4–10 March 1833

Yesterday at noon I left Messina in the steam- boat and passed betwixt Scylla and Charybdis, which have long lost their terrors, probably fabu- lous at first. Then saw I Stromboli, and the Li- pari Islands, and smoke ascending from the crater of the first, and as night grew darker, a faint light of fire. Three very pleasant Englishmen recently from Naples and about to travel in Greece were on board. All the English I have yet seen, I have found courteous, contrary to report. Palermo is afinesightfrom the sea. Bold, mountainouscoast like all the north and east of Sicily. 1 60,000 in- habitants. Arrived on shore at 9 o'clock and passed the usual gauntlet of petty extortions. My lessons cost me much. Visited the con- sul.