There is something so amiable in this universal gratitude and thanksgiving in the midst of absolute ruin, that it is impossible not to admire the minds that are capable of such virtue, even though actuated by superstition. But, indeed, if we compare Messina with several other places, we may reckon her peculiarly fortunate, since, though the town is destroyed, only nine hundred people perished.
At the time of the earthquake, the Messinians had scarce recovered from the ravages of the plague of 1743. This second blow has completely broken their spirit, and obliged them to relinquish the hope of ever seeing their city rebuilt; the King of Naples having ordered that none of the houses in the Crescent shall be roofed, until they are raised to their former height. The inhabitants have remonstrated, by saying, that they cannot bear the expence; but his Majesty is unwilling that they should lose so beautiful an ornament.
Even Scylla and Charybdis have been almost subdued by the repeated convulsions of this part of the earth, and by the violence of the current, which is continually increasing the breadth of the Straits. If proper allowance be made for these circumstances, we shall acquit the ancients of any exaggeration, notwithstanding the very dreadful colours in which they have painted this passage. It is formed by a low peninsula, called Cape Pelorus, stretching to the eastward on the Sicilian side, immediately within which lies the famous whirlpool of Charybdis, and by the Rocks of Scylla, which a few miles below on the Calabrian shore, project towards the west. The current runs with surprising force from one to the other alternately in the direction of the tide, and the tides themselves are very irregular. Thus, vessels by shunning the one were in the utmost danger of being swallowed up by the other.
At present, in moderate weather, when the tide is either at ebb or flood, boats pass all over the whirlpool, but, in general, it is like the meeting of two contending currents, with a number of eddies all around. And, even now, there is scarcely a winter in which there are not some wrecks.
At the time we passed the strait, the weather was as favourable as we could wish, and yet, in spite of a strong breeze and the current, which hurried us on with surprising velocity, the ship's head was suddenly whirled round near three points; but the wind blowing fresh, in a few seconds she dashed through the eddy that had caught her--for, to avoid Scylla, and secure Messina, we had kept pretty close to Charybdis.
The entrance of these straits is, I am convinced, not less than three miles wide, but I have never heard it allowed to be so much. After passing Charybdis, the sea immediately widens, but Cape Pelorus and Scylla in a manner crossing each other, the passage cannot be perceived until you are on the point of entering it, which gave rise to a tradition, that Hannibal, fancying himself betrayed and land-locked, put his Pilot Pelorus to death; but that, as an atonement, he afterwards erected a statue to his memory, from which the Cape took its name. This action, however, is so contradictory to the history, experience, and disposition of Hannibal, that nobody could ever have raised such a story, but one who had never read the life of this magnanimous hero.
Few countries have experienced more revolutions than Sicily; the richness of the soil and the temperature of the climate, added to its commanding situation, having always made it an object of attraction. After the dark ages it was successively possessed by the Greeks, and the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Goths, and the Saracens.
In later times, it has generally shared the fate of Naples; but by the Treaty of Utrecht, it was given to the Duke of Savoy, who, however, was soon obliged, by the Quadruple Alliance, to return it to the Emperor, in exchange for Sardinia. The Spaniards seized this opportunity of renewing their claims, and sent a large armament, which had subdued the whole island, except Messina, which they were besieging, when Sir George Byng appeared with the British fleet.
April 11th, 1718.
The Spanish squadron, apprized of his approach, passed through the straits, and stood to the southward; Sir George pursued and brought it to action. Our fleet consisted of twenty-one sail of the line, carrying 1400 guns, the enemy's of eighteen, carrying 992 guns. Both sides fought bravely, but our superior numbers soon prevailed. Don Antonio de Casteneta, the Spanish Admiral, was taken prisoner, and only seven of his two-deckers escaped, of which the greater part were afterwards burnt at Messina, and one was lost in the Gulf of Tarento. Many of the frigates were also taken.