The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-07-02

! 10 see Oh TIE Walls El luIS Dulueo
church. which itself dates back many
centuries, printed subscription list
of over 300 former residents Of Ges-
so, who now live in the United States,
and had sent the money back to assist
ia the restoration Of the church in
the village Of their childhood. Gesso
is on top Of a mountain which over
looks the Mediterranean. Going to
the boundary Of the village we came
to a place where we had the unusual
spectacle Of seeing two smoking vol
canoes, Aetna and Stromboli, which
still have frequent eruptions. We re-
turned to Gesso by the same road,
reaching our hotel about eight o'clock.
; One thing that impressed me very
deeply was the immense amount Of
work necessary in the utilization Of
every available inch Of ground on the
steel hill sides. There are terraces
constructed with stone walls anywhere
from three to twenty feet high, which
protect the soil. the terraces being not
much wider than the walls are high,
and such erraces extend to the tops Of
the mountains. On these terraces are
grown all the crops that are raised IN
the Southern part Of South Carolina.
We were taken to dinner by Inc
American Consul and his charming
and estimable wife, and given an op7
portunity to taste some purely Sicl-
! liam dishes. one Of which made OF
rice, chicken eiblets, and solid yolks
of eggs, mixed with a meat gravy,
vas very delicious dish.
The Perfetto called on the next
morning at our hotel and we had
very interesting interview Of more
than an hour with him. He brought
several minor officials with him, and
during his visit the chief of police.
called here the Sequestors. dropped
in, as the local inspector Of emf
grafton.
At two o'clock we started for Taor-
nina, typical Sicilian village three
miles up the mountain side from the
railroad station, where we made IN
quries relative to emigration, and also
| were shown some noteworthy antiqui-
ties. It is a most beautiful place and
one which is frequently visited by
American Tourists during the winter.
The next morning we went to Sir
acusa, the ancient Syracuse, Of which
history speaks so much, and which
was formerly city Of over million
inhabitants, but now contains about
$4,000. We held some important in
terviews with the Perfetto, and the
British Vice Consul, Mr.. Joseph Lobb,
who is we'll informed on the subject
of emieration. He also gave me a
great deal Of information in regard
to the farm products and the condi-
ton Of the Sicilian in his native land.
! We were in conference with Mr.. Lobb
we'll on to midnight. We also met
here Mr.. Frank Murphy, Of Arizona,
who gave a glowing account Of the
fine trip he and his wife have had
through Sicily ir an automobile. Dur
ing the afternoon, Mr.. Caughy who
accompanied us, took US to see some
Of the celebrated antiquities Of an
Gent Syracuse. including the ear OF
Dionysius, which is marvellous de-
velopment in acoustics. We stood at
the entrance and our guide gave us
test of the echoes Of the cave, and
made the statement that Dionyslus US
ed it as jail for political prisoners,
and where, from a station above, his
guards could hear the slightest Whls-
pers Of those confined therein. AS to
the truth Of this I make no statement.
We also visited the catacombs said
to have been constructed by the Chris
tians of Syracuse in the first century,
and which offers evidence Of great
antiquity. 1t was much impressed
with the catacombs which extend tor
some three miles through solid rock,
and cut in three tiers. There IS dill
ference Of opinion as to their origin.
One is that they were quarries from
which stone was taken to build an
cient Syracuse while it is also claimed
that they Neer constructed dur1ng the
persecution Of the Christians in the
first century, who took refuge there
| in. It is evident from paintings made