considerable taste and neatness in its arrangement, and certainly reflects great credit and honour on its enlightened founder. 66 My next visit was to the cathedral. It was originally built, and the see founded, by Ruggiero, A.D. 1193. The present edifice is one of the most chaste and beautiful I have ever seen. Twelve apostles of gold stand on the high altar. Along the façades are several columns taken from the scena of the ancient theatre. The cupola is very fine; the frescos on the ceiling are from scripture subjects, and to the left of the altar-piece is a very good painting of St. Agatha by Paladino. The arabesque work on the doors of the grand entrance is by the celebrated Gagini. In a chapel to the north of the choir there are some fine specimens of alabaster and lava. One piece of red lava is equally beautiful with the rosso antico," though somewhat paler in colour. In a little capella stands the shrine and tomb of St. Agatha; a small lamp burns night and day before it, and many are the genuflexions that are made to this their favourite saint by the deluded inhabitants. chapel is the tomb of the King of Spain, who was buried here in 1495. This monumental tomb is built of marble, and represents him as a boy of about eleven years of age, in a kneeling attitude, and attended by a pretty page some years younger. The monument of Petrus Galetti, Bishop of Catania in 1757, is inlaid with coloured marble, and deserves attention on account of the beauty of the materials, and the tasteful design of the whole composition. The tomb of Conrado Deodata, a priest, who died in 1828, is a very beautiful modern erection; it is of lava, inlaid with red figures, and supported by two bronze sphinxes. In the sacristy adjoining the cathedral is an old painting which represents the dreadful eruption of 1669, when the lava ran from Monte Rossi, just above Nicolosi, and overwhelmed the city of Catania. In the same The monastery of the Benedictines deserves especial notice, on account of having escaped the lava of 1669 in an almost miraculous manner, the stream of molten fire having appeared within five yards of the edifice, and then turned off to the left, and thus preserved it and its inmates from certain and irreparable destruction. The chapel of the monastery contains a fine organ, some paintings by Cavalucci, and a large and valuable museum, all of which I was disappointed in seeing, as the king had taken up his abode at the convent during the few days of his stay in Catania. The Greek theatre is approached by a descent of steps of lava, which, with the remains of the edifice itself, have been excavated from the soil and ashes that so long covered them. On arriving at the entrance to the theatre, I was accosted by a Maltese priest, a stout old gentleman, who had been puffing and blowing for some time in endeavouring to overtake me. Despite his canonicals, I thought he looked like a very jolly fellow, and finding that he could speak a little English, I accepted his offer to join him in his perambulation, as his visit to Catania was, like mine, one of pleasure. I told him that I had recently been at Malta, which pleased him amazingly. He gave me his name and the address of his residence at Senglea, and begged that if ever I went to Malta again, I would call upon him. The old gentleman took my arm, and asked me if I was a Catholic. I replied in the negative, when he said, "Catholics and Protestants are all one." It would be well if every one were as charitable in his religious opinions as this priest; it might surely serve to prevent the innumerable contentions and the bitter enmity that reflects such disgrace upon mankind in this and other countries. My good friend told me that he had attempted to climb Vesuvius, which is about one-third of the height of Etna, and that he was too fat to get to the top! He, however, proposed to venture the ascent of Etna, and informed me that if I thought of doing so, three French gentlemen who were staying at the Corona d' Oro, where I had taken up my quarters, would also be very willing to form a party. This was agreed upon, as I had intended ascending alone, with guides, from Nicolosi, and I regarded the prospect of having companions with me as most fortunate, besides rendering the expenses of the ascent considerably less; but I afterwards found that this arrangement did not turn out so fortunate or agreeable as I had anticipated,—but more of this hereafter. We arranged matters so that our survey of the remaining antiquities should terminate at three o'clock, and that after dining at the Corona d' Oro, we should all start for Nicolosi at four precisely. After exploring the ruins of the Greek theatre, of which three corridors and seven rows of seats are distinguishable, we turned our steps towards the immense subterranean amphitheatre, erected by the Roman colony which was established by Augustus in this city. It was originally built on the side of a hill, but the various eruptions of Etna have so altered the appearance of things that it has long since been buried under ground, and would most probably have remained so until this day, had not the Prince Ignazio Biscari excavated a large portion of it, in hopes of finding a quantity of Roman antiquities. The circumference is said to be about 1000 feet: several of the corridors are cleared; they are very lofty, and are arched over at the top. The lowest range exhibits vestiges of the dens for the wild beasts, and the doorways through which they were admitted into the arena are also visible. We groped our way through these damp subterranean passages, our guide carrying a large flambeau in his hand, which I made him poke into all the corners and strange places. In one apartment I met with a spring of water that trickled along through the rubbish, and in another part I found some fine remains of the Roman pillars and lofty arched doorways of this magnificent amphitheatre. The ancient baths are situated under the duomo or cathedral, and are entered by a narrow winding flight of stone steps, closed at the top by an iron gate. These are termed "Bagno Caldi," or cold baths. Our guide again lighted his flambeau, and we once more found ourselves in the subterranean chambers of the ancients. These baths are very perfect, and a stream of water still runs along an aqueduct through them, which might easily supply the baths, and make them again subservient to their former purpose. This aqueduct flows under ground for a considerable distance, and then rises again to the surface of the earth near the quay, where it supplies the "nymphæ modernæ " with a clear stream of water for their household