The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-02-23
vi iscella ne O u 8.
For tile Egis Dc Mtelligencer.
RecOllectiOms of Travel in Europe.

A few years ago, while I was pursuing
my studies at Vienna, wrote you a few
letters describing some of those parts o
Europe over which | had travelled, and
giving you also some notes on the gay me
tropolis in which l was then sojourning
When l began to travel again, however
an unaccountable fit of laziness overcame
me, and my correspondence ceased. From
kind remarks made by you and others in
regard to my former letters, have often
been led to regret that such had been the
case, since my travels after / left Vienna
were more interesting than those 1 had UNI
dertaken before, and an account of them
would have been q source of entertainment
to your readers. l have concluded, there
fore, should such a course meet with your
appreciation, to give you, from time to
time, such series of recollections of mat,
tiers of interest which came under my OBJ.
servation as my little journal, aided by my
memory, can furnish. do not propose
to be at all regular in my contributions, but
inclination. You will perhaps remember
that my last letter was sent from Vienna,
from which city started out on the jour
ney, the principal results of which, l am
to report to you. On Sunday, March LIST,
1874, l wrote from Vienna to my friends
on this side of the water, saying that had
concluded not to visit Italy, but to take
my way through northern Germany to
Paris. On the afternoon of the same day
the subject of travelling in Italy was intro
duced. One thing led to another, guide.
books were produced, maps were brought
into requisition, calculations were made
and, in fine, the result was, that by the
time my letter, stating that would not
visit Italy, had started on its way, l, with
pleasant companion, was being whirled
along toward that beautiful land as fast as
steam could carry me. l will not give the
details of the wild and picturesque scenery
which greeted our eyes as we wound among
crags and peaks, nor discuss the exquisite
skill displayed in the construction of that
world-renowned road. We started early
in the morning, and when we came to the
shores of the Adriatic, the stars were twink.
ling in the sky and the blue waves glist-
ened in the light of the full moon. For a
long distance we skirted the shore, looking
out on the waters, and when we saw the
bright lights of Trieste in the distance, it
was welcome sight. If we had had more
time, would have had something of in
terest to relate of Trieste. would have
visited Miramar, the chateau OF Maximil-
ian, the Mexican usurper, and other places
of interest, but Trieste was not our obiec-
tive point. So as soon as possible we took
passage on the Austrian Lloyd's steamer,
Calcutta, for Ancona. The trip was made
during the night, darkness having come
on soon after we left the harbor of Trieste,
and have nothing to say of it, except
that passed it in that sweet refreshing
sleep known only to those who truly an.
preciate being crooked in the cradle OF
the deep" Breakfast and Ancona came
very much at the same time, and as we
we were about to leave the one to go to
the other, we paid our first devotions to
the former. We were put on shore in
boats, and had no sooner felt solid Italian
earth under our feet than we had most
striking introduction to the worst phase
of Italian travelling. May good angels
guard us all from such yelling, dirty
beggarly, murderous crowd of banditti
They surrounded us screaming and gestic
ulating like idiots, trying to push US into
carriages, take our baggage from us anc
abuse us generally. Nay, believe if they
had had their way they would have dis
membered us and carried the parts up tt
the railroad station in separate carriages
charging full fare for each. Had it no
been for the kindness of German gentle
man whom we had met on the steamer
and who spoke Italian fuently, our fat,
would yet have been mystery. He me
them vigorously, cursed them in their owl
lingo, told us how much to pay them, anc
when one made complaint, as they Away
did, sent him off with flea in his ear
Ancona is town of 10000 inhabitants
beautifully situated between two promon
tories, and having fine harbor. 1t i
very ancient, having been founded by tn
Doric Greeks. 1t afterwards became
Roman colony. 1t has seen many changes
having been bone of contention anon.
half savage hordes in the middle ages ant
the more civilized peoples of modern times
1t was garrisoned by the French from 1888.
to 1888, and it was only in 1860, after tn
battle of Castelfdardo, that the Austrian
finally yielded it to the Italians. 1t is sale