LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. ®Jwp ioptfrirfrf f tt Shelf ...:J-L^/P- CNITED STATES OF AMEEICA. OUR TRAVELLING PARTY FROM THE BALTIC TO VESUVIUS. A BY DANIEL C. EDDY. ILLUSTRATED. BOSTO D. LOTHROP & COMP FRANKLIN ST., CORNER HAWLEY. THE LIBRARY' OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON COPYRIGHT 1882, By DANIEL C. EDDY. PRINTED BY C, . W . STl'DLEY &. CO. E1ECTR0TYPED AT THE BOS TO X STEREOTYPE FOUNDRY AS NOTE. The next number of this series of books — " Over the Alps and down the Rhine " — will be issued in a few weeks, completing the tour of the Percy Family in Europe. (7) CONTENTS. CHAP. PAG1 I. A Ride for Daylight. 11 II. A Batch of Letters 23 III. Free City of the North 34 IV. How they do in Prussia 47 V. The Emperor's City 66 VI. The Wonderful Cave 76 VII. The Bride of the Sea 86 VIII. City of Artists and Flower Girls. . . 100 IX. First Views of Rome 116 X. Pilgrimage to St. Peter's 127 XI. Walks around the Forum 142 XH. The Vatican, Inside and Out. .... 159 XIII. The Carnival 170 XIV. Naples 182 XV. Climbing Vesuvius 196 XVI. The Buried Cities 205 XVII. Coastwise 219 XVTII. Glimpses of Battle 232 (8) ENGRAVINGS. PAOI St. Peter's, Rome 1 The Ca' Dora Palace 10 Venice 93 The Campanile, Florence 114 The Holy Stairs 138 The Rom^n Forum 145 A Street in Pompeii 214 The Doria Palace 227 (9) THE BALTIC TO VESUVIUS. Chapter I. A RIDE FOR DAYLIGHT. AN American who can travel in his own coun- try from the banks of the Kennebec to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, from Plymouth Rock to San Francisco, without any change in the currency, or any examination of passports, or any custom house detention, is amazed in the old world by the frequency of the calls made for his passport, and at the number of dirty hands that are thrust into his carpet bag, and with the constant refusals of traders, porters, and hackmen to take the coin, which was current but a few miles distant. Those who visit Europe for the first time, and who have little or no experi- ence in these matters, often express their disgust in a vehement manner, but after a time become so familiarized to the trouble and detention, that they bear it with philosophical coolness. (11) 12 THE PERCY FAMILY. " What now ? " asked Mr. Tenant, as the cars came to a sudden stop, nearly shaking him from his seat. " I don't know," answered Walter. " We must wait and see." " Wait, must we ? " cried Minnie. " See, the people are getting out of the cars ; and they are tumbling out the baggage." " I think we had better be tumbling out," replied Walter. When they had alighted from the carriage, they found they were at the custom house on the Prussian frontier, where an examination of the baggage took place, detaining them an hour, which caused no little complaint among the passengers, who were all in a hurry to get to their places of destination. But at length they were in the cars again, and on their way. " Whew ! how we go ! " cried Walter, as they whirled through fields of grain, by towns and villages, across rivers, and through forests. The afternoon and evening were spent in con- versation about the places on the route, and the manners and customs of the people. Mr. Ten- ant, seeing the weariness of the whole party, did all he could to amuse them, and related many curious incidents of foreign travel. The children plied him with questions, all of which A RIDE FOR DAYLIGHT. 13 he was able to answer, as his reading had been varied and extensive. But as night came on, the young people fell asleep, and for a few hours not a word was spoken. About midnight, how- ever, the train began to enter some city ; and Walter, always on the alert to see what was going on, began to rub his eyes, and peer out into the darkness, where all was indistinguisha- ble gloom. " Where are we ? " he asked. No one answered. " Min, I say, we are coming somewhere" " We have been somewhere all day," answered Minnie. " Yes, but we are coming to a great city. I should like to know what it is. I wish pa would wake up and tell us." " Pa and Mr. Tenant are both in Dreamland." " No, they are not." " Where are they ? " "In the land of Nod." The two gentlemen, who had overheard the conversation, laughed, and Mr. Percy remarked, " We are riding into Hanover." " Shall we stop ? " " Two hours." " What can we do ? " " We will decide when we get in." 14 THE PERCY FAMILY. And soon they were in the station house at Hanover, where they