giving me an incoherent story about Adam and Eve, which, as I understood it, runs thus-that these fruits were so called from their supposed resemblance to the apples of Paradise eaten by our first parents, that Eve swallowed hers, but that the portion which Adam ate stuck in his throat, which caused that small projection in the windpipe of men to this day, and which is a memorial of the disobedience of Adam, that is entailed on his descendants to the end of time. Many fine bulbous plants also grow on the plain, and myrtles, canes, and aloes spring spontaneously from the soil.

We had now to cross the river Giaretta, (anciently the Simetus,) in a flat-bottomed ferry-boat, almost resembling a raft, into which mules, lettiga, and passengers all entered, and we were soon towed to the other side by means of a rope suspended from poles across the river. The stream was not very wide, but of considerable depth, and bordered with sedge and rushes. It is remarkable for its amber, which is collected in considerable quantities at its mouth, where it is cast up on the sandy beach that runs between it and the sea. This amber is said to be the finest in the world, and fetches a very high price. Quantities of it are taken to Catania, where it is manufactured into a variety of beautiful trinkets. Saints, crosses, necklaces, rings, smelling-bottles, and brooches, all exquisitely wrought, are from thence exported to Messina, Palermo, and various other parts of Sicily, and form a considerable article of traffic amongst the ingenious artificers of Catania. One reason of the superior beauty of the Catanese amber is owing to the bright iridescent reflections which give it oftentimes a beauty little inferior to that of the opal. I have seen specimens of a deep blood red, olive green, black, and also rose colour, but these are very rare, and are sold at enormous prices. As we drew nearer to Catania, the mule track was exchanged for a tolerable road, and here we encountered upwards of 200 workmen, men and boys, all engaged in forming the new road to Lentini, which will hereafter form the line of communication between Catania and Siragusa. It is to be constructed of lava, and huge heaps of that substance in good sized blocks, are laid at equal distances to form the basis of the road. This is afterwards to be filled up and covered with earth and gravel, so that it will have the appearance of a raised tram-road extending across the plain. We now had a fine view of the numerous domes of Catania, which presented a novel and imposing appearance. After crossing a track of black lava, the production of the melancholy eruption of the mountain in 1669, we entered the city through a magnificent gateway built of marble and lava.

CITY OF CATANIA-FERDINAND AND ISABELLA-ILLUMINATIONS-ABBATE'S HOTEL.

"Skirting the midnight ocean's glimmering flow,

The city's moonlit spires and myriad lamps,
Like stars in a sub-lunar sky did glow."

We had no sooner entered the gate of the city, than we encountered a vast concourse of people. Indeed, the whole population seemed to be abroad upon some occasion of rejoicing, and as we proceeded along the principal street towards the Piazza del Duomo, we met numbers of carriages and other equipages driving about rapidly in all directions. Not being able to account for so bustling and animated a scene, I made inquiries as soon as we reached the hotel, and found that the king and queen of the Two Sicilies, Ferdinand and Isabella, had arrived during the day from Messina, and that there was a general holiday on their account. Moreover, my new landlord, to whom I bore a letter of introduction from Polité, (who is his nephew,) also informed me that a grand illumination was to take place on the same night, and a display of fireworks in honour of their majesties. “ Abbate,” for that was my landlord's name, gave me to understand that his hotel was unusually full of Sicilian noblemen and gentlemen, and that some prince had just arrived, to whom he must pay extraordinary attention, but that there was a room vacant at the very top of the building which I might occupy, and ordered an attendant to show me (the Seigneur Inglese) every possible attention. After a journey of about half a dozen flights of stone steps, I reached my night's quarters, followed by old Alosco bearing my luggage. My first business was to pay the old man, and dismiss the mules, as he intended travelling back by moonlight as far as Scaro d' Agnuni. The old man stooped to kiss my hand, and, after beseeching a blessing from the saints to rest upon me, bade me a reluctant farewell. The Sicilians are a grateful people when kindly treated; but, naturally sensitive and proud of what their country once was, they cannot brook insult and hauteur. After taking a meal in my apartments, I sallied forth to see the illuminations that starred the long vistas of this beautiful

