The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-03-21

:
columns. l now propose to connect
with tho closing paragraphs OF that let
ter and give you some account OF my OBJ
servations thus far in this once famous
land.
Knowing that Italy was country OF
semi-tropical products, especially in tho
way Of fruits, l took it as a matter OF
course that We should meet both sun
shine and balmy breczcs off her coast,
and in this expectation wo were not dis
appointed. We emerged from rough
sea and cold winds into smooth water
and genial atmosphere. The sun was
well up and shining brightly and warm
ly on the morning OF the 4th Of January
rs we passed the island OF Copri into
the grand bay OF Naples and came into
full view OF all its beauties as land
and water scene. The panorama was
something entirely new to my expert
enccs OF travel, and felt, rs am sure
most OF US did, thatI had never looked
upon moro attractive prospect.
Our first sight was OF course Vcsuvius
ON the right, perhaps twenty, miles of,
and tho great coil OF thick black smoke
that was rolling away to the south east
from its crater, 1000 feet above our sea
level. This was tho historic mount that
was throwing OF its coils OF smoke in
the days OF the Caesars, and oven long
before; long before Christ was born, and
that in the first century OF his era, on
the oath OF August, in the year 10, over
whelmed by one OF its greatest crup-
tions the two cities OF uerculancum
and Pompeii lying at its base.
Turning from the mount our eyes
rested upon tho bay and the city that
We were approaching. You hay, heard
the expression, "sec Naples and die"
Just what it means am sure can't
tell, but simply, l suppose that the
scene hero presented is the nc plus ul-
ira OF all scenes OF the kind, beyond
which it is useless 20 travel in quest oil
anything more beautiful.
NAPLES.
Tho bay OF Naples is an immense
scmi-circlc surmountcd by an amphi-
theatre OF hills. From hcadland to
headland, clear around this scmi-circlc,
is more than twenty-five miles, and the
city OF Naples occupies tho centre OF it,
the head OF the bay. and rises from it
white and beautiful, tier. by tier, street
by street, up the slopes, like the Colos
scum hcre-at Rome, and presents q pic
turo that for picturesqucness I have
never seen equalled anywhere. 1t is
city OF 100000 people, and on its right
and left, strung along the shores, there
III 10 ,,I
lagos, all OF them white like Naples and
all part and parcel Of wonderfully
unique panorama.
On the crest OF the heights there were
villas and castles, churches and, monas.
teries and many other buildings. all
white like those below, with green plats,
orchards, groves, vineyards and great
umbrella-shaped trees scattered here
and there among them, and the scene
thus outspread before us in all its en-
tiroty seemed bathed in the rich sun
light of Italy, winter as it was, that had
come down to US localized in her rich
literature.
/ realized that was in historic coun-
tries when l was in England and
France, for the Roman had been there
and given them their first impulse OF
civilization, but here finally was in tho
ancient homo of tho Roman himself,
and not only OF the Roman but OF tho
Greek also, for this part OF Italy was
once "NIagna Grccia," and here the
Greek had contested with the Roman
and here they two had conformity made
tho history, the legends, the mytholo-
gy, the poetry, tho arts and tho polish
OF the ultimate Roman empire. To this
very bay Of Naples, Ulysses, tho hero Of
Homcr's Odyssey, had come, and from
here he had sailed for the tabled Hes
perides. Hero, too, IEneas had wan
dcrcd and Borrowed and his Homer had
lived hero and his tomb now overlooked
this bay. Near here also was the island
OF the Sirens and nearer still tho Cume-
m rock OF tho Sibyl, where she wrote
her mysteries, and burnt them aud sold
only tho small remnant to Torqun as
pearls Of great price.
This much by way OF "reminiscences
OF Naples and its bay. Tho American
people arc not accustomed to associate
much that is classical or sentimental
with modern Naples and its population.
They rather regard it rs that volcanic
centre in Europe whose eruptions throw
upon our shores debris scarcely less
dangerous than that with which Vesu-
vius delugcd Hcrculaneum and Pompcii
They point to New Orleans and say
there is volcanic matter more to be
dreaded than the rapelli or tho scorin
OF their mountain. You shallgo ashore
with mo and sec why it is, five can,
that they entertain this prejudice
against the roputed descendants Of
Greeks and Romans on this peninsula.
MEETINGS AND rARTINGs.
1t was 8 o'clock when the steamer
camo to anchor inside tho "Porto
Grandc" at q point not far from the
custom house quay. Tho gong sounded
for my farewell breakfast with the cap
tain and my new mado and very pleas
ant fellow voyagers, from several OF
whom l parted with special regret, and
all tho moro SO rs they seemed quito
DESTROYS to have me 90 on with them 10
.Ismallia in Egypt and there take the
cars for "Grand Cairo" on the Nile.
But was booked for Italy, Austria and
Germany and not for Egypt, and be-
sides, as I said to them, what's the good
OF going to Egypt and not going on to
Palestine, saying nothing OF Greece and
Constantinople? To do all these would
sadly cmasculate my itinerary by way
OF Naples, Rome, Florence, Venice
and Vienna, and hence !. rogrctiully put
aside tho suggestion OF change and bade
my friends good bye. These partings
from friends whom you meet on ships
and at clubs, and even at hotels, and
with whom, in hot house way, as it
wore, YOU form a connnnial intimacy is