As we sailed up the Bay of Naples, we saw in our front a beautiful city of some three hundred thousand people. The city was in amphitheatre style, lying in the form of a crescent, buildings largely white, from one to six stories high, nestling among the palms, olives, figs, lemons, orange, and pine trees, and a great variety of tropical plants, giving a beautiful contrast. This, encircling the bay, gave us a picture of rare beauty. The “Normannia” anchored in the bay, and small steamers came and took the passengers and baggage ashore. Seemingly one-half on board left the steamer at this place. The custom-house officers here are very strict, but the Gaze Company had made arrangements to let us through without a very rigid examination. Cigars, tobacco, and liquors are what they are after; and our crowd were pretty well played out in those goods before we reached Naples. Nine cigars, or what they call a day’s stock, is all a man can bring ashore without duty. Naples has impressed me as a charming place. It is, in my opinion, the “Pasadena” of this section of country. Some Americans may desire to be wedded to this charming spot, but I am willing to admire its beauty and pass on. America is good enough for me. The customs are exceedingly funny here, and no doubt will appear so all our journey through. Everything in the way of traffic moves slowly, and is queerly done. You will see an ox and a cow yoked together, next a cow and a horse; and then will come along a horse, cow, and donkey, all attached to the same vehicle. The little donkeys that are driven in the two-wheel carts would set young America in Springfield wild. As to horses, they go from the ridiculous to the sublime, from the poor creatures to turnouts that will match anything in Saratoga. They seem to vie with each other in trimming and ornamenting their harness, tugs, breeching, bridles; and every conceivable strap is filled with brass or nickel nails, studs, or buckles. The driving of the pleasure teams is like Jehu,--furiously. The great nuisance of the country is beggars, hucksters, and hawkers. The beggars will beset you while walking or riding. They will run beside your carriage with an alertness that indicates training in the business.