The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-03-27
NOTES FROM EUROPE.
NUMBER THREE.

January ISL ana ZnQ AT Paris two or three
days since, and at the same time gen.
eral letter Q introduction and recommends.
tlon from Secretary Harlan.
As my last terminated with our landing at
Cherbourg, will try to narrate what have
since that time. Impressions of what one
sees should be written at the time, as one soon
becomes accustomed to an unusual sight or
custom, We are apt to forget to mention it.
My pocket diary is too small for this.
Saturday morning we are all up bright and
early, had breakfast at nine and half o clock,
and about an hour later little steam tug
came alongside, and took all the passengers
ashore. By daylight we could see the town,
and some of the Notifications. as also the har.
Dor and dyke or break water.
The harbor is about four miles across. from
the eastern to the western point, and one and
half miles deep; being nearly the shape of a
half moon. Naturally, it is poor harbor.
but an immense dyke Of cut stone masonry.
extends for three miles directly across the
mouth, which breaks the waves. 1t is not
connected with the shore at either end. but
leaves space, so that vessels may enter with
out trouble, coming from either direction.
At each end Of the dyke, there is large
round post, two stories high, lsrge square
one in the centre, and the whole dyke is a
breastwork. which may be covered with can.
non, and is now in some places. There are
ports on the main shore opposite the ends Of
the ''dique," and Fl. Duhaunt in the harbor,
and the hill and fortifca,,on Of Roule, which
overlooks the city and harbor. in addition to
to those on dyke: and probably others did
not see-even with the dyke, it is not a safe
harbor, as twenty-five vessels were wrecked
there in the storm of this month, in which The
London was lost. They were all safely An
chored inside the dyke. Upon landing
was struck with the old appearance of the
houses, the narrowness and crookedness Of
hhe streets, and the remarkable cleanliness in
which they were kept. The houses are all of
stone. some of them very old OF course, but
most of them were rejuvenated in the timd Of
the great Napoleon. Still they wear very
old ~ pearalce to an American, just la ndihg
Some of the streets have sidewalks, but most
have not. and except on the quais, one dom I
see much necessity for them, as the streets
are as quiet as on Sunday with us, solihly
paved with stone blocks, and cleaner than
our sidewalks.
This Is in part owing to the present efficient
government Of France, but mainly to the fact
that the street sweepings are valuable for
manure.
II
and statue Of Napoleon on horseback. and
one Of Bracquevllle.
There is o large market house, very high,
with swallows aud martins fitting about in
the upper parts Of it, as it is open from the
ground to the ceiling. Then we went to see
the female peasant costumes of Normandy.
They generally wear black dresses With
wooden shUes. or at least, wooden
soles. Al wor. white caps, which is
their great peculiarly. All were queer,
and some of them projected, | should think,
ten inches above the crown of their heads
Our baggage was all taken to the .'Donane'
and went through the form of an examination;
that is each trunk was opened. and hand
thrust in among the clothing. Two or three
of the passengers had to pay heavy duty on
cigars, where they had over fifty. We were
not asked for passports. AT present they ore
not required in Europe, same by the kingdom
Of Rome, and II is hoped the Pope may soon
become as enlightened as the generality of
mankind on this subject. After our baggage
came ashore, walked around the city till
three. when we all had dinner at the ehotel
de Europe" Our dinner vas in the same style,
as op board the ship. but not quite so exten-
siye. After dinner we walked up to the rail
road depot, which is just at the foot Of the
bid soule, 10 embark for Paris. The depot
is a fine one, aud superior to ours IN the [. s.
in having more rooms and better lighted
The baggage is ali weighed, and for all over
seventy hive pounds. you are charged extra.
The cars looked very light and fraii to me.
but the Railroad found SO much smoother,
and more solid than ours are, | soon saw
there was not the same necessity for strength
The cars are very different from ours, being
divided up like series of stage coaches, with
four persons OH a seat.
| was much struck with the appearance of
the horses and carts, and carriages. The
horses are very small, and of a stout, chunky,
heavy build, with great shaggy legs 'the carts
aud carriages are apparently built TO match
the horses.
NAPLES, HoTEL D'ANERIouE, Feb. lst -
Paris. The country through which we passed
before dark, Was very broken and hllly,. and
seemed to be mostly in grass and erain. The
houses in the country look even older than in
the cities. and IRE all built Of stone. Most
Of those saw that evening, sseeped to be
covered with straw ; and lew with states. "A
short distance from Cherbourg, ! saw the
women Of the country engaged IN Washing
clothes. | have seen the operation repeated
ly since. and it ems to be the same through
out France. will describe it TO you. A
rough fat stone is laid down at the edge Of
the stream, sloping little TO the water. On
this, or at the end farihest from the water,
the woman kneels and rubs the clothes on the
stone, dipping them in the water as occasion
reqnires-our wash tub and board, always
seemed TO make excessive hard work. but
this mode much more so. There are places
arranged near all the towns for this work,
where the women congregate to do it: near
Avignon think | saw two hundred women
engaged at once. S. S. c.
Reform in Pssroleupa. &
Under proper and systematic management
there is no reason why petroleum should not
be made as successful business as silver,
coal, iron or gold. The great branch of in
dustry and wealth has suffered greatly from
irresponsible companies, which have only had
the effect Of destroying confidence in fbe Pc
troleum business. It is, therefore, with pleas
:, - thot " X coo a nnn,ronv oruup;,aA xrh;nh