Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-07-28

| The heat was sufoeating, the dust and gravel
abominable. Afer stoppage for drink II
! Lagrima Christi, IN we cartered again and were
soon spinning through the VINEYARDS planted on
old lava beds. Soon there was nothing but lava
to be seen, and our ponies were climbing about
like goats. Two hours passed in this fashion be-
fore we dismounted, and were at the bottom OF
the cone, pestered BY guides. and feeling that il
was much pleasanter 10 read about the ascent
| than 10 experience it. II was much colder and
| we soon started with five guides to make the
| ascent of the cone, each of our party being
| dragged along by strap. II did not take long
TO tire the girls, ard they had to be mounted on
the shoulders of the guides, two for each girl IN
this fashion we got 10 the top and were envelu
4 III a mist that chilled us to the bone. When ;as
| cloud passed offit was magnificent view syapad
before US. All the beautiful bay of Naples va.
spread outlike map We had the satisfaction
of seeing the crater and the burning lava. and
after we had rested u little came To the cOnchi-
sion that the sight was worth the trouble. had
better draw Veil over the descent. After We
had been tumbed down the cone which is like
an immense ash heap, we had the satisfaction OF
! feeling like SO many ashes eats" The painful
| descent ON the horses can be hut family i'm.
| agined. Never did horses seem 50 inentlsilierate
and never did any distance seem 50 deceitftll as
| from the foot Of the cone to Tore Annunziate
The next time we ascend Vestyius We Shall
take advantage of the railway. Our ascent was
one of those experiences which are so pleasant
10 look back upon, but which are very trying al
| the time.
To return to our trip to Capri At nine o'clock
this morning we had elbowed our way through
the crowds ON the quay, had fought our battle
with the boatman and were on board the little
steamer LIsanola watching nutbrown Nea-
politan, who in the garb of u South Sea Islandei
was diving for pennies and catching them in his
teeth, his and between his toes. Soon
Naples, the beautiful, began to recede Vesuvius
10 grow more distinct III our left, and Sorrento t.
show its olive crowned hills in front of us. il
was such perfect morning, the sky so blue. the
sea so blue and the houses 50 dazzling. Sorrento
grew palmer, numerous boats come out to meet
us, we could read the signs on the pink. white
yellow and light-blne houses perched upon the
cliffs. We took ON some more passengers and
steamed along, the sea becoming bluer and bluer
IN an hour and a half we were slirting the island
~ Al'''t tA oNhS pains ~ lAiS bAhS
The was as blue as the sky which lay along
the top of the cliffs covered with olive trees.
Alma Tadema eould have painted the scene, and
some eSeHponlan William Black might have been
able to describe il.
The steamer lay to as We neared the entrance
To the blue grotto the marvel of Capri Those
who wanted to enter were taken i'll pairs in the
boats which were in waiting NJ. and / having
got into our boat we were soon near the entrance
and were told to lie fiat on the bottom of the
boat. With each swell we dashed against the
cliff, each time getting little nearer 10 the en-
trance. Soon with tremendous bump against
the rocks and dash Of sea water all over us, we
We're in utter darkness, hardly daring to breathe
Another scrape and bump and we were in the
most exquisite grotto Imaginable The water of
great depth was of an exquisite silvery blue and
the walls and roof of the grotto which rose To the
height of over forty feet were of the same color.
Nothing ever dreamed of could be more fairy
like or seemingly more unnatural. The boys who
bathed in the water to show us the effect seemed
if made of silver and to be sporting in blue ana
silver waves. The grotto is unapproachable
when there is much of an east wind as the en-
trance is only two feet above the level Of the Sea
OuT GAll WAS more easily Hlle IMAM our tn
trance and after all il was relief to get out into
the open air once more.
We landed for dinner in about half an hour
after our visit to the grottO, and with the other
passengers were soon the objects of the greatest
attention from the girls selling coral, the boys
and women with donkeys, the flower girls, and
the little boys singing Neapolitan songs. / wish
could family describe the exquisite beauty of
the scene whether looking at the island itself or
looking across the bay to Naples with Yesuvius
smoking at one side and Ischia standing guard
at the other. We ate dinner on the balcony over
looking the blue sea and drank the health Of
Capri in Capri vine. A little boy sang us sere-
made and showed us the blacklist eyes and
whitest teeth when We tossed him penny. An
old man begged something TO eat while an old
woman whacked her donkey to show us how it
could trot up the mountains. Two Neapolitans
strummed their mandolins at one elbow, and
a seller of coral Pestered us on the other. Far
down in the sea were numbers of brown, am
phibious little urchins. and eagerly awaiting our
exit were Pascarelle, Marie, Carmen and Caro-
lima the coral sellers and the prettiest girls we
have seen in Italy. Need l say how Pascarelle
lured me into buying useless strands Of pink
coral, or how Marie decked Miss Mae until she
was festooned like an Indian princess.
For three hours we lounged about enjoying the
delicious air and the view We watched the
triumphal ascent OF the Monte solaro by the
French family from our hotel Father, mother
and two daughters, each mounted on a little
donkey, and each donkey being led by one
woman while another holding on by its tail beat
it with a club. Had not our experiences with
Vesayius been 50 fresh in our minds who knows
but that we might have attempted some more
climbing.
II was with regret thatwe were rowed out to the
steamer and left Pascarelle and her companions
waving us adieu with strands of coral. Capri and
its goats soon faded away. and We were again at
Sorrento, where we took On great many monks
in various kinds of strange garbs. From Sorrento
we had race with rival steamer and proudly
we steamed into santa Lucia. arriving there the
winner by great many lengths. As 1 write
Capri and Sorrento are before me, looking blue
as the beautiful bay which they adorn.
On reading over what have written | seem to
have passed over the sights that one comes to
Europe TO see. intended 10 write about our first
views Of the Alps. of the Mount Gems tunnel
through which one must go in order to reach |
Italy. All that happened long ago and Turin is +,
now uninteresting, Genoa beautiful dream, and |
Pisa once more leaf out Of the geography with |
4 picture Of the leaning tower on it" We |
shall not forget the Campo ssnto ct Genoa or our
walk on the banks Of the Arno. The latter VII /
-ank with the Mandolin Serenata on the Pineio |
AZ Rome last week, OF our night on the Chiais At
Naples, listening to the band and eating what |
he girls were pleased to call divine ICES II 4
: useless to attempt any description or onr week /
n Rome. We were inyeserate sight-ses-srs. and
lad even the temerity TO go to see the Coliseum
y moonlight We were present during the
rand service on 81 Peters day, and In St
'eter's heard The finest singing one can hear ina
hurch- wevisited churches without number
nd saw Roman ruins without end To SUN up
Tome. 10 which We return IN day OF two, il
be most remarkable city IN the World sin my
piniOnl. 1t Is 50 modern sad yet 50 old. But
lore anon Perhaps when We get to Venice I
hall be able 70 write again r.. N