The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-22
MONTE CRIsTo ISLAND.
Bought by the Prince Of Naples as . Refuge
from City Life.
From ne 81 Louts Republte.

What magic there is in a name! This was
finely illustrated few days ago when IL was an
nounced that the young Prince Of Naples had pur-
chased the island u Monte Cristo as a present
for his charming wife, and had erected there
hunting lodge which he proposes IN make his
headquarters whenever the fancy seizes him 10
fee from the glare and hustle Of court life and to
enjoy a few days hunting and shooting In place
that knows not the telegraph or the posman, and
that. though part of Italy. is practically terra
incognita, even to the Italians themselves The
island which the Prince has bought is an nsig-
nihcant little strip Of land and yet there is fasci
nation about II that renders the news Of its pur
chase OF interest to the thousands in all coun-
tries who are familiar with the name Of Monte
Cristo
II Dumas had not written his famous romance,
with its wonderful II impossible, hero IL is doubt
full II any one of us would pause very long over
the despatch that the Prince OF Naples had be
come the owner Of the island And no wonder,
for what would one know or care about the place
II the delightful French story teller had not di-
rected our attention TO it and had not enthralled
thousands by his graphic description Of its wild
scenery and of the splendid life which the multi
millionaire count led while he was master Of it'
Outside Of Dumass work you will find very little
mention Of the island One OF two Floren tine
chronclers speak of il: modern historian tells
us that it has a weird and romantic appearance
at sunset, and tho leading encyclopedias contain
merely a few lines about its dimensions and gen
eral appearance OF its past history no author
gives any account. and evidently for the reason
that il has not been inhabited for a long time.
Yet that il has had a romantic history is pretty
clear. Situated as II is, in the Mediterranean.
twenty seven miles south OF Eba, IL Is manifestly
desolate as il has been within the last few centu
ries and by cleaning here and there in old records
one can obtain a fair idea OF its past First how.
ever, II is necessary to have clear conception
Of the island
As seen from the Mediterranean IL Is a oonical
rock Of granite, five miles in circumference and
1880 feet high In stormy weather the sea dashes
ercely against II. and II Is no. easy 70 make "a.
to attract the ordinary tourist Tho ground is
mainly covered with powders, and there is not
acre Of land which can be cultivated. On
the other hand the sportsman and the naturalist
will find many treasures amid this mass Of rock.
Wild goats have long been suzerains Of the place,
and he Bsn and Ssete On ua l
in the and sn5 ye are
in all directions forming many labyrinth, and
gray old lichen wells the deformity of many an
There are grottoes on the island. but hardly
such one as Dumas describes-the one in which
were at least D 1000 ngos of gold each OF which
weighed from two to three pounds Then he
piled up 25,oo0 crowns each q which was worth
VI and his predecessors, and he saw that the
compartment was not half empty. And he meas
ured ten double handfus OF pearls, diamonds
and other gems, many OF which, mounted by the
most famous workmen, were valuable beyond
their intrinsic worth"
Al the same time there are few places in the
world where a treasure is more likely TO have
been buried, and for the very good reason that
in bygone ages this island Of Monte Crsto was
favorite resort OF smugglers and pirates. There
in lies its pas, history, and il some OF those old
outlaws could only speak, they would surely
the desolate rocks In the days when revenue
officers were still unknown and Smuggling was
indirect testimony that many jovial banque,
was held here by reckless Italian Robin Hoods
many from Corsica, and Sardinia during that
memorable epoch when Lorenzo the Magnificent
was playing his superb role in the City OF Flow
erS, and there is more than one old legend which
island a sure place Of refuge, And yet all this
time the island was strictly speaking. unin habited
being at the best merely a temporary lodging
place for those whose hands were against every
man every mans hands were against them.
Italy has owned this barren place from time
there was some talk Of establishing penal colony
there. According 10 one authority considerable
progress was made in this direction, but il is evil
dent that the experiment, If tried at all, was not
a success, as otherwise the island would hardly
have been sold TO the Prince Of Naples There
was certainly grim irony in the thought of trans
forming into prison for or minals the very place
which for so long refuge for criminals
heartily enjoy whatever DAYS they may spend on
this rugged and romantic spot is certain. Both
Of them are fond OF outdoor life and there are few
better sportSmen than the Prince in Europe. For
that matter there are very few women who are more
skilful than the Princess with shotgun or rife
She frequently goes on a shooting expedition, and
rare indeed is the day on which some trophies do
not fall to her gun,
She recently went to Sptzbergen for some shoot
ing, and was successful in bringing down many
reindeer well as large number OF elder ducks
and other game. Delighting as she docs in free
outdoor life, she was naturally pleased when hor
husband presented her with the island OF Monte
Cristo. and she has interested herself much since
then in the shooting box which Is being built there
and in the arrangements which are being mado to
convert the rest Of the barren island into park
and 10 stock II with various kinds of game
II the Prince and Princess desire they can be as
isolated on their island as they would be In the
heart Of Africa but with this difference that within
a few hours after the within scizes them they can
be transported from their oasis TO the heart Of
Italy: whereas, II they were sojourning on the
black continent they would find the journey back
to civilization much longer and more difficult
In conclusion, II may be said that thanks to
the Prince Of Naples, we are likely TO learn much
more about the island Of Monte Cristo in the near
future than ever knew before. The Prince and
Princess may desire solitude times but they are
not hernlits and there is little doubt that the wild
goats will see more human beings during the next
few years than they have seen before for a long
time. There is equally little doubt that, II the
island contains any treasures botanical geolog
ical or whatever they may be-the world will hear
Of them before very long,