rectified it, so far as I saw it was possible, and assured me that he would have thrown no difficulties in my way which he could possibly avoid. I am afraid that I have acted in no Christian spirit, as I have been very loud in my condemnation of Cito's conduct. I told him that I wished to visit in his province Mons Garganus, known as the Spur of Italy, and he at once said that he would relieve me of all difficulties from the public authorities in his own province. I felt deeply grateful for his considerate attention, and gladly accepted his offer. In fact, he knew that I was an English traveller with no political objects, and was prepared to give me every assistance. Before I started next morning on my visit to Garganus, I rode out five miles to a spot called Arpi, where some slight remains of the walls of the ancient Arpi are still found. Many sepulchres have been discovered, with vases, cameos, and terra-cotta figures. Virgil (Æn. xi. 243) speaks of it as founded by Diomedes: Vidimus, o cives, Diomedem Argivaque castra ; We reach'd the place desired; with wonder fill'd, This is the direction that I imagine the Romans would naturally follow in proceeding against Hannibal, when he was lying at Canna. We know that it was the steadfast friend of the Romans, when Apulia was invaded by Hannibal, B.C. 217, and had its territory laid waste by the Carthaginians. After the battle of Cannæ, B.C. 216, like many other of the towns in this quarter, it opened its gates to the conqueror, who took up his quarters in its fertile plains for the ensuing winter. It came again, B.C. 213, into the hands of the Romans, and is only once afterwards mentioned in history, when Cæsar halted here for a night on his march to Brundisium. It seems, therefore, to me, that the Roman troops, when it was determined to face Hannibal, would naturally be led by this direct course rather than by the circuitous road of Canusium. Hastening back to Foggia, I proceeded through the same uninteresting flat country for twenty miles to Manfredonia, a city with a population of about six thousand inhabitants, on the shore at the foot of Mons Garganus, which rises to a height of five thousand one hundred and twenty feet. This city was founded about A.D. 1266, by Manfred, one of the early kings of the country, and is defended by walls, which seemed to be in a better state than those which I had seen on other parts of this coast. It is not unlike the "lang toun of Kirkcaldy," the main thoroughfare being a long and wide street from one gate to the other. Its port is defended by a castle, and protected towards the north by a small breakwater, though there is depth of water only for light vessels. The inhabitants had a pale, unhealthy appearance, arising from the malaria of some marshes in its neighbourhood. The ancient city of Sipontum was situated a little more than a mile to the south of Man fredonia, to which I at once proceeded, and found an ancient church of no great size, called Sta. Maria di Siponto. It is situated close to a marsh formed by the overflowing of the river Candelaro, and the ancient town must at all times have been exposed to the unhealthy exhalations of the marsh called Pantano Salso. I examined the neighbourhood of the church in all directions for ancient remains; they had, however, all disappeared, nor is it surprising, as Sipontum was never a city of any importance. Having returned to Manfredonia, I resolved to hire a small boat to sail round the promontory, landing wherever I might feel inclined, though in this proceeding I expected to have difficulties started by the authorities. Behold me again launched in a small sailing-boat on the waters of the Adriatic. The day was lovely; a gentle south-west wind wafted us forward, while above towered Monte St. Angelo, as the promontory is now called, far different in height from that of Capo di Leuca, on which I had stood a few days before. The promontory juts eastward from Manfredonia for five-and-twenty miles, to the point near a small village called Viesti. The hill is in some parts nearly perpendicular, though generally it slopes gently upwards, affording several small harbours, in which small vessels can find shelter from the north wind. I landed at the village Matinata, and I was, of course, an object of curiosity to the few inhabitants, who crowded round me to find out the object of my visit. A priest came forward, with whom I entered into conversation, inquiring for ancient remains. He had never heard of any, and did not believe his village could trace its origin to the time of his Roman ancestors. This, however, is no doubt the site of the "Matinum littus" of Horace (Carm. i. 28, 3), where the body of Archytas was thrown ashore, and the heights above rising in the distance are the Matina cacumina (Epod. 16, 28). I asked whether they had any bees in the neighbourhood, and there was a grand chorus, "Molti, molti"-" Many, many." They hive, as in other parts of Italy, in old trees, and when these trees are cut down immense quantities of honey are often found. The hills around I ob served to be covered with flowers, and they said that the flavour of the honey is particularly odoriferous. Here, then, the expression "Modo apis Matinee" (Hor. Carm. iv. 2, 27) is satisfactorily explained, and, indeed, it is seldom that the character of nature changes. The heat was excessive, and could not but be so, as it lies facing the south, and is altogether protected from the east and north. I looked up at the hills above for the "calidi buxeta Matini" of Lucan (ix. 185). The heat was certainly here; the box-groves I did not see. There has been a great demand for wood during