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well the superstitious character of his countrymen, and their excitable temperament, to venture on any such Quixotic enterprise. I was satisfied that he would protect me as far as was in his power, but an unreasoning mob was the last danger I should wish to face, and I did not believe that the few police he could muster would be any protection in case of a commotion. I recommended to him to examine the matter a little more minutely, and I had no doubt that he would find he had been imposed upon. He was a delightful old gentleman, and it seemed, when I thought of it, presumptuous in a young man as I was to give advice to one who must be highly honoured by his government, to occupy the responsible position that he did in the province. I spent several pleasant hours with him, and on his hearing that I was on my way to Paola, he was kind enough to offer me permission to proceed in a boat, which he was sending there on public business, and as there are no ancient remains between Scalea and Paola, I have accepted this offer. The distance is about fifty miles, and then I intend to strike into the centre of Calabria, said to be, so far as I can understand, rather a dangerous enterprise.

IX.

You will be surprised to hear that I have remained another day at Scalea, owing to a slight breeze blowing from the south, which prevents the boat from starting.

I am lodged in the house of a policeman, dirty and uncomfortable, yet I contrived to sleep soundly for many hours, till I was awoke at daybreak by a fearful uproar that took place in my room. I had entered the house after sunset, and the dimness of a small lamp was scarcely sufficient to enable me to examine into what sort of bedchamber I was ushered. On awaking, I found it was the sleeping apartment of a very heterogeneous collection of animals. Above me had roosted a number of chickens, while ducks and pigs had spent the night amicably together on the floor. It was the pugnacious or playful propensities of two young pigs that had created all the tumult, as they had upset the pole upon which the chickens sat, and they naturally took refuge on my bed. The insects within my bed, however, I found now to be a much greater nuisance, and I had no other alternative but to withdraw myself from their presence, only too well satisfied if they did not pursue me in overwhelming numbers.

I proceeded to the shore to see if they were making any preparations for our departure. The wind continued unfavourable, and they gave no hope of our starting before evening. In a short time the beach exhibited an animated scene, from the inhabitants crowding to make their bargains with the fishermen, who had returned with a considerable load of fish. They were of several kinds, of which two were familiar enough to me, the palamaji and the sarde; of these I bought for twopence as much as I thought would make a tolerable breakfast.

The sarde (sardines) are the Alausa pilchardus, the pilchard so plentifully caught in its season on the Devonshire coast, and consumed by the inhabitants of that county in pies. The palamaji are no doubt the pelamides of Pliny (ix. 18, I.), which he maintains to be the

tunny of one year old. I am not ichthyologist enough to contradict his statement; at all events, it is an excellent fish in this season of the year.

Scalea is situated on the brow of a hill, the summit of which is crowned by the ruins of an ancient castle, which must at one time have been of considerable strength. The range, along which I have been passing for several days, ends here, and a plain of some twenty or thirty miles in breadth lies before me, through which passes a small river called Lao, falling into the sea about three miles from Scalea. It rises near Viggianello, like many of the rivers in this part of the country, from springs gushing from a hill. The marshes formed at its mouth cause the autumnal months to be particularly unhealthy at Scalea, and the inhabitants even now have a sallow, pale look. There seems every reason to believe that the ancient city, Laus, was situated in the plain about a mile from Scalea, where there is a pillar of cipollino marble, a piece of marble pavement, and some appearance of the remains of an aqueduct. I cannot hear, however, of any inscriptions having ever been found at this spot. Laus was never a city of any great importance, and we need not therefore be surprised that so little of it should remain. My guide was the gaoler of Scalea, whose office at present is very much of a sinecure, as he has only four prisoners confined on a charge of petty larceny. His prison, indeed, is not of very ample dimensions, being only a couple of apartments in what is called La porta di Cimalonga, a small tower which had once served to defend the town. On my return, I proceeded to pay my respects to my good friend the judge, and he kindly invited me to dinner. Our party consisted of his wife, daughter, and her husband, who had lately arrived on a visit to his father-in-law. They could not be said to be polished in their manners, but there was a simplicity and good nature in all they said and did, that amply compensated for any violation of those conventional rules which we are pleased to dignify with the title of good manners. The judge has a collection of curiosities, among which is a tiny ivory figure standing in a basket supported by four small columns, having been found near the site of the ancient Sybaris; he had also a number of silver and bronze coins of different epochs, all found in this quarter. Our conversation naturally turned on the miracle of Ajeta, and I now see clearly how the idea of manna was suggested to the monks. This substance is furnished in large quantities by Calabria, and forms the chief item of its foreign commerce. It is got from two kinds of ash, Ornus Europea and Fraxinus rotundifolia, which grow abundantly in this part of Italy. It is procured in two different ways, chiefly by an incision made into the bark of the ash-tree, from which flows a stream of juice, which the heat of the sun hardens, and which is then collected by the inhabitants. The juice is at first transparent, but when exposed a short time to the air acquires that colour which we find it to have in chemists' shops. When collected in this way, it is called by the Calabrese forzata (forced), but it sometimes flows naturally, even appears on the leaves of the trees, and is found in large patches on the ground. What is still more extraordinary, they assert it rains manna at times, and I can bear witness to having seen something of the kind. Yesterday, when there were no clouds, I was surprised to observe a number of large drops

