THE 



AMERICAN 



JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &c. 



Art. I. — Ascent of Mount Etna, February, 1832; by Sidney L. 

 Johnson, late tutor in Yale College, and teacher in the U. States 

 squadron, in the Mediterranean. 



A wish to ascend Mt. Etna, was at first, the chief motive of our 

 visit to Catania, but before departure, our hopes of reaching the 

 summit were somewhat diminished. Since the snow fell, several 

 parties had attempled it, but all without success. We often gazed 

 upon it from our ships in the harbor of Syracuse, where it presented 

 the singular appearance of a perfect cone of snow of astounding 

 size, to whose dazzling whiteness the vertex tipped with black and 

 tufted with a graceful plume of smoke, afforded the only relief. From 

 the more commanding heights of Epipolae, we could trace the sides 

 lower down ; the skirts of the snow were dappled with the naked 

 patches of dark rock, then disappeared and the broad green base 

 presented a cheerful contrast to the cold and glittering summit* 



On our approach and entrance to Catania, the mountain was en- 

 tirely veiled from view by clouds and the rain descended in torrents* 

 Had this weather continued a little longer than it did, we might have 

 departed without ocular proof of the existence of elevated ground 

 in that vicinity. But after two or three days, a delightful change in- 

 spired us with strong hopes of accomplishing our desires* and we 

 determined upon an immediate attempt. 



Our arrangements were made for riding up as far as Nicolosi, on 

 the 22d. of February. Abbate, our landlord had provided every 

 necessary refreshment ; and with a due supply of extra clothing, we 

 mounted and w T ere in motion by 4 P. M. Our party consisted of 

 four, and was guided to the resting place for the night by our humor- 

 ous and obliging host. A few steps brought us from the hotel- in the 

 Corso, to the Slrada Etnea : these are the two finest streets of Ca- 

 tania, the former stretching from the sea, to the west quite through 



Vol. XXVI— No. 1. 1 





