The Columbus journal., 1889-02-06
u. REED IN VENICE.

Some ThinGs Of Interest aboat the City Of
= the Watery Streets.
We came in sight of the '.towers and
domes and palaces" Of Venice little be-
fore night, Dec. q I had always
thought OF the city being built on low
shore, more as some of the cities in the
Netherlands, but instead Of that the
bridge which took us over to the island
on which tho city is built, is two and q
quarter miles long-the guide book says
the longest in the world. It is certainly
the longest I ever went over. I kept my
head until I passed out OF the long sta
ton with the crowd and then it began to
swim. Instead of long row OF cabs and
on,nibusses which usually await incom-
ing trains in large cities, were little
queer black boats all along the dock,
two or three deep. The usual number
Of labelled hotel porters stood in q row.
I called for tho hotel T WANTED to reach,
q porter stepped out Of the ranks and
beckoned an oarsman, who took my bag
and I was told to follow. He handed
me into the boat and into little cover
ed place in the center almost % long as
the inside Of q city cab, not much un-
like one with its cushioned seats and
side windows, only you enter from the
front instead Of the side. The oarsman
stepped behind the cover and We were
OF. I never was much Of q hand for
fairy stories, but when We had crossed
the grand canal and glided into one Of
the little narrow water ways, darting un-
der bridges and around corners, with
everything % utterly strange all about,
I felt very puch a. II I were OF old
terra frma, whether in fairy land or
some other. There 10 no use though, it
would be simply impossible, to give any
idea Of my impressions during that ride.
It was long one, and I soon got my head
again and my eyes open. The small
canals are simply narrow water ways be-
tween high buildings with frequent high
arched buildings and sometimes under
buildings or rather through archwsys
under them. There are landings (which
arc simply . few stone steps down to the
water) ut all the bridges and in many
other places Most OF the houses have
their own landings. The canals are
from eight to sixteen feet wide. not like
our American streets, at right angles,
but like the narrow streets Of all old
European citiesL These little canals run
in every direction except straight ahead.
The boats for passengers called Sgondo-
las" are mostly Of the same shape,
varying in size, but there are boats Of all
sorts. We passed loads Of goods boxes
Of vegetables, ono Of quarters Of beef,
and many with passengers. In one
vas . richly dressed little girl, nix or
eight years old, entirely alone a. II put
IN carriage to b sent to neighbors,
and in another IN anxious looking busi-
neas man, sssming - anxious to get
ahead = II in . London cab, . young
fellow and his girl, who did not look -
though they were very anxious to 60
any faster, . company Of tourists, I
Judged thsy were 1t lsast, for they look
cd about - curiously - I felt. It WAS
shout the same - going along . street
| IN other cities, instead Of land vehicles
with their ordinary loading, you met and
passsd other vehicles with tho same
kind of loads.
Avay back IN ths dim agss, tzibe, or
parts q . tEibe, known - Vene6 Were
driven nom thsir mountain homes and
bosnd security On tsw low iGlands
formed by tho sands washed BY The
rivsss from The ;Alpa Thy gradually
grew into power and for moCe than .
thoasand yea3 Venice Wa ths seat oe
eoveGnmsnt, and ono oe The most power
ful nations a ths east, and attained
diafimetinn IN tho axto and OciooooR,