Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-06-21
ITALY.
Naples-ssOne of the Fairest and Fflthi-
est Cities'-InterestingD DESCRIPTION of |
visit to Vesuvius and Pcmpeii.

A few days ago we came over the
mountains into Italy in snow storm
Here we find ourselves in the luxgriant
lap OF summer. Though the nights are
somewhat cool, the days are too hot
for comfort. The markets are tenn
ing with the products of the garden
radishes, turnips, cabbages, green peas,
strawberries, lemons and oranges. The
latter grow here abundantly, and good
oranges may be had in the street for a
cent apiece. Naples has population
of half a million people. How they
all manage to subsist is a mystery. 1t
is city of strong contrasts-of squalld
w1etchedness and gilded magnifcence.
Wealth and poverty crowd each 9th.
er in the streets, and the hand out
stretched for aims is everywhere. The
modern portion of the town has fine
broad streets and beautiful buildings,
but the older parts are foul, filthy and
wretched. 1t is a wonder that pestilence
does not depopulate it. With the most
delightful situation, upon the shores of
q bay unrivaled for beauty, with the
charmed Islands of Ischia and Capri
watching across the waves, and Vesuvi-
us perpetually smoking in the distance,
it is at the same time one of the fairest
and flthiest cities in all Italy. There
is much to see and enjoy here, but
one can hardly expect to see either un-
til he becomes insensible to the impor-
tunities of cabmen and beggars. To
walk, is to brave the solicitations of the
former to ride; to ride, only brings one
In contact with the better class of the
latter. So the better plan is to be deaf,
dumb and blind to both, and do as you
please. A stroll through the town will
help to form some idea of street life.
Shoemakers, as we'll as some other work
men, sit out in the open air by their
shop-doors at work. Groups of women
and girls are sitting on the sidewalk
sewing. Men and women retail ice
water from huge earthen vessels which
they carry about on their backs. There
is everything for sale.
Donkeys are driven about with enor-
nous loads of garden vegetables upon
their backs, which are retailed from
house to house. Goodly loads of hay
or straw are moving about the streets,
but the slender legs of a quadruped
underneath reveals the secret of loca-
ton. It is wonderful what enormous
carts and loads these diminutive don
keys will manage. The shafts are at
tached to huge saddle-like pad higher
than the animals back, and the cart
may contain eight or ten men, women
and children. A donkey's back is
made to transport almost everything
even barrels and lumber, audit is often
amusing to see them trudging along
with their burdens, thoughtfully wag
cling their philosophic ears. Naples
seems overrun with boot-blacks, and
yet they give you faultless shine"
for cent Italian milkmen have
way of disposing of their stock In trade
which is to be recommended for its
simplicity. Goats are driven about the
streets, hating at the customers house,
when the milk is drawn to order. What
better plan could possibly be adopted to
insure an unadulterated article? Wo-
men carry burdens upon their backs or
heads, and | have seen them at the
same time spinning with the dastih.
The spindle is made-to revolve rapidly
by dexterous movement across the
knee, and then left suspended by the
thread which its motion spins from the
hax-fber cautiously fed to it from the
eopious supply carried in the left hand.
The thread is wound up as often as q
new impetus is given to the spindle, and
SO the process is repeated. Along the
shore of the bay the washerwomen may
be seen at their work. The clothes are
washed by rubbing, or pounding them
with stones, while the women stand half
knee deep in the water. We saw them
thus employed in a cool stream which
here flows into the sea, on cold March
morning, when the water could not
have been very much above its maxi
mum temperature. A few days ago
we made an excursion to Mt. Vesuvius.
Taking ar early train, an hours ride
along the coast and through excavations
IN old lava streams, brought us to Pom
pei, fourteen miles from Naples. Here
We procured a guide and started off Cor
a tramp of eight miles to the crater.
The way led at first through green
fields, along cool water courses, and
then over road of ashes walled in with
blocks of lava, and through little vii
lagos built of the same material, and
finally through vineyards which cover
lAC IOWCA OAOpCO Va OhC 4l1OllAUAA4lSs
Above these vegetation ceases, for the
surface is covered with black scoria,
ashes and crusted lava. And this DESC
late region was once the garden Of Italy
The way grew sleeper as we advanced
toward the foot of the cone, and the
scene Of devastation grew wilder. When
the base of the cone was reached the
slope became fearfully steep, and the
path descended by zig-zags over the
loose, ankle-deep ashes, till lost in the
clouds of vapor which enveloped the
crater. The ground was warm, and
even hot IN places, and vapor issued
therefrom, as though the whole cone
we're one vast steam. pit. The sulphur
Gus cloud even blew across our way,
compelling us to cover our faces with
our handkerchiefs in order to breathe,
then it would lift for a few minutes
and we would hurry on while we could.
At last we reached the crater's rim and
hurried around through clouds of vapor
and fumes of sulphur to the windward
II,