Frasers of Philorth > Volume 1

THE FRASEES OF PHILORTH, LORDS SALTOUN. 229
of which the 1 2 miles nearest Syracuse is rocky and hilly, tmt not mountain.
From Catania on the north-east to Messina is about 60 miles ; all lava near
the town for about 1 miles, and the rest of the way all mountains. Catania
is at the base of Etna, which rises at once from it on the north side of the
town. The said town of Catania, which was our headquarters, is surrounded
with lava, the stream on the south side being about 2 miles wide, and the
one on the north-east, as I said before, about 1 miles. The superstition that
prevails there is that when the great eruption took place, Santa Agatha
came and spread her veil before the stream of lava, which divided into two,
and the town was saved ; she is therefore the great lady here, and on her day
they have a grand Festa, and the priests pass a veil of some prepared stuff
through the fire, and as it does not burn, the natives are convinced it is the
identical veil that turned the lava ; and a very abrupt and well pronounced
hill, that lies to the north of the town, and did actually turn the lava in the
two directions, gets no credit at all. . . . We reached Sicily about the middle
of December 1806, having coasted along the whole island, from the little
island of Marstino to the town of Messina at the head of the strait of that
name, having sailed along a most beautiful mountainous country, in many
places, particularly near Messina, studded with villas, having Etna in view
the whole time ; and one of the finest sights was to see the sun strike
the top of Etna on rising, which it did about five minutes before you saw it,
and lit the mountains down by degrees till you were aware that the sun was
up, also the snow on the top, when first struck by the sun, looking like an
immense ball of fire.
"We were not permitted to land at Messina, but sent at once to our
respective quarters, which were as follow : — The Flank Battalion to Syra-
cuse ; the right wing 3 rd Battalion Augusta ; the 1 st Battalion and the left
wing of the 3 rd at Catania ; and the left wing of the 3 rd was afterwards sent
to Contessa, a small village near Messina. ... So the Guards occupied the
whole coast from Messina to Syracuse, a distance of about 100 miles."
Although there was no actual fighting during the eight or nine months
that the battalion remained in Sicily, yet the enemy being on the other side
of the strait of Messina, a strict watch had to be kept upon their movements,
and all to be in readiness to repel any attempt to cross over into the island.