Page:Great Neapolitan Earthquake of 1857 Vol 2.djvu/261

200 animals, almost always accustomed to announce certain phenomena, which man with his intelligence often cannot foresee. Asses everywhere were the first to predict, by their frequent and unusual braying, that the earth would soon tremble. Next in order we may reckon the barking of dogs, the grunting of pigs, and an unusual disturbance amongst poultry. In some places—as in Foggia—an increase of temperature was observed at the moment of the shock, and an ascent of the barometer, which subsequently fell to 28 inches and 2 lines: this last, however, may have been caused by the vertical motion. We have no other observations, near Melfi or in Melfi itself.

In some places the failure of water in wells was remarkable, in others, springs spouted out with force, and then disappeared for a while, and some affirmed that the water was much discoloured. There is in Melfi a very abundant spring, which floods the valley with its stream, but no phenomenon of this kind was observed. In one of our ascents of Monte Vulture, on the 22nd of September, we visited the Fontana di Piloni, which owes its origin to two distinct springs, although very close to each other; and a few days afterwards (on the 3rd of October) we observed that the water in one had fallen one-half, and in the other one-fifth. The herds who frequent this place assured us that they had perceived the diminution six or seven days before, and that within their memory a similar failure had never before occurred. On the IGth August there was a storm with frequent thunder, large hailstones, and heavy rain; the wheat crop was completely destroyed, and the vines injured by the hail. In September and the beginning of October we saw frequent lightning at night, and in November the thunder and hail returned with greater vehemence. Melfi, Barieli, and Rapolla are almost destroyed. Next comes Rionero, one third of which is ruined, and the rest more or less damaged. Atella, Venosa, Lavello, Ascoli, Canosa, and Candela, rank next with regard to injuries, and then the other villages marked on the map.

In Melfi not a single house was left uninjured. The rage of the earthquake did not respect the best-constructed buildings, which were certainly the Bishop's palace, a vast and spacious edifice, in