Eng^d by W. G. Jackman, New York, from a Drawing by E. Saintin

TWENTY YEARS
AROUND THE WORLD.

BY

JOHN GUY VASSAR.

NEW YORK:
RUDD & CARLETON, 130 GRAND STREET.
M DCCC LXI.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-one, by
JOHN GUY VASSAR
In the Clerk’s office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York.

R. CRAIGHEAD,
Printer, Stereotyper, and Electrotyper,
Caxton Building,
81, 83, and 85 Centre Street.

TO
MATTHEW VASSAR, ESQ.,
FOUNDER OF THE VASSAR FEMALE COLLEGE, AT POUGHKEEPSIE,
WHOSE FRIENDSHIP AND COUNSEL
HAVE BEEN AMONG THE CHIEF PLEASURES OF MY LIFE,
These Letters
ARE AFFECTIONATELY AND RESPECTFULLY
DEDICATED.

PREFACE.

Early in life the author of these letters suffered from ill-health, and necessity obliged him to seek more genial climes in order to escape the rigors of our northern winters. Duty towards his only brother and a beloved uncle induced him to sketch his travels, and keep them advised of his movements. His letters passing into the hands of kind friends, for perusal, led to further inquiries; and demands for publication in a weekly paper in his native city, were the result.

He has always hesitated to come before the Public, although constantly solicited and urged by his friends to do so, as a duty he owed to society; at length, through constant importuning, and to avoid the clamors of those he loves and esteems, he has concluded to accede to their wishes. This book is the result.

Travelling becomes a passion with some, and in this instance, a decided one. Necessity at first, with improvement in health, and finding himself better on the move than when quiet, sight-seeing and obtaining general information became more and more desirable.

After having seen every State and Capital in his own country, his desire was to visit every Capital in Europe. After having seen the antiquities and works of art of Italy, Greece, and Turkey, his ambition led him to see the older objects of Egypt and Asia Minor. Then came the desire to visit the Celestial Empire, and the East Indian world.

The West Indian Islands brought a disposition to see those of the Pacific, and those of the Mediterranean, the Levant, and the Polynesian, Canary, Cape de Verde, Azores. North America, including the Canadas, having been seen, South America in all parts could not be neglected. Northern Africa, Egypt, Syria, Algeria, and Morocco had been visited; but the western and south-western coast of Africa, the Gulf of Guinea, demanded their share of effort and exposure. When in China, he desired to visit Japan, but Commodore Perry had not yet made a treaty. While at Singapore, he wished to embark for Australia; but no opportunity offering during the typhoon season, he was obliged to renounce the idea. Last Spring he made an attempt to get around from the south coast of Africa, but without success. Had he succeeded, his twenty-one years of travel would have probably closed his extended wanderings, as the whole world would have been seen, large portions of it having been repeatedly visited.

He has great reason to be thankful to the Almighty for his preservation of life and health. Surrounded by dangers of every name and nature, while scores of his companions have been swept off by shipwreck, cholera, fever, assassins, and barbarous tribes of savages, or Indians, he has passed unscathed and unharmed.

J. G. V.

CONTENTS.

TWENTY YEARS AROUND THE WORLD.

1839.
I.

Havana, February 10, 1839.

By the advice of my physicians my second sea voyage was by the ship Norma, which sailed from the port of New York on the 20th of January. After a passage of fourteen days, with alternate gales and calms, we sighted Abaco, and the Hole in the Wall. We crossed the Bahama Banks; the water was of a bright blue color, with a clay bottom, which was distinctly seen. The thermometer went up to 72°, so we threw, off our winter-garments, and put ourselves in summer apparel.

A cheerful sight was the old Moro Castle, at the entrance of the harbor. It has three hundred guns, and is built upon a rock. Opposite stands a new fort called the Punta, and three hundred yards from the Moro Castle is a gigantic work called the Cabana. These defences are on an immense scale, with heavy rock excavations, and are said to have cost eighteen millions of dollars. When the bill was presented to the Court of Madrid, the old King Ferdinand asked if they were made of silver. The passport system is onerous and rigorous here; but time and progress will produce a change.

The landing, or shipping-port, is a stout, well-planked wharf, of great length, sufficient for the landing of cargoes: vessels lie head on, and discharge and receive over their bows. Our ship anchored in the stream, and boats took our baggage to the Custom-house. We were struck by the novel sights on landing. A large number of negroes was employed in unloading ships, and transporting merchandize, singing the while their merry sailor songs. Mules with heavy saddles, and small trucks on two wheels, were waiting for our effects. Huge carts for heavy goods were drawn by oxen, with rings in their noses, and yokes resting on their horns. Next comes the Volante, or pleasure carriage, which is universally adopted, and, although odd-looking at first, it is extremely comfortable, and is adapted to the climate. Figure to yourself a pair of wheels from seven to eight feet high, and shafts eighteen feet long. Upon these shafts a chaise body suspended with leather-straps. At the extreme end of the shaft the horse or mule, with his braided tail tied up to a large Mameluke saddle. Upon that saddle a shiny, black negro, with leather leggings strapped up to his knees; shoes and spurs, and coat and hat of livery. The hacks, which are rather rusty, stand about the squares for customers; but the equipages of the nobility and wealthy citizens are really magnificent, and the sight of the fair sex, in full dress, on a gala-day when hundreds are seen on the Paseo, is one of the most pleasing and beautiful to be found in any country.

I have just witnessed a display of the kind; some three hundred Volantes were present with a band of music. The vehicles go up on one side of the Paseo and return by the other, driving through a paradise of garden. An accident occurred; the lancers on horseback were instantly on hand to preserve order. The police is numerous and efficient; the men carry spears, and a lantern in the night. The military force is large, and belongs to the regular troops from Old Spain.

The style of building strikes a stranger with surprise as he enters the city. The houses are generally of stone, one or two stories high, and are covered with fluted tiles, or flat roofs of cement. Many of the residences of the wealthy are commodious and magnificent. The building material is a yellow, calcareous stone, which is easily shaped by an axe to any form, and being porous it receives cement readily. The fronts of the houses are painted with gay colors, yellow, pink, or blue. They have low windows, with iron bars for shutters, and curtains supply the place of glass, which is yet almost unknown here. No chimneys are needed, as the cooking is mostly done with earthen furnaces.

Havana is well supplied with market buildings of a quadrangular form: the outer structure is for the butchers, and the interior for venders of fruits and vegetables. The fish-market is tastefully ornamented with marble and porcelain slab counters, and the various kinds of fish thereon have all the hues of the rainbow. The fish market is in the hands of a monopoly, who employ many vessels along the Florida coast for supplies.

A grand masquerade-charity ball has just taken place at the Tacon Theatre, outside the city walls, and it is computed that seven thousand tickets were sold. The great variety of costumes, within and without, representing all the characters that could be suggested to one’s mind, the multitude of the dances, and the different strains of music, the five tiers of boxes of open bronze-work, displaying the rich robes and dazzling gems of the lady spectators, gave it additional charms.

I have just returned from the plantation of a fellow passenger, and am much pleased with the rack or gait of my horse, which is peculiar to the island of Cuba. The road, which was rough, was of calcareous stone. The shell, which is easily discovered in the rock, can be cut in any shape; it hardens with age. The house which I visited was comfortable, and pleasantly situated, with negro-houses among groves of oranges, citron and lemon trees, and fields of sugar-cane in the background. The reception was a warm one, for the mistress of the place, an affectionate old lady, was delighted at the return of her son; I witnessed her kindness towards her negroes. The Bishop’s Garden gave me an opportunity of seeing tropical plants and fruits in their perfection. It seemed neglected, however, while the Tacon Garden is a splendid affair.

II.

Matanzas, March 1, 1839.

This is a considerable shipping port. Large quantities of lumber are brought hither by New England vessels, which in return take cargoes of sugar, molasses, and coffee. I saw a drove of mules and horses with pack-saddles, fifty in number, all laden with these articles, coming to market. Twenty-eight of them were laden with four kegs, each containing five gallons of molasses, and were tied head and tail together. One man had charge of that number. In this warm climate they stop and wash or swim their animals in the streams to refresh them; the drivers drink the fresh milk from the cocoa. The number of game-cocks owned here attracted my attention; cock-fighting takes place frequently. I noticed, in passing an inclosure, an arena for practising, and stakes were driven for forty of them, to which they were attached by the leg; some are even valued as high as six ounces, or a hundred dollars; two negroes were cracking corn with their teeth to feed them, and others were sprinkling aguardiente or Cuba rum over their heads and bodies; it gives them a reddish color after the feathers are plucked out. If game, they fight until they die. In the pit they take them up and blow in their mouths, lick their heads, raise their wings, run their bills together, and then put them down to see who will conquer.

In the vicinity are found very extensive caves, inhabited by bats, which are well worth a visit. Myself and a fellow-traveller hired a Volante to visit a coffee estate on the banks of the little Canaimar river. The weather was warm; the rays of the sun were oppressive like one of our July days; it was dry and dusty. We met with droves of muzzled mules laden with products; we crossed the river in scow boats, drawn by a rope. The coffee-tree grows about three or five feet high, and is lopped to make the branches expand, otherwise it grows seven or eight feet in height. The blossom is white, the leaf resembles the laurel of our country, only larger; there is a fragrant but insipid flavor to the blossom; the berry is red, and tastes sweet. On opening it you discover two grains of coffee. It is gathered in baskets, and carried to the yard where they have large earthen floors with descents both ways to carry off the rain; here it remains until perfectly dry, then it passes through a machine which completes it. It is then put up in sacks for market. They commence picking about the 1st of November, and continue until they have finished, often as late as February. The tree lasts fifteen or twenty years, if well attended to.

The Canaimar is a beautiful stream, with high banks covered with trees, and is from fifty to eighty yards wide; it is navigable some fifteen or twenty miles, for schooners up to Barcadero. For pretty scenery it reminds me of the Hudson, but decidedly in miniature.

We saw several fine coffee plantations, and others exhausted, devoted to the production of sugar. Our Calesero with his droll costume wore his sword, which he flattered himself was a great protection after nightfall. The roads were rough, and little travelled by carriages; but it was amusing the way we rattled over the hills with three horses attached to our odd-looking vehicle. We have followed up our visits to sugar and coffee plantations in other directions. Some of the latter are most beautiful with avenues of palms, interspersed with orange and myrtle trees. One sugar estate of three hundred acres turned off three hundred hogsheads of sugar. The owner had one hundred and fifty negroes, one hundred of whom were working hands; we visited their cabins and the sugar-works. He had seventy yoke of oxen, thirty on the grinding mill; they work night and day, five pair at a time, cracking the cane with three large rollers. The juice is insipid but healthful; it soon becomes acid when exposed to the sun. It runs direct from the mill in reservoirs, and in the iron boilers with sides of brick-work. It is dipped from one pot to the other, and boiled until the guarappa or syrup passes into reservoirs or granulators, after which it is put into hogsheads, and stands over vats to allow the escape of the treacle or molasses, which is pumped up and forwarded to market. The crushed stalk is dried and used for fuel, when engines are in vogue as they now are. The cane may be used up entirely. In the cutting the cattle follow and consume the tops; the balance decays and enriches the soil. The negroes cut the cane systematically with long knives in the fields. The cane here springs up again without replanting, and lasts from five to seven years.

In the gardens were guava trees, from which the delicious jelly is made, and pomegranates, oranges, and other fruits. The most graceful tree is the palm: it grows straight to a great height, with rings from the root, and looks like a column of marble of greyish blue color until within fifteen feet of the top, when it lessens in size, and is of a bright green color, with an offshoot or thread that grows up like the winding-sheet of a candle, about four feet to the top, from which spread the branches, like an umbrella. From the green spot spring bunches of berries which are green, but ripen red, and are used by the negroes to feed their hogs. The mango, shaddocks, sweet oranges, and forbidden-fruit, are interesting to the stranger. We have just paid the sad rites to one of our Northern invalids; only four of us followed him to the grave. The funeral of a child three years old has just passed; this beautiful infant lies in a half coffin, with face and hands exposed, a wreath of flowers about its head, and a bouquet in its little hand. One half of the coffin is supported by four boys in fashionably cut garments, and bright coat-buttons; the other half is supported by other boys. The friends of the dead do not go to the grave. The manner of burial being so different from ours, one is struck with every peculiarity. Some distinguished person who died recently had ten negro bearers dressed in military apparel, red and grey livery trimmed with lace, with black chapeaux and feathers. Ten Volantes followed. The bodies are buried in trenches, with all their clothing on, which is cut before interment. They are put in the ground without the coffin, quick-lime is thrown upon them with a little earth; others are buried over them. When room is required, the ground is dug over, and the fragments are burned.

The convicts here are employed upon the public works, and in the streets, pounding stone and regulating the thoroughfares; they are guarded by soldiers, and wear chains on one side from the waist to the ankle. I recently accompanied a planter who wanted to add to his stock of negroes. A cargo of two hundred and eighty-five had just arrived from Africa. They were in the Barracoons, men, women, and children. I had some oranges, which I cut up and gave them; they did not know what they were at first, but soon found out, and flocked around me and drove me to the door, with their hands all up, clamoring for more. It was amusing to see the scampering and jubilee when the fruit was thrown among them. They were fond of snuff, tobacco, and pipes. The planter made a selection of twenty, at twenty-four ounces, or four hundred and eight dollars each, and they seemed happy to get out of the barracks.

III.

South-West Pass, Balize, April 1, 1839.

The steamer Tacon brought me down from Matanzas to Havana. The renowned Ravels were drawing immense houses at the Tacon theatre. I took the railway for Guines, a small town, towards the south side of the island, much resorted to by invalids. We made many excursions on horseback, visiting different cafetals and sugar plantations, passing through orange groves, the eye resting upon acres of pineapples. I attended high mass at the Cathedral in Havana, where rest the ashes of Columbus, which are said to have been brought from St. Domingo. Our passengers returning to the States have converted our brig into a sort of Noah’s ark; it has twenty poodle dogs, quantities of pigeons, doves, Guinea pigs, game cocks, etc., and about ninety thousand oranges on deck. No steamer offering, we were obliged to take this brig. We should have made the passage in five days, but a norther came on within twelve hours’ sail of the Balize, and we were among the Chandeleur Islands at one time without a chronometer, and the officers could not tell our course. The first appearance of two rival tug-boats, the Lion and Mohican, in the distance, running for us, was a grateful sight. We are now rapidly ascending the river, whose water is charged with alluvial deposit, and is very muddy. The low banks, covered with grass and cane-brakes, arrest the floating logs from the undermined forests of the upper rivers, brought down by the freshets; alligators are seen crawling upon them, and basking in the sun’s rays. Further up, we come in sight of sugar plantations, with the whitewashed huts of the negroes. The appearance of a high-pressure steamer, with hurricane deck, is very striking at first sight; and the eternal puff of the escaping steam, may be heard distinctly for miles. Towing on the Mississippi, against a current six miles per hour, requires enormous power. The shipping at New Orleans is immense, extending for six miles along the Levee, which is of a semicircular form, and gives New Orleans the name of the Crescent City. The cotton warehouses and presses are of gigantic size, to meet the demands of the trade. Many of the public buildings are substantial, and in good architectural taste. The St. Charles and St. Louis hotels are of a superior order, and are among the largest in the United States. The exhibition of merchandize on the levees, consisting of cotton, sugar, molasses, tobacco, lard, flour, grain, and all the products of the Western and Southern states bordering on the rivers, is immense, and connecting here from a hundred steamers with a fleet of shipping for most of the ports in the world, gives a faint idea of the trade of this commercial city.

A drive over the shell road, along the banks of the canal, to the Lake House, and the return by rail from Lake Pontchartrain—a peep at the French opera in the second municipality—a drive to Carrolton, the new and upper portion of the city—a walk over the battle-field below the city, where General Jackson defeated the British—will suffice for this visit, as I return again. I now take the steamer for the new Republic of Texas!

IV.

Mobile, Alabama, April 27, 1839.

The steamship New York carried us to Galveston in fifty-six hours. The fine weather promised us a shorter passage, but our ship grounded for several hours at the south-west Mississippi pass. When we sighted the few masts in the distance from the harbor of Galveston, a gay wag pointed them out to a verdant passenger as the steeples of the city. Only a limited number of buildings are yet erected. A wrecked steamer on the beach with upper cabins answered the purposes of a hotel. Levees will be made for the protection of the city from inundation; the city lies on Galveston island at the foot of Galveston Bay, which situation, with an energetic and increasing population, will render it in time a place of great trade and commerce. A small high-pressure steamer took us up to the Capital of the Republic, Houston, named in honor of the late president and hero of San Jacinto.

We had a fair number of cabin passengers, and a goodly number in the steerage, migrating to the new settlements.

One of those amusing mock criminal cases which help to beguile the tedious hours at sea, came off on the charge of a slight indiscretion against a New Orleans merchant. Counsel in behalf of the state and defence of the prisoner was procured; the judge took his seat; the sheriff arrested the prisoner; witnesses were subpœnaed; special-pleading began, and the examination of defence before the jury, half of them ladies, being the entire number of our fair passengers, contributed not a little to the amusements, in which Finn, the renowned punster and comedian, took part. The jury retired to the ladies’ cabin, dropped the curtains upon the court, rendered a champagne verdict, which resulted in a similar sentence upon the judge, advocates, and sheriff, the consequence of which was no want of exhilarating material for the voyage.

A beautiful sail up the bay; a view of the battle-ground of San Jacinto; a description of the positions occupied by the Mexican forces of Santa Anna, and the Texans in hot pursuit; the perfect slaughter of the former; the finding of the Mexican leader up a tree, and many other details from an old Texan who was engaged in the combat, passed the time agreeably, and we were in the narrow Buffalo Bayou, the branches of the trees grazing our wheel-houses. The little town of Harrisburg, fifteen miles below Houston, was burnt by the Mexicans. It should have been the head of navigation, it was remarked, but the Allens founded the city as it now is, and built a capital and engaged the settlers to occupy it. There are some thirty frame houses being erected per month. I visited the log cabin still standing, occupied formerly by Sam Houston. Took a ride on the seven-mile prairie; visited General Hunt, Secretary of the Navy, President Lamar, and was presented to Sam Houston, Ex-President, at New Orleans, on my return to that city. The accommodations, of course, in a new country just opened, cannot be expected to equal those of old settled cities. Carriages are not yet introduced; stumps still stand in the streets. Time has scarcely permitted to make foundation walls, but the buildings are set up on blocks, giving the pigs and chickens free ingress underneath.

My luggage was taken on a wheelbarrow, and at the first hotel I stopped at I verdantly called for a single room; the landlord smiled, and said that he had only a single one, which was a fifty-bedded room, and all occupied. My curiosity induced me to see it. There were rows of bunks, not unlike coffins in size, a little raised from the floor. I then proceeded to another hotel, which was also full, the rush of emigrants, land-purchasers, and speculators, being great.

I found a private house, but did not ask for a single room; there were three apartments for three beds each, with two and three in a bed. My Mississippi companion and myself were obliged to double up; we could lie upon our backs and study astronomy through the roof, and in case of rain put our clothes under the bed.

Our single rough pine table was well covered with arms, which travellers use largely for safety and shooting. Deer are found in great abundance, consequently venison, as well as fish and oysters, in the vicinity of Galveston, is abundant.

After some few excursions I returned to New Orleans, much gratified with my trip, and the exhibition of American energy in adapting itself to the settlement of a new country.

I asked a Mississippi land speculator what he thought of Houston. He unhesitatingly replied: “It is the largest three-year-old I ever saw.”

The steamer Merchant brought me through Lake Pontchartrain, sighting Fort Pike in the pass to Lake Bourgne, passing the mouth of Pearl river and the Dauphin Island, into the Gulf of Mexico, and up Mobile Bay to the city. The shipping lies thirty miles below; light draught ships and brigs come up to the city; heavy vessels load by lighters; large numbers of steamers are at the wharves from the Upper Tombigbee and Alabama rivers. It is an agreeable city, with hospitable inhabitants, and an extensive cotton trade; many broad fine avenues and streets are studded with the Pride of India, a tree filling the air with fragrance.

My friends have driven me out to Spring Hill in the suburbs, with its pretty private residences, the race-course, Choctaw point, and other localities. The hotel is comfortable; the markets and restaurants are well supplied, and lunches at the saloons supply the inner man with game, Barataria Bay oysters, and all their accompaniments. The South prides itself upon its choice imported liquors, and the genuine leaf Havana cigars. The sabbath is well observed here; attendance at church is general. The negro population is well dressed and happy.

N. B. Some years since the writer visited Galveston, Houston, and many other portions of Texas in the interior, and was highly gratified at the great growth of the cities named, the style of brick dwellings which had replaced frame buildings, the march of civilization, and the general comfort. In the interim of time since his first visit he had seen the early settlement of California and Oregon, as well as the new states of Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, and watched the progress of American advancement.

