Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-07-25

nowhere at last, some one wrote PROB
ably when he was in the immediate vi
cinity Of nothing. can't see the rO-
nance of such q situation, bat heartily
wish that might say instead, a few
thousand miles from home and some
where else than here. Outraged feel
ings suggest the necessity OF my veri-
fying the words shortly, TO escape q
doom as fated as that Of the youth
from the " "vineclad hills Of Bingen, -
the dread cause " being fe0S-mira-
cles Of agility and voracity, that iniest
all Italy in millions, inscriptions,
indeed, as the army Of lOcusts that 50
terribly punished beautiful Egypt.
Now that | am hOmeward bound,
indirect, allow me to give you bur
ried account lin which brevity shall
be the soul OF wit) Of nay trip from
Paris TO Pompeii and back 10 this
Mecca Of nearly all European pilgrim
ages-Ancient ROme-almOst OF as
much Interest in its ruins to the mod
erns as it was to its ambitious citizens
when it stood a glorious city, entire,
and capital of the Pagan world in the
brave days OF old.
Excepting the wild and picturesque
scenery in the valley of the Rhone,
the Mediterranean route from Paris
Il.
from St. Michel to the frontier Of Italy
the route is somewhat of a sensation,
as it includes the great railway pas
sage over Mont Cents. On the I4th,
in company with other Americans, /
left st. Michel. At , pm. we were
commencing the asceat; at 6 we had
experienced the change from sultry
heat to a chilly, wintry air, and were
indulging in perpetual snow that lay
around hard ana bulky on the frozen
earth. We were then on the summit
OF the Alps. Villages, patches of
grain and rich verdure, on which the
shades of evening were beginning to
gather, lay in sight tar below; while
all around Us were piled lofty, rugged
mountains, their snOw-capped sum
mits in brilliant relief against the
clOudless sky Of deep blue, al
together forming the most sub
lime picture / have ever seen
nature present. The railway over
Mont Cents runs in successive,
short, reversed curves up the north
ern steep and down the southern, the
track consisting of three lines Of rails
instead of two, the middle rail pro-
lecting about eight inches above the
others and groOved. Gripping wheels
fit into the groove and hold firmly to
the track the train Of three or four
light coaches and a powerful engine.
At u, midnight, this great point Of
peculiar engineering had been passed
and we were changing cars at Turin.
From that point we reached Italy's
capital in twelve hours, visiting,
while there, its collection Of celebrated
paintings and sculpture, including
among the latter the exquisite statue
in Penteiic marble, known as the
'sEenus de Medecis." After a short
stay in Florence, claimed to be the
handsOmest city in Europe, | took
leave Of my friends and was soon in
Pisa. The principal object OF interest
there for the curiOsity-seeker is, of
course, the Leaning Tower, near the
Cathedral and Campo SantO, the lat
ter structure a valuable museum Of
ancient Roman sarcOphagi, and fres-
Goes representing the creation of the
world. The tower is Of marble and
stone, lS7 feet high, coated with mo-
sale of marble, yellOwed with age,
and leans nearly fifteen feet from the
perpendicular. 1t looks as if only a
little persuasion was needed to in
duce il to come down with a crash,
bat possibly the bell-toWer (eXtreme
upper portion }, which is perpendicu
lar and inside the base, acts in its
great weight as a counter balance.
That's the theory, anyhow.
From Pisa. Rome was reached in
eleven hours. | visited st. Peters
first. This wonder of the world in its
great size mot near 50 grand, upon
approach, as the Capitol at Washing
ton disappointed me at first, but ere
Rted an im mpressiOn almost oyerwhelm-
ing as ] stood inside under the mighty
dome, with the wealth of gold, silver
and bronze decorations, colored mar
bic, splendid mosaics and scul pture in
Carrara all around me. Excepting
the " church, St. Peters is cut up
into so many compartments that It's
vastness is hardly ever appreciated.
The church is one grand portion; the
Pope's palace another; and the other
the museums, in which among the
best collections in the world is the
most celebrated of all paintings, 1.-THE
Transformation, by Raphael, and
the original statues, Apollo Belvidere
and Minerva. In st. Peters the Ecu
menical Council is still assem- bled.
This august body grows weaker upon
the question of the proposed " Inialli
bilitY.o Many Of the members have
assumed a neutral position ia regard
to it-among them Cardinal Bona
parte, who is already spoken of as the
next Pope, iH anticipation of the
death of Plus TX. After g doing"
ct. Peters, / rode southwark to Old
Rome, and soon stood within the CO.
lisseuIn. ! daresay this stupendOus
ruin Of brown trayertine never disap-
points the Curiosity Of any
one. 1t stands alOBS, well pre-
served, retaining in part its
original hight of one hundred and
sixty feet, and still gives one good
idea Of its grand proportions when
thousands OF men and Wild beasts
met q cruel death within its VRst
arena for the amusement and glory of
the worlds capital. 1t stands ''amid
the chief relics of almighty Rome"
near it being the ruins of the Temple
Of the Nestal Virgins, in which was
nOurished the sacred fire, the Temples
Gf Jupiter, Venus and Saturn, the
palsas ct the CPSars, site of the FO-
fuEa and Atamertine prison, in the
dungeon OF which is still to be seen
the miraculous spring, cold and clear
as Ia was when st. FstsE baptized
with its waters the keepers Of the
prison. Near 1y the Mamentine pri- |
son on the Capitoliue hill still is the
museum that contains tbs Yorld-re-
BOWned statue Of ''the Dying oladis-
tor"
Outside Of the Old City on the Ap-
plan Way, are the catacOmbs-0nly
partially exeavated, yet four miles in
circumference and sixty feet below
the surface. The bodies Of one hun
dred and seventy Thousand martyrs
and Christians are said 70 have been
deposited la the spaces in the walls OF
black tufa along the narrow, winding
corridors. Two bodies, looking like
mammies, are to be seen in one OF the
vaults, having no sign, like many
others, of martyrdom to entitle them
70 re-interment In some church. -
From Rome TO Naples the time is
nine hours. After remaining ib the
latter city two days and visiting It's
museums and church S2R Severe, in
which Is the celebrated . Yelled
Christ. . carfOHsly wrought ia marble,
representing the Savior shrouded
after the deposition. ] took morn
Ing train sonthWard ana was soon
grafified with 8 bird 's-eye view Of res
llrreeted Pompeii. The sad picture Of
fts wilderness Of broken walls, col
umns and tombs carried me IN imag-
inatiou. over centuries back, 20 the
time when NesQEias harled upon it
fate "a terrible IS that reSeFVaa for
SOdo1n and 9oaloTrah. Paying
Zee Of lour francs, | entered
the gates, and was shown lEst the
p,sns - a. Ha.r.s sslaa5s Of IuDiteF