found a long refreshment room well lighted, and there they took supper. After supper, Mr. Percy said, " Now, shall we throw ourselves on these lounges and get a little sleep, or shall we go out and get a night view of the city?" " Is there no danger here in the night ? " asked the little girl. " Danger ! You are a brave girl ! " said Walter. " I am as brave as you are ; but I don't want pa to go out here and get robbed, in the night." " You speak one word for father, and two for yourself." "I didn't think of myself." " You are afraid." " Pho ! " " I think there can be no danger," said Mr. Percy. "If Minnie is afraid, we will leave her with Colonel Sanborn and lady, who are taking supper in the other room." " Ah, ha, afraid ! That is funny." " Well, then we will go out." As they left the depot, Walter asked, " What is the city of Hanover noted for ? " " Not much," replied his father. " It is the A RIDE FOR DAYLIGHT. 15 capital of the kingdom of Hanover, and is built in the form of a half moon." They wandered about for some time, and at length sat down on a bench under some trees, near the palace which loomed up before them, and in front of which sentinels were slowly pacing backward and forward. " I remember," said Walter to his father, as they sat there in the night air, " that you told us that one of the races of English sovereigns was styled the ' House of Hanover.' " " Yes." " Did that line of sovereigns originate here ? " " Yes." " Well, how did they get to the throne of England ? " " By a very natural process." " Please tell me about it." " I will. The last of the house of Stuart was Anne." " The one that was called ' the good queen Anne ' ? " "The same." " Why did they call her the good queen ? " asked Minnie. " Because she was a good wife and mother, and also a good queen, though she had many troubles during her reign." 16 THE PERCY FAMILY. " But what had she to do with the origin of the house of Hanover ? " queried Walter. " If you will not interrupt me again, I will tell you." " I will not interrupt again." " Well, on the death of Anne, George Lewis, the elector of Hanover, came to the throne. He was the son of Ernest Augustus and Sophia, granddaughter of James I." " Ah ! " " He was the most direct heir to the throne, and ascended it in 1714, when Anne died." " I understand." " Understand what, Walt ? " asked his sister. " Why, what we were talking about, certainly, — the way in which the British throne was transferred from the house of Stuart to the house of Hanover." " I think we had better return to the sta- tion," said Mr. Tenant, coming up to the group. " Yes," replied Mr. Percy ; " the children will get cold if they stay here much longer in the night air." So they all moved towards the depot, which they found crowded with people, some lying down asleep, some smoking, some reading, and others gayly conversing together, or walking A RIDE FOR DAYLIGHT. 17 about. They met Colonel Sanborn and his wife, the latter of whom was as fussy as ever, declaring that she had had no sleep for a week, and was almost worn out with fatigue. Her husband seemed to take no notice of her com- plaints, but moved about very quietly attending to his baggage, and looking out for his wife's boxes and bundles. At four o'clock in the morning, they all took cars for Hamburg. The Percy family all found seats in one carriage, and there being no other persons with them, they could converse freely ; and as the children were wide awake, the two gentlemen had as much as they could do to answer questions. Minnie made Mr. Tenant tell her all about the legend of the Flying Dutchman, interrupting him a dozen times to declare her scepticism as to the particulars, and ending with assuring the narrator that she did not believe a word of it. Walter was gathering facts from his father in relation to the places through which they passed, and with his map of Europe in his hand, he gained considerable information. At length they arrived at the end of their railway ride, and the party at once began to gather up their bags and bundles, and leave the cars. VOL. iv. 2 18 THE PERCY FAMILY. " 0, I am so glad we are there ? " cried Minnie. " So am I," answered Walter. " But we are not there, children," said Mr. Percy. " Not there ? " "No." u Then where are we ? " " Where do you think ? " " I don't know." " Does this look like Hamburg ? " " No, not like what I expected Hamburg to be. What place is this ? " " It is Haarburg." " Where