180 . An Excursion on Etna. 
on our comforters. The mules being fed, we were again on our 
way, and in about twenty minutes, saw the last of the trees. 
An owl ina neighboring wood below us on the side of an ancient 
cone bade us farewell in a melancholy hoot, and we entered im- 
mediately on the desert zone. Our path at once became Very. 
rough and precipitous, now requiring us to grasp the mane ¢ 
the mule, eand the next to throw all our weight back to avoid 
sliding over his neck. But the patient, cautious creatures toiled 
on, pausing occasionally for an instant as if to reassure themselves, 
and then carefully advancing. Our guide too excited constant 
wonder. It was impossible to see a path—immense gulfs of rug 
ged lava surrounded us; we found ourselves standing on the 
brink of precipices over which the course seemed to lead us, but 
a sudden turn carried us away just as the sense of danger was 
coming over us, There were to us no visible landmarks, and 08 
every side in the dim distance of night we saw only an unending 
. of , 
Left to ourselves, we should certainly have given up in despalt 
and waited the dawn; yet the guide was never for an instant at@ 
a loss: not a word was spoken ; our brisk conversation had 
away in silence, and each seemed sufficiently occupied with the 
scene about us—for it was awfully sublime ; and a thought of per 
sonal safety would perhaps occasionally present itself. Above U8 
the snowy head of Etna floated like a cloud against the dark blue 
sky, and the constellations moved with our ascent, rising oF 
ing as if with a more rapid revolution of the earth. ‘The Great 
Bear was immediately before us, and every instant as we rose I¢ 
sank until we soon hi j 
of the mountain like white streamers from the great mass above. 
A few minutes brought us upon the lower patches, and from ee 
instant the naked black rocks began to disappear, being replace 
by the glistening snow. Our guide had several times shouted i= 
a peculiar tone toward the west as if to arouse the echoes © = 
mountain. ‘T’o our surprise his call was answered, and we — 
in some amazement to guess who should be in that lonely spot 
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