New-York tribune., 1885-03-08
AT THE FOOT OF ETNA
THE FEAST OF ST. AGATHA-IHE HOME Or
BELLINI AND PATTI
CORRESPONDENT OF rHE TRIBuNE.I

Ac,tha y so,d the genial landlord of the Hotel de
France. ut Palermo, we were settn9 ou' io'
Catania. Who st. Agatha was none Oh US N"o"'
and AS to her feast no one cared. BY the Time "e
reached Catania we had forgotten the announce
ment which had been intended to prepare our
minds for some great thing.
The slowing of the steamer awOke me this morn
ing Just at the break of day. | went ON deck as
quickly as possible The long coast OF SICILY stii
black in the half light, extended far TO right anu
left Directly in front were the white houses OF
Catana ON the edge of the sea- and behind tho city
was the mountain of my boyish dreams-Etna, IN
all its glory. Tho sun had not yet risen, but the
snowy cone stood in clear contrast against back
ground Of Impid blue. The outlines were not
sharply cut as they shortly became. and there was
mystery enough about this pile OF snow to end en-
chantment to the picture. The great mass seemed
to float In q sea of liquid half light But shor1iy
the very top of the como became orIgatar' ana
the lines of rocky protuborances were sharply
defined on the eastern slope of the mountain Inc
sun had risen upon the lofty peak and the noun
tain seemed to detach itself from the blue OF the
background by q distinct falling away or the
clOudless sky. At the same time 1T became appar-
ent that part of the snow at the top of the peak
seemed to overhang in lofty precipice the DARK
shadows of the Vale del Bove. The noticed effect
I'm the outline of the cone was very peculiar, and
while scrutinizing it closely noticed distinct
motion i'm this mass of snow. Rounded billows
seemed to detach themselves every moment from
one side of the peak and to roll gently across its top
toward the edge of the precipice over the
great valley. Then rolling snowy mass,
greater than any which had yct
appeared. passed slowly along the crest OF the peak
until it camo to the precpcs where all the DINERS
had disappeared This time the precipice l'seil
disappeared and a waving snow wreath cufica
softly around tho diminished mass OF toe peak
itself Then only did il dawn upon my NINA that
this moving snow, indistingnshable in tint from
the stationary snow which 1T was CURING was
the smoke constantly rolling up from the bowels OF
the volcano and carried by the wind horizontally
away from the crater so that 1t seemed nero pro-
longation of the surface of the peak Itself. do
not know whether every ono who first sees that
smoke constantly streaming forth from tho top
of Etna has the same Impulse, Dut
nv first thought for the sleeping
city. Some one ought in mercy to 90 and AWAKEN
the inhabitants aud warn thcm that they are
slumberiug on o volcano. Yet the good people OF
Catanla seem to- have become used to their STU
ation for ali that whole Greek city lies buried III
lava under the foundations of their own houses.
And now the sun began to touch the lower heignts
and the city began 10 awake. FIRST, Ike the
IL
he'll afar OIL sounded few strokes. Then another
bell answered back. Then another spoke ont, and
in five minutes the air was rent with the clangor
Of bells In such number and variety of tone as Ro-
| man Catholic cities alone can boast. But q DIN or
| fre-crackers began to be heard and then haif-a-
dozen cannon went of in quick succession. ana
| cannon bells and crackers mingled In an uproar
only paralleed by the sounds of the Fourth OF
July in tho most patriotic times. 1t was question
among the passengers on our steamer what this up
| roar might portend. We were quickly relieved by
| bcipg informed that this day Is st. Agathas day,
| and that the great multtudes Of people assembled
ON the ouays had no hostile intent. although their
irruption upon the quays FROM tho silence of sleep
| had seemed to coincide with our arrival.
| IL appears that st. Agatha was Christian maid
on. put to death In the year A. ID. 252, during the
| persecution under the Emperor Decius She
| became famous in 1869 when the great noun
tamil monte they call it, If there were no other
ON the face OF the earth-bogan to empty itsefover
its Sides and the stream of lava took the direction
Of the city and flowed steadily on. threatening TO
cbtcrate the Cataneso in spite OF their terror and
their cries At last the lava reached the very out
| skirts of the city. The whole population was In
| despair Gardens aud orange grovel mad been
buried beneath the fiery stream, and the sluggish,
| irresistible river was abOnt 10 enter their very
streets and swallow up their houses and the goods
which there was no way TO save. AT this lInctn re
! interest in the city of her mariyrdom IN such an
emergency With great ponp aud circumstance
the priests and citizens citizens 90 carried soimt Gmt
and 10" laid them upon an altar
cxtemporlzcd in tho outskirts OF the town directly
in 'front.' of the advancing mas, OF lava; iney tnen
pened. All night long the trembling priests ehanted
their prayers at the temporary altar, while tae
| people watched the blackoncd front OF the lava
dreadng to SEQ the red jets begin to burst forth
again N such wise as to drive tnem from their
| shrine of painful ylgls. But morning came and
| still the lava front had not moved Then IT was
discovered that the stream had veered TO one side
before the altar. and finding an empty valley 1t was
filling that up and has,Shns 10 the sea- sea tl,s the
| iarbor of Catana aud yOu may see to-day the
| Hack and hiieous mass covering the whole shore
whore it poured itself into thS Missing waves We
| This achievement raised ST. Agatha TO p new
place in the hearts OF the Catancse and the 4th and
18th of February IN every year they set apart 10 10
| ing honor to the kindly SAINT.
| went ashore AS soon as possible and found the
streets filed with country toik-the men sturdy,
short staturcd fellows. dressed III black and wear
ing black hats and white collars an cuifs that en-
| phasized the bronze Of their hard and knotty
sun could make them-Some OF them
couely withal-but all wearing gay red ant
stuff and color that varied according 10 the purse
| of the wearer. What money could do among
these people was seen when some peasant
iamsel trpped along the street IN bue satin dress;
hnt with The Inevitable red cotton kerche prickel
ont with yellow flowers. covering her raven locks;
While wandering through the streets we noticed
\ movement among tae people and followed the
curreut. so stumb ing upon the real attraction of
the day, tho solemn procession Of the relics OF 81:
| Agatha Some two hundred mon IN Wnlte gowhs
and black velvet caps were dragging through the
streets n great car. On the car was sarcophagus
of massive silver surmounted by solid silver can
opv On tho sarcOphagus was "a golden Dox rienly
| chased. which contained tho bones of the saint.
On the car were q priest, in whlto robes
and another in purple, who sprinkled holy
offerings As the car passed along the streets the
towns-pesple from the balconies on either side
showered bouquets and great handfuls OF colored
na,,"r % mon the n,ocession fiere and there woro
SnaninI Lecnrnfinns indicatng peEhaps special fer