Brydone, Patrick; Beckford, William: A Tour Through Sicily And Malta: in a series of letters to William Beckford ; in 2 vol. (Band 2) (1775)

198 A TOUR THROUGH
that it is cooled by its passage over the sea
which entirely disarms it of these tremen-
dous esse&s, before it reaches Sicily. But
if this were true, we mould expecl: to find
it most violent on that side of the Issand that
lies nearest to Africa, which is not the
case:—though indeed it is poffible that its
heat may be again increased by its passage
across the island; sor it has ever been found
much more violent at Palermo, which is
near the most northern point, than any
where else in Sicily.—Indeed, I begin to be
more reconciled to this reason, when I con-
sider that this city is almost surrounded by
high mountains, the ravines and vallies
betwixt which are parched up and burning
hot at this season. These likewise contain
innumerable springs of warm water, the
streams of which must tend greatly to in-
crease the heat, and perhaps likewise to
soften the air, and disann it of its noxious
qualities. It is a practice too, at this season,
to burn heath and brushwood on the moun-
tains,