"The three upper craters produced two or three times a minute,
powerful detonations like thunderclaps. The lower craters, on the
contrary, incessantly gave forth a succession of reports too rapid
to be reckoned. These sounds, although unremitting, were clear and
distinct, the one from the other. I can find no better comparison
for them than the strokes of a hammer falling on an anvil. Had the
ancients heard a similar noise, I can readily conceive whence arose
the idea of their imagining a forge in the centre of Etna, with the
Cyclops for workmen."

Off the eastern coast of Sicily, and not far from Mount Etna, lie
the Cyclopean Isles, of one of which the annexed woodcut gives a
representation. You will observe what a singular appearance it
presents, with its rows of basaltic columns piled one above
another. The other isle is close by, and there is an ancient
tradition that they at one time formed part of the mainland of
Sicily. Homer has a curious story about the manner in which they
became detached. The passage occurs towards the end of the ninth
book of the Odyssey. He tells that, at the time Ulysses visited
Sicily, it was inhabited by the Cyclops, who, as already mentioned,
were said to have had each only one eye, situated in his forehead.
Their king's name was Polyphemus, a huge giant who beguiled Ulysses
and a portion of his crew into a cave, where he killed some of the
crew and devoured them for his supper. Ulysses, fearing his turn
might come next, persuaded Polyphemus to taste some strong wine he
had with him, and filled him so tipsy that he fell fast asleep.
While he was in this state, Ulysses burnt out his one eye with a
red-hot iron. The giant awoke in agony, but Ulysses contrived to
escape from his clutches, and, after getting into his ship, began