V.
TRIP FROM ALABAMA THROUGH FLORIDA AND GEORGIA.

The steamer Champion brought us in nine hours to Pensacola, well known as a United States’ Naval Station. We took the steamer Leroy for Lagrange, with three passengers, passing through Santa Rosa sound; the island of the same name rose in the distance, by moonlight, like a walled city, with some verdure and shrub trees, and the beach of white sand appeared like snow; the main land, covered with live oak, has been purchased by Government, for ship building. We left Pensacola at five P.M. and arrived at Lagrange in time for breakfast, and took stage for Choctahatchie, Dead Lake, where we left the conveyance and went a mile and a half in small boats to connect with another stage coach. This Dead Lake is surrounded with cypress trees, and abounds with alligators; a huge fellow, with distended jaws, showed himself beside our little canoe; we fired a musket shot and he sank. We crossed the Choctahatchie, a rapid stream, in a small boat, walked up the hill to a barn, and found a stage to proceed. Magnolias of immense height were found in the everglades in abundance, and in full bloom. A day’s ride from Lagrange brought us to the village of Mariana; we stopped at Holmes’ Village, P. O., and dined by the road in a log-house, in a wilderness of pines; we could look through the sides and roof of this dwelling. The woman said she had nothing in the house for dinner, which was true: salt bacon, corn bread, and buttermilk, were the prominent articles. At Mariana, twenty-seven miles from the Chattahoochie, we found supper and the first signs of a town since we left Pensacola. Leaving Mariana, the stage had seven passengers inside and three outside, with heavy luggage; coming down Chipola hill, the equilibrium was almost lost; we were going over when the driver let the horses go to save an upset, and they ran away. A refractory horse has given us a good fright. We crossed the Apalachicola river in a flat, poled up the stream, and took the current to the opposite bank; negroes lay by a camp fire waiting for the boat. Walked a mile to Mount Vernon, and stopped at Scott’s new Arsenal and Magazine; the steamer coming in view, we heard the puff of steam fifteen miles. I took the steamer Commerce for Apalachicola; we had undertaken to haul a raft of timber, when we saw the Irvington coming. Come on, boys, says the Irvington. Don’t be alarmed, says the Capt. of the Commerce. Firemen all anxious, passengers hurried on board. Cut the hawser, cries the Capt.; now go it. The vibration of the boat was excessive; we could scarcely raise a cup to the lips at table; boilers and flues almost red hot, the upper deck grew so hot that my clothing in the trunk was heated through. The scenery is pretty, the trees and growth of underbrush and cane-brake, down to river bank of this serpentine river, are picturesque.

We beat our enemy, and he was obliged to round to, as a make-believe, for wood.

I found Apalachicola a small place, with some good brick stores; the shipping lies below, brigs and schooners only get over the bar. They are trying to make St. Joseph a rival, with a railway from Iola to the junction of the Chattahoochie and Flint rivers, but it is not probable that the river trade can be diverted from its natural channel. I visited cotton plantations to see the young plant growing, and the gins for dressing; saw the poisonous moccasin snakes, five feet long, and alligators in abundance. Visited Quincy, a county seat, in Florida; the stage had eleven passengers, nine inside, among the rest a gentleman’s black servant; in the night I found him fast asleep, quietly resting on my shoulder. I supped at Bainbridge, and tolerably well, and one man offered a Watumpka bill, to which the woman objected, and he said he could pay when he came along again. He left his card to the amusement of all concerned. We halted at a place in the piny woods, where the man had his wife and a dozen white-headed, flaxy children, dirty as pigs; he said he was from North Carolina, and could give us corn bread and molasses, fat bacon, and three cups of coffee, for the whole party.

At twelve at night coming to a station, I found a part of my baggage and valise missing; I put a negro on the track and went myself in search through the woods; detached one of the lead horses and sent another negro in hot pursuit. I heard or saw some wild animals in the brush, and hurried up and found the boys who had found my baggage by the road-side, where it had fallen. Arrived at Macon, on the Ocmulgee river; it is a pretty city, with several churches, a young ladies’ seminary, one of the largest in the Union, besides several banks. Rode from thence to Milledgeville, the capital of Georgia, thirty-six miles; a rough country, scenery different from that of Florida. A State Convention was being held to reduce the number of representatives in the Legislature. The public-houses were crowded. The Government House and States Prison are prominent buildings.

The heat and dust were overpowering. I took supper at Sparta at twelve at night, arrived at Warrenton at four A.M.; went to bed and slept for the first time in three days. I was rejoiced to find the first railroad since I left New Orleans; rode fifty-one miles to Augusta, on the Savannah river. The yellow nankeen cotton is produced in this section. They are now raising 20,000 bales of staple annually. The city has ten thousand population. There are many northern people among the residents; the markets, wharfs, public buildings, and society give evidence of thrift and progress. The Morus multicaulis speculation is now the rage. This reminds me of meeting a northern man in Matanzas, who proposes taking out plants to get the winter growth and profit by the advance of the cuttings. The bubble will soon burst. Hamburg, in South Carolina, lies on the opposite bank of the Savannah, connecting with a bridge, where are seen the fortifications of nullification days.

VI.
TRIP FROM AUGUSTA, GEORGIA, TO NEW YORK.

I left Augusta by the South Carolina Railroad for Charleston, stopping at Aiken, a dining station on the road, where a hurried dinner was taken, and the bell rung when the party was half through, which induced one of the number to snatch a roasted fowl, to the amusement of the passengers and chagrin of the landlord. The distance was one hundred and thirty-six miles, mostly in light soil and pine wood region. There were some good plantations. When in sight of the Four Mile House I recognised the spot which I had visited some years previous. The great oak trees were still standing as if clad in mourning, with the moss three or four feet in length hanging from the branches.

In the low humid regions of Texas, and upon the banks of rivers, are found large quantities of this material, which is dried and used for mattresses, cushions, etc., and is quite an article of commerce. My mind was carried back to my former retreat on Sullivan’s Island, upon which is situated Fort Moultrie, and which is the resort and residence of many who fly thither to enjoy the sea air, and to escape the fevers produced from the low banks of the Ashley and Cooper rivers, and the marshes in the neighborhood.

I tarried six days enjoying the hospitalities of numerous friends whom I had known there, and in Cuba. My health had suffered some from exposure, and I was happy to repose myself. The steamer Gov. Dudley took me to Wilmington, N.C., upon Cape Fear river.

The great quantity of saw-dust from the steam mills and bark from the tannery, filled up the low places. The trade of the place is in pitch, tar, and turpentine. I crossed over the river to look at the rice fields, which at will are flooded from the river. Gangs of negroes were engaged in hoeing and pulling out weeds.

Our landlord gave us the best the place afforded. But he was a wag, and had placed the sharpest-breasted turkey I had ever met with on the table. Standing at the head, he disarmed all complaint by saying: “Now, gentlemen, I wish to call your attention to this bird. He was kept for the races, and could outrun any turkey in all Wilmington.” A burst of laughter ensued, and all were delighted with the dinner. We proceeded from Wilmington to Waynesburg on the Neuse river, eighty miles, and were obliged to take stage over a corduroy road, the railway not being yet constructed within seventy miles of Abbeville.

Such a horrible jolting I had never experienced, except in the low grounds along the Bay of Quinte in Canada. Rails and logs were thrown across marshy soil with but little earth upon them, and from time to time one found himself with his hat over his eyes, striking the top of the stage. At three in the morning we found ourselves at the point where the railway was progressing. The little tavern had only one bed left. What was to be done? I had made application and secured it. We were all exhausted with the ride, and six passengers had equal claims for a portion.

The bed was taken off, placed upon the floor, and occupied by three. Two took the bed cords, with some of the covering, and I reconnoitred the house. I found a country doctor’s room with his pharmacy and some anatomical remains; as good luck would have it for once, his services had been required elsewhere, so the doctor’s room was occupied, and Morpheus’s subject lost sight of dry bones. Twenty miles by rail brought us to Weldon, and from thence to Petersburgh, Virginia, on the Appomatox river. Here I visited some friends whom I had formerly known at Tappahanock, on the Rappahannock river, when I first visited the Old Dominion.

The writer of these Letters, finding his health, which had improved from his last winter’s trip to Cuba, again suffering in a northern climate, left the cold weather behind him, and proceeded south, via Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, and thence to Charleston. He made the outside passage to Savannah by steamer, and thence proceeded by steamboats to Brunswick, in Georgia, passing through the Florida wilds to Tallahassee, at imminent risk from the Seminole Indians. From Tallahassee he proceeded to St. Joseph, and embarked for Mobile and New Orleans, which cities he had left the spring before. He revisited the island of Cuba during the winter, and returned in the spring to the Crescent City. He took steamer bound up the Red river to Natchitoches and Alexandria; returned and visited Natchez, Mississippi, a few days after the great tornado, which destroyed a large portion of the city under the hill, and did immense damage in the city on the bluff. Many lives were lost, and a fleet of flat-boats and steamers sunk. He then proceeded up the Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee, and St. Louis, Missouri; from the latter place he embarked for Louisville, Kentucky, and Cincinnati. His next route was via Wheeling, Virginia, over the beautiful Cumberland pass of the Alleghany mountains to Hagerstown and Frederick, Maryland; thence to Baltimore; up to Philadelphia, and so home.

To avoid repetition, and inasmuch as the cities and countries of our Union are so generally known, and, not to tax the reader, he has avoided the recounting of the thousand incidents of travel which would require too much space in this limited work. Suffice it to say, he returned in improved health, with a superficial knowledge, at least, of the products and resources of our country.

1840.
VII.
A TRIP TO EUROPE.

Dec. 7, 1840.

I left by the British Queen, in bad health, on Tuesday, upon two days’ notice, as I had intended to go to Santa Cruz. The weather was cool but pleasant, until Friday, which was stormy; it continued blowing a gale until Sunday, which was very rough and boisterous. I was very sea-sick, and was afraid of raising blood. We had a cold, disagreeable passage, and were on the ocean three Sundays; we reached Southampton on the twenty-first of December. The ship arrived at London on the twenty-third. Our coal was exhausted, and we burned up all the spare wood we could find to carry us to Southampton.

I was rejoiced to get ashore in a comfortable English hotel, with kind and attentive servants. I left for London the following day, and was struck with the style of the English farm-houses and cottages—stacks of grain—thatched roofs—hedge fences—the straight furrows in ploughing—draining of lands—the old style of brick buildings with pot chimneys, and the dense smoke from the bituminous coal.

Our captain had promised us to land at Plymouth, if could not work up to Cowes; the ship was out of trim, and short of water. A little tug-boat came alongside for passengers and luggage; a heavy sea was on, and it was difficult to get transferred. I took cold, and was fearful I could not proceed south, but soon improved.

On approaching London, it appeared as if a cloud of smoke enveloped it as from a great conflagration. I remained in London ten days, visiting all the great works of art and public buildings; St. Paul’s Church—four hundred steps to the cupola—occupying one square—forty years in building, and said to have cost seventy million dollars, our money—remarkable echo in dome, the closing of a door producing a report like the discharge of cannon. The statues of Lord Nelson and scores of others are contained therein. The tunnel under the Thames is one thousand one hundred and forty feet through; thirty-eight feet wide, for two carriage ways. Looked in at Drury Lane, Covent Garden, and Haymarket Theatre. Visited St. James’s Park, Waterloo Barracks, Regent’s Park, Houses of Lords and Commons, and Westminster Abbey. Made an excursion to Windsor Castle, Virginia Water, and drove through the extensive Park ground. Visited the West India Docks, with basins of immense extent, and massive stone wharfs, solid as rocks. Returned from Southwark by railway, three and one-half miles, upon arches over the tops of houses. Visited the armory rooms in the old Tower, and saw the crown jewels, of great value. The spot was pointed out where Lady Jane Grey and Anne Boleyn were beheaded. Was in the cell where Walter Raleigh was confined and wrote his history.

Newgate Prison and St. Giles’s were not neglected—the latter dirty and filthy to a degree—low buildings, black as night—streets ten to twelve feet wide—carts blocking up the way—no living animal inside except pigs—shavings for fuel—men cutting up old wood in little bundles to sell to the poor wretches. Decent-looking men hurried rapidly through. I was almost afraid some wretch would sally out upon me—signs in the windows “Shaving half-penny—hair-cutting one penny”—“Travellers’ lodgings, and rooms for single persons”—rooms like so many hog-sties—looked in at Goldsmiths’ Hall, and saw statues of Gog and Magog. The sights of London would demand a volume itself for description.

I left London for Dover by the mail coach, which is comfortable and fast when railways are not spoken of. Rode alone to Gravesend, twenty miles; it is much resorted to by the Londoners in summer. Passed through Stroud, Rochester, and Chatham; the three towns almost join; the latter has dockyards on the river Mersey. Passed Canterbury, and many other towns, and came in sight of the chalk hills of Dover. At every change the coachman presents himself, “I leave you here, sir,” which means a fee. The servants in hotels, if not taxed in the bill, array themselves in line at the door, “Remember the chambermaid, sir.” “Boots, sir, if you please.” “I am the waiter, sir, if you will be so kind.” The guineas vanish rapidly in England. A little iron mail steamer carried us over the British Channel in three hours to Calais in France. Sea so rough, we could not land for some hours. Passengers very sick. When the tide rose we run in harbor. At next day’s low tide I saw brigs, schooners, and steamers floundering in the mud all aground; good substantial docks. Walled city; population, ten thousand inside, seven or eight thousand outside; garrisoned by a regiment of soldiery; luggage taken to custom-house, and examined closely. Visited Notre Dame Church; no pews; chairs all around upon the paved floor, with tops to lean upon; payment is exacted for use of them. The streets are narrow; the women wear caps, few bonnets, and perform all the menial service of men. Coming from America and England it strikes one’s attention. Left with the diligence in the coupé or front part, with glass windows, and a good look-out; pleasant ride to Boulogne. We were overtaken by the phenomena of a violent storm, thunder and lightning, hail and snow. We passed through Montreuil and Abbeville, prominent towns. The roads were in bad order, and it took thirty-three hours for the one hundred and sixty miles to Paris. To cross some of the hills we were obliged to put on nine horses, and look like a caravan. As soon as I got settled in the French capital I found constant occupation in sight-seeing, all being new to me. The remains of Napoleon, brought back from the island of St. Helena, by order of Louis Philippe, have just been deposited with extraordinary pomp at the Hotel des Invalides. I am not prepared to describe the sights of Paris in detail on this occasion. My health had suffered from cold, and I found it necessary to push off south. My passport being prepared at the Prefecture de Police, and all the necessary visés of ministers from the different countries which I may visit, obtained, I took the lumbering diligence en route for Marseilles, a distance of some five hundred miles. We reached Chalon on the Saône, where I had hoped to get a steamer, but the freshet prevented our passing the bridges. Proceeded to Lyons, the great manufacturing city of France, and rejoiced to get in quarters with a good fire and comfortable bed. The ravages of the flood and inundation of the country were distressing to behold. Left Lyons, in a little steamer, for Avignon upon the Rhone, not much wider than a canal boat, but very long in proportion, say one hundred and fifty feet. It was cold and blustering, blowing a hard gale. We descended rapidly. The steamer had no wheel, but four men at the rudder; it was hard to keep her straight. Passed the bridges and stone arches over the river with lightning speed, the inundation and current being tremendous. Struck an arch, and came near being dashed to pieces; all hands frightened; the engineer said that he had been on the river for years, but never had seen such a blow. Dust flew so, we could scarcely see the shore; clouds of it covered rigging and deck. Passed Vienne, Valence, Tournon, and arrived at St. Esprit. Great doubt expressed if we could pass through the arches of the stone bridge, but it was done safely and splendidly. There being no sleeping accommodation, we went ashore to get the best lodgings we could. We found an old castle of a hotel; arched entrance, stone steps worn by time, and replaced in part with wood; heavy, massive doors and windows; large chimney and fire-places; grape-vines and green wood for fuel; violent wind, and cold. In the morning looked around the ancient town, around the fort, and crossed the narrow stone bridge, with solid, heavy abutments, the work of the monks in the middle ages. The steamer started at two P.M., much to our relief, for our wants were better supplied in her than ashore. The gale was over, and we arrived at Avignon, and thence proceeded to Aix and Marseilles, where I was obliged to rest myself for a few days. A funeral service next door attracted my attention. First came the Catholic clergy, in full robes; next sisters of charity and little girls; then charity boys; the bearers, all sturdy, clod-hoofed fellows, covered with coarse cloth, and sacks over their heads, with holes only for the eyes; candles and torches burning in their hands.

Passing through the south of France, I was struck with the immense resources of the country in the vine. Millions of acres are cultivated with it as the products of the cereals are in our own country. The refuse and dried branches are sold for fuel and lighting fires. The beauty of the Rhone, with its old towers and castles, high peaks and mountain scenery, amphitheatred walls, and hanging gardens, covered with the vine, is remarkable. The limestone country approaching Marseilles produces the olive and fig in great abundance. The houses in southern France generally have tile or porcelain floors, and are very cold at this season. At Marseilles, I saw the column of Napoleon; it is at the head of the promenade, with a fine view of the harbor.

A great variety of character and costume is found in this seaport, and all the different dialects are spoken; Arabs, Italians, Greeks, Germans, and Swiss abound; and it is quite amusing, to stroll upon the quays.

I looked about the city, and saw all there was of interest. I stopped at the Hotel d’Orient, recently opened, and was glad to get where comfort was to be found. The floors are all of hexagonal tile, glazed or polished, and slippery; the stairs of the same, except the projecting part of wood. Good table-d’hôte; a dozen dishes of meat and vegetables come on in succession, all hot. The cuisine in the south of France will not compare with that of Paris. Dessert of native fruits, prunes, olives, pears, apples, raisins, figs. Visited the theatre; large house, but poorly supported; no style in fitting up; the outside presents a fine front, but miserable inside. Opera-glasses in general use. On entering, you see women with stands for coats, hats, sticks, etc., and a table filled with opera-glasses for hire, all of which gives a small emolument to these honest people. The civility and politeness of the French are proverbial: a glove or a handkerchief left on your seat is sure to be respected, and your right of place maintained. In comedy the French excel. With two American gentlemen, with whom I crossed the Atlantic, and whom I now met here, I dined at the house of our Consul, Mr. Fitch, who entertained us handsomely.

The steamer Maria Antoinette takes me to Genoa.

1841.
VIII.

Naples, February 22, 1841.

After landing at Marseilles I proceeded by steamer to Genoa. On approaching the city from the sea it shows to great advantage. Its numerous and stately edifices resemble the seats of a vast amphitheatre placed on the declivity of the Apennines. It is termed the City of Palaces, and deservedly so, as its palaces are very numerous, and composed of beautiful marble, splendidly adorned with noble entrances and elegant staircases, with floors of marble. Among the most prominent sights of the city are the palaces and churches. The cathedral of St. Lorenzo is an ancient Gothic structure, built of marble, and paved with the same material. The sacristy contains an emerald vase, found at Cesarea when the Genoese captured that town, and they chose it in preference to any other tribute offered. (A.D. 1101.) This vase is said to have been presented by the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, and deposited by him in the temple at Jerusalem. Napoleon carried it to Paris when he conquered the Genoese, but it was afterwards returned. I was shown the mortal remains of St. John the Baptist, brought from Lycia and placed in the cathedral, inclosed in a silver sarcophagus. The plate of beautiful agate and gold which held the head of the saint, when presented to Herod, is also exhibited. The cross of gold worn by Constantine was also shown. It is two feet long, one foot wide, and weighs almost ten pounds, and is filled with precious stones, and contains a small fragment of the true cross. I visited the palace of the king of Sardinia, which is a large and magnificent edifice, and contains a large collection of paintings, among the most remarkable of which is one representing Mary Magdalen at the feet of our Saviour in the house of the Pharisee, by Paul Veronese; also one of Titian’s, representing Christ bearing his cross. I visited several other palaces where are to be seen beautiful collections of paintings. The rooms are gorgeous. One saloon in the palazzo Serra is lined with the most costly materials, white marble, large mirrors, etc., with ornaments of precious stones and the richest gilding; in short, it combines taste with splendor in its gorgeous decorations, and is considered equal to any single saloon in Europe.

From Genoa I, with two travelling companions, took private carriage to Pisa, a distance of one hundred and thirty miles, passing through several interesting towns, visiting the marble mines of Carrara, where are eighty-five workshops, preparing statuary and various kinds of work for foreign markets.

The scenery on this route is enchanting. Genoa is left in the distance as you wind along the coast of the Mediterranean, at the base of the Apennines. Villages are continually presenting themselves; the walled hills and mountains are filled with olives and the vine, and cultivated to their tops. The valleys, beautified with gardens, produce an abundance of the orange, lemon, &c. On arriving at Pisa, which is situated on the banks of the Arno, fourteen miles from Leghorn, I visited all the objects worthy of notice. One of the most remarkable is the Leaning Tower. It is of a circular form, one hundred and ninety feet high, and declines thirteen feet from perpendicular. This beautiful structure was commenced in the year 1174, and consists of eight stories, adorned with two hundred and seven columns of granite and marble, many of which have evidently been taken from other buildings. The stairs leading up are easy of ascent, and the view extensive.