the last fifty years from the denudation of the mountains in the interior of the kingdom, and I understand that this demand has led to the cutting down of the trees on this peninsular promontory. I could hear nothing of the "querceta Gargani," the oakgroves spoken of by Horace (Carm. ii. 9, 7), but I heard enough of St. Michael and his miracles at Monte St. Angelo, which is now the name by which this promontory is known. The church of the Archangel St. Michael claims to be of very ancient origin, going back to A.D. 492 for the period when the Archangel took up his residence on Garganus. It was sacked by the Saracens, A.D. 869, again restored in greater magnificence by the gifts of the faithful, and it continued to enjoy great fame and riches, till it suffered, like many others, from the sacrilegious hands of the French. The priest, who seemed to be well acquainted with the legend of St. Michael, talked of a stream which, as usual, claimed to heal all kinds of diseases, and this, no doubt, as in many other parts of Italy, is a mere continuation of a pagan superstition, as Strabo (vi. 284) mentions a small stream issuing from a hill in this neighbourhood called Drium, which healed all kinds of diseases in cattle. St. Michael, however, has been kinder, as he has extended its healing powers to human beings. I was, however, anxious to get on, as the wind was favourable, and I again embarked, being wafted gently forward by the south-west wind. We stretched out into the sea to catch the wind more fully, which would thereby convey us straight to Viesti, near the point. The hills seemed to be clothed with natural wood of no great age, and we passed a natural cove, which ran a good way into the mountain. This is called Porto Greco, and is supposed to be the Agasus Portus of Pliny. Viesti is a miserable village; it had once been in a more flourishing state, when it exported the wood cut on the declivities of the mountain, but this had long passed away, and it is now dying a lingering death. The land on which it stands is a kind of peninsula, and washed on three sides by the waters of the Adriatic. I heard of some ruins about six miles to the north, and was anxious to get on to them. These are the ruins, in all probability, of the small town Merinum, and there is a church still, called Santa Maria di Merino. Pliny speaks of the "Merinates ex Gargano" (iii. 16, 6). It was not fated, however, that I should do so, as a change of wind seemed preparing to set in off the point; and as my boatmen were not accustomed to brave the dangers of the sea, they decidedly refused to accede to my wishes of going farther north. Indeed, they struck work, and declared that they would proceed no farther. I did not much care to go on, as by getting back this evening to Manfredonia I should be able to make a long stretch to-morrow, and mount into the cooler regions of the Abruzzi. I agreed, therefore, to release them from their engagement to carry me round the point, on condition that they lost no time in conveying me back to Manfredonia, so as to allow a few hours of rest before I started to-morrow morning. The wind had luckily changed, and was as favourable for our return as it had been in the morning for reaching Viesti. We scudded quickly before the wind, but were a dozen miles from our destination when the sun went down. If we had not been returning to the point from which we had started we should not have dared to land till the morning, as we must have gone through the ceremony of pratique. This, however, was now avoided, and I reached Manfredonia about eleven o'clock, glad to take refuge in the locanda. Here I found my old muleteer hanging on, and I could not help thinking that I saw a smile of secret intelligence pass between him and the master of the boat when I made my appearance. It had been probably arranged that I should be brought back, that he might have another engagement. As it would not have been so unless it had chimed in with my plans, I was not in the least annoyed, expressing great delight that I could again secure his services to-morrow to go as far as Lucera, situated on the first slope of the Apennines, passing through the hot plains of the Tavoliere. It was arranged that we should start two hours before daybreak, that we might get on to Foggia before the great heat set in. Having rested some three hours, I started, to the amazement of my muleteer, before the time I had fixed. He never supposed that I would keep to my arrangement. Off we went in the dark, threading our way with ease along a dusty road, which had been suffocating with heat two days before. We reached Foggia at an early hour, and, as I entered the inn yard, I found a public carriage ready to start, and, on inquiring, found that it was proceeding to Lucera, the very town I intended to visit. I paid off my muleteer, and, having prevailed on the driver to delay a few minutes, till I swallowed my breakfast, I started at once for Lucera, which is about ten miles from Foggia. We proceeded at a slow pace through the dusty roads of the Tavoliere, and, as we approached the city, we began to leave the plains of Apulia, and ascended the slopes of the Apennines. The mountains run in the form of a semicircle, stretching away to the south-east till they end in the promontory of Mons Garganus, which I had just left, while towards the south-west they proceed towards Mons Vultur, which continues to be a prominent object. The plains of Apulia lay like a map at my feet, and I could trace distinctly all my wanderings of the last ten days. On the horizon, towards the south, I could dimly trace the hills, which must be not far from