JJT 



CATANIA. 



MANDOO. 





CUtanitU, & by Siracusa, and E. bjr the sea. It u 65 milt* in 

 length from south-east to north-wort, and about 35 milaa in it* 

 prate* brawl th. The arc* a 1761 square mile*, and the population 

 in 1851 amounted to 379,991. The province includes the region of 

 Mount .Etna, and rxtends along the coast from the mouth of the 

 GUrrtu to that of the AlouUra, a distance of about 30 mile*, includ 

 inx the winding* of the Gulf of Catania. The Alcantara and the 

 Dinamari and Nrttuui Mountain! form the nurthurn boundary. An 

 offset from ,Ctna run* north-wait above Bronte, joint the N 

 Mountain*, and form* the watershed b.-t ween the basin of the Qiaretta 

 and the Alcantara. Westward the province extend* to the nource of 

 the Train*, a feeder of the Giarelta, audio the limestone mountain* 

 of Enna, which run southward from the Nettuni range, and form the 



tUnhedbeti 



i the Giaretta and the Salao. The lower offlwta of 



the mountain* of Noto, which oonaut of tertiary formation*, bound 

 the baain of the Giaretta and the plain of Catania, on the south. A 

 great part of the surface i* covered with ramifications of the mountain* 



U drained by *everal stream* the Adrano, the Traina, the Dittaino, 

 and the Ghrisaa. which unite in the lower part of the plain of Catania 

 and form the Giaretta, the ancient Siuia'thun, which fall* into the 

 Gulf of Catania. The plain of Catania, 20 miles long and 15 miles 

 broad, i* the largest plain in Sicily, and produce* a great quantity of 

 corn. The lower bill* and valleys which belong to the volcanic mass 

 of .Etna, produce excellent wine. Gil, silk, liquorice, and all kind* of 

 fruit are the other chief product* of the country. 



Town. Catania, the ancient Co/ana or Catanf, the capital of the 

 province, is situated on the sea-coast, at the foot of the most southern 

 offset* of .Eton, in 37 29' N. lat., 15 5' E. long., and has a population 

 of about 65,000. Though not the largest it in the handsomest town 

 in Sicily. Catania was a colony (B.C. 750) from Naxos in Sicily, which 

 Kaxos wa* founded by a colony from Chalcis in Euboea. (Thucyd., 

 TL 3.) It suffered greatly in the wars between the Carthaginians and 

 Syracuse, and was taken in the first Punic war by the Romans, who 

 plundered it of its riches and statues. Among other things a sun-dial 

 from Catania was sent to Rome and placed on the rostra. In ancient 

 as well as modern times Catania has suffered greatly from earthquakes 

 and the eruptions of jEtua, one of which ia recorded by Thucyd idea 

 (iii. 146) as having taken place B.C. 425 ; and be mentions another a* 

 aid to have happened B.C. 475. The great earthquake of 1693 

 destroyed it, but the town ha* been completely rebuilt since that 

 time. The street* are wide and regular, and the buildings are hand- 

 some, being mostly built of lava, faced with limestone and enriched 

 with marble. Lava forms the pavement of the streets, and a natural 

 mole of lava shelter* the harbour. The university of Catania, which 

 wa* founded by Alfonso of Aragon in 1445, is frequented by about 

 600 student*, and ha* a good library, which u open to the public. 



Coin of Catania. 

 BrttUh Mawum. Actual else, silver. 260 gralni. 



The splendid Benedictine monastery and church of San Nicold 

 d'Arona is, after Mafra in Portugal, the largest and finest monastic 

 building in Europe, in connection with which are a museum and a 

 gallery of painting*. The cathedral of CaUnia, rebuilt since the 

 earthquake of 1693, and dedicated to Santa Agate, is a vast building : 

 the front i* ornamented with fine granite column* taken from the 

 theatre of the aucient city. In the square before it is a fountain, 

 with an elephant made of lava, bearing on its back a small granite 

 obelisk. Among the other building, must be mentioned the senate- 

 house, about thirty convent*, and nearly double that number of 

 nc of which are magnificent structures ; the government 

 Monb-di-i let* ; the several charitable institutions, such as hospital*. 

 Md houM. for the destitute ; the Magdalene asylum ; and the GioenS 

 academy, which ha* rich collections in natural history, and publishes 

 it* memoir*. The port of Catania, which in ancient time* was large 

 I much frequented, i* now very .mall, having been almost filled 

 up by the lava-flood, of 1693. It is only fit for .mail craft, by mean* 

 of which however a considerable export trade is carried ,,n in wine 

 ;orn oil, almond*, fig*, soda, manna, ilk, cheese, maccaroni, amber 

 (which U found at the actuary of the Giaretta), lava, and snow 

 fr .m .Etna, which i* sent to Malta. The principal industrial pro- 

 duct* are silk good* and article* made from lava. Catania rank* 

 a* tho third city in Sicily : it give* title to a bi.hop, and has a Gran 

 Corte, or upper tribunal for civil aad criminal causes, and a board 

 of. trade. 



The remains of ancient CaUnia include a large theatre, an amphi- 

 theatre, a amall theatre, ruin* of bath*, and fragment* of an aqueduct 

 All the** are of Roman construction, the Greek city having probably 

 been destroyed by some of the earthquake* to which the city ha* in 

 all age* been exposed. CaUnia wa* the birth-place of Charondas, the 

 legislator and philosopher, and of the poet Stesichorua. The coin* 

 of CaUnia are of very superior execution. 



