The most suitable time for ascending Etna.--The Ascent commenced.-- Nicolosi.--Etna mules.--Night journey through the upper Regions of the mountain.--Brilliancy of the Stars.--Proposed Observatory on Etna.--The Casa Inglesi.--Summit of the Great Crater.--Sunrise from the summit.--The Crater.--Descent from the Mountain.-- Effects of Refraction.--Fatigue of the Ascent. CHAPTER IV. TOWNS SITUATED ON THE MOUNTAIN. 62 Paterno.--Ste. Maria di Licodia.--The site of the ancient town of Aetna.--Biancavilla.--Aderno.--Sicilian Inns.--Adranum.--Bronte.-- Randazzo.--Mascali.--Giarre.--Aci Reale.--Its position.--The Scogli de'Ciclopi.--Catania, its early history, and present condition. CHAPTER V. ERUPTIONS OF THE MOUNTAIN. 79 Their frequency within the historical period.--525 B.C.--477 B.C.-- 426 B.C.--396 B.C.--140 B.C.--134 B.C.--126 B.C.--122 B.C.-- 49 B.C.--43 B.C.--38 B.C.--32 B.C.--40 A.D.--72.--253.--420.--812.-- 1169.--1181.--1285.--1329.--1333.--1371.--1408.--1444.--1446.--1447.-- Close of the Fifteenth Century.--1536.--1537.--1566.--1579.--1603.-- 1607.--1610.--1614.--1619.--1633.--1646.--1651.--1669.--1682.-- 1688.--1689.--1693.--1694.--1702.--1723.--1732.--1735.--1744.--1747.-- 1755.--Flood of 1755.--1759.--1763.--1766.--1780.--1781.--1787.-- 1792.--1797.--1798.--1799.--1800.--1802.--1805.--1808.--1809.--1811.-- 1819.--1831.--1832.--1838.--1842.--1843.--1852.--1865.--1874.-- General character of the Eruptions. CHAPTER VI. GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY OF THE MOUNTAIN. 114 Elie de Beaumont's classification of the rocks of Etna.--Hoffman's geological map.--Lyell's researches.--The period of earliest eruption.--The Val del Bove.--Two craters of eruption.--Antiquity of Etna.--The lavas of Etna.--Labradorite.--Augite.--Olivine.-- Analcime.--Titaniferous iron.--Mr. Rutley's examination of Etna lavas under the microscope. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.