Katana, according to fabulous legends, is considered one of the oldest cities not only on the entire island, but even in the whole world. The ancient Litonis say that this city was founded by the Cyclopes of Mount Etna, who are called the first inhabitants of Sicily after the global flood.
Other writers claim that the city was built by Deucalon and his wife Pyrrha, when the waters merged and cleared the base of the mountain, which is why it was allegedly named Kati-Etna, that is, the city of Etna.
Sifg gives the main income to the residents of Katana, who receive for it, zi snow, up to two thousand Dutch ducats. Etna supplies ice and snow not only to all of Sicily, but to Malta and most of Itami. This is a delicacy and luxury here; even simple peasants swallow the senfa with admiration, and there is not a rich house in Italy that does not serve ice cream of all kinds three times a day. The Catanians say: “It would be better if there was a shortage of bread, bm shortage in SNFGB.” Etna cools them in the summer, and grows them in the winter, abundantly supplying them with firewood.
Among the main eruptions that devastated Catania, one must certainly count the one that occurred in 1669. I went to see the place where the lava poured over the wall into the city: that, of course, was a terrible and wondrous sight! In this place, the wall is ten sazhen high; it is thick and its foundation is solid; otherwise it would not have withstood the tide of this incandescent, thick mass, which rose to such a height, and then spilled over into the city, where it broke and destroyed everything in its path. Then a large part of the city and its inhabitants perished. Another, equally strong eruption occurred in 1693. An earthquake in that same year completed the destruction of Catania. Almost all the houses fell down and a large part of the inhabitants perished under their ruins. I mentioned the last, also disastrous earthquake, which happened in 1783. The Catanians are confident in the help of Saint Agatha; but every time, at the appearance of danger, seized with fear, they are indignant at their saint, extinguish the lamps burning before her image, and tear the crowns from it; and as soon as the danger passes, they repent, pray, and weep. True Italians!
Speaking about the eruptions of Etna and the ruins of Katana, I cannot help but mention a miraculous event: many will even consider it fabulous, but it really happened here, although it was a long time ago. It is known that the city lacked only a pier, and Etna suddenly produced it, in the 10th century. Lava, during a strong eruption, poured into the sea, forming a dam, or a wall, into a pier, so vast and solid that people, with no skill or restraint, could have made it like this. This formed a calm haven under the city. Unfortunately, the next eruption swept away this harbor and destroyed everything that the first one had produced useful.
Early in the morning I finally got ready to go to Etna. I had an experienced guide, rgaiso a55ey (quite experienced), and an equally experienced horse. The weather was favorable because the clouds obscured the sun; therefore it was not very hot. The road from Katana to the mountains lies to the north. Having driven about seven miles, we often hit the first village, Kanalieeto. Then we entered the large village of Trapito. From here the road went uphill, and we, after passing through several more villages, stopped at an inn called Fondaco. There was excellent parking for our donkeys and horses: there was a two-foot stall in the stables; That's why there isn't a corner for people. This courtyard is quite similar to the Turkish Khans; and why not’ assume- | 31 "to live, that he was the khan during the Saracens, who ruled Sitsimey for so long? We could not get a single piece of bread in it. Fortunately, I stocked up on something in KatanB, for myself and for my people. I had to throw it on the floor, and so eat it: there was no chair, no table, not even a bench. I asked the half-wild man, the owner, how far away to the glorious chestnut tree, Centocavali (°)) He told me that after four hours of quiet riding, we set off again with pleasure. antiquity, and long-extinct vents. After one hour there we saw slabs of old lava flow. I was told that they belong to the eruption that took place in KHUT so much. Here the ground was covered with juniper. We all climbed the mountain, and an hour later we arrived in the chestnut forest, where this glorious tree is located: