Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-04-10

silently gliding out OF sight. At last we
stood at the further end where we could
look out over the broad bay, lying notion
less in the sunlight. A feckless sky
arched the heavens There was not air
enough to crest wave or move . sail.
This is the gate which led out to the
homeland. Across this field they came
the builders Of these temples bearing
their household gods.
A very different coast it 10 from the
"stern and rock bound" one which
greeted our forefathers when they sought
. foreign country in which to establish
their homes and their places Of worship.
Their undertaking seemed . thing Of
yesterday, ~ We thought Of these Greeks
who landed perhaps on the very bit Of
shore ct which we were then gazing.
Blossoming weeds, waist high, grow be-
tween the temples. There was NO traces
Of the 'stwice- blooming roses Of PAes-
tum" OF which Virgil sings. The sitting
up Of the river has left behind lonely,
sterile marahes. A pair OF great, white
oxen, with branching horns, stood
in the shadow Of the columns, looking
calmly ssswsrd. There were NO rites In
which they could assist. The sacred
grove has disappeared.
Bat hunger will assert itself even In ths
midst Of classic surroundings. We began
to think Of the luncheon which we had
left at the station, whom, In our morning
enthusiasm, we had decided that eating
within . temple would Be dissertation.
We turned toward the road, simmering in
the MONDAY. Could we make the plunge
into those waves Of heatf A donkey gras-
ing BY the roadside suggested hope. Nor
were We disappointed. Not long after, his
master appeared, and the exchange Of .
few coins furnished the motive power.
The man clapped clumsy saddle on the
donkey's back, then with mincing steps
''no longer than his ears" the little beast
clattered down the road to return in sur
prisingly short time with the wished-for
refreshments. We toasted royalty, shar-
ing the fragments with the dogs. An un-.
guarded movement overturned the half
flied bottle Of wine upon the stone table,
and thus We poured out our ibAtion to
the gods.
The old Cappuccinian monastery ct
AmalM received rs into its rocky eyrie for
the night. The drive from Salerno had
been full Of fresh surprises. Here we
rounded . sharp point, and there the road
twisted inland to CROSS q narrow chasm.
On our right was the ragged Cliff, while
just across the road the bay Of Salerno
spread out its glittering waves. Far up to
the heights . little village hung over the
Cliff; further on fishing hamlet nestled
in the very sands. That evening, in the
leafy arbor Of our lofty perch, surrounded
by roses and heliothropes, with roof Of
ripening grapes, we looked down upon
the s'sickle of white sand" which our
own poet Longfellow saw. The boats
were drawn up on the beach; nets were
spread to dry. To and fro went men and
women carrying great rocks to build .
mole.
Our next evening meal was taken on the
terrace Of the Victoria, among the orange
trees Of Sorrento. Another golden day
had been spent in the open. Again we
were close by the sea, but this time it was
the bay Of Naples. As our heads rested
on our pillows once more, we watched the
sullen flare of lurid fame which ever and
anon rose heavenward from Vesuvius.
Morning found us on the steamer bound
for Capri. Stopping en- route, we were
taken of in small boats for visit to the
Blue Grotto. A short row brought us to
the two-feet-high entrance. On a ledge
cIouo hv aat a urouD ~ Iou~b;nu TtoI;one
to watch us. Obedient to our boatnlan's
directions, we crouched below the rail,
while he waited for an incoming wave. A
long pull, a quick shipping of oars and
the bow OF our boat was up to the en-
trance, humping and scraping along,
pulled in by the chain extending along the
side. The first sensation was Of sound. The
hollow reverberations Of excited exclsm-
atoms echoed through the cavern. Next
came the realization of color. We were
90 surrounded by it and shut up in it that
it seemed an element capable Of being
handled.
Our oars broke the waves which were
indigo in shadow, into pools and ripples
Of molten silver, flashing and glistening
with uncanny light. In the further
corner stood figure which looked to be
carved from the rock. When our bewil-
dered gaze cleared Q little, we saw the
young diver plunge in after the coins
which we could plainly see on the bottom.
His brown back took on . silvery hue. It
was hard to mark the division between
wave and walls. The latter ranged the
whole gamut Of blue, from pale opalescent
to clear sky-blue.
We were among the first to reach the
steamer, where we amused ourselves by
watching company Of boys dive from
their row-boats for ''soldi" in the clear
water.
The sail back to Naples was not the least
OF our enjoyment. Along the great lodges
Of Capri we passed, where the cliffs are
reflected in waters of deepest sapphire,
round the island of Ishia, under the