"Sicily, the largest most fertile, and most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea,...is separated from the mainland of Italy by the narrow Strait of Messina (2 miles wide). Its shape roughly resembles a triangle (whence the early Greek naviagtors gave it the name of Trinacria, the Three Cornered)-the eastern coast, from Capo di Faro in the north to Capo Passaro in the south, forming the base, and the northern and south-western coasts the sides, which gradually approach each other towards the north-west. Area, 9828 sq. m. (one third that of Scotland); of the compartimento (including adjacent islands), 9936 sq. m. Pop. (1881) 2,927,901; (1890) 3,285,472. Capo Passaro, at the south-eastern extremity, is only 56 miles from Malta; and Capo Boco, near Marsala, at the western, only 80 miles from Cape Bon on the African coast. The Strait of Messina is nearly everywhere over 150 fathoms deep; but its structure on both shores bear witness that the island was formerly a part of the mainland with which it has always been so closely connected politically. Of fourteen new forts for the protection of Messina and the straits five were finished in 1889.

Sicily is for the most part a plateau from 500 to 1900 feet above the level of the sea, and traversed throughout its northern half by a chain of mountains. The north and east coasts are steep and rocky, the south and west generally flat; the best harbours and the shortest rivers are found in the north. The mountain-chain may be looked upon as a continuation of the Alpennines. Beginning at Capo di Faro on the Strait of Messina, it runs in a south -south westerly direction as far as Taormina, where it turns off to the west, and stretches across the whole island. The first part of the chain, from Capo di Faro to Taormina, is called the Peloritan range, which in Monte Dinnamari attains the height of 3700 feet. The second and much the longer part is called the Nebrodian range; near the middle of the north coast it receives the local name of Le Madonie, and rises in the Pizzo d'Antenna to 6467 feet (the highest point in the island except Etna). Immediately to the west of the Madonie there is a notable depression, whose waters are carried off by the rivers Grande and Salso to the north and south coasts respectively; beyond this point the mountains for some distance maintain the character of a chain, but gradually lose this and break up into irregular and often detached masses, ending in the precipitous walls of Monte San Giuliano...which rises straight from the sea. About the centre of the chain a range branches off through the heart of the island to the south-east - at first wild and rugged, but afterwards smoothing down into tablelands, which in turn slope away tamely to the sea. There are innumerable other spurs to the south from the great northern chain, which rise in several peaks to over 5000 feet: Monte Cammarata reaches 5177 and Rocca Busambra 5299 feet. Tertiary limestones occupy most of the island; the Nebrodian rocks are mainly of Oligocene date. The lower mountain slopes are in general covered with groves of oranges and olives, and most of the plateau with field of wheat. The only extensive plain of special note is that of Catania (given up to vine-yards), out of which Etna rises to a height of 10,850 feet, with a base 400 miles in extent. Although rivers are numerous, none are navigable. The principal perennial streams are the Simeto, the Salso, the Platani, and the Belici. The largest lake is the Lagho di Lentini, near the east coast, which has an area of less than 4 1/2 square miles.

The climate of Sicily is warm and equable, especially on the north and east coasts. The mean temperature in the years 1871-86 ranged from 45 degrees F. in winter to 79 degrees F. in summer; during the same period the extremes recorded were 25 degrees F. in winter (Caltanisetta) and 118 degrees F. in summer (Palermo); but only for brief periods does the dry parching Sirocco (note: this is the wind from Africa) chiefly in the spring and early autumn, drive the thermometer up to over 100 degrees. Snow, seldom falls in the lowlands; on the Madonie, however, it lies till June, and on Etna till July; and the temperature in winter in the wretched mountain towns is often bitterly cold. The reckless destruction of the forests, for which the whole island anciently was famed, has wrought serious injury to both the climate and the soil. This process is still going on, and little is done in the way of reafforesting; yet magnificent relics of the primeval forest of oak and ilex are left on the Madonie and elsewhere, and in some districts beeches clothe the mountains to their very summits, and chestnuts, pines and enormous holly-trees flourish; on the other hand, wide tracts have been reduced to absolute sterility by the destruction of the woodlands.

