Connecticut western news., 1872-01-26
CUR EUROPEAN
CORRESPONDENCE.

GConclusion of Gov. Holley's letter in
 last weeks NEWS; written from Mentone,
 France. Dec. 23d. l97I.1
 During the day we were often in sight
 of the Mediterranean sea, sometimes far
 away, at others it's waves were breaking
 against the perpendicular rocks, out of
 which our way was carved for the iron
 horse. Mulhtudes of peaks were passed,
 on which were seen the remains of old
 Roman towers, and occasionally convent.
 At one point we passed the remains of an
 old Roman theater and acquiduct quite
 near the railway, and in such state of
 preservation that the walls were from l2 to
 l5 feet high, and in the theater the door
 ways and windows were quite perfect in
 form. We also passed through Toulon the
 great naval station of the French. walled
 tower through whose walls and under the
 guns of the fortress, our train passed into
 the city where we stopped for lunch.
 Emerging from this city we crossed a plain
 of thousands of acres, passing quaint old
 villages. This ancient city. portion of
 which is still called the city of Julius Cea-
 ser, is quite remarkable, both in it's history
 and it's aspect. It lies on an easy slope for
 some distance from the harbor, and then
 rises more abruptly to the high land, on
 which lies the railway, and where is the
 base of the awful and majestic Maratime
 Alps, huge masses of volcanic rock thrown thousands of feet into the air, and ponder
 ous as you can well conceive rocks to re.
 In the midst of the city below, is one of these quaint upheavals, on a base of per haps fifty acres. with an apex that cannot exceed two acres. on which stands large and beautiful church some 300 or 400 feet above the sea. The tower of this church is sur mounted ny gigantic gilded statue of the Virgin. with child in her arms pointing hcavenward, the figure of the child heinz actually l2 or l5 feet, and yet child like. Two sides of this hill may be ascended with carriages, and are covered with beauti 1 ful villas. vines and olive trees. The other two sides are rocky cliffs, and around the 1 whol" bill. charming drive has been con. structed. Two of the hill sides project into the sea, and are almost perpendicular. and l high up in the cliff the road is gulley l "xcavated in the rock. from which you look down upon the waves breaking against l the shore far below you. While the weary ones of our party were resting from the | nights fatigue. took our courier and & 1 "ah, and drove through celebrated Prado. l (hroad tree lined street. through NohIe- nan's estate and around this famous hill. and am quite sure that no two hours drive that ever took was so full of interest In due time the residue of the party wit. messed portion of this grand scenery. and other interesting portions of the city, in which were blocks of old time eaten struc ture. reared doubtless many years before our own country had government. From this elevated plain we descended to more beautiful towns or the sea shore, among which were Nice. Villafranca. &c. At the latter our own government has a novel station, and we had the pleasure of touch ing our beavers in hOnoring the brave old hlg. now SO hOnored by every nation on Inc globe. We were agreeably excited to s"e the stars and stripes floating from nasi head in this far distant land. In these
 sttrr towns we come upon the beautiful orange gardens, where the luscious fruit hung out like the apples of we'll laden rec. Between Nice, l5 miles back of us, md our present quarters, (Mentone,) we passed the little republic of Monico, having m area about equal to the town of Salis- 'nry. The government of this splendid 'epablic appears to be established upon a 'igh rocky promontory projecting into the ea, on which there is huge old castle trongly fortified, which is the seat of the Prince who seems to be the head of the epublic, and who is reputed to be very wealthy. He maintains consuls at several important ports, and probably the whole business of his vast Empire does not equal hat of your own town. The jealousy of nations, doubtless preserves its integrity and nationality. This republic of Ionico. and the pretty little city of Nice, me four miles back of us and the other | fifteen. we intend to visit one of these day or more careful examination, as we have l