fall, when I naturally exclaimed to the peasant whom I met on my way to Casaletto-"How very strange!" but he added, quite coolly, that it was manna. I thought the man was imposing upon me, as I had never heard of any such curious phenomenon, except in the case of the Israelites, and as I had great difficulty in communicating with him, I allowed the matter to pass; here, however, I find the thing stated as a fact, of which they have no doubt. We know that moisture is drawn up into the atmosphere to be again sent down in rain, and it is possible that the moisture drawn up from the extensive woods of Calabria may partake of the peculiar quality of manna. I hope I may again be a witness of the phenomenon, and I shall not allow it to pass with such slight examination. The Romans seem to have had no knowledge of manna, although they were well acquainted with the ornus and fraxinus, and these trees no doubt possessed the same qualities as they do at present. The word " manna," however, was known to them, but they applied it to a grain of frankincense rubbed by the hand: "Micas thuris concussu elisas mannam vocamus" (Plin. xii. 32,4), and Vegetius (2, 39) speaks of manna croci and (3, 23) sacchari.

Besides this, I find there appears suddenly at times on the leaves of plants a kind of glutinous substance of a sweetish flavour, which stops their growth, and is otherwise injurious. They speak of these leaves as foglie ammanate, and even vino ammanato, when the grapes have a bitterish taste from this dewy substance covering them. It appears more particularly on a shrub, which grows abundantly in their hedges, called fusaggine or fusaro, because spindles are usually made of it. It is the spindel-baum of the Germans. During the continuance of great heat, they speak also of a kind of dew falling, which they call sinobbica. Something, indeed, of the same kind is mentioned by Ælian (H. A. XV. 7); he says that in India honey is rained on the pastures, and that the milk of the animals that are fed where it falls is remarkable for its sweetness. My own experience in respect to the manna inclines me to give credit to Elian's statement.

I had frequently observed a small purse suspended round the necks of children. I find that it is intended to guard against the glance of an envious eye, which is a subject of constant dread to the inhabitants of this country. I believe that this superstition extends through all ranks, from the king on the throne to the meanest of the lazzaroni. As soon as a child is born, this purse, containing the reliques of some saint, is suspended to its neck, being the peculiar manufacture of the Capuchins, who refuse any recompense for it. They are, however, well repaid by the grateful mother, when the purveyor of the monastery passes her door. I have often met jolly-looking friars driving a well-loaded mule, and it seems that the same custom now prevails here, as in merry England in ancient times, of collecting donations of provisions for the monastery from the neighbouring inhabitants. It is then that the mother is expected to recollect the favour conferred on her child by the Capuchins. It is curious to observe how unwilling they are to have their children gazed on by strangers from this cause, and how quickly they convey them away from your sight, if they observe that you stop to admire them. With us, parents are gratified to hear their children praised for their personal appearance; with

them, it gives great annoyance. They are always in dread of a particular squint of the eyes called Jettatura, which some possess, and to which they ascribe all kinds of calamities. If their eye meets that of such a person, they are sure to anticipate some misfortune, unless they have taken some immediate steps to neutralise the effect; and you will be amused to hear with what ease this may be accomplished, but it must be done at once. They have only to point their fore and little fingers towards the person; they must take care that it be not seen, else they offend the Jettatore in a way not to be appeased, and whatever power he may possess, they may expect that he will use it against them. Another way to prevent any evil consequence is to spit in the direction of the person who possesses the evil eye; but the most usual method is to insert the thumb under the forefinger, and keep it in the direction of the Jettatore. There are several scions of noble families at Naples who have this unfortunate squint, and they are very generally shunned by their countrymen. I have often asked those whom I found believers in this superstitious notion what instances they could produce in which they had been sufferers, and they were always ready with such disasters as a sprained ankle, the death of a favourite hound or tabby-cat, the breaking of some beautiful piece of china, which they had allowed to fall at the moment the Jettatore entered.

