The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1895-06-15
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
Written for The COURIER by C. Y. smith,
No. Q.

islands, separated by l47 canals and con-
nected by nearly 400 bridges; of course
it is water-logged. For seven or eight
hundred years the city has been stand
ing in water more than knee deep and
as its teri itory extended it became nee
essary to rest the buildings on piles to
keep them out Of the wet. In its early
days it may have been iLconvenient for
the lady folks to wade across the lagoons
in order to reach the city. but this little
annoyance was fully recompensed by
the fact that the inhabitants could sit
on their back door step and catch all
kinds Of fish to their hearts content.
This made livelihood matter of small
difficulty.
Venice from the distance seems like
floating city. rising from the depths Of
the sea. The islands in the midst of
marshy lagoons were difficult Of access.
but channels have been dug SO that
large ships may reach the city from the
sea. The tides rise and fall every six
hours and keep the waters Of the canals
continually in motion, and the ships anu
gondolas free it from stagnation. The
city is about six miles in circumference
and is divided into two unequal parts by
the grand canal which winds through it
like the letter S.
In the language of sailor there are
no barnacles on Venice. 1t is one of
those cities which a traveller can not
afford to miss.
Had it been the home Of Sitting Bull,
Rain in the. Face or some other Indian
it might have been called 'City-of- No
Horses" total absence of horses is
one Of the features of Venice, and
bicycles too, for that matter. The fact
is, however, there is no place to ride. I'M
less it be along the Riva degli Schiavoni.
This follows the heed Of the grand canal
from the Arsenal to the Piazetta. Here
we take sharp turn to the right around
the Ducal Palace and enter the Piazza
di San Marco. where an opportunity is
given to take a short rectangular spin,
with a turn or two around the Campo
mile tower. But the ride is so short
and subject to falling into the
canal or humping into somebody that it
is extremely doubtful if bicycling will
ever become fad in Venice.
The city is a regular network Of
canals and narrow streets: often mere
footpaths connected by small bridges.
They bend and turn in every conceiv-
able direction. The cyclist would be
often obliged to ride up and down steps,
scale walls on narrow footpaths. cross
small bridges, bump into walls or else
turn around and retrace his route in
part in order to get ahead at all. About
halt his ride would be spent in finding
out where he was and how to get out.
One of my first exploits in this city of
the sea was to start from the Piazza
San Marco on a tour of inspection on
foot. / had small map Of the place
and I was curious to see where l would
bring up. Following first a narrow
street. in the short space of almost two
minutes l came to a canal where
must either jump in and swim across or
else turn back. Sometimes street
would follow along the canal for a short
distance and then end abruptly, any
further progress being impeded by a
high wall or side of building. Again
one would find himself led into a narrow
court with no way to get out but the way
he entered. But one can walk
all over the city after he knows the way.
During my tour of inspection l became
all tangled up time after time. having