Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-15
sAvANNAH's CHAPLAIN.
He Reports Himself at His MIDDAY
Meal White We ere Mt Breakfast.

He Reports Himself at His MIDDAY
Meal While We are Mt Breakfast.
/ 10 VIA ENERICO AMARI, PALERMO,
SICILY, April 25.-lt may be that there
are those in savannah who would like 10
I know Of the wherea bouts of the late chap
lam to sailors in tnat port. We are about
$500 miles away, some 900 miles beyond
/ the rock of Gibraltar and when you are
getting up in the morning we are sitting
down to our midday meal. We have
I been residing in this picturesque city II
days, visiting it's handsome cathedral,
/ churches and gardens In the front OF the
/ city is the harbOr formed by a break
/ water, or the mOlO, into which steam ana
sailing ships come night and day without
pilot. There are about 30 vessels In
port, most of which are steam. some OF
the latter quite large, loading with lemons,
| oranges, sumac, and Oil-mostly lemons,
for this is the land of lemons, groves of
which, now in fun bloom, with large
quantities of last years fruit still on the
trees, are all round the city, making the
air fragrant with their perfume. Behind
the city and on each side are hills and
mountains, some very high and still snow
clad. i he air is still quite cool, even IN
the sunshine. The beautiful blue placid
Mediterranean spreads out in front,
dotted with the white sails of the little
hshlng boats going out to catch sardlnes
and anchovies, etc. We find fresh sar-
dimes much nicer than when put up in
small tin boxes, ard the oranges, fresh
pulled from the trees, are perfectly de-
llclOus. w e do not take to macarOnI,
which seems to be the universal diet OF
bOth rlcn and poor.
In coming to this place we came by
steamer from Malta, landing at Syracuse,
and thence by rail- through the centre OF
N futo mil. FOR hOtr
in sight OF the snOw-cad, cloud capped
Mount Etna, which, with the sun shining
on 1t, looked truly grand and beautiful.
We also passed through the vineyards OF
Catanla, which vineyards looked like
large cotton fields, with the stumps of
the cotton stalks left standing about
foot and half high and Ihree or tour
feet apart, the ear tn bedded up between
and a stick about three feet high for the
fresh sprout to run on and bear grapes,
TO be again cut down to the short stump
in the winter. The railroad runs right
through the mountains, consequently
through great many tunnels, some very
long. The mountains are bare of
timber and many of them cultIvat-
ed to the top with small grain
and beans. There is no timber in this
country, but plenty ofstone. The houses
are all built of stone, there being no wood
about them bnt the doors and windows.
1t is almost impossible to burn them, 50
there is very little for house insurance
companies to do here. We have been here
in this city of 2l0, 600 inhabitants almost
three weeks, and have walked in all parts
night and day, and have not seen one sim
gle intoxicated person, or any one who
seemed 10 be unuer the influence of liquor
or wine. rhe people all drink light wines,
but mostly at their meals. They are an
Industrious, peaceahle sort of people and
not at all quarrelsOme. | notice men
meet each other and kiss, a process |
should not relish, The fatal gift
of beauty is quite rare among the women,
but the men are many of them very fine
looking. The laboring class of women
wear red cotton handkerchief on their
heads, tied under the chin, so if they have
any beauty, they hide it. Perhaps it is
best that it is so, as it keeps men out of
temptation. There are three Protestant
places OF worship: One Episcopal, SER
vices conducted in English, ministered
TO by an English clergyman; one Walden
sian, services in Italian, conducted by a
Scotchman, and one Methodist, minis
tered to by an Italian. There is also
sailors reading room, and the
Scotchman breaches on Sunday
night on board of some
English steamer. Il took the service for
him last Sunday night on the steamship
Ponca to cabin fun of seamen. To-day
we met religious procession passing
through crowds of People carrying in
their hands lighted candles, carrying a
prostra e figure intended to represent the
dead body OF our Saviour, followed by an
upright image Of the weeping Madonna.
Ii was weird scene. We expect to leave
here for London, via Naples, Rome and
Paris, about May 8. Our London address
will be 8, ST. james Terrace, Harrow
Road. l nope soon TO get sight of the
MORNING NEWS. Respectfully yours,
RICHARD WEBB.