Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-09-19

the European correspondent of the Cleveland
True Democrat:
The Campo SantO or Cemetery of Ma
pIes-AlOde of lnterment-CampO SAN
TO Nova.
NAPLES, July 10, 1853.
The "Campo Santo,' the famous burial ground
of Naples, consists of an immense paved square,
enclosed by walls, and containing three hundred
and sixty FIVE vaults There is an opening 10 ev-
cry vault, the only mode of entrance 10 these dis
NAL abodes, which is covered by a stone slab that
may be easily removed. Each day of the veal, One
of these slabs are lifted, the bodies of the poor
brought there, ARE thrown into the vault when it is
closed until the same day of the following year.
Yesterday evening we went to see the place,and
were witnesses of the strange and painful ceremo.
ny of interment. Only tile Custode was present
when we first entered. 1t was O'Clock, yet the
heated walls and pavements prevented the fresh
ness of the evening air from being felt; pecul-
iar death like smell pervaded the place, or 10
iulagnatIons seemed to do SO, while quantities of
large crawling insects covered the walls, and ran
along the pavement. Truly, here were all the
earthly horrors of death; lis desolalion and gloom
lughtfuy apparent land Of its beauty and divinity
no trace.
The implem enis for raising the slabwere ready
and the 'Custode' raised II at once that " might
d
before, had opened to receive the bodies cast
into it. We waited until the sitting gas issuing
from it should escape, and then, for a moment,
looked into its gloomy depths, where we could
dimly see the floor, covered with skulls and whit
ened bones and decaying bodies.
1t was a painful sight We turned away, and
would have left the place, if prizes, who entered
at the moment, had not detained u.s. 'The cere-
moay was about to begin, he said, and it would
be worth our while TO wait and see it, We did
so. In few minutes ,iourmen approached bear
ing rude box in their arms, Instead of Il coffin.
They were followed in quick succession by many
others. Four or FIVE small collins were brought;
one tiny thing carried by three boys, who wept as
they advanced brothers no doubt, of the little dead
child. | noticed one man standing at some dis
lance from the rest with gloomy brow, and arms
folded over his breast He, too, was relative OF
the deceased. Generally, the immediate relatives
do not bring the bodies to this, their final resting
place, bat consign the melancholy task to friends,
or engage it to be done by strangers. Scarcely a
day passes however, I'VE are told without some of
the bereaved ones coming 10 weep and mourn over
the tomb of their friends, and scenes Of passionate
grief, of tragic violence often witnessed in this
obscure spot, which find no tongue to give them
utterance, because not surrounded by any setting
Of circumstances TO give them value. Yet they
guss up as deep from that only fountain of inspir-
alton, the heart, as any tale of agony which poets
have sung or man has wept over.
The first coffin was now opened. We did not
approach, being told it contained the body of one
who had been killed the day before by falling from
an immense height, and was dreadfuly mangIed.
The man who had been standing apart, now came
up to us,as if impelled by some irresistible desire,
and began to speak OF the deceased telling US what
dr,ir 40 hah ad hOtx h.,
was, and how well and happy only the day before,
from what height he had fallen, and other partic-
ulars. Tears were in his eyes he spoke, but he
assumed savage sort of calmness, or an effort at
calmness, that more moving than any violent
expression Of grief would have been.
The next coffin that was opened contained the
body of little girl--a beautiful Italian child of
some three or four summers, with black hair and
long dark eyeashes resting her cold cheek.
Poor little thng No kind mother, or gentle fiiend
had clothed her in white robes, or scattered flowers
over her bier; the filthy rags she had long worn,
scarcely covered her little body, and the brown
face and hands, not pare and clean as they should
have been, told sad tale Of poverty and neglect
But the kiss of death had impaired look of d.
vinity to her sweet face, which shoue through
dirt and rags ,and seemed to whisper Of the chd's
freed and happy spirit. There is the look of
God in it,, murmured an old man standing by
The third coffin contained the body of little
infant that could not have been more than few
daysold, with lovely peaceful face; another that
of a man who must have died after long and Sc
we're illness, so fearluly emaciaIed was he. As
the child, he, too, had only rags cast over him;
but as in hers, so in his face there was holy
expression, that, in the calmness Of death, tr-
umphed over the anxietien and passions Of life.
1t was a noble counlenance, upon which the
marks of patience and long suffering were now,
for the first time, made truly visible All Of the
bodies had carnation placed betH the lips,
placed there, | presume, TO prevent the flower
from being lost,as would have been the case, had
it been only cast upon them. Whether this is
intended as symbol, or is a mere custom, did
not learn.
When all the collins had been opened, the
priest sprinked the bodies, one by one, with wa
ter, and muttered few words of prayer over
them. They were then dropped into the vault.
had stepped back TO be out of sight and sound
of this part of the ceremony; but as for an instant
turned my head, saw the body of the old man
| have spoken of, held over the opening. The
head had fallen back, making the pale emacated
face visible moment, then, with dull, heavy
plash, it fell The poor little baby was dropped
in next, scarcely causing soand to be heard, as
its fragile body reached the ground.
| regretted to have Witnessed the scene. Such
sancty fingers about the body which has been
so intimately connected with the soul, even after
that soul has gone, AMI it has ceased live that
it caunot be otherwise than painful to see it
touchedi with sacrilegious hands,
As it was still early, and the evening most de-
lightful, we concluded to visit the "Campo Santo
Nova" and thilher we went How different
was the scenel The new Cemetery is situated
upon quite an elevation, overlooking the bay and
much of the country surrounding Naples. The
grounds are admirably laid out, the tombslones
are of pure marble, and oftasteful designs, and
flowers are growing everywhere in tropical pro-
fusion In each enclosure are several trees of
the ocander; and here, for the first time, saw
this plant in It's perrection-coyered with flowers
of every variety of color--whe, pink, crimson,
red-and by its variety and beauty adding much
TO the general effect. The stems Of the rose
trees bent beneath The weight of the flowers, and
could scarcely sustain even the heavy buds. One
plant that saw for the FIRST time, more than any
other spoke of the rich and luxurious soil of the
South 1t resembled a lily, somew hat--whiie,