Malaria is endemic in many parts-sometimes more so in the uplands than upon the coast. Nearly all the rain falls in the winter months, when the rivers are swollen to destructive torrents; in the long summer there are usually three months of drought, most of the streams dry up, and the hill-sides and plains are turned to brown, sunburnt desserts. Nevertheless the soil is naturally so fertile that even these causes and the ignorance and primitive methods of the people have not yet destroyed its marvellous productive power. Vegetation is everywhere lusuriant. Dwarf-palms abound in the south-west especially, and dates, Indian figs, agaves, prickly pears, oranges, lemons, olives, almonds, pomegranates, mulberries, and grapes are all largely grown. Sicily's wheat still represents a seventh of that of all Italy; and of the kingdom's barley, though the figures are much smaller, it raises one-half. Formerly corn was grown and exported at a profit; but of late years this can no longer be done, (this statement probably refers to the agricultural regulations that came about with unification of Italy in 1870) and, to-day the island's chief agricultural products are grapes, oranges and lemons, and sumach. (Note - since Italy joined the European Common Market, Sicily can no longer export lemons or oranges. They rot on the trees. However, the Sicilians are trying to make an alcoholic bevage out of them for export.J.A.) It sends out two-thirds of Italy's wine, which till the rupture of the commerical treaty with France was mainly exported thither for mixing purposes; of 'green fruit' it yields nearly nine-tenths of all the Italian crop, and sends large quantities to the United States and to Britain; and sumach, for tanning, is exported to the value of nearly a million sterling. But the Sicilians will change neither the methods nor the implements of their fathers. In many districts the soil is enfeebled by being per by being perpetually cropped with wheat, and only the rich supply of sunshine saves it from exhaustion; artificial manures are unknown, and good systems of irrigation and of rotation of crops are even more needed that the introduction of agricultural machinery. At present ploughs of rough-hewn branches, the wooden share thinly shed with iron, are in use, and the corn is usually threshed on the smoothese spot in or near the field - trampled by oxen and horses, who drag heavy stones after them - and winnowed by being thrown into the air. Cattle-rearing, in the usual sense of that term, is not attempted. Oxen and cows are bred for purposes of labour, not for the market or the dairy, and are sent old from the cart or plough to the butcher. But indeed in the interior little meat is eaten at all. Sicilian mutton is as tough as the beef, and has besides a very rank, wooly flavour. Goats are more common than sheep, and pigs are reared in great numbers in the mountainous tracts, and in the small towns overrun the streets and act as scavengers. There is no regular pasturage for flocks and heards, which live entirely in the open air, and usually gather a subsistence as they can; when straw and cactus-leaves fall they are in some parts fed on the rinds of oranges and lemons. (Note: another change with unification is that church lands were confiscated by the Italian goverment & in many areas this was the public grazing area for cities, towns, and villages. J.A.)

Butter, mostly imported in tins, is known only in the large towns, and the cheeses of the island, chiefly made from goats' and ewes' milk, are hard and bitter.
After agriculture the production of sulphur is the most important occupation. This is the only mineral product obtained on a large scale, and forms the essential resource of Sicily; but it too is separated from the ore by a very primitive process. There are some 300 mines in the island, and 350,000 tons have been exported in a year; in 1888, however, when the lowest record was touched, the export fell to about half this amount. The rich deposits of rock-salt are scarcely worked at all, though bay-salt is largely made in the salt-pans on the east and west coasts. (Note: Salt was heavily taxed by the Italian government. It was necessary for cooking & preserving food. Sicilians, who attempted to make their own from sea-water, were punished, if caught.) Fishing, especially for the sardine and tunny, occupies a large number of the people; the coral-fishery has greatly declined. Amber is found and worked jin Catania. Manufactures are few and of little consequence-some machinery, cement, crockery, gloves, macaroni, and soap nearly exhaust the list. Commerce is mainly in the hands of English, Germans, and Swiss. Over 30,000 vessels yearly enter the sixty ports, and trade as a whole has developed rapidly since 1860. It is, however, much hampered in the interior by the scarcity of good roads - the whole island in 1889 boasted only 3200 miles; 611 miles of railway were built between 1863 and 1890.

