less frequented than the streets and squares. We had a beautiful
moonlight night; the promontory of Etna, with its luxurious
vegetation, as well as the giant mountain itself, were distinctly
visible in all their glory. The summit rose cloudless and free; no
smoke came from the crater, nor could we discover a trace of snow as
we returned to our ship. We noticed several heaps of lava piled
upon the sea-shore, of a perfectly black colour.

Late in the evening we adjourned to an inn to refresh ourselves with
some good dishes, and afterwards returned to the steamer, which
weighed anchor at midnight.

October 6th.

We awoke in the harbour of Messina. The situation of this town is
lovely beyond description. I was so charmed with it that I stood
for a long time on deck without thinking of landing.

A chain of beautiful hills and huge masses of rock in the background
surround the harbour and town. Every where the greatest fertility
reigns, and all things are in the most thriving and flourishing
condition. In the direction of Palermo the boundless ocean is
visible.

I now bade farewell to the splendid steamer Hercules, because I did
not intend to proceed direct to Naples, but to make a detour by way
of Palermo.

As soon as I had landed, I proceeded to the office of the merchant
M., to whom I had a letter of recommendation. I requested Herr M.
to procure me a cicerone as soon as possible, as I wished to see the
sights of Messina, and afterwards to continue my journey to Palermo.
Herr M. was kind enough to send one of his clerks with me. I rested
for half an hour, and then commenced my peregrination.

From the steamer Messina had appeared to me a very narrow place, but
on entering the town I found that I had made quite a false estimate
of its dimensions. Messina is certainly built in a very straggling
oblong form, but still its breadth is not inconsiderable.

I saw many very beautiful squares; for instance, the chief square,
with its splendid fountain ornamented with figures, and a bas-relief
of carved work in bronze. Every square contains a fountain, but we
seldom find any thing particularly tasteful. The churches are not
remarkable for the beauty of their facades, nor do they present any
thing in the way of marble statues or finely executed pictures.

The houses are generally well built, with flat roofs; the streets,
with few exceptions, are narrow, small, and very dirty. An
uncommonly broad street runs