. 58.] TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 587 



us lies the amphitheatre, on a craggy buttress between 

 us and the sea. 



Morning ; up at daylight, to the amphitheatre, to see 

 sun rise out of the sea and light up Etna, which was 

 without a cloud. The theatre really a Roman ruin, 

 with bits only of the original Greek ; the situation 

 superb. ... I climb up to Mola, get a grand study 

 of Etna from height of 1,500-2,000 feet, the clouds 

 keeping off till I had done. Extensive sea and coast 

 view, but haze in the far distance. Descended on to 

 the peak bearing the Saracenic ruins of the Castle of 

 Taormina, overhanging the town ; and now, having 

 dined, and found Mrs. G. better, as well as desirous of 

 warmer quarters, we are soon to descend to the shore 

 below us, and take train for Catania. This place 

 is very well worth visiting, and I am glad that I 

 arranged as I did, only sorry that I had to enjoy 

 most of it alone. 



NAPLES, Tuesday, 30th. 



Found Catania well worth a visit ; had pleasant 

 Easter Sunday, and superb view of Etna, and of its 

 various former doings, sending its lavas down to the 

 sea in a tremendous way. Getting back to Messina, 

 the steamer, a little one, was off Monday afternoon ; 

 good parting views of Etna toward evening ; an un- 

 comfortable night ; we entered the bay at daybreak, 

 and Naples soon after sunrise, and are now domiciled 

 in full view of Vesuvius. 



TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 



ROME, April 22, 1869. 



... I am thirsty for botanical news, after having 

 laid aside the botanist for a much longer time than 

 ever before. Well, we were three and a half months 



