Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1884-04-04
LETTER FROM non. ASHER COOK.
From Rome 10 oAicxapdrin-A Thou
snnd MILES on the Beautiful
meditcrnncan-.Ant vicw.
cd from tho Deck of the
Steamer.
A1rxAvpnrA. Eoypr Fob 81 IA

morning at 7:40 o'clock and arrived in
Naples at 2 P. NJ. The next morning ,Satur-
day, Feb. 23d, embarked on board the
French steamer Rel Ho for this place,
where we arrived this morning.
This sail Of lour days on the Mediter-
made. The weather was fine and the sea
calm and smootl, ne glass. Sunday nom.
ing we crossed the course Of the vesev in
which St Paul made the stormy passage
from Crete TO Malta, and contemplation
OF the difference was most agreeable TO me.
would have pitied them, when | thought
OF their fourteen days Of terrible suffering,
had they not long since passed the bourn
beyond whose limits pity does not reach
From the deck of the steamer as we lay IN
the harbor Of Naples the bay and the
shores show to the best advantage. This
placid sheet OF water, one of the most
beautiful in the world, is heightened by
the scenery which surrounds it. It was
cold the morning we left Rome and there
was a white frost on the ground. The sun,
however, rose clear, and shone brightly
all day. The farmers along the way, both
men and women, were at work IN the Fields
preparing the ground for the spring crops.
The women, l think, outnumbered the
men. These Italian woman are patient
and laborious, and reconciled to their lot,
though hard one. The short stay in
Naples did not give me time for extended
observation OF the city. But as we en
barked at / | o'clock and did not sail until
twelve, had an hour to view from the
deck OF the steamer the beauties of Naples
and some of it's surroundings.
In the first place there was Naples, with
the Castle of st. Elmo rising above and
resting like crown over ITS head, imme
diately before us. Vesuvius quietly smo.
king at the sight, ms if -he had never de,.
troyei Pompei and Heiculanium at her
feet the villages OF Pcstichi, Tor del Guk,
resting in the anticipation of eternal Sc
curity, but liable at any moment to be
overwhelmed by streams OF lava, vomited
from the fires which perpetually burn
beneath their surface. To the left, far in
the distance, but marking the outlines of
this beautiful bay, lies the ruined Island
of Ischia. And at the entrance of the bay,
like good sentinel, lies the island OF
Cnp.i, the late home of ihe patroit Cara
baldi.
As we pass out Of the bay and make our
way out into the open sea, we pass the
ruined city of Pompeli, and the fine vii
lagos OF Castelamar and Sorrento on the
left, and the island of Lapri on the right
We passed over a calm sea down the ives
coas, of Italy, keeping the land IN sigh
until it was obscured by darkness, Thi
coast of Italy IS peculiar. L: appear
rocky and broken. Nevertheless there ar
. many villages along the coast, which give
e evidence OF fertility, but where the fertil
spets are, from which these villagers dra,
their substance is difficHlt TO see. Tn
appearance OF the coast was mixture q
| light and shadow, such as painters d eligh
, to decorate their pictures with. Not
, however, that obscure mixture which W
too often see in paintings over colored, bu
4 the soft, natural light which fall from
fleecy clouds that but partially obscure til
t objects over which they pass.
: In many places the mountains, whic
u form the coast range here, rise high an
r TALL off gently toward the interior, while
form some Of those fertile plains and o
: which the fine herds of Italy Craze. A
other points the range appeared lower an
II yau here Tho ytl1nuas yara huiIt
4 the coast forms fine panorama for Il,
;, observation, and one which we much en-
joyed, as there was no other object visibl
= Tor our centemplation.
Il Between 12 and 2 o'clock at night W
II passed the straits of Messena. When W
q reached this passage, arose, dressed my
e self, and went on deck. The sight wT
s the most beautiful ! have seen since / le
home. When / came on deck we wer
just passing the once dreaded Scylla an
Charibdes ut the entraEce OF the straits
Messena, and were steering directly for tn
u coast OF Italy and seemed TO be but a fe
y rods distant. Soon, however, we change
our course and for a time seemed to /
j., running directly onto the coast of Cicily
q but we gradually turned, aud finally cam
l. into the center OF the passage, which
r about five miles wide, and CONTINUED L
keep equally distant from the two shore
e | was for long Time the only prssenge
|. on deck. The sky was clear and ever
n star shone brightly from the horizon to til
= zenith. Not single cloud was visible
= mar their beauty, or obscure their ligh
r Though stood alone I'm the deck,
9 seemed in the midst of friends, for ia
: familiar form of the consultations, h
which nay home from bovhood has bee
l. surrounded, clled my thoughts back /
y familiar scenes Orion 10 the south an
4 in front, accompanied by the pliades, le
: the way and seemed to he opening tn
u gates Tor cur passage; while the great bea
was carefully watching the north star
and hard by were Casiop aud Melns
u 10 cheer the rugged ANIMAL in his walcliiu
e task. The beauty Of this Scene was height
= ened by few planets with superior lustr,
10 which gave to the heavens the appearance
Of u crown Of silver adorned with a crcl
OF diamonds. From The contemplation
this beauuful scene. my attention WI
: soon called to ih. glitterins lights alon
n the shore We were approaching the cit
OF Messena ON the one side, and that {
II lschia on the other. These two cities la
r at the waters edge, with high, dark mou'
q aims rising back of them. They wen
| poth WIN RHF. U0r
a lights extended for some miles along III
n shore, and AS they shone brightly over III
n water, and were r. hected by it, they re
/ minded me of Byron's description OF tn
). Sea Of Galilee, a il reflected the briliinc
y of the spears Of Senachasile's on that terri
4 BILE night when his army was destroyed b
y the angel OF the Lord.
"a "The sheen of their spears shone like stars G
e the sea,
AS the blue waves roll nightly on the dee
Galilee.n
As we passed in frent of these towns, III
:. streets, rnnning back from the water, conl
be plainly traced by the long course OF "a
: jets, which extended far back onto Il
= hillside. rsmaided on deck AN hour an
Y a half, charmed by this delightful seen
4 and then returned to my room, 10 enjo
g that greatest Of natures blessings "Jalm
. sleep" which NJ peacefully "knils up III
rayelel alayp nf caraV