During my visit to England the 8th Regiment was removed from Malta to Corfù, one of the Ionian Islands, and previous to my rejoining it overland I made arrangements for a tour extending over several months through France, Switzerland, and Italy. Passing through Calais, Boulogne, Abbeville, Montreuil, Beauvois, and St. Denis, I entered Paris, where I remained, in company with a brother officer, for a fortnight. Being resolved to see everything remarkable which time would admit of during this tour, I worked hard, early and late. At this time (1819) Paris was not the beautiful city it has since become, and its population has now (1871) been more than doubled. The gutters were made in the centre of the streets, which were not kept over cleanly; there were no footpaths—nor was the improved system of road-making by McAdam then adopted. Oil lamps were attached to ropes suspended across the streets, and early risers ran the risk of encountering shower baths of questionable purity, ejected from the windows. Leaving Paris in a south-east direction, the ascent of Mount Jura commences from Dijon, a distance of about 380 miles from Paris. Many of the old Roman roads still remained, paved with large blocks of stone, which were very rough travelling, and planted on each side with poplars or cypress. On reaching the summit of the road over the Jura Mountains you come suddenly upon a most magnificent view—Mount Blanc, the range of Alps, the lake and city of Geneva, Lausanne, the exit of the river Rhone from the lake, and many other interesting objects. Days might be occupied in contemplating such a view. Below Geneva, one and a-half miles, the Rhone forms a junction with the Arve. At this place was fought one of Julius Cæsar’s great and decisive battles.
Leaving Geneva the road skirts the northern shore of the beautiful and extensive lake of that name, passing through the picturesque town of Lausanne. At the head of the lake lies the village of Vevay. Here I met with two Irish gentlemen of most agreeable manners, and highly intelligent; and their plans being very similar to my own, we agreed to travel together. It may be here remarked, that not until the end of two months afterwards was it discovered, from a casual observation, that all three had been school-fellows. Proceeding up the valley of the Rhone the celebrated Pass of the Simplon across the Alps, between Switzerland and Italy, is reached. After his great campaign in Italy, Napoleon I. ordered this fine road to be made. The gradients are so easy that a carriage may be trotted up nearly to the summit—above 8,000 feet over the sea level—passing through a few short tunnels, where rocky spurs of the mountain intervene. Here a monastery is situated, where the noble dogs are trained to search for lost travellers in the snow. No description is capable of conveying to the mind the magnificent scenery of the Alps, which is ever varying. At one point the road passes close to a perpendicular cleft in the mountain, said to be 1,000 feet deep, and only forty or fifty yards wide at the top. A rushing torrent can be heard from the bottom, but in total darkness.
After crossing the Simplon the first Italian town is Duomo Dossola; after which the road passes along the shore of Lake Maggiore—the scenery still being beautiful. The small island of Isola Bella is situated in this lake, and is quite unique. On its summit stands a palazzo, of Italian architecture, surrounded by three broad terraces, below each other, down to the water’s edge, and planted in a most tasteful and ornamental manner. Under the palace there is an extensive natural cave, in which is a spring of running water. This cave is formed into a grotto, embellished with coral and shell work, and must be a delightful retreat during the heat of summer.
On the shore opposite Isola Bella is situated the colossal bronze statue of Prince Carlo Borromeo, a Bishop or Cardinal. The pedestal is thirty-six feet high, and the statue seventy-two feet, in all 108 feet. The figure appears in Roman costume, with a Bible in the left hand. The interior is ascended by ladders, and it is said that eight persons could sit within the head. This statue was erected by the inhabitants of Milan in gratitude for the devoted labours of the Prince during the great plague which visited that city three or four centuries back.
Travellers enter Milan through a beautiful marble triumphal arch, erected in honour of Napoleon. The Duomo or Cathedral is a wonderful building of white marble, the façade of which was not completed until he had conquered Italy, although the remainder of the building, which has been very costly, had been commenced in the year 1386. At the top of each pinnacle, and in various recesses, are placed marble statues, said to be 3,000 in number. This building should be viewed at night during the full moon, when it has the appearance of ivory, and is a sight rarely equalled.
Being desirous of visiting Venice, I left my fellow-travellers at Milan; having arranged to rejoin them at Florence, I proceeded through the valley of the Po, by way of Bergamo, Breschia, Peschiera, Verona, and Padua, from whence I crossed the Lagoon to Venice.
The Province of Lombardy is very beautiful, situated between the Alps and Apennines, and watered by many rivers. The country generally is divided into square blocks, and extensively irrigated. These blocks are surrounded by mulberry trees planted at regular intervals, and grape vines are festooned from tree to tree. The fruit, being ripe at this time, presented a rich and lovely scene. The fertility of the soil, consequent upon irrigation, is very great, producing generally three crops annually. The culture of silk is very valuable in many respects. It employs a large number of women and children at their own homes, and the annual export of silk, raw and manufactured, amounts to about four millions sterling.
Venice is built on a number of small islets, and partly on piles, and is situated in the centre of a large lagoon at the head of the Adriatic Sea, from which the lagoon is separated by two narrow strips of land stretching from opposite shores, leaving a narrow channel between for ships to enter, which is strongly fortified. Instead of streets there are very numerous canals; and horses and carriages being useless, the inhabitants move about the streets in a picturesque description of boats called “gondolas.” The Palace of the Doges and the Cathedral of St. Marco are very fine buildings. The former is connected with the Hall of Justice by Lord Byron’s “Bridge of Sighs.” The monuments of the Doges, the paintings, and the Grecian antique statues collected here, are beautiful. In the Palazzo Manfrini there are many valuable paintings. The three portraits by Georgione, so greatly extolled by Lord Byron in his “Beppo,” are here. A curious anecdote respecting that poem has been related. It is said to have originated in a bet. A literary party, including Lord Byron, Sir Walter Scott, Tom Moore, and some foreigners of distinction, were dining together at Venice, when the conversation turned upon the flexibility or inflexibility of modern languages for the purposes of “colloquial poetry.” A general opinion was expressed that the English language was the least adapted. Lord Byron, however, maintained the contrary, and proposed a bet to produce a short poem in that style, within twenty-four hours, against any other like poem that could be found in any language. The bet was accepted, and resulted in his writing “Beppo.” The umpire declared that Lord Byron had won his wager.
Leaving Venice, the road to Florence passes through Ferrara and Bologna. Here the Campo Santo, or burial ground, is worth visiting; it contains many handsome monuments, and the gateway at the entrance is fine—the pillars of which are surmounted by colossal marble statues of “Time” and “Death.” Exquisite paintings are also to be seen here.
Crossing the Apennines, you pass a spot called Pietra Mala, where gas escapes from the earth through small fissures, which were burning at the time. The flame did not rise above five or six inches, but varies according to the state of the atmosphere, and it spread over about half an acre of ground.