The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1893-10-26
IN THE MEDITERRANEAN.


mlnu IN more rOSeaCe cOlOrS or IN
more charming manner than bathing
abathing. No doubt those who
have spent a month at the shore and
gleefully INDUCED in all the rollicking
sports, who have immersed themselves
in Americas briny waves, are longing
for another plunge, another gay time
on the sands, and, perhaps, too, an
other shot of tlse kodak at some unsus-
pecting group, who blush in unfeigned
embarrassment when the picture is
afterward produced within the stately
walls of the winter drawing-rooms
But those who have been fortunate
enough to glide from Italy's pictur-
esque shores into the warm blue waters
of the Mediterranean and float luxu-
riously in the salty sea among per-
feet school of happy bathers will never
forget it. Never! Venice, Naples,
Capri, Amalti! 1t makes ones eyes
glisten at the very thought of it. To
Italy's splendid title, The Land of
Poetry and Song" might also be added
"The Land of Baths" were it not that
the second name to some fastidious
minds would detract from the beauty
of the first.
The ancient Romans, borrowing as
they did all the worthily imi-
table customs from their Greek
and Egyptian neighbors, found the
baths especially suited TO their
luxurious tastes and carried thep
to degree of excellence which
had never been attained, making them
not only of immense benefit in a sani-
tary way, but establishing them as
favorite rendezvous for people of Gull
ture and talent as we'll as for the
poorer classes, who also enjoyed the
privilege of their own compartments.
Look at the baths of Diocletian, which
are estimated to have accommodated
no less than eighteen thousand people
at one time. And those of Caracallar
at Rome. What wonderful ruins of
still more wonderful structure. In
these walls bathing became a science.
Cold baths. tepid baths, hot baths, oil
baths, sun baths-every kind of bath.
Why simply to visit the place was
rest and recreation. Statuary and
paintings lent beauty on all sides.
Music charmed. Orators and poets en-
tertained.
What beauty in the remaining walls
of the Pompeiian baths. The frescoes
are as bright and beautiful as if they
were done but yesterday, and the mar
BILE carvings and pavements which es-
capped the fury OF the burning noun
tain have softened in color almost to
an ivory. One object of especial beauty
attracts the eye of the visitor, and that
is graceful bronze vase which stands,
rs it stood then, in the center of one of
the women's apartments. This vase,
wide and shallow, is perhaps fifteen or
twenty feet in circumference, and must
have been used as shower bath, in
, which it is easy to fancy some fair lone
reclining. In the villa or public gar
den of Naples there is another vase
similar to this one but much larger,
which was also found in these baths
and which now serves for fountain
and the accommodation of a family of
most impertinent ducis-typical Ital-
/ ian ducks, which take all they can get
! especially from the foreigners, without
! return, but perhaps it is more espe-
cially the foreigners who feed them.
| Then the baths of Nero. Around the
coast on the charming picturesque road
I leading from Po2zurli to Baia one
alights from the little carozzella and
Chambers up to a cave cut in the side of
the mountain, wherein is a spring
heated to high temperature in its
! subterranean channels by veins of vol
canic life which abound near Nesuvius
/ This spot suited we'll the comfort-loving
| Nero, who made of it "A favorite resort
! and caused the rough stone touches to
be placed there, which still remain.
One reads little of sea bathing in
those days. Every Roman colony
thought to construct its baths as it
thought of raising its temples. But
now all Italy turns its face to its nat
ural advantages, and with one accord
cries as early as May: Let US to the
sea-" Not all the establishments are
! as convenient and as well constructed
as the Lido at Venice and those of Posi-
hippo at Naples but they are all on the
| same general plan. Every place open
! to the use of the public is provided
with pavilion whore people congre-
! ga te to discuss the latest topics. or to
| devour with eager ears the latest Cos
! sip. while there is always music, from
morning till night, if only one of those
harassing "Organette' or porta BILE pi-
amos, which grind necessarily and
seem always to be playing santa Lu-
cia" or Bella Napoli'' and vary some
times with the "Trovatore."
On either side of the pavilion are the
''camerini'' or dressing-rooms-one side
| reserved for ladies, the other for gen
| tlemen. These ''camerini" are the
toughest kind of little wooden boxes,
carpeted with mat of braided straw,
and furnished with four rude chairs for
the four persons each is supposed to
accommodates Then there are the steps
leading to the water. The fee for the
use of each room is one franc fifty Tor
thirty cents, including the linen
sheets. the price never varying whether
there be one or four persons together.
Once in the water and presto. change.
all the reserved etiquette of the Italian
/ dra wing room vanishcs. Then AMI then
only does liberty exist, and the pretty