Chapter 3

From hence, to an almost interminable extent, there is a most superb view of the surrounding country; nothing can be more varied, grand, and sublime; every spot spared by the all-devastating lavas, is highly cultivated; the vines and other productive fruit-trees are seen laden with the most delicious fruits; the groves of olives, the towns and villages, in almost endless aerial perspective, all terminated by the distant and deep-blue sea, form a scene the most enchanting that can be conceived. We remounted about ten o'clock, P.M., our trusty mules, and pursued or journey. The evening was deliciously serene, the stars shone with extraordinary brilliancy, and the sky appeared intensely blue, while the galaxy, or milky way, beamed like a splendid stream of light across the azure expanse.

The cool breezes now wafted from the upper regions of the mountain were very refreshing, and exhilarated our spirits in an extraordinary degree. Passed Monte Rosso, which is about 600 feet above the level of the surrounding plain, and is said to have been thrown up during the great eruption of the year 1669, and from which issued that horrible stream of burning lava, which, after destroying the country for the length of fourteen miles, ran into the sea at Catania.

About six miles higher up commences the Nemerosa region, which, like a beautiful green girdle, encircles the mountain; it abounds with ancient hillocks, and lava of different periods, and is almost covered with frowning woods of oak, holm, beech and pines, on the more elevated points.

After enjoying for some time this stupendous and enchanting treat, we kept torturing and progressing, lost in pleasing reveries caused by the fairy scene.

Halted at the upper boundary of the forest region, to refresh our mules, and exchange our light clothing for garments of a warmer texture, as the wind now blew cool and somewhat chilly; for the temperature of this spot was about 50°, while that of Catania, which we had only left a few hours ago, was about 84° Fahr.

The road, on leaving our resting-place, became tedious and cheerless; hardly any vegetation was discoverable, and still wilder regions appeared above us. The path now lay over masses of rough lava; so much so, that at times it became necessary to dismount and actually drag our jaded animals over the rugged precipices which obstructed our progress: the intricacy of the path required us to follow one another very closely, that we might not lose the track, which became so tortuous in its course, as would puzzle any one but a muleteer accustomed to the road to find the clue of this volcanic labyrinth in the darkness of night.

After much anxious travelling over wastes of cinders and black sand, we seemed to be approaching near the wished-for summit; when, about two o'clock, A.M., the moon, now shorn of her beams, queen like, arose behind the bifurcated summit of Etna; her cheering light was very grateful to us in this wild spot. The awful cone of the mountain pillowed against the heavens, and emitting clouds of silvery white smoke from its burning crater, had a grand effect at this solemn hour of the night.

At three o'clock, arrived at the Casa Inglese, a rude hut built by the English troops when stationed in Sicily, during the late war. Here it became again necessary to halt a little to put on some extra clothing. As soon as this was accomplished, the signal for the ascent was made by the guides giving each person of the party a long staff, to assist him in clambering the steeps, as the mules could not proceed any further, owing to the nature and fatigue of the ascent. The first portion of the road lay over large broken masses of lava, most wearisome to scramble over. On approaching nearer the apex, the path was over cinders, fine black sand, and scoria. In wading through this compound the ascent became so difficult and fatiguing, that we were all under the necessity of reposing every twenty or thirty yards, tormented by the sulphureous vapour, which rendered respiration painful, and was even less supportable than the abruptness of the mountain path!

At length, after somewhat more than an hour's walk, the most harassing that can be imagined, we arrived at the top just as the day began to dawn. To paint the feelings at this dizzy height, requires the pen of poetic inspiration; or to describe the scene presented to mortal gaze, when thus looking down with fearful eye on the almost boundless prospect beneath! The blue expanded ocean, fields, woods, cities, rivers, mountains, and all the wonted charms of the terrestrial world, had a magic effect, when viewed by the help of the nascent light; while hard by yawned that dreadful crater of centuries untold, evolving thick sulphureous clouds of white smoke, which rolling down the mountain's side in terrific grandeur, at length formed one vast column for many miles in extent across the sky. Anon the mountain growled awfully in its inmost recesses, and the earth was slightly convulsed! We now attempted to descend a short distance within the crater; the guides, timid of its horrors, did not relish the undertaking, but were induced at length, and conducted the party behind some heaps of lava, from whence was a grand view of this awful cavern. The noise within the gulf resembled loud continuous thunderings, and after each successive explosion, there issued columns of white, and sometimes of black smoke.

