Part 2

The ditch between Valletta and its suburb Floreana is sixty feet wide and forty feet deep, cut out of solid rock, a sandstone resembling that at Bath. The catacombs between Valletta and Citta Vecchia, distant seven and a-half miles, are a perfect labyrinth of excavated galleries, and so many persons have been lost there that the dangerous passages have been walled up. Solid oblong masses of human skulls and bones have been piled in various places, and there are several spacious halls, supposed to have been used as places of concealment.

At Citta Vecchia an ancient church exists—a re-building of one erected on the spot stated by tradition to be the place where St. Paul had been bitten by a viper. And you see before you the channel “where two seas meet,” between the islands of Malta and Gozo; where they “_cast out four anchors by the stern_, lightened the ship, and wished for the day.” It is curious that Lord Nelson is supposed to have gained the Battle of the Nile by adopting this plan; for, when breaking through the French line of battle, the latter reserved their fire until his ships should swing round at their anchors; which, of course, having anchored by the stern, did not take place, and they lost their opportunity of raking his ships.

The Malta stone when first quarried is soft, but hardens by exposure. It is commonly worked in lathes in various beautiful forms, such as vases, balustrades, &c. The Palazzos of the Grand Knights are rich in architecture, generally quadrangles. The churches and public buildings are also very fine, and some of the monuments of the knights are beautiful; altogether the city is very handsome. The ditch, before referred to, had been converted by the knights into a beautiful garden, the soil of which had all been conveyed from Sicily in ships; and the walks had been so skilfully laid out as to convey a strong impression of extent.

While at Malta I was recommended for the appointment of Pay-master of my regiment, which I accepted, my prospects of promotion during peace being remote; and I proceeded to England, on leave of absence, on board a post office packet. This vessel was obliged to put in for repairs at Gibraltar, where she was detained eight days; affording me a fine opportunity for examining that celebrated fortress.

The neck of land which connects it with Spain is only 400 yards wide, over which the rock rises with a perpendicular face to a great height. Two wide galleries—one over the other—have been excavated along this north face, through which port-holes have been cut out at intervals for cannon, commanding the neutral ground. The east side is impregnable from perpendicular rock. The defences towards the bay on the west and on the south sides are very strong. The length of the rock from north to south is about three miles. Toward the centre the high ridge of rock dips considerably, and here a battery has been placed; on visiting which I found about 100 wild monkeys chattering. They jumped down the eastern face of the rock, catching stunted shrubs at intervals with their tails, until they reached the bottom. They are not allowed to be shot. The population of Gibraltar—about 16,000—is entirely dependent on rain for their supply of fresh water; but from flat roofs, and tanks under every house, besides large public reservoirs, they have sufficient and to spare for supplying ships of war.

During my visit to England the 8th Regiment was removed from Malta to Corfù, one of the Ionian Islands, and previous to my rejoining it overland I made arrangements for a tour extending over several months through France, Switzerland, and Italy. Passing through Calais, Boulogne, Abbeville, Montreuil, Beauvois, and St. Denis, I entered Paris, where I remained, in company with a brother officer, for a fortnight. Being resolved to see everything remarkable which time would admit of during this tour, I worked hard, early and late. At this time (1819) Paris was not the beautiful city it has since become, and its population has now (1871) been more than doubled. The gutters were made in the centre of the streets, which were not kept over cleanly; there were no footpaths—nor was the improved system of road-making by McAdam then adopted. Oil lamps were attached to ropes suspended across the streets, and early risers ran the risk of encountering shower baths of questionable purity, ejected from the windows. Leaving Paris in a south-east direction, the ascent of Mount Jura commences from Dijon, a distance of about 380 miles from Paris. Many of the old Roman roads still remained, paved with large blocks of stone, which were very rough travelling, and planted on each side with poplars or cypress. On reaching the summit of the road over the Jura Mountains you come suddenly upon a most magnificent view—Mount Blanc, the range of Alps, the lake and city of Geneva, Lausanne, the exit of the river Rhone from the lake, and many other interesting objects. Days might be occupied in contemplating such a view. Below Geneva, one and a-half miles, the Rhone forms a junction with the Arve. At this place was fought one of Julius Cæsar’s great and decisive battles.

Leaving Geneva the road skirts the northern shore of the beautiful and extensive lake of that name, passing through the picturesque town of Lausanne. At the head of the lake lies the village of Vevay. Here I met with two Irish gentlemen of most agreeable manners, and highly intelligent; and their plans being very similar to my own, we agreed to travel together. It may be here remarked, that not until the end of two months afterwards was it discovered, from a casual observation, that all three had been school-fellows. Proceeding up the valley of the Rhone the celebrated Pass of the Simplon across the Alps, between Switzerland and Italy, is reached. After his great campaign in Italy, Napoleon I. ordered this fine road to be made. The gradients are so easy that a carriage may be trotted up nearly to the summit—above 8,000 feet over the sea level—passing through a few short tunnels, where rocky spurs of the mountain intervene. Here a monastery is situated, where the noble dogs are trained to search for lost travellers in the snow. No description is capable of conveying to the mind the magnificent scenery of the Alps, which is ever varying. At one point the road passes close to a perpendicular cleft in the mountain, said to be 1,000 feet deep, and only forty or fifty yards wide at the top. A rushing torrent can be heard from the bottom, but in total darkness.

