TRA.PANI, a province of Sicily, comprises the western extremity of that island, and is bounded N.E. by the provinces of Palermo and Girgenti, being separated from the latter by the river Belice, the ancient Hypsa. The area is 1358 square miles, and the population 182,800. [SICILY.] The province is divided into three districts, Trapani, Mazzara, and Alcamo, and 21 communes. Trapani, the capital, is noticed in the next article [Tnerasas] Ascalio and MARSALA are also subjects of separate articles. Martara and Salami are noticed under SICILY (VOL iv., col. 562). costa Vetrano, about 12 miles E. from Mazzara, inland, is an old-lookiog town, built on a bill, in a fertile country, producing good wine and abounding with cattle, It has several churches and convents, an old castle, and several palaces. Six miles S. from Castel Vetrano is the site of the anoient Sdinus, on the sea coast, with the ruins of several temples, cousisting of extensive heaps of broken columns, capitals, and ether fragments. Fragments of marble, alti-rilievi of curious workmanship, were discovered in 1822, among the ruins. East of Salemi, in the mountains, is Chbellitta, with a cantle and 5000 inhabitants. Farther north is Calatifimi, a town of 10,000 inhabitants, with several fine churches. The best cheese in Sicily is made in its territory. A few miles west of Alcamo, in the midst of a solitude, are the remains of &vat°, consisting of a fine Dories temple in good preservation, the ruins of a theatre, stud part of the city walla. Parfousa, an inland town cast of Castel Vetrano, has about 10,000 inhabitant*. Near Trapani is the town of San asiliesie, on the top of Mount Eryx (21S4 feet high), with about 0000 inhabitant& San Giuliano has fFrown up round the site of the famous temple of Venus Erycina, which is now occupied by a cattle used as a prison. The temple was strongly fortified in ancient times. The city of Eryz was situated about half-way up the mountain.
The islands of Favignaits, Levanzo, and Marctimo, as well as tho smaller group of the A:gades, and the email islands near Cape Lily Neon), one of which is the ancient Motya, early colonised by the Plicenicians, and subsequently a stronghold of the Carthaginians, an early Phoenician colony, belong to the administrative province of Trapani. [Swim]
TItA'l'ANI, a town on the north-west coast of Sicily, built on the site of the ancient Dtepanutn, on a point of land projecting into the sea, and facing the island of Levauzo, which is 10 miles west from it. The port of Drepanutn was a place of traffic from the oldest times on record, and its Greek name, • Drepanon (a scythe), is expressive of the form of the promontory on which it stands. There are how ever no remains of antiquity at Trapani. On an insulated rock which stands at the entrance of the harbour is a small fort called Colnin bara. The harbour of Trapani is formed by nature, being no inlet of the sea between the promontory and the mainland, protected on the west by the rock above mentioned, but open to the south-west wind. Trapani is one of the principal porta of Sicily, and carries on a con siderable trade. One of the chief articles of export is salt, which is obtained by the evaporation of the sea-water in the extensive salterna along the coast. Great numbers of tunny fish are caught in May and June; the fish is pickled and largely exported to Italy. The coral fishery is another branch of trade. Boats from Trapani gather the coral along the coast of Barbary, after which it is worked in the town for export. Great quantities of anchovies are also caught along the coast in February, March, and April, and cured for export. Sumach is also exported. Trapani has a collegiate church, numerous other churches and convents, among which those of the Jesuits and Carmelites are most worthy of notice; a handsome town-house, with a fine facade adorned with the statues of Philip V. of Spain and of Victor Amadeus of Savoy, both kings of Sicily; several palaces of the nobility, a royal college, an orphan asylum, several hospitals, moute-di-pieth, and about 24,000 iohabitauts. The town is inclosed by wall., and is defended by a fortress. The streets are wide and well-paved.