The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-02
Rome and Italy,


were on deck of our steamer to get first
view OF Vesuyius and the Bay OF Naples
Before dawn we could outline Vesuvius
and the Islands of Capri and Ischia. As
the sun rose over the mountains we had
good views of the Bay Of Naples, famous
| In song and story, and of the city looking
quite picturesque on the mountaln-slde OF
the crescent bay. Distance is so deceptive
that we seemed only few yards from
Vesuvlus when several miles at sea. A
house at the foot seemed a mere speck.
Our vessel anchored and we went ashore III
small boats. All had to carry their bag
gage through the big custom house. We
filed up IN line, three satchels, trunks and
all other such things upon the long coun-
tiers unlocked and saw our possessions ex-
amined and stamped. This took two hours.
Upon hacks we ride through the crowded
streets, and such a medley of curious rigs
and strange people | never saw to Grand
Hotel Du VeSuye." Beggars climbed upon
the wheels of our bus before we started,
| and some peddlers of all kinds OF wares
trotted beside the vehicles to sell goods.
A man ran a half block to sell penny s
worth of flowers. A street scene of
Naples is novel one indeed! You see
three donkeys or horses abreast IN a
cart-one supporting the load between
the shafts, and the others pulling by the
side. To me it seemed are had about all
the work to do. Instead of bits on their
brides they drive the reins fastened
around horses nose. The fashionable rigs,
however, were in American style. Every
thing has an abundance of ornament.
Horses, lions and angels are on their
| harness.
| AT the hotels things are served in state
| ~ order by handsome young men dressed
in black dress suits The eabmen wear
beavers and Prince Albert coats. We
| travellers looked somewhat common, you
see. Scarcely a waiter or hackman can
speak English An American lost in the
! city would be in quite a predicament.
After busting we start out to see the
| sights. The guide takes us to the Ma.
| tional Museum huge building filled
with bronze, marble and paintings of the
finest art in the world Only few pieces
can be mentioned in letter. The col
lection from Pompei was wonderful, both
| in number and excellence. Roman En-
pefors, consuls, gladiators, gods and god
desses were here, besides minor charac-
tiers. Two fine bronze horses were seer
--one mounted by Emperor Nero The
work looked to be perfect, showing the
proud monarch in royal fashion. The bust
of julius Caesar was magnificent anC
considered the best likeness of Caesar il
the world. He looked to be 1.-THE fore
most man in all the world. TberiuS
Caesar was of colossal size. His palace
was on the Island of Capri where he lived
in splendor and ruled the world. Angus
tus Caesar was superb. Hercules looked
like he might be as strong as tabled to be
Venus is one of the best statues of this
beautiful goddess. The bronze work was
marvellous The expression Of eye ant
face seemed almost perfect When We
consider this work was done about 2,00t
years since it is amazing. The painting
were mainly of saints and martyrs. Tnost
representing the Ascension of Christ, The
Infant Jesus, Joseph and Mary receiv'
the admiration of all who behold them
All of these are the work OF the masters
of art. In the afternoon we rode through
the famous old villas of the great ole
Romans and of the modern citizens. W.
saw the hilI-whence Virgil wrote his I'M
dying verse and the town upon the Bay
! Baiac-where Cicero liver and penneC
some immortal orations Horace declared
that no town in the world was worthy L
be compared with it. The place is small
now and in bad repair, while the bay
| itself is as lovely as when the muses. in
spired these bards and orators with match
less words to be cherished forever w
got a panoramic view from an emfrnenc
300 feet above the sea- On the left wa
Mt. Vesuvius rising $500 feet with he
smoke slowly issuing from the summit
showing that the fire which had burned
for 1000 years and destroyed two cities
was still alive. The towns of Loienta
Baiae, PozzuOli (here st. Paul landet
| when on his way to Romeo, the Island
of Capri and Ischia and Mt. Vesuvius witt
. the city of Naples were in full view
When we saw the wine clad hills
loaded with grapes in all their luxuriance
we could understand why Horace anC
Virgil immortalized the fruit of the vine
Baiae seemed sacred by the hallowet
feet of ST. Paul. Since we entered Rom
by the Appian way the line of trave
the Apostle of the Gentiles pursued on hi
way to Rome, new feelings are awakene'
and / trust nobler aspirations aroused.
Our next visit was to San MARITIME, al
old famous church Think of a vast au
ditorium with every inch of ceiling am
walls covered with the finest painting
that brush can paint on wall or canvas
with floors of mosaic, affairs of lapis-la
zuli and porphyry, with Christ OH golt
en- cross and an angel of silver on RICH
and left and you have this church o
splendor and gold.