After crossing the Simplon the first Italian town is Duomo Dossola; after which the road passes along the shore of Lake Maggiore—the scenery still being beautiful. The small island of Isola Bella is situated in this lake, and is quite unique. On its summit stands a palazzo, of Italian architecture, surrounded by three broad terraces, below each other, down to the water’s edge, and planted in a most tasteful and ornamental manner. Under the palace there is an extensive natural cave, in which is a spring of running water. This cave is formed into a grotto, embellished with coral and shell work, and must be a delightful retreat during the heat of summer.

On the shore opposite Isola Bella is situated the colossal bronze statue of Prince Carlo Borromeo, a Bishop or Cardinal. The pedestal is thirty-six feet high, and the statue seventy-two feet, in all 108 feet. The figure appears in Roman costume, with a Bible in the left hand. The interior is ascended by ladders, and it is said that eight persons could sit within the head. This statue was erected by the inhabitants of Milan in gratitude for the devoted labours of the Prince during the great plague which visited that city three or four centuries back.

Travellers enter Milan through a beautiful marble triumphal arch, erected in honour of Napoleon. The Duomo or Cathedral is a wonderful building of white marble, the façade of which was not completed until he had conquered Italy, although the remainder of the building, which has been very costly, had been commenced in the year 1386. At the top of each pinnacle, and in various recesses, are placed marble statues, said to be 3,000 in number. This building should be viewed at night during the full moon, when it has the appearance of ivory, and is a sight rarely equalled.

Being desirous of visiting Venice, I left my fellow-travellers at Milan; having arranged to rejoin them at Florence, I proceeded through the valley of the Po, by way of Bergamo, Breschia, Peschiera, Verona, and Padua, from whence I crossed the Lagoon to Venice.

The Province of Lombardy is very beautiful, situated between the Alps and Apennines, and watered by many rivers. The country generally is divided into square blocks, and extensively irrigated. These blocks are surrounded by mulberry trees planted at regular intervals, and grape vines are festooned from tree to tree. The fruit, being ripe at this time, presented a rich and lovely scene. The fertility of the soil, consequent upon irrigation, is very great, producing generally three crops annually. The culture of silk is very valuable in many respects. It employs a large number of women and children at their own homes, and the annual export of silk, raw and manufactured, amounts to about four millions sterling.

Venice is built on a number of small islets, and partly on piles, and is situated in the centre of a large lagoon at the head of the Adriatic Sea, from which the lagoon is separated by two narrow strips of land stretching from opposite shores, leaving a narrow channel between for ships to enter, which is strongly fortified. Instead of streets there are very numerous canals; and horses and carriages being useless, the inhabitants move about the streets in a picturesque description of boats called “gondolas.” The Palace of the Doges and the Cathedral of St. Marco are very fine buildings. The former is connected with the Hall of Justice by Lord Byron’s “Bridge of Sighs.” The monuments of the Doges, the paintings, and the Grecian antique statues collected here, are beautiful. In the Palazzo Manfrini there are many valuable paintings. The three portraits by Georgione, so greatly extolled by Lord Byron in his “Beppo,” are here. A curious anecdote respecting that poem has been related. It is said to have originated in a bet. A literary party, including Lord Byron, Sir Walter Scott, Tom Moore, and some foreigners of distinction, were dining together at Venice, when the conversation turned upon the flexibility or inflexibility of modern languages for the purposes of “colloquial poetry.” A general opinion was expressed that the English language was the least adapted. Lord Byron, however, maintained the contrary, and proposed a bet to produce a short poem in _that_ style, within twenty-four hours, against any other like poem that could be found in any language. The bet was accepted, and resulted in his writing “Beppo.” The umpire declared that Lord Byron had won his wager.

Leaving Venice, the road to Florence passes through Ferrara and Bologna. Here the Campo Santo, or burial ground, is worth visiting; it contains many handsome monuments, and the gateway at the entrance is fine—the pillars of which are surmounted by colossal marble statues of “Time” and “Death.” Exquisite paintings are also to be seen here.

Crossing the Apennines, you pass a spot called Pietra Mala, where gas escapes from the earth through small fissures, which were burning at the time. The flame did not rise above five or six inches, but varies according to the state of the atmosphere, and it spread over about half an acre of ground.

