The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-09-20
Our Stay fn Venice.
VENICE, ITALY, 1878.''

Dear Dtspdtch:
There IS a glorious city In the sea:
The sea Is In the broad. the narrow streets,
Ebbing and flowing; and the salt sea-wced
Ciings to tho marble of her palaces.
&c h o. no The pa
Invisible; and from the land we went,
AS to 1oaiing CITY,"
Our ride to Venice was through beauti-
full valley, with sweet villas and towns along
the way and then amid mountain range,
with rare pictures OF nature, married only
by our frequent roar and rush through
Astounding tunnels. About noon we
reached Bologna, and saw only one ugly
dog, and no SauSages, though we DID get
toothsome lunch OF bread, cheese. sour wine,
and figs. Thence TO Venice we passed over
far-strctching plain, highly cultivated. and
Astounding in fine orchards, vineyards,
grair-tfelds, and villas. AS we approached
the city the broad lagoons appeared, and
widespread Salt-meadows. reminding us OF
the vicinity o! Atlantic City, n. j.
Crossing over the long bridge (of some
mileS) which connects the city with the
mainland, we reached the depot, situated
on the banks OF the grand canal, about D
p. NJ. A formidable array OF portcrs, with
badges on their hats, barricaded our way.
CRYING out the NAMES and merits OF their
respective hotels in true American style !;
but yelling and gest;cuating as only the
Italians can. We used little odrtez rOuS.
slightly sprinkled with heather Chinee."
and they seemed TO comprehend our wants,
for in twinkling we were hustled, with
our luggage, into our omnibus" (Son-
doa), and went gliding away up the grand
canal 1.-THE Broadway OF Vcnice) and then
through narrow streets (of waer( ana
around sharp corners, unfit we landed at
- bnf al x,,hp
overlooked the grand canal and the bay,
giving lis at night an exceedingly pic
tureSquc view.
After n late dinner we strollcd along the
quay and among the attractive shops around
the Piazza San Marco. This square IS some
600 feet long by 500 widc-the church OF
san Marco. the old Palace OF the DoSes, the
Mint, Campanile, &C.. surrounding It. Inc
lower stories or these palaces, or three
| sides, are now devoted to stores, CAFES, &c.,
| the walkway all around being under Il
Grand series o. arches, supported by mas
| siyc marble columns. At night 1t Is the
stille>t cty in the world, as there is no
sound Of rattIiag wheels and no clatter OF
horses hoofS upon the streets. There are
only
SIX HORSES
in Venice, and these are not visible to the
naked eve; and we nave not seen wheeled
vehicle OF any sort. But after sunset the
Piazza San Marco is the grand gathering
place Of the people, chiefly OF the better
classes. Thousands congregate here. as
they do along the great Boulerards IN Paris,
and. amid tue flashing lights, sweet music,
promenadiny. eating and drinking, ana
| gazing into the brilliant shOp-windowS. the
| place is transformed into ycritabie Van
ity Far" This
QUEEN OF THE ADEIATIC" .
is wonderful for its situation and beauty.
and has a population Of some 100000, with
cutie a commerce and coaSllng trade. Her
manufactures are principally glass, and on
the island Murano are her largest works,
employin about 1000 hands in producing
inc enious beads. beautiful mirrors, artificial
pearls, &c. Gold CHAINS and !eWelry are
also manufactured largely, and printing IS
extensively cultivated.
Nearly all the locomotion about the city is
in the hands of the gondolier. These gon-
dolas are long. narrow, light vessels, painted
black, according to law, and in the centre Is
TASTY cabin or canopy prettiy fitted up
with cushions, curtains, &c. The sensation
OF riding about the streets in this classic
way was extremely novel and interesting;
| ing in,
| And gliding no the streets rs In i dream,
! SO smoothly, silently, by MANY dome,
| Nosuup-like, and many stately porl1co,
| The statues ranged along ~. aZnre sky
| By many pile. IN more titan Eastern sp!endor,
| OF old llle residence Of merchant Kings
Our first chief visit was to.the Campanile,
climbing It's $50 feet to the top, where we
had fine view OF the. entire city, the adj
iacent islands, tile mainland. and the sea.
We fingered here and enjoyed it greatly.
| 70 co, no m
cathedral built in 1913; and it is the most
unique Of all the churches we have seen.
Nearly 600 pillars OF marble decorate the
inside and outside OF this strange oriental
pile.
Over the front (arched) doorways are the
famous bronze horses, taken from Athens,
thence to ConStantinope, and finally to this
spot, by the Ecnetians, IN 1906. The GIANTS
| Stairs are also massive and wonderful. so
is the gorgeous display OF mosaic, in stones
and gold. The
BAPTlSTERY
is another building full OF interest, and
contains a granite slab upon which our
| Saviour is said to have stood when he
preached to the peopleof Tyre, and brought
from that city 10 form All altar here in ll2G.
Our next visit was to the DogeS Palace, with
its wealth Of sculpture and paintings by
Tintorclto, Titan, Vironese, and others.
| Thence we roamed through other ancient
palaces and to the Rialto Bridge and the
Bridge OF Signs, which connects the grim,
| gloomy prison with the Ducal Palace. After
this we hired gnndola for lire (about
twenty cents) an hour, and with cur
"GAY GoNDoLIER"
we had charming ride about the city,
| MAKING orr own music in merry song,
! roundcIay, and hymn; passed by the front
doors OF many OF the grand old palaces
noted in story and in song, and TO the great
city market, which was very curious to
| andsmen. The
MARKET-CARTS
are gondolaS, filed with vegetables, fruits,
flowers. &c, and The people come to do, their
marketing in the same way. Choice fruits
abound, while noise, filth. and .tteds are the
natural accessories to an Italian market.
We also sailed by many an old church and
cathedral, whose marble steps extend down
| into the water, where the Sabbath-w0rshp-
pers land as they come to early mass. we
next took Il arakc through some OF the
.sure- enough" streets OF ealth, though
| we found them narrow, winding, and Girty,
and finally had to call gondola to reach
| our hotel. After dinner we had an evening
sail in small steamer down the bay TO
| Ida, and a short walk across the sand from
here brings us to the seashore. where Venice
comes for sca-balhing and 'rdter prauAe9eS;
| This CITY is unique and striking in all
things, really oriental, and seems to be the
connecting link between Europe and ASA.
| The buildings, churches, and many OF the
people are quite Asiatic in appearance, ana
ya mat IN the streets some real live turks