is Hamburg ? " " Follow us, and you will see." The children followed on to a carriage, into which they entered, and were driven to the bank of a river, where they found a steamboat just ready to start out, and they went on board of her. When they were all seated, Mr. Percy said, — " This river is the Elbe, and Hamburg is a few miles distant. We shall reach the city in an hour." The hour was very pleasantly spent on board the little steamer, which was crowded with all sorts of people. Minnie got a cool place in the A RIDE FOR DAYLIGHT. i9 shade, and Walter was on the lookout for any novel incident that might occur. Mrs. Sanborn screamed because a German trod on her long travelling dress, and gave him a scolding in English, of which he understood not a word ; and he apologized in German, of which she knew not a syllable. Just as they reached the landing at Hamburg, Walter called out, — " Father ? " " What say, my son ? " " Let me get a conveyance, and be guide to a hotel." " I do not know as we can trust you." " 0, yes, you can. Don't tell me any thing, but let me try." « Well." Out he sprang, and soon returned with a man who was to carry out the baggage. " Here, this way, Minnie ; I have engaged a droskie" shouted Walter. " A what ? " " A droskie." " Mercy, the boy is crazy ! Let me run and see what a droskie is." The gentlemen laughed. " Walter, where is the droskie ? " "This is it," replied Walter, pointing to a hackney coach which he had engaged. 20 THE PERCY FAMILY. The little girl sprang into the coach, and settled back into the soft cushions, laughing at what she termed Walter's attempt at show- ing off. The driver, having taken his seat, turned to get directions, looking inquiringly at the two gentlemen, who pointed to Walter. " Drive to Hotel de l'Europe." « Yah ! " Up one street and clown another, through broad avenues and winding passages, they rode for a quarter of an hour, when the hack stopped before an elegant hotel on the Jungfernstieg, and the driver in great haste began to unstrap the baggage. " Is this Hotel de l'Europe ? " asked Walter, of the driver. " Yaw." " Put on the baggage again ! Put on the baggage, quick ! " cried the lad. " What now, Walter ? " asked his father. " The man is cheating us." " How ? " " Why, this is Hotel Victoria." " How do you know ? " " There is the name up there." " Sure enough ; but it is an elegant hotel. We had better stop here." " 0, no, sir ; the man is trying to cheat us. A RIDE FOR DAYLIGHT. 21 He is paid by the keeper. On with the baggage, driver." The fellow, probably feed by the keeper of the hotel for every passenger brought to that house, put on the baggage in a surly manner, and drove to the right public house, which was but a short distance off, on a beautiful street called the Ahterdam. Mr. Tenant was about to leap out, when Walter stopped him. " Wait, wait, sir ; let me go in and engage apartments." " Walter, you are a case," laughingly cried Mr. Tenant. " A show case," suggested Minnie. While he was gone in, Minnie said to her father, — " I heard you call the street that the other hotel stands on, Jung-strongferng-, or something of that kind." " I called it Jungfernstieg " (pronounced Yoongfernsteeg-.} " Well, what does that mean ? " " It means ' Maiden's walk.' " " Ah ! then I will walk there." Walter now appeared. He had engaged very fine apartments on the third floor, facing the Alster basin, and had secured them on very rea- 22 THE PERCY FAMILY. sonable terms ; and soon the party was severally engaged in bathing, unstrapping trunks, and shaving, and the usual employments of travel- lers for the first hour after arriving in the city ; and thus we leave them occupied. A BATCH OF LETTERS. 23 Chapter II. A BATCH OF LETTERS. " T)AP, rap, rap," sounded on the door of -"> Mr. Percy's room, about an hour after their arrival, as, with toilet duties performed, the whole party were gathered at one of the windows looking out upon the Alsterbasin, cov- ered with little boats, and swans, whose long, white necks were stretched up or plunged deep beneath the surface. " Rap, rap, rap." " I guess somebody wants to get in, pa," said Minnie. " Rap, rap, rap." " Come in." " Ze lettes for von gentlishman, vot sent por- ter ! " exclaimed the servant, as he opened the door. " Ah, yes, I sent to the post-office," said Mr. Tenant, taking a package of letters from the servant's hand. " Hurrah ! " was Walter's joyful cry. " A lot of them," chimed in Mr. Percy. 