A Tour Up the Straits, from Gibraltar to Constantinople: With the Leading Events in the Present War Between the Austrians, Russians, and the Turks, to the Commencement of the Year 1789Sutherland, David, Captain
History
A Tour Up the Straits, from Gibraltar to Constantinople: With the Leading Events in the Present War Between the Austrians, Russians, and the Turks, to the Commencement of the Year 1789
Sutherland, David, Captain
Mediterranean Region -- Description and travel; Russo-Turkish War, 1787-1792
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Off Salerno, October 2d.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
Lord Hervey and Captain Barnard, who have had the goodness to accompany
us thus far, being about to leave us, I embrace this opportunity of
sending you a continuation of my Journal; a form of writing, which, in
conformity to your wishes, I shall always prefer whenever we are at sea.
Friday, September 28th.
At four o'clock, yesterday afternoon, we got under way, in order to pay
the King of Naples a visit at Castello Mare. We were becalmed all night;
and his Majesty, being apprized of our approach, came out to meet us at
day-break, this morning. He was in a man of war brig of fourteen guns,
attended by another of the same force. As soon as he was within about
two miles, he got into his barge, and, there being but little wind,
rowed on board us. We received him with a royal salute.
His Majesty went all over the ship, praised every part of her, seemed
much pleased, and, with a most engaging condescension, thanked us for
the honor we did him, and invited the principal persons on board to dine
at his casino. On leaving the ship, he was again saluted with twenty-one
guns.
Immediately afterwards his Majesty sent the officers a present of some
very fine fish of his own catching, and in the afternoon rowed out again
to take another view of the ship.
Castello Mare is the King's dockyard. Every thing is in high order; but
it is entirely defenceless, and does not give an Englishman a very
formidable idea of the Neapolitan Navy.
There is a village adjoining, above which the King has built a small
palace, or casino, in a most charming situation, with a full view of the
bay. Here his Majesty generally spends great part of the summer, and
enjoys his favorite amusements of fishing and shooting, water parties,
and ship-building.
The King of Naples is thirty-six years old, well made, and rather tall;
lean enough to enjoy all his diversions, of a fair complexion, light
hair, and an affable, open countenance.
Notwithstanding the heavy taxes requisite to the support of his navy and
army, he is adored by his subjects, from the confidence he reposes in
them, and because, in affairs of state, he is always their champion. But
if he has sometimes suffered his partiality for the Queen to get the
better of his judgment, his people are sensible that love always
predominates in the most generous breasts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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