Litchfield enquirer., 1844-09-12

ing the skeletons of ghastly array of dead bret
 ren in the dress of their order, and other nios ,,e whose frlencs PG'd for their admittance. Many them had crown of thorns upon their bare au
 ieshless skulls, and ropes about their necks. fa
 tened to nail behind to keep them perpendicula
 and label attached to their joined hands, on yhic
 was written their name, age, Sc. It was hide
 spectacle and one entirely new but after it wa
 over did not regret that had seen it.
 Our next visit was more agreeable, being to ano
 ther of these subterranean prisons, owned by Mar
 quls, and formed into lovely garden of fruits an,
 flowers, under excellent cultivation We wer,
 presented by the gardener with oranges and lemons
 besides beautiful boquet of roses, jessamine, lav
 ender, heliotrope, and orange flowers. These al
 growing in the open air in December, and we eat. ing oranges under the trees from which they were pucked. and in our summer apparel-can you i'm. agine aught more delightful? Among the most curious and interesting of the antiquities here, is the prison of the tyrant called ssDyonisius ear It IS in the form of letter S. IT feet wide 80 feet high, and 12O long, The sides slope gradually to the summit, terminating in channel along its roof, which conveys every sound to aperture midway, communicating with private chamber where the tyrant used to sit listening to the conversation of ms prisonors. The power of conveying sound here is truly wonderful; whisper from one end may be distinctly heard at the other, and pistol fired makes report like cannon-the reveroerations continuing ten seconds; even tearing or crumpling piece of paper may be heard in every part Ad- joining this prison are the quarres where the pris oners worked,e and whence the huge and solid pill lars for their beautiful temple were taken A part of this IS now occupied by men and children, wear ing beautiful kind of twine such used for fish, lines and nets, all active and noisy, and all camor- ing for "quelqua-casa," and "piccola- la-monata," as soon as we came in sight. Adjoining this is sim gular kind of salt-works, where saltpetre is made by boiling the earth on the spot, which seemed cu- rious enough to us, and for which the gentlemen accounted, by supposingt to be the ashes of the an cient city, mingled with volcanic substances. The earth is put into tubs of water for twenty four hours; they then draw it of, and boil it twenty four, after which it is placed in the sun an equal length of time, which converts into saltpetre. The article of salt is monopoly of the king, and the source of great wealth to him. More than fifty feet above heads, yet some twenty below the surface Is seen the remains of pipe or conduit, which is supposed to have conveyed water for the use of the prisoners. We visited the tomb of Archmides, then ascended the heights of the ancient city where are the remains of it's theatre, Supposed the most ancient of Grscian theares,) it's amphithcatre, fountains, and aqueducts. Descending the hill we followed the ancient road to Tychc, cut olt of solid rock, having place either side wora by the wheels, and in the centre by the horse; each side is lined with tombs or sepulchres cut ia the rock in the same manner as those in the catacombs.- There were recesses cut in the rock in which were inserted marble slabs with inscriptions. Our guide led us next to the old church of San Giovanni. A monk lives here like hermit, upon the donations he receives for showing the cataconbs and the re- mains of very ancient church, Underneath that of S,1 Giovanni,) called San Matthen, in which was found the font shown us in the cathedral, and is the church said by the people to have been the first built in Chrstendom. In chapel is the tomb of the first bishop, San Matthien; some old sculp- lures and frescoes still remain, but are not very attractive. The catacombs are exceeding curious and interesting, extending from II to p miles, ha wing passages and galleries running like streets in every direction, with large openings cells on ci their side arched above, the flooring divided into lesser cells or cofins as if intended for family mau soeum; there were small ones for children, and few larger ones separate, as If intended for persons of distinction. The passages were narrow, and in some places low that Giovanni, our guide, called out to us, in his broken English, to {" lay heads" The main passage however is six feet wide and eight feet high, and crossed by numerous oth- CTS. In one of the sepulchral chambers we counted seventeen divisions, and at one place we could see passage leading to tier above the one we were Tn, but there is now no access to it. On our return to modern Syracuse, we overlook party of English men, coming from Etna, and in answer fo-our en- auiries, said there was nothing more to be seen than at an ordinary time at Vesuvius; the eruption had entirely ceased and the mountain was covered with snow so low down that it was only practicable to ascend short disance. Their account threw cold water on our project; having heard of terri ble eruption lately occurring, we had hoped to have been in time to see something it. we did not yet give it up however. We paused before the city walls to look upon Etna which was very distinct {; the setting sun shone full upon its snow clad sum- nit gliding the sky behind with its bright tnts, and ] showing the huge black peak of the volcano with