=e 
zr. 58.] TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 587 
us lies the amphitheatre, on a craggy buttress between 
us and the sea. 
Morning; up at daylight, to the amphitheatre, to see 
sun rise out of the sea and light up Etna, which was 
without a cloud. The dhuates really a Roman ruin, 
with bits only of the original Greek; the situation 
superb. . . . I climb up to Mola, get a grand study 
of Etna from height of 1,500-2,000 feet, the clouds 
keeping off till I had done. Extensive sea and coast 
view, but haze in the far distance. Descended on to 
the peak bearing the Saracenic ruins of the Castle of 
Taormina, overhanging the town; and now, having 
dined, and found Mrs. G. better, as well as desirous of 
warmer quarters, we are soon to descend to the wrod 
below us, and take train for Catania. This p 
is very well worth visiting, and I am glad that I 
arranged as I did, only sorry that I had to enjoy 
most of it alone. 
Narwes, Tuesday, 30th. “ 
Found Catania well worth a visit; had pleasant 
Easter Sunday, and superb view of Etna, and of its 
various former doings, sending its lavas down to the 
sea in a tremendous way. Getting back to Messina, 
the steamer, a little one, was off Monday afternoon ; 
good parting views of Etna toward evening; an un- 
comfortable night; we entered the bay at daybreak, 
and Naples soon after sunrise, and are now domiciled 
in full view of Vesuvius. 
TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 
Rome, April 22, 1869. 
. Lam thirsty for botanical news, after having 
laid aside the botanist for a much longer time than 
ever before. Well, we were three and a half months 
