nt having
reached the limit of his credit in Ferrara, as he had at the town up the
river, secretly disappeared to the shades of Milan, where it is supposed
that he resumed his operatic career.

CHAPTER XII.

After leaving Ferrara, Boyton gave many exhibitions through the interior
towns of Italy; and finally made arrangements for a voyage down the
Arno from Florence to Pisa, a distance of about one-hundred kilometers.
All Florence was worked up to a state of great excitement when it
became known that the intrepid American, as he was called, was going to
start on a voyage from that city. The banks of the Arno were literally
jammed with people to witness the start. The river, which is fed by
mountain streams, was rising rapidly owing to recent heavy rains above
and many were the exclamations of doubt regarding his ability to
accomplish the undertaking. A dam, called the pescaia, spans the river
diagonally in the midst of the city and it was looked upon as a
dangerous obstacle by the people. The start was made shortly before two
o'clock in the afternoon and the rapid current, assisted by the
powerful strokes of his paddle, soon carried Paul beyond sight of the
crowds and he went over the dam in safety.

At nine o'clock he arrived at San Romano where an immense crowd,
including the notables of the district, together with the municipal
junta of Montopoli, awaited patiently as possible his arrival. Torches
blazed along the bank to show him where to land and loud huzzas rolled
up from the multitude when he stood on the shore. He was escorted to a
small inn where his only refreshments were two cups of tea. The crowd
demanded a speech, and to quiet the yelling, Paul stepped to the porch
of the inn and delivered most of the Italian words he knew:

"Signori, taute grazie di vostra accoglienza, arrivederie, ciao!"

The speech was greeted with great applause and the crowd was satisfied.
He remained at San Romano but a short time and again entered the water.
At some little distance below the village, there is a weir which is
considered a most formidable spot by the inhabitants. They endeavored
to persuade Boyton to remain until morning and not attempt its passage
in the darkness, especially as the river was now much higher than when
he started. Paul laughed at their fears and amidst the plaudits of the
spectators, disappeared in the darkness. The weir so feared by the
people, proved a mere toy for him.