The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-11-24
IN TIE MEplTERRANEAN.
Exhiiarating Use Mude of It's Biuc Waters
In Natures Great Lavatory.

thing which pictures itself to ones
mind in more roseate colors or in n
more charming manner than bathing
sea bathing. No doubt those who
have spent month at the shore and
gleefully indulged in all the rollickilg
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 the kodak at some ursus-
pccting group, who blush in unfcigned
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 Mediterran and float luxu-
riously in the salty sea among per-
feet school of happy bathers will never
forget it. Never! Venice, Naples,
Capri, Amalfl 1t makes ones eyes
glisten at the very thought of it. To
Italy's splendid title, 1.-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 them
to degree of excellence which
had never been attained, making them
not only of immense benefit in sani-
tary way, but establishing them as
favorite rendezvous for people of cul-
ture and talent as well as for the
poorer classes, who also enjoyed the
privilege of their own compartments.
Look at the baths of Diocle tian, 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 n
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-
~ ha ft,rt .,f 1,,r, ,i,,c
tain have softened in color almost to
an ivory. One object of especial beauty
attracts the eye of the visitor. and that
is a graceful bronze vase which stands,
as 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 a 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 family Of
most impertinent ducks-typical Ital-
ian ducks, which take all they can get
especially from the foreigners without
offering the slightest entertainment in
return, but perhaps it is more espc-
cially the foreigners who feed them.
Then the baths of Nero. Around the
coast on the charming picturesque road
leading from Pozzurli 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 a high temperature in its
subterranean channels by veins of vol
canis life which abound near Vesuvius
This spot suited well the comfort-loving
Nero, who made of it favorite resort
and caused the rough stone couchcs to
bs placed there, which still remain.
One reads little OF sea bathing L.
those days. Every Roman colony
thought to construct it's baths as it
thought of raising it's temples. But
now all Italy turns it's face to its nat
ural advantages, and with one accord
cries as early as May: Let us to the
sea- Not all the esta blishments are
rs convenient and as we'll constructed
as the Lido at Venice and those of Posi-
lippo at Naples, but they are all on the
same general plan. Every place open
to the use of the public is provided
with pavilion where people congre-
gaze to discuss the latest topics, or to
devour with eager ears the latest gos-
sip, while there is always music, from
morning till night, if only one of those
harass!ng "Organette" or portable p.-
amos which grind incessantly and
seem always TO be playing santa Lu-
ella" or Bella Napoli'' and vary some
times with the "Trovatore.'
On either side of the pavilion arc the
'camerini' or dressng-rooms-one side
reserved for ladies, the other for gen.
tlemen. These ''camcrini" 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
accommodate. 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 he one IN, fnur ,,arsonC t,matIor