Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/332

342 greatly pleased with the island, especially with its lofty, formerly volcanic summit, its green, dales, its extensive views over the sea; and when we discovered, close to our excellent hotel, a little villa and garden, on a rock looking out upon the sea, with a spacious piazza, overshadowed with a leafy vine, and a handsome and eloquent young host, then we at once decided upon staying there some days, that is to say, myself, Mrs. M. and Mr. N.; Mr. S. wishing to return to Naples, but promising afterwards to join us there.

The day after our arrival, was the festival of Corpus Domini, on the island. The people decorated with flowers and finery the altars which were erected at intervals in the open air, and prepared lamps and crackers for the evening's procession. At the hour of Ave Maria, the procession made its appearance with a full military band, which played a thundering march, and the crackers went off, and the lamps were lighted the whole length of the way through the valley and up to Casa Micciala church. The scene was beautiful, very noisy, and without any sentiment of devotion.

The island is green as the color of hope, even the hills are green almost to the very peak, Epomeo, which raises its boldly, pyramidal form, fifteen hundred feet above the sea. Around its base, shine out little knolls, golden with yellow broom. The volcano has been extinct for six centuries, ever since the year 1245, when, in a terrible eruption, its lava overflowed half the island. Small towns, and a great number of country-houses, now shine out white on the terraces and shore of the island, amongst cacti,