The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-07-09
TrOIIing Race.
Letter from Emrnne.

My DEAR WALTER received your
last letter about the time when l was
| preparing to pack up for a mOmentary
change of base, and one thing and
another has constantly come in to inter
rupt reply to it. | wish you could
have been with me in my trip through
Italy. | am certain that you would have
enjoyed it. ! went by way of Munich
i'll South Germany, crossed the Alps
on the II. r. of the Bremen pass by ms
bruck and Ala, and struck Italy at
Verona. | examined there all the tra~
ditions associated with Romeo and Jul
liet of course, saw the house in which
Juliet is said to have lived and a num>
Der of other interesting things. From
Verona [ went to Venice. The X. II. is
supported on piers and numerous
bridges in passing through the shallow
waters which extend for miles around
Venice, and you find yourself in the
novel position of rushing ahead with
water to the right and left of you alS
most as far as you can soc, and the train
seems to be taking everything on board
to watery grave. About 1 O'Clock in
tho afternoon are dashed into Splen>
did Depot, and in walking out i'll front
you soc tho countless gOndOlas, which
serve the purpose of carriages, &C.; no
sign ola horse or anything of the kind.
Tho gOndOlas are about twenty feet
long, black as jet, curYed up high at
both ends, the fl ont armed with a broad
piece OF SeTrdted iron or brass, about
tho middle is main seat across the
gOndolas for two or three, and smaller
side seats to the front of this, making
good room iii all for about four passen-
gers. The gondolier stands behind this
seat with his oar on II funnily twisted
lock, upon which il looks as if his oar
might slip every moment. But he
knows how to keep it i'll place and how
to make the gOndola shoot like an arrow
under his skillful strokes. ! took "A
gondola alono, and was soon out of the
Depot jam, and i'll the grand canal,
which winds like the letter 49," all
striking into the smaller canals and
short cuts under bridges through fiOcks
of gOndOlas coming from an opposite
direction, and frequently concluding
that a smash-up was inevitable. 1t is
exceedingly strange to be thus in
great city and to Eoar no rattle OF
wheels, no popping OF whips, but every
thing most of the time as silent as
grave yard. The palaces of tho old
Doges and the churches are superb, but
| must leave out details. The next
point | stopped at was Florence, the
headuuarterS of tho rich Americans
and English in the winter, and one of
the most attractive places in Italy, on
account of it's collections Of fine arts and
splendid climate. l saw an American
named Livingston, driving out there
one evening with six pair of horses.
From Florence | went to Rome, spent
one day, and hurried OH to Naples, in
tending to return to Rox of course. ! was
delighted at POmpeii with those wonder
full old ruins, with the various relics still
preserved with bread baked 1900 years
ago. with bodies still in the same atti-
tude of terror which they assumed
when the city was destroyed. ] had a
Jolly time ascending Vesuvius. 1t is
the most awe inspiring sight / over wit
messed One can descend into the crater
and sec the glowing lire not three feet
from him, and in descending your path
leads through the great stream of lava
that burst out and covered tho side Of
the Mt. and flowed down into the
plain two years ago. The sight OF that
stream of lava alone is worth a trip to
Europe. | returned to Rome for feast
of old ruins and Jolly tCOL-tUuT5 in lis
l have never enjoyed
more. ! went out to TivOh, |
the Alban Mt. and Lakes
and to the location of old Alba Tonga;
saw the colosseum illuminated with !
bengal lights and Sundry other fine |
things. ] returned by way Of Milan; |
crossed the Alps into Switzerland by |
the st Gothard pass-had to ride five |
hours in snow sled with beautiful |
Italian girl-trayeIed most of tho way |
in diligence or stage, and reached at the |
end of the second day for mailed Lake |
Lucern, the most romantic spot on |
earth, associated with all the fests OF |
VIM. Tell. | have been hero about a |
month. Paris is the most beautiful Of |
all tho cities. I will give details when |
sec you; ! expect to return in July. |
Love to all. Yours truly,
Il. w. ARNOLD.