The Little River news., 1915-09-18
Donald Hooks Diary of U. s.
 Navy Cruise
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.
(BY DONALD HOOKS.)


 Our next stop was at the Catacombs of St. Sebastian, where we saw the re- mains of many thousands priests and Christians. From this place we went to the church of St Peter. This is the most wonderful structure in the world, bC.th in magnitude and in art. We could not stay there long enough to appreciate this wonderful build ing. The pictures, all of which arc mosaics, are too great for the ordi- nary mind to appreciate. The crypt of St. Peters, lighted by candles which are kept burning day and night, presents a work of thorouhgly artis- tic temperament. The columns, so massive as to be hardly conceivable. Indeed, volumns have been written of this church, and it is hardly proper and fit that l should attempt to des- cribe it. From the church we passed into the Vatican, where we had an audience with Pope Plus X, who has died since we were there. We car ried some few articles with us, which the Holy Father blessed He also blessed us, and all those whom W. had in mind After this audience We saw the paintings and statutes of the Vatican. We had the pleasure of seeing Michel Angelos famous work, "The Last Judgment" Wednesday afternoon was taken up in seeing what we may call modern Rome. may say here that Rome is not dead yet. Indeed, it is very much alive. We were glad to see the old Roman love for art and beauty still dominant. Particularly did we notice this in the statue of King Emmanuel II. This work is an elegant tribute to the pre- sent King. Wednesday evening We put away the thoughts of the Old Ro- mans, and their work, to see what Rome had fer the children of the twentieth century We saw the musi- cal comedy La Tuvials; thence 70 the Regina, where we saw the Italian fe- males at their best We left Rome for Naples, where we embarked for Gravesend via Gibraltar. Before weighing anchor, however, dance was arranged for an Italian countess, formerly an American. After this we settled down to sea routine enroute to Gravesend. On arriving at Gibral- tar for the second time the Idaho which had been sold to Greece was left there awaiting the arrival of the U. s. s. Maine for relief. The other two ships proceeded on their way to England Nothing unusual happened on the way.
 After having seen some of the Latin countries and habits, so different from ours, we were glad to come to people of our own kind. We landed in Gravesend on July IS, with the happy news that each division would gets three days liberty out Cf four. Our division was granted the first three days, which were spent in most cases, in London. London had muck to show us in regard to historical places All these were taken in be- fore any attempt was made to see anything of the great modern metrop- clis. After having finished our sight seeing tour we set about seeing Lon Con as it is today. The most notice able feature was the peculiar mode of traffic Instead of line of street cars as we had expected to see, we saw an indefinite line of double-deck- ed motor cmnibuses, aided by the convenient taxicab. Again, the sky scrapers which are so prominent in our cities are practically unknown to London, the most common height be- ing four stories. The conservative