The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-11-18
On MT. ETNA AT NIGHT
HOW THE HEAVENS APPEARED TO
A DARING TRAVELLER.

the sunrise-How the Ascent was mad>'
Faithful Mules.
The story Of the ascent of the noun
tain from whose summit Plato, IN MS
serene and thoughtful time, and Mr..
Gladstone. in our troublous days, have,
among many great men, in great wonder
watched the sunrise, has a strong fas-
cination because Of its wide contrast,
lis stern exactiOn of strength and en-
durance and its supreme, awe inspiring
reward the realization Of that when
inspired the ancient3 and the poets OF
the Middle Ages.
From the banana and the orange
groves. from the vineyards and the
palms, through the seven botanical re-
REGIONS to the snowcapped crust that
spreads for ten square miles between
the awful depth Of un~quenchable hre
and the blue heaven that suddenly seems
to be brought near, the traveller mounts
with an ever increasing sense Of the
vastness beyond and around him.
When twelve miles Of the ascent from
Catania have been accomplished the
summit looks as far off as ever. When
Mr.. Rodwell made the ascent, in August,
1871. no rain had fallen in Sicily for
three months, and along the eastern sea
base Of the mountains the mean temper
allure was SO degs. Fair. His starting
pDiut was Catauia; his first halt at NlcO-
!rsi, a little town consisting OF one long
street. bordered by one stOried cottages
g.. lava. NicolOsi has more than once
been shaken to the ground by earth
quake. From thence begins the jour
.ney, on muleback, by no definite path.
over a vast tract covered with lava and
ashes. with here and there patches OF
broom. The mules know all about II.
and wise travellers trust them as they
deserve.
Around the district of lava and ashes
lie forests Of small trees, and at a height
of 4.2lG feet is the Casa del BOscO, where
men in charge of the woods live and
whence tue start for quite the upper re-
gions Of the mO~untain-where cold sur
passing that of the higher Alps has to
be encountered-is made. There, Mr..
ROdwell records, 1.-The air was so extra
ordinary still that the flame Of a candle
placed near the door did not flicker
At $500 feet the Regione Deserta is en-
tered. Lifelessness is all around. 81
Ience brOOds over the waste of black
sand. ashes and lava; ants are the only
living creatures III the crater region. \
little lower down Spalfanzani found
laws. thrushes. ravens, kites and a few
cartridges.
There was no moon on the night on
which Mr.. ROdwell made the ascent,
but as the desolation deepened, and the
earth became more arid and more vOiG
and mute, the heavens took up the
wondrous tale. 1.-THE stars" he says,
''shone with extraordinary brilliancy
and sparkled like particles of white hot
steel. | have never before seen the
heavens studded with such myriads Of
stars. The milky way shone like a path
of fire. and meteOrS flashed across the
Sky in such numbers that | o o gave
mp any attempt to count them. The
vault of heaven seemed to be much
nearer than when seen from the eartn.
and more fiat, rs if only a short distance
above our heads, and some Of the
brighter stars appeared to be hanging
down from the sky
\ hundred years ago Erydone, be-
holding TINS same WondrOuS spectacle
OF lawful majesty and splendor,' re-
cords how he and his companion We're
more struck with veneration than be-
lows" how they exclaimed together.
What a glorious situation for an Oh,
scrvatory! Had E~mpelocles had the eye
Of Calico. what discoveries must he not
have made and how they regretted
that Jupiter was not visible, as he was
persuaded they might have discovered
some Of his satellites with the naked
eve, or at least with a small glass which
he had IL his pocket.
~ / 80 n. m. with the temperature
M 4 degs. Fahr.. Mr.. Rodwell reached
the welcome shelter Of the Cas- a In
%lese, and rested there until 8 q. IN.
when, the brighter stars having dis
appeared. he started for the summit o
the crater, l 200 feet above him. in order
to witness what Brydone calls the mos
wonderful and most sublime sight in ma
ture." There was no strong wind; thu
traveller did not suffer from the sick
ness of which travellers constantly com
plain III the rareficd air of the summit
He reached the highest point at 4:4O
and. cautiously choosing a coolish place
glklo!le TIC 'l44NACLS. SoL NON vi lIi'
ground, whence steam and sulphurou
acid gas Were issuing, to wait for the sun
rise. Above the place where the SUI
would presently appear there was
brilliant red, shading off in the direc
ton of the zenith to orang and yellow
tbs was succeeded by pale green, the
a long stretch of pale blue, darker blue
dark gray, ending opposite the risin!
sun with black. This effect was quit
distinct: it lasted some minutes an
was very remarkable. This was sue
r.eded by the usual rayed appearance
and at ten minutes to > the upper rir
of the sun was seen over the mountain
of Calabria."
So simply does Mr.. Rodwell record tn
Euerdon of his toll, for, as he says truly
10 one would have the hardihood 10 "a
;enpt TO describe the impressions whic
are made upon the mind while the eye