I rejoined my fellow-travellers at Florence, where I remained ten days. This is a most delightful city, containing a variety of interesting objects. The Palazzo Pitti—the then Archducal residence—contains some of the most valuable paintings and sculptures to be found anywhere—the latter including the Venus de Medicis and Apollo Belvedere. Costly works in Mosaics and Cameos are produced at Florence, where artists in such works are very skilful. The Duomo, or Cathedral, is a fine building, and the fountains are ornamental.

Passing through Arezzo, Trasimene (the scene of a great battle), Perugia, Spoleto, Terni, you enter Rome—the Eternal City. The travellers here remained a fortnight working hard to examine the objects of highest interest. The first attraction was the Cathedral of St. Peter, which took 150 years to build, at a cost of forty-five millions of crowns; and here you are lost in wonder at the magnitude of its proportions, 569 feet long and 487 feet high. On the right hand, as you enter, you see a baptismal font, supported by two angels of a miniature size to appearance, compared with other objects around; but when you approach them they are colossal. In the nave there are twelve elevated recesses, in each of which stands a statue of one of the Apostles. A ladder stood against one of them, to enable a workman to do some repairs. As he stood in the recess his head reached to the knee of the statue. The size of each object is so admirably adjusted that nothing seems disproportioned. There are twelve side-chapels—six on each side of the nave; and over each altar is placed a copy, in Mosaic, of some celebrated painting. They measured fifteen feet by twelve feet high. The first examined by our travellers was a copy of the transfiguration, by Raphael. One of them, who had long promised himself a feast in viewing that picture, was in raptures, and it was some time before he discovered that it was a Mosaic copy—the original being in the Vatican. The High Altar, an elevation, I think, of 104 feet, is grand. In the Piazza in front, 1,000 feet long, stands an ancient obelisk brought from Egypt, being a single piece of granite, eighty-three feet high, and two handsome fountains; the piazza being enclosed on two sides by stately semi-circular colonnades of four columns abreast, sixty feet high, and 372 in number.

The next object of attraction was the Colosseum. The place which once echoed the shouts of 100,000 persons was now silent. It should be viewed by moonlight. It is a very ancient and wonderful structure. The Vatican is an extensive pile of buildings, situated close to St. Peter’s Church. When our travellers reached the principal entrance, the hall was crowded, and they saw Pope Pius VII. descending the staircase, leaning on Cardinal Gonsalvi. The crowd all knelt except the three strangers, who stood uncovered, to whom the Pope made a distinct bow.

The treasures of art contained in the Vatican are so numerous as to baffle description. The studios of Canova and Thorvaldsen were visited, as also those of the most skilful artists in Mosaics and Cameos. Many of the antiquities deserve close inspection—the Columns of Antonine and Trajan; the Triumphal Arches of Septimus Severus, Titus, and Constantine; the Capitol and Tarpeian Rock; the Temples of Concord, Jupiter Stater, Anthony and Faustina, and of Peace, the prison in which St. Peter was confined.

From Rome to Naples you pass through Frascati, Velletri, Frosinone, Pontecorvo, and Capua, once the winter quarters of Hannibal and his army. Shortly after leaving Rome you cross the Pontine Marshes, extending south about thirty or forty miles, which infect the air to such a degree in summer as to resemble a plague. Although apparently fertile, it is almost depopulated, and with few habitations. The malaria arises from stagnant swamps, and their few inhabitants are wretched objects, emaciated and pot-bellied, generally dying prematurely from dropsy. Few efforts in modern times had been made to drain them, the resources of the Pontifical Government being absorbed in unnecessary churches and processions.

A large body of banditti, generally prisoners, escaped from the galleys, and then, supposed to number about 400, infested the neighbouring mountains; and several gibbets were seen at intervals on the road, at places where murders had been committed by them. A few days previously they entered the town of Tivoli and carried off two of the principal inhabitants, for whose ransom they demanded 3,000 crowns, and the Government seemed quite unable to suppress those disorders.

The situation of Naples, with its magnificent Bay, is much to be admired. The Royal “Museum Borbonico” contains objects of the highest interest—a vast number of articles of ancient glass, mostly Egyptian, Sicilian Vases, &c.; and the collections from Herculaneum and Pompeii, consisting of ancient instruments, utensils, female ornaments, and household articles found in those cities, and recently removed here from the museum at Portici, are quite unique. The Grottos of Posillipo and del Cane are close to Naples. In the latter, a noxious gas is so powerful that nothing living can exist within it. Dogs held by cords entering into it four or five feet become insensible, and are dragged out. The tomb of Virgil is near this place. The ancient manuscripts brought from Herculaneum are like pieces of charcoal about a foot long. I saw a person trying to unroll one of them. He used an apparatus like a miniature windlass, with a number of fine threads hanging from the barrel, under which the manuscript was placed. When the end of the roll was found, those threads were attached to it by means of scraps like goldbeaters’ leaf, and then most carefully wound up until more scraps were required. Many gaps were left, and in most cases the task was hopeless. I was informed that the matter hitherto deciphered from those papyri was not of much interest.