The crater presents the appearance of an inverted cone, the interior part of which is covered with crystallizations of salts and sulphur, of various brilliant hues--red appeared to predominate, or rather a deep orange colour. Writers vary much in their accounts as to the circumference of the crater. Captain Smyth, R.N., who had an opportunity to ascertain it correctly, describes it as an oval, stretching from E. and by N. to W., and by S. with a conjugate diameter of four hundred and ninety-three yards; the transverse he was prevented from ascertaining by a dense cloud that arose before his operations were completed. It was soon requisite for us to retire from this spot, as the smoke began to increase, and our guides said that some adventurous travellers had lost their lives by approaching too near, and were either blown into the abyss below by the violence of the wind, which is generally very strong at this elevation, or suffocated by a sudden burst of the sulphureous vapour.

The Regione Deserta, or desolate region of Etna, first attracts the eye, marked in winter by a circle of ice and snow, but now (July) by cinders and black sand. In the midst the great crater rears its burning head, and the regions of intense heat and extreme cold shake hands together. The eye soon becomes satiated with its wildness, and turns with delight on the Sylvana region, which, with its magnificent zone of forest trees, embraces the mountain completely round: in many parts of this delightful tract are seen hills, now covered with the most luxuriant vegetation, that have been formed by different eruptions of Etna. This girdle is succeeded by another still richer, called the Regione Culta, abundant in every fruit or grain that man can desire: the small rivers Semetus and Alcantara intersect these fertile fields; beyond this the whole of Sicily, with its cities, towns, and villages, its corn-fields and vineyards in almost endless perspective, charm and delight the senses.

The summit of the mountain is composed of scoria, and crystallizations of sulphur, with here and there heaps of lava; wherever a stick is thrust in, the opening immediately emits a volume of white smoke, and if the hand be applied to the aperture, it is soon withdrawn on account of the great heat. The mean temperature of the summit, during the months of July and August, is 37° Fahr. After having remained about an hour, descended to the Casa Inglese. After an hour's repose, proceeded downwards, visited the Philosopher's Tower, as it is called, which tradition says was constructed by Empedocles while he was studying the various phenomena of Etna.

About a mile or two from this spot, there is a grand view of the Val di Bove. The foreground consists of lava, forming the face of an enormous precipice, at the bottom of which is seen a lovely valley, gradually sloping down towards the coast, embracing the three several regions of the mountain, to which the purple wave of the Mediterranean forms a noble boundary: nothing can be more varied, rich, and beautiful than this scene, as it comprises every object necessary to form a perfect landscape.

It was interesting to notice the gradual increase of vegetation during the descent. The Senecio Christhenifolius grows at the elevation of 8,830 feet, the Juniperus Communis commences at 6,800. Then follow the Pinus Sylv., Betula Alba, Quercus Robur, and the Fagus Sylvaticus. The olive is seen at the altitude of 3,000 feet, and the vines flourish as high as 5,000 feet.--_United Service Journal._

[In a clever paper on the geographical position and history of Active Volcanoes, contributed by W.M. Higgins, Esq. F.G.S. and J.W. Draper, Esq. to the _Magazine of Natural History_, is the following outline of Etna.]

