The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-02-27
correspondence of the "Intelli.
gencer."
JACKSONVILLE. FLoKID. J


Feb. 81. 1877.
I'D iSrELLiGENcER Il am again
/" America and III sunny Flori,ll. who's.
Climate surpasses Italy. / decided
rather suddenly 70 come home partly
because y. was So anxious to sce the
Centennial. ana partly because |
was sick. Some Of the American phy-
siciass i'll Paris advised q sea voysge.
wrote you the last time from
schwalbach. Germany. From Schwal
bach We went TO beautiful Hamburg-
whose castles and ground. moun,sius
and winding Neckar. are indeed equal
to any description ever written. The
view FROM the 'Nolken Kur" chals,
above the castle. ia grand but
dizzying. The town beneath. the
river like silver thread, winding
through the level country for miles. sll
form grand. widespread panorama-a
living picture, lightly yelled by the
blue mist that always hangs over the
Rhine country.
From Heidelberg we returned to my
iavorite Geneva, where We remained
till the close of Februsry-one year
ago when We went down to Italy, by
way Of Turin aud the Mont Gems tun
mel We stopped over night at Turin
aud Florence. and over Sunday at
Rome. 1t was during the carnival sea-
son. and grotesque figures capered in
the streets as we drove To tho Hotel
lie / Europe. Next day we went 10
mass at st. Peters. We listened to
the sweet voices Of the almost unseen
singers far above US; watched the con-
tlnuAliy coming and going crowd. and
stood by the veritable bronze St Peter
himself. ard gazed on the well-worn
foot. and wondered at the faith of the
devotees, who came to lay their heads
on, aid kiss 1t. 50 reverentially. The
RomSnists lay such hold on things ma
terial. and by them, seem to
gain such hold on things unseen. that I
could wish to believe like them
In the AFTERNOON We went out by the
COLISEUM aud the Appian Way and
through the Arch of Constantine. The
air Of Rome has always q peculiar
smell and feeling. very unlike the fresh
ness of Florence or Naples. but in that
ancient aud decaying neighborhood Of
old Rome, thele Is certainly something
that breathes of ages past-sofs. green
grass was springing over the mounds
and ruins. and birds singing-but the
air, though sweet, seemed still and life
iess and ,innhftaaa t,,n e
from the excavations We pursued the
Appian Way for two or three miles,
passed the Baths Of Caracalla. the Cat
acombs Of Calixtus. the tomb Of Cecil
IL Metelia, and the many mouldering
monuments to greatness gone. But
sunset was approaching, aud no stran-
ger likes to linger in that Campagna
neigbborhood then. So we returned to
modern Rome. all gay and noisy With
the carnival procession, and crowds OF
carriages filled with wealth and ele-
gsnce- Rome Is the gayest and mos,
elegant of any resort we visited. Next
day We went TO Naples to see the close
of the carnival. As We entered the city
all the population secmcd in the streets
and chAttering like magpies. Flower
sellers stood 1T every corner, occasionly
tossing bouquets into some carriage and
running after 1t to get any pay lnent how
ever small. Only think Of huge lunches
Of white and red camellIas, and masses
of vioiets and he.iotrope. aud selling at
. fraac GO centso We went To the
Hotel Washington, near the Castel
dell Ovo. and the sea. and across
to the left. Mt. Vesuvius, with its ap-
parently motionlcss pillar Of smoke
almost undisting lishablc from the
clouds. By night this pillar assumes
fiery iook-the reflection from the hid
den fires. The crater is immense, be
ing nearly u mile IN extent at the top.
and the smoke seemed to come from
one side. One Of our party, young
Jerseyma entered the chasm. burned
his bouts, and brought forth, triumph
antly. green. shining. coppery looking
mass Of rock. Not far from this Is
Pompeii. of course, bu, nearer Naples.
Our drive there was by bright sun
shine, past villas and wayside crosses.
with occasional giimpsss Of the sea the
blue and classic Mediterranean. The
entrance to Pompeii is guarded by a
house-an inn-thIough which YOU
pass. and ascend. and finally enter
sort Of ante room or museum-fuil of ar
ticlcs taken from the ruins--and, most
interesting Of all. the "imprin.s Of hu-
nan forms" found iii the lava There
10 even dog With the collar on. He is
drawn together as if in pain These
hgares Impressed ire deeply; they al
most seemed to live again aud tell US
their story mutely. From this museum
you ascend To the ruins-the hole cCn-
yeys the idea Of an immense cellar un-
rooted Few relics Of beauty remain.
The pictures. so celebrated. on the walls
aud baths, are faded. apd one must
guess =, their originAt brightness Few
figures remain, and everything really
valuable has been removed 20 'h. Ma
pies museum.
We drove home by moonlight. in a
| clear brseing sea air, passing groups of
returning iaborcrs, all singing. laugh
rag aud talking; and many os the
groups were cooking their evening ma-
caroni a; an open fire beside the door
way All these things are so di.feren
/ from cur own country that they are
I ,-v t,..a-as.fuu - IN. Th, maaTrnri