and extensive city with myriads of sparkling lamps that covered even the domes of the convents and churches. The effect was so novel, so different from any thing in this country, that at first I almost felt bewildered as I strolled along street after street, admiring the tasteful display of lamps hung beneath the serene sky of a southern climate, which rendered their effect far more charming. Carriages filled with elegantly dressed ladies rolled along the streets, and the people crowded the foot-paths, and sat in groups outside the doors of their shops and dwellings, smoking, and chattering to each other very merrily. As I passed one of these groups, I heard some one calling, "Seigneur Inglese," and on looking round I discovered one of my two friends, with whom I had travelled in the lettiga; he seemed much pleased at seeing me again, and, setting a chair for me, insisted on my forming one of the group assembled around the door. As I was, however, anxious to make the best of my time, I soon took leave of my new acquaintance, and seeing a number of persons pouring out of one of the largest churches, I went in, just in time to see the illuminations of the interior before they were extinguished. A mass had just been performed, at which the king and queen had been present, and the effect of the hanging lamps before the high altar was very fine. Instead of the vehicles of every description that traverse the streets of London on similar occasions, the only equipages I saw were open carriages with two or three horses abreast; most of them were too shabby to appear in this country, but were probably considered very grand by the Sicilians. The grotesque appearance of the footmen, and the awkward look and clumsy "tout ensemble" of the equipages, amused me not a little as they drove rapidly by, following each other in quick succession. They were mostly filled with ladies elegantly dressed in the Frank costume, without bonnets, and having their arms only covered by delicate silk mittens. There were many very handsome women amongst them, much handsomer than any I had seen at Siragusa. Catania is the chief residence of the nobility of Sicily, being much preferred by them on account of its fine climate, and its proximity to Etna. Around the public statues coloured glass lamps, richly painted, were hung at regular intervals, and flowers were garlanded in festoons about them. The most general mode of illumination appeared to be by tumblers filled with red and green water, behind which were placed small oil lamps.

In the Square of the Elephant, I observed several stalls not unlike the ginger-beer and soda-water carts in London. The people were drinking what appeared to me to be water, which was obtained from barrels which men swung backwards and forwards all the time, like the rocking of a cradle. I was curious to know what this liquor could be, when laying down a small copper coin, I was immediately attended to. The barrels were swung round again, and a glass of the decoction handed to me, when to my surprise I found it to consist only of iced water, strongly flavoured with fennel juice. This, as I afterwards understood, is a favourite beverage

of the Sicilians, particularly on holiday occasions; and though not very palatable to us, yet I have no doubt that it is of use in allaying thirst.

One of the most striking objects in the Piazza del Duomo, is the obelisk of red Egyptian granite, placed on the back of an elephant, sculptured in black lava, which ornaments the centre of the square.

The elephant is said to be the work of the middle ages, and the obelisk to have been sculptured by the ancient inhabitants of Catania, in imitation of those of the Egyptians. Both are in good preservation, and form a striking object on entering the square; the base of the pedestal on which they are mounted bears a date of 1736, with an Italian inscription. On my return from the illuminations, I witnessed a display of fireworks and sky-rockets from the Strada del Corso, and afterwards returned to my hotel, the "Corona d' Oro," where I was conducted to my apartment, and throwing open the window, I went out into the balcony, which was at a giddy height and only protected by a slight iron railing. I had a fine moonlight view of the bay, and the fearful promontory formed by the overwhelming eruption of lava, in 1669, which destroyed a great portion of the city. It rises black and rugged, and descends abruptly into the sea. Nature in this instance has done for the inhabitants of Catania what their art was unable to accomplish. Formerly they were destitute of a harbour, till the lava of 1669, running into the sea, produced the enormous mole which at present renders the port secure and capacious enough for small vessels. Despite the mosquitoes, I lay down on my humble bed, and soon fell into a profound sleep.