Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-07-18
o0Freapon dence 10 the chicago Tribune.
VENTcE. June L 1874

VENICE. June l, 1874
American tourists usually enter It.
ally through Nice, in France, and of
ten leave it via, Trieste, In Austria.
The first Italian city seen is the
flourishing commercial seaport of
Genoa, on the Mediterranean, and
the last, is venerable Venice, on the
Adriatic. This is the entree and sor-
tie of Italy | selected-penetrating
as far south as the Bay of Naples I;
thence northward, via. Rome and
Florence, in Central Italy, to Bo-
logna, in the Po- valley; thence
around the south side of that valley,
via. Modena, Parma and Alessan-
dria, up to Turin, near Mt. Gents;
thence down the valley, en- the north
side thereof, via. Vercilla, Novara,
Milan, Bergamo, Breseia, Lake Gar
da, Verona and Padua, to Venice;
thence by steamer across the Adriat-
lc to Trieste.
In going south from Genoa, the
traveller passes through the new ma
val station of Sestria, sees the, Lean
ing Tower at Pisa, the large seaport
of Leghorn, the picture gallery at
Siena-all before reaching Rome.
A steppage Of day at each of these
places sufficient to -ira
,19 HDo THEM"
By adopting the route have named
from Bologna to Venice, neienioys
the advantage of seeing almost the
whole magnificent Valley of the Pc,
and all the cities therein worth spe-
cial observation. All the way round.
for distance of 500 miles, the en
composing chain of mountains,
rising like a giant wall, will be on
the left hand of the traveller, and
never out of sight, but remain in full
view, at varying distance offs to
Is miles; but occasionally a spur
will protrude into the plain, nearly
to the railroad track. On the right.
hand side spreads out vast plain,
highly cultivated, wonderfully pro-
ductive, and dotted over with cities
and villages, from which rise great
church domes, and tall steeples. and
bell-towers, some of the latter reach
ing up into the heavens 800 to 400
feet. At every few miles the train
crosses some stream or river flowing
from the mountain across the plain
into the great
CENTRAL CONDUIT,
the Po, which conveys all their con-
tributions down the middle of the
valley and discharges them, through
many mouths, into the Adriatic. As
the train flies along the plain, new
views of the mountain-chaifn are con-
tinuaily presenting themselves to
the eye. Snow-crests appear and
disappear in quick succession. Great
gorges, or gashes, in the side of the
granite-wall, come into view and rap
idly pass out; or the valley of a riv-
er may be traced for minute or two
deep into the rocky chain. Then
will come high, conical peaks, or a
bold headland, projecting into the
plain, within short distance of the
line of the track. On the shoulder
of this promontory will be perched
little, old city, 500 or 1000 feet
above the plain, encircled by brick
wall, built in the time of the Cru
sades. The sides of the hill are ter
raced from bottom to top, and COW
cred with vines, olive and orange
trees; and the spaces between are
devoted to patches of vegetables or
strips of wheat.
Some views of the
MOUNTAINS
will exhibit masses of thick clouds
rolling, along their sides, while the
snow-clad peaks, glistening in the
sun, rear their heads high above
them; and below them, down to the
plain, the steep slopes will be cover
cd with verdure and dotted with
farm-houses. On some parts of the
route can be seen three or four rang
es of mountains, rising higher and
higher, one behind the other. ~
My last letter gave a cursory
sketch of the cities around the val
ley, from Bologna to Milan. 1t cnly
remains to notice those met between
Milan and Venice to complete the
circuit through a charming country
Most of the villages. on the way are
full of silk-works. Every family.
almost, "winds silk" from the CO.
coons. Silk is the chief product of
this part of the Po country. Berga-
mo, at the foot of the mountains.
contains 10000 inhabitants, and is
noted, also, for the good fishing
which can be had in the neighboring
lake, Iseo. An hours run brings the
traveller to
/ RREGNTA