E I 7<* }
and go to the fpot themfelves, or, at leaft, to threaten to go>
whatever difficulties may lie in the way. At all events, the
ftone o f S. Elia deferves fome confideration, i f not for its
whitenefs, at leaft for the facility there is in working it. It alfo
takes a fine poliffi, and is o f a very clofe grain j and though not
fo well fuitedto noble works o f architecture, it would anfwer very
well for more ordinary fculpture, and placed lefs within the reach
o f the eye o f an examiner. Without all doubt the ancients made
ufe o f it,
aeEew inscriptions, and no remalnsofRoman buildingsare pre-
fervcd at 'Trau. The lapides are already publiihed in the collec-
tioB.a, .yet fome ojfbthafe that formerly swerve,, there,, are now n o
mtffei®he foriifd. .yhtoy Aiinaup ests! e eox 1
„sldstso s i i ppni iua í yfiijfop-febridq florri silt TolSh
O f ‘ Me IJland o f Bwa,
;j 3Q1Í -3.Cl? fljIilW n j I3lflLW Oil? fp 3f*j
( y h e Ifland o f Bua, called Bubus by Pliny, is united to.the city
o f Trau in ihch a manner, that I do not think s é s il mi£q áni srtssw 5 n l E ifflR . mvfelfat libe■ rty•
to ^para^e them, thpugh the former contains fuch a variety
o f object^, as to ^eforve au article’ by .itfelf. The numerous
limitations, on that part of, the ffiore o'f Bua, that looks to-
tjrarfls T p tq .im ^ t very properly bear the qame o f a burgh, and
■would indeed, appear very cpnfiderable, i f its vicinity to the city
did not obícqre it. It mail: be confefied, however, that the fi-
tuátion o f the burgh is, by raí, mo^e pleaiaht, than that o f the:
city. In the times o f the décay'of the empire? ’ it was called Boas,
apd feyeral illyftripus. men, that fell under difgrace at Court,
were haniffied to this iiland; among whom were Floreiitius,.
mafter o f the offices o f the Emperor Julian, Immentius de Valenti,
and the heretick Jovinian, The emperors o f Conftantinople,
Í 3
pie, either were not much acquainted with this pretended Siberia,
or were wilhtigto treat-the,bamihed iwith great clemency-,. Tt is
certain that the climatefof this bland is-tfxeeeding mild? -thermit
perfectly good; tl.c oil, grapes, and fruit excellent; and the
Tea around it abounds in fiffi, and the port is large, and il-cure.
Neither is it fo fmall that a man has not room-to walk;:;, and ride
about as much- as he ple-afLS ; for it istenmiles ¡in'.length, .and
about tweiity-five|in ibirhUiti;c nor can it be faid to be rugged,
though rather high and mountainous.
In the village of-'Bua/'a'-palm tree fprung up fotty-three years
ago ; it f t a n d i cdiftiHuhll^e^^oied to . the changes-«f the air and
ieafons, yet, teh yehisf'’agbp it Tteguh fb-behr- dates, 'and finco,
never fails to produce a large quantity yearly. Thefe dates, it is
true, are not o f the moft perfeCt quality ; but they are eatable,
though they have fomewhat too much iharpuefs, which proceeds,
I.apprehend, from the fpyerity o f £he winter, tQ yhich ,t|ie tree is
carelefsly. abandoned ; for'however mild it is on the ifland o f
Bua, the winters in' Africa; hnd_Afi% 'w^ere'ffid jPa“ “ ’,? r®^8
grow in their native (oil, aye’ certainly much milder. Tpe dates,
that the palm tree of^u^ptodu.ces, are' without any ftohd, per-
: g jjQ ; •¿rj ^ lo c L i QfiJ i o | t g n J £ l i j - IIO 3 flO l?
bans through want of fecundation from a male tree near it. In'1
ftead o f ftones^ they,haye a cavity* -ffi'e fides ofwvHicn are ¿'Tittle
harder than the pulp. * I ’m ^ e no) aoubt, that-, i f the'owner of
the palm tree had li
would prodqce gf{} | |
I found B r 3^rioi?s3nkincfsi 3q 'f rpafhle, and
ftone: There is,, plenty'4 o f “white" "ma/Ble fqrtmildirrg, like
that of Iftria, o f acoarie gtatn,'1 and that fiies off Jri fplinters like
a flint ftone ; alfo a laminated marble of the Tame nature, in the
Z 2 fuper