Brundisium. Í was on the site of the transactions which took place before Hannibal made a hurried march across the Tavoliere to seize Caunæ. He could no longer remain at Gerunium at this season of the year, situated on the river Fortore, whose course could be distinctly traced on the north towards the Adriatic, as the plain no longer supplied provisions. He was forced, therefore, to go south of the Aufidus, and he captured Cannæ, where the Romans had collected their stores. Lucera is a delightful position in summer, from having the advantage of every breeze from whatever direction it might blow. The Romans found it an important military position in the second Punic war, and it was repeatedly chosen as the place where their armies took up their winter quarters. Signor Nocelli-to whom I had a letter from my friend Miss Whitereceived me with great kindness, and drove me round the environs of the city. The castle must at one time have been very strong, and its ruins are still magnificent. The population is about twelve thousand, and the city has some good houses, though the streets are narrow and ill paved. The cathedral is a remarkably fine Gothic building, containing six large pillars of verde antique, supposed to have belonged to a temple of Apollo. The public buildings are extensive, and there is a museum of antiquities and coins, which have been collected in the neighbourhood. There are remains of the ancient amphitheatre, showing that it was of considerable The fineness of its wool is still remarkable, and continues to merit the praise given to it by Horace (Carm. iii. 15, 13). size. Te lanæ prope nobilem Tonsæ Luceriam, non citharæ decent. My host was anxious that I should remain till the following day, and indeed the fatigues I had lately undergone tempted me much to take advantage of his kindness. Time, however, is precious at the present moment, and having seen everything at Lucera worthy of examination, I resolved to adopt the custom of the inhabitants in going to bed after dinner, and towards evening start on mule-back for Volturara, about He fifteen miles distant, of which I could hear no very distinct account. It is astonishing how little the inhabitants of Italy know of their nearest neighbours, arising, no doubt, from the difficulties thrown in their way by a suspicious government. My couch was most luxurious, and it was a great trial of my resolution to start for the miserable place Volturara must prove to be. Start, however, I did, though strongly pressed to remain. The heat of the day was now over, and the sun was far advanced towards the horizon as I began to ascend gradually the ridges of the Apennines. The scenery had now entirely changed; the hills rose to a considerable height on all sides, and were generally clothed with wood to the top. They seemed fit receptacles for brigands; but I heard no reports of their being in this vicinity. The evening soon closed in, and again I was threading my way by the light of the stars. It was nine o'clock before I reached Volturara, which I found to be merely a restingplace for mule-drivers. I was the only traveller, and was able to find an apartment for myself, where I could at least rest for a few hours. I told my muleteer that I should start one hour after midnight, evidently to his great annoyance, and I saw that, if he could prevent it, there was no chance of our doing so. I threw myself down without undressing, and was soon soundly asleep. My anxiety awoke me at the proper hour; and though it was quite dark, I contrived to scramble down a ladder into the stable, where I found my muleteer asleep alongside his animal. grumbled sadly at such an unheard-of proceeding; but I was peremptory, and we were soon plodding onwards towards Campobasso, the capital of one of the Abruzzi." The night was dark, though there was light enough to show that we were ascending a ravine, clothed on both sides with wood. In the middle of the glen we met several men enveloped in the long black cloaks of the country, mounted on mules; we passed, however, without greeting, both of us, no doubt, wondering what the other could be doing at such an untimely hour. As the morning dawned, I found myself in a high mountainous district, where the vegetation was at least a month behind the plains which I had left yesterday. The few patches of grain, which were scattered here and there, were not yet ripe for the sickle. I passed several small streams, all tributaries of the Fortore, the ancient Trento containing little water, though I have no doubt full of trout. They were clear as crystal, and looked refreshing to the eyes after the dusty plains of the Tavoliere, to which I had been lately accustomed. On the declivities of the mountains I could perceive small villages, though our road did not pass through them, as we kept close on a mule-path at the bottom of the glens. The first party we met was primitive enough, not unlike in habits to our gipsy families. The father, mother, and children in panniers on donkeys, were proceeding to their labours in the fields, accompanied by their pig and goat. We bade each other God speed as we passed. Throughout my rambles I have always found the peasantry ready to salute with hearty good will, and prepared to enter into conversation without restraint. These people were from a neighbouring village-Gambatesa-to which they pointed on the hill, and thither they returned in the evening with their live stock. The sun rose gloriously from behind the mountains, and the freshness of the morning breeze, which I had almost forgotten, soon cleared away any feelings of languor which the fatigues of the night had induced. The country |