24 THE PERCY FAMILY. " Cut the string, Mr. Tenant," cried Minnie. That gentleman slowly untied the bundle, and looked over the letters. " 0, do be quick ! " cried Minnie, impatiently. " No hurry, child. Let me see — one for me ; from Jenkins, probably." " 0, how provoking ! " " Another for me — from Har " " It's too bad ! " " One for friend Percy." Mr. Percy took the letter. " Two more for Mr. Percy." " Who are the next for ? I cannot wait." " One two, three, for Walter." " None for me." " Yes, three for you, Min, and the rest are papers." The children took the precious documents, and hurried away to their rooms to read them. The gentlemen opened theirs, and found them filled with business matters, and family affairs, and kind words from dear ones. But as they will not be likely to interest the reader, we will fol- low the children to Walter's room, where they are laughing and weeping by turns over the let- ters they had received. " Here is one," said Walter, " written to you and me." A BATCH OF LETTERS. 25 " Who is it from ? " "Mother!'' " 0, do read that first." Walter read his mother's letter, as follows : — > My Dear Children : — Your constant letters are a source of much comfort while you are absent. We read them over and over again, and the children in the neighborhood come and take them away, and read them to each other. I think I can see a constant improvement in the style and con- struction of your letters. They are more nat- ural and graceful, and win for you many compliments from those who see them. Our dear pastor, Rev. Mr. K , remarked to a friend that week that Walter seems to be real- izing more solid benefit from his journey than most men would. I tell you these things to stimulate you to do better still. Only that you are being benefited by the tour you are making, would enable me to endure the prolonged ab- sence of my dear boy and girl. I am also glad to hear from your father such good account of your conduct. He tells me that you do not put yourself forward, or intrude your- selves upon other people. This is well. A bold boy or a brazen girl will not be loved by those 26 THE PERCY FAMILY. who come in contact with them. But a modest child will secure a ready way to every generous heart. I feared that hotel life, and a constant contact with travellers of all lands, would take away your humility, and the deference you have always paid to persons older and better informed than yourselves, and am pleased to hear that my fears were groundless. ***** Among the boys in this neighborhood there prevails a strong desire to visit Europe. Wal- ter's letters are read by them, and not a few are coaxing their parents to take them to the old world. Harry St. Clair seems to be wild with excitement, and his mother told me yesterday that she must prohibit his reading any more of your descriptions of what you see. The boy don't know what to make of what you write. ***** Charlie, I think, has improved as much at home as you have abroad. He and Rover are constant friends, the dog attending him in all his excursions. Charlie says he can catch trout as well as Walter can, and his uncle Winthrop has promised to take him into the country, where he can fish all he knows how to. When you return you will find him much improved. He has grown tall, and at school is making rapid pro- A BATCH OF LETTERS. 27 ficiency. Yet I think he is lonesome, and sighs for his brother and sister. Last night, when I put him to bed, he asked, — " Mother, do you think Walter and Minnie pray away off there." " Yes," I said, " I hope they do." He thought a moment, and then asked, — " What do they pray for ? " " They pray," I answered, " that God will keep them safe from harm, guard them from all dangers, make them good children, and return them, when the time arrives, to their home." " But, mother, do you think they ever pray for me ? " I told him I thought you did pray for little Charlie ; and then he made me talk about you until he went to sleep with smiles on his face. And now, dear children, remember the advice I have given you in my previous letters, and write as often as you can, even if it be but a very few lines. Your Mother. The passages left out of this letter relate to some family matters, and to certain directions as to the clothing of the young travellers. When Walter closed the letter, he sat some time looking out the window, while Minnie, with her head on 28 THE PERCY FAMILY. »o^