An early visit was made to Herculaneum and Pompeii, on Mount Vesuvius. After being buried in lava or ashes for 1,600 years their discovery was remarkable. A nobleman residing near Portici, a spot of high elevation, thought that if he could penetrate the various beds of lava by sinking a shaft he might find water. After sinking about seventy feet, the workmen came upon a flight of marble steps, which, being followed, led into a theatre in Herculaneum. There had been a statue near this place, which had been thrown down, and in the lava which had flown over it was found a fine cast of the statue. The theatre was excavated, and some other buildings, but the city having been destroyed by lava, it was too costly to make very extensive excavations, and everything perishable was destroyed by the burning lava.

Pompeii had been buried in ashes, and was situated on a plain, at the foot of Vesuvius. A vineyard had been planted over its site. On ploughing the land nearly a century back, the workmen were obstructed by a stone wall; and on excavations being made, houses were discovered which proved to be part of the ancient city of Pompeii. When visited by me a large portion had been cleared. Its overthrow had evidently taken the inhabitants by surprise, for many skeletons were found in the houses. One of them had been laid prostrate on his face, with a bunch of keys in one hand and some coins in the other. Many signs and names over shops remained, and in the streets paved with lava the ruts of cart wheels were visible. Fresco paintings on the walls still remained; and also the inscriptions on tombs in the burial-ground. There were some temples, but of no great magnitude, and the houses generally had but one story.

The next visit was made to Vesuvius, and I having taken leave with regret of my fellow-travellers and school-fellows, whose journey terminated at Naples, proceeded to the Mount, accompanied by three foreign gentlemen—a Russian, a Pole, and a Dane. At this time (1819) the eruption of the volcano was very active, and an English naval officer had his arm broken on the previous day by a falling stone, owing to an unexpected change of wind; it being necessary during eruptions to approach the crater on the windward side. The party slept for a few hours at a hermitage half way up the ascent, in order to obtain a view of the rising sun over the Bay of Naples, which is certainly a most glorious sight. From this place the ascent is very rough—over sharp-pointed, heated lava; a stream of which, about six feet wide and four miles long, was then flowing, falling over a cliff and filling a valley beyond. Seen in the dark it was a bright red colour, but by daylight it was of a dull dark colour. A piece of it was scraped out, and the impression of a coin was made on it. The crater was nearly half a mile in diameter, and threw up large stones and ashes to a great height, accompanied by a fearfully roaring noise. The travellers were enabled to look down towards the bottom of the crater, but from the confusion of flames, gases, and smoke, no correct idea could be formed of its depth. The stream of lava was flowing from a hole at the side of the cone. The stones thrown up generally fell nearly perpendicularly, but the ashes are blown to leeward, generally towards the east, where the descent is extremely steep, and attended with some little danger. The ascent of the mount occupies several hours, but the descent on this side is effected with great rapidity. The travellers agreed to attempt it. You step with one foot on deep fine ashes, which slide down with you twenty or thirty feet; you then put down the other foot, sliding down in like manner, and so on alternately until you reach the bottom. The danger consists in over-balancing yourself, when you must roll down to the bottom—some 5,000 or 8,000 feet, I think—but by holding your head and shoulders well back you avoid this.

From Naples I travelled alone through Calabria and Apulia, across the Southern Apennines to the Adriatic Sea—having passed over the place where so many bushels of rings were collected from the fingers of the Roman senators who had fallen in battle. On my arrival at Barletta, I found a British gun-boat bound for Corfù, in which I embarked for that island.

This most delightful tour, which can never be forgotten, was thus accomplished. Travellers seeking pleasure will visit France; those partial to magnificent scenery and tranquillity, Switzerland; but for antiquities, and the arts, you must visit Italy.

I rejoined my regiment at Corfù, one of the Ionian Islands, situated opposite the coast of Albania, where the celebrated Ali Pasha, of Janina, nominally, ruled as Viceroy under the Sultan of Constantinople. He was said to possess in his treasury £8,000,000 sterling, and at that time contemplated shaking off the yoke of Turkey. He requested an interview with Colonel (subsequently Sir) Charles Napier, then on the staff at Corfù, and afterwards Commander-in-Chief in India; and it was believed that the Pasha proposed to him to raise and command a military force to accomplish his object. It was further said that Colonel Napier agreed to the proposal, provided the sum of £1,000,000 sterling was placed at his disposal for the purpose. This, however, the Pasha declined, being very parsimonious. He shortly afterwards rebelled, and lost his treasure and his life.