The narrative of a journey undertaken in the years 1819, 1820 and 1821 through France, Italy, Savoy, Switzerland, parts of Germany bordering on the Rhine, Holland and the Netherlands : $b comprising incidents that occurred to the author, who has long suffered under a total deprivation of sight; with various points of information collected on his tourHolman, James
History
The narrative of a journey undertaken in the years 1819, 1820 and 1821 through France, Italy, Savoy, Switzerland, parts of Germany bordering on the Rhine, Holland and the Netherlands : $b comprising incidents that occurred to the author, who has long suffered under a total deprivation of sight; with various points of information collected on his tour
Holman, James
Europe -- Description and travel
We arrived at Terracina at eight o’clock, and at five in the morning
recommenced our journey. After travelling five or six miles, we crossed
the barriers between the Roman and Neapolitan states, where our passports
were examined by the commandant of a small fort placed there. After
this, the country expands itself into the vale of Fondi, the mountains
retiring in such way, as to form a beautiful amphitheatre, richly clothed
with luxuriant and diversified woods. Our road passed through the middle
of this vale; a fine lake formed by the waters of innumerable mountain
streams, which run through the plain, bounding it on the right,—beyond
which lay the sea.
At Fondi, a small town situated in the above vale, the Appian road exists
in its original state, composed of broad rough flag stones closely laid
together, but without any cement interposed between them. The town of
Fondi, like most southern towns, has a gloomy appearance, in consequence
of the narrowness of the streets, and unglazed state of the windows. We
now passed through Castelone, and after descending a steep hill, reached
Mola de Gaieta, where we breakfasted at an excellent inn, delightfully
situated, and commanding a fine view of the sea. Near this place, on the
right of the road, we passed an ancient tower, said to be the tomb of
Cicero, erected on the spot where he was murdered.
“Mola is in itself an insignificant place, but it derives interest,
if not grandeur from its beautiful site; it consists of one street,
formed by the Via Appia on the side, at the foot of a range of broken
picturesque hills and mountains, covered with corn, vines, and
olive-trees, and topped with rocks, churches, and towers. The waters that
stream from these hills, unite and gush forth in a fountain close to the
town. The most conspicuous and striking object from the town of Mola, is
the fortress of Gaieta, crowning the rocky promontory of the same name,
with its white ramparts and batteries.”
On leaving Gaieta, we passed over the river Garigliano by means of a
wooden bridge. Our road after this, lay through the defiles of Mount
Massicus, which communicates with those of Callicula, a mountain covered
with forests, and we reached St. Agado about seven in the evening, when
we took up our quarters for the night; here I was compelled to sleep
in the same room with a man whom we had accidentally taken up on the
road, and to which, being satisfied he was an indifferent, character,
I at first strenuously objected, but finding I could get no other
accommodation, I at length acceded, on condition that a third bed in the
room should be also occupied; which was then filled by the servant of the
Italian lady.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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