d we do not now expose our bedrock of paganism
quite so openly. This, indeed, but for the slight veneer of
Christianity, might have passed for a downright pagan procession.

In 1894, _L'Aurora Consurgens della Cantica_ was the subject. There were
twelve figures showing the growth of idolatry and culminating with the
Emperor Julius Caesar who, it will be remembered, accepted worship as a
god; moreover, his death having occurred not half a century before the
birth of Christ, he was naturally followed by the Aurora, symbolizing the
Madonna di Custonaci, and the explanatory pamphlet contained a reference
to the _Song of Solomon_ vi. 10: "Who is she that looketh forth as the
morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with
banners?" After the Aurora came the Rising Sun, Faith, Christian
Civilization, Mount Eryx, Charity and Youth--meaning, probably, that
Christianity will never grow old. In conclusion came a car with a copy
of the sacred picture and a chorus of youths.

It would seem that the personages formerly appeared on foot, for the
earliest record states that in 1750 they appeared for the first time on
horseback. In 1897 the subject was _Jael_, and the cavalcade consisted
of eight figures, of whom Deborah, seated in the shade of a palm tree
surrounded with a chorus of damsels, Jael in the tent with Sisera nailed
to the ground, and Triumph, appeared on cars, each of the others being on
horseback and the horses being led by grooms suitably attired. A
nocturnal procession, whether the figures go on foot, on horseback, or on
cars, does not strike one as being a particularly favourable medium for
the telling of a story. Nevertheless, by choosing a subject with which
the people are more or less familiar, by emphasizing the climax and by
providing an explanatory pamphlet for 2d., a more satisfactory result is
produced than one would have supposed probable, as I realized when I saw
the procession in August, 1901. The sacred picture had been on the
mountain since 1893, an unusually long time, and was now to be taken back
to the sanctuary at Custonaci, which, during its absence, had been
beautified "in the Gothic style." The two events of the Procession and
the Return synchronizing, there was a double festa, lasting four days on
the mountain and four days more at Custonaci.

CHAPTER X--THE UNIVERSAL DELUGE

On the morning of Sunday, 25th August, 1901, every one on Monte San
Giuliano was