The coral trade muft have been well eftabliihed in that age at
Sibenico, as thefe verfes prove:
Htec quoque fo r fe it fpeciofs unda cordllis,
$ui dites Itidos, antipodofque petunt.
This author, among the many other advantages which he attributes
to his native country, mentions two Angular cuftoms,
one o f which is drill kept up. The following are the four verfes
in which they are defcribed :
Sic trino dicata Deo dum fejla refulgent
Civis in hac fceptrum nobilis urbe tenet.
D ie prius ofenfo celebrat nova nupta Priapo
Donnubium, ct focias porrigit inde menus.
The King <5f Sibenico is elefted before the Chriftmas holidays,
and continues fifteen days. I was not there at that feafon,
fo only mention this from hearfay. He has the marks o f royal
authority; fuch as, the keys o f the city gates are brought to him
every night, while his mock reign Tails; he'has a diftinit - feat
in the cathedral, and is judge o f the actions o f thole who com-
pofe his ephimeral court. It is no longer a gentleman who makes
this burlefque figure o f king, but an ordinary peafant. Yet he
has a good houfe afligned for his lodging ; walks through the
city crowed with corn fpikes, cloathed in fcarlet, according to
the fafhion o f the country, and attended by many officers. The
The governor entertains him at dinner, as well as the biffiop;
and vvheever meets him in the ftreet'bows to him. The fub-
urb towards the land, as well as that towards the fea, has each
their king, but they cannot enter the city without permiffion
from the city monarch.
I did
I did not think it requifite to inform, myfelf much concerning
t-hofe preliminaries o f marriage indicated by the canon o f Z a gabria,
who, no doubt knew perfedfely well, that this prudent
ufage was then in force, as he is reputed a diligent obferver
o f every thing relative to his country. I f I could have found
the MS. work o f Georgio Sifgorect, which treated o f the
mojl noble prerogatives o f Sibenico, written about the year 1500,
no doubt, I ihould have been able to extradt much intelligence,
not only in regard to ancient cuftoms now fallen into difufe,
but alfo to the phyfical hiftory o f the country.
O f the F ifin g o f the Lake, and the F o fil and Submarine Produce
tions f the Port o f Sib e n ic o .
The lake o f Scardona is altogether furrounded by hills o f gradual
afcent, and fufceptible o f the beft cultivation ; but they lie
for the moil part abandoned. Nor is the fiihing pradticed in a
better manner than agriculture in thefe parts, although they are
-frequented by tunny, and other fmaller emigrating fiih,. The
fiihermen attend to little elfe befides the daily provifion of fuit-
able fiih, for the tables o f the inhabitants o f Sibenico and Scardona.
L izze , Palamide, Dentici, crowned Orate, Lriglie, eels, and
many other fpecies o f fiih o f equal goodnefs are caught in thefe
waters, but by a very ill contrived and flovenly method. The
Scbille, a palm long, mentioned by Difnico, is common in thè
lake of Scardona, and the bay o f Sibenico, are truly a delicious
morfel. They have no regular fiihing for eels, though the mar-
ihy river Goducchia, certainly produces a great plenty; and, no
doubt, the fame plenty might be found in the muddy parts of
the lake, near the city of Scardona.
T Alt