CHAPTER XIII.

Naples--Bristol Hotel--Via Roma--King Bomba's time--Deterioration
of the Neapolitans--Museum--Churches--The Opera-house--English
and Italian beauty--Aquarium--Vesuvius--Excursion to Pompeii--
Portici--A novel mode of grooming--The entombed city--Its
disinterment--Museum, streets, and buildings--Remarks--A cold
drive 151

CHAPTER XIV.

Unprecedented cold of 1883--Departure from Naples--Virgil's
tomb--Journey to Messina--Italy's future--Scylla and Charybdis
--Beautiful Messina--The "_Electrico_"--Malta--Knight Crusaders
--Maltese Society--An uncommon fish--An earthquake at sea--Journey
to Palermo--Picturesque scenery--Etna--Among the mountains--The
lights of Palermo 168

CHAPTER XV.

Palermo--Oriental aspects--Historical facts--Royal Palace--Count
Roger--The Piazzi Planet--The Palatine Chapel--Walk to Monreale
--Beauty of the Peasantry--Prickly pears--"The Golden Shell"--
Monreale Cathedral--Abbey and Cloisters--English church--Palermo
Cathedral--Churches--Catacombs of the Capuchins--Gardens--Palermo
aristocracy--The Bersaglieri--Sicilian life and characteristics
--Climate and general features 191

CHAPTER XVI.

Annexation of Nice and Savoy--Garibaldi's protest--A desperate
venture--Calatafimi--Catania--Melazzo--Entry into Naples--Gaeta
--The British Contingent--Departure from England--Desertion--
Arrival in Naples--_Colonel_ "Long Shot"--Major H----'s imaginary
regiment--Dispersion of the British Contingent 204

CHAPTER XVII.

Floods in France--London--Back to the South--Marseilles--Italian
Emigrant passengers--A death on board--French _impolitesse_
--Italian coast scenery at dawn--Unlimited palaver--Arrival in
Leghorn--The "_Lepanto_"--Departure--"Fair Florence"--The Arno
--Streets--Palaces--San Miniato--The grand Duomo--The Baptistery
--Ghiberti's Bronze Gates 217

CHAPTER XVIII.

Santa Croce--San Lorenzo--Day and Night--Picture-galleries--The
Tribune--Venus di Medicis--Excursion to Fiesole--Ancient
Amphitheatre--Aurora _Cafe_--Climate of Florence--Heavy hotel
charges--Departure--Bologna sausages--Venice