Etna is entirely composed of volcanic rocks, and rises in imposing grandeur to the height of 10,000 ft. above the level of the sea. It is about 180 miles in circumferences, and is surrounded on every hand by apparently small volcanic cones, though of no inconsiderable size, which tend in a great degree to increase the apparent dimensions of the central mountain. Some of these cones are covered with vegetation, but others are arid and bare. From this variety in the progress of vegetation, some persons have endeavoured to calculate the relative ages of the cones; but these opinions are exceedingly vague, as it requires a longer period to form a soil on some lavas than on others. The earliest historical notice we have of this mountain is by Thucydides, who states that there were three eruptions previous to the Peloponnesian war (431 B.C.), to one of which Pindar alludes in his first Pythian Ode. In the year 396 B.C. the volcano was again active; and according to Diodorus Siculus, the Carthaginian army was stopped in its march against Syracuse by the flowing lava. But let it suffice to say, that ten eruptions previous to, and forty-eight subsequent to, the Christian era, have been recorded; some when the mountain was in the phase of moderate activity, and others when in the phase of prolonged intermittence.

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THE SECRET LOVER.

FROM THE PERSIAN OF JAUMI.

Lives there the soulless youth, whose eye That ruby tinted lip could see, Nor long for thee to live or die? How unlike me!

Or see that cheek's pomegranate glow; Yet think of anything but thee, Cold as that bosom heaving snow? How unlike me!

Or see thee o'er the golden wire Bend with such lovely witchery, Nor feel each tone like living fire? How unlike me!

Or see thee in the evening dance Float, like the foam upon the sea, Nor drink sweet poison from thy glance? How unlike me!

Or hear thy hymn, at moonlight rise, Soft as the humming of the bee, Nor think he sits in Paradise? How unlike me!

Or see thee in thy simplest hour, Sweet as the rose upon the tree, Nor long to plant thee in his bower? How unlike me!

But lives there one who vainly tries To look the freest of the free, And hide the wound by which he dies? Ah! how like me!

_BLACKWOOD'S MAGAZINE_.

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RETROSPECTIVE GLEANINGS.

ROBIN HOOD.

(_Concluded from page 182_.)

With respect to the personal character of Robin Hood, it is generally agreed that he was active, brave, prudent, patient, possessed of uncommon bodily strength, and considerable military skill; just, generous, and beloved by his followers. As proofs of his singular popularity, his story and exploits have been made the subject of various dramatic exhibitions, as well of innumerable poems, lyrics, songs, and ballads; he has given rise to divers proverbs, and to swear by him was a common practice. Some writers say his songs have been preferred on solemn occasions, not only to the Psalms of David, but to the New Testament, and his service to the word of God. We have the opinion of Bishop Latimer on this head:--"I came," says the bishop (in his sixth sermon before King Edward VI.) "to a place, riding on a journey homeward from London, and I sent word over night into the town, that I would preach there in the morning, because it was a holyday, and methought it was a holydayes worke; the churche stode in my way, and I toke my horse and my companye and went thither. I thought I should have found a great companye in the churche, and when I came there, the churche dore was faste locked; I tarried halfe an houre and more, and at last the keye was founde, and one of the parishe commes to me, and sayes, 'Syr, thys ys a busye day with us, we cannot heare you; it is Robyn Hoode's day; the parishe is gone abroad to gather for Robyn Hoode.' I pray you let them not, I was fayne there to geve place to Robyn Hoode. I thought my rochet should have been regarded thoughe I were not; but it woulde not serve, it was fayne to give place to Robyn Hoode's men. It is no laughyng matter, my friendes, it is a wepynge matter, a heavy matter under a pretence for gatherynge for Robyn Hoode, a traytoure and a thefe, to put out a preacher, to have his office lesse esteemed, to prefer Robyn Hoode before the mynystration of God's word, and all thys hath come of unpreachynge prelates. Thys realme hath been il provided, for that it hath had suche corrupte judgementes in it, to prefer Robyn Hode to Godde's worde. Yf the bysshoppes had bene preachers, there sholde never have bene any such thynge," &c.

