SNO 
has therefore been repaired within at the 
expense, of that order : flights of steps are 
cut into it, as well as two openings from 
above, by which they throw in the snow, 
and through which the grotto is enlight- 
ened. Above the grotto they have also 
levelled a piece of ground of considerable 
extent ; this they have inclosed with thick 
and lofty wails, so that when the winds, 
which at this elevation blow with great vio- 
lence, carry the snow from the higher parts 
of the mountain, and deposit it in this en- 
closure, it is retained and amassed by the 
walls. The people then remove it into the 
grotto through the two openings, and it is 
there laid up, and preserved in such a man- 
ner as to resist the force of the summer 
beats ; as the layers of lava with which the 
grotto is arched above prevent them from 
making any impression. 
When the seasbn for exporting the snow 
eomes on, it is put into large bags, into 
which it is pressed as closely as possible ; 
it is then carried by men out of the grotto, 
and laid upon mules, which convey it to the 
shore, where small vessels are waiting to 
carry it away. But before those lumps of 
snow' are put into bags, they are wrapped 
in fresh leaves ; so that while they are con- 
veyed from the grotto to the shore, the 
leaves may prevent the rays of the sun from 
making any impression upon them. The 
Sicilians carry on a considerable trade in 
snow, which affords employment to some 
thousands of mules, horses, and men. They 
have magazines of it on the summits of their 
loftiest mountains ; from which they distri- 
bute it through all their cities, towns, and 
houses ; for every person in the island 
makes use of snow. They consider the 
practice of cooling their liquors as abso- 
lutely necessary for the preservation of 
health ; and in a climate the heat of which 
is constantly relaxing tlie fibres, cooling 
liquors, by communicating a proper tone 
to the fibres of the stomach, must greatly 
strengfhen them for the performance of 
their functions. 
Snow, iu naval affairs, a vessel equipped 
with two masts, resembling the main and 
fore-masts of a ship, and a third small mast 
just abaft the main-mast, carrying a sail 
nearly similar to a ship’s mizen ; the foot of 
this mast is ft.-ied in a block of wood, iqton 
deck, and the. lead is attached to the after- 
part of the main top. The sail is called 
a try-sail, and hence the mast is termed 
a try sail-mast. When sloops of w'ar are 
rigged as snows, they are furnished with 
SOA 
a strong rope, called a horse, instead of the 
try-siiil-mast, the fore pat t of the sail being 
attached by rings to it. This is generally 
the largest of all two masted vessels em- 
ployed by Europeans, and is reckoned the 
most convenient for navigation. See Fal- 
coner’s Marine Dictionary. 
SNUFF, a powder chiefly made of to- 
bacco, the use of which is too well known 
to need any description here. However, 
though tobacco be the basis of snuff, yet 
a multiplicity of other matters are often 
added, to give it an agreeable scent. The 
kinds of snuff being endless, we shall only 
observe, that there are three grand sorts, 
viz. that which is only granulated, and 
called rappee ; that which is reduced to a 
very flue powder, and called Scotch, Span- 
ish, &c. snuff ; and the third, a coarse kind, 
remaining after sifting the second sort, 
SO.\P, a composition of caustic fixed al- 
kaline salt and oil, or other grease. It is 
sometimes hard and dry, sometimes soft and 
liquid ; much used in washing, and other 
purposes, as well in the arts and manufac- 
tures as in domestic purposes. The manu- 
facture of soap in and near London first 
began iu the year 15S!4: before this our 
countrymen imported the best soap from 
foreign parts, though they were supplied 
with an inferior sort from Bristol, 
The materials used in soap-making arc, 
oil of any kind, vegetable or animal; and 
fixed alkali, either soda or potash. These 
(that is, oil and alkali) enter into the com- 
position of every soap, and, besides, lime is 
e.ssential to give the alkali the requisite de- 
gree of causticity : common salt is also em- 
ployed in most of the pota.sh soaps. 
The general process for soap-making ii>. 
on the whole very simple; and consists, 
fir st, in making a caustic, or partly caustic, 
ley, with the alkali and lime ; next, of boil- 
ing the ley with the oil till they are perfectly 
united into a smooth uniform soap; and 
Iqstly, of drying the soap till it is become of 
a proper consistence for use. But though 
the genei al process is simple, and success to 
a certain degr ee may be insured by any one 
who prrts the. proper ingredients together'in 
the plainest manner, ther e are a consider- 
able ttrtnrber of precarttions, and many nri- 
mite atlentiorrs, required to make the best 
and most per feet article with tire greatest 
economy. The simirlest, and on the whole 
tire most bearttifirl, soap is the fine white 
soap prepared from olive oil and soda, ex- 
tracted from the best barilla, which is ma- 
nufactured very largely in the corriitries 
