Once out of the Adriatic a sharp lookout was kept, but the coast of Sicily was made without seeing any sails of a suspicious character.
The lads were struck with surprise and admiration when, on coming on deck in the morning, they saw the great cone of Etna lying ahead of them.

Neither of them had ever seen a mountain of any size, and their interest in the scene was heightened by a slight wreath of smoke, which curled up from the summit of the hill.
"It is well worth a voyage, if it were only to see that mountain," Francis said.

"What an immense height it is, and how regular in its shape!" "And yet," Matteo said, "those who have journeyed from Italy into France tell me that there are mountains there beside which Etna is as nothing.

These mountains are a continuation of the range of hills which we can see from Venice.

Their tops are always covered with snow, and cannot be ascended by man; whereas it is easy, they say, to reach the top of Etna." "Yes, that looks easy enough," Francis agreed.