The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1878-05-11
,lr Tie Cecil Hhis
VENUE.


times called the Gulf OF Venice. came
from Milan in the cars and arrived. at
Venice about five O'Clock in the evening of
a beautiful Summer day, in the month OF
July, 1919. Just before entering the city,
the train OF cars runs over (: Icing. lew
bridge, similar 20 those crossing the Gan
powder and Bush rivers, in going to Balti
moro. This long bridge is the connecting
link between the maiu land and the city Of
Venice. When | arrived at the station,
and upon leaving the cars, | saw directly
opposite, uumoer of strange look Hg
boats waiting to convey passengers 10
their respective hotels Or private residences.
Before | Saw d goDdola, | had formed
rather eAIravigaut Ideas Of their appearance.
What sad feeling Of disappointment came
over me as soon as ! behold ;hen, The
ictes. had formed of the s.ondaia was. that
OF boat painted III various beautiful COZ
orS, tintod Win gold, luu in which he 0lil.
liant red, and bre purple we're blended
III harinonialnE CoturS, and my imagiuatiur
led me 10 believe that my beautifully paint
ei Sondola, W"nld bc handsomely trimmed
with satin aud silk, and garnished WITH a
heavy gold or silver fringe. Imagine my
nie:!liy flom the ears, and looked around
me, upon the streets Of wafer aud behoit.
niy beautiful, aginary g0ndUla converted
lnto black, sharp pointed mud scow
Then and nos until then, did the true in
"arCness Of things break upon my mind
l tEOue lat iow foolish how very foolish
1t was III me to come AL the way from the
tniitd states Of AmcrICe, to Venice, only
To see 4 marrow: dismal, gloomy locking
sc%", ana which the Italians exai5 to the
skies. | ceuSured L0yd Byron, Thomas
Hood and al other poets who had ever
Tltten line of poetry il their praise
"a. -,"ildcIa Is I. Icing narrow boat about
thirty feet long, and two feet and half
ui''o. Il has a high iron pow, and 4
rotc:iti concern IL the stern. which am
tod is called peg" bus why it is called
50 IS more than | cat understand. IL the
center Of The boat is a covrrli, cabin.
which viii hold four persons very comfort
ably. This cabin looks something like i
haaIse-and that, tco, the worse looking
hcarse you ever saw. Tie balance of the
gordola is covered over with light boards
The go'.doii"r stands at The seem OF his
bOaJ and with his oar IN tie aful cs.id peg
propeis it with surprising swif,ness and
= precision truly wonderful, but the CONDO
her did Tot come up to my expec'ations
emaglned him To DO tall little boat
man, neatly dressed, with a silk sash
around his waist, Il neat. close fitting cap.
and d perfect Chesterfield III poiiteHesa.
ii ust ROW confess that | was more diSap-
pointed IN the gondoiiel than in lis craft.
! found him To be 4 little, scrurty, dark
Complexioned Italian, with uncomtsd hair.
with ragged pants, dirty shit and no
collar, and in his bare feet This is q
correct AID true description OF my boat aud
boatman. Aud all the public goudolas ere
similar 10 ii. or worse. The private COZ
d0laS are gotten up in better style AMI The
CONDO heEs are better dressed, but black is
the color established hy an old law, in
which color all the gondDias must be paint
ed. When two gonG0las meet each other,
they pass each other on the left, keep TO
the left as the law Directs Aud when
they approach the corner, they sing ont
ID warning cry, in order to prevent COLI
sion. There is one satisfaction in riding in
q gondoia; there is nc state room passen
gers, nor deck passengers, bat all are first
class cabin passengers; SO q Ierson need
not put or any airs. " got into gondoa
belonging to our hotel, the - Royal Dan
lei, " which is located upon the grand canal.
and upon the opposite side of Venice from
the station. The grand canal is about
thirty to sixty feet in Width, and is shaped
like Tie letter - 5 " Knocked l0wn-tiluS, u
II takes nearly half an hour TO go from
the station Ia the hotel by means Of the
%nndcla. ! do not cXsctiy know how long
II would have taken 10 have waiket, it, bus
supposed ii | were placed down AZ the
station, and told i'll what direction to go,
and if I commenced eallv enough in the
morning, l might possibly have reach
ed it by nightiali. 70 give some idea
how troublesome il wouli he to travel
around Venice without The qondola, even
TO 90 to house on the opposite side of the
street, perhaps not more distant than
twenty feet. YOU would be OBLIGED 10 walk
at least half a rtife. and pcrnaus as far
as TIVE miles before YOU would reach
the place. The streets "a Nenica-exceut
the grand ;:anal-ara very narrow. There
are altogether 3IS hridreS. bujIf partly Of
ron and marble. The CITY is buiIt on IA
small islands. The t!3e rises ard falls
twice q dav, and when the tide is fu}l il
increases the voiuiue Of water about ong
foot a:d = half aboyc low water mark
The tides keen the streets healthy and
pule. hu5 must confess that the stencil is
sometimes almost ove!pnwrrins, esnecialIy
along Tic narrow sheets, away from the
gva!G canal. | have f,eonentIy tboroht Of
marx made f}V Mark Twain III GtSrrill-
ING The streets of Damascus, ~, said !,
was happy thing the streets were 50 mar.
row in that city. f"r as harrow as they wee
they contained as much disagrecabe odog
Us they cnGih well hold. and of course If
the streets were wider th,y vn,,Id If rour>.,
bnId more nr The overr,,r,.,;,i,y s+,pr}, ,.,a
lie people corli not stand il
How does il come thar Venice WAS hni.
II, eroh , .,r,,xo ,l.,,o ~ ~ - ~ :, t:tt
at Ua As ne;,r a. cta lem tla history,
of the civ is briany AZ foIlny,s. ,hn,,y
twelve Lundred wars AGO fi,e p;man I'm.
pire.mas DESTROYED by the barb.rians. The
inhabi ants of The towns and yjllar,s a1oug
tie coast cc Ifalv. c,}jinc themselves Cann
tiaus. had their eli les utterlv des.roveG Inv
The harba:ous hordes. and the ciiizaTs look
refuge uinn these islands ana formed .
uoyETf,ta,,,,t of rhrir oz-, si,a:1or in ,nsny
respecrs t,a Perphli.ar forr, Of .so,..,,n
ment. In G07 tEnv felt The y,s,,t ,,g ,,.ii..i
government, and ia that wear ,iectra ,;'t,r
liyst Dore. whose office vas very sinil,r In