Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-06-11
CHAPTER TX.
THE ENvIRoNs or CATANIA

and Catania abounds IL capes, and reefs
and caves, and cliffs, and mountains.
1t faces the Tyrrhenian Sea just where
the Straits of Messina begin, and is
immediately opposite the hills of Cal
abria Such as the Straits with the hills
round Etna were in the days of Homer.
SO they are to-day superb! II the
forest in which Eneas received his
reward has disappeared, the Sroito Of
Galatea, the cave of Polyphemus, tho
isles OF the CyclopS, and little TO the
north Scylla and Charybdis are still in
their historic places. then we can set
foot on the very spot where the Trojan
hero landed when he came to found his
new kingdom.
That the giant Polyhemus is credited
with exploits TO which our Herculean
Cape Nation could not pretend 1t may,
perhaps, be as we'll to remember. But
Cape Nation had the advantage of
being alive, while Polyphemus has been
dead some three thousand years-lf he
ever existed, Notwithstanding the story
OF Ulysses. Rechos has remarked that
it is not unlikely that the celebrated
Cyclops was simply Htna, 1.-THE crater
of which during eruption glares like an
immenee eye Mt the summit of the
mountain, and sends down from the top
of the cliffs the rocky fringes which
become islets and reefs like the Fara-
glioni."
These Faraglioni, situated n few hun
dred yards from the shore by the road to
Catania. now doubled by the railway
from Syracuse to Messina, are the
ancient islands of the Cyclops. The
cave of Polyphemus is not far off, and
along the whole coast there is heard
that peculiar roar which the sea always
makes whel it beats against basaltic
rocks.
Halfway along these rocks on the
evening of the Goth of August, two men
were TO be- seen quite Indifferent to the
charms of historic associations, but con-
versing of certain matters that the
Sicilian eeudarmes would not have been
sorry to hear.
One of these men was Zirone the
other, who had just como by the Catania
road, was Carpena.
"you are late, exclaimed Zirone II
really thought that Malta had vanished
like Julia, her old neighbor, and that
you were food for tho tunnies and boni-
cous at the bottom OF the Mediterranean.
1t was obvious thot although fifteen
yeas had passed over the head of Sar-
can 8 companion. neither his loquacity
no. his natural effrontery had left him.
With his hat over his ear brownish
cape over his shoulders, leggings laced
mp to the knee, he looked what he was,
and what he had never ceased to be-a
bandit.
Il could not come any sooner, 4"
answered Carpena land it was only
this morning 1 landed at Catania-"
"You and your men?"
Yes"
How many have your"
Twelve"
lis that all?"
Yes, but good ones -
Mnnderaggio fellows ~
"A few, and chiefly Maltese"
Good recruits, but not enough OF
them the last few months times have
been rough and costly The gendarmes
have begun 10 swarm in Sicily, and they
Will soon get us thick as-well. if your
goods are good"
al think 80, Zirone and you will see
when you try them. Besides, l have
brought with me jolly fellow. an old
acrobat from the shows, active and art
full, of whom you can make girl if you
like, and who Will be of great use, L
faaGy.'
"What was he doing ut Malta -
Watches when he had an oppor-
tunity, handkerchiefs when he could not
get Watches"
And his name p
Pescador.
"Goodl" said Zirone I'VE will see
how TO use his talents and his intelligence.
Where have you put your menu"
AT the inn at Santa Grotta, above
Nicolosi.
And you are going to begin again
there as landlords"
Tomorrow.
"No, tonight" answered Zirone,
"when have received my new orders.
! am waiting here for the train from
Messina; / am going to get message
from its last carriage"
"a message from-him ?"
"Yes-from him with his marriage
that never comes off, he obliges me to
work for my living Ball. What would
not fellow do for such friend p
At this moment distant roar that
could not be mistaken for tho roar of tho