The Campo Santo, or ancient burial ground, a beautiful edifice, is a vast rectangle, surrounded by sixty-two light and elegant Gothic arcades of the Greco-Arabic school, built of white marble, and paved with the same. It is founded on a part of the earth brought from Mount Calvary, by two warriors from the Holy Land, and was commenced in the year 1200. The interior walls are decorated with ancient fresco-paintings, statues, and monuments of the best artists, bearing testimony of the most distinguished characters.

From Pisa I went to Leghorn, a fine commercial city, with a population of sixty thousand, and took steamer for this city.

On entering the harbor of Naples, the city presents itself beautifully to view, rising in the form of an amphitheatre, and crowned by the castle of St. Elmo; with its noble bay, thirty miles in diameter; and the island of Capri, rising in the centre. The towns of Sorento, Portici, Castellamare, Pozzuoli, and others, stretching along the promontory right and left, with Mount Vesuvius “eternally smoking in the distance,” at the base of which lie the ill fated cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, all of which I shall visit in a few days, and describe in my next. Naples is nine miles in circumference, and contains a population of three hundred and fifty thousand, but with the towns in the suburbs is said to contain five hundred thousand. On the summit of the hill, which is difficult of ascent, and adjoining the castle of St. Elmo, is a convent, and the church of San Martino, which is more magnificent than any other sacred edifice in Naples, being rich in gilding, paintings, precious marbles and jewels. The view from this spot is enchanting. The flat-roofed city, whose streets appear like narrow footpaths; the buzz of the inhabitants who seem like pigmies; carriages appearing no larger than children’s toys, and with difficulty distinguished; on one side the rich Neapolitan country, on another the majestic Apennines, with Vesuvius in front, and on the other side the bay covered with boats, and its shores lined with villages—the whole produces a rich and beautiful sight.

IX.

Messina (Sicily), March, 10, 1841.

In my last, from Naples, I promised, after having visited Mount Vesuvius and the entombed cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, to describe them. On arriving at Resina, about five miles distant from Naples, our party took mules and donkeys and ascended to the hermitage by a good mule path, occupying about two hours time. Here we were compelled to leave our animals, and ascend slowly and cautiously through masses of lava for about an hour—an exceedingly fatiguing task. At times we were almost suffocated with the sulphurous smoke which seemed to burst forth in different directions. The most difficult task was in returning from the mouth of the crater after having descended about twelve hundred feet. It is rare that persons descend to the verge or the mouth of the crater, and our guide was quite unwilling to attempt it, but our party persisted, and it was accomplished with great labor. The top of the crater is computed at two and a half miles in circumference, and at the bottom the opening is about thirty feet in diameter, and ejects forth sulphurous smoke, with a loud rumbling noise, resembling the escape of steam of a Mississippi steamer.

The distance from Naples to Pompeii is about twelve miles. The city of Pompeii was buried under ashes and pumice stones, and deluged with showers of boiling water, in the year 79 of the Christian era, and accidentally discovered in 1775 by a peasant while planting a vineyard.

On arriving at the gate we were conducted by a guide through part of the town, already excavated. The streets are straight and well paved with lava, which prove an eruption previous to the destruction of the city. Traces of carriage wheels still remain in the pave. The houses were generally two stories high, and had flat roofs. The walls of most of the rooms were stuccoed, painted and polished; many of the paintings and frescoes are in a good state of preservation. The apartments were paved with mosaic, some very magnificently executed. On many houses are seen the name and occupation of the owner, written in deep red; on the walls of some public buildings advertisements of gladiatorial shows, festivals, &c.

Here are seen remnants of public baths, theatres, amphitheatres, the Basilica, the houses of Sallust, Diomede, the temples of Isis, Hercules, and other gods.

We also visited Herculaneum, which lies about five miles from Naples. Some portions of the city were buried six feet deep, others one hundred feet. The towers of Resina and Portici are built over the city, which prevents much excavation. We descended by torchlight a narrow and winding staircase a considerable depth below the surface, where part of the theatre is exhibited. It is said that it was capable of containing ten thousand persons. After having visited most of the objects of antiquity in the city, I made an excursion along the coast, visiting the tomb of Virgil, and passing through the grotto of Posilippo, which is two thousand three hundred and sixty feet long, twenty-three feet broad, and eighty-nine feet high, to the small town of Pozzuoli, where St. Paul landed and remained seven days before commencing his journey to Rome. I also visited the ruins of the ancient city of Baiæ, near which are the ruins of Nero’s villa, and the hot vapor baths, which will boil an egg in two minutes. One of my most interesting excursions was to the ruins of Pæstum, about forty miles from Naples. The disease called malaria, which exists to an alarming extent in the vicinity of this ruined city, prevents travellers from visiting it at all seasons of the year. Persons should not sleep there, nor approach until an hour after sunrise. We took our supplies with us, as nothing can be obtained in this land of solitude and silence. Our sympathies were excited and charity exercised by seeing many squalid and wretched objects of malaria lying in huts upon the bare ground. This city was supposed to have been built seven hundred and twenty years before Christ, and to have been destroyed in the tenth century by the Saracens. Here are some of the finest ruins of temples in Europe. One, called the temple of Neptune, is very majestic. Its shape is quadrilateral, length one hundred and ninety-four feet, and breadth seventy-eight feet; and it has two fronts, with six minute fluted columns of the Grecian Doric order. The exterior columns, thirty-six in number, are twenty-seven feet high, and there is a Doric frieze and cornice all round the building. The situation of the high altar, and those on which victims were sacrificed and offerings made, is still visible. Fragments of sea-green and dark blue mosaic are still found on the spot. The temple of Ceres and the Basilica are still quite perfect and very beautiful. On our return through this gloomy tract of country and pestilent swamps we saw herds of buffalo, which are the only animals that inhabit it. I next visited the towns of Salerno and Amalfi, situated along the shores of the Mediterranean. The latter is bounded by lofty mountains on three sides, with beautiful cascades running through the town. The front opens on the sea. On the summit of a lofty wall is the Capuchin convent, which we visited, and then crossed the mountain of St. Angelo, over a height of four or five thousand feet. The route was difficult, but we were compensated for the fatigue by the many picturesque scenes constantly presented. At times the ascent was so rough among the craggy rocks I was compelled to dismount my donkey; at other times he would wind his course along the brink of a frightful precipice, where one mis-step would launch me into eternity. He proved as sure-footed as the herds of goats we frequently passed, jumping from one crag to another on the verge of a precipice.

I left Naples by steamer, stopping at Tropea, in Calabria, for a short time; then, passing down through the straits of Messina, we saw Scylla and Charybdis, which have been the dread of mariners so long, and about which so much has been said and sung. It is said that during tempestuous gales, the noise of the waves dashing violently against Scylla, and then precipitating themselves in the cavern, still resembles the howl of dogs and beasts of prey. The rapidity of the current here is very great, and the boiling eddies very strong. On passing the mountain of Stromboli, not far distant from Scylla, situated in the sea, I was struck with the beautiful eruption and ejection of fire, smoke, and red-hot stones, thrown up at intervals of fifteen minutes—a beautiful sight in the night.

X.

Catania, Sicily, March 27, 1841.

I wrote you at Messina on the 10th inst. That city is delightfully situated, partly on an eminence and partly on a plain, surrounded by a luxuriant country, abounding with oranges, lemons, and many other tropical fruits. The population was, at one time, eighty thousand, but it is now somewhat reduced. It is said that the plague of 1743 carried off fifty thousand of its inhabitants, and the earthquake of 1783 nearly destroyed its beautiful quays in a few minutes, levelled its finest buildings, and killed one thousand persons. The city, as now rebuilt, has magnificent quays and a very pretty harbor. The walls of the present buildings are very massive, and usually from two to three stories high, to resist the shocks of earthquakes, which they are still subject to. I omitted to state in my last that I had experienced one slight shock since I had been in this latitude.

After remaining a sufficiently long time at Messina to see all the objects of interest, and its beautiful sunrises, I took a steamer for the city of Palermo, a distance of one hundred and fifty miles. The approach to the city presents fine scenery. The mountains which form the background, the deep blue sea, whence rise the most picturesque rocks imaginable, the luxuriant plains immediately surrounding the city, altogether, are peculiarly striking. The city has a gay and Asiatic appearance, and the architecture is of the Saracenic, Greek, and Roman styles. It is one of the most regular built cities I have yet seen, and has a population of two hundred thousand. The Strada Toledo, which is about a mile in length, wide, clean, and well paved, intersects another street of the same character at right angles, and leads into a handsome octangular piazza called Quatro Cantori, from the centre of which both parts of each street and the four principal gates of the city, are visible. The number of nunneries is immense. The basements of these—many of them in the principal streets—are occupied as shops, while the upper stories are the apartments of the nuns, as may be discovered by the long, grated, projecting galleries.

The church of the Capuchins, about a mile distant from the city, attracts the attention of travellers. Here we descended into an immense vault, about one hundred and fifty feet in length, and probably sixty in width, which is used as a depository for the defunct brethren. They are dried, dressed, and placed upright in railings against the wall, that their friends may visit and pray by them annually, on the second of November. These catacombs also contain the vaults with iron doors where the body is placed and dried for six months; at the end of which time it is clad in its usual habiliments, and placed with the general assembly. The floors are covered with coffins inclosing the remains of persons not in holy orders. In one coffin I saw the late viceroy, who had been embalmed seven months, and was in good preservation. In one apartment are shelves devoted to females, who are disposed of in glass cases, and are richly dressed, and decorated with ornaments. This apartment must contain several thousands. The atmosphere is not altogether agreeable, and the grim-visaged defunct monks contribute not a little to make the sight appalling and disgusting.

Having finished our observations with the dead, we next visited the palace of the king, which is rich in marbles, mosaics, fresco paintings, tapestry, &c., and then made an excursion to the Chinese villa, called “La Favorita,” the summer residence of the king of Naples and Sicily, while at Palermo. The grounds are beautiful, inclosing splendid drives, four miles in extent, embellished with fountains, thickets, labyrinths, all varieties of tropical fruits, &c. The palace is purely Chinese in construction, in furniture, and in decorations.

After having examined most of the prominent sights of the city, we chartered a private carriage, to take the route from Palermo to Catania, a distance of one hundred and sixty-eight miles. The tour of Sicily is not generally made by travelling about the island, as it is attended with great fatigue and exposure, and want of accommodation; the usual mode of travel being on mules and donkeys.

In the principal cities all the comforts required by a traveller can be obtained, but in the interior the estates are large and owned by few, the peasants poor and living mostly in villages, going for miles to perform the labors of the day, instead of having farm-houses scattered along the road. The accommodations to be found are of the worst character. But we passed through a delightful country, with all the variety of mountain scenery. Sicily was once denominated the granary of Rome, and some writers say that hounds lost their scent in hunting over Sicilian heaths, on account of the odoriferous flowers which perfumed the air. This is the most delightful season of the year for travelling here, as the green almond trees are in blossom, the weather delightfully warm, and the flowers abundant. On our route we saw immense pasturages and herds of sheep on the mountains, attended by faithful shepherds with their crooks and watch-dogs. At sunset the sheep are all gathered to the folds.

The city of Catania was greatly injured by an eruption of Mount Etna in 1669, and almost destroyed by the earthquake of 1693, when most of the inhabitants were buried under the ruins of their houses and churches. But it rose rapidly, and now has a population of seventy thousand. It is regularly and handsomely built, and the streets are paved with the lava of Mount Etna.

So terrible have been the eruptions that parts of the city have been buried sixty feet deep with the burning lava. Excavations have been made in many places, and one of the number I visited, and descended sixty-three steps, when I came to the original earth and a spring of water. In another place the excavation exhibits the ancient Greek Theatre with its corridors, rows of seats, and other fixtures. In another place may be seen the remains of an amphitheatre, with its dens for wild beasts, and aqueducts for water, far below the surface on which the present city is built. It is necessary to descend with torches. All these things render it probable, if not certain, that Catania shared the fate of Herculaneum and Pompeii, in ancient times as well as in modern.

Since our party arrived here we have made an excursion up Mount Etna. Having each provided ourselves with a mule, and one extra to carry supplies, we set out on a lovely morning for Nicholosi, a small settlement, twelve miles up the mountain from Catania. The first part of the route presented a luxuriant and beautiful country abounding with vineyards, olives, figs, oranges, limes, and almonds. Vegetation was far advanced; the soil was very rich from the vast quantity of lava, cinders, and ashes which covered this extensive tract of country at the time of the eruption, and the destruction of Catania. On starting the weather appeared highly favorable for the entire ascent, but on arriving at Nicholosi the guide declined going up to the summit, as the sky indicated a snow-storm, in which, if caught, we could not possibly be saved at this season of the year. We therefore only ascended to the top of what is called Monte Rossi, the volcano that destroyed Catania in 1669, and covered the country with lava for thirty or forty miles.

The summit of Mount Etna is always covered with snows. Before we returned we found that the snow-storm had commenced, and rejoiced that we had escaped. At the height we attained we lost sight of all vegetation, nothing being visible but lava, cinders, and ashes.

XI.

Rome, April, 1841.

I wrote you last from Catania, Sicily. On leaving that city for Messina we passed through a fine country bordering on the Mediterranean, and stopped at Gardina, a small fishing town, prettily situated, with a fine view of the Straits of Messina and the shores of Calabria. The following morning we took donkeys, which were simply provided with rope halters and sheepskins for saddles, and proceeded to Taormina, an ancient Roman city, celebrated for its antiquities. It is situated on the top of a high rock, crowned with an ancient Saracenic castle. Pre-eminent among the antiquities is the theatre, a colossal edifice located in a singular hollow in the upper part of the rock. The ascent to the top is about two miles, and is very steep.

We next arrived at Messina, passing through a luxuriant country abounding in all the tropical fruits, and from Messina came by steamboat to Naples. On the route from Naples to Rome the first object of particular interest was in diverging from the present town of Capua to the ruins of the ancient city, where are the remains of one of the largest amphitheatres I have yet seen, and a part of it is quite perfect. It is said to have contained four hundred gladiators, and the school of gladiators amounted to four thousand in number. Cicero described it as holding one hundred thousand spectators. It was one thousand seven hundred and eighty feet in circuit, one hundred and forty feet high; length of arena two hundred and ninety-four feet, width one hundred and seventy-six. On the road we saw the cenotaph of Cicero, placed on the spot where he was murdered while endeavoring to escape from his enemies.

On entering the Pope’s dominions we had our baggage rigorously examined. We halted at the town of Albano, fourteen miles from Rome. Here are several subjects worthy of attention. A large monument supposed to have been erected by Pompey, to inclose the ashes of his wife Julia, daughter of Cæsar; the lake of Albano, an extinct volcano, six miles in circumference, and four hundred and eighty feet in depth; castle Gandolfo, a village built in the lava, stands on the top of the hill, and here the Pope has a summer residence. It is a beautiful location, and the walks through the avenues of shady trees are delightful. From this point I first caught sight of St. Peter’s, the first view of Rome. On arriving in the truly wonderful city my first desire was to see the great Basilica, St. Peter’s, far surpassing any other in the world, in size, splendor, and magnificence. The length of the church in the interior is six hundred and fourteen feet; the front is three hundred and seventy feet, and one hundred and forty-nine feet high, ornamented with columns of the Corinthian order, each column eight feet in diameter and eighty-eight feet in height. The front terminates with a balustrade surmounted by thirteen colossal statues, seventeen feet high, representing our Saviour and his Apostles. The width of the nave is two hundred and seven feet; diameter of cupola one hundred and thirty-nine; height from the pavement to first gallery one hundred and seventy-four; to second gallery two hundred and forty; to the representation of the Deity in the Lantern three hundred and ninety-three; and to the summit of the eastern cross four hundred and thirty-eight feet.

The interior is adorned with rare marble, columns, statuary, gilding, and solid bronze, gold and silver, the sacred Confessional with one hundred superb and elegant lamps, always burning. In the year 1694 this edifice was supposed to have cost forty-seven millions dollars, since which time immense amounts have been expended in mosaics, statuary, &c.

Under St. Peter’s is a subterranean church built by Constantine. Here are many tombs of the Popes, and that of Charlotte, Queen of Jerusalem. The height of this subterranean church is twelve feet, and the pavement the same as in the days of Constantine. The ascent to the top of St. Peter’s is not difficult, and there may be had a magnificent view of the city and country.

The Vatican, which is a city of itself, contiguous to St. Peter’s, contains some thousands of rooms, variously estimated. It is seventy thousand feet in circumstances. Some writers suppose it was erected by Nero, others are of opinion that it was built by Constantine; but every sovereign extended it. It is the residence of the Popes, in which are the Latin Chapel, the Pauline Chapel, also occupied with the most extensive collection of statuary, paintings, bronzes, &c., in the world; and here we saw the master-pieces of the world, as Rome may justly be called the mistress of the globe in the arts. Here are rooms twelve hundred feet long used as libraries, and for the collections of the museums.

Rome contains such a vast variety of antiquities that one is compelled to be very industrious to accomplish much in seeing the objects of interest unless two or three months are spent in the work. It is impossible to give an adequate description of the manifold objects of curiosity in this wonderful city.

I visited the Coliseum first by moonlight, which gives a very pretty effect; the pale light throws a beautiful shadow, and leaves the imagination to cover the defects. It is an immense edifice. Titus at the consecration exhibited gladiatorial shows ten days, and five thousand wild beasts with some thousands of gladiators are said to have been sacrificed at the horrid festival. It was opened in the year 80. It is of an oval form, one thousand six hundred and forty-one feet in circumference, and one hundred and fifty-seven feet high; the arena is four hundred and eighty-five feet long, and one hundred and eighty-two wide. It was four years in building. The benches held eighty-seven thousand, and the gallery twenty thousand spectators.

The Pantheon is a beautiful structure, and has so well resisted the ravages of time that it is in quite a perfect state. The front and sides of the portico contain sixteen Corinthian columns of red ornamented granite, each fourteen feet in circumference and thirty-nine feet high, with bases and capitals of white marble. The portico is surmounted by an entablature and pediment finely proportioned. The inside is circular, one hundred and thirty-four feet in diameter; the walls are nineteen feet thick, with an opening in the top twenty-six feet wide. Verde-antique, porphyry, and other valuable marbles are everywhere prominent. The dome was originally lined with bronze, but it was taken by Pope Urban Eighth to make the great canopy over the high altar of St. Peter’s.

Among the many other objects of interest the most conspicuous are the ancient Forum, the arch of Constantine, the arch of Titus, temples of various heathen gods, the tombs of Scipio, the palaces of the Cæsars, the baths of Titus and Caracalla, Trajan’s column, the Mausoleum of Augustus, and the Mausoleum of Adrian. The latter was erected by the Emperor Adrian to be a deposit for his remains; it is now converted into the Castle of San Angelo, and occupied by the military on the banks of the Tiber. The bridge that leads to it is surmounted by the figures of many angels, bearing in their hands the instruments of torture said to have been used at the crucifixion of our Savior. Near the Campidolio, which contains a vast collection of antiquities, is the Tarpeian Rock, celebrated as the place from which the ancient Romans executed their criminals by throwing them headlong down the precipice.

Near the Temples of Concord, Jupiter, and Fortune, is situated the prison in which St. Peter and St. Paul were confined with forty-seven other prisoners. A light is kept burning continually in one of the cells, in which are an altar, and figures of the saints on a side screen. You descend by torchlight into a vault or prison, on one side of which in passing down you see the grated iron window through which the prisoners looked, and near it is the iron frame to which they were bound. Here also, far below the surface of the ground, is the living stream which gushed up for the baptism of the convicts after their conversion, and which now in case of severe droughts never fails to flow.

In visiting the immense ruins of the palace of Cæsar we descended by torchlight to the baths of Livia, where are seen the remains of stucco and fresco work in the wall, arabesques, medallions, &c. Near this place on the hill, we had a view of the seven hills of Rome, and looked down upon the Forum, Senate House, and on the other side the Circus Maximus, which extended for miles, and held in the time of Constantine three hundred and eighty thousand persons. It was used for horse and chariot races, as well as feats of wrestling, boxing, combats with wild beasts, and other exercises to improve the Roman youth.

Rome, according to the published statistics, contains six hundred and thirty-five palaces, three hundred and twenty-eight churches, fifty public fountains, one hundred small fountains, thirty-four bishops, one thousand four hundred and sixty-eight priests, two thousand one hundred and eighteen monks, one thousand four hundred and seventeen young monks, one hundred and fourteen convents, thirteen obelisks, and sixteen city gates. The ancient Romans had aqueducts to convey to the city eight hundred tons of water daily. Three of them still remain, one of which supplies the Vatican and the fountains in front of St. Peter’s, and is thirty miles in length. Another is twenty-two miles long. The ancient mistress of the world, reduced as she now is in size, population, wealth, and power, still has her stately palaces, noble churches, splendid fountains, stupendous obelisks of Egyptian character, matchless amphitheatres, and almost innumerable antiquities, with their classical associations, which can never fail to attract strangers from all enlightened quarters of the globe, to say nothing of the finest modern works of art, to be found almost everywhere, and in which she is unrivalled.

