The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-26
OUR EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENCE.
LETTER NuNBER FHrEEN.

as Of men, seems 10 be decided. 4 band
of outlaws, defending themselves on a
small hill In a rough inland country,
founded Rome, the mistress Of the world
for nearly a thousand years. On the
overthrow Of the Western Roman En-
pire, when Italy was Overrun by hOrdes
Of Northern barbarians, the Veneti were
driven from their fertile home on the
north bank Of the PO and took refuge on
the low islands along the Adriatic coast,
where, among the rushes aud yellow
willows, they built their huts and reared
their families, their very poverty pro-
tecting them from the rapaeity Of their
conquerors. From this unprOpitious be-
ginning sprang Venice, the bright queen
of the Adriatic, for centuries the mis-
tress of the sea, and an independent
state for thirteen hundred and seventy
six years. Around her are gathered
more of romance and song, Of ehivalry
and jealous despotism, OF beauty and
the blackest tragedy fthe wiekedness Of
the human heart, than about almost
any other place in the world.
Imagine, If you can, a city with no
broad paved streets, 10 rattle Of carts,
no sound or sight Of horses, but in their
places the dark water flowing between
the houses and the gentle plash Of the
waves as the black gondolas speed
swiftly by, a city where the busy din Of
ceaseless activity seems to have died
out forever, or rather never TO have been
born, and you have something of an
idea Of Venice.
The center OF the city in attraction Of
every kind is the piazza Of st. Mark, an
open oblong some five hundred by two
hundred feet, well paved and surrounded
on all sides by historic buildings-the
church Of st. Mark aud its wonderful
bell tower, the palace Of the Doges, the
royal palace, and the finest shops aud
cafes in the whole city.
The church of St. Mark is a museum
Of curidhties, aud II one has seen all the
cathedrals Of Europe except this, it will
pay to go a thousand miles for the priv
ilege Of going through it. The church
is built in the shape of a Greek cross,
and from the exterior looks half church,
half mosque. IthEs a wonderful amount
Of decorations externally, as well as in
the interior, and is a maze of domes,
marble pillars, arches and mosaics
Over the principal entrance are the four
bronze horses, which are supposed to
have been brought to Rome from Greece,
from there taken to Constantinople, and
when that city was conquered by one Of
the Doges in the middle ages, brought to
Venice. Napoleon carried them to Paris,
I but was afterward obliged to return
them with the spOils plundered from
other European cities. They weigh
about two tons each, and are OF solid
copper. Passing through the yestibule,
one is bewildered by the sight before
him. The ceiling, sides aud floor are
literally covered with mOsaies, of which
there is enough TO cover the ceiling Of a
room seven hundred feet square. The
floor OF the cathedral is a mixture OF
mosaic and beautiful marble, and is very
uneven, parts Of the foundation having
settled. Around the church are memen-
toes from all parts of the world, and
notieeably large number of very fine
representations i'm bronze. Beneath the
richly ornamented High Altar are the
relies and remains of ST. Mark. Behind
this Is second altar, with four spiral
columns Of alabaster, of which the two
center ones, which are nearly white and
semi-transparent, are said to have be-
longed to SOlOmon's temple. Among
the other curious things in the cathe-
dral are the stone on which John the
Baptist was beheaded, crystal vase
containing some Of the "Blood of the
Savior" fragment Of the true cross, a
portion Of the skull of st. John, and a
number Of other sacred aud Interesting
relics. 1t was in the vestibule Of thi:
church where the emperor Barbarosss
kneeled before the Pope, and as a sigr
Of subsection received the pontiffs foot
upon his neck.
In this church was inferred in 1858
the remains Of Italy's idolized hero, ths
president Of the republic of 1913, DAME
Manin, the only one who had been thu,
hOnored during the last three centuries
In front of the church is the bel
tower, a square-based, brick structur,
more than three hundred feet high. from
which there is q fine view Of the city
the canals, the sea, and the mainland
AS most Of the houses are covered will
dingy old tiles, and the chimneys are
made Of the same material, the view
reminds one strongly Of vast, deserteS
brick-yRrd with thousands Of old fiowe
pots scattered over il. On the left Of St
: Marks is the clock tower, with the auto
! matte figures, which go through variou
motions when the clock strikes tn,
hours, the wonder and admiration Of tb,
Venetians. When the clock strikes tw,
, multitude Of pigeons, which havl
: their homes in the buildings about tn
SQUARE, come to be fed, and it is one o
the things to do to buy corn. at the rat
+ OF abont five dollars per bushel, q
feed them. When there are no traveller
about, they are fed at public expense.
Where the Piazzetta touches th
l grand canal, are two granite column
which were brought from Syria Il