The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-08-20
Foreign Correapsnaeace.
TcoNTNuED.I.

] IOtoTEc0 W oTAHQl3Ae tOE VIC HdlI6u
from here for Corfu in September
while on our outward passage. An
coma is = bright city, but has but
few objects that are worthy of des-
cription. 1t has an old Trojan arch,
and there Is q statue of Cavours Gone
of the leading statesmen in the work
of securing the unity of IIaly) in its
public square. There are. elaborate
designs in marble upon the sides of
the pedestal, which exhibit the
statesman upon those occasions
when questions we're before the
senate and councils which related to
his worthy labors
The steamship Lombardy, upon
which we performed this voyage,
had sailed from Bombay, and most
of its crew werei0 rieRtals. They
were clad in the slightest manner
and were quite comfortable in their
scanty apparel, until we were far up
the Adriatic, and where snow was
to be seen upon the hills on shore.
The voyage from Alexandra to
Venice is usually accomplished in
five days by the Peninsular and Or.
ientsl line of steamers, but on ac-
count of an unlocked for detention
at Brindisi in order to meet the de-
mands of the mail service, our vOy-
age was extended to seven days, but
we were quite reconciled with the
delay when we found that we were
10 be subjected to the influence of q
much cooler atmosphere than we
had been accustomed to during the
winter and we could 60 on shore
and spend our time in observing the
places. We had expected that the
rigOrs of winter in Italy had mostly
passed, and were disappointed when
of Venice covered with snow. When
our ship had cast her anchor it was
Immediately surrounded by Condo
las, which came out to serve the pur-
pose of carriages at railway stations.
Our transit from the ship to the en-.
trance of Victoria hotel was in q
gondola, and we were thus early fur
nished an opportunity to observe the
customs of the Venicians in the use
of this craft. After crossing the wa
tiers of the bay we passed under a
massive arch into narrow canal,
and after passing some distance
came to the grand canal, along which
we passed to near the hotel, when a
short passage brought us to the Ca
nal entrance. But there is a street
as we'll as canal entrance to most
of the hotels and other places OF
business and dwellings. Wishing to
obtain view of the streets of inter-
!. est at Venice, we made early visits
to St. Marks square and church, to
the ducal palace and the old prison,
and the bridge of signs, by which
they are connected. Saint Marks
square is large paved court, which
is mostly surrounded by the best re-
tail shops of the city. Upon one side
is the Kings palace of Olden times
with a beautiful garden along the
, opposite front, and this extends to
the borders OF the bay. But the first
, story of this structure on Saint
Marks square is occupied as places
of business. There would be little
! of interest connected with the
; church of St. Mark, but for its an
tiquity and historic interest, espec
!, tally to devout Xenicians. 1t i!
: claimed that the ashes of st. Mark
and those of other apostles, repos'
a under the altar of this church. L
contains some rich paintings, boil
inside and out, and a few pieces o
statuary. The old Ducal palace il
almost adjoining, and it is the chic
attraction to visitors at Venice. Thu
: place is the repository of the mem
entOes of ancient Venice, and it
apartments have been preserved il
their former style with much care
As we passed to the head of TIT
giants stair case, the big top stone
!, upon which The doge Marine Falint
.. was beheaded, was pointed out, ant
= alongside the wall under the colon
! made, some small holes in the wall
!. said to be the place of the lions
d mouths, the heads of the lions hav
5 ing been knocked off by the Frencl
;. invaders. In their mouths, the Sc
cret accusations of persons, mOstl!
by the enemies of the accused, wer
. introduced, add then their destin,
was almost surely oyer the bridg
of signs to the dungeons of the oil
= prison, and from there to some plac
# of execution. The bridge of sigh
# passes from the Ducal palace to tn
9 prison at their second story, ant
across canal. The bridge has tw,
II passages, one of which was TO
J. criminals and the other for politica
prisoners, and is composed of a.
. arched way that is well enclosed t
prevent an outer view of the pris
t oners. The criminals were confine,
:, in wretched cells that are upon
:. level with the bridge, but the polit
: zeal prisoners were sent down {
II damp and much worse cells, that ar
e upon a level with the canal. TIL,
!, prisoners had no more air or ligh
= than could be furnished through
e round hole in the wall that was nc
II more than q foot in diameter. Th
door of entrance was merely lsrg
y enough to admit of crawling in, an
was never opened except to remOV
II the occupant for trial or execution
i for liberty was rarely realized b
u any person who found his way her,
!. The senate chamber is now occu
f. pied as library, but the old plat
y form and seats of its officers renal
l. as of olden time. The doges wer
e honored with the placing of thei
(, portrait along the upper border @
Il the wall, and these are ia places i
j.. line SO as to distinguish the success