The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-23


mountain, and at its upper margin
begins the base of the desert cone
where living nature yields suprema-
cy to rocks and snow.
The village of Nicolosi, like a hum
dred or more besides which lie on
the lower skirts of Mount Etna, is
composed of one story houses built of
la, a. Even IN these the poor inhab-
itants do not feel safe when the earth
trembles, which occurs frequently in
one place or another, and then they
rush out into the fields filled with
consternation, aud there often pass
the night. At this village may be
had for refreshments some dark
bread and native wine or goat milk,
and the proprietor of the unpreten-
tious inn will entertain the tourist
with the autographs of the illustrious
people who have partaken of his hos
pitality. We then hired mules, and
at the. end of an hour arrived at the
summit of the extinct crater of
Monti Rossi, where we were reward
ed with q magnificent view extend
ing over mountain, plain and sea:
The black belt of lava beginning at
our feet, acquiring gradually miles
in width, and stretching down fif-
teen miles to the sea, was once
seething torrent of fire, carrying
death and destruction to everything
in its course. To-day man once more
proclaims his mastery and dominion,
and has caused the sombre aspect of
this lava stream to be sOftened with
the green foliage of the orange and
the vine, and has even planted vii
lages upon its bosom, tempting as it
were the Plutonic god to engulph
them. This is but the last and over
lying flood, the successor of count
less others that rolled out from the
old craters grouped thickly around
us, now silent as the tomb, and little
suggestive of the awful scenes that
gave them birth.
The summit of Etna can only he
reached ordinarily during the sum-
mer and autumn months, at which
time the ascent is not difficult owing
to the gradual inclination of the
plane of the mountains side as we'll
as its regularity. The mountain is
isolated from all others, and rises up
symmetrically from the plain. At
the summit, which may be reached
from all sides, you behold all Sicily
at your feet. Being unable to ac-
complish this feat, on account Of the
snow, was to me the occasion of keen
regret that will always linger around
my charming recollections of Etna.
A few hours ride to Syracuse, and
a day spent among its venerable
ruins, finished our voyage in Sicily,
and we left its esast for Malta. The
history of Syracuse is analogous to
that of Girgenti in its foundation,
glory and decay. 1t was the greatest
of ali the cities Of ancient Greece.
An amphitheatre of the fifth century
before Christ, and the largest of the
Grecian world, cut in the solid rock
remains almost intact with Greek in
scriptions that will be read centuries
hence. Near this are very extensive
catacombs of a later period. BY the
light of torches we were conducted
through these subterranean cham
bers, where we saw thousands OF
square tombs chiseled in The rocks,
that when called upon at the last
day will be unable to give up their
dead. So heavily has the hand of
Time lain upon them that not even
a trace of bone remains. Emerging
again to the light of day we visited
other interesting remains of the an
cient city. Its site is easily discern
ible by traces of the old wall and was
several miles in circumference. 1t is
a bare, rocky plateau, unproductive,
and now desolate, but the valley be-
low is radiant and joyous, and the
wines of Syracuse possess a delicacy
and richness that have made them
justly renowned. Z.