2. I say within the rock, because there are, as the gentlemanly British officers showed us, numerous caverns and galleries, two or three miles in length, all cut in the solid rock, with numerous port-holes for cannon. These galleries are wide enough for carriages, and so arranged that the garrison can pass from one part of the hill to another, without exposure in case of attack. One of the officers who escorted us through told us that the fortress was defended by more than a thousand heavy cannon. I send you a view of the town and fortress as they appeared from our steamer. The northern extremity of the rock, as you will see, is almost perpendicular.

3. Prof. Howard gave us an account of the history of this fortress, and of the celebrated attack upon it in the year 1782, at the end of a long siege, when the French and Spanish forces, to the number of one hundred thousand men, were defeated, and their immense floating batteries burned. Mr. Agnew can find an account of this siege for you in some of the histories in the Wilmot Hall Library.

4. Having taken in a fresh supply of coal at Gibraltar, on the 28th of November we sailed for Marseilles, a large commercial city and seaport in the south of France; but on the way Prof. Howard had so much to say about the excellent harbor of Port Ma-hon', an important naval station, and the capital of the Spanish island of Minorca, that Captain Gray stopped there, at our request, as it was directly in the route to Marseilles.

5. The rock-ribbed harbor was, indeed, an excellent one; and many of the houses, which are of stone, and built on ledges of rock overhanging the sea, present a singular and, at the same time, a very neat and attractive appearance. Only a few of us went ashore, as the steamer remained in the harbor but a few hours.

6. After we had left here, and had assembled in the saloon to hear what the Professor had to say about the place, he told us, among other things, of a thrilling incident that occurred in this very port, many years ago, in which the captain of that good old American frigate, the Constitution (better known as "Old Ironsides"), and the captain's little son Hal, were the principal actors. Then he read "A Leap for Life," which describes the scene alluded to. It begins thus:

7.

-

Old Ironsides at anchor lay,
In the harbor of Mahon :
A dead calm rested on the bay,—
The waves to sleep had gone;
When little Hal, the Captain's son,
A lad both brave and good,

In sport, up shroud and rigging ran,
And on the main truck stood.

8. But nearly every school-boy is familiar with the piece, and I need not repeat any more of it here. I had often read it; but now it will have great additional interest for

me, because I shall always recall, in connection with it, the very harbor-far away on a foreign shore-in which the incident occurred, with the deep and quiet waters where the vessel lay, and the rocky heights looking down upon the scene.

9. After the Professor had read the little poem that relates, in full, the incident referred to, he remarked that nearly every locality that we purpose visiting during our voyage, abounds in historic associations; and that one of the great advantages of travel will be lost, if we do not avail ourselves of the opportunities presented for becoming familiar with the interesting relations that exist between the geography and the history of the places visited.

10. "Even this little island of Minorca," said he, "has something interesting to tell us. It is one of the Bă-le-a'ric Islands, a name given to them by the ancients, from a Greek word that means to throw, in allusion to the great skill of the islanders as slingers, in which capacity they served in the armies of both Rome and Carthage. It is thus that geographical names are often significant of important events in history. It was a Roman general, Q. C. Metellus, that was surnamed Balearicus, because he conquered these famous slingers, and compelled them to submit to the authority of Rome."

11. Exceedingly varied, as he told us, have been the fortunes of Minorca. He then related to us how Vandals, Visigoths, and Moors held it by turns. Then England, France, and Spain contended for it during a long period; for it was an important seaport and fortress on the great highway of the Mediterranean; but England finally ceded it to Spain in 1802.

12. One sad event in English annals, connected with the history of this island, he related to us. When, in 1756, during a war between France and England, Admiral Byng failed to relieve the English garrison that was besieged there, he was brought to trial, and most unjustly con

demned and executed for the failure. The historian Macaulay brands his punishment as "altogether unjust and absurd," and a disgrace to the English nation.

Such are the lessons in history that we are constantly receiving, during this our grand Pleasure Excursion.

II.-Marseilles, Genoa, Florence, Rome.

1. On reaching a group of islets off Marseilles, we lay to for a pilot, who soon came aboard, and conducted the steamer into the harbor, which is in the very centre of the city. The city, which is built all around the harbor, rises up from the water in the form of a great amphitheatre, as if it were arranged for a vast concourse of people to look down upon some theatrical scenes to be enacted in the arena below.

2. Just beyond the city, the surrounding hills are covered with olive gardens and vineyards, and with thousands of country houses. There is one curious harbor regulation here. No fire—not even a light-is allowed on board vessels in the inner harbor; and the cooking is all done on shore.

3. After remaining two days at Marseilles, we sailed for Gen'o-a, a famous fortified seaport of Northern Italy, and the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. As we approached the city from the sea, its appearance was beautiful and striking. The city rises gradually from the shore in the form of a crescent, and its white houses could be seen from a great distance; as we approached nearer and nearer, the imposing outlines of palaces, and distant villas and gardens, coming into view, kept us in a wonder of delight and amazement.

4. Our next stopping-place was at Leghorn; and we landed there for the sole purpose of visiting Florence,―on the famous river Arno,--fifty miles distant by railroad,—a

Tuscan city which Prof. Howard had already described to us in glowing terms, as being full of grand old palaces,as containing the most splendid gallery of paintings ever collected in one place, and as being famous for its grand cathedral, whose vast dome, the largest in the world, surpasses in size that of St. Peter's at Rome.

5. After we had stayed in Florence a whole week, we were not disposed to think Prof. Howard's description at all overdrawn, or that of the poet when he said,

"O Florence! with the Tuscan fields and hills,
And famous Arno, fed with all their rills;
Thou brightest star of star-bright Italy!
Rich, ornate, populous, all treasures thine,
The golden corn, the olive, and the vine."

S. T. Coleridge.

6. Sailing from Leghorn, we ran down the coast to Civita Vecchia (Chee've-ta Vek'ke-a) by daylight,-thirty-seven miles distant from Rome by railroad, and the port at which travellers going to Rome generally land. And now, with great joy I can say, We are in Rome! the most celebrated city of the world-long the capital of the Roman empire, and now the capital of the kingdom of Italy.

7. "I am in Rome!
Oft as the morning ray
Visits these eyes, waking, at once I cry,

Whence this excess of joy?

What has befallen me?

And from within a thrilling voice replies,―

Thou art in Rome! A thousand busy thoughts
Rush on my mind—a thousand images—

And I spring up as girt to run a race.”

Rogers.

8. This is the beginning, only, of a poem which Prof. Howard has just read to us, on this, the evening of our

Verse 5.-Why the expression "fed with all their rills" ?--Why "brightest star"? -- Why "star-bright Italy"?--Why "golden corn"?