MR LOCK'S TOUR.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12477, 2 March 1909, Page 4

MR LOCK'S TOUR.

There were some very fine stone buildings at Port Said and the parade or avenue had an attractive appearance, with its green foliage on either side. Along the parade I noticed several band stands and hundreds of chairs and tables, at which people were served with refreshments in the open. W e left Port Said at six in the morning, and -there, was very little to interest us. until Naples was reached. The day after leaving Port 120 rX? P f SSGd *- h .t Island of Crete, dlt'7 he *? and a PP ea rs to be of vol™nn«*- H>, he a PP ea rance of Being capped with snow, and many glasses S j°?« ss ed on them. Some contended it was snow, whilst others thought it was only big slips of granite or limestone. Anyway the controversy passed away the time though no definite conclusion was arrived at. Two days later we passed the beautiful Island of "Capri,- and were now in the blue historic waters where the old Roman galleys so often sailed when trading to Carthage We next came to the; Straits of Messina between Sicdy and Italy, an d recenV ly the scene of the great volcanic disturbances which caused a catastrophe unparalleled m the world's history. -Ihese Straits presented a scene of almost surpassing beauty, the sides of the hills being covered with fine fol,iage and dotted with scores of picturesque villas the business places appeared to be located at the foot of the hills. It was a magnificent sight, and not easily forgotten. The houses on each side of the Straits were illuminated at night by electricity We soon hove in sight of Stromboli, an active volcano, some 3000 feet high it had a vast column, of white smoke JL^f issuing from its crater, which had- a fiery appearance hv 2Slflf A * ft *$■* ahif^wfn 11 **? 'IV s a Population oi about inhabitants whose neat £ e fe of T »-hite stone had a.pSH ing effect. I noticed some fairly extensive vineyards, and olive groves Many pf the inhabitants had employl ment m the sulphur mines and *i "iWtfT p ,P ea J ed to "take up fish<s%£? n llVe h h Z? d ; As we approached the Bay of Naples I^ould plainF distinguish a number- of Houseson th< steep slopes of the hills and here mc there an old watch tower, said to k rhf S*^ days , of tLe corsairs* fo the^ detection of the numerous pirates who m those days practical^ controlled the seas in thi/ Sitv Despite.the^teepness of the hljjs tht aH appeared to be under cultivation 1t C ? reS ° f Small with theL' & c , fe 1 c f Sivingone the idea that they had been made in sections Z ; hung on something like P Tctures Grapes, oranges, olives and othe' crops a A f ° W V here •****£& m llours steam brough; R,^ I^t t0 F n °S Sorrento in ' the vsh£ • % le A 7 esu^s was plainh visible in th 6i distance; it was not ac" tve and did not look anything life, the i height it is said to be^ff 400 ■fort), and was, to me a triflV disar verfbeS^f °&' & Na » hs of thl hot fuL jf esthn S at the hea, KfTO P ar *y surrounded b +l£ . hffs ii° n - whl . cl - were several cai ties or public institutions. "As we ar, proached the harbour, a busy seen E 6^^ sides a number " Italian- W arsliips there was a fleet o ; passenger and cargo steamers alsSV ma] V^andlauSs. W-. had to ■ wait for a time outside th. Jarge concrete piers for a" nilot tS o^^^ and Probably ffso^, ooher purpose as we remained at ar ■& -1 r i arl 7 ? n hour aft er th pilot had boarded our steamer. Dv • mg this wait several boat loads o minstrels came alongside playing am' lhL a y dd their Lats for the coin wf W< T, e also some boat loads oi flower sellers who were evidently do wh-l ce ° Od busines s- As the boquet, which were sent up on long p le- o-we-r & purchased almost as soon as thel othf fk th ° S^ amo / S deck - AmoS 2rn!S r 6l ' 6 W6r ? abou * a dozen realK expert divers who were thrown r number of coins, everyone of whic! mZZT» d as - far as J could see - Th' moment the com was thrown in the^ wer e+a head of it under the water *nd n a twnkle^vere at the surface wit} it, between their teeth. It. was surprising the number of coins these Ital lan^divers raked in.