84 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



sunrise, it was necessary to climb during the greater 

 part of the night the steepest and most dangerous 

 declivities of the mountain. In 1804, the brothers 

 Gemellaro caused a small cottage to be erected at 

 their own expense on the borders of the Piano del 

 Lago, and having furnished it, the key was given in 

 charge to Dr. Gemellaro. This first cottage, or 

 casing was destroyed in 1806, but its place was 

 soon supplied by a second, which was known as the 

 Casino, Gratissima. Five years afterwards, in 1811, 

 a portion of this building was thrown down by an 

 earthquake, and the furniture destroyed. Without 

 suffering themselves to be discouraged by this disaster, 

 the three brothers resolved to erect a larger building 

 in which travellers might find shelter for their mules 

 as well as for themselves. They chose as the site 

 of the new casino, a small hill, covered with lapilli * 9 

 not far from La Gratissima, and sheltered on the 

 side of the volcano by the perpendicular walls of 

 the lava beds of 1754. With the exception of the 

 stone, all the materials had to be carried on the 

 backs of mules for a considerable distance, and as 

 the expense of the undertaking would have far ex- 

 ceeded the limited means of the three brothers, they 

 requested some assistance from Lord Forbes, who 

 was in command of the English troops which at that 

 time occupied Sicily. A subscription was opened, 



* The term lapilli is applied to fragments of light scoriae, whose 

 average size is about that of a walnut. The same substance, when re- 

 duced to the volume of grains of sand, or when finely pulverised, con- 

 stitutes, properly speaking, the volcanic cinders or ashes, which in no 

 way resemble those of our fires, or even those to be met with in forges. 



