The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-02-17
Foreign Travel.

In response to numerous requests,
the WATCHMAN gladly publishes the
following second letter, written by DR..
Homer G. Brigham to A. w. Ferrin. of
this city, and kindly loaned to US by Mr..
Ferrin:
ALaIERs, FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 1897.
believe you have had fairly good &C.
count of our trip as far as Toulouse. We
reached there very late at night and left the
next forenoon, so saw very little OF the city.
Our route to this place, you remember, was
through q country given up to the vine, but
from here to Marseilles was radical
change, and from vine we went to the olive
trees, which filled the valley, and extended
up the mountains as far as anything would
grow The fruit Is much smaller than we
are accustomed to. but the trees we're load
cd. The country was beautiful, and the
grand rocky bills very near. AT Crete we
got the first view of the Mediterranean, al
though we had been smelling II for some
time. Our train was very slow, in fact,
some OF the way as slow as our accommoda-
ton cars on freight train. 1t was an ex-
press, but certainly not the lightning ex-
press; consequently 1t got dark soon after
we left Crete, and we reached Marseilles
between eleven and twelve, knowing little
OF the country through which we had passed.
We spent two nights and day at Mar
settles, which was much less than its due.
had no idea that 1t was so large, about
45o. 600. 1t was founded 600 B. .. by the
Greeks. The harbor is fine, and filled with
ships from all countries. We took drive
on the seashOre upon what they call the
Comiche road. There is a lower road ex-
tending from over in Italy to this point
close by the sea, but Is not to be COMPOUNDED
with the Comiche road on the mountains
from Nice to Mentone. II was beautiful,
and our first close view of the Mediterra-
mean.
On one OF the islands quite near we
saw the celebrated Chateau d'F, the castle
rendered famous by Alex. Dumas in Monte
Cristo. 1t was built in 1929. and has been
used as a state prison. The Palais de Long
champ is a very fine building, remarkable
for architecture and location. 1t is on an en-
inence at the head of a long boulevard from
which it is separated by large gardens. At
the center we have a triumphal arch, con-
nected on either side by a semicircular col
onnade one story high, with large buildings
these contain the museums. The triumpbal
arch, which is reached by large flights of
steps at the sides, is the Chateau d'eau of
the Marseilles aqueduct, which joins 1t be-
hind. In front is basin whence an abun-
dant cascade descends over a flight of steps,
and in this basin is colossal group, by
Cavelier, representing the Durance between
the vine and wheat on chariot drawn by
four bulls. The friez' of the arch and mu-
seums are also by Cavelier. Right and left
animals at the garden entrance are by
Barge. The place cost over 100000. We
left early one morning for Nice, and enjoyed
the forenoon as much as any in my expert
ence.
For twenty-five miles or so the journey is
back from the sea, and the hills near; in
fact during this time we pass through three
tunnels, one one-fourth mile, one and one
half miles, and one mile long. At Toulon
Is view OF sixteenth century castle. At
lie May tower from which some Provinc-
ais, in 1886, shot the Spanish poet Garcilasso
de la Vega, whom they mistook for Charles
V. Frejus, is place OF interest on account
of Roman remains. An old wall which we
could plainly see, enclOses an area five
times as large as the present town. The
harbor was founded by Caesar and enlarged
by Augustus, who sent here the galleys tax
en- from Antony at the battle Of Actium, B.
G. 81.
The town is now nearly a mile from the
sea, owing to the alluvial deposit Of the Ar
gems. The amphitheatre here dates from
the time OF Septimus Severns, 1921, and
would hold 900 people. The foundations
are still preserved At Raphael is beauti-
full winter resort Napoleon landed here on
his return from Egypt in 1899, and embarked
for Elba in 1914. This country from here to
Nice is one grand and famous resort for peo-
pie who are seeking warm climate. We
crossed the river Var which was formerly the
boundary between France and Italy. We
were at Nice sixteen days, but this place
and the country for twenty miles to Mention
requires long letter, and no one can begin
to tell you of the beauty and magnfcence
one sees here. l went over the upper Co.
niche road twice, and / presume over the
Mention eighteen or twenty times. In my
next shall begin at Msrselles, from which
place we sailed for here. Leave the Dist for
Setif and Biskra which last place is on the
border Of the desert.