Washington sentinel., 1854-01-27
Wasbingtnn gentin1l,
From the Boston Post.
Letter from Naples.

like, Paris .fast' and gay, Copenhagen dull,
Hamburg sensual and easy Berlin literary and
"genteel," and Rome antiquarian and lovely
even in decay; but Naples is downright happy.
1t is preeminently the city of all nations all
vehicles, and all trades. Such contrasts cannot
be found in another place in Europe. Every
body knows how Naples looks, on paper;
everybody goes into raptures about the bay of
Naples; everybody who has seen it boasts of
it, and everybody that hasn't seen it wants to.
For single picture that greets the eye at once,
it probably presents about the finest display of
water and land city, country, volcano and crag,
island and main land, that can be found on the
eastern continent. But it is with its social and
characteristic features as q city that have to
deal. Its cosmopolitan and polyglott character,
believe, beats everything this side OF sunrise.
Though suffering from indispostion part of the
time, and brought on l believe by the climate,
yet think have never spent ten days more
agreeably in any city. Our steamer came to
anchor near the quay, and we were soon sur
rounded by crowds of boats. New I ork cab
men could not be more vociferous than were
these water-ouzes for our patronage. One
chap, Il shall never forget him. a Greek, spoke,
believe, every language in Europe. In Eng
lish and Yankee slang he would beat any
backguard in New York or London. He beg
ged to be the very humble servant of any pas
senger, no matter from what country; and he
would greet them in their own language. Eng
lish, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Greek,
Maltese, Turkish, and Arabic, he said he could
speak, and nearly all Of these he had occasion
to speak to different persons on board. He was
a slightmade, 1.-THE, active fellow, about twenty
years old-rather dark complexion, very black
eyes, thin lips, and sinister, knavish ex-
preston that was not pleasing. His English
was as pure and free of foreign accent as
any one who had spent his life in New York
or London. He recommended the New York
hotel, but would conduct passengers any
where. told him would 90 to the New York
hotel, but that could carry my own luggage.
He begged as very special favor to carry my
knapsack-didn't want any pay for it; in fact
wouldn't receive pay on any account. asked
him how he learned SO many languages. Oh
he says, my countrymen have a great faculty
of picking up languages. Says he, was born
in Corfu, have lived in Malta, Egypt and Italy,
but was never west of here. / asked after q
steamer to Messina. He said there was one in
three or four hours; at p m, but no use to
think Of going by it, for it took at least day
to get q passport ready. Mem. He lied, and
told him was sure he did, and as / found,
for got all ready an hour before the vessel
left, and did my own business at that without
employing him. After showing me to the po-
lice station and the American consul's, / paid
him and told him could get along without his
further services. 90" says he, you must
have me; you can't get along without; you'll
find everything Just as / say; I'm no black
guard, sir, I'm no blackguard J" and when he
found no more was to be got, he bid me good
bye, and wished me pleasant voyage to Sici-
ly. At the custom house they took very
careful look at my two or three shirts and
stockings, and examined very critically rell
Of engrayings that | brought from Rome.
. They held them up to the light, and tried, |
fancy if they couldn't see revolutionary let
ter to Mazzini, or proclamation to Kossuth
among them. They failed, and reluctantly gave
me my two and sixpence worth of pictures, and
three shillings worth of clothes. / asked them
if there was any fee, and they said no; but an
officer in uniform held out his hand like an
Arab for Jucksheish, but didn't understand.
He followed me out; ] kept walking faster and
faster, and he nearly tripped himself up by get
ting his sword between his legs. | clapped
my thumb to my proboscs and gyrated the
digitals, and thus smoked him out. finally
told him to give my compliments to his royal
master king Bomba, and ask him how he got
along hanging innocent republicans. He then
left me.
After returned from Sicily, took up my
quarters at the hotel, and began to look about
me. The variety of vehicles and teams to
draw them is certainly beyond anything I've
seen on the face Of the earth. Stand on the
corner of street and count and describe
every vehicle for half an hour, and you could
get enough to rig out all Christendom. Tideli-
Get: bull and a mare drawing load of
stones; COW and camel with cartful of
corn-stalks; ram and goat. with the babies
in child's wagon, led by nurse; two jack
asses and an OK with a large cask of wine in
cart; a royal prince with a coach and horses
q mule and an OK with load of pumpkins;
two horses, for WONDER harnessed to an Eng
ish brougham. Among all this motley crowd,
I've seen, going helterskelter at the top of
their speed, two country fellows, each mounted
on donkey, with six empty wine cases strapped
to the animals back, and running race
through the streets of Naples. Among the va
rious conveyances, we find perambulating
show, perambulating show, moving tin
ker's shop, cartful OF vegetables drawn by
an old blind horse harnessed with an OK that
had no horns. Next would come horse draw
ing gig that had seat for two, but in and on
it would be capuchin friar and sirteen Others,
principally boys and girls, having Jolly time
generally. Sometimes would appear family
moving, the man going afoot, two females on a
donkey, panniers on each side, with babies and
childrens heads sticking out of the pockets,
and gazing at the sights. People on foot we're
in every imaginable costume, and some with
very little costume at all. The men that car
ried fish had no dress whatever, except a piece
ofcotton cloth wrapped around the loins a Ia
sacage. They brought fish from the seaside in
baskets on their heads, with the water running
all over their tawny skins.
In the market place, very wide street,
there's everything to sell, and everything
going on. Either in this or the streets leading
out of it, most every trade is carried on, and
all out of doors. At stalls, benches, and
forges, were men mending shoes, blacksmith
ing, tinkering, making twine, women making
kid gloves, tailors, hatters, and milhners. In
the marketpace we're large kettles, with fires
under them, and cooking going on. AT least
every other shop was restaurant; and there,
on oak benches and greasy tables, were soldiers,
beggars, women, travellers, and cosmopolites,
going through the very necessary and pleasant
ceremony Of dining. And Jolly place il is
to dine, You may as well believe. There's more
fun in dining in the market place in Naples