The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-27
NC NTE CRISTO ISLAND.
Bought by the Prince of Naples as
Refuge From City Life.

| bougnt Dy the Prince or Naples as
| Refuge From City Life.
| What magic there is in a name!
This was finely illustrated few days
ago when it was announced that the
young Prince of Naples had purchased
the island of Monte Cristo as present
for his charming wife, and had erected
thele hunting lodge, which he pro-
poses to make his headquarters when
ever the fancy seizes him to flee from
the glare and hustle of court life and to
enjoy few days hunting and shooting
in place that knows not the telegraph
or the postmaD, and that, though part
of Italy, is practically terra incognita,
even to the Italians themselves. The
island which the prince has bought is
an significant little strip of land, and
yet there Is q fascination about it that
renders the news of it's purchase of in
terest to the thousands in all countries
who are familiar with the name Of
Monte Cristo.
If Dumas had not written his famous
romance. with its wonderful, If impos-
sible, here, it is doubtful if any one Of
us would pause very long over the dis
patch tnat the Frlnce OF naples hau
become the owner OF the island. And
no wonder, for what would one know
or care about the place If the delightful
French story teller had not directed our
attention to it and had not enthralled
thousands by his graphic description Of
It's wiz scenery ana OF the splendld lie
when the multi-millionaire count led
WINE ne was MASTER OF \! OUTSIDE OF
bulnas work you VIII nnd very little
mention OF the island. one or two Flor
entlne chroniclers speak of it; one mod
ern historian tells us that 1t has weird
ana romantic appearance at sunset, and
the leadlng encyclopedias contain
merely rev lines about its dimensions
ana gnerai appearance. or It's past
history no author gives any account,
ana evidently FOR the reason that 1t has
not peen inhabited Tor long time.
YET that 1t has mad a romantic histo-
ry is pretty clear, Situated as IT Is IN
the mediterranean, tWenty-seven miles
south OIL Elpa, IL is manlfestly lmpossl-
bic that 1t was always as isolated and
as desolate as 1t has been within the
iast rev centuries ana by cleaning
here and there in old records one can
OBTAIN fair idea or it's past First,
however, 1t is necessary to have a clear
conception OF the island.
AS seen from the Mediterranean, 1t is
a conlcal rock OF granite five miles in
circumference and two thousand feet
nigh, In stormy weather the sea dashes
hercely against it, and 1t Is not easy to
make landing. Neither does 1t con-
tain anything likely to attract the or
binary tourist. The ground is mainly
covered with powders, and there is not
an acre of land which can be cultivated.
On the other hand, the sportsman and
the naturalist Will lind many treasures
amid this mass OF rock. Wild goats
nave long been suzerains OF the place,
and cartridges have long made 1t their
nome. The chirping of grasshoppers Is
heard on all Sides and the brilliant but
terfiles and beetles luxuriate in the
dense scrubs and grasses which are
round mere ana there Myrtles and OIL
I've trees spread in all directions, form
ing many labyrinth, and gray old |
lchen Vells the deformlty OF many an |
nncouth rock.
There are grottoes on the island. but |
hardly such one $ Dumas describes
ne one in which the marvellous treas |
ire was found. There were at least |
one thousand ingots of gold, each of |
which weighed from two to three
pounds. Then he piled up twenty-five
crowns, each of which was
Worth about eighty francs and bore
he eff1gies of Alexander VI. and his
predecessors, and he saw that the COM
was not half empty. And he
measured ten double handfuls Of pearls.
diamonds and other gems. many of
which, mounted by the most famous
vorkmen, were valuable beyond their
intrinsic worth.
At the same time there are few places
II the world where treasure is more
ige1y to have been buried, and for the