The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-27

feathery mountain cascades continually
flashing upon the sight: high-perched ruins
of Hellenic, Roman and the later Norman
fortresses, everywhere reminding of
heroic past; and romantic capanne or huts
peeping from forest opening half way to the
clouds; with glints and CLEANS of color from
the clothing of shepherds and mountain
GERS; all contributed to a winsome blending
of the sublime, the romantic and the pictur-
es9ue.
We could see nothing of Randazzo by
night; for Balbino found lodging for us at
the house of a friend, and the embracing,
chatter, pipes, wine, and floods of fearful
"reminiscences of these folk, separated only
by one mountain, but celebrating reunion
as though they had girdled the earth for the
when the morning came and We had set out
again, our host running beside us for miles
on our way towards Bronte, and had got OPP
posite the medieval rookery, what scene
for painter lay back there against the side
of Etna. Here were the peaks dividing the
cano to the north, and the Simeto, which
sweeps about it to the south. Behind Ran
daZZo to the north. the empurpled peaks we
had set behind US the day before. To the
east half dozen ordinary mountains against
the sun-swept sides of Etna like tiny purple
warts against its stupendous contour. And
then ancient Randazzo perched above
deep ravine, it's Norman churches, tremen-
dous towers and ducal palaces, very
| apotheosis of middle age magniticence and
power. One cannot wonder at Frederick
H., for loving Randazzo, ''the populous," or
for drawing the magniticent old spot closer
to his heart by comforting the little of Duke
of RandaZZo upon one of his sons: nor can
supplemented Balbino be blamed for be-
lieving that his insignificant little island of
and people than all the rest of the world.
Randazzo has a population of 10000 souls;
Bronte. which We reached for mid day rest,
fully 5000: Aderno to which We came late
at night, 1900. Thriving villages dot the
way between. Yet all of these are actually
upon the sides of Etna. at times desolated
but always fertilized by its influence!
The situation of Bronte. with its mass Of
! rude houses, churches, converts and for
tresses, is curious study in the freakful
action of Etna. 1t lies to the east of and
above deep valley, its buildings piled
along up the moutain side in most irregu-
lar fashion. Close to it, and frowning
above it, is huge, almost perpendicular
mass of lava. Etna boiled over one day and
the liquid mush of fire came slowly down,
as you have seen molten lead run-a river
half a mile wide and at times, 100 feet deep
at its puffy, oozy, breaking front. 1t came
almost straight towards Bronte, and the
people scampered across the valley to see
their city spunged out. But Just before
this could happen, Etna had got through
boiling. The lava stood there in a great
wall and cooled off. Between the city and
this precipice are now the finest vineyards
and olive groves in Sicily. Opposite the
city, to the west, magnificent mountains
lift their heads above the valley: and within
the purple of the upper valleys can be seen
the convent of MANAGE, the cathedral of
Iraina and the convent of St. Elias of
Ambula, all founded by great Roger the
Norman; while towards the huge cone of
Etna; can be seen rising above each other
the lesser craters of Minardo, Rovolo and
the Monti Lepre.
Bronte also gave to Lord Nelson duke
dom. The King of Naples, who conferred
. it. complimented Nelson with no empty
. title. Its net revenues were still $4,000
} yearly. Leaving the city in the direction
, of Aderno, the road is cut through ire
J mendous beds of lava: and we climbed one
of the walls to trace the deep black surface
l of the furrow along the valley to the west,
and opposite to the very cone of Etna,
which the eye could follow in its narrowing,
sinuous line. The entire way to Aderno,
clrcllng the entire mountain base. is skirted
by the Simeto river which is never out of
, sight. and. dashing unanimously toward
! the sea, forms the western boundary of the
volcanic region. On the one hand was
/. Etna with its score of lessor craters and
4 unspeakably hideous barrens with here
D and there bit of dirty heath and stunted
:, pine. On the other, as far as the eve could
reach, We're mountains. and val
: leys. rich with cultivation, COW
}; cred with fields of cereals and cot
9 ton, beautiful on the mountain slopes with
vineyards and olive groves, and, near every