The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1906-02-10
HOME OF iTALY's KING,
AZ San .Rossore the Royal Fanil
Spend the Autumn Month,

AZ San .Rossore the Royal Family
Spend the Autuma Months.
San Rossore, where the italian ROY.
al family pass their autumn months.
is, without exception, the most beauu.
full estate owned by the house Of Sa.
voy. It extends from viarreggio to
Livorno, at the foot Of the Apuan Alps,
combining the charm Of the seashore
with the attractions OF the mountains,
says the London Globe. Formerly it
belonged to the ,archbishops of Pisa,
from whom the. Grand Dukes of Tus-
cany purchased it and made 1t State
property, which explains how it was
thatin 1860, at the time Of the annexa-
ton of Tuscany to the kingdom of
Italy, it ranked as one Of the gems in
the civil list of Victor Emmanuel IL.
The Grand Dukes resided there the
greater part of the year, and one. Leo
pold H., built extensive farmhouses,
within which are numerous breeding
animals. About these farms are wide
spreading fields, where still horses,
oxen, cows, sheep and buffalo Craze in
peace. San Rossore comprises also ex-
tensive cultivated fertile lands; but the
greater part Of it-and that Is its es-
sential characteristic-is the thickly
planted woodlands, which yield an i'm
portant revenue from the sale Of its
pine trees. In these woods game is
most plentiful, while in the lakes
ponds and small streams there is any
quantity of fresh water fish. At San
Rossore one can indulge in almost any
sport, for there are wild boar, stays.
reindeer, pheasants, cartridges and al
most every species of inland water
fowl.
OF all the curiosities at San Rossore
the most curious, undoubtedly, are the
camels used for the purpose OF remov'
ing the timber. These camels are not
by any means ordinary camels. They
are historical camels, and would be
proud Of it were they conscious Of it,
for it is said their ancestors figured in
the crusades History tells as that
these animals were brought from Syria
to Pisa in galleys which the Pisan re-
public had dispatched to. the Holy
Land for the purpose Of bringing back
a load of mold from the grave OF
Christ. 1t was supposed that this mold
had the popularity of absorbing bodies
buried in it. The Pisans intrusted with
the mission of bringing it over evil
IDENTITY thought that they could not do
better when it was shipped on board
the galleys than to embark as well as
the camels which had been laden with
it. These camels were sent on to San
Rossore They prospered and multi
piled there, and it is their descendants
which are used for the purpose of
shifting the timbers from the royal
demesne.
With regard to the dogs in the ken
nels at San Rossore, every breed in
use for sporting purposes has been
perpetuated there, from the remotest
medieval times. They have their hos
pital, as well as a small cemetery,
with its accompanying tombstones, on
dIC 1COOlOCu IAC AdAC0 VI tuO
dogs which had their f1eeting hours
of celebrity in the hunting field. With
regard to the chateau itself, 1t is Of
modest appearance and d.
but it contains numerous
works Of art Of priceless value.
Victor Emmanuel II. spent much of
his spare time, at San Rossore, be-
tween 1884 and 187O-that is to say, at
the time when his capital was at Flor
ence and not at Rome In 1868 the
King became very i'll, and 50 serious
was his condition that the bishop Of
Pisa was sent for to hear his confes-
sion. The prelate came In haste and
thought to profit by the opportunity
to ask him to make certain political
'Eminence," said the
King, III you want to speak about az
fairs Of state, you will find my minis
tiers In the next room; oblige me by
going there"
It is some consolation to q youth