XII.

Vienna, Austria, June 25, 1841.

I promised to give you some account of this beautiful city and the characteristics of the government and people. The registers kept at the police are so accurate and full that the history of a person from his birth, his changes of abode, his journeyings, in fact all his movements, are ascertained with perfect precision, so arbitrary and jealous is the government. No Austrian is allowed to leave the empire unless by making a deposit of five hundred florins, or giving security to that amount, to indemnify his return. The consequence is that we seldom see them in America. I find no Americans here at present. It is a fine country for a stranger to reside in, but he must not meddle with affairs of state—if he does so he must not be surprised if an officer hands him his passport with orders to leave the empire instantly.

The expenses of living are one third higher here than in Paris. You find no table d’hôte at the hotels, but merely take a lodging room, and then have your meals at the restaurant connected with the hotel, or where you please. The city abounds with cafés, which are resorted to by all classes. In these establishments you are almost constantly enveloped in smoke, as every one uses a pipe or cigars. There are some cafés in which smoking is not allowed.

At this season of the year, to escape the heat, a general resort is had to the different gardens, where you find innumerable tables spread in the open air under the trees, in the hearing of bands of music, and occupied by well dressed, orderly people of both sexes. The city is highly favored with shade trees.

Vienna has been pronounced by travellers the most dissolute capital in Europe. But in this I should think there was much exaggeration. There is, at all events, none of that open display of vice that disgraces Paris and London. Violations of the peace are said to be rare, and you seldom see a drunken man. No public gambling is allowed. In the public walks and gardens all seem to be alike merry and happy—feasting, dancing, and amusements being the order of the day. London is celebrated for its wealth, Paris for its beauty and gaiety, but Vienna for all these characteristics.

In a former letter I stated that I had visited the vault of a Capuchin convent, where the remains of the royal family are deposited. There are in all seventy metal coffins; the oldest is of the Emperor Matthias; the most splendid is that of Margaret of Spain, being of pure silver; the most interesting is that of young Napoleon, Duke of Reichstadt. A singular custom they have here in disposing of the remains of the royal family. The body is deposited in one place, the bowels in the cathedral, and the heart in a silver urn in the church of the Augustins. I visited the latter, and had the urn containing the young Napoleon’s heart in my hand, and also that having the heart of his grandfather, the late Emperor.

The imperial jewel office surpasses all sights of that kind I have ever witnessed. Here are riches unbounded. Among the prominent objects is the crown of Charlemagne, consisting of gold, diamonds, and precious stones, taken from his grave at Aix-la-Chapelle. It was used at the coronation of many Roman Emperors. There are also the crown worn by Napoleon at his coronation at Milan as King of Lombardy, the entire Austrian crown, necklaces, and jewels of all kinds. Six large rooms are used to display them, with many other articles, including robes, sceptres, orbs, and shelves filled with precious stones—the largest diamond in the world, weighing one hundred and thirty-three carats, gold vases, basins, the gold and silver cradle of young Napoleon, &c. Here is also preserved a variety of sacred relics, a piece of the holy cross, the spear and nails of the cross used at the coronation of the Roman Emperor, a piece of the table-cloth spread for the Lord’s Supper, three links of the chain of St. Peter, Paul, and John, and so many other objects displaying the superstitions of the people and the extravagance of the government, that a mere enumeration of them is out of the question.

The Imperial Arsenal is the finest I ever saw, far surpassing anything of the kind in London or Paris. It is an immense building, the court of which is filled with cannon of all sizes, the largest being twenty-four feet long, and carrying one hundred and twenty-four pound balls. A chain goes round the entire square where the building stands, hung in festoons of immense size; it contains eight thousand links, and was taken from the Turks, who had thrown it across the Danube.

In the upper rooms of the building are tastefully displayed one hundred and fifty thousand stand of arms, in all forms and figures, so as to present a beautiful decoration, while at the same time they are ready for use. Columns which to appearance support the halls, are all of warlike instruments. You see the large double-headed eagle, the arms of Austria, from twelve to fifteen feet long, with out-stretched wings, all composed of instruments of warfare beautifully arranged.

The coach establishment of the royal family is scarcely less magnificent than the great arsenal. I thought the coaches and equipages of the Pope of Rome must be superior to those of any other potentate, but those of the Emperor of Austria surpass them. There are about thirty large and small coaches, all glittering with gold. The largest of the number corresponds in size with an American stage coach; the wheels, pole, and all but the body, being covered with plated gold, the driver’s and footmen’s seats covered with scarlet velvet, the inside lined with the same material, and the body painted after the design of Rubens, with beautiful characters and emblematic figures, and finished in a style that cannot be excelled in beauty. On the top is an immense crown of gold, which serves as a grand finish of the efforts for grandeur. The painting alone cost thirty thousand dollars, the whole vehicle ninety thousand dollars! It is used but twice a year, and is one hundred and twenty years old. Such is some of the pomp and pageantry of crowned heads, and, after all, what wretched governments, compared with our enlightened republic, do they give the people!

The Emperor is, however, a plain man, beloved by his people. He gives audience one day in the week to all who choose to make application beforehand in writing. He usually sets the example of dining at one o’clock, and, as a consequence, that is the fashionable dinner hour in the city. He is a regular attendant on Divine service in his own chapel connected with the palace. But any citizen can go and see, at certain times, what is called his private side-box, where he does no business and observes few ceremonies.

Since my arrival here I have tested the qualities of the mineral baths, which are the resort of thousands at this season of the year. The warm springs contain large portions of sulphur, are strongly impregnated with carbonic acid gas, and are very extensive.

Among other curiosities worthy of attention, in a public square near the centre of the city, is the trunk of an old tree, the only one remaining of an ancient forest, which occupied half the ground now covered with buildings. It has several iron hoops to aid in preserving it, and as it has been the custom of apprentices on setting out on a journey to drive a nail in it by way of memorial, it has become so filled with nails that there is no place left to drive another. It has the appearance of, and is called, “the tree of iron,” and gives its name to the square in which it stands.

With regard to apprentices, Austria has some peculiar regulations. The law compels them to travel in the empire two years in search of employment, and to gain information. They can enter any city and apply to the head of a committee for employment. If none can be obtained they are provided for, but can remain only two days, before they must travel again. They are required to keep a journal of all the places visited and bring back testimonials of character. When their time has expired they return home and pass an examination; if pronounced worthy, they are then allowed to open a shop. In consequence of this regulation it is not uncommon to see fine-looking young men, with packs on their backs, come up to a coach door and beg for any trifle of money, which their necessities drive them to solicit, and it is a rule with the Austrians always to aid them liberally.

XIII.

Pest, Hungary, July 2, 1841.

My last letter was from Vienna, which city we left a few days since for the capital of Hungary. We took a steamer on the Danube, about three miles from Vienna, and descended to Presburg, about fifty miles. The navigation of this part of the Danube is difficult, owing to the shoals and rapidity of the currents. On the route we passed the memorable battle-ground of Wagram. Traces of the works of Napoleon’s fortified camp on the island of Lobau, still remain. This narrow island—two and one-third miles long, and three-quarters of a mile broad—it is said contained one hundred and fifty thousand foot and thirty thousand horse, and seven hundred pieces of cannon, concentrated from all parts of Europe. We also passed the villages of Aspern and Essling, the scene of a memorable engagement in 1809, when the Austrians, under the Archduke Charles, gained a temporary but important advantage over Napoleon. Aspern was reduced to ruins; and scarcely any traces now remain of it; save the marks of cannon and shot in the walls of the churchyard.

We soon arrived at Presburg, the place of coronation of the king of Hungary, with a population of forty thousand, pleasantly situated on the Danube. The most conspicuous edifice to be seen here is the royal palace on the hill above the city. It was here that Maria Theresa, the youthful queen, at the commencement of her reign, when attacked on all sides, appeared in deep mourning, with the cross of St. Stephen in her hand, and girt with his sword, and delivered a speech, stating the disastrous condition of her affairs, and throwing herself on the fidelity of her people. The Hungarians could not resist the appeal, but in the excitement of feeling voted supplies to carry on the war, and summoned the wild tribes from the remote quarters of Hungary, to carry terror to all parts of the continent. Near the city an artificial mound is pointed out, about forty feet high, called Konigsburgh, to which every new king of Hungary has heretofore repaired on horseback, after his coronation, and from its summit made the sign of the cross in the air with the sword of St. Stephen, and waved it towards the four points of the compass, signifying thus his intention to protect the land on all sides.

We visited the Jews’ quarter, where, to the number of seven thousand, they are inclosed along the slope of the castle hill. They are restricted to that part of the city. The shores here are connected by a bridge of boats which rise and fall with the tide. Along the river may be seen, constantly, barges rudely constructed, mostly flat bottoms, with produce destined for the Black Sea, and descending rapidly with a current very like the Mississippi; others ascending, with supplies for the cities, or with merchandize, and towed by twenty to thirty horses, which traverse the banks, or up to the middle in water. We repeatedly passed fleets of water-mills, driven by the current, stretching obliquely in long lines from the shore into the middle of the river. They consist of a water-wheel suspended between two large boats moored in the line of the current; one boat, with a temporary dwelling, used by the miller. Heretofore, about the only use this mighty river was applied to, was propelling the mills. Steamers, to a limited extent, have been introduced within the last twelve years. The scenery along its banks is rather monotonous until you arrive at the town of Gran, numbering a population of twelve thousand: here is seen a chain of hills, the sides of which are planted with vineyards, producing some of the finest Hungarian wines. The town is celebrated as being the birthplace of St. Stephen, and for a long time the residence of the Hungarian monarchs, and was the finest city in Turkey until it was nearly annihilated by the Turks.

After passing many towers and battlemented walls, all full of interest as connected with the history of the country, we arrived at this city, one hundred and eighty-two miles from Vienna.

Buda, the old town on the right bank of the Danube, is the residence of the Palatine, and seat of government; and Pest on the left, connected by a bridge of boats one thousand two hundred feet long—both places containing a population of one hundred and twenty thousand. In 1838, a sudden rise of the Danube destroyed three thousand eight hundred dwellings. Since that time the city has improved rapidly, and I was agreeably surprised to see here, in almost the extreme Eastern part of Europe, a city that would compare with, and remind me of a new American city in many respects. The chief languages are the Hungarian and German, but I find the people in the cities of Hungary apt in the acquirement of languages. Many of them speak five languages. Their own is of an oriental character, differing from all European ones, and most difficult to acquire.

On crossing the bridge of boats, we passed without any demand being made; but observed that others were stopped, and toll demanded. On inquiry, the reply from a traveller was, that all persons who had good coats to their backs were allowed to pass free; while those who, from their costume, appeared to belong to the class of peasants of the poorer and lower orders, especially beggars in rags, are compelled to pay. The nobleman in every part of Hungary is free from all taxes. This is the Hungarian constitution! All the taxes of Hungary, which contains five millions of people, are wrung from the hard earnings of the peasants. The nobleman may have millions of acres, and immense revenues, and does not contribute a dollar. The excuse offered for this monstrous abuse is, that the peasant has a right in the land in consequence of his paying taxes, and that the tax is a part of the rent paid to government instead of to the lord.

XIV.

Prague, Bohemia, July 12, 1841.

I will give you some idea of the mode of travel in Hungary. Between Vienna and Pest there is a separate posting establishment, set on foot by peasants, who drive their own horses, and travel twice as expeditiously as an ordinary post. Their only carriage is a light wagon, which is furnished with an abundance of straw or hay to make it comfortable, with a rude temporary cover of matting thrown over it, to protect from the rays of the sun, and rain. The pace at which these conveyances travel is absolutely wonderful, especially some of the stages. One of these stages, of forty miles, was performed within four hours, with a stop of fifteen minutes to water. Most of the time they went at the most rapid speed, keeping the horses, of which there were four, at a full gallop.

It is a curious, but attractive sight, to see the wild looking driver, with his long black hair floating in the breeze, his broad-brimmed hat and feather, as he turns around to ask for your admiration when his four, little, clean-limbed nags are rattling away over hills and through hollows, at a rate absolutely frightful. Go slow he will not; and if you escape being overturned, and left by the road-side, you are fortunate.

Hungary is a rich agricultural country, producing immense quantities of grain of different kinds. In the opinion of some, it is not uncommon for travellers to exaggerate; and when I say that we passed through fields ten miles in extent, with wheat on both sides as far as the eye could reach, it will scarcely appear credible. The small Hungarian towns present a singular appearance, having mostly one long and very broad street. The houses all stand with their gables to the street, are one story high, and about eighteen feet wide, with but one front window, but extending very deep to the rear. In towns of three or four hundred houses, you will scarcely discover two with any other covering than a thatched straw roof, but they are all well whitewashed, and have a greater appearance of comfort and neatness than one would suppose.

The estates are very large, and most of the peasants are mere slaves. It is amusing to see them on Sunday, or a holiday, with their gay attire; their round-topped broad-brimmed hats filled with feathers and gay flowers, and the rest of their peculiar dresses decked in corresponding style, with gaudy finery, remind one of our American Indians.

On our route to this city from Vienna, we stopped at Brunn, the capital of Moravia, a city with a population of forty thousand. The sect called Moravians originated in this country. It is a manufacturing city, and may be regarded as the Austrian Leeds for its cloths and woollen stuffs. Baron Trenck, the savage leader of the Pandours, the wild vanguard of the Austrian army, died here, and is buried in the church of the Capuchins. About ten miles from Brunn lies the famous battle-field of Austerlitz.

This city stands in a basin-shaped valley, cut in two by the river Moldau. It is surrounded on all sides by rocks or eminences, upon which slope the buildings of the city, rising tier above tier as they recede from the water’s edge. There is something of Asiatic splendor in the aspect and form of the domes, turrets, spires, and minarets, which rise up without number on all sides. The most imposing building is the ancient palace of the Bohemian kings, which stands upon the crest of an eminence, and overlooks all the other buildings of the city. The population is one hundred and twenty thousand.

The city contains much to interest strangers. The Aldstadt, as its name imports, is connected with the new part of the town by a bridge of massive stone, which was begun in the year 1356, by the emperor Charles IV., and finished in 1507; it is one thousand seven hundred and ninety feet long, and is ornamented with fifty-six statues of saints, twenty-eight on each side,—one of them a bronze statue of St. Nepomuck, who, according to the Popish legend, was thrown from this bridge into the river and drowned, in 1383, by king Wenceslaus, because he refused to betray the secrets confided to him by his queen in the holy rite of confession. The spot is now marked by five stars and a cross, in imitation of the miraculous flames which for three days after he was drowned, were seen flickering over the place where his body lay under water. The river was dragged, his body found and encased in a gorgeous silver shrine, and placed in the cathedral. From this circumstance, he became the patron saint of bridges; and wherever I have travelled in Catholic countries, I find the statue of St. John Nepomuck occupying the same situation by the bridges. The shrine and chapel in the cathedral are among the most richly finished in the world. The body is contained in a crystal coffin, inclosed in one of silver, and held aloft by angels as large as life, also of silver. The candelabra which stand around, the ever-burning lamps which hang above, are of the same precious metal, weighing altogether two thousand five hundred pounds. About three miles from the city is the field of the famous battle of Prague, won by Frederick the Great, in the celebrated Seven Years’ War. The cathedral is still standing at which Frederick aimed his cannon when he attacked the city, and is now a perfect museum of antiquities. Two hundred and fifteen balls passed through the roof. It is an interesting place to visit. The Jews quarter here, and occupy a part of the city by themselves, but are not locked up at night as in Rome and some other places that I have visited. It is recorded that in 1290 they were almost exterminated here by the fanaticism of the ignorant part of the people, who charged them with insulting the Host.

The most ancient synagogue here, the Jews assert, is nine hundred years old; the dust of ages remains undisturbed in it, and brooms, water, or whitewash would be considered sacrilege. It is a small apartment, supported on arches by three pillars, dingy with age and smoke. In some of their festivals they bear torches and lamps for days and nights, which accounts for the smoky and gloomy walls. The burial-ground, not far from the synagogue, is a singular spot. It is a large inclosure in the centre of the Jewish city, filled with the dead of centuries. One old headstone was pointed out which bears the date of the twelfth century. Many of them bear symbols of the tribes to which the departed belonged; a pitcher marks Levi, and so on.

We visited the palace of the Bohemian Kings. It is said to contain one thousand four hundred and forty apartments, and some are very splendid in size and decorations. The window is shown where three nobles were thrown out and fell eighty feet, having issued tyrannical edicts against the Protestants, which gave rise to the Thirty Years’ War that ended in 1640. We next visited the palace of the great chieftain Wallenstein. It is stated that one hundred houses were purchased and pulled down to make room for building the palace and clearing the grounds around it. It is now occupied by the descendants of Wallenstein. Those who visited the palace in his lifetime have left behind a surprising account of its splendor, and the regal style kept up by the proprietor. His stables contained three hundred saddle and carriage horses, fed out of marble mangers. Sixty pages, of noble families, were kept in the establishment to wait upon him, and when he went from home fifty carriages each drawn by four or six horses conveyed himself and suite, and fifty wagons carried his baggage, while the whole train was followed by fifty extra horses. His fortune was enormous, and yet during the wars he was often at a loss for means to raise a few thousand florins, so terribly did the country suffer.

The monastery of Straliew, whose library contains fifty thousand volumes, has scarcely its equal in this part of the world for its splendor, being lined throughout with walnut wood, and richly ornamented with gilding. It contains, among other things of interest, the autograph of Tycho Brahe, the great astronomer, and a portrait of the famous Ziska, who, it is said, bequeathed his skin to his followers with directions that it should be tanned and stretched upon a drum, in order that its sound might inflict upon his enemies a portion of that terror which his presence while living had invariably produced among them.

XV.

Dresden, Saxony, July 18, 1841.

It was one day’s ride from Prague to Töplitz, celebrated above all other watering places in Austria for its baths. It is pleasantly located on a small stream, and contains two thousand seven hundred and fifty inhabitants, and four hundred houses, sixty of which are inns. There is hardly a house in the town that is not used at times as a lodging-house. A great part of the place belongs to Prince Clary, who has such very extensive possessions in this part of the Austrian empire that he is put down as the proprietor of sixty villages! On the way from Vienna to Prague we passed for fifty or sixty miles through the estate of Prince Lichtenstein, whose entire possessions extend two hundred miles, the land being nearly all of the choicest quality.

Attached to the palace of Prince Clary in Töplitz are parks and gardens abounding with tall groves of fruit trees, and long promenades, fountains of water, lakes with beautiful flocks of swans gliding over the surface, and within the circuit lie the theatre, reading, dining, and ball rooms, which are thrown open for the use of visitors who wish to patronize the baths. The hot springs are seventeen in number, their temperature one hundred and twenty degrees Fah. During the summer there are thousands of persons at these baths. Being one of the most fashionable watering places, it is frequented not only by the nobility of Russia, Prussia, and Austria, but by the sovereigns of those countries, dukes, and princes of smaller estate, &c. There are six public baths and eighty private ones, which are in requisition from four o’clock in the morning until late at night. Each bathing establishment is placed under the direction of a “Badmeister” and his wife, and at the entrance hangs a list, where the hours at which every bath is engaged are noted down.

The visitor must be punctual in occupying only three quarters of an hour, and before the time is up he is notified by the ringing of a bell to prepare to dress.

On the route from Töplitz leading to Aussig, on the banks of the Elbe, at which place the steamer starts for Dresden, we passed through the battle-ground of Kulin, near the Nollendorf pass, which will always be famous in history. The French forces under Vandamme, and the allied forces under Count Colleredo Mansfield, fought a battle here that had a vast influence upon the fortunes of Napoleon. He had despatched Vandamme, with forty thousand men, under strict orders not to descend into the plain; but, contrary to those orders, he attacked Count Ostermann, who had with him eight thousand guards, chiefly Russians, and the Prussian and Austrian forces came up in time to rout the entire French force before any aid could reach them, killing and making prisoners all except a few thousands who threw away their arms and fled across the mountain. The Prussian, Russian, and Austrian governments have each erected a monument in the field. The Prussian is inclosed within an iron railing, and is of cast iron, with the inscription in German—“A grateful King and country honor the heroes that fell;” the Austrian is dedicated to Prince Colleredo Mansfield, who was wounded in the battle; the Russian was placed by the Emperor Nicholas in the centre of the field. It is an obelisk, surmounted by a figure of Fame, with a lion reposing at its base.

From Aussig, a small town on the Elbe, we descended rapidly, touching at Teschen, a small village most romantically situated, where commences the country called “Saxon Switzerland.” The village lies at the foot of a high rock, on which stands the castle of Teschen, owned by Count Thurn, who is also the proprietor of the village and a district of country around occupied by eighteen thousand inhabitants.