Robin Hood was believed to possess supernatural powers. In the parish of Halifax is an immense stone or rock, supposed to be a Druidical monument, there called Robin Hood's penny-stone, which he is said to have used to pitch with at a mark, for his amusement. There was likewise another of these stones of several tons weight, which the country people would say he threw off an adjoining hill with a spade, as he was digging. At Bitchover, where it was said he lived, among several groups of rocks, were some stones called Robin Hood's Stride, being two of the highest and most remarkable. He obtained also the distinction of sainthood, in having a festival allotted to him, and solemn games instituted in honour of his memory; a short account of which will be found in _The Mirror_, No. 544, p. 259. These games were celebrated till the latter end of the sixteenth century, not by the populace only, but by kings and princes, and grave magistrates, in Scotland and in England; being considered in the former country of the highest political importance, and essential to the civil and religious liberties of the people; the efforts of government to suppress them frequently producing tumult and insurrection.

In Ray's Itineraries, 1760, we are told that Robin Hood's bow, one of his arrows, his chair, his cap, and one of his slippers, were preserved till within the above century. In Brome's Travels, is the following notice of his relics: "having pleased ourselves with the antiquities of Nottingham, we took horse and went to visit the well, and ancient chair, of Robin Hood, which is not far from hence, within the Forest of Sherwood. Being placed in the chair, we had a cap which they say was his, very formally put upon our heads, and having performed the usual ceremonies befitting so great a solemnity, we received the freedom of the chair, and were incorporated into the society of that renowned brotherhood." In Hutton's Journey from Birmingham to London, 1785, he states, "I was much pleased with a slipper, belonging to the famous Robin Hood, shown me, fifty years ago, at St. Ann's Well, near Nottingham, a place upon the borders of Sherwood Forest, to which he resorted." Over a spring called Robin Hood's Well, four miles north of Doncaster, is a handsome stone arch, erected by Lord Carlisle, where passengers from the coach used to drink of the fair water, and give alms to two people who attended.

Thus, not only did those places retain his name which afforded him security or amusement, but even the well at which he quenched his thirst. There is also Robin Hood's Bay, on the coast of Yorkshire. It is mentioned by Leland as "a fischer tounlet of 20 bootes caulled Robyn Huddes Bay, a dok or bosom of a mile yn length:" in this bay he often went fishing in the summer season, and not far from this he had butts or marks set up, where he used to exercise his men in shooting with the long bow.

After Robin's death, his company dispersed, and are supposed to have been distinguished from the name of their gallant leader, by the title of Roberdsmen. It may not be uninteresting to subjoin a short account of the last days of Robin's friend and favourite, Little John. The honour of his death and burial is contended by rival nations, first by England. At the village of Hathersage, about six miles from Castleton, in Derbyshire, is Little John's grave. Tradition states, some curious person caused it to be opened, when there were found several bones of uncommon size, which he preserved; but meeting afterwards with many unlucky accidents, he carefully replaced them, partly at the intercession of the sexton who had taken them up for him, and who had in like manner been visited with misfortunes, but upon restoring the bones all these troubles ceased. Secondly, by Scotland. In Murray-land, according to the historian, Hector Boece, is "the Kirke of Pette, quhare the banis of Lytill Johne remainis in grete admiratioun of pepill. He hes bene fourtene feet of hycht with square membris effering thairto VI zeris," continues he, "afore the cumyng of this werk to lycht we saw his hanche-bane, als mekill as the hail bane of ane man, lor we schot our arme in the mouth thairof. Be quhilk apperis how strang and square pepill grew in our regioun afore they were effeminat with lust and intemperance of mouth." Thirdly, by Ireland. "There stood," as Stanihurst relates, "in Ostmantowne greene an hillocke, named Little John his shot. The occasion," he says, proceeded of this--"In the yeere one thousand one hundred foure score and nine, there ranged three robbers and outlaws in England, among which Robert Hood and Little John weere cheefeteins, of all theeves doubtlesse the most courteous. Robert Hood being betrayed at a nunrie in Scotland, called Bricklies, the remnant of the crue was scattered, and everie man forced to shift for himselfe; whereupon Little John was faine to flee the realme by sailing to Ireland, where he sojornied for a few daies at Dublin. The citizens beeing doone to understand the wandering outcast to be an excellent archer, requested him hartilie to trie how far he could shoote at random; who yeelding to their behest, stood on the bridge of Dublin, and shot to that mole hill, leaving behind him a monument, rather by his posteritie to be woondered, than possiblie by anie man living to be counterscored. But as the repaire of so notorious a champion to anie countrie would soone be published, so his abode could not be long concealed, and therefore to eschew the danger of laws, he fled into Scotland, where he died at a town or village called Moravie." But, Mr. Walker, after observing, that "poor Little John's great practical skill in archery could not save him from an ignominious fall," says "it appeared from some records in the Southwell family, that he was publicly executed for robbery on Arbor-hill, Dublin."

