New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-06-27

recolectlCns the island OF Cspus, the scene Of the
pleasures and orgies Of the Emperor Tioerius. or
perhaps remember il ss e name alone but no
one y no bLs been to Naples, Tor being IN Naples
should imply a visit to Capri 10 one Who has
enjoyed the wild and varied scenery OF the island
and ts unique natural curosities or rested at the
" noble AID ancient inn Of Michael Psgsno, sat
down 10 dish Of saTdines fresh from the blue
ater almost beneath bis feet, and poured the de-
icioas olive oil Of Cspri LIS fish or bis salad,
and drank bumper Of Capri wine 70 the syren
who once sung and still silently sings in this spot
can ever forget Capri
If / venture 70 describe q place with which
every traveller is familiar it is becauie | was not
prepared myself BY the accounts Of Others TO Ind
50 much TO enjoy. Even on the way one finds
much that is interesting and beautiful.
Alter leaving the cars which had carried me
some fifteen miles on the shore Of the bay, l push
ed my way through the crowd Of hsckmen and
guides and set out on foot for Sorrento town
nearly opposite to Capri. The road follows the
sea at the foot OF chain Of high mountains and
insensiby winds its way up till as you turn to
look at the waves which were just now at yoor
side, you are surprised 70 hnd yourself thousand
feet above them. You see the foam upon the
rocks, but no murmur comes up, and the waves
look ike Summer ripples on inland lake From
this point the scenery is constantly varied and
beautiful The road cings 10 the side of the preci
nee st An immense hight. You look down upon
the sea or at the terraced slopes Of the mountains
covered W It'll olive trees from among which now
and then peeps some church whitewsshed cab
Nor the way crosses some deep rsvine and
passes little village, with its orange groves
laden with fruit. Now it carries you 10 among the
nils, and suddenly little opening discloses bit
Of blue sea and the gracefully curving line Of the
coast.
At Sorrento you may see divers relics Of the
Romans and the house where Tasso born
and if you are wise the sunrise will find you on
the boat on your way TO Capri. wish | could
describe that sunrise and could paint in words as
no colos can, how it first tnged the blue top OF
Vesuvius with delicate rose color, which gradu
ally spread around the horizon, then lighted up the
STAND before Us, and at last poured its iu food on
the
To begin geographically Capri j. an island
about three miles In length and nine Ia circumier
ence. The g'ester part of This circuit presents 10
the eye a build, PERCEPTIONS front, sometimes ris
iug 500 feet above tue waves You may hJet
along The deep water 1T the base, and strain your
eyes and neck in gazing upward until you fear the
rOcks will topple over. Something novel and
striking continually presents itself Grottoes at
tue level Of the sea or half way up the hight, or
namented with huge stsactltes, natural arches,
tunnels isolated crsgs, standing like castles IN the
sea. The interior Of the island is equally wild
There are not, probably, dozen continuous acres
uf level ground at any one point. The road or
-. 4
province OF the doDkey-is always up snd down a
staircase la the rock or a mountain path. From
the bit Of beach where you land on one side the
grouud gradually rises with slope more or less
steep, and swells away Ito several lofty cones,
the opposite sides OF which front the These
are covered with terraces 20 the very top, and a.
YOU Chamber up, in spots where it would seem
thst only goat would go, suddenly you hnd R iIt
tie spot no larger than that which every naa l.
entitled 10 claim once In ms lie, sowed with few
grains of wheat. At one point TINS Produces
very singular elect. The hills havc assumed the
the shape Of an amphitheAter, aud the terraces
complete the picture 50 that nothing seems want
lnc but few gsdistofs aud Roman audience TO
recall the days OF rberus. From the top OF the
mountain you look down upon tue sea just be-
meath your feet drop stone aud you may listen
u tue slow ticks OF your watch iorone-sxtn OF AMIN
ate before yoa hear its fall echo among the rocks
As you bend over, almost at the risk Of FALL the
stone thrown with all your strength Will fail short
OF IT,.
As II may be well imagined, some new and
beautiful prospect opens from every point The
ses, the opposite coast, the neighooring islands
without, and within the teraced slopes OF the
mountains, the villages and the peaks lost among
the clouds On the other side rises steep rock,
inaccessible except by long, long staircase which
winds up its side dld not count the steps bat 500
as given In the gude-books is certainly moderate
.stimate When YOU have reached the top you
find youtself suddenly amid vines aud " heat fields
they seem ike fields after your late experience
Of terrsce patches T.; sviiiage streets and houses,
open before YOU, and the nursery story OF Jack and
the Bean.stAlk wants nothing OF complete re
siizGton. This is Ana Capri At TINS elevation
is a population OF 1000 Nothing bat donkey
and be win difficulty, can make his way up these
formidable steps, but here are green fields, olives
and vines, and you may see men and women toll
lng up and down, with barrels aud sacks carry
ing away the products OF the soil, or bringing
back their purchases upon their heads. Every
tuing Is borne upon the head. Evea that terrace
which you see thousand feet above you has been
iertized with compost carried upon the head Of
some sborer and the little pittance which he gained
from 1t has found its way down IN the same man
ner.
Ana Capri is the highest part is the island
From its summit you may sweep the horizon for
so miles. Here | was fortunate enough 10 wit
aess beautiful phenomenon OF rare occurrence
although easily eXpicable sat with my com.
panion on the edge Of the precipce, looking down
upon the village OF Capri. A heavy cloud fJateo
past just at our feet. The was behind and
Threw our shadows upon II, snd suddenly they
'sppeared surrounded with several cOncentric pa
rs OF rainbow colors. At times the circles dimin-
shed 10 number and the colOrs grew faint, bat
thicker portion cf the cloud fosted by, they re
vived and increased again and at u mes there were
20 many as SIX or eight together. IL wss a most
5ssutiiui sight and one might well be psrdoned Tor
pronounc,ng IL a celestial vision, for there were
shadowy figures sted upon c.oud and grit with
sstiel c1iors. TIE which lay upon our
shoulders resembled sCepters ia their hands
Everybody has beard Of the Azure Grosto. even
Il they have forgotten 70 associate Il win Capri
TO reach II you AZ the foot Of the preclpIce
some distance, TIL the bostnsn stops before = low
arch IN the rock and pulls his boat along by the
side Of small tunnel until you dnd yourself IN q
iarge dome, W ish vsQlted roof OF stone. This would
ne carcus-but this Is not all. The boat longer
ioais upon sea water but upon a Liquid of the most
exquisite color. IL is blue, but such blue "a
aeiIher nature nor art have given elsewhere. II
might be called ultra-msrine, bat uitra-marine
Jsles by It's side. The blade of the oar az IL dips
lato the wave seems made of lapis lazali. Your
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