The Portland daily press., 1869-05-15
Terms $500 pen. annun., u. advance.

yeying passengers and merchandise. The
front entrance OF the buildings is at the canal,
steps leading down to the water The piazz
OF st. Mark is the public square of the city.
1t is surrounded ON three sides by fine build
ings, formerly palaces, the grourd floors Of
which are occupied by cGfss and stores. Fac
ing it is the church of st. Mark, in front of
which is the Campanile, $40 feet in height
The piazzetta, or small square, adjoins the
principal one, and faces the grand canal from
which ascends fight OF stone steps which
was the state entrance to Venice from the
sea. On each side are the two magnificent
granite columns, one crowned with the wing
ed lion OF ST. Mark, and the other having on
its top the statue of st. Theodore. Between
these two columns public executions took
place in the days Of the Republic. The scene
during the evenings in the sqaares was very
animated. Ii was brilliantly illuminated, aud
was crowded with all classes OF citizens The
music of the band and the presence OF many
of the uniforms OF the Italian army and navy
added to the attractions. One Of the pecu-
liar features of Venice is the pigeons which
are considered as sacred birds and are fed
each day at 2 o'clock in the square, at the ex-
pense OF government. Shortly before the
time we were there 70 witness the sight The
pigeons were seen flying from all quarters to
the windows where the grain is distributed.
AT the stroke OF the bell in the tower, at once
sssyss Ct them. flew from all parts OF the
square to the place where they were fed.
The arsenal was very interesting place to
visit We had some difficulty in obtaining
access to it, it being one of the days on which
lit was closed to visitors. By sending in our
cards to the Admiral, the word American"
was an open sesame. We were waited upon
to his room and enjoyed very pleasant con-
versation with him, he speaking English per-
fectly. He has two brothers in the United
States, one the Italian Consul at San Fran
cisco. He sent an officer who accompanied
las around the yard. 1t is on a very extended
scale, and during the times of the Republic
14,O00 workmenS were employed at time--
Shipbuilding, foundries and machine work
are carried on now. When it was evacuated
by the Austrians in 1865 they carried away
most Of its material, and many of the antiqui-
ties. The armory contains interesting curl
osities of ancient weapons and armor, among
which are shown revolver and breech-load-
ing cannon made in the 18th century, on the
same principle as the modern inventions.
| THE eRoTTo OF ADELBERG.
We went by steamer by Trieste, and thence
by rail to Adelberg where we arrived at 10;
passing few miles from Trieste the chateau
of the lamented Maximihan. Our purpose
in'stopping at Adeberg vas to visit the won-.
derful grotto, the most magnificent in Eu-
rope. 1t was known in the middle ages, but
was unknown for centuries after, till redis-
covered in 1916. We arranged for its illumi-
nation, which is necessary in order to see 1t
satisfactorily, and the next morning started in
pelting rain to explore its recesses. We
had three guides carrying torches, and 9TH
ers went ahead lighting the candles. The
entrance is by large aperture closed by an
iron gate. After we left the daylight it grew
more beautiful as we advanced. The river
Unz flows through it and. disappears. The
sensations occasioned by the sound of the
lorrent rushing through the subterranean
passages, the flashing of the lights across the
l
ported by pillars of glittering white stalactites,
in some eases so regular that they resembled
the architecture Of gothic Cathedral, are
thrilling in the extreme. We spent some two
hours there, the distance we went under
ground being three miles, getting through in
time to take the train for Gratz, the capital
of Styria, where we arrived at 10 P. M. As
we simply passed the night there 1 can say
nothing respecting it. The nsxtday we took
the train for Vienna 140 miles. This line of
| railway on which we travelled from Trieste
to Vienna is the finest and best constructed
road in Europe. 1t has double track, and
the whole distance is through an interesting
country and very beautiful scenery
That portion of the road built through the
Semmering pass is the most imposing struc-
ture af the kind in Europe. 1t cost, for the
twenty-five miles, one and a half millions
pounds sterling. 1t is carried along the side
of the mountains and faces OF abrupt preci-
pices, through fifteen tunnels and across IF
teen bridges. 1t ascends from the lower level
by heavy grades and circuitous courses
Looking out of the windows you can see on
the opposite side of the mountain far beneath
you what appears to be another road in a
different direction, and in half hour you
find the train going over the same
road, having reached it by long detour-
The eliminating point Of the pass is 279O
feel above tidewater. As the stage stopped a
short time, while viewing the beautiful seem
cry all about we obtained from a brlght-eyed
peasant girl, in exchange for a few kreutzsrs a
bunch of the wild flowers of this region.
The guide books of our party were brought
into requisition for the purpose of preserving
these remembrances of our journey. Be
tween Glognitz. the termination of the
mountain portion of the road, and Vienna,
the scenery is picturesque and varied, the
country rolling and in high state of culti-
walton, especially as you near Vienna. The
many tall chimneys that are seen show that
in manufactures the resources and industry
OF Austria are developing. I shall stay here
ten days and in my next will give you notes
of Vienna and the Viennese. II.