O f the Village and Valley « / "Slo seli A.
The firft place o f the territory o f Sibenico, that one meets
with on the Side o f Zara, is the village o f Slofella, fituated in a
large valley which bears that name, and defended by a thick
wall on the land fide. The inhabitants fay that the denomination
o f Slofella, which is equivalent to Malvillaggio, i. e. curft
village, was given by the Turks in the times o f their incuriions,
becaufe they found the inhabitants bold, and always ready to
oppofe them. But whatever may have been the original o f this
name, it certainly fuits the inhabitants extremely well. I llaid
there many days, availing myfelf o f the friendihip o f the Abbe
Count Girolamo Draganich Veranzio, to whofe illuftrious family
the village belongs; and hence I had a better opportunity
o f obferving with convenience here, than in other places of Dalmatia.
The ground of Slofella affords nothing worthy o f particular obfer-
vation; it is generally ofmarble, which isfrequently cavernous, and
full o f ftaladtites. The external afpeft of the country is horrid, on
account of the nakednefs o f the mountains, which are intirely
fpoiled by the inconfiderate brutality o f the inhabitants. Nor has
the plain that ftretches along the.fea, any degree o f amenity; for,
through their obftinate ftupidity in agriculture, the vines, olives,
and cornfields are all equally ill managed. The lands cultivated
by Count Veranzio only diftinguiih themfelves at a dif-
flance, by the chearful green with which they are covered,
as do likewife the few woods that remain, and o f which he
has the foie difpofal. He is endeavouring to encourage the
growth o f his young fraxini, by rooting out the brambles
and fhtu’bs fcattered among them, that they may the fooner
be
be ready to yield manna by incifion. It is very probable that
thefe attentions will prove fuccefsful, as the fituation is perfectly
fuited to every produft o f warm climates. I made fome incifions
on the Lentifcus, and though the trunk o f the tree, on which
the operation was tried, was not large, and it was furrounded
with thorns,, and parafitical plants, yet it yielded fome maftich,
little indeed, but enough to ihew its excellent quality. There is
great plenty o f Lentifcus about Slofella; but the inhabitants cut
and deftroy all forts o f trees, and ihrubs, without diftindlion,
for firewood and other ufes, fo they never have time to grow to
an age requifite to give any confiderable produdt.
The many ftreams,. which iffiie from the bottoms o f the mountains,
and mix with the fait waters o f the valley o f Slofella,
invite thither a great number and variety o f fiihes. I did not inform
myfelf minutely o f the adventitious fpecies found there,
and hence,, perhaps, you will blame my negligence and inattention..
But the chief objedt of my attention was that fpecies alone, whofe
paflage is copious and conftant, and therefore deferves fome con-
fideration from government, as an objedt of national ceconomy
and commerce. I wiih it was in my power to declare war
againft the northern fiihes which invade our Italy, as the men
ufed to do in the barbarous ages; and ihould think myfelf happy
could I arm the fiihermen o f the Adriatick againft thefe foreign
intruders. Every feafon brings lhoals o f fiihes to the valley o f
Slofella. In the cold months, and particularly in the lharpeft
days, o f winter, vaft numbers o f mullets crowd thither, allured
by the warmth of the freih waters, which, fpringing from the
bowels o f the mountains, mix themfelves with the fea before
they have fuffered the impreffion of the rigid air. The inhabitants
o f the neigbouring villages, at thefe feafons, meet, bringing
with