I find that the belief in witches is very common here, called Fattochiare, and, of course, they ascribe to them all the power which the ignorant in our own country imagine to belong to such beings. They are frequently consulted by the fair lady, who wishes to secure the constancy of her lover, and with such assistance she has no doubts of success. These old women are believed to have a particular aversion to the young and beautiful of their own sex, and whenever any illness, of which there is no apparent cause, befals them, they are sure to ascribe it to the cantrips of some witch. A Neapolitan girl once told me a story of this kind, in which she had taken a very active part. Her sister had begun to droop, and was becoming weaker and weaker every day, when some of the neighbours suspected that her illness was caused by a Fattura (a spell), and suggested that some means should be taken to discover the author. All the reputed witches of the neighbourhood were visited, and in the house of one of them they found a sheep's head filled with pins, to which they chose to ascribe all the mischief. Partly by menaces and partly by bribes, they prevailed on the old woman to undo the spell; but, lest she should again have recourse to it, my informant waited on the most powerful Fattocchiara in Naples, who dwells in the St. Giles of that city, called the Vicaria, and prevailed on her to employ one of her strongest spells to protect her sister. This had the desired effect, for a fairer or more healthy lass is not at present to be seen in Naples. It is curious that they have the same superstition as we have respecting witches riding on broomsticks, and there is a certain night on which they all assemble under some tree at Benevento for the same purpose, I imagine, as they were found engaged by Tam O'Shanter. The incantation used by them to transport themselves safely to Benevento is,

Sott' aiero e sopra vento,
Sotto la noce di Benevento.

"Under the heaven and on the wings of the wind, under the walnuttree of Benevento." Two works have been published on this subject, which I could not procure. They are: Pietro Peperno, De Nuce Beneventana, and Abate Zumica, on the same subject.

The police are said to have made some attempt to suppress witchcraft, though it may be believed without success. The old woman, called Janara by the Neapolitans, may be consulted at the Chiesa dei Santi Apostoli every Monday morning, as regularly as you can in the summer season have your fortune told on Blackheath on Sunday. I have often heard them say, Fuite sse ghianare de femmena-" Fly from these old wretches of women." They believe that the witches have no power on the Fridays of March, and therefore a person nato il Venerdi di Marzo, "born on a Friday of March," is very lucky, as he cannot be bewitched, and the reason is that they believe that our Saviour was crucified on a Friday of this month. If they use the word Sabato, "Saturday," they consider this word, if they pronounce it at a proper moment, a great preservation against witches.

Another strange superstition here is in evil spirits, called Maghe, who are entrusted with immense treasure, which they are willing to surrender on some extravagant conditions. The Grotto of Pozzuoli at Naples is well known to be haunted by such a spirit, and he has offered to give up his hoards of gold and silver to any one, who shall present a new-born babe to him. There is a report at Naples, that the King is not quite exempt from the superstitious notions of his subjects, and as his treasury is seldom overflowing, they say that he made an attempt, through two of his friends, to fill it by means of this spirit, but the condition was too extravagant for even his Majesty to fulfil.

They seem to have no superstition respecting the shades of the departed revisiting their former haunts, unless we consider the Monaciello, or little Monk, to be of this kind. He is usually an attendant of old palaces, and of course causes much annoyance. The Villa Gallo at Naples is said to be haunted by one of these gentlemen; and one of my friends, who occupied it during the summer season, had much difficulty in procuring any attendance from his servants after nightfall. They never could be induced to move except in pairs, and some of them stoutly maintained that they had seen the Monaciello. This beneficent household demon may be propitiated by food, which they expect to see converted into gold; and hence, when anyone has had a sudden increase of fortune, they say, Forse avra il Monaciello in casa, "perhaps he has had the little Monk in his house;" but he must not boast of such supernatural gifts, else they vanish as they come.

You are constantly told in Italy by a servant, when any favourite article is lost or damaged, that it is the spirit that has done the mischief. While seated in the drawing-room one morning, the Majordomo was employed in arranging some china in the next chamber, when a cup was heard to fall, and when he was asked what he was about, he very gravely came forward and told us that the cup had been thrown down by Lo Spirito.

Nurses still retain the custom of frightening children by what they call mammone, which is generally made to assume the exaggerated

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