CAMELS GUIDE DETAINED. -- 241 "was of statuary are as perfect as when they were completed. The cupola is lofty, one hundred and two feet from the pavement. The fount is fourteen feet in diameter, and Murray says formerly used for baptism by immersion." Popery is fond of antiquity, but has gotten rid of some old things, and tried her hand upon many inventions. The Baptistery of Pisa is a noble edifice, and full of curious and beautiful things. We next rode over the river to see a little church called Santa Maria della Spina. It is a miniature Gothic structure in marble. Giovanni and Andrea Pisano were the artists to whom are ascribed several of the small statues which adorn this church. The church takes its name from a thorn of the Saviour's crown, brought from the Holy Land by a Pisan merchant, and given to this chapel in 1333. At the Dairy farm (belonging to the Grand Duke, who resides at Pisa in winter), about three miles out of the town, there are more than two hundred camels. They are the descendants of those brought home by the Crusaders. We wanted to go to see them, but had not sufficient time; but, just as we were regretting it, I saw three of them bringing in immense loads of hay from the farm. They were fine-looking animals, and in better condition than those we see in menageries. Having taken dinner, we hastened to the cars, where we were to meet Mr. Vanderbilt and our friends Messrs. Powers and Hart, who were to visit the yacht, and see us sail from Leghorn. Our guide got off the train to speak to Mr. Vanderbilt, and was in the act of jumping on as the train was in motion. This was contrary to law, and he was snatched from the platform, and we went on without him; but he telegraphed us, so that we heard of him on reaching the station at Leghorn, and he made his appearance soon after, having taken a gig and driven rapidly to the city. Our ladies immediately went about shopping in Leghorn, and I looked round upon the city. The Via la Grande is a fine busy 242 LEGHORN- ALARM OF AUTHORITIES. street, and on its pavements I felt that I was again in a place of trade and commerce; for here were Turks, Moors, Armenians and Chinese, and the Dutch sailors were smoking as if as much at home as in Amsterdam. The population is rather more than sixty thousand, of which one-sixth are Jews. La Grande Piazza is a noble square, and here is the great church, into which I did not enter. The Jews' synagogue is supposed to be one of the finest in Europe. A Turkish bazaar which we went to was filled with Eastern articles of great beauty, and with plenty of French trifles; but, as we were bound to Constantinople, we refused to be tempted. On our arrival at Leghorn, we were surprised and amused to learn that the fact of the yacht's anchorage in the roadstead had excited an alarm. Orders had been received to place guardboats off the North Star, and we were suspected of having arms on board, and it was thought that we had come to take or bring some "Liberals." It was not quite certain that Kossuth himself was not on board. Great excitement existed, and orders had been received, from further off than Florence, to keep a vigilant eye on our movements. Our consul protested against these jealous fears of a gentleman's yacht, but in vain. Austrian imagination could not conceive of such a ship being the ocean home of a private American merchant. The yacht was thrown open to visitors, as in other ports; and many hundreds came from Pisa, Florence and Lucca, as well as the good people of Leghorn. Our friends, Powers, Hart and Root, all seemed glad to walk our decks, and felt proud that the flag of their country waved over them on such a vessel. Our guide, Sebastian, who lived here, determined to go with us to Rome, and so he left his family for another week. We were most kindly waited on by Mr. Henderson and his nephew, Mr. Miller, to the last moment, and letters to Rome and Naples politely presented us for our service. We had difficulty in getting rid of our visitors; and, when the steam was up, and the wheels revolving, a gentleman on deck would run into "that great cabin" with his wife and daughters, "for one little minute." We hurried him up, and when he took his boat, and we steamed off, there were at least one hundred boats around us, all filled with visitors. We left the port amid the hearty cheers of the vast fleet of boats, many of which were gayly decorated with colors. 20* CHAPTER XVIII. LEAVE LEGHORN FOR CIVITA VECCHIA-HARBOR DIFFICULTIES ON OUR WAY DISAPPOINTMENT -VOYAGE RESUMED SEE ST. PETER'S AFAR OFF ISCHIA PROCEDA BAIA, ETC.-BRIDGE OF CALIGULA — NAPLES THE BAY RENEWED DISAPPOINTMENT-SWIMMERS-LADY MORGAN-VESUVIUS, ETC.-CAPRI AND SUNSET-STROMBOLI AND ETNA — CAPE FARO, OR PELORUS SCYLLA EARTHQUAKE OF 1783 MESSINA SCENERY OF THE STRAITS RHEGIUM MOUNT ETNA -SYRACUSE CAPE PASSARO- MALTA. FROM Leghorn, August 12, seven P. M., our course was directed for Palamjolu light, on the east coast of Elba, lying between that island and Piambino, thence south and east for the inside of the islands of Giglio and Gianuto; then running still south-easterly for Civita Vecchia, where we anchored at seven A. M. the next day. The town is small and clean-looking, has strong forts built out on a little rocky islet, and an old monastery off at the left serves as a Lazaretto. The small harbor is well protected from the sea by a mole which has two entrances, one at each end. Inside the town is a basin to receive vessels, which was built by Trajan. This is guarded by a strong chain every evening. We took a health-officer on board, and our captain and one of the party landed with the ship-papers. They soon returned, and stated that, owing to a defect in them, we could not be allowed to land until we had performed quarantine, or till the governor had communicated with Rome. The difficulty was that some names had been omitted on the bill of health at Leghorn, so that more persons appeared to be on board than the papers had specified. Mr. Vanderbilt was unwilling to suffer a detention, DISAPPOINTMENT SEE ST. PETER'S. 245 and it was supposed that, as we had a Chargé d'Affaires at Naples, our best course was to go direct thither, and trust to his influence to get us admitted to pratique, and then go from Naples to Rome. This prospect kept up our spirits under the cruel disappointment of being so near to the Eternal City, and yet debarred the privilege of visiting the old Mistress of the World. I really did pity the poor ladies' maids, who were Catholics, and our purser, Mr. Keefe, who also was a son of the church, and had letters from his clergy in New York, commending him to sundry of the faithful at Rome. One of the girls burst into a passionate flood of tears, and declared that all which had induced her to come on board was to go to Rome; and now the vexation was too hard for flesh and blood to bear up under with any patience. After laying close into the town for two or three hours, we weighed anchor, and, standing out about three miles, took a line from Cape Linaro to Mount Circello. About three o'clock P. M., we were off the mouths of the Ostia, and, the day being beautifully clear, we had a capital view of St. Peter's dome and the small cupolas. All our party came on deck, and every glass was in demand. The distance from Rome was, I imagine, about twenty-five miles. So we saw Rome. I have learned to bear with disappointments, and have often seen the happy results which frequently appear from having our anxiouslydesired paths hedged up. We had a fine night upon the sea, and a delicious air. From Mount Circello we ran across the Gulf of Gaieta, and made for Ischia. This island, with the small one of Procida, forms the north-western shore of the Bay of Naples. Passing Point Antonio, our course lay direct in for Naples. The night was very splendid, and I spent most of its hours on deck, to watch a coast of so much interest and scenery so romantic as now surrounded us. Ischia is a spot full of wonders, and was once as famous for its volcanic eruptions as Vesuvius is at present. The last great |