Aft;er leaving Nicolo'si, twelve imles up the mountain,
in an hour and a half s traveUng, over barren ashes
and lava, we arrived on the con'fines of the woody
region, or temperate zone. As soon as we came to
these delightful forests, we seemed to have entered
another world. The air, which before was sultry and
hot, was now cool and refreshing ; and every breeze
was loaded with a thousand per^ftimes, the whole
ground being covered with the richest aromatic plants.
Many parts of this region are surely the most delight-
ful spots upon earth.
3. This mountain unites every beauty and every
horror, and the most opposite and dissimilar objects in
nature. Here you observe a gulf, that formerly threw
out torrents of fire, now covered with the most luxur
riant vegetation, and from an object of terror become
one of delight. Here you gather the most delicious
fruit, rising from what was but lately a barren rock.
Here the ground is covered with flowers; and we
wander over these beauties, and contem'plate this wil-
derness of sweets, without considering that, under our
feet, but a few yards separate us from lakes of liquid
fire and brimstone.
