The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-03-31
NOTES FROM EUROPE.
NUMBER SIX.
NAPLES, Feb. 18th, 1866


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NAPLES, Feb. 18th, 1866.
DEAR MoTHER:-I have now been here
nearly three weeks, enjoying myselfin various
WAYS. The Mum6ords are here, and we have
visited many of the principal sights in the
city together. The carnival at Rome having
closed, two or three days since, the. great
number of tourists which that event had
drawn there, are now arriving here, and the
hotels are all full, and more guests are con-
stantly arriving.
am very comfortably established at the
Hotel de Amerique, having very small room
on the third floor, which opens on a small
balcony, and overlooks the Bay of Nspies.
which is only about a hundred yards distant.
Just in front Of me, and also a little further
to the right, are the oyster beds of Naples,
and every calm morning the bay is covered
with the boats of the oystermen, following
their calling
But a short distance from us, lying next
the bay, is the Villa Reali or Royal Garden,
the great promenade ofNaples, which is soon
to be extended as far down as this hotel, and
adjoining it, the Chieia keaya) the most
fashionable drive in the city. The inhabi-
tants of Naples do not seem to beat all proud
of work. the streets being at all times full Of
all classes of society, who seem bent upon
walking and talking, and nothing else. There
are no indications of any amount Of commerce
or manufactures here, no court to spend
money, no exports, and yet here is city of
between FIVE and six hundred thousand people.
and no visible indications of extended power
ty or misery among them. The streets are as
full of fine dresses and fine carriages as
Broadway and yet everybody seems to quit
work Of all kinds about two clock, and to
give up the day to enjoyment, which with the
poorer classes, seems to consist principally IN
lying down in the sun. There are few
streets in the city that are as wide, or nearly
So as ours usually are, with narrow side
walks. but most of them are only about twelve
feet wide, barely allowing two vehicles to pass,
and in addition to this, the houses are usual
ly FIVE or six stories high, and cover every
inch of ground, so that moderately light and
open room is rarity. The Lazzaroni are
not such great beggars as formerly, as able
bodied men are prohibited from begging under
pain of Imprisonment yet, when one gets in
to the country or out Of sight Of the police, he
Is importuned by very respectable looking
people, in whining voice. to which tears are
apparently added at the will Of, the supplians
Neitheris seeking vermim in each other heads
now, the principal occupation or amusement
OF this class of Neapolitan society, though
they may still be seen at times, engaged in
this exciting pursuit.
The drays, wagons and public hacks of the
city are interesting. One institution, called
l believe. the ''guloto" is a one horse ON
nibus on two wheels. | have seen seven.
teen persons on one of them, behind a little
bit of pony. and he driven at the top Of
his speed. and everyone shouting, talking,
laughing or singing. Except the fne private
carriage'horses whichar nearly all Imported
from England, the horses are very small, not
averaging as large as our Indian ponies.
The women are small and pretty, having
regular features generally, and much ex-
preston; they are nearly all brunettes. The
upper classes, and in fact all classes, seem to
be extremely fond OF dress, and, like the
French, they live great deal out of DOORS
The houses are built for GOODNESS, and not
for warmth +; that is they try to keep The heat
out apparently by making them as much like
caves as possible. The walls are built of a
soft, yellow stone, not quite so hard as our
brick, three or four feet thick and are all
plastered on the outside, as the stone will
stand the pressure of very high wall, but
not the action Of the atmosphere That part
fthe bay, which is protected by wall SO as
to make safe anchorage for vessels, is small,
and there seems to be but little commerce on
the sea. They are deepening part of the
harbor and, as it is all done BY hand, the
OpSIu&ioH HAS UttH very Interesting 10 me
The dredging is done with long spoons that
hold about peck of mud apieceand, should
judge, that dozen men would take outabout
a cubic yard day. When tits rock bot.
tom platform is erected over the water and
the drilling is done as in our stone qnarries
After blasting the rock in pieces divers go
down and bring up the fragments in their
hands, or fasten ropes to them by which they
are raised to the surface.
This vicinity is the most interesting in
Europe, unless it is that of Rome. There are
innumerable points near here celebrated in
the classics. and scripture, and l scarcely
know where to begin to describe what have
seen since / have been here. l have seen
all that have time to see, except the trip to
Baiae, which ! shall probably visit to-mor-
row, if well enough, and go to Rome next
day. l have had q slight attack Of Italian
fever, which is only another name for my old
enemy, bilious fever, which is very preya-
lent in this country, and from which am just
recovering, having been prevented from doing
anything for about o week. AS Rome is
even worse climate than this, in this res
pect. | do not think shall remain there
longer than necessary TO see the most promi-
nent objects of interest. regret very much
that did not get through here in time to see
the Carnival at Rome, as owing to the death
Of Victor Emanuel's youngest son, there has
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