240 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



of excuses for not being ready to receive us on our 

 arrival. The signora left her pails in haste and 

 rode away upon a donkey, which^ after an absence 

 of two hours, returned laden with mattresses, 

 blankets, and pillow^s. A set of kitchen utensils 

 and a ready-cooked dinner also arrived by the same 

 mode of conveyance, and w^ere, as may easily be 

 conceived, not the least welcome part of the supplies. 

 We, in the meanwhile, had not been idle ; for we 

 had spent this two hours' interval in landing our 

 instruments and other apparatus. As a large piece 

 of enclosed land lay between us and the beach, we 

 had to make a considerable detour before we could 

 reach our boat. The Commander of the Fort at once 

 perceived the great inconvenience to which this 

 exposed us, and without a moment's delay he gave 

 orders for knocking down a portion of a wall, and 

 thus opened to us a direct passage across his vine- 

 yard. I am bound to admit that the w^all consisted 

 only of a heap of dry stones, which were generally 

 adjusted every evening ; still we may question 

 whether many proprietors in our own country would 

 have been equally ready to take measures for saving 

 a guest from any inconvenience of this kind. 



It must not be supposed, how^ever, that this 

 liberal and magnificent way of treating strangers 

 was wholly disinterested. The Sicilians wuth whom 

 we were tlms brought in contact, while they placed 

 themselves unreservedly at our disposal, per Tonore^ 

 as they themselves would express it, do nevertheless 

 count a little upon the complimento which they may 

 receive in return. In these districts, in which no 