As a consequence of the successive foreign settlements on the island the population is rather a conglomerate one; in the east the Greek element prevails, and the people are superior to those in the west, where Arab blood is strongest. (Note: I am quoting what is written. Also, I am typing the words and sentence structure & long paragraphs as they are written. J.A.) In some places in the interior the dialect of the Lombards survives in their descendants, and near Palermo (Piana dei Greci, &c.) both Greek usages and Greek costumes are to be found. The general dialect of the island differs markedly from that of the mainland, as does also the appearance of the country. Most of the farms are small; but in any case the traveler cannot be struck with the absence of farm-buildings and houses. The labourers as a rule herd in the small towns, walking wherever possible to their work every morning, and otherwise, in spring and harvest, sleeping in temporary conical huts of straw. The crops are guarded, and the losses of tenants from predatory animals, &c. certified by mounted guards in the pay and uniform of the chief proprietors. Wages range from 1s. (shilling, remember this was published in Great Britain. J.A.) to 2s. per day, without food; the peasant seldom tastes even goat's flesh, and lives on black bread, onions, beans, herbs, prickly pears, bitter cheese, and weak wine; the boy swineherds receive only bread, and find water for themselves. The houses of these labourers consist usually of one room in a town perched on the top of a hill or mountain, shared with such poultry and pigs as they may have; the place is dirty, cold, with a titled roof through which the smoke escapes and the rain enters, the bed being, when possible, sheltered by a strip of matting. The roadway in front commonly serves for latrine and dressing room. The houses of the craftsmen are no cleaner, but possess titled floors and more decent furniture. As to the better classes, they are confined to the cities: there are proprietors in Sicily, but no country gentlemen, nor any houses for them; country life there is absolutely none. Even market towns are unknown; only sometimes fiars are held in the interior. But in spite of his wretched life, labouring from sunrise to sunset all through the year, and steeped in poverty to the lips, the Sicilian is manly and independent, good humoured and obliging, prudent and steady in his habits. Under proper direction he will work hard and cheerfully, and his patience and resignation to his lot are truly 'Oriental': 'come Dio vuole' is but the 'kismet' spirit localised. He is also, however, deceitful, taking pride in his cunning, is heartlessly cruel to animals ('they are not baptised,' he explains) and can be sullen and treacherous and vindictive. In homicides, which occur almost daily, Sicily leads the rest of Italy; and robberies and thefts are very frequent. Brigandage on the grand scale has been put down, but cases of less note do occur still from time to time, and bands of highwaymen occasionally attack even carriages escorted by carabinier. The Maffia is not dead yet, and the vendetta (worn down by affectionated familiarity to 'vinnitta') is preferred to more legal methods of punishment. This state of things is largely to be traced to the low rate of wages and the excessive taxes, and to the deficient administration of justice; the two former causes certainly are responsible for the emigration of thousands of Sicilians every year to America. In religion, the people are devout, and superstitious to a degree. They are very illiterate; three in every four can neither read nor write. Education is free and compulsory, but the law is not very strictly enforced. In 1888 there were 3340 elementary schools in the island, 13 normal schools, 67 licei &c., 46 technical schools, besides government technical institutes, industrial schools, schools of mercantile marine, a military college at Palermo, schools of agriculture and universities at Catania, Messina, and Palermo. The island is divided into seven provinces...and its chief towns are Palermo (pop. in 1890, 267,416) Nessuba (142,000), and Catania (109,687)"......This was published in Great Britain in the year 1892.