The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-20
SUNRISE ON MT. ETNA.
The Most Glorious Sight Ever
Looked Upon by Nor
tai Eyes.
Ecstasy of the Supreme Moment
of Wonder and Sur
prise.
Looking Into the Sullen, Inaotivie Crater
Difficulties of the Journey
Up the Old Mountain.

PALERMO, Sicily, March 10, 189O.-There
never came to me sweeter or more perfect
sleep than that one upon the rough Benches
of the half ruined Casa degli Englesi, on the
desolate plateau just beneath the great cone
of Etna. Batbino. friend and guide, said
he would awaken me betimes, and he did.
the night had been spent, as Balbino as
sured me no one had ever been known to
pass an entire night at the weird retreat,
and to remember how, if the eath-dealing
volcano had once hiccoughed in those hours,
our Italian and American anatomies would
have blended with the fused elements and
foated down to the cities and the sea, in
after years, to be worked over and sold as
lava relics to coming generations of tour
lists.
There was bright glow within the hut,
and still more welcome aroma of cooking
food, for ones appetite is ravenous in these
crisp upper regions. Balbino had brewed
pot of black Coffee roasted eggs in the ashes
beneath, and with our canteens of wine and
water, our fowl and bread-a composite of
the flour of wheat, corn and chestnuts-had
spread a toothsome repast upon two huge
blocks of lava. It was 2 o'clock in the
morning when we had finished this, adjust
ed our heavy wooden blankets like knotted
tunics, and after "banking" the little fire
for use on our return, stepped out into the
cold and singing air.
Casa to the summit in an hour;" said Balbi-
no. "But that" with q representa- tone,
sese maledetto. They do that to complete
" exhaust them and add greater value to
their pretentious services. We will go,
suo bell' agio, leisurely, like gentlemen, in
~. {~ro <ar piV,fy
from the skyv'
By the .'water-lilies," the poetical Balbi
no meant the stars. It was dark, very
dark, without. But the stars were more
than shining. They glowed, each like a
topaz bead pendent from canopy OF vel
most came to lift ones staff in an effort to
touch them. Against the side-arc of such
sky the black peak set like a wall of onyx
to be crashed against at steps advance.
Balbino marched with the step of vet
eran across the rough plateau of perhaps
three-fourths of a mile to the base of the
cone Our eyes soon became accustomed to
the darkness, and my guide taking in his
disengaged hand one end of my staff, was
able to follow very comfortably. l asked
him why he had not provided torches; and
ne ne told l me they We're only a hindranee to
one, save where standing, and destroyed
the effect of the starlight.
See, there Is the proof" he shortly add
ed. There are strangers, guides and
torches lost in the Bosoo. The party is try
ing to reach Etna for the sunrise. They
will not come SO far as the Casa.''
Turning l saw far down the mountain a
half dozen flashes like bright fre-flies, now
sweying and waving, now lost behind the
maZes of oak, chestnut and lick, and again
leaping into view. They added a weird
feeling of pursuit, as We pushed on. not
without many stumble and an occasional
fall. Before leaving the Casa we had wound
thongs of kid-skin about our trousers at the
onkleA Ny companion wore shoes but /