C'lliagirofe, the seooud town in 



iii the province of CaUnia, ix built on 

 two hills joined together by a bridge ; it ha* several palicea, a royal 

 college, a town house, Monte-di-Piath, and about 20,000 inhabitant*. 

 Good pottery i* made in this place. CalUgirone i* a corruption of 

 CalaU Girone. The Arabic woraCaiata, or Kalat, signifies an eminence, 

 and was given as a prefix to the names of several towns in Sicily 

 during the occupation of the island by the Saracen*. The town gives 

 title to a bi*hop, and is 30 miles S.W. from CaUnia. 



jVtcorio, 35 mile* W.N.W. from CaUnia, is built on two hills, and 

 ha* about 13,000 inhabitant*, who live chiefly by agriculture, and by 

 trading in wine, oil, corn, and cattle. In the neighbourhood are two 

 petroleum and several sulphureous springs, a mine of rock-salt, and 

 beds of clay-slate and iron pyrites. 



Aci Reale stands on a lava rock, which projecU into the sea at the 

 eastern base of --Etna, with a castle above it on a higher cliff, which 

 forms a little town by itself. The town is built chiefly with lava : it 

 hns many good buildings, a small harbour, and an active trade. Linen, 

 silk, and cutlery are the chief industrial product*. Aci Reale ia 

 famous for its mineral waters. In the neighbourhood are pointed out 

 the cave of Polyphemus and the grotto of Galatea. The town stauda on 

 the site of the ancient A cium, which took it* name from the rivri 

 now the Fiume-di-Jaci, which rises under a rock of lava and ha* a 

 short course to the sea below Aci Reale. The river Acia is celebrated 

 in fable, which ascribed its origin to the blood of the youthful Acis, 

 who was crushed under an enormous rock by hi* rival Polyphemus. 

 Aci Reale has a population of about 20,000. 



Paterno, the ancient Hybla Major, i* situated at the foot of .-Etna, 

 10 miles W.N.W. from CaUnia, and has about 10,000 inhabitants 

 It gives the title of prince to a Sicilian family, who nre the richest 

 laud-holders in Sicily. The town contains many convents and churches, 

 and baa a fruitful territory, yielding abundance of oil, wine, flax, 

 hi'uip, and timber, the chief articles of trade. There are warm chaly- 

 beate spring* at Paterno. 



AdcrnA, 16 miles N.W. from CaUnia, is situated at the western 

 base of Mount /Etna, near the Sirneto or Adrano, and has above 6000 

 inhabitant*. It is surrounded by wall*, and contains several churches 

 and convent*. The principal church stands in a fine square, and iU 

 facade is decorated with columns of lava. Adcruo occupies the site of 

 the ancient Ailranwn, founded by Dionyaius the Elder u.r. 400; but 

 a temple to the old Sicilian god Adrauus was built on the spot from 

 very ancient time*, (l)iodorus, xiv. 37.) Adrnnuin wa* taken by 

 Timoleon in B.C. 345, and by the Roman* in the firat Punic war. Port* 

 of the ancient wall* and towers built of large square blocks of lava 

 still remain, as well as massive substructions of the temple of Adranua, 

 and Roman baths. 



San-filtpptut 'Argiro, 27 miles W.N.W. from Catania, situated 

 on an isolated rock near the right bank of the Traina, has a 

 ruined Saracenic castle, several churches and convents, and about 

 7000 inhabitants. The neighbourhood of the town produces much 

 saffron of good quality. Suu-r'ilippo occupies the site of the ancient 

 Agyrium, thu birthplace of Diodorus Siculus, and one of the most 

 ancient cities in Sicily. It was a Sikulian and not a Greek city. 

 About B.C. 400 it wa* under the government of a prince named 

 Agyris, and had a population of 20,000 citizens (Diod. xiv). It wa* 

 long in alliance with the kings of Syracuse, and continued a wealthy 

 city under the Roman*. In the middle ages it became celebnu 

 a church (St. Philip's), a place of pilgrimage from all ports of the inhnnl. 

 Scarcely any remains of antiquity are now visible. The territory of 

 San-Filippo has been in ail ages celebrated for iU fertility in corn. 



Bronte ha* been already noticed. [BIIONTK.J 



Among the other place* are .Vico/W, situated high up the southern 

 flank of Mount .Etna, population about 3600 ; and Traina, a poor 

 place in the interior, situated on a hill, 8 miles E. from Nicosia : 

 population, 7500. At Traina U the oldest monastery (it ia said) in 

 Sicily. 



CATEAU-CAMBRESIS, LE. [NoRD.l 



C ATE LET, LE. [Ais.1 



CATHAY. [CHINA.] 



CATHEIUNUTON, Hampshire, a village and the seat of a Poor- 

 Law Union, in the pariah of Catherington and hundred of Finch- 

 dean, in Petersfield division of the county, is situated in 60 66' 

 N. lat, 1 1 ' W. long. ; distant 1 mile* N. by E. from Portsmouth, and 

 62 mile* S.W. from London. The population of the pariah in 1851 

 was 1094. The living is a vicarage in the archdeaconry and diocese 

 of Winchester. Catherington Poor-Law Union contains five parishes 

 and township*, with an area of 12,265 acre*, and a population in 1851 

 of 22U8. The pariah church, dedicated to St. Catherine, is an ancient 

 edifice. It ha* a tower, which contains five brlls. In the parish are 

 two Endowed schools for boys and girls, and a National school for 

 boys. The population is chiefly agricultural. 



CATMANDOO, or KHATMANDU. 



