THE CRATER. 
49 
flames of sulphur, huge figures with cloven feet, and little 
dancing blue fellows with pitchforks all the next night, which 
I assure you, on my honor, was not the effect of a had con¬ 
science, hut altogether the result of the vivid impression cre¬ 
ated in viewing the crater. 
We remained on the summit about two hours, enjoying all 
the changes of light and shade produced by the rising of the 
sun and the dispersing of the light clouds that rested in the 
lower strata of air. An entirely clear sunrise might have af¬ 
forded us a more extended prospect, hut we were satisfied it 
could not have presented such a magnificent combination of 
atmospheric phenomena. Some traveler speaks of having 
seen the Island of Malta with the naked eye from this point; 
hut, although the weather was tolerably clear before we com¬ 
menced our descent, we saw nothing of it. It is quite pos¬ 
sible, however, and not at all improbable. The distance can 
not he more than a hundred and twenty miles—the nearest 
point of Sicily from Malta being about eighty miles ; and it is 
a common thing in Malta on any clear day to have a distinct 
view of Mount Etna. I have myself seen the Andes, in ap¬ 
proaching Callao, at the distance of a hundred and twenty 
miles. It is perhaps easier to see a great distance, looking 
upward through an atmosphere decreasing in density, wdiere 
there is a distinct outline, than downward through a less 
transparent medium, where there may he no outline. I have 
often seen land from the deck of a vessel when it could not 
be seen from the masthead. The Peak of Pico has been seen 
at the distance of a hundred and twenty miles, and the Peak 
of Teneriffe at a still greater distance. 
Our descent to San Nicolosi was of course a good deal 
easier and rather more pleasant than the night’s journey up. 
With the mules it occupied very nearly the same time ; but 
I had become quite convinced that there w r as a prejudice 
against me on the part of the whole mule species; I had turn¬ 
ed involuntary somersets from divers mules ; I had been bit¬ 
ten at and kicked at by mules ; I had endeavored to befriend 
mules by leading them up steep hills instead of riding them, 
and they were always sure to pull hack and try to go down ; 
0 
