In the direction of Palermo the boundless ocean is visible.
I now bade farewell to the splendid steamer Hercules, because I did not intend to proceed direct to Naples, but to make a detour by way of Palermo.
As soon as I had landed, I proceeded to the office of the merchant M., to whom I had a letter of recommendation.

I requested Herr M.
to procure me a cicerone as soon as possible, as I wished to see the sights of Messina, and afterwards to continue my journey to Palermo.
Herr M.was kind enough to send one of his clerks with me.

I rested for half an hour, and then commenced my peregrination.
From the steamer Messina had appeared to me a very narrow place, but on entering the town I found that I had made quite a false estimate of its dimensions.

Messina is certainly built in a very straggling oblong form, but still its breadth is not inconsiderable.
I saw many very beautiful squares; for instance, the chief square, with its splendid fountain ornamented with figures, and a bas-relief of carved work in bronze.

Every square contains a fountain, but we seldom find any thing particularly tasteful.