The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-09-12
THE DAILY GAZETTE.
sNOw-HARvEsTING IN NAPLES.

IO supply the city Of naples, one OF
the largest capitals in Europe, which
has apopulation Of 45O, 900 souls-all
snow consumers-a large mountain
range 10 put into requisition. From
the iApenines, and from all the near
er branches and ramifcations Of those
mountains, snow, during the summer
months, is constantly being brought
into the city by land and BY sea-al-
ways, however, by sea if practicable,
as by that mode of conveyance it 10
kept cleaner, loses less by melting,
and cost less for carriage. Hundreds
Of men and boys are employed exclu-
sively in this business. A mountain
that contributes very much to the sup
ply Of the capital is Mount SAINT An
gelo. the lottiest point Of the bold pro-
montary that separates the Bay of Ma
Piles from the Bay OF Serlano. This
mountain which towers majestically
behind thetown and seaport Of Castel-
lamare, near the end Of the Neapoli-
tan Bay, is only about twelve miles
from Naples itself. On account Of
the short distance, and the advantage
Of an easy water carriage, the snow is
there harvested with great industry
and care, and Mount SAINT Angelo is
we'll provided with such caves and
chasms as we have described. Some
Of these contain singly an immense
heap Of snow, but prodigious as the
quantity may be, itrapidly disappears
before the labor of the workmen, who
with iron spiked poles and shovels dig
into it, and break it up much after the
fashion of men working in salt mines.
These labors, for a very obvious reason
when, in the day time, Fahrenheit's
thermometer marks 90 to 100 deg.
in the sun, are nearly all performed in
the cool Of the evening and night.
Long strings Of mules, each like lit
tie caravan, ascend the mountain to
the snow caves, There they are load
ed with the snow, broken into large
Jumps, and secured from the external
atmosphere as well as may be, and
then with all the speed that can be
managed with heavy burdens, and On
steep, precipitous, and, in parts, very
dangerous roads, they descend by
Qnissiana to Castellamare and the
wharves, where large, roomy boats
are in readiness to receive their loads -
AS soon as the very perishable cargo OF
one of these boats is completed, and GOV
cred over with straw, dry leaves and
tarpaulin. it pushes off direct for Ma
pies. The time Of their departure is
from eleven to twelve O'Clock at night
till one or two in the morning. They ii
are all furnished with a mast and sails,
which may be useful to them on their
return; bEt as there is seldom breath
of wind on a summers night on this
Bay, they are of little use in going to
Naples, and the sailors are obliged to
pull the vessels with oars and long
sweeps. This labor, from the clumsy,
bad construction OF the boats, and the
dead weight thrown into them, is ex-
cessively severe, particularly when
they are delayed in starting, and
threatened with the heat Of the rising
sun before they reach the port Of Ma
pies. Fire ought to be brought to
aid the snow. A small steamboat
might tow over a line of these boats
without any uncertainty as to time
During the summer nights at the town
of Castelamare, the !tramping of the
mules from the mountain, the cries
and songs of the muletees, and the
shouting of the mariners, the roll Of
whose heavy oars lare heard far across
the Bay, and scarcely interrupted for
Eve minutes at time. When the
snow boats arrive at the port Of Ma
pies, they are quickly nnloaded by .
number Of faecini, or porters regular
ly appointed to that service. These
fellows, who are very active and very
strong, though their principle food is
bread, olives, garlic, and other vegit-
ables, with now and then a dish of
run with their loads ofsnow
rom the water side to a large, cool
building, which is called 'la DoganG s.
7elld Nsoa," or the Snow Custom
House, is situated little in the rear
of the port, at a distance ofa few hun &
ired yards from the great Neapolitan
custom house; to this general depot
.he retail dealers come to supply. them
selves from all parts Of the vast town;
nd there is scarcely astreetin Naples
however miserable and remote it may
be, but has its snow-shop. By an old
aw of the country, these shops are
aever allowed to be shut up during
rot weather, either by night or by
lay; but if the owner closes the door, -
,r absents himself, he must leave
some one in the shop ready to serve,
should snow be called for. saa $al