I observed a fact worthy of notice, namely, that, in the Adriatic, the northern coast has many harbours, while the opposite coast can only boast of one or two.

It is evident that the sea is retiring by degrees towards the east, and that in three or four more centuries Venice must be joined to the land.

We landed at the old lazzaretto, where we received the pleasant information that we would go through a quarantine of twenty-eight days, because Venice had admitted, after a quarantine of three months, the crew of two ships from Messina, where the plague had recently been raging.

I requested a room for myself and for Brother Stephano, who thanked me very heartily.

I hired from a Jew a bed, a table and a few chairs, promising to pay for the hire at the expiration of our quarantine.