Page:Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857.djvu/338

274 endurance of the survivors, exposed to the terrible inclemency of the winter nights here, and the processions of women and children, carrying about some paltry relic, and whining litanies to the Madonna, in tones of despairing sadness. The recent visit as far as this spot of the deputation of Englishmen who came to distribute personally, the alms collected at Naples amongst our countrymen, was fresh and grateful in the memories of these poor beings, who crowded round me and struggled unwelcomely, to kiss my hands and pour "benedizioni" on all "Inglese" to such an extent, that had I not fortunately found the Padre, Vincenzio Mancini, I should have been unable to make any observation.

He was a man of much more than the average information and intelligence of his class, but conversed in no modern language except Italian, which was strongly provincial, and I found it difficult to follow him; he spoke Latin with some fluency and elegance, and I obtained from him a good deal of information.

The town has suffered most, at the east and west sides, the southern end the least. Large portions of the west side are a perfect chaos of ruin, and beyond reach of observation or analyzation, as in Photog. No. 146. The general character of the west side is seen in Photog. No. 147. The Photogs. No. 148 (Coll. Roy. Soc.) and No. 149 are views at the southern entrance near the town and towards its central part.

Those No. 150 (Coll. Roy. Soc.) and No. 151 give a tolerable notion of such portions of the town, as presented measureable elements of the direction of shock. The sketch No. 152, taken on the spot, shows a part of the west side in which the lines of street and houses were for