Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-03-12

whose shining shield was landmark
for the Syracusan sailor many miles out
at sea Thirty-siX thousand temples and
affairs were in the five cities Of Syracuse,
besides thcaters and amphitheaters for
land and naval cOmbatS, and OF all this
immensely Of buildings few remain, even
in state of advanced dilapidatiOn.
Not many ancient cities, however, are
better known to us than Syracuse, for so
close and accurate were the descriptions
given that it is quite possible by their
aid to trace the lines drawn by the
Athenians, and the position of the Athe
MAN camp established in the year B. G.
Ais. The downfall Of Athens dates from
the defeat bc.o.e the walls of Syracuse,
and Syracuse herself has shared the fate
Of the Attic capital.
But transcendlng all other objects of
interest is the great volcano, which from
before the dawn Of history has made
Sicily known as the region of mystery.
Etna is in every respect the largest
European volcano: the circuit of the
mountain base exceeds 12O miles, and
its heights, while Varible from the fire.
quent eruptions, is on the average about
II, 600 feet. It's summit is literally in
the clouds, for the time has never been
known when tho great crater has not
been sending forth its fiery smoke. In
Sicily the name Etna is unknown; the
mountain is there called Mongibello, the
Mountain of Mountains, and every zone
is represented in its slopes. Along the
base is Il cultivated district of rich vol
canic soil, which is fertile beyond be-
lief The finest wines Of Sicily are from
grapes grown on the slope of Etna; the
hoSt oil from tho NJ rtpr
but even in this fertile district may be
seen evidences Of volcanic action,
for here and there the black
in the midst Of fertility. Above
this is the wooded region, belt
around the mountain from six to eight
miles wide, covered with a dense growth
of pines, oaks, chestnuts and cork trees.
In and above this wooded country are
found the cones of extinct volcanoes, side
issues Of the great crater. More than
100 of these cones are known, and else
where they would be mountains OF re-
spectacle size, some Of them exceeding
!, 800 feet in height Large as they are
in reality, they are so trit1ing in COM
pariSOn with the great mass of mountain
above them, that, when seen from the
seashOre, Etna seems to be perfectly conf
cal. Above the vineyards, above the
groves OF cork trees, the climber enters
upon Il region of desert, where not even
the hardest moss can find SuStGnance.
In summer time, underneath the foot are
lava, hot SCOri:r and ashes, thrown out
at the last eruption. In winter the scene
is varied by mantle of snow which,
from October t II April, covers the upper
portions Of the mountain. Eruptons of
Etna extend back into antiquity, so far
that history does not record the earliest.
The tl st on record is that in the time Of
PythagOraS, six centuries before Christ,
an from then till the present, although
Il | the time smoke, ashes and lava are
coming forth in greater or less quanti
'eS, seVcnty-siX great eruptions notable
Tor their destruCtivcncss, have been
noted. 1t is IL curious fact, and one not
commonly known, that the cruptive
periods alternate. III 1913, for instance,
there was Il terrible eruption of Etna.
Fifteen new cratcrs were opened in the
sides Of the mountains; lava flowed forth
to an almost unprcce Tented extent
After a few months the internal fires
quictod down. and in 1915 a great erup-
ton Of Vcsuvius occurred, followed by a
QuicscencG in that volcano and an erup-
ton of Etna in 1852. The greatest on
record was the outbreak Of 1903, when
over fifty cities and towns were de-
stroycd, and upward of 10000 lives
were lost. Terrible earthquakes accom-
panied the yo,caniC outbreak; tidal
waves rose on the coast of Sicily, of
Italy, Greece, and even Of far away
Syria and Egypt, Great assures in the
earth opened, from which gases issued
SO poisonous as to destroy vegetation and
prove fatal to animal life. Streams Of
lava flowed from the mountain to a dis
lance Of twenty-five miles. The island
was almost ruined and Il generation
passed before complete recovery from
the terrible effects. But the eruptionS
of Etna. although frequent, excite little
attention outside of the districts imme-
diately surrounding the volcano. The
people have grown accustomed to the
fires, the earthquakes, the nocturnal