The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-03-02
Letter from, Italy.
HOTEL DE IA GROIN III MALTA [
SPFZra, ITALY. Jan 50, 1866 !

FurSp SrnSE:-1he beautiful road
from Genoa 10 this place is 50 full OF in
tere>t to those who pass over II, perhaps a
brief description OF i: and some OF the
many objects which attract travellers
notice. will not he wholly unintereSting 10
MANY of the rea.iers of The CALEDoNIAS-
This * the great highway 10 Rome and
Naples from Nice. Turin and Milan, and
although 1t passes throu. h a larger proper
ton OF mountainous scenery than that
along ihc north shore of the MediterrI-
mean. from Nice 10 Genoa. and the sur
rounding country not 80 tllichly studded
with those picturesque towns and villages
wllicl, adorn that shore. still il has the
same beauties of wile spreading views
orer the IorelicSt land and wafer.
Soon after leaving the busy city of &c
nua We ascend a hill for half an hour,
from tine summit of which a most MAG
ni:irent view is obtained. Behind US we
see the city ana bay of Genoa. iihe latter
filled with ships from ali comiries), the
ioriiiications, which seem impregnable.
extending in Il continuous line around the
city. including SUBMITS fifteen hundred
ieei high, upon which are built the strong
eSt forts, while before us and all around
are white villas doiting the hillSides and
valleys enclosed. some in olive wards and
Others III orchards OF orange and lemon
trees. all loaded with their golden fruit.
Ii this Is not a lovely sight for mid winter.
then certainly il cannot Ice found The
shore * in;leniei 10y gnit> and bays. some
extending lar inland. and The mountains
come boldly down 10 the sea. leaving I'm
MANY places no space between the water
and lie ovcrhanging precipice The road
for several miles follows close 10 the shore.
HON on fine level plain. hedged i'm On ei-
tIer >iie 10y The rank growing aloe or cac-
iI>-now round the end of q prononforv
un Il shelf cut in the face of the rock. with
the waves da>hing cca>ele>sly tar below.
and cI-,g- hanging hundreds of feet over
oar ile;ld~-illen passing through tunnel
rui through the solid rock We emerge into
:; cultivated section. and descending bv
clrc'u.ly MANAGED zi.zags, We arrive al
>nme village that WAS old when Columbus
left lii &c shores
The towns or Villages are usually oi
one long street. extending round The up
per cnd OF fle bays. AMI arc all what We
should call large, containing from 5000 10
TO- 900 inhabitants The houses are all |
oi >:ons and huii; VERY HIGH, usually six
or seven ~,og'it-. Most oi' them are siuc-
coed AMI c.aJer.,t.ly irescooI Falls. !
windows ;ai,c irc>coei with curious devices. !
some representing the blinds thrown hack. !
'h'. window ",,n, AMI the curtains blown
ont- Others with birds hanging in open
win'lo''S, with Il CAT or a dog sitting
on the sill, or persons Standing or sill
tin:c II the window In earnest CONVERSE
ton. AMI various others too numerous TO
mention
ihe streets in ihe villages are VERY
mnct. contracted. in mann places - mar
roy that tho carriages cannot meet and
l';i~-- ami ollcm tie pedestrians are Obliged
10 step into the doors of the shops or
houses while the cs.rriace PASSES The
bells on ihc horses and the continual
rr:'c!, oi the yeiiurinC's whip gives the
notice ami clears The WAY Tie lower
story al the houses, particularly i'm the
towns. l. winlowle>S and i used for Store
rooms. shops or stables. Goods are Of
icrcd tur sale IN the doors. and IL i not
necessary ior the customers 10 20 inside. /
put OF The Villages the first srory-even
in the palaces OF the gentrv-is used for
a stable.
All the towns have their church e,lifices
which are unlike those I'm the [ nited
~taicS. Most of these are elegantly
ire>coe'l outside. and are rich with paint
lng> and staiuary inside On the tops of
llinv oi The highest hills and mountains.
seemingly Inaccessible. are richly enlow-
Ell churrhcS. some of which were founded
III The time ot the c,llsa,irs At intervals
along tie zigzag iootl,iih leading 10 them
ale cliapciS erected. IN which are images
ot the vir..in and child or of seine saint.
where the faithful NAV tell their beads
and say their prayers while on their pil-
arlmage 10 the higher sanctuary. We
have counted as many a> Twelve or fifteen
of these chapels in sight at one time. and
there must he many that were
hidden from our view.
The inhabitants along this road derive
their subsistence from the cultivation of
the orange, lemon, fig, mulbury. grape
and Olive fl,a latter .,,,,,a,,; =, ,