THE COASTS OF *SICILY. 251 



own sailors, whose eyes sparkled at the very mention 

 of the word tonnara, had increased our anxiety to 

 be present on one of these occasions, which are re- 

 garded by the inhabitants of the Sicilian islands 

 in the light of festivals. Signor Bartholini kindly un- 

 dertook to inform us of the time at which we were 

 to hold ourselves in readiness to join the other boats 

 engaged in the fishing, and we lost no time in obeying 

 his directions. One morning on looking out, we 

 saw that flags had been raised on every elevated 

 point of the island to serve as signals for calling 

 together the fishermen of the neighbourhood to take 

 part in the tonnara. Scarcely any, I believe, failed 

 to appear at the common rendezvous. Every bark 

 between Trapani and Mazara had hoisted her sails, 

 and by the break of day, far as the eye could reach, 

 the sea seemed to be covered with a moving fleet of 

 sailing boats, whose hundred broad lateen sails, con- 

 verging to one and the same point, presented the 

 most picturesque appearance. The Santa Rosalia 

 was soon in the midst of this numerous flotilla ; 

 and by the energetic efforts of our sailors, whose 

 strength and activity seemed to be doubled for the 

 occasion, we reached the madrague in good time to 

 follow all the scenes of the sanguinary drama which 

 was about to be exacted. 



If any of our readers should deem these expressions 

 exaggerated, we would beg them to come and judge 

 for themselves, and embark with us on board one of 

 those large boats which, in the midst of the sea, 

 have combined to enclose a space of about one hun- 

 dred square feet. Between 500 and 600 tunnies, 



