Ascent of Mt. Etna, February, 1832. 5 



dreaded, as it bid fair to deprive me of that sleep which was so ne- 

 cessary a preparative to the labors of the ensuing day. The damp 

 stone floor and keen mountain air which entered our room without 

 much obstruction, soon composed me and I enjoyed an hour more of 

 repose. Between two and three o'clock, the faithful Abbate aroused 

 us with the news that every thing was favorable, that the night was 

 clear and calm, and that a bright moon would aid us in riding over 

 *he broken lava. In midwinter it is all important to regard the state 

 <of the weather in ascending Etna. A high wind drifting clouds of 

 snow renders the attempt always futile, and often dangerous. Hav- 

 ing partaken of an excellent cup of hot coffee and bundled ourselves 

 well with coats and cloaks, caps and moccasins, we mounted, and by 

 lialf past three, our mules were moving slowly to the hearty thwacks 

 *ipon their hides from the muleteers 5 cudgels. 



Two guides accompanied us to enable any of the party to return, if 

 necessary, without frustrating the rest. By the light of the moon we 

 could see that our road was over dark scoria, or fragments of lava. 

 On entering the Bosco or wooded region, small patches of snow be- 

 gan to appear, which rapidly increased in number and extent until 

 they formed one continuous sheet. Our mules were soon flounder- 

 ing in it, and at 6 o'clock we were forced to dismount. The ther- 

 mometer stood at 28°. A half an hour's walk on the crust of the 

 snow brought us to the " casa della neve." The smoke was issuing 

 in volumes through the door aud numerous apertures in the roof. A 

 peasant from Nicolosi, had kindled a fire before our arrival. 



We stopped but a few moments outside the " casa della neve" for 

 the smoke precluded our entering it and we did not wish to break- 

 fast, so throwing off our cloaks with a roll of bread in our pockets 

 and more substantial fare in the knapsacks of our guides, we advan- 

 ced, and sallying from the Bosco, saw the sun, then apparently about 

 half an hour high. The thermometer at the $i casa della neve" was 



at 27° but it rose from the effect of the sun as we ascended to above 



32°. 



Between nine and ten o'clock, Dr. H., was obliged to return with 

 one of our guides : with the other we proceeded until we reached 

 a stone pile of a pyramidical form distant one hour and a quarter 

 from the English house, which the guide now descried for the first 

 time. The ascent was here peculiarly laborious. A hard and slip- 

 pery crust on the snow, together with the acclivity of the mountain, 

 obliged us to turn our feet outward and stamp firmly with the inner 



