DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11789#0045
st. Paul's bay.
35
guide broke off some fragments of rock from the
interior of the cave, and presented them to us as
precious mementos, expecting of course a present
of money in return. It is stated as a remarkable
circumstance, that, although pieces are continually
broken from the walls within this grotto, the size
of the cavity remains always the same, the material
that is removed being miraculously, though imper-
ceptibly, supplied. This must afford great consola-
tion and encouragement to the scrupulous visitor
who might otherwise regard it as sacrilege to batter
down or mutilate these hallowed walls. But now
he need not feel any hesitation about breaking off
and carrying away as much as the most avaricious
relic-seeker could desire—"provided, always," the
compensation is in proportion. From Citta Vec-
chia we rode to St. Paul's Bay, where it is com-
monly supposed that the apostle suffered shipwreck,
as recorded in chapters xxvii. and xxviii. of the
Acts. The bay is three-fourths of a mile long, and
from 200 to 500 yards wide. The shores are for
the most part rocky and rather steep. In the vicinity
are found numbers of fossil teeth belonging to a spe-
cies of fish, probably of the family of sharks. Some
of them are of a dull flesh-color, and in form are
not unlike the human tongue, though considerably
35
guide broke off some fragments of rock from the
interior of the cave, and presented them to us as
precious mementos, expecting of course a present
of money in return. It is stated as a remarkable
circumstance, that, although pieces are continually
broken from the walls within this grotto, the size
of the cavity remains always the same, the material
that is removed being miraculously, though imper-
ceptibly, supplied. This must afford great consola-
tion and encouragement to the scrupulous visitor
who might otherwise regard it as sacrilege to batter
down or mutilate these hallowed walls. But now
he need not feel any hesitation about breaking off
and carrying away as much as the most avaricious
relic-seeker could desire—"provided, always," the
compensation is in proportion. From Citta Vec-
chia we rode to St. Paul's Bay, where it is com-
monly supposed that the apostle suffered shipwreck,
as recorded in chapters xxvii. and xxviii. of the
Acts. The bay is three-fourths of a mile long, and
from 200 to 500 yards wide. The shores are for
the most part rocky and rather steep. In the vicinity
are found numbers of fossil teeth belonging to a spe-
cies of fish, probably of the family of sharks. Some
of them are of a dull flesh-color, and in form are
not unlike the human tongue, though considerably