Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-12

many medieval half-ruined structures of
interest IN Catania, while the unfinished
monastery of San Nicola is, excepting
that of MARIA in Portugal, the largest
and most imposing in all Europe.
But the traveller is not so much at
tracted to Catania by its reminders of
mighty past as he is to put eyes and feet
upon the monster which all through that
known time stood moaning or laundering
above it. Its ascent is begun within the
very streets of the city. Strada Etne,
Catania g longest street, beginning at the
very edge of the port side, leads almost
due north toward the volcanoes peak,
within few feet of Al 200 feet above the
level of the sea and fully
TwENTY-EIGHT MILES AWAY.
The area of country dominated by the
mountain and at all times subject to
overflow of lava is astounding. It's cir
conference is fully 10 miles, and it de-
scribes an irregular circle, of greatest
diameter from north to south. Catania
stands at the extreme of a southern de-
Election in its southern segment. The
Alcantara river, rising in its north
western foothills, flows to the north
east, thence circles its northern edge, and
finally sweeps around to the southeast into
the sea. The Simeteo river, having its
source at the northeast, near that of the
Alcantara, circles the base, first to the
southwest, then southwark, and then
flows around into the sea to the south
east, below Catania. From Catania to
the mouth of the Alcantara, the Iouian
sea on the east, running with almost
straight wall of shore, cuts a thin seq
ment out of this circle. But within this
extraordinarily distinct circle of 40
miles, there is not square inch of the
earth IS surface over which the lava has
not at sometime poured; which one can
not now distinguish to be unadultrated
lava soil; and which is not
subject to-day. or any other
time, to new coating of molten lava.
The entire majestic contour of the noun
tain, broken here and there by lesser
volcanoes, is visible from any point at
this tremendous base edge; but more
strange than all else is the density of
population within the lower and cultiva-
bly, luxurIant rim. Threading the base,
along the seashore, around to the north
by the shores of the Alcantara, around
to the south along the inner, or northern
shore Of the Simeteo, and crowding up
to the very edge of its lesser volcanoes,
are between sixty and seventy cities and
villages, housing-and every human be-
ing in lifelong danger of destruction
upwards of 800 600 souls.
1t is singular fact that within all the
Etna mountain area there is but one road
leading 70 the cone. That is from ca
tania. Therefore Catanians block the
way TO the peak with every device known
to the imagination of man for yielding
tribute. Swarthy boatmen at the quays,
muleteers in the plaZas, porters at your
inn, consuls' attaches everywhere, all
manner of officials, and even members of
the nobility, dig pitfalls for the stran-
ger that he may be robbed, gracefully
and under the law, before seeing Etna.
The guides are represented to the world
as the chief robbers here. They are
simply tritiing incidents in comparison to
all the catastrophes of extortion "Etna
destroys us, said an official in smiling
explanation; ave utilize its grandeur to
rebuild our fortunes! A pleasant ar
this for the Catanians; but
let me tell those who are to come here
the truth. You cannot make the ascent !
of Etna as it is ord inarily made for less
than 500. Permission to make this |
move, then that one, then another,
comes through apparent diplomacy; but |
always
AFTER AN OUTLAY OF MONEY.
Then there are the animals, their at !
PENDANTS; needed and needless provis- |
ions; necessary and unnecessary cloth
ing; requisite and dangerous liquids, |
and altogether such an outlandish para
of compulsory outfit that one