The Elbe here seems pent up between bold cliffs and huge rocks, clothed in rich foliage wherever it is possible for a tree to hang; but it finds its way through them into a most romantic and picturesque country. In passing along we had a view of the Bartec, a rock that rises near the margin of the river to the height of eight hundred feet, and commands an extensive view of the surrounding country. The Konigstein rock, which is a fortress seven hundred and seventy-nine feet above the river, is deemed impregnable, and has never yet been taken. It is surrounded on all sides by perpendicular rocks, and so isolated that it cannot be commanded by artillery from any point. Napoleon tried to batter it from Lilienstein, the nearest eminence, but the shot fell short. The treasures of the Saxon government were fortunately placed here, and were thus kept secure. A space of two miles in circumference on the top of the rock, is laid out in fields and gardens, and is finely cultivated. The present garrison numbers only six hundred men.

The scenery on the banks of the Elbe, until within a few miles of Dresden, is of the most enchanting character. Dresden has a population of seventy thousand. It is delightfully situated on the bank of the river, and ranks high among European cities for its attractions, and the number and objects calculated to gratify the intelligent traveller. It is the residence of the king, and has consequently all the accompaniments of a national capital. Its picture gallery has the finest collection of paintings to be found north of the Alps. When Frederic the Great bombarded Dresden, battered down its churches, and laid its streets in ruins, he commanded his troops to keep clear of the picture gallery. Napoleon treated Dresden well, and respected its pictures. The collection is very extensive, consisting of many thousands, one of which, by Raphael, cost forty thousand dollars. It represents the Virgin soaring up to Heaven, bearing in her arms the Divine Child, while Pope Sixtus is represented as gazing upon the scene and trembling with pious awe; opposite to him kneels St. Barbara, and below the group stand two angelic children, their countenances beaming with innocence and intelligence. It is considered the best picture out of Italy.

The Green Vaults, so styled, are a range of vaulted apartments on the ground floor of the royal palace, containing a vast and rich collection of valuables. The Saxon princes in former times were among the richest sovereigns in Europe. This collection is probably the richest in Europe, amounting to many millions in value. The treasures are contained in eight apartments, each surpassing the other, as you reach them successively, in richness and splendor. The objects are so numerous that it is quite impossible to allude to more than a few of the most prominent: A large quantity of gold and silver plate which adorn the banquets of the Saxon palace; vessels formed of agates, precious stones, &c.; goblets composed entirely of cut gems, valued at six hundred dollars each; vessels cut out of solid rock crystal. Among the wonders of the cabinet are the works of Durglinger, an artist formerly employed exclusively by the Electors of Saxony. One piece is called the Court of the Great Mogul, and represents the Emperor Aurungzebe upon his throne, surrounded by his guards and courtiers in the most appropriate costume, in all one hundred and thirty figures of pure gold enamelled. It employed three persons eight years to complete it, and cost eighty-five thousand dollars. Last of all comes the eighth room, in which is one case containing valuables sufficient to pay off the national debt of Saxony, amounting to many millions; comprising the most precious jewels, sapphires, rubies, pearls, diamonds, &c. The diamond decorations of the gala dress of the Elector consist of buttons, collar, sword hilt and scabbard, all of diamonds. The most remarkable in the mass of chains, bracelets, orders of the Golden Fleece, and so on, is a green brilliant, weighing forty carats, and of great value.

The Historical Museum of Dresden contains all the weapons, offensive and defensive, of chivalrous warfare, all the trappings and accoutrements of tournaments, and other wild sports of feudal times. Here are whole suits of armor for man and horse, ornamented in great profusion with gold and silver. The entire armory occupies nine long galleries, and excels that of the Tower of London. One suit of armor is covered with reliefs representing the labors of Hercules, and other subjects, in gold and steel.

Among the historical relics in the last apartment are the robes worn by Augustus the Strong at his coronation as King of Poland; the little cocked hat of Peter the Great, and a wooden bowl turned by his own hand; the saddle of red velvet upon which Napoleon rode, the boots he wore in the battle of Dresden, and the satin shoes worn at his coronation.

The bridge over the Elbe here is considered one of the finest of stone in Germany. It is very solid, in order to resist the ice in the spring. There is a bronze crucifix on one of the arches, denoting the part blown up by the French Marshal Davoust in 1813, to cover his retreat to Leipsic. One church here is composed of solid stone to the top of the dome, and is of such solid construction that cannon balls directed against it by Frederic the Great rebounded from its surface without doing the least injury.

XVI.

Wittemberg, Prussia, July 23, 1841.

We this morning arrived in this interesting town. I say interesting, from historical association only, as the town itself is dull and lifeless, with a population of seven thousand. It has been termed the Protestant Mecca; it was the cradle of the Reformation, as Martin Luther openly engaged here in opposition to the Church of Rome.

After procuring a valet-de-place, we proceeded to the market-place, where, beneath a Gothic canopy of cast iron, is a bronze statue of Luther, inscribed with these words in German: “If it be the work of God, it will endure; if of man, it will perish.”

We next visited the town hall, where are preserved several paintings, among the number one of Luther and one of Melancthon; also the drinking cup of Luther, and several other relics. On passing up the street to visit the ancient Augustine convent, where Luther meditated the change of the religion of Europe, we passed the house of Melancthon, on which are inscribed these words, “Hier wohnte, lehrte, und starb Melancthon.”—(Here lived, taught, and died Melancthon.) On arriving at Luther’s cell, we found the old chair and table at which he wrote, and the jug from which he drank. The wall bears the name of Peter the Great, written with his own hand. Outside of the gate of the town is an oak tree surrounded by a railing, marking the spot where Luther burnt publicly the Papal bull, by which Pope Leo X. condemned his doctrines and excommunicated him as an obstinate heretic, in Dec. 1520. Luther and his friend Melancthon are both buried in one church here. Two tablets of bronze inserted in the pavement mark their graves. Here are also the tombs of Frederic the Wise and John the Steadfast, Electors of Saxony, who were great friends of Luther and the Reformation. Against the doors of this church Luther hung up his ninety-five arguments, which condemned the doctrine of Papal indulgence, and which he offered to defend against all comers.

We leave here to-morrow morning for Berlin, the capital of Prussia. I wrote you last from Dresden, and next visited Leipsig, interesting as a commercial place, and celebrated for its memorable battle—the battle of the nations—one of the longest, sternest, and bloodiest actions of the war, and one of the largest battles recorded in history; the number of troops on the side of Bonaparte being one hundred and thirty-six thousand, and on the part of the allies two hundred and thirty thousand—two thousand cannon and eighty thousand horse. It is said that after the battle had raged three days in the vicinity of the city, on the 19th of Oct. 1813, it reached up to the walls, and cannon shot fell in showers in the streets. The castle of Plazenburg, the ancient citadel, is lofty, and from the observatory the guide gave us an accurate description of the position of all the armies. I visited the spot where the bridge was, unfortunately for the French, blown up, whereby twenty-five thousand soldiers were lost or taken. The river Elster runs through the city, and by this mistake many thousands of French, on the retreat, were precipitated, with wagons, cannon, and horses, into the stream. The gallant Pole, Poniatowski, whose tomb I found near the bank of the river, lost his life here. Leipsig contains a population of forty-seven thousand five hundred, and its sale of books forms one of the chief branches of commerce, said to amount to twenty million francs yearly. Three fairs are held here during the year, and while they continue Leipsig is said to be the mart of central Europe, and is visited by foreigners from all quarters, sometimes to the extent of thirty thousand. Then every hotel and lodging-house is filled to overflowing, and temporary booths occupy the streets. The old walls of the city have long since been demolished, and instead of them the city is now encircled with a belt of trees, forming delightful promenades bordered with flowers. It is said that in the year 1834, eighty thousand names of strangers were enrolled on the police books, and during the fair the streets were thronged with Jews, Tyrolese, Persians, Armenians, Turks, and Greeks, mingled together in a masquerade. Our valet took us to a cellar for refreshments, where, according to tradition, the famous magician Dr. Faustus performed his feats, which are represented by rude daubs upon the wall. Goethe has laid in the cellar a scene of the tragedy of Faust. It is said that the poet, as well as his hero, not unfrequently caroused here, while a student.

On leaving Leipsig we took passage for Dessau, the residence of Prince Anhalt Dessau, a separate and distinct principality. There is nothing remarkable on this route except the palace of gardens, at Worlitz, belonging to this prince. The grounds are very extensive and beautifully laid out, as is usually the case with those of the titled nobility—adorned with artificial caves and grottoes, miniature Gothic castles, a temple of Venus, an imitation in miniature of the Pantheon at Rome, lakes, labyrinths, &c. The church and chapel are very pretty; the palace is magnificently arranged, and filled with statuary, paintings, antiquities, &c.; it is only used as a summer retreat. While attending service recently we were struck with the fine vocal music produced by about thirty young boys. On inquiry, I found that singing is a part of Prussian education, and in no country, perhaps, is the system of general knowledge so extended as in Prussia. By law every child, at the age of eight years, must attend school.

In most states, although every man is obliged to serve in the army, a substitute may be had; not so in Prussia; every able-bodied man, from prince to peasant, must serve in person. Three years is the usual time, but as an encouragement for superior education, on the meeting of the board of military examination, young men showing proof of superior education may claim the right of serving only one year. All are liable to duty in case of war. By this system it is said that Prussia can, in a short period, furnish over half a million of men for the defence of its wide-spread frontier.

XVII.

Berlin, Prussia, July 30, 1841.

I arrived in this city the day following my last letter from Wittemberg. Our approach to the capital of Prussia was through a dreary plain of sand, destitute of either beauty or fertility, and differing widely from the rich agricultural country through which I had been travelling. It is surprising that the foundation of a city should have been laid in so uninteresting a spot, and still more surprising that it should have grown to be the capital of a great kingdom.

Frederic the Great, ambitious to have a capital in proportion to his extended dominions, inclosed a vast space with walls, and ordered it to be filled with houses; the consequence is that the streets are very broad, and regularly laid out. One street, called Friedrichstrasse, is two miles long, and has not a foot of descent from one end to the other. Berlin has been termed a city built for effect, all that is exceedingly beautiful being concentrated in one focus. The palaces, museum, arsenal, opera-houses, some of the finest churches, and other magnificent buildings, are quite contiguous. The street on which they stand is at least two hundred feet wide, with four rows of linden trees running the entire length of it. The central grand promenade for pedestrians has rows of trees on each side, then comes the equestrian road on the right and left, with one row of trees on each side, after which are the carriage roads and side walks, on both sides of this great avenue. The river Spree, a small stream which runs through the city, communicates with the Elbe, and by means of canals with the Oder, the Baltic, and the German Sea, and is navigated by boats.

The population of Berlin is three hundred thousand. Owing to the scarcity of stone the city is mostly built of brick, stuccoed and painted, or colored in a variety of ways, which gives it a light and beautiful appearance. Notwithstanding all its disadvantages of situation Berlin is one of the most splendid cities in Europe. Few can show so much architectural splendor as is seen in the colossal palace, the beautiful colonnade of the new museum, and many other buildings. The Brandenburg Gate, one of the principal ornaments of the city, is probably the most splendid portal in Europe, built after the model of the Propylæum at Athens, but larger. The Car of Victory on the top, drawn by three horses, with the goddess in a standing position, was taken to Paris by Napoleon, but the Prussians recovered it after the battle of Waterloo.

The royal palace is of vast size, and gorgeously furnished. One apartment, which is very splendid, and called the Knights’ Hall, has a throne and sideboard covered with massive old plate of gold and silver, large collections of paintings, one large chandelier of solid crystal, the ball suspended from the bottom of which cost twenty-four thousand dollars, and is larger than the crown of my hat. In the attic story of the palace is the Cabinet of Art, occupying several rooms. Among the most prominent objects of the large collection are Japanese and Australian weapons, Chinese collections, cloaks of feathers from the Sandwich Islands, works of art in ivory and gold, vast collections of jewels, a model of a windmill made by Peter the Great with his own hands while working as a ship carpenter in Holland, the robes of the Order of the Garter, given by George IV., and those of the Order of the Holy Ghost, given by Louis XVIII., to the late Prussian king. Some of the relics are entirely national. The bullet that wounded Frederic the Great in the battle of Rossbach in 1760; a wax figure, said to resemble him, as a cast was taken after his death; he is clothed in the same rusty and tarnished uniform he wore on the day of his death; the scabbard of his sword is mended with sealing-wax by his own hand; his books, flute, and cane lay before him on the table, also his pocket-handkerchief, which is ragged and patched, and which he used to the last.

Frederic the Great was certainly a singular character. Dr. Moore says his whole wardrobe consisted of two blue coats faced with red, the lining of one a little torn; two yellow waistcoats, considerably soiled with snuff, and three pairs of yellow breeches. Here is also a glass case containing the stars, orders, and decorations presented to Napoleon by the different sovereigns of Europe, except England. They were taken by the Prussians after the battle of Waterloo, in his carriage, from which he escaped so narrowly that he left his cap behind him, which is also preserved here.

The new museum is liberally thrown open to the public. It contains a very extensive picture gallery; some of the paintings are good originals, but most of them are copies, and in this branch of the arts Berlin bears no comparison to the Italian cities. There are also sculpture galleries, galleries of antiquities, collections of vases, bronzes, &c. The vases amount to one thousand six hundred in number. The ornithological collection in the University is one of the richest and most extensive in Europe, comprising all classes of birds from every quarter of the globe, the collections of Baron von Humboldt and others. The Egyptian museum ranks very high, and is said to be the most curious in Europe. Among the figures are those of various Egyptian deities, with the symbols belonging to each, and worn on the image. Among the mummies are not only those of human beings, but of the animals worshipped by the Egyptians, such as cats, young crocodiles, frogs, and lizards, all embalmed and wrapped in fine cloths. The most interesting object is the contents of the tomb of an Egyptian High Priest, discovered and opened in the Necropolis of Thebes. The body was inclosed in a triple coffin, the work of which is most intricate and extraordinary. All the specimens shown here of the produce of different trades are calculated to give a good idea of the extent of civilization and progress of the arts three thousand years ago in that country.

The Arsenal here is well worthy of a visit, as specimens of the arms and accoutrements used in all parts of Europe are seen in great abundance. Fire-arms used from the first invention of gunpowder to the present time; two leather cannons used by the great Gustavus in the Thirty Years’ War, are shown; many ancient weapons and suits of armor; and against the walls hang upwards of one thousand standards taken during the campaigns that overthrew Napoleon. About five miles from the city is Charlottenburg, a small village on the Spree, made mostly of villas, for the summer residence of the rich, and taverns to accommodate others who resort there from Berlin.

At Charlottenburg is a palace built by Frederic the Great, the grounds about which are exceedingly beautiful, and open to the public, being finely laid out and constantly thronged. Arms of the Spree run through them, and the waters abound with carp as large as shad, which come up to the surface on the ringing of a bell, and are so tame that any one may feed them. The interior of the palace, which may be seen by feeing the Castellan, as he is called, is very interesting, and gorgeous in silver and gold decorations, Gobelin and Prussian tapestry, statuary and paintings. The length of the entire building, furnished complete, is six hundred feet. We were shown the room that Napoleon occupied during his stay here. It had been previously occupied by the queen, but she never would stay there afterwards, but took another apartment. One of the most attractive objects is the beautiful statue of Queen Louisa, said to have been one of the most beautiful and amiable princesses of her day. She is buried within a small Doric temple, at the extremity of a shady walk, in a retired part of the garden. The work is by Rauch, of Berlin, and is not surpassed by any modern work of art. The figure of the queen reposes on a sarcophagus of beautiful white marble, and as Russell describes it, “it is a form and face of the most exquisite beauty, but at the same time a most perfect resemblance.” The expression is not that of cold death, but of undisturbed repose, the hands being modestly folded on the breast, and the attitude easy, graceful, and natural. Only the countenance and part of the neck are bare, the rest of the figure is shrouded in drapery beautifully wrought. There is no inscription, or catalogue of titles, but simply the Prussian eagle at the head and foot of the sarcophagus, with four lions at the corners to support it.

XVIII.

Frankfort-on-the-Maine, Aug. 6, 1841.

On leaving Berlin our party proceeded to Potsdam, denominated the Prussian Versailles, lying on the bank of the river Havel, about twenty miles from Berlin. It may be called a town of palaces, not only from the four royal residences in and about it, but because the private residences are copied from celebrated edifices. It has a population of thirty-three thousand, including a large garrison. The principal objects that attract travellers are the grounds and extensive palaces; also, Peacock Island, in German, “Pfauen Insel.” This island was the late king’s hobby, and he made it an enchanting spot. The distance of four or five miles from Potsdam is soon accomplished, where the island is reached by a boat. It is beautifully situated in the centre of a lake, and is about three miles in circumference, and what was a wilderness of sand and fir trees, is now converted into the most delightful pleasure grounds, adorned with rare plants, shrubbery, and groves of trees of all varieties. Here is every variety of building which enlivens English or French gardens; fancy Gothic buildings, pavilions, menageries, and animals of all kinds, from the noble lion to the innocent lama, the deer and the elk, running at large. A great variety of birds, from the vulture, eagle, and ostrich, to the owl and parrot, may be seen in their different habitations. The king was engaged twenty years in bringing it to perfection, and it was his favorite retreat during summer. The mounted frigate, presented by William IV. of England to the king, is stationed here in the lake, and its proportions suit well the scenery by which it is surrounded.

We visited Sans Souci, the residence of the king, beautifully situated on the top of a flight of steps like terraces. The terraces are fronted with glass, beneath which grow vines, olives, and orange trees. Frederic the Great, who took great pride in his grounds as well as in his faithful dogs and horses, had a favorite spot of resort at the extremity of the terrace, and just before his death was brought out to bask in the sun. He desired to be buried in this spot, with his favorite animals, but this request was not granted, although the graves of his favorites were shown to us. We saw the remains of this great man in the garrison church, beneath the pulpit, in a plain metal sarcophagus above ground. His sword, which originally lay upon it, was taken by Napoleon; but in place of that there hung on each side the pulpit the standards taken by the Prussian armies from Napoleon.

The new palace, about two miles from Potsdam, was built at enormous cost by Frederic the Great at the end of the Seven Years’ War, by way of bravado, to show that his funds were not exhausted. It contains two hundred apartments. One large room is floored with marble and entirely lined with shells and minerals of all kinds—a very peculiar taste. As usual with these stately palaces, a vast amount of money was lavished in marble, gold and silver, gilding, &c.

On leaving Potsdam we took extra post to Magdeburgh, a distance of seventy miles. It is situated on the Elbe, with a population of fifty-two thousand. It has a fortress of the first class, and owing to its vast extent would require from fifty to seventy-five thousand men. The citadel on the island serves as a state prison. Gen. Lafayette was confined in it. The famous Baron Trenck was also confined in one of the prisons here. In 1552 Magdeburgh was besieged and taken by Maurice, king of Saxony. During the Thirty Years’ War it resisted the army of Wallenstein seven months, but was afterwards taken by the ferocious Tilly, who murdered thirty thousand inhabitants without distinction of sex, and left only one hundred and thirty-nine houses standing. In his despatch he says, “never was victory so complete since the destruction of Jerusalem and Troy.”

The cathedral, one of the noblest Gothic buildings in Germany, built in 1211, and recently repaired by the Prussian government at a cost of three hundred thousand dollars, was saved by one Bake, a schoolmate of Tilly. It contains many curiosities of art. At this city we regretted parting with one of our travelling companions, who took a steamer for Hamburgh, to go from thence to London or Amsterdam. My present American companion and myself next proceeded to Cassel, the capital of the Electorate of Hesse-Cassel, one hundred and forty miles from Magdeburgh. In passing through this rich agricultural country I observed, in addition to all the products of our northern country, vast quantities of poppies for the manufacture of oil, and large fields of beets to be made into sugar.

Fences in the interior of this country are unknown. The same may be said of most parts of Austria and Prussia. The farmers cultivate large tracts of land, but live in villages. All the varieties of the products are seen from the road in passing, as the width or front of each growing crop is ordinarily quite narrow on the road, and so arranged in most instances as to extend back in strips as far as the eye can reach.

Cassel, for a town with a population of thirty thousand, contains much to attract the attention of a traveller for a few days. In the Frederic Platz, a very large square, is placed a statue of the Elector Frederic, who was one of the number that elected the Emperor of Germany in former times. To that prince Cassel owes its embellishments and extravagant works. He disgraced himself and his people by trafficking in the lives of his subjects, when he hired them out to the King of Great Britain to fight his battle in America. It is said also that five thousand Hessian troops were hired in England, with the consent of Parliament, to fight against the Pretender in Scotland.

