'; but whenever I begin to flag, another glass is sure to set me to rights again.

I was going to give you fome account of the fisheries of this island.

The catching of the tunny-fish constitutes one of the principal Sicilian amufements during the fummer months; and the curing and fending them to foreign markets make one of the greatest branches of their commerce. We were invited yesterday by the Prince Sperlinga to a party of tunnyfishing; but the violence of the heat prevented it.

Thefe fish do not make their appearance in the Sicilian feas till towards the latter end of May; at which time the Tonnaros, as they call them, are prepared for their reception. This is a kind of aquatic caftle, formed, at a great expence, of ftrong nets, fastened to the bottom of the fea by anchors and heavy leaden weights.

Thefe tonnaros are erected in the paffages amongst the rocks and iflands that are most frequented by the tunny-fifh. They take care to shut up with nets the entry into these passages, all but one little opening, which is called the outward gate of the tonnaro. This leads into the first apartment, or, as they call it, the hail. As foon as the fish have got into the hall, the

fishermen, who ftand fentry in their boats during the season, shut the outer door, which is no more than letting down a small piece of net, which effectually prevents the tunny from returning by the way they came. They then open the inner door of the hall, which leads to the fecond apartment, which they call the anti-chamber, and, by making a noise on the furface of the water, they foon drive the tunny-fifh into it. As foon as the whole have got into the anti-chamber, the inner door of the hall is again fhut, and the outer door is opened for the reception of more company.

Some tonnaros have a great number of apartments, with different names to them all; the faloon, the parlour, the dining-room, &c. but the laft apartment is always ftiled la Camera della Morte, The chamber of Death: this is composed of stronger nets and heavier anchors than the others.

As foon as they have collected a fufficient number of tunny-fish, they are driven from all the other apartments into the chamber of death; where the flaughter begins. The fishermen, and often the gentlemen too, armed with a kind of spear or harpoon, attack the poor defenceless animals on all fides; which now giving themfelves up to defpair, dash about with great force and agility, throwing the water over all the boats; and tearing the nets to pieces, they often knock out their brains against the rocks or anchors,

and fometimes even against the boats of their enemies.

You fee there is nothing very generous or manly in this fport. The taking of the Pesce Spada, or fword-fifh, is a much more noble diverfion: no art is made use of to ensnare him; but with a small harpoon, fixed to a long line, they attack him in the open feas, and will often strike him at a very confiderable diftance. It is exactly the whale-fishing in miniature. The Sicilian fishermen (who are abundantly fuperftitious) have a Greek sentence which they make use of as a charm to bring him near their boats. This is the only bait they use, and they pretend that it is of wonderful efficacy, and abfolutely obliges him to follow them; but if unfortunately he should overhear them fpeak a word of Italian, he plunges under water immediately, and will appear no more.

As thefe fish are commonly of a great fize and strength, they will fometimes run for hours after they are ftruck, and afford excellent sport. I have seen them with a fword four or five feet long, which gives them a formidable appearance in the water, particularly after they are wounded. The flesh of these animals is excellent; it is more like beef than fish, and the common way of dreffing it is in steaks.