The Wilmingtonian., 1824-02-05

and by the rock 0f Scylla, WhtCh, 'c"
miles below on the Calabrian shore, pro.
iects towards the west. The current runs
with surprising force from one to the othe'
in the direction OF the tide.
and the tides themselves are very irregu-
lar. Thus vessels, by stunning the one,
were in the utmost danger o. being swal-
lowed up by the other. At present, IN
moderate weather, when the tide is either
At the ebb or flood, boats pass all over the
whiripooI but in general it is like the
meeting of two contending currents, with
a number o. eddies all around; and, even
now, there is scarce y a winter in which
there are not several wrecks. AT the
time when we passed the strait (says cap
tain Sutherland,j the weather was as ia
yorable as we could wish and yet, in
spite of strong breeze and the current,
which hurried US on with surprising velo-
city, the ships head was suddenly whlrled
round nearly three points; but the wind
blowing fresh, in few seconds she DASH
ed through the eddy that had caught her
for. to avoid Scylla, and secure Messlna,
we had kept pretty close TO Charybdis."
SpallanZini says, when about two miles
distant from the rock, he heard noise
like the confused barking of dogs, and on
"a nearer approach he discovered the cause
This rock contains number of caverns
one of the largest of which is called. by
the people, Dragara. The waves, when
in the least agitated, rushing into these
caverns, break, dash, throw up frothy
bubbles, and thus occasion these various
and multiplied sounds. lie then perceiv
ed with how much truth and resemblance
of nature. Homer and Virgil, in their per
sonifcations of Scyla, had portrayed this
scene, by describing the monster they
drew as lurking in the darkness Of vasI
cavern. surrounded by ravenous barking
mastifls, together with wolves to increase
the horror.
Scylla, which was 200 feet high, has now
a castle erected on its summit and, on It's
southern side, is the town Of Sciglio, which
gives the title Of prince to Calabrest
family. Charybdis is distant from tht
shore of Messina $50 feet, and is callet
by the Siciiians, Caiolaro, or beatuifu
tower, from a lighthouse erected near it
for the guidance of vessels.-SpallanZIn
describes it not ABSOLUTELY as whirlpool
as things are not drawn under by a vorte,
but the agitation Of the waters, probabl,
from the number of rocks at the bottom o
the opposing current in SO narrow chan
mel. occasions the passing vessel to plunge
about, and ultimately fill with water AM
sink, merely from the beating of the wave
over il. The proverb-" He who endea
yours to avoid Charybdis, is dashed upol
Scylla," is frequently verified, even in tb'
present day. Just at this part Of the strai
a most surprising phenomenon is observ
Jed. In the heat Of summer, after the sc;
and air have been agitated, there appear
in the heavens a great variety OF slngula
forms. some at rest, and others mOvin,
with surprising velocity. These forms
! proportion as the light increases, seems t
lbecome more AERIAL, till at last, some tim
sbefore sunrise, they wholly disappear. Th
1Siclians represent this as the most beau
tifuI sight in nature; and Leonti, one G
their writers, says that the sky appear
4 crowded with numerous objects, such a
: palaces, woods, gardens, the figures d
-men, and the forms Of multitude of ami
mails.