Some of the Hessians are still living who went to America in our revolution. I have seen two of the old veterans passing along the road, with ancient chapeaux that reminded me of prints I had seen many years since. Among the extravagances of the Elector, was the construction of the cascade of Carlsburgh, about three miles from the town, in the rear of the palace and grounds, and on the top of a high hill. You ascend a flight of nine hundred and two steps from the base to the top of the hill. A carriage road leads by the side of this gigantic staircase, in zigzags, to the summit. To the left of the steps, ascending, are flat stones laid one above another, very like a huge stairs, but with a greater acclivity, from the top of which the water is permitted to fall whenever it is desired, forming a beautiful cascade. The summit is surmounted by an octagon temple, called the Temple of the Winds, on which is raised an obelisk, serving as a pedestal for a colossal Hercules, thirty-one feet high, of beaten copper. It is possible to get up into the figure, and eight persons can stand in the hollow of the club, and out of a little window is one of the most extended views imaginable. The aquatic staircase, octagon temple and statue, altogether, employed two thousand men twenty-four years. When finished, the expenses were found to be so enormous that the accounts were burned to destroy all record of them.

Attached to the palace is a theatre, which was built by Joseph Bonaparte, in which he himself used to act. The grounds and walks are very beautiful, and once a week the principal fountain plays. It is the highest in Europe, and throws up a jet of water two hundred feet perpendicular, and twelve inches in diameter. It is supplied from reservoirs three hundred feet higher up the hill. Here are also artificial waterfalls, bridges, aqueducts, &c., finished at great cost.

From Cassel to Frankfort we travelled by Lohnkutch, which is a private conveyance, making the distance, one hundred and six miles, in two days, stopping to dine and lodge. We had also an opportunity to examine any remarkable church, manufacturing establishment, or other curiosity that might be attractive. Through Austria, Hungary, Saxony, and Prussia, we had all the varieties of travelling conveyances, known by such titles as Eilwagen, Schnellpost, Stellwagen, Bauernpost, Eisenbahnen, Railroad, Extra post, Zugkutcher, &c.

On the route from Cassel to Frankfort, we stopped over night at the town of Marburg. Its only object of curiosity is the church of St. Elizabeth, a beautiful specimen of the early Gothic pointed style of architecture, and in most perfect preservation, begun in the year 1231, and completed in forty-eight years. In one part of the church is the richly ornamented Gothic chapel dedicated to St. Elizabeth, the Landgravine of Hesse, who was canonized for the sanctity of her life in 1231. The carved tablet represents the saint lying on her coffin, surrounded by cripples and sick persons, the objects of her bounty Her soul is seen hovering above, on its way to Heaven, whence Christ extends his hands to receive her. The stone steps around it are worn hollow by the knees of pilgrims, who have resorted here for ages. There is now a partition through the church, for the accommodation of Catholics and Lutherans, who will never meet together.

In some parts of Bavaria and Austria, the pilgrimages are still kept up. Thousands and tens of thousands every year make a journey to the shrine of some favorite saint, to kiss some precious relic, or worship, in all but pagan idolatry, before some miracle-working picture or statue of the Virgin. At one place I saw as many as a thousand men, women, and girls, who were setting out on a journey to Maria Zella, a celebrated pilgrimage place in the Styrian Alps. They entered the cathedral from which they started, in procession, kissed the cross, made their prayers, and then marched forth on their pious tour on foot, many with scanty clothing to protect them from the storms, and with miserable supplies of food, carried in sacks or baskets, to sustain them on their fatiguing march. But such are the severe burdens that superstition, ignorance, and bigotry impose upon their wretched subjects.

XIX.

Cologne, Prussia, Aug. 16, 1841.

Frankfort, from which I wrote last, is one of the free towns of Europe, being governed by a senate of its own; but it is considerably influenced by Austria and Prussia. Its territory is limited, not exceeding ten square miles, and the city and environs contain a population of fifty-two thousand—five thousand of whom are Jews. It is quite a lively city, the walls of which were levelled many years since and planted with trees, which now afford a delightful shade and promenade, being interspersed with a variety of plants and flowers. The desire for shade and fine promenades is an admirable feature in the European character, and in almost all cities I have yet visited on the Continent, I find the taste for agreeable and shady public walks to be prevalent; and I regret that their utility is so little considered in our own beautiful country, especially as they are greatly conducive to health, as well as comfort and pleasure.

Frankfort is the seat of the German diet, and the deliberations of the Confederation of the German States are held there. It is the residence of many foreign ambassadors and wealthy merchants, and from the extent of its monied transactions, may be called the city of bankers; the most prominent of them is Baron Rothschild, who lives in princely style, having a magnificent villa and pleasure grounds in the suburbs of the city. Frankfort was the cradle of the Rothschild family; the house in which they were born is in the Judenstrasse, or Jews’ street, which is narrow, with gaunt old buildings and gable ends to the street. The houses never having been cleaned or painted, the dust and smoke of centuries are upon them. I was directed to the house, which the mother of the Rothschilds still occupies, and which, since it is the old homestead of the family, narrow and confined as it is, she refuses to leave for the palace of her son, not far distant.

The condition of the Jews here is much ameliorated. Formerly, the part of the city they occupy was closed by gates at an early hour; and another tyrannical law restricted the number of marriages among them to thirteen yearly. Both of those oppressions are now removed.

There are many objects of interest to occupy the attention at Frankfort. The banker to whom my letter was addressed, had a gallery of works of art. Among the sculpture, a piece representing Ariadne is the most prominent, and considered the lion of Frankfort; it is the figure of a female resting gracefully on the back of a tiger, beautifully executed, of pure Carrara marble. The gallery is liberally thrown open to the public. Before leaving the city, I thought it would not be unprofitable or uninteresting to visit the new cemetery, and take a melancholy but impressive walk among the abodes of the dead, as I had done while at Leipsig and some other German cities, as the cemeteries are places of public resort at all hours, and the gates always stand open during the day. One of the peculiarities of the German character is their veneration for the abodes of the dead. The grounds are beautifully and tastefully laid out, with walks adorned with shade trees and every variety of flowers. At one end of the inclosure is a long and beautiful arcade, under which repose, beneath pompous monuments, the rich and noble. Other parts of the ground are thickly studded with crosses, gravestones, and monuments, among which may be seen groups of young and old, entwining wreaths of flowers and evergreens around the monuments of those they loved, or perhaps placing a basin of holy water, or arranging a little border of flowers, by the side of some new-made grave. I saw many new graves strewed over with strips of lace, with tassels of gold and silver attached, on many of which the name and age of the deceased were imprinted.

A police regulation here requires that all bodies for interment shall be placed in the dead-house for a certain length of time, to guard against accidents by burial in cases of suspended animation. The building contains ten rooms for the bodies, and a room in the centre for a watchman; also a room provided with beds, medicines, and all other necessary articles, in case of the reviving of a subject. The fingers of the prostrate corpses are placed in the loops of a string attached to an alarm clock; and on the slightest motion or pulsation of the body, it gives the alarm to the watchman, who immediately summons assistance. But I will dwell no longer in the places of the dead, but return to the ways of the living.

On leaving Frankfort I visited Wiesbaden, which is the capital of the Duchy of Nassau, and has a population of ten thousand. Thousands resort thither for health and pleasure, and the efficacy of its baths; it being favorably situated, and connected with Mayence on the Rhine, and Frankfort, by railroad, it is more frequented than any of the German watering-places. My stay at this place of bustle and high life was short, but to give an idea of it, I will state that on our arrival at the junction of the railroad, we pursued our way to the Kursaal, the prominent hotel of the town, through a long line of beautiful sycamore trees. Having arrived at the usual dinner hour (one o’clock), we found a magnificent saloon, with three hundred guests at table, and a band of music playing in the same room. As there were no vacancies, we ordered dinner at a later hour, and in the meantime visited the springs, and strolled through the beautiful grounds by the side of a lake, on which white swans were seen gliding gracefully over the surface; the banks were lined with dahlias and other flowers. One spring has the appearance of a boiling cauldron, with a temperature of one hundred and fifty-six degrees Fahrenheit. Its waters are used for drinking, and taste very much like weak chicken broth. It supplies many baths, and the quantity that runs to waste is very considerable. In addition to this principal one, there are thirteen other springs.

On returning from our interesting walk, we saw many groups descending the hill on donkeys, which are always ready to convey visitors to the heights about Wiesbaden, to enjoy the fine view up and down the Rhine. To my surprise, on returning to the hotel, I found the grand saloon converted to a use which is not tolerated publicly at any of the Austrian and Prussian watering-places that I have yet visited. Here they have a special privilege from the government to gamble in public. Among the many hundreds of visitors, some were occupied in promenading, or in sipping coffee and ices under the shade of the trees; others were engaged in play at the different games, and among them were many well dressed ladies taking part with all the coolness and gravity possible. Such are the customs, and such is life, among the gentry who collect here. The grand saloon of the hotel I found to be occupied regularly for four distinct purposes; that of a dining, a ball, an assembly, and a gambling room.

I next visited Mayence on the Rhine, a town with a population of thirty-one thousand. It is strongly garrisoned with Austrian and Prussian troops, being the chief fortress of the German confederation. The troops stationed here vary from eight thousand to sixteen thousand. Every town or city has something peculiar, or some attractive sights command the attention of the visitor; but there are few remarkable things about Mayence. Its cathedral, which was built in the tenth century, is noted for its antiquity. Europe is indebted to Mayence for two things, which have had the greatest influence in effecting human improvement—free trade and the printing-press. The art of printing was first known in Mayence, and it was the birthplace of John Gutenberg, one of the associates of the celebrated Faust in the invention and early promotion of the art. The town is connected with the opposite side of the river by a bridge of boats one thousand six hundred and sixty-six feet long.

At Mayence I took the steamer for Coblentz, and visited Ehrenbreitstein, the Gibraltar of the Rhine, an immense fortification on the opposite side, about eight hundred feet high, on a rock with steep slopes. It has cost the Prussian government four millions of dollars. Capable of holding fourteen thousand men, the magazines are large enough to contain provisions for eight thousand men ten years. The view from the heights is splendid, the banks of the “Blue Moselle,” with the bridge of boats, and other interesting sights, being directly opposite.

But the scenery along the Rhine, so celebrated throughout Europe, and so worthy of admiration, no pen can justly describe. It is of such a varied, delightful, and interesting character that it is impossible to convey an adequate idea of its beauties. No river in the world combines so many picturesque and magnificent views with so many historical associations. Its variety of wild and precipitous rocks, thick and gloomy forests, ruined castles, strongholds of the robber knights of former times, ruins of all descriptions, monuments, fortresses frowning from the lofty summits of the rocky elevations, with fertile plains, wide-spreading vineyards, towns and villages almost line the banks between Mayence and Coblentz. But this is the most interesting part of the river.

The vine is very extensively cultivated along the Rhine, producing some of the most celebrated wines. In some places the vineyards are nothing more than a succession of terraces, extending from five hundred to one thousand feet high, up the face of a hill, and frequently comprising from fifteen to twenty, each supported by a front wall from five to eight feet high.

XX.

Amsterdam, Holland, Aug. 24, 1841.

In my last from Cologne I promised to say something descriptive of its attractions, and its being termed the Rome of the north. For its origin and antiquity it is deserving of notice; besides, it is a commercial city, and the largest on the Rhine. History says Cologne was founded by the Romans, and that Agrippina, the mother of Nero, was born here. The cathedral, which was commenced in the year 1248, by the Elector and Archbishop of Cologne, has remained up to the present between a fragment and a ruin. If it had been finished, it would have been one of the prettiest Gothic edifices existing. The choir is the only part completed. It is one hundred and eighty feet high, and internally, from its height, size, and disposition of arches, chapels, and beautifully colored windows, strikes one with awe and astonishment. The entire length of the cathedral is four hundred feet, its breadth one hundred and sixty. The towers, which were only partly finished, were to have been five hundred feet high. In a small chapel is the celebrated shrine of the three kings of Cologne, or the Magi, who came from the East with rich gifts for the infant Jesus. The bones were obtained by the Emperor Barbarossa and presented to the Bishop of Cologne. By a payment to the sacristan we entered the inclosure, which is under double locks. The case, or coffin, in which they are deposited, is of solid silver gilt, about six feet long, three high, and three wide, and is curiously wrought—surrounded by small arcades, supported by silver pillars, and by figures of the apostles. The case is enriched with cameos, enamels, antique gems, diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones in abundance. The skulls of the three kings, inserted with their names, Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, written in rubies, are exhibited to view through an opening in the shrine, crowned with diadems. The sacristan says the treasures are worth six million francs. There are many other relics of saints, church plate, &c., exhibited.

The church of St. Ursula and of the eleven thousand virgins is too singular to be forgotten. As the legend goes, St. Ursula, with eleven thousand virgins, set sail, in the second or third century, I think, from Britain for Armenia, and was carried by tempest up the Rhine, where the whole party were slaughtered by the barbarian Huns because they refused to break their vows of chastity. In the church, which is large and commodious, in cases beneath and around the altars, inclosed and built in the walls, are these hideous bones. They are displayed in gaunt array, in glass cases, about the choir and the altar. In the golden chamber, encased in silver, a select few of the number are deposited, while St. Ursula reposes in a coffin behind the altar. The walls in this church are decorated with bones, fashioned in all fantastic shapes. One of the stone vessels is here shown which Christ used at the marriage supper, and in which he converted water into wine.

On leaving Cologne, by steamer, we descended to Nymwegen, the first frontier fortress of Holland, which we entered without a very strict examination of luggage. On sallying forth the morning following my arrival, I was forcibly struck with the unusual cleanliness and neatness of the Dutch, particularly as the day previous I had left Cologne, which is not only celebrated for Eau de Cologne, but for its filth. We left Nymwegen for Utrecht by diligence, and it being Saturday, the general “schoonmaking,” or cleaning day, I had a fine opportunity of witnessing what may be termed an excess of cleanliness, in passing through several small villages before arriving at Utrecht. Almost every house presented a scene of the utmost activity. The brushing, scrubbing, and mopping are not confined to the inside of the house, the steps, and door-ways, but the windows, walls, and sidewalks must undergo a course of ablution. Scarcely a domestic is seen without a water-pail and broom, or a small engine pump for throwing water to wash the windows, and a traveller stands a small chance of avoiding a shower bath, if he walks carelessly along the sidewalks. The drawing-room is a sort of sanctum, and is said to be rarely entered oftener than once a week, and then only by the housewife and her maid, with list shoes, to avoid scratching the polished floors. After having finished washing and dusting, the door is closed, and windows fastened for another week. Sabots, or wooden shoes, are generally worn during the purification, and after the work is finished they must undergo a regular wash as well as the brooms and other articles used in cleaning.

One of the peculiarities of the Dutch towns is the little mirrors projecting in front of the windows of almost all the houses. Ordinarily they are two pieces of looking-glass framed at an angle of forty-five degrees from each other, the one reflecting up the street and the other down, whereby the Dutch ladies may sit ensconced behind the blinds or curtains, and see all that is passing in the street, and not expose themselves to the gaze of the public.

At Utrecht, a city with a population of forty-four thousand, we found sufficient to entertain us for a day. On ascending the steeple of the cathedral, three hundred and eighty-eight feet high, we obtained a view of the surrounding country, which is a perfect flat, watered by canals in different directions, and avenues of trees, all planted by the rule, with an occasional windmill and steeple in the distance, to break the monotony of a Dutch landscape. Half way up to the top we were introduced into a room where refreshments are furnished, and found the family of the sexton, who had lived there thirty years and reared a family. While resting we enjoyed the merry chime of thirty or forty bells in the steeple, which is repeated every hour.

On leaving Utrecht we took the national conveyance, the treckschuite, or canal boat, which does not differ very materially in size from our Erie canal boats, with the exception of having separate apartments for the accommodation of different classes of passengers. The towing horse is ridden by a lad, who is very dexterous, in passing bridges and other vessels, in disengaging the tow rope without impeding the progress of the boat. The canals in Holland run in all directions through the country and through the towns and cities, and are the great high-road for the transportation of goods and passengers. The consequence is, that in the vicinity of large towns and cities, on the principal canals, which are about sixty feet wide and six feet deep, are located many beautiful villas, country seats, and pleasure gardens.

On the entire route to this city, since I have entered Holland, either along the highway or along the canal, especially in the vicinity of populous cities, I have discovered the abodes of those who seemed to study cleanliness and comfort. In the suburbs of the cities you will find those country-seats where great wealth is expended. At the end of the gardens overlooking the canal, or main road, is always placed a small temple, pagoda, or snug, comfortable building, where you will see the men smoking their pipes and sipping their beer, or the ladies their tea and coffee, engaged in knitting, or criticising the passers-by. Perhaps there is no country in the world where flowers grow to such perfection as in Holland, and nowhere have I seen such an array of plants and flowers as these gardens contain. The roads for wagons and diligences run along the line of the canal, or upon the dykes which are thrown up to protect the influx of the sea. The soil is of such a nature that roads are constructed with difficulty, and at an expense of seven thousand dollars per mile, all of hard burned brick placed edgeways. In traversing the canals in many instances, you look down upon the “polders” (so called) on both sides, with the cattle grazing far below the surface of the water you are navigating. Those polders are frequently liable to inundation during the winter season. You observe hundreds of windmills employed in sawing timber, grinding wheat, and other occupations, and among the number, in passing along, you discover many pumping the water from low grounds, or polders, that lie below you, and throwing it into the canal. It may well be said that the Hollander has made the wind his slave, for not a puff of air is suffered to escape without turning a windmill.

Amsterdam is a large commercial city, with a population of over two hundred thousand, and is one of the most remarkable cities in Europe for its peculiar location, being intersected by various small canals, which divide it into ninety-five islands with two hundred and ninety bridges. Had I not seen Venice, which is still more remarkable, I should have considered it very extraordinary. The entire city, quays and sluices, are all founded on piles, which are driven through the upper stratum of mud and loose sand until they reach the firm sand below. The palace of the king is a large and imposing building of stone, standing upon thirteen thousand six hundred and ninety-five piles. The second day after my arrival a grand fête took place, and towards evening I strolled up the main street, crossing many bridges, to the suburbs of the city, passing through an immense crowd of persons, and among the number I should think there were all of ten thousand females, most of them without bonnets. I seldom attempt a description of costume, but I must here observe that the females in Holland are particularly distinguished for neatness and gracefulness of costume, as well as clearness of complexion. To see such an immense group, very many of whom were domestics, all in tastefully arranged caps and head-dresses, was a novel sight. Numbers have the back of the head encircled by a broad fillet of gold, shaped like the letter U, which confines the hair and terminates on each side of the temple with two long rosettes, also of gold. Over this is worn a cap, or veil, of finest lace, hanging down the neck, with a pair of enormous gold ear-rings. Among the group I discovered many orphan children, who have their particular dresses to distinguish them.

The people of Amsterdam are celebrated for their charitable institutions. One particular costume, for male and female, I observed, was red and black cloth, extending from the shoulders to the feet, which reminded me of the dress of a clown, red one side and black the other; and I could not but pity the wearers, especially young females, who were thus made so conspicuous in the eyes of strangers.

XXI.

Rotterdam, August 30, 1841.

Well, at last I am in Rotterdam, and I assure you I was heartily glad to reach this city, as one may rest quietly for a few days without seeing extraordinary sights. Rotterdam is a fine commercial city, with a population of seventy-four thousand, and exceedingly novel and interesting to a stranger who has just arrived in the country; but to one who has made the tour of Holland it possesses none of those extraordinary sights which a traveller is in duty bound to see. The remark may appear strange that one becomes tired and exhausted with sights; but in a long line of travel, in visiting cities in rapid succession, where a sort of obligation is imposed upon every good traveller to see all that is remarkable, it becomes laborious.

During the time we tarried at Amsterdam, we made an excursion to Broeck, celebrated as the cleanest village in the world. It has a population of eight hundred persons. In making this excursion we passed through a part of the great ship canal, which is one hundred and twenty-five feet wide, twenty-one feet deep, and fifty miles long. Two ships can enter side by side. After leaving this we took a conveyance which runs by the side of a lateral canal, on which are seen men and women, harnessed like horses, trailing the canal boats to market. On arriving at this extraordinary village our carriage was left outside, as neither horse nor wheel is permitted within the precincts. Our valet leading the way, we proceeded, in pattens, through the various passages or lanes, which are paved with brick or little stones, the paths being composed of shells. I had formed an idea of the extraordinary neatness of the place from the accounts I had heard of it, but the fantastical arrangement and construction of the houses exceeded my expectation. The houses are mostly wood with tile roofs, painted and varnished, which glitter in the sun. The buildings are most scrupulously painted with different colors, many representing different temples, and all sorts of architecture. We were taken to the garden of the rich clergyman of the village, and the guide-book describes it as surpassing all the others in its absurdities, and in the miscellaneous nature of its contents, beating the “groves of Blarney” all to nothing. Here are pavilions, arbors, summer-houses, pagodas, temples, bridges, &c., the small canals running through the garden, and indeed through every part of the village. Most of the front doors are closed during the week until the housewife opens the door, takes down the shutters, dusts the china and the furniture, and arranges everything, then closes it for another week, unless in case of a marriage, a funeral, or christening. The residents are mostly retired merchants, landed proprietors, stockbrokers, or other persons who have made fortunes. In one part of the village are made many Dutch cheeses. We went into the apartments of the cows in one house, the animals being absent from home in the fields. The pavement was of Dutch tiles, the walls and partitions of boards, scrubbed as clean as a dining table. We were permitted to enter the front door of one of the sanctums after having placed our feet in list slippers to avoid soiling the floor, and it is said that the Emperor Alexander, on visiting Broeck, was compelled to comply with this usage!

