Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-04-10

was none, and if there was who knew the way? "Se-
nores said the hostler in soothing one perceying our
distress Of mind "you had better pay me- and allow
the pleasure of putting the horses i'm We considered
the advice and took it. There universal shout Of
laughter as the position cracked his whip and drove
rattling out Of Lentin. turned to look back as we
ascended the hi and caught glimpse Of the hostler
who was still bowling to with the utmost gravity and
politeness. If ever meet that Pennsylvania
avenue, it is my settled intention to do him personal
violence.
From Lentni to Syracuse the distance by the public
road is about twenty -four miles, making the entire dis
from Catana forty -four miles After leaving the
valley Of the Smeo the country becomes barren and rug
gcd and there is very little to attract the attention Of the
traveller What the appearance of the country may be in
spring had Of ascertaining; but certainly
desoate picture Of poverty and barrenness
than presents in the month Of October. Naked
hills of parched earth and bleak rocks few miserable
vineyards either entirely without fencing or surrounded
by ragged hedges Of prcky pear villages rudey built Of
stone, without shade comfort and in wretched state
of ruin; occasional mule with load driven by
Of beard and rags;a gang Of beggars voracious
pack Of wild beasts here and there half-naked and
withered woman, with the air and features of man.
scratching the ground with hoe, totering under
heavy burden while her husband lies basking in the
itters of dirty children roofing in the mud without
ing of any kindthese the sights that the
road to the ancient city Of the Sum- the abode of gods
whose shrnes no longer burn.
In few hours from Lentni we had good view of the
Cape ST. Croce and the town Of Agosta Goyanna Power
whose Guida di Stella" have before me- says Of
Agosta that it is supposed have risen out of the ruins
of Megara, and Megara from those of the little Keybla
1t there according to Herodotus that the people
sold at auction, in the time Of Gelon.
From an emnence, approached Syracuse, we had
very pretty view of Ortgia the only inhabited part of
the ancient city 1t is built island connected the
main land by long pier and bridge, and strongly fort
fed by high walls forts, and castles.
The number of gates bridges fortified arches and vault
ed passages through which is driven before he
fairly consider himself within the walls of Orga quite
surpass all powers of computation When the diligence
stopped Of the outer gates, carefully in
spected by couple of officers in ashy uniforms and fea
thers who politely requested to allow them the plea
Of looking at passports One stood little in
the background with pens ink, and paper in his hand
he evidently subordinate character notwithstand-
ing the brilancy of his pumage, which, from hasty
tmate calculated to consist Of the tails of three game
cocks the other portly man. of grave and dignfed
demeanor rich tin buttons and red cloth epauettes and
with moustache that would have done credit the Go
hmself in fact thought at FIRST that he the
Governor, imposing his personal appearance The
passports he opened slowly and cautiously either from
habtual contempt of the value of time latent susp-
cion that they contained squbs Of gunpowder and at
last when he had fairly spread them out with the sigma
lures inverted he carefully the for five
minutes and then calmly addressed us in bad italian
"Your Names Sgnores If you please" Our friend the
Portuguese being the Oldest accorded the privilege
of speaking nrst MY name, Sisnor, is Mendoza, and
this lady my wife, "Gratza signor" Then, turning
to the subordinate, Put that down-Men-z-z-2-2 Va
bn After other questions as to profession, place
of nativity &C., he turned to the Engshman, g Your
name, signor ?" "Mne? Ny name is Norval: on the
Grampian hills my father feeds his Aocks, frugal
swain"- Excuse, signor, what did you say? "Smith
John Smith, if you like it better" Va 6ene, signor
put that down: Giovanna smiz; no. Semmit-Giovanna
Semmit" The with the tails of the game-cocks in
his hat put it down "And your NAME Signor ?? turn
ing to your humble Sir" said l. with dash
of honest pride in the thought that was giving name
known in the remotes Of the globe My name is
Brown-John Brown, Americana" "Gratzia Signor,"
said the officer bowling as Aattered myself,
profoundly than he had bowed to my friend John Smith
I" Put that down-Giovanna Brovvenn" " BRowS J"
said for had idea of having honest name so bar
barously Italianized. "S, Signor, Brurren." "No !"
said /, sterny, "not Bruvven-BRows, sir" "Si
Signor-BRUIs" And Bruin was written down by the
feathered man and stands my to this day in the
official archives of Syracuse-Govann BRUrS, or John
Bear
After this pleasant little passage Of official dignity and
governmental wisdom, ratified drawbridge,
and under arch, and through half dozen gates and
up long pier and through gates, and finally
into 0rgia modern Syracuse where ratified through
nterminable labyrinth Of and dirty streets
postlon alternately cracking polkas with his whip and
blowing his brains through his horn scattering the aston
shed inhabitants in all directions, and running lazy
dogs in his mad At last we brought up the
Hotel del So where dragged out Of the diligence
by whole regiment Of ragged gnas, and piloted into
the dark Of the Sole by the Padrona
| At this Hotel were fortunate to secure
the services Of guide, who not only accomplish
ed cicerone but artist Of considerable merit and the
author Of work the antiquities of Syracuse. have
forgotten his name but any body who visits 0rtga
fail to recognise him in the elegant person Of young
man. little blaze in his manners who lounges gracefully
about the Sole and does things up as rala de place with
the resigned air Of gentleman Of broken fortune who
has been reduced the necessity Of barterng his cas
cal knowledge and personal services for the contemplate
of dollar per diem He will converse with you
art and history point out to you all the antiquities Of
Syracuse sell you his pictures attend to your passport
umbrella that your boots are BACKED and
go of for the miserable pttance Of dollar
day; and If you like he will 90 with you to the opera
and tell you the history Of the prma donna and Of each
of the chorus-singers Individually For my part took
it rather compliment that fashionable looking
ehnuld he secn In my nd notwithsand-