The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-09-19
Correspondence OF the New York Tribune.
The Mediterranean Excursion.
c1v1TA vECCHIA THE FoRLoRN.

AT LARGE IN ITALY, July, 1867.
This is the vilest nest of dirt, vermin,
and ignorance we have got into yet, eX-
cept that African perdition they call Tan
gicr, which is just like it. The people here
live in alleys two yards wide. 1t is lucky
the alleys are not wide, because they hold
as much smell now as person can stand,
and of course if they were wider they
would hold more, and then the people
would die. These alleys are paved with
stone and carpeted with slush and decay
cd rags, and dccomposcd vegetable tops,
and remnants of old boots, all soaked with
dish-water, and the people sit around on
stools and enjoy it. They are indolent as
general thing, and yet have few pas
times. They work two or three hours at
a time, but not hard, and then they knock
of and catch lleas.
They are very uncleanly, these people,
in the face, in person, and dress. When
they see anybody with clean shirt on, it
arouses their scorn. The women wash
clothes half the day at the public fonn-
tains, but they are probably somebody
cse's; or may be they keep one suit to
wear and another to wash, because they
never wear any that have ever been
washed.
had to get my passport viscd in Flo
renee, and then they would not let me
come ashore here from Lcghorn till de-
graded policeman had examined 1t on the
wharf and sent me a permit. They did not
even dare TO let me take my passport in
nv hands for twelve hours, | looked so
formidable. They Judged it best to let me
cool down. They thought l wanted to
take the town, likely. But such was not
my dcsre-not if l had a chance to swap
off and take the smallpox, anyhow. They
examined my baggage at the depot awhile
ago. They passed my shirts, but they
held on to my toothbrush, so as to lay it
before the Board Of Commissioners, and
let them find out what it is for, and
whether there is any harm in it or not.
This was fortunate, because borrowed it
lroyn my shipmatc, who is particular about
his teeth to an extent which is ridiculous.
And they took one of my ablest jokes lit
was one Of those extraordinary conun-
drums which l get up sometimes), and
read it over carefully, and then read it
again; and finally turned it around, and
read it the wrong way. But it was too
deep for them. They handed it around,
and everybody ciphered at it awhile, but
it was no use. They all had to pass. 1t
was no common joke. At last one of the
oldest of the officers, apparently, and
certainly one of the most abandoned
and ignorant men l have ever looked
upon, spelled it over very slowly and
laboriously, and then shook his head
three or four times, and said that in his
opinion it was scditious. That was the
first time l was alarmed. | Immediately
said 1 would explain the document, and
they crowded around. And SO in that
swcltering place l explained and per-
spired, and perspired and explained, with
my coat off, and they took notes Of all l
said, but the more explained the more
they couldn't understand, and when they
desistcd at last, and summed up their
notes, couldn't understand it myself.
They said they believed it was an incendi-
airy document levelled at the Government.
l declared it was not, but they only shook
their heads, and would not be satisfied.
And then they consulted, and consulted,
and consulted, good while, and finally
they confiscated it. | cannot tell how
much | was grieved; because | had
worked long time on that joke, and took
good deal Of pride in il, and now | shall
never see it any more.