Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-06-10


phur, when sufficient quantity ha
been gathered, to the plains, along track
only fit for the goat or tho hill fox, b
the aid Of rude hand barrows, or sledge
constructed Of boughs, through dens
forests and over broken and jagge
rocks.
Our huts were mere booths, hastil
built OF logs and branches, and i'll fltte
to keep out tho rough weather, th
snow, hail and wind. which lash til
bleak heiPhts Of Etna when the lowe
country seems still to bask in its golde
sunshine. The pay of the workmel
was small, enough to provide them witt
the black bread, garlic, and chestnuts
with perhaps a Sunday repast Of stock
fish or eels. ON which the poor OF th
far south contrive to exist. Frugal O
were their meals, however, coarse win,
and coarser spirits were somehow afford
ed by them, and, as have said, Of gam
bling for "grani," or perhaps for pan
nikin of fiery "aguardiente," there wa
had been made somewhat uncom
Portable by the half enigmatical word
of Assunta's warning. The part of th.
mountain on which we were encampet
was clothed with thick forests of chest
nut and live oak, with here and there {
barren track of scorie, spanned in places
by what might have been mistaken for &
solid stone causeway, the remains Of
some ancient lava stream long cold
Here were many small apertures, whence
arose jets of steam and puffs of smoke,
and around which hissed and simmered
crust of sulphur, heaving, cracking
and glowing, of every color from pale
yellow to ruby red. From these sofia.
taras, as they were locally called, we
CLEANED the chief portion of the mineral
for the sake of which We passed our
time in such elevated regions.
Now it was only for some four or five
days that the old charcoal burners
widow had taken to uttering her half
mystic predictions of coming evil, and
during that space I had myself obtained
signs of greater activity than usual in
the volcano. The smoke was blacker
and more frequent. Kissing columns of
steam rose often into the air, and were
notseldom followed by avolley of red hot
stones. The earth was in many places
so warm as to cause pain to the hand
that touched it, and in two instances the
brushwood near our camp caught fire,
from the falling of heated ashes amid the
parched grass, and the fire was with
difficulty extinguished.
Without reposing unlimited faith in
Assunta's croakings, was still of opin-
ion that we should do better to remove
our temporary dwellings before tho
mountain plateau grew literally too hot
to hold us, and accordingly only await
ed the inspectors arrival with the
me nthly pay to mention to my superior
officer the condition of affairs, and to
obtain his permission for q change of
quarters.
Pay day arrived, and with it the in
spector, but not alone. With him came
a party of travellers, most of whom rode
mules, while their guides, porters, SER
wants, and interpreter made up quite an
cortege. None but the wealthy
can afford to bring with them so much
paraphernalia, and I could easily believe
The inspector that the newcomers were,
as he said: Illustrissimi Inglesi," who
had been especially recommended to his
good Offices by the governor OF the
province.
There were several ladies of the party,
which consisted, as l afterwards learned,
Of more than one family, and think it
was the sight Of their plumed hats and
dress, and the sound of their
merry laugh, that made me hang back
md keep aloof, ashamed of my rough
yarb and weather-beaten aspect, while
ny chief, nothing loath, did the honors
If the sulphur mine, about which he
Knew SO little, descanting glibly to his
air listeners on the marvels of the place,
md smirking as they grew enthusiastic
the lovely tints of the glow
ng sulphur.
The weather was of the finest, the
pring sky was of the purest blue, and
he balmy air seemed to caress the cheek
t famed. I overheard one of the ladies'
ay to another that the climate seemed
perfection. I wonder how she would |
AVE enjoyed the whistling wind and
attling hail of the winter storms.
Then came the dinner-a sort of pic
tic on splendid scale, for the cooks
rom the Hotel Reale at Catania had
'een busy in their improvised kitchen,
nd the hampers had been unpacked,
nd rare viands and good wine we're
anded round in lavish profusion.
lven our tatterdemalion sulphur work.
RS were not forgotten, and the poor
ellows got choicer food and daintier
quor, from the superAuity OF the ban
net, than had ever gladdened their
alates
], perhaps from a sentiment of false
ride, had held myself aloof. and had
eclined good natured invitation on the
art of the travelling excellencies" to
e partaker of tie banquet. But,
,arcely know why, I lowered around
ne blithe party, and, myself unseen,
azed upon them from amidst tie ever
reen oaks aud matted brushwood.
here were present two or three young
ldies who were pretty and attractive,
ut the face that riveted my attention
as that of little child-a girl six or
sven years old, with loose curls of pale
old, and a complexion of delicate pink
nd white-merely aplump little smiling
ably face, but so very, very like little
ster of my own, long since laid to rest
eneath the daisied turf, that I felt it
alf painful to look at her. '
" Hist, captain l-how-Ive run + ,
ell, I've found you, said husky voice '
the Sicilian patois, as hand plucked
my sleeve.
I turned, and saw beside me ragged ,
mp of girl of some twelve or thirteen
ears, with bare feet and uncombed {
lack hair, like the name of horse,
HON I knew to be granddaughter of
le reputed witch Assunta, and who s
,emed to own no Christian name, since
le was always spoken of as tho "Gaz-
l." 3
" The grandmother sent me. How ,
We run !"-and the quick painting of
,r young lungs confirmed this.
Make the best OF your way to Catania +
,fore it catches you"
"Before what catches me9" asked I, I
tonished. a
"The gulf-the gulf of fre!" return c
| the girl, impatiently. "She wishes 6
,u naught but good, signor, 80 she 4
mt me, but don't tell those hounds I
ith the heads of swine" and she shook u