Having finished our excursion, we next went to Saardam, a place with a population of nine thousand, and remarkable for its four hundred windmills, which are applied to all uses. Some of them are of immense size, with wings eighty feet in diameter, and have houses attached to them. One street of windmills is five miles in length. The next remarkable object for a stranger is the hut of Peter the Great, in which he lived while working as a ship-carpenter, in 1696. The building is of rough plank, and consists of two rooms; in one is a cupboard, used as his sleeping-place, above a loft entered by a ladder. The property was bought by the sister of the Emperor Alexander, and is now inclosed in a case of brick-work, with shutters to close in bad weather. Here you find registers filled with names, and the walls of the hut are so completely covered that it is almost impossible to register another name.

On quitting Amsterdam we took the railroad to Haarlem, which route is accomplished in thirty minutes. It has a population of twenty-four thousand, and its environs are very pretty. The main attraction here is the great organ, which is celebrated over the world. Its size is immense, filling up the whole end of the Cathedral; it has five thousand pipes, the largest fifteen inches in diameter; two of them are thirty-two feet, and eight sixteen feet long. Its power is wonderful when played on by the organist in private, with all the variety of mutations which it is capable of. The charge for a private performance is thirteen guilders, for one person or a party, equal to five dollars and fifty cents. An English gentleman had just employed the organist and finished when our party applied for his services. The imitation of the flute, fife, and piano, followed by the loud charge of the trumpet, was an admirable performance; after which came the tinkling of bells, which one could scarce believe came from the pipes, and then came “the storm,” grand and terrific beyond description, the mimic thunder roared frightfully, and the walls of the building fairly seemed to tremble. The great diapason produced a sound like the whizzing of the machinery of a cotton factory. All these efforts are to show the strength and power of the instrument. An ordinary performance is of the most rich and melodious character.

Our next city to visit on the route was Leyden, celebrated in the annals of Holland as having resisted the siege of the Spanish army in 1573–4 for four months, and displayed the most resolute patriotism. At a period of extreme exhaustion, when bread had not been seen for seven weeks, and pestilence had followed famine and carried off six thousand inhabitants, and when the people were subsisting on horses, dogs, cats, and other foul animals, then it was they came to the resolution to open the dykes and inundate their country to overwhelm the cruel enemy, sooner than submit. History records that the expedient had not an immediate effect, but as if Providence soon and directly interfered, the wind suddenly changed and brought in the sea to the walls of the city, drowning thousands of the Spaniards; and when that was accomplished, veered as suddenly about and carried most of the flood back again so as to enable them to repair the dykes. Among all the collections of Dutch paintings are some portraying the horrors of that dreadful siege.

Leyden has a population of thirty-five thousand, and differs but little from other Dutch cities, being intersected by canals in every direction, most of them bordered by rows of trees; the suburbs are beautiful, with many pretty villas and flower gardens. There are several collections of Chinese and Japanese articles, as the Dutch carry on a great trade with the East. I cannot enumerate the objects of interest further in Leyden, as I must bear in mind the Hague, the next city which we visited, and which is the residence of the Court.

The population of the Hague is about fifty-five thousand. It is situated about three miles from the sea-shore, intersected by canals in every direction, the waters of which present less activity that those of any other city in Holland. We visited Scheveningen, a small fishing town near the sea shore, riding through an avenue of fine shade trees. The bathing establishments are much resorted to by the nobility and persons of distinction on the Continent, who take up their residence here during the summer. The “Dunes,” so called here, are immense banks of sand, thrown up by the wind, and forming a natural barrier against the encroachments of the sea. The sand being very light is scattered by the wind, but in order to preserve the ridges or embankments from injury they are secured by being planted with rushes, or matted over with straw and reeds. Here are also windmills which pump up the water from the ocean, which runs down the Hague, and displaces the stagnant water from the canals, forcing it into another canal which leads it to the river Meuse. The Hague possesses the finest picture gallery in Holland, and the Royal Cabinet is highly interesting and instructive. The Japanese collection is the largest in Europe. Among a thousand other relics I saw the armor of Admiral Von Tromp, bearing marks of several bullets. He was engaged in no less than thirty-two sea fights, conquered the English under Blake in 1652, and afterwards sailed through the British Channel with a broom at his masthead, signifying that he would sweep the ocean of all foes.

Since our arrival at the Hague we have made an excursion to Schiedam, famous for its fine gin, of which there are one hundred and seventy-two distilleries in that small town. Thirty thousand pigs are fed on the refuse grain. It is a neat, pretty village, surrounded by comfort and cheerfulness. Throughout Holland I find the people are more moral, cleanly, temperate, industrious, and strict in their observance of the Sabbath, than in any other part of the Continent that I have visited. It is a country of comfort and extortion—the latter because the taxes are high and the necessaries of life dear.

XXII.

Milan, Italy, Nov. 7, 1841.

The mail post, the mode of conveyance from Paris to Strasburg, is the most rapid in France. The number of passengers is limited to three persons, with a stipulated allowance of baggage. The horses are changed frequently and with expedition, scarcely giving the passengers time for refreshment on the road. But on this route, where there is little of interest to be seen, it is far more agreeable than the Diligence. The distance is nearly three hundred miles, which were accomplished in thirty-six hours and a half.

Strasburg, the frontier fortress of France, is situated very near the banks of the Rhine, and contains a population of sixty thousand, and a garrison of six thousand men in time of peace. It is the strongest fortification in France. It has the appearance of a German city, and that language is much spoken, and altogether it appears quite unlike France. The principal curiosity here is the cathedral, one of the noblest Gothic edifices in Europe, and celebrated for its spire, which is the highest in the world: it is four hundred and seventy-four feet above the pavement. The cathedral was commenced in the eleventh century. It is the most remarkable piece of open airy stonework imaginable. It was not finished until the fifteenth century, over four hundred years after it was commenced. To ascend the steeple it is now necessary to apply to the magistrates of the city for permission, as several persons have fallen or thrown themselves off the top. There is no difficulty for one with firm nerves to make the ascent, but the stonework of the steeple is so completely open, and the pillars which support it so wide apart, and cut so thin, that they nearly resemble bars of iron or wood, so that at such a height one might imagine himself suspended in a cage over the city, and if the foot were to slip the body might easily drop through the open fretwork. At the same time the elaborate work, and the shapings of the angles and ornaments, are proofs of the skill of the architect and the excellent materials he had chosen. The interior of the building is rich, but what strikes the eye most is one window of painted glass, of a circumference of fifty feet diameter, and rising to the height of two hundred and fifty feet, at the west end of the nave.

After leaving Strasburg I took the railroad which connects that city with Basle in Switzerland, running through an interesting country, nearly one hundred miles. Railroad travel is rather a novelty for the French and Swiss, being quite a new enterprise with them.

From Basle I proceeded to Berne, a city with a population of twenty thousand, beautifully situated and much resorted to during the summer by strangers. The scenery of this part of Switzerland is not so grand and majestic as the mountain views, but the country is undulating and productive. The varied costumes of the peasantry in the different Swiss cantons (of which there are twenty-four comprising the Republic), strike the eye of the stranger as being singular and beautiful.

From Berne I took diligence for Friburg, which, in addition to its magnificent and lofty situation, is celebrated for its suspension iron bridges; the length of the two over which our diligence passed is nine hundred and three feet, their height one hundred and sixty-three feet above the river. It appears frightful in the extreme the first time you pass the bridge, but it is considered perfectly safe. The other bridge, over which I passed subsequently, while examining the work, is seven hundred feet long and two hundred and eighty-five feet above the valley over which it is suspended. During heavy gales they are said to vibrate considerably.

The route from Friburg to Vevay, situated upon the lake of Geneva, is very beautiful, passing through immense vineyards loaded with fruit, and the peasantry, male and female, are busily employed in gathering and pressing the juice of the grape; nothing can exceed the beauty of the snow-capped mountains in the distance, while the blue and limpid Lake of Geneva bathes the shore of Vevay. From Vevay I took the steamer on the lake, visiting Lausanne, a city of some importance, and beautifully situated on an eminence commanding extensive views of the country around. I next took the steamer and traversed the extent of the lake to Geneva, which is the principal and largest city in Switzerland. Here are generally to be found strangers from all quarters, good hotels, reading rooms, and all the comforts and necessaries of life for those who choose to make it a residence. It is the resort of many wealthy English. The situation upon the lake at the outlet—the beautiful and magnificent scenery—its public promenades—its interesting suburbs and adjacent country—altogether lend many charms to Geneva for a permanent residence.

About six miles from Geneva is the château and villa of Voltaire, to which most strangers pay a visit. Here are shown many relics—his garments, cane, books, correspondence, &c.; also the room in which he lodged, which contains his bed, furniture, pictures, &c. Among the latter I discovered a portrait of Dr. Franklin, who once paid Voltaire a visit.

On quitting Geneva for Milan, to pass over the Simplon, which traverses the Alps, ten thousand feet above the level of the sea, I was compelled to take the diligence, the only conveyance which left, just towards night, and on entering Savoy, in the middle of the night, was obliged to submit to the abominable practice of police authority, the examination of luggage and delivery of passport, and in the entire route to Milan had my baggage examined four times. After riding all night and the following day, passing through the most wild and romantic scenery imaginable, with occasional cascades from the mountains, we arrived at a little village called Brieg. In order to appropriate an entire day to the passage of the Simplon, travellers usually sleep at Brieg and set out with the dawn next morning. The journey across the mountain is about forty miles, and generally occupies about twelve hours. We started at three o’clock in the morning in the ascent. The weather, which in the valley was warm and agreeable, began to change sensibly; as we proceeded the cold increased; finally we found snow, and much to my surprise, at length were compelled to leave the diligence and take wooden sledges, upon which was lashed the luggage, while the passengers rode upon rudely constructed sledges with wooden runners. We soon found the cold intense, and the snow from two to four feet deep. Fortunately for me, when we arrived at the foot of the mountain, we were told that the mountain was almost impassable; the passengers had been detained five days, the roads being blocked up, a thing almost unprecedented even on the Simplon in the month of October. We provided ourselves with the requisite comforts and clothing for the passage. This passage of the Alps, planned by Napoleon in 1801, was finished in 1805 by the governments of France and Italy. Its breadth is twenty feet; the number of the bridges thrown across the rocks is fifty, and the number of grottoes hewn through the solid rocks is six. There are placed several rude buildings of stone, at different intervals, for the shelter of the traveller when threatened by the avalanches, with the marks “Refuge” No. 1, 2, 3, 4, &c. On the summit of the pass stands the new hospice, a good establishment for the passengers, begun by Napoleon, but only recently completed. It is occupied by the hospitable monks of St. Bernard, who showed us their famous dogs for dragging benighted travellers out of the snow. At the point where vegetation ceases, and where the avalanche has swept everything before it, is a dreary tunnel about one hundred and fifty feet long, through which we passed, which is cut through the rock over which the avalanches tumble. After emerging you pass along the brink of a precipice of immense depth. We started early in order to avoid the avalanches which commence about mid-day. We were forced in some places to pass over beds of snow twenty feet deep, the avalanches having blocked up the road. A large number of the hardy pioneers of the mountain were employed with their shovels in clearing the way. At about three P.M. we arrived over the side of the mountain at the little village of Simplon, where we were able to take wagons, as the snow was melting fast, and when we had got down in the valley, or gorge of the rocks, another grand scene presented itself. The snow melting rapidly formed cascades in every direction, which were coursing down the ragged and perpendicular rocks, sometimes exhibiting all the colors of the rainbow, and at others foaming in torrents. Altogether the passage of the Simplon, under the circumstances in which I crossed it, is one of the most wild, frightful, and yet grand and majestic scenes I have witnessed. In the early part of the evening we found ourselves at Domo d’Osola, where we lodged, and the next day went to Bavano, upon the Lago Maggiore, where we stopped to visit the beautiful and enchanting islands called Isola Bella and Isola Madre, which I will speak of in my next.

XXIII.

Trieste, Austria, Nov. 16, 1841.

In my last communication from Milan, I promised to speak of the charming lake called in Italian Lago Maggiore, and of the enchanting islands, Isola Madre and Isola Bella. The lake is about forty or fifty miles in length, and from four to six in breadth. Its shores are lined with forest trees, olives, and vineyards, and here and there are scattered villages and hamlets, some of which are remarkable for elegance of construction. The two islands above named contain palaces and gardens belonging to the family of San Carlo Boromeo. On visiting the Isola Madre, which is about one and a half miles from the shore, we were delighted on seeing, on the south side, four gardens, or rather terraces, rising one above the other, embellished with luxuriant flowers, shrubs, forest trees, all the tropical fruits, &c., in great abundance, and crowned with a palace. But we were still more gratified on visiting Isola Bella, about a mile distant, which is certainly the most remarkable work of the kind I ever saw—it being a small island, occupied entirely with gardens and the palace. It is said a great proportion of the earth was originally carried there. The southern exposure consists of eight terraces, rising one above the other, carpeted with flowers, oranges, lemons, and other fruits in profusion, and adorned with an immense number of statues. This great work is supported by stone arches, which, together with the basement or lower story of an immense palace, front a series of grottoes tastefully fitted up, and for a summer abode delightful. The palace in itself is magnificent, and loaded with all the valuables that wealth can bestow, in sculpture, paintings, &c. The king of Sardinia has passed some time at this agreeable spot. What is most remarkable is in the position of the island, for during the winter, while the mountains in the vicinity are covered with snow, here may be found all the tropical fruits and rare plants from all parts of the world.

After leaving Lago Maggiore, we proceeded by diligence to Milan, which is the capital of Lombardy, and the largest city in northern Italy, its population being one hundred and fifty thousand. There are many attractions in it calculated to detain a traveller, among the principal of which is the Duomo, or cathedral, which is the largest in Italy, excepting St. Peter’s at Rome. It is four hundred and forty-nine feet long, two hundred and seventy-five broad, and the height two hundred and thirty-six feet to the top of the cupola. It is divided into five parts by one hundred and sixty columns of marble, and paved with the same material. Under the cathedral is a sumptuously decorated chapel, which was open while I was there, it being an anniversary, and thousands during the day passed into the subterranean chapel to see the remains of San Carlo Boromeo, which are inclosed in a crystal sarcophagus, adorned with gold and silver gilt. His figure is encased with superb robes, while his crosier and mitre rest by his side. His countenance, with the exception of the nose, is pretty well preserved. The interior of the chapel is also covered with marble, and gold and silver gilding, extremely rich. In order to appreciate this immense Gothic edifice, it is necessary to mount to the top of the cathedral, four hundred and sixty-eight steps, where you can view the spires, turrets, and exterior decorations, in white marble.

The triumphal arch of Napoleon, at the termination of the grand Simplon road, is another great ornament to Milan. It is an immense work, and crowned with a car, bearing the figure of Victory, drawn by six colossal horses in bronze; there are also four other horses, of the same material, standing on the four corners.

During the time I remained at Milan I made an excursion to the lake of Como. At the village of Como I took a small steamer, which plies upon the lake, and had an opportunity of seeing the beautiful gardens, pleasure grounds, and orangeries which line the shores. Nothing can be more delightful to the lover of fine scenery than an excursion upon this lake.

While in Rome, last spring, I saw an original cast in plaster, ordered by Napoleon, from the great sculptor Canova. It represented the triumph of Alexander the Great, and was said to have been purchased at a sum equal to fourteen thousand dollars, and was in a village upon the lake of Como. I landed at the villa Sonimorira, and visited the grounds and interior of this villa, or more properly speaking, palace, where I had an opportunity of seeing this admirable piece of sculpture in bas-relief, in white marble. It is attached to the wall. I made another excursion to Monza, about twelve miles from Milan, which contains a royal residence, well worth visiting; also a cathedral, where is deposited the crown of the Lombard kings, called the “Iron Crown,” because it is lined with an iron hoop, but of small size, and, as the story goes, is composed of the nails with which our Saviour was fastened to the cross. The outside of the crown of gold is studded with precious stones. Charlemagne was crowned king of Lombardy with it in the cathedral where it is deposited. The sacristy also abounds with ornaments of gold, silver, diamonds, and other precious stones, belonging to the church. There was an unusual degree of form and ceremony before we could get to see this celebrated relic. After we had obtained permission from the highest functionary, I was not a little surprised to find that this relic was placed in the wall behind the altar, making it necessary to ascend by ladder to unlock the double doors, one of which was a part of the front of the altar; after which many candles were lighted and two priests put on their robes and made a short service, when an enormous cross of gold was produced, in the centre of which was inclosed in crystal the crown already described; for all of which our party paid five francs. I was rather credulous in the belief of the story that the interior of the crown was made from the nails of the cross, as I have already seen, in different parts of Europe, more relics of the kind than were necessary for the crucifixion of our Saviour.

After I left Milan I came to Verona, on the route to Venice, where I tarried one day. Verona has its objects of curiosity, but not sufficient to detain one who has seen the cities of southern Italy. The ancient amphitheatre here is one of the most remarkable; it is more perfect than any other in Italy. It accommodated twenty-three thousand four hundred and eighty-four persons seated, according to report, and is composed of large blocks of marble without cement. It is of an oval form, four hundred and sixty-seven feet long and three hundred and sixty-seven feet wide. The arena is two hundred and twenty-five feet in length, and one hundred and thirty-three feet wide. There are forty-five rows of seats encircling the arena. The exterior wall is destroyed, but the other parts of this immense work of antiquity are quite perfect. In the suburbs of Verona, in a building near the former cemetery of a Franciscan convent, is a sarcophagus called the tomb of Juliet, and made of Verona marble, with a place for her head, a socket for a candle, and two holes for the admission of air. This sarcophagus is nothing in itself, but associated with Shakespeare, and the history of Romeo and Juliet, it is full of interest.

On arriving at Venice, I visited the palace of the Doges, the Basilica of San Marco, the Bridge of Sighs, the Giant Stairs, the Rialto, and several other parts of the city. Venice is about seven miles in circumference, with a population of one hundred thousand. It is situated in the midst of shallows called Lagunes, and stands mostly on piles. It is entered in all directions by canals, which amount to some hundreds, and bridges of stone without number. The streets are narrow, frequently not exceeding six feet in width, but having shops on each side, and then again many passages not exceeding four feet wide. There are, however, many squares, but they are not generally large. The Place of St. Mark, upon which is situated many of the principal buildings, is magnificent, and presents a lively scene. The only conveyance is in gondolas, which traverse all parts of the city, and are a necessary appendage to every family. One is induced to pronounce it a singular and beautiful city, because no other is like it.

It is surprising that the city should be supplied with all the necessaries, comforts, and luxuries of life without any apparent difficulty. Here are to be found thousands of persons who never saw the bubbling of a fountain or the growth of the vegetables upon which they subsist, who know not the use of a horse, and never saw such an animal, who perhaps have never seen a tree.

On approaching Venice in a gondola it has the appearance of a city submerged, while the steeples in the distance resemble the masts of vessels. The silence is profound, and at first it appears dull. The canals in general being the streets, the only noise to disturb the tranquillity is that made by the oars and the cries of the gondoliers. On leaving Venice I took the steamer for Trieste, the passage being accomplished across the head of the Adriatic in from ten to twelve hours ordinarily. As I depart to-morrow for Greece you may not expect to hear from me again until after my arrival at Patras, or the Ionian Islands.

XXIV.

Athens, Greece, Nov. 28, 1841.

When I wrote you last, from Trieste, I was on the point of embarking by one of the Austrian steamers for this city, with the additional advantage of stopping at three ports on the route, which gives the passenger an opportunity of seeing some interesting sights. Soon after leaving Trieste we were visited with one of those violent gales of wind which so frequently occur on the Adriatic, against which the steamer struggled with difficulty, and all the passengers, except one, experiencing the horrors of sea-sickness, were snugly stowed away in their berths. This man solitary and alone, I noticed in his enviable position, seated at the supper table, whilst the sea was making a complete breach over the deck of the steamer, and the chairs and plates were secured by straps and braces. Within twenty-four hours we made the harbor of Ancona, the principal commercial port of the Pope of Rome, whose dominions extend from the Mediterranean on the west to the Adriatic on the east, and where we remained nearly a day, giving us an opportunity of seeing all that was most remarkable in the town. We next departed for Corfu, one of the most important of the Ionian islands, and the seat of government, and where we arrived after two days. The approach to the island is beautiful, with a fine harbor or bay for vessels. The opposite coast of Albania, the fortifications of the island of Vido, and the citadel of Corfu, built on two precipitous rocks running out into the sea, with the town and the mountains in the distance, form a splendid panoramic view.