purposes. A short walk took us to the remains of the "Bagno Freddi," which are situated on the opposite side of the lava of 1669, and like those under the Duomo, have also been excavated by the Prince Biscari. In these vapour baths the antechamber and furnaces still remain. A small apartment (probably a vapour bath for one person) is tolerably perfect, and the fireplaces are discernible beneath the cisterns for heating the water. Near these furnaces balls of lava have been found, which circumstance has led some persons to imagine that they were used to keep up the heat of the stoves. water. Prior to the dreadful eruption of 1669, a castle stood upon the sea-shore near the ancient walls of the city, having at its side a translucent spring of the purest water, but when the lava which ran from Monte Rossi accumulated till it rose above the walls, which were sixty feet in height, it poured over them with great violence, and ran out into the sea, forming the mole which I have before spoken of. Fortunately, however, for the inhabitants of the city, the lava flood left a small opening near the half-buried castle, which enabled the Prince Biscari to excavate it in such a manner that he had the satisfaction of restoring to his countrymen their long lost and valued spring of We descended a flight of sixty-three steps, cut in the solid lava, which led us down to the spring. The water was pellucid and clear, and the numerous women and girls filling their stone jars at its source, and the various groups we met balancing their picturesque water-pots on their heads, filled with the water of the Etnæan spring, showed what a boon this recovered spot is to the people. My old companion the priest, now began to feel very tired, and as it was well nigh time that we should return to the albergo, to make the necessary preparations for the anticipated ascent of Mongibello, we hastened back, and bidding my friend a temporary adieu, I ordered dinner to be got ready immediately, and while it was preparing, I packed up my luggage. My dinner was quickly brought up into my bedroom, for it is the custom in Sicily to set apart a room for each guest in an albergo, in which they both eat and sleep, and in short make it their "sanctum sanctorum." During the time the guest occupies this room, the door of it is kept locked by the master of the house, and whenever the occupant goes out, the key is deposited in the hall until his return. My bed-room, like most others in Sicily, was paved with large red tiles, which rendered it very cool and comfortable. The houses in Catania are all built of stone, in a very strong and secure manner, as a supposed safeguard against the earthquake shocks, and the uncertain and dangerous eruptions of the mountain. My repast was simple, and consisted, as usual, of a dish of maccaroni, very nicely cooked, with the native. Q appendage of Tomata sauce, some excellent fish, and, what surprised me a little, a large lump of frozen snow on a plate. My dessert consisted of grapes, walnuts, figs, and apples-these latter tasted very much like peaches, and had a more delicious flavour than any I ever tasted in England. A very large glass tumbler was set on the table with the wine, and I imagined that it would form an excellent wine cooler. I therefore placed a small glass inside it, and filled up the outside with the frozen snow, not knowing at the time what other use to make of this luxury. The wine thus iced was delightfully refreshing, and seemed to quench the annoying thirst under which I had suffered whilst walking in the hot and dusty streets of Catania. The bread I found to be the very best in all Sicily; it is almost as white as the snows of Etna, and is made in the form of oval cakes, baked very crisp. The commoner sorts of bread are made up into large open rings about half a foot in diameter, and numbers of these fantastical loaves may be seen hanging in bunches upon forked sticks on the outside of almost every cottage door. The arches of the ancient underground structures of Catania are wholly formed of tiles placed alternately between pieces of lava. Ancient bassi relievi are also frequently met with, and several fine examples of this mural sculpture have been discovered in the subterranean baths. The chief trade of Catania is in its exports, which consist of amber, lava, fruit, silk, timber, and snow, which latter article is obtained from the heights of Etna, and supplies not only all Sicily, but likewise Malta and Calabria with this healthful commodity. In perambulating the streets of this fine city, the traveller cannot fail to notice the strange admixture of poverty and splendour which they present. The proudest palace and the lowest hovel may be included in one glance, and the most magnificent buildings, on which no expense whatever seems to have been spared, are hidden or disfigured by wretched habitations being placed beside them. The streets, though wide, and running at right angles with each other, in many instances are not kept carefully clean, and the tottering condition of many of the houses, and the numerous cracks and fissures observable in the walls in the Strada Etnea, which leads towards the mountain, speak in strong and forcible language of the volcanic fires that slumber beneath them, and that perhaps the fiery streams may again burst forth from some new crater, high up in the mountain, and pour down another sulphurous flood of lava upon the fated city. The volcanic eruptions of Etna have taken place at promiscuous intervals for a great number of centuries, and Dr. Gemmellaro of Nicolosi, who has closely watched and examined the mountain, has published a very curious and interesting table, giving an account of all the various eruptions, from the earliest known period of time. For several years past the mountain fires have slumbered, and at the time of my visit not even a wreath of curling smoke was visible at Catania from its lofty and snow-clad summit. The population of the city is averaged at about 30,000. It is the favourite residence of the Sicilian nobility, and in size ranks as the third city of the island, yielding the palm in this respect only to Palermo and Messina. The women of Catania, especially those of the peasant class, are not so handsome as those of Messina, but many of the boys are prettily featured, and have fine expressive dark eyes. I was much amused by the water-carts of Catania; instead of having holes drilled at the back of the machine, a leathern hose is used with a head attached to it, which a man moves about as though he were handling a watering-pot, and verifying the proverb that "Lazy people take the most pains." |