DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6094#0313
190 A TOUR THROUGH
ble subterraneous garden, and is indeed one
of the most beautiful and romantic spots I
ever beheld* Most of it is about one hun-
dred feet below the level of the earth, and
of an incredible extent. The whole is
hewn out of a rock as hard as marble, com-
posed of a concretion of shells, gravel, and
other marine bodies. The bottom of this
immense quarry, from whence probably
the greatest part of Syracuse was built, is
now covered with an exceeding rich soil;
and as no wind from any point of the
compass can touch it, it is filled with a
great variety of the finest shrubs and fruit-
trees, which bear with vast luxuriance, and
are never blasted. The oranges, citrons,
bergamots, pomegranates, figs, &c. are
all os a remarkable size and fine quality.
Some of these trees, but more particularly
the olives, grow out of the hard rock;
where there is no visible soil; and exhibit
a very uncommon and pleasing appearance.
There
ble subterraneous garden, and is indeed one
of the most beautiful and romantic spots I
ever beheld* Most of it is about one hun-
dred feet below the level of the earth, and
of an incredible extent. The whole is
hewn out of a rock as hard as marble, com-
posed of a concretion of shells, gravel, and
other marine bodies. The bottom of this
immense quarry, from whence probably
the greatest part of Syracuse was built, is
now covered with an exceeding rich soil;
and as no wind from any point of the
compass can touch it, it is filled with a
great variety of the finest shrubs and fruit-
trees, which bear with vast luxuriance, and
are never blasted. The oranges, citrons,
bergamots, pomegranates, figs, &c. are
all os a remarkable size and fine quality.
Some of these trees, but more particularly
the olives, grow out of the hard rock;
where there is no visible soil; and exhibit
a very uncommon and pleasing appearance.
There