Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-12

| ming with almost straight wall of shore
cuts thin segment out Of this circle. But
within this extraordinarily distinct circle of
| ITO miles, there is not square inch of the
esrth's surface over which the lava has not
| at some time poured; which one cannot now
distinguish to be unadulterated lava soil;
| and which is not subject to-day, or any
other time, to new coating o molten lava.
sICILIAN PEASANTS.
The entire majestic contour of the noun.
tain, broken here and there by lesser vol
canoes, is visible from any point at this tre-
meDdous base-edge; but more strange than
all else is the density of population within
the lower and cultivably luxuriant rim.
Threading the base, along the seashore,
around to the north by the shores of the AL
cantara, around to the south along the inner
or northern shore of the Simeteo, and crowd
ing up to the very edge of its lesser vol
villages, housing-and every human being
in lifelong danger of destruction-upward
of 300, 900 souls.
1t Is singular fact that within all the
Etna mountain area there is but one road
leading to the cone. That is from Catania
Therefore Catanians block the way to the
peak with every device known to the imagi-
nation 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
stranger, that he may be robbed, gracefully
and under the law, be ore seeing Etna. The
guides are represented to the world as the
chief robbers here. They are simply
trifilng incidents in comparison to all
the catastrophes of e1tortion. "Etna de-
stroys us, said an official in smiling ex-
planation; I'VE utilize its grandeur to re-
build our fortunesl' A pleasant arrange
ment 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
ordinarily made for less than $1OO. Per-
mission 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
attendants; the cooks, their attendants;
needed and needless provisions; necessary
and unnecessary clothing; requisite and
dangerous liquids; and altogether such an
outlandish paraphernalia oil compulsory out
fit that one truly stands appalled, by a
sublimity of extortion before the city's gates
are passed. Fortunately 1 was an observer
OF, rather than a victim to, this manner of
plucking. I had lived at little Cicilian
lodging house in Algiers. Its landlord,
halt Moor and halt Italian, had Sicilian
cousin at Catania, who also kept an al
Pberghetto or small lodging house in the
Gambayita quarter.
ASCENDING THE VOLCANO.
He was thin as stick of maccaroni, brown
as a piece of lava, tender as a Sicilian fig,
and his name was Balbino. He had been q
guides attendant; then a guide; had saved
SO many Napoleons as would purchase his
tiny alberghetto; and, having arrived at ease
Il he, ,l,,I~
kindly impulse, or enjoy an unselfsh act.
We were good friends at once. Constant talk
about Etna and his adored Sicily brought
the old mountaineer spirit back to Balbino;
and shortly, not as service but delight,
he became nv guide for the ascent of the
volcano.
We set out on foot, encumbered by no i'm
pedimenta whatever. Flung over Balbino's
shoulder was an ancient hide double pouch,
similar to our old-time saddle-bags. These
were flled with oranges, with which, as we
sat and rested by the way, we refreshed our
selves. Balbino was like a chattering
schoolboy, and his tales of eruptions, lava
floods and loss of life and property, were ap-
palling. The land marfs of his simple old
memory famed along reaches of liquid fire.
The present, the languor and ecstacy of the
budding year, the sea of flowers coming old
Etna's base, the maze of vineyards and
olive groves on every hand, the cascades
leaping from the mountain sides and bound
ing melodiously to the sea, as Acis once
leaped, changed into a stream, from the
same spot to sport in the Ionian waters with
his mermaid-love, Galatea, and the match
less thren odies OF Sicilian birds from every
covert, copse and grove, he neither saw nor
heard.
Etna is ssaid to have three climatic zones.
q hn 20 ap1 hi Frio
The tropic land lies at its extreme base The |
Sicilians call this the Piedimontana. 1t
reaches almost to Nicolosi, where after
vagarous lettering we arrived toward even
ing. For about eight miles further stretches
Ii Bosco, the wooded region, forming the |
temperate zone. From the upper edge of |
this to the crest of the cone lies eternal soli-
tude in the irigid zone. This they term |
Discoperta. the uncovered; Meta, the bar |
rens; and Diserta, the desert.
In the little white mountain village of |
Nicolosi, Balbino took me to the house of |
his friends. Some of the family were goat
herders around the bases of the lesser craters !
on Etna's si6e; one was the village musician,
q ne'er-do-well who piped at mountain we'd
dings and festivities; and three were stall
wart guides who contemplated Balbino's |
strange freak of permitting any straniero to
escape plucking with mournful and depreca-
tory faces.
A DANGEROUS JOURNEY.
In the morning necessary provisions for
the ascent were secured. These were inter-
ssting to me, for they were only those which
an old guide would provide for actual needs.
Each were given an extra wooden waistcoat.
These would be needed higher up. Two
pewter canteens, each of which held three
pints. one filled with wine and the other with
water, were ordered. Each OF US carried a
tremendous wooden blanket twisted, hung
from one shoulder, the ends tied with thongs
Of kid-skin. A little belt full of tiny
pouches was tied around Belbino's waist.
In one was slowed package of reslnous
kindlers. Another held a goodly measure
,f ground coffee. In another were pepper
and salt. And in two of the front pouches,
carefully wrapped, reposed a half dozen
fresh eggs. Over my own shoulder hung a
pouch filled with a generous allowance of
fresh bread and cold broled fowl. Packages
If cigars and plenty Of matches in metal
Eases completed our outfit.
We passed out under the Red Mountains,
md struggled along the entire day through
The Bosco, wooded region. Occasionally
We would reach an opening from which the
yrandest scenes were visible; but for nearly
he entire distance the way is but an inse-
cure bridle.path beneath stupendous oaks
md chestnuts, along the shadowy bases of
rocks of lava, or above the
,dges OF dark and yawning chasms. We
arried with some picturesque charcoal
burners for an hour in the afternoon; and
ust at dusk came upon the high, desolate
ava plateau where stands the only shelter
# upper Etna, the indescribably dreary
Jasa degli Inglesi. 1t is simply hut of
ava blocks, built in 1911 by English officers,
md now a miserable ruin. We found one
Dom OF this inhabtable, and after warm
ng at a little fire and partaking of some
old food and wine, wrapped our great