The island is in the possession of the British, who have many troops stationed here. Its circumference is said to be one hundred and twelve miles, and the population sixty thousand, that of the city being twenty thousand. We have found the weather delightfully warm and pleasant, and observed many plants and fruits peculiar to the West India climate. On landing I was struck with the gay and picturesque costume of the male population, who mostly wear the Albanian dress, which is the gayest, and in some cases the most fantastic, of any I have seen in Europe. It consists of a red cap of beautiful material, of the form of a hat without the rim, with a large tassel of blue silk suspended from the top; a round jacket and vest, of cloth of various colors, beautifully embroidered with cord, and sometimes with gold and silver lace, which fits to the figure; from the waist is suspended a white frock with heavy folds which hang gracefully, barely covering the knees, with leggings of the same colored cloth as the jacket, embroidered in the same manner, and covering the shoes. The waist is encircled with a sash of red or blue silk, the ends hanging negligently by the side. We remained at Corfu only one day, but long enough to give us time to visit the villa of the governor, beautifully situated on a cliff overhanging the sea; also to visit the esplanade or parade ground, and some of the Greek churches, in one of which rest the remains of Capo d’Istria, the late governor of Greece, who was assassinated in Nauplia.

After leaving Corfu we proceeded to Patras, in Greece, passing the island of Santa Maura, where Sappho made her famous leap, and next the island of Ithaca, the birthplace of Ulysses, which is only eighteen miles long, and presents an air of ruggedness and barrenness, but is said to produce fruit, wine, and honey, of good quality. On arriving at Patras, where we remained part of a day, we found it had the appearance of a new town, and to my surprise I learned that during the last revolution every house was demolished by the Turks, as well as the orange groves, the woods of olives and vineyards; in fact everything was laid waste by fire and sword. There are not many remains of antiquity here. The new streets are well laid out, but the houses are mostly one story high, the country being subject to earthquakes.

On the opposite side of the gulf lies Missolonghi, celebrated for its battles with the Turks, as also for being the spot where Marco Bozzaris fell during an engagement in 1823. It was also the place where Lord Byron ended his career.

On leaving Patras we coasted along with the islands of Cephalonia and Zante in view, afterwards passing Navarino, so memorable for the battle of the allied forces against the Turks in 1827, which in its effects ended the war in Greece. After passing Cape Matapan, the most southern point of Greece, nothing occurred of interest until we arrived at the Piræus the morning of the eighth day from Trieste.

In order to convey an idea of the variety of character one meets on a voyage in this part of the world, I will mention that we had in the main saloon of the steamer sixteen persons, and that the ordinary conversation at table was in six different languages. Among the number a Turk from Smyrna, who had been interpreter to the English embassy in the East, conversed in eight languages. He was dressed in full costume, and wore his turban at meals and on all occasions. His long rich robes of satin, and yellow morocco slippers, presented a novel appearance, his favorite position being a seated one with his legs crossed. On entering the harbor of the Piræus the remains of the tomb of Themistocles were pointed out, looking down on the Gulf of Salamis, the scene of his glory. The modern town has been entirely built up since 1834. The distance to Athens is five or six miles. We took a carriage, and in approaching that celebrated city the ruins of the Parthenon struck our view, rising in all its majesty, one of the finest edifices formerly, and on one of the finest sites in the world.

During the last revolution Athens was entirely destroyed by the Turks, but it has again risen, and now has the appearance of a new city, with a population of twenty thousand. Since it became the seat of government, and king Otho made his public entry in 1834, it is said to have advanced rapidly. Although many houses are of very rude construction, and in some sections of one story high, with tile roofs, still in general the style of building is very good and substantial, and I am only surprised that in such a short space of time they could have advanced so far. Many of the public buildings are well constructed. The palace of the king, now in progress of erection, is of white Pentelic marble, three hundred feet long and two hundred and eighty feet in depth. It will cost an immense sum of money, which might have been better employed in other improvements than in building a palace, while the new government is in its infancy.

As soon as I had located myself at a hotel, I procured a guide to obtain a permission to mount the Acropolis and visit all the antiquities of the city. It is necessary to apply to one of the officers of the city for this, and to pay a small sum, to ascend this celebrated Cecropian Rock, which has been a fortress from the earliest ages down to the last day of the war. The walls form a circuit of two thousand five hundred and thirty yards, and are built on the edge of the perpendicular rock, which rises one hundred and fifty feet above the plain in which stands the city. The area inclosed is about fifteen hundred feet long, and the greatest breadth five hundred feet. On entering the only gate, after winding round the hill, the first subject is the ruins of the Propylæa, which was built during the most brilliant days of Athens. There is little remaining except six fluted marble columns in front, and six in the rear, of the Doric order, with frieze, entablature, &c.; to the right is a high tower, rudely constructed. The Temple of Victory is the next ruin presented to view, with some fine Ionic fluted columns still standing, and quite perfect. Next comes the Parthenon, which stands in the centre of the Acropolis. When perfect the length was two hundred and twenty feet, the breadth one hundred. The front and rear are still standing, and many of the columns on the sides (in all thirty-two) still remain. The columns are sixty-four feet in diameter at the base, and thirty-four feet high, standing on a pavement to which there was an ascent of three steps. The height of the temple was sixty-five feet; parts of the frieze on the exterior still remain; they represent the procession to the Parthenon at one of the grand festivals. The Parthenon was constructed of white Pentelic marble. Within the Acropolis is an immense collection of ruins and antiquities too numerous to detail. The Temple of Theseus, not far distant from the Acropolis, is quite perfect, and the interior is occupied as a museum—all the fragments of marble which have been discovered by the government being placed there. It was built four hundred and sixty-five years before Christ. Thirty-four Doric columns, with the walls, remain entire, all of Pentelic marble.

On ascending the Areopagus, or Hill of Mars, where the council of the Areopagus sat, one finds sixteen steps cut in the rock; above the steps, on the level of the hill, is a bench of stone excavated in the rock. It was here that the judges sat, in the open air and in the dark, that they might not be influenced by seeing and knowing the accuser or the accused. It was here that St. Paul preached, that Orestes was tried for matricide, and Socrates for theism. The prisons of Socrates are four dungeons, cut in the rock at the base of a hill, and there he drank the poisoned cup. The temple of Jupiter Olympus was the largest in Athens. It was begun five hundred and thirty years before Christ, and completed by the emperor Hadrian, A.D. one hundred and forty-five. The only remains of that immense edifice are sixteen Corinthian columns, six and a half feet diameter and sixty feet high. It is supposed the entire circuit was two thousand three hundred feet; the length being three hundred and fifty-four feet, and breadth one hundred and seventy-one; the whole number of columns was one hundred and twenty.

Since I have been in Athens I have made acquaintance with Mr. Perdicaris, the American consul, Mr. King and Mr. Benjamin, the American missionaries stationed here, as also Mrs. Hill, whose husband is now absent in America. The judgment, talent, and perseverance of this lady and her husband have contributed much to the advancement of the children of Athens. The gentlemen named have been very polite and communicative, and from them I have derived much valuable information in reference to Greece. I had an opportunity of seeing the young king Otho and his queen at a concert soon after my arrival. He was clad in rich Albanian costume, such as I have described as being worn at Corfu, and which is in general use here also. I judge he is about twenty-five years of age. The queen is young and beautiful; she was handsomely clad in Frank costume.

After having finished the sights at Athens I shall make a tour in the interior, in company with one of the American missionaries from the southern parts of Greece, who desires to visit Nauplia, Argos, ancient Tergus, Mycenæ, &c.; but in addition I desire to see Corinth, where St. Paul lived one year and a half, and wrote his Epistle to the Corinthians. The weather being delightfully warm, and my companion speaking modern Greek perfectly, I anticipate great pleasure in making an excursion of six or eight days.

XXV.

Athens, December 7, 1841.

I have just returned from my tour, after an absence of seven days, during which time we were favored with delightful weather, but our journey was attended with all the fatigue and want of comfort appertaining to travelling on horseback in the interior of Greece. But we were more than fully compensated with the incidents of travel and the remarkable objects of antiquity and curiosity presented to our view. I must first inform you that there are only six or eight carriage roads in Greece, and those only for a short distance. All travel is performed on mules or horses, and all manner of burdens carried in the same manner. In the interior hotels are almost unknown, there being but few guests to encourage them, as during the desolating wars with the Turks almost all the towns and cities were laid waste, and the Greeks sought refuge in the mountains.

The first object of my missionary companion and myself was to procure a Greek servant, a supply of provisions, with bed and bedding, when we started for the Piræus, a distance of five miles, in search of a boat to carry us to Epidaurus, upon the Gulf of Salamis, where our land travel commenced. On arriving, at five o’clock in the afternoon, we were fortunate in finding a caique ready for departure. There is an immense number of these vessels employed along the coast; they are from twenty to thirty feet in length, the only shelter being in the hold, the flooring of which is pebble-stones. The passengers numbered about twenty, who were stretched upon the deck, or on the gravelly floor, with nothing but a Greek coat, or a blanket under them, my companion among the group. By special favor I had the cabin to myself, for the reason that there was only room for one person. It was a small partition astern, with a board floor, say three feet broad, and scarcely long enough to lie at full length. Here I spread my bed and passed a tolerable night. The next morning we passed the island of Egina, and at noon arrived at Epidaurus, a place which formerly sent eight hundred fighting men to battle, now a miserable village of eighty inhabitants. But the town has recently acquired a celebrity from having given its name to the Greek constitution, adopted by the Greek Congress of Deputies from all parts of the nation, on the 15th of January, 1832.

We procured horses and a guide for Nauplia, making a detour of two hours to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Yero. Part of the road was through a fertile plain, producing tobacco and corn; then passing through a romantic defile by the side of a rocky hill, with a mountain torrent tumbling beneath. The path in some places is a mere shelf, only broad enough for one to pass, with a steep precipice above and below; while in others it winds through beautiful shrubbery where the myrtle and arbutus joined over our heads in festoons, and scarcely permitted the horse and rider to pass. The most remarkable remains of antiquity in this sequestered region are the ruins of a theatre. It was of white marble, and thirty-two rows of seats still appear above ground. The orchestra was ninety feet long, and the theatre, when entire, three hundred and seventy feet in diameter, and capable of containing twelve thousand spectators. There are also remains of several temples.

Night overtook us at Lygouno, where we found a Khan to spread our beds, and fire to cook our provisions. The next morning we made Nauplia, a distance of five hours (which is the only mode of reckoning in Greece, not being able to calculate by miles, as the roads are mostly paths winding in different directions). The city, with a population of nine thousand, was once the seat of government, and is a commercial place, with a magnificent harbor. It is strongly fortified. The fortress of the Palamedi, on the summit of a lofty and precipitous rock, seven hundred and twenty feet above the sea, is almost inaccessible, and has been called the Gibraltar of Greece. The view of the country and the Gulf of Nauplia from the summit is beautiful. I noticed many brass cannons of 1650, 1662, with the Venetian stamp, the lion of St. Mark. There are cisterns hewn in the top of the rock, large enough to hold rain water to supply the garrison three years. In visiting one of the Greek churches here, we were shown the spot where Capo d’Istria, the governor of Greece, was assassinated when leaving the church. We remained here one day, and proceeded for Argos, seven miles from Nauplia, an ancient city, which contains some antiquities—a ruined Acropolis upon the summit of a rocky hill. In 1825 the modern town was entirely destroyed by the Turks, but is partly rebuilt. The plains are productive with good cultivation, but the manner of cultivation in this country is quite primitive.

On our way to Argos we turned aside to visit the ancient city of Tiryns, built thirteen hundred and seventy-nine years before Christ. The Cyclopean walls of the fortress, which was one-third of a mile in circumference, are immense, and in remarkable preservation; some are twenty-five feet thick. The city was destroyed four hundred and sixty-six years before Christ, and it is most remarkable that some of the galleries, in the form of a Gothic arch, still exist, almost perfect. It was the birthplace and frequently the residence of Hercules. The Lernean lake, not far distant, is the spot celebrated for being the place where Hercules destroyed the Lernean hydra.

At Argos, there were no accommodations to be had, and we were thrown upon the hospitality of an English gentleman, a friend of my compagnon de voyage. We were informed here that it would not be safe to travel without a guard across the country, as two travellers had recently been robbed. We accordingly applied to the authorities, and procured a mounted horseman, armed to the teeth with musket, sword, and pistols. Altogether, our party presented a novel appearance. Our guard in full regimentals, our guide in Greek costume, running or walking beside the horses, making a distance of thirty or forty miles a day without fatigue, but singing gaily even till night approached; our servant, with the Hydriote costume, which differs from the Albanian—the pantaloons being not unlike a great sack secured to the waist, and below the knees of a blue color—with his red sash and cap, mounted on a pack-horse carrying supplies and bedding, with our horses in advance; altogether we formed a novel and formidable appearance. There is a law in Greece prohibiting the carrying of fire-arms without license. We met several suspicious characters with pistols and muskets, in the mountain passes, who were interrogated by our guide, and compelled to produce their permits; but it is not difficult to obtain a permit, under pretence of protecting the flocks of sheep and goats. On the route to Corinth, we passed through a wild and mountainous country, sometimes winding along a narrow path on the brink of a precipice, and then again following the course of a ravine. We visited the ancient city of Mycenæ, built by Perseus one thousand three hundred years before Christ. It was built on a rugged height, situated in a recess between two commanding mountains, of the range which bounds the Argolic plain. The entire circuit of the citadel still exists, and is very large. The gate of the lions is quite perfect; upon it are represented two lions, standing upon their hind legs, on either side of a pillar, or altar, on which they rest their fore paws. The tomb of Agamemnon is still perfect, as it was, perhaps, when the city was destroyed, four hundred and sixty-six years before Christ. The entrance is twenty feet broad; the diameter of the dome is forty-seven feet, and the height fifty feet. In the middle of the great doorway the holes for the bolts and hinges of the door are observed. We visited, also, the ancient city of Nemæa, which has only three columns standing of the temple of Jupiter, some remains of the Nemæan theatre, and in the vicinity, several caves, supposed to be those of the Nemæan lion. It was situated on a beautiful plain; and where once existed a large population, now nothing is heard but the cry of the shepherd, or the barking of his dog.

In some sections of the country, we would travel many miles without discovering a habitation of any kind, occasionally meeting a solitary Greek, with his heavily laden mule or donkey, going to market; or, perhaps, upon the mountain’s ridge, would find a regular encampment of itinerant shepherds, with their flocks of goats and sheep. It was an amusing and novel sight, to see these people emigrating to another section of the country, or taking up their winter quarters in the valleys. I observed several of these parties, composed of three or four families together. They not only have considerable flocks, but raise horses for sale. On making a move, their tents are lashed on pack-saddles, with all their supplies of clothing, cooking utensils, &c. The small children are lashed upon the backs of the horses in the same manner, while the girls and boys, in their picturesque costumes, are leading and driving the horses and colts, sometimes to the number of seventy or eighty. The men are employed in driving the flocks of sheep and goats, while the women are driving the horses which carry different kinds of poultry on their backs, and, at the same time, are engaged in spinning cotton with a portable distaff, which they carry in one hand, and twist the thread upon a spool with the other, with great dexterity.

On arriving at Corinth, situated on the gulf of Lepanto, we visited the remaining antiquities of that city, which once ranked first among the states of Greece. During the last revolution it was reduced to ashes. It is now being rebuilt, but in a very different manner. Seven Doric columns of a temple still exist, amidst modern desolation. There are also the remains of an amphitheatre, and excavated in the rock, at one end, is seen a subterranean entrance for the wild beasts and gladiators. In this city St. Paul resided and wrote his Epistles to the Corinthians. Back of the city rises a mountain, upon the summit of which, one thousand eight hundred feet high, stands an immense fortress, considered the strongest in Greece, next to Nauplia. A steep ascent, winding through rocks, leads up to the gate, which requires an hour’s walk, and where one of the most magnificent views imaginable is to be seen, comprising six of the most celebrated states of ancient Greece.

On leaving Corinth, we crossed the Isthmus and struck Cenchrea, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as the spot whence St. Paul departed for Syria. We arrived at Megara the same night, and our guide conducted us to the only house of entertainment in the town, which contains a population of one thousand persons. But this modern village is in a ruinous state. We found the landlord had only one room, and that was occupied. Accordingly, our gend’arme conducted us to the house of the Demarch, or mayor of the town, where we had an opportunity of partaking of Greek hospitalities, which is not unusual for strangers to accept in the interior. Suffice it to say, we were made very comfortable, and felt ourselves under many obligations for comforts that money could not procure.

Soon after leaving Megara we dispensed with the services of our gend’arme, as we struck upon the road to Eleusis, which is considerably frequented. In passing along the coast of the Saronic Gulf we had the island of Salamis in full view, half a mile distant, where three hundred and eighty Greek ships defeated two thousand ships of Xerxes. At Eleusis are many antiquities about the modern town, and the piece of ground is here pointed out where, according to tradition, the first corn was sown.

On the way to Athens may be seen the old causeway, called Via Sacra, along which the ancient processions moved to that city. During our last day’s march we found the sun’s rays rather oppressive, and I was rejoiced when we entered the olive groves of the academy, which afforded a fine shade in our approach to Athens.

XXVI.

Constantinople, Dec. 22, 1841.

I took the steamer for this city, stopping at the island of Syra, which is the concentrating point for passengers changing steamers for Egypt, Constantinople, Malta, &c. The town is built upon the summit of a lofty hill, so remarkable for its conical form that it may be compared to a vast sugar-loaf covered with houses. In the distance it looks well enough, but in the interior everything is dirty and filthy.

From Syra we came to Smyrna, which is prettily situated upon the Asiatic shore, and on entering the city were struck with the Oriental costume of Turks, Armenians, Jews, and Greeks; the women, with their faces covered with a sort of white veil, disclosing only their sparkling black eyes, appeared singular enough. The streets are ranges of houses constructed of wood, mostly one story high, and without chimneys. The population is about one hundred and fifty thousand. The bazaars are crowded with buyers and sellers, while trains of camels with loads upon their backs are passing through the narrow streets, scarcely admitting the foot passenger to pass.

On the 14th I left Smyrna for this city, making the passage in less than two days, passing the ruins of ancient Troy by daylight, the island of Tenedos, stopping at Chesme, where the Turkish fleet was burned in the harbor. On entering the Dardanelles we had a magnificent view of the old forts and villages scattered along the coast. I should think the width of the Hellespont about equal to the Hudson river at Poughkeepsie. Our steamer received and discharged some Turkish passengers at Gallipoli, a city of considerable importance, just before we left the Sea of Marmora, which was the last point touched until our arrival at Constantinople. We arrived about mid-day, having an opportunity of seeing, under favorable circumstances, the most beautiful port in the world. Nothing can exceed the magnificent view that is before you on entering the Golden Horn, the eye resting upon scenery one half in Europe and the other half in Asia, the painted and gilded minarets of the mosques, the swelling cupolas, and immense cypress trees towering above the houses—the forest of masts, the thousands of caiques which cover the waters, all combined, render it perhaps the most remarkable sight of the kind in the world.

On entering the city one finds the scene much changed, although there is a vast deal of magnificence still; the streets are narrow and dirty, thronged by immense crowds of people, and it is impossible to form an idea of the extremes of grandeur and wretchedness that are exhibited. Nothing can be more striking than the contrast in the character and customs of the Turks and the other nations of Europe, and I hardly know where to commence a description.

We procured a dragoman to accompany us, and speak the language, and started to see the sights of the city. After visiting some of the mosques and viewing the exterior—no one except “the faithful” being permitted to enter until a firman is obtained from the Sultan—we strolled along, and I was struck with the sight of an immense cemetery, almost in the middle of the city, the tombstones being in the shape of a turban on the top, with gilded letters, and tastefully decorated; the grounds were filled with stately cypresses, as it is the custom to plant one of these trees at the birth and burial of each person. Singular as it may appear, the cemetery is the grand promenade, and here the Turk sips his coffee and smokes his pipe under the shade of trees when the weather is warm. On passing you observe the coffee-houses, occupied also with groups squatted round the room on a counter, which is raised from the floor and carpeted, and it is amusing to see the attendants glide about through the long pipes and the winding smokes of nargilhès supplying their customers with coffee, without deranging the peculiar apparatuses for smoking.

The next day after our arrival was Friday, the Turkish Sabbath, and it was announced that the Sultan would visit the mosque near the arsenal. We were there in good time, and at mid-day precisely we heard the thundering of cannon from the vessels of the port. Soon after we discovered approaching four gorgeous state barges about fifty feet in length, propelled by twenty-four oarsmen, the canopies glittering with gold. An immense array of officers and military to escort him were in attendance from the barges to the mosque. He walked on a carpet which was laid for the occasion. I observed many prisoners carrying baskets of gravel, and on inquiry learned that it was scattered for the Sultan to walk on after he came from the mosque.