The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-02
PICTURES FROM ITALY.
Naples Resumes Its Normal Aspect-The
Buried Cities of Pleurs, Near Como.

Correspondence Of the Indianapolis Journal
NAPLES, Oct lion Thursday last had oc-
casion to go from one end of Naples to the other
and I saw that the city had taken on its normal
aspect The streets were full, the sun shone
brightly down upon people who were hurrying
briskly here and there their errands Of bust
ness and pleasure, and it seemed to me that not
only the charming weather, but the decrease OF
the cholera to only six fatal cases per diem rem
dered every one cheerful Yet, every one was
looking forward to only three days more when,
humanity speaking there would be no more need
of daily bulletins, for the cholera would have
disappeared altogether. But what a change
twenty-four hours brought In the afternoon
came drenching rain, and during the whole
day many of the lower workmen had been
drenching their insides with new wine and cram
ming themselves with fruit, ana, to our conster-
nation the bulletins of yesterday gave us from
midnight of Thursday, the 9th of October to
midnight of Friday, the 10TH las cases of cholera
followed by IS deaths. What spring-up from
twenty one cases and six deaths to seven times
that number of cases and twelve times that num-
Der of deaths 1t will be asked, did the weather
Doubtless the weather had something to do with
it, for the lower class of Italians are not well
prepared for down-pouring rains, and warmth is
great factor in the cure of cholera but this
great increase of the disease was mostly due to
imprudence in eating and drinking. For weeks
the authorities have had all the eating and
drinking places where the lower people CO. es-
pecially on Sundays and holidays, to FEAST
closed, but as the bulletins were SO
favorable the project, or governor
of the Province, listened to the pitiful
tale of the fruitdealers, winesellers and restau-
rantkeepers and gave permission for their es-
adjustments to be opened again Thursday,
1.-THE 9TH. Very likely it had been hard on
these men, thousands of whom in and around
Naples depend on this mode of gaining their
living But this Thursday was a peculiar one
1t was the day which, from time immemo-
rial, reaching clear back to heather days, the
god Bacchus was worshiped with plentiful iba-
tions of new wine The second Thursday in
October is devoted to his worship, and the liba-
tons in old and well -fermented thin, red sour
wine, which is partaken freely without intoxi-
cation, is discarded on that day. and the rich,
sweet, unfermented must" mingled in equal
parts with old wine, is imbibed to a sickening
extent. New wine produces three effects-it
will purge like dose of salts, or it will so load
the stomach, especially if quantities of food are
taken with it, that nature will assert itself and
throw off the load or lastly the new wine, fer
mentng in the stomach, the alcohol is evolved
mounts by the nerves to the brain, and sicken-
ing intoxication is produced. There is no pas
-, he .Ioo
edge of the effect of new wine than that CON
corning the sneerers who, on the Day of Pente
cost could not comprehend the mighty workings
of the Holy Spirit, and put the harshest possible
judgment on what they witnessed-for, as the
Bible has it, "Others mocking, said these
are full of new wine" Now the Italians are not
given to intoxication-for not many are given to
new wine-and believe that the generality of
Italians would soon drink liquid fire
as American whisky, yet there is certain class
who make it practice ito celebrate
their October in pouring in mot pouring
QUIT libations of new wine to Bacchus
Under ordinary circumstances apurging might
do them good, but in the cholera times nothing
is more dangerous So, unfortunately, large
rumber of these grown-up children, without
ly on Thursday and with the result of many
Deaths and of the return of the cholera, The
authorities have now come back to their plan of
closing up the wine establishments until health
is most fully restored. What do you think of
prohibition like thatl
Notwithstanding this sudden "spurt" of chol-
1 think its days are numbered. But it has
been a fearful thing with Naples. Think of til
Up to 10 A. M. to-day, there have been in Naples
and the towns which form its suburbs, no less
than 10 037 cases, and 1900 deaths in forty-one
days. Why, it is like burying in less than six
weeks the whole population of small city
Nevertheless sad as it is, this time of trial will
be productive of future good for Naples in the
part where the poor dwell, is to be renovated
In 'Amalf," one of the late Mr.. Longfellows
most charming minor poems, which grew out of
his last tour in Europe lS6S-69), there occurs
this significant line:
Even cities have there graves"
He refers to the sudden encroaching of the sea
which destroyed the harbor the wharves and con
tiguous houses of Amalf in the thirteenth century
From being one of the busiest marts of south
ern Europe whose vessels carried the crusaders
and their stores, whose merchants were known
in every land; from ruling by its power all the
surrounding towns and cities, its greatness and
its enterprise were swept away in moment
Vanished like feet of cloud
Like passing trurp petblast
Are those splendors of the past.
And the com MERGE, and the crowd.
Fathoms deep beneath the seas
Lie the ancient wharves and quays
Swallow'd by the engulfng waves;
Silent streets and vacant halls
Ruined roofs, and towers, and walls;
Hidden from all mortal eyes,
Deep tho sunken city lies;
Even cities have their graves!"
never go to Amalf, only three hours from
Naples, without thinking of the destroyed city
and of these lines. Beautiful and nictnresnne