Their father told the children how Amalfi was once one of the most important towns in Europe. It sent its ships far away, and did more trading with distant parts of the world than was done by any other city.
But that was eight hundred years ago. Soon Amalfi was overcome by the people of Pisa, who were jealous of its power and trade. And two hundred years later a terrible storm and earthquake swept away nearly all of its fine beach and harbor, leaving only a small group of houses clinging to the steep mountain side.
So Amalfi changed from being one of the most important towns in the world to one of the least important, except for the beauty of its location.
Thousands of people from all parts of the world still go to Amalfi every year, but not to buy and sell. They go to enjoy the wonderful sunshine and water and mountains which make this part of Italy one of the loveliest spots in the world.
The Sunbonnet Babies were sorry when Pippo said they must go on with their journey. They wanted to stay and watch the women who were washing clothes in the river, and they wanted to follow a steep, narrow path which led away up the mountain side. Some women and girls were coming down this path bringing large baskets of fruit on their heads.
But Pippo told the Sunbonnet Babies that the best part of the drive was still ahead of them. And he was right.
The road took them first through a short, dark tunnel, not far below the monastery where they had spent the night. It then clung to the sides of the steepest mountains the children had ever seen. Wonderful stone bridges led across deep gorges, and dark tunnels took them inside the mountains.
On one of the bridges which crossed a great crack in the mountain side the Sunbonnet Babies begged to get out of the carriage.
"Very well," said Pippo. "You will see an interesting old fishing village in that gorge."
"What! A fishing village in that dark place, Pippo?" exclaimed May.