The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-11-06

comes as odoriferous as Araby the blest.
On the way out to the grand canal we |
passed by the prison and under the |
bridge of Sighs." The canals appear |
to be the universal baths, every where |
men women and children were splashing |
about, some of the children looked very |
funny with large bladders tied to them so |
they could not drown; some were kept up |
by cords fastened around their waists, |
one woman stood on the shore with three |
ropes in her hands, each one attached to |
a tioundering youngster.
The great bathing resort is at the |
Lido, a long narrow island like COney |
Island only smaller, on the shore of the |
Adriatic. There is large pavilion over |
looking the water and great number of |
bath rooms, the largest and cleanest of |
any have seen at any resort. For lire |
and half go centsl you have half
hours sail on small steamer over the |
lagoon, ride on tram car half mile
across the island to the sea and return;
entrance to the pavilion where band
plays, bathing suits, towels, sheet, and
use of bath room. The water was the
temperature of fresh milk, and the sand
perfectly smooth, with neither shells nor
stones, it was very enjoyable bath.
We were fortunate enough to see
Venice under the light Of the full moon,
and anything more charming than sail
ing in a gondola on the grand canal and
over the lagoon, on such a night, cannot
be imagined; not ripple on the water,
hundreds of the graceful crafts skim
ming about; we felt like some of the
mobiles, as if we owned Venice. Landing
at the park which is about mile from
/ tho nfrar rca IN tho uranI canal toxuar1
the Lido, we walked about the lovely
place, which was lighted by electricity.
| While not very large, with its well kept
lawns, smooth walks, splendid great
trees, and fine fountains, it is really
beautiful place. At one side of this park
was an open air theatre, the stage only
being covered: the audience sat at small
tables scattered about large open space,
drinking wine and beer, or eating ices;
the performers at the time were Ameri
can gymnasts blacked up like darkies;
they were very favorably received
From Venice to Florence our route
was back over the long bridge as far as
the very ancient city of Padua, where we
turned off to the south toward Bologna.
At first fiat, then rolling, after passing
Bologna the country was mountainous,
from there to Florence the railway passed
directly through the Apennines, high
mountainous chain crossing Italy, fol-
lowing up the valley of a large river, at
that season of the year like most of the
Italian streams, almost a dry river bed.
The way the mountains in Italy have
been stripped of every vestige of timber,
and as consequence, of the soil also,
leaving bare rocks looking so hot and
dry as the sun beats on them, is worse
than criminal. 1t wonld be grand les
son if all those engaged in the same sort
of work here, could be shown the results
of similar folly in Italy. Most of the
streams were entirely dry, raging tor
rents in the rainy season, and having to
be guarded by large dykes. We passed
through many tunnels and up to high
elevation crossing this range; some of
the scenery was fine, particularly as we
descended toward Florence, but every
where the bare rocky mountain slopes,
so desolate looking to American eyes,
spoiled what, with some care for the
trees, would be lovely mountain views.
Since we passed through Italy, they have
had sudden and very heavy rain storms,
, and of course the whole flood rushed
down into the valleys at once, overflow
ing everything: the streams burst their
dykes, all the dry water courses were
raging torrents, at Como, the lake rose
so rapidly the visitors at the various re.
! sorts were flooded out, unless the hotel
chanced to be on very high ground
! Every American who sees those desolate
peaks should raise his voice in strong
protest against such work here, and in
: favor of all possible park projects to keeT
. . our forests intact.
Florence lies in the valley Of the ArnC
River, which runs through the middle Of
: the city, kept in place by great walls Of
. stone, although at the time there was
not water enough to dampen the bed Of
: the stream, where ought to have been 9
! good sized river. Many fine bridges
mostly of stone, span the stream, one oi
:, them having houses on both sides the
! whole length, something did not sup
, pose existed since old London bridge
was pulled down long ago. 1t was Gu
: rious sight to walk across this bridge be
: tween the rows of buildings; the uppel
! part of all are used as dwellings, entered
! ! by the funniest of little old stairways
! the lower part being shops, almost al
= for the sale of jewelry. The multitude
: of stores full of gold, silver and precious
> stones in all parts Of Europe was won
der to me; such dazzling exhibits a.
! were made in the windows. From ;
z
Q the city, at the edge of the famous Bobol
5 gardens, is a magnificent outlook whert
II the eye sweeps over the whole city, thu
h mountains beyond with the many Villa
n built on the lower slopes, the Arno for {
S long distance, and the vineyards anC
= groves of olive trees about the city
e Close by is a fortress on the hill behinC
It the city, and in the foreground lOnl
y stretch of the old city wall, very well pre-
y served. Wherever this wall has beer
g taken away, the old gates have been lef
e with little open space around each
g The famous art galleries, the Uffizi anC
Q the Pitt Palace, are on opposite sides o
10 the river, connected by passage vary
e ing in width from four to ten feet, ant
n 1900 feet long, which passes over tn,
l. roofs of buildings and ON top Of the ole
y bridge. 1t is lined on both sides nearl!
II the whole distance, with the least valua
IS BILE pictures. The Uffizi is built arounS
'e three sides Of square, very larg
a building the long corridors about th,
n inner court being lined with sculptures
$ works of art excavated from the ruins o
y various Greek and Roman cities. AL
'e the rest of the building is filled with fin
y paintings of various schools. The ia
5. nous Tribune" is small room in tn
II centre, filled with the choicest objects II
n the whole collection, the most notabl
k being the Venus de Medici." Tn
"Pitti Palace" was formerly what IL
a name implies and is a fine building
e most of the door castings through it be
II ing Of rare marbles. Here is anothe
% splendid collection of paintings, not a
y large as in the Ufizi however, and n,
q statuary. The Cathedral is an immens
e building, with great dome, larger thai
n that Of st. Peters at Rome, the exterio
IS of white marble having lines of othe
n marbles of various colors, making It lool
k rather oddly, but the facade only com
g pleted within two years is wonderful
lr beautiful for the marble is so fresh an
p white. Seen at night, under the electri
le light It is charming beyond description
1f looking like mass Of ice and snow. TIL
Is interior is plain but handsome, and tn
le stained glass Is very beautiful. Direct
h opposite the Duomo or Cathedral is th
er baptistery, which has the world famou
es bronze entrance doors by Ghiberti, thos
In facing the Cathedral being the finest
ie these doors are divided into many squar
G. panels, each panel illustrating som