a wide and open
country, which presented beautiful views on every side. The road was
excellent, being as hard and smooth as a floor, and the coachman drove
on at great speed.

The party came at length in sight of a town, which stood on a promontory
jutting out into the sea, at a short distance before them. This was the
town called in ancient times _Puteoli_. It was in those days the great
seaport of the whole bay, for Naples had not then been built. It was
also the nearest good port to Rome, in coming from the south, and it was
accordingly here that the apostle Paul landed when he was sent to Rome
by Festus, in consequence of his having appealed unto Caesar, when
accused and persecuted by the Jews. There are the ruins of an old mole
still to be seen stretching out into the sea, opposite to the port, and
Rollo said he thought that it must have been on that mole that Paul
landed.[D]

[Footnote D: See Acts xxv, 9-12; also Acts xxviii, 13, 14.]

"Puteoli was a great place in old times," said Rollo; "and that's the
reason why they had such an immense amphitheatre here. We are going to
see the ruins of it presently; but first, we are going to see
Solfatara."

Just at the entrance to Puteoli, or Pozzuoli, as it is now called, the
party came to a bridge where there was a small ascent, that made it
necessary for the carriage to go slowly; and here a great number of
men, women, and children were assembled, some guides, but most of them
beggars; and as soon as the carriage arrived, they all broke out at once
with such a noise and clamor, that Rosie was for a moment quite alarmed.

"Never fear, Rosie," said Rollo; "I know how to manage them."

Ever so many old ragged hats and caps were stretched out towards the
carriage, and three or four men and boys, who all wanted to be employed
as guides, began struggling together to climb up upon the carriage, to
get the seat with the driver. Rollo looked at them all, with a view of
making a selection among them. He chose an intelligent-looking boy of
about his own age, that the men had pushed back.

"Do you speak French?" said Rollo to the boy, of course speaking in
French himself in asking the question.

"A little, sir," said the boy.

"Then I engage _you_," said Rollo. Then touching the coachman, he
pointed to the boy, and said, "_Questo_," which means "_this one_."

So the coachman pushed the other men back, and made room for the boy to
get up on the seat with him. He then whi