A bow, said to have belonged to Little John, with the name of Nayler upon it, is now in the possession of a gentleman in the West Riding of Yorkshire.[6] SWAINE.

[6] Sir George Armitage, of Kirklees Hall.--See _Mirror_, vol. xix. p. 322.

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NEW BOOKS.

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ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY.

[This is one of the _Naturo-Philosophical_ volumes of the _Cabinet Cyclopaedia_, and is therefore to be viewed as a portion of that series rather than as a substantive work. Its preparation has been entrusted to Mr. M. Donovan, Professor of Chemistry to the Company of Apothecaries in Ireland; so that it comes to us with some share of recommendatory experience on the part of the editor. It would, however, be difficult to point out the advantages of Mr. Donovan's volume over others of the same description. Neither will such distinction be looked for but in a scientific journal. The arrangement is clear and satisfactory; the manner plain and illustrative; and the matter in accordance with the science of the present day; though in a few cases the nomenclature is somewhat overloaded with hard names, and presumes more previous acquaintance with the subject than is consistent. We subjoin a few extracts of popular interest.]

_Caloric, or the matter of Heat._

Heat is admitted by the philosophers of the present day to be the principle concerned in repulsion; and heat and cold are known to produce expansion and contraction in all bodies. Heat is, therefore, the antagonist of cohesion. Chemists have thought it necessary to make a distinction between the senses in which the word heat may be taken. In its usual acceptation, it merely means the effect excited on the organs of sensation by a hot body. But as this must be produced by a power in the hot body independent of sensation, that power is what chemists understand by the word _heat_: and to distinguish between the effect and its cause, the term _caloric_ has been substituted. The introduction of this term appears altogether unnecessary, when the sense in which the word _heat_ should be understood is explained. Caloric means the _cause_ of the _sensation_ heat: and there seems no reason to fear that the perception of heat by the organs of sensation can ever be misunderstood to be the agent in chemical phenomena.

_Omniscience displayed in the constitution of the Atmosphere._

In the constitution of the atmosphere we have ample scope to admire the design and execution of a structure calculated, with such wondrous precision, to fulfil its purposes. Were the atmosphere to consist wholly of oxygen; and the different kinds of objects which compose, and are found upon, the globe, to remain what they are; the world would run through its stages of decay, renovation, and final destruction, in a rapid cycle. Combustion, once excited, would proceed with ungovernable violence; the globe, during its short existence, would be in a continual conflagration, until its ashes would be its only remains: animals would live with hundred-fold intensity, and terminate their mortal career in a few hours. On the other hand, were the atmosphere wholly composed of azote, life could never have existed, whether animal or vegetable, and the objects of the Creator in forming this world would not be fulfilled. But the atmosphere is a wholesome mixture of these two formidable elements, each neutralizing the other's baneful influence. The life of animals quietly runs through its allotted space; and the current of nature flows within prescribed limits, manageably and moderately.

_Tartaric Acid._