^. When a fey Tards from the Tanding two doctor t ' came on board to inspect us, althoue], our. steamer's sugeou had certified to aclean bill of health, every passengo^ 'fore- t^ Pelle< , t0^ aSS in review betoie themj also the crew. This appeared to me to be little more than" P c as . the bulk of the passenger jvere + drawn up in lines each side of tne steamer and the Dr simply walk' od .passed them askingmo questions. This humbug caused us considerabk aeiay as; one or two passengers couk! not be found for some time and tlu doctor s would, not budge until the, were brought forward. Personally j was much annoyed at the delay as if was late in the afternoon, and as J had arranged to go overland to Ronu with tM'o other passengers that.same e l e ?u ng «, and wishe d to .see something o f .^City of Naples before we left After the doctors had left it took nearly-an' hour to berth the steamer. At last jvc; landed, and a number of guides, battled for our patronage as cabmen "of ten do for our fares? each one trying to get ahead of his mate m endeavouring to convince" us that he could talk verra mucha good English, Hav ,H?g, selected one who was better qualified an this respect than the oth-ti-s a party of seven of us .-ngairefl him tO T Pilpt us around-until midnight, when I was to catch the train for Rome. We arranged for him to show us every place of interest to which access" could be gained, but there was trouble ahead for which we had not reckoned. There were travelling on our steamer two high class Cingalese who were connected with Sir" Thomas Lipton s tea industry in Ceylon, and who were going to. London under engagement to Sir Thomas to assist in his great display at :the Franco-Brit-ish Exhibition. -.. These men were of good address, intelligent, and could speak a; fair amount of English. They asked to be allowed to "join -our party as they were anxious to see the sights .of Naples. They were smartly dressed m-the garb of their country and befitting -their rank; their hair being faultlessly groomed and. they - wore costly tbrtoisp, shell .combs. We had n °t .gone [far before- quite "a number of children, arid a few adults began to folknv usrand as we came out of each' building we found an ever increasing "crowd awaiting us. By the time we had reached the principal streets the throng, following us was so large that the guide as well as ourselves could easily see that it was the Cingalese : who were the cau.se of the attraction: He told us that' they must be sent back to the steamer as it was useless for us to pursue sightseeing under -these conditions. s ßy this time such a crowd had collected that not only the streets but' the footpath was practically packed with people ; They all evidently thought it was a unique "Free Show,": marshalled by ±he Universal Provider and his party. .We however proceeded a bit further, when- the police interfered and the guide told us we- would have to send back these Indians to -the steamer as they could not permit this blocking of the streets. To my mind. >the whole_proceedings was "a" great, joke. We '■•.were reluctantly compelled : after providing them with " refreshments to see them safely in a landau to 'be convevjad- back to the steamer! ); The Indians quite appreciated" the position -and .were rather proud ;of bHng the cause of so much attention.- The crowd who followed us were good tempered. 'and quite a nnmber o'.fthe "small fry^' followed up tlia landau as it drove away. We were taken through the city and visited impst of the'Jprincipal- sights. ..The city ; is a; beautiful one and well built; Some portions are undoubtedly very fir.a, the' buildings being" of stone witli. polished >Tnarble columns and facings,- : niaii3 r of the designs being excellent. 'm ore especially the public- buildings"' Whilst some parts- are beautifuland clean I noticed -many places which wereTquite the opposite, the streets of

which were narrow and very dirty, and ' the buildings old and dilapidated, and to make it look worse old clothes were hung out of the windows tied on short lines and attached to dirty green shutters on buildings five an^ six stories high. These plac-is offered a strong contrast to the beautifully paved streets and buildings in other "portions of the city. As far as I could see very few of the streets were wide, the principal ones having side walks of marble. (To be continued.) • . I