The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-09-20
dating from 1850. Like nearly all structures
of its class, it is built around anopen court.
and ;ts ,nn,,u baIfa n,,.7 cou,,f. f.;I .ba,,n 1ara

are filed with historical paintings, COM
memorating grand events in the history Of
the Republic. The Hall Of the Great Council
contains Tintoretto's Paradise, the largest
oil painting ever executed, il being eight
four feet long and thirty-four wide. In
the lower part Of the palace we are shown
the damp and noisome prison cells where
many state prisoners have been confined,
and from one Of the upper stories we 60
out across canal over the famous Bridge
of Sighs referred to by Byron.
stood in Venice on the Bridge of sighs,
palace and prison on each hand.
This bridge connected the council chambers
of the palace with the prisons beyond and
contains two passages, one of which was
/ used for state prisoners and the other for
ordinary criminals. The prisons are still
used and possess nothing of interest.
Besides ST. Mark Venice has many
churches, but with the limited time
at our disposal only a few claim attention.
The Frari contains fine monuments to
Canoya and Titan; Santa Maria della
Salute has one OF the most graceful and
finely proportioned faeades In Europe, and
others have features of lesser interest.
The Grand Canal is crossed near the
center of the city by the celebrated bridge
called the Rialto. til single arch of "a
feet span, 80 feet high and rests on 12,O0o
piles. It was built in the 10th century and
contains three passage ways with row Of
shops on each side of the centre passage.
The name Rialto was originally applied to
the main island of of the group, which has
always been the business as we'll as the
geographical centre Of the city, and it is
probably this to which Shakespeare refers
in the "Merchant of Venice . when Shy
lock says:
Signor Antonio, many a time and oft
In the Rialto you have rated me,
Even there where merchants most do con-
gregate.
The Grand Canal by moonlight is justly
regarded as one of the most fascinating
sights in Europe. The palaces which line
its shores have many of them seen their
best days, and in the glare of the MONDAY
sun appear triie g seedy, to say the
least, but the glamour of the soft moon
light throws charitable vail over the
dilapidation and evidences of decay and
the surroundings all combine to form
scene of enchanting beauty.
| The gondola, which forms the only means
Of transportation in Venice, is singular
craft about thirty feet in length, with a
sharply elevated PROV and seats in the
centre for the passengers. The .boatmen
stand on deck at the stern and propel the
gondola with a broad, flexible oar, literally
pushing, with peculiarly dexterous stroke,
their way through the water. Snch perfect
control do they have over their boats that
inch of grazing it and even when going at
full speed will stop almost instantly.
/ Venice has been justly famous for her
advancement of the arts. Here GaliIeo in
vented the telescope. Here the first news
paper was printed in the sixteenth century,
and sold for a coin called gazetta. Here
the Order of Jesus, or Jesuits, was organ
lied in 1886. Tho names of Canova, Tasso,
Marco Polo and many others iliustrious in
the annals of the world are all associated
with this city of the sea.
We leave Venice with regret. Its pecu-
liar location, its wonderful history, the
evidences of its past greatness all combine
to render it one of the most interesting
cities of Europe to the American traveller.
When we compare our own hundred years
of national life with the twelve centuries
during which this city maintained an inde-
pendent existence, We feel that many of our
faults and follies can be excused on the
score of youth and inexperience; but on the
other hand, when we compare the condi-
ton of the American people with the best
| days of these old nations, we feel no reason
to be ashamed of our growth and civiliza-
! ton.
! Leaving Venice in the morning we stop
over one train at Verona, city of about
| 1000 population and about seventy five
miles from our starting point. We pass
| through Padua and Vicenza aad as we near
| the mountains at the foot of which Verona
| is situated, we find the country very fertile
and highly cultivated. A system of irriga-
| tion is carried on which neatly increases
the value of the land, and fine vineyards,
fields of corn and other grain, and extensive
mulberry orchards, the leaves from which
support the silk worms, surround us on
| every side.
The great attraction of Verona is the old
Roman amphitheatre built A. D. 80, and
still in good preservation. Its outer
wall was thrown down by an earthquake in
| the twelfth century, but the seats are almost
perfect, and could Barnum and Forepaugh
secure lease of it they would find in its
/ broad arena ample space for the " Greatest
1 Chow, ~, Forfh - yUhifa .audinnoo ,f
/ 25, 600 could be accommodated on the stone
! seats as well now as in those old days when
/ the Roman populace assembled to witness
the bloody work of the gladiators. In fact,
at the time of our visit an itinerant rope
walker had been giving an entertainment
there and his rope was still stretched
! across from the upper tiers OF seats far
above the arena. The amphitheatre is not
the only point of interest in Verona. The
romantic and sentimental traveller will find
! in the garden of an old Franciscan monas-
! terry, near the southern wall, an old stone
sarcophagus, ikened by many unapprecia-
tive minds to an old stone horse trough,
which is pointed out as the only original
tomb of Juliet. Although the devoted
Romeo ceased his attentions some years
ago. the fair Juliet has since had many
| callers, as the bottom of the sarcophagus is
covered to q depth of several inches with
visiting cards, representing all nafionali-
| ties and all quarters of the globe. Nothing
can be less attractive or romantic, but the
| beauty of shakespeare's play draws thou
sands of visitors here eachy year. The house
| of the Capulets is in street near by and is
now occupied as hotel. Verona was one
/ the fortresses of the famous "QuadriIater-
| al'-the others being Peschera, Mantua
and Legnago-but its military Importance
| is now thing OF the past.
Shortly after leaving Verona we pass
| Lake Garda, the largest of the Italian lakes
| and possessing some fine scenery. Near
this lake is the famous battlefield of