Correspondence (outgoing)

[Right side] March 24th Thursday -

My dear Leland,

Always in haste I seem to be obliged to write you interrupted now pleasantly by a telegram from you "Health good" every one that comes now I am hoping you will say started to [ ?] [ you?]

We left Castlemara [Castellammare] Tuesday. I was sick the entire time there. I think I did too much - it is a [very ?] tedious trip from here to Naples, six hours but the road is rough the cars shaking terribly We left here at four oclock the only express train and did not get to the Hotel till after eleven - the scenry along the route delightful and [ ? ]

[Left side] here in Rome - on leaving the museum on our return I saw a bronze copy in a window of this very subject- I could not resist going in to prize it and I saw copys of all the things [found ?] - and this piece he was casting for the first time in quite large size it was out at his factory so I [conducted?] to see it the man proposed going to see it and I have bought it - it is grand and will be the first large ones [ ?]with fine marble standard $830 - it will not be finished for two months yet - They will ship it direct to Cal -- this with two small paintings of [ ?] cost $75 dollars with photographs is all I bought

[Right side] us into the belief we were not weary We rose at 10 the next morning and at one we started for the Museum or at least all except Mrs [ ?] she was sick. At the Museum we spent the afternoon it is filled with such sacred relics of the past that one can believe their senses that these things were buried from sight over two thousand years - the statues found are as perfect as if first chiseled and many very beautiful We saw loaves of bread cloth bulks of chee[se] and wine solid in a bottle this of cou[rse] iridescent ?] with age necklaces rings -bracelets beautiful unique and each one very difficult to copy in workmanship one most beautiful piece of sculpture which was

[Left side] three immense but perfe[c]t it is called the Farnese Bull because the King of [Naples?] of this Farnese family paid the cost of having it excavated from the Baths of Caracalla it is a bull the size of life with a rope attached to him a woman being dragged to the sacrifice but the animal is arrested by a man who holds on - the woman is sitting on ground [expressive ? ] figures another man is coming to the rescue a day in the act of [capturing it ?] the animal and other details which now escape but it was the most impressive thing I ever saw in marble buried over two thousand years here

[Right side]

The next day in the afternoon we went on to Castlemara on the other side of Vesuvius [ ?] down the coast I would like to have staid[sic] longer at Naples it was so lovely the beautiful bay at our feet we could from the hotel on the mountain side when it was [ ? ?] over the city on the beautiful Mediterranean the clear bright beautiful full moon rising immediately over Vesuvius - the smoke and flames pouring out constantly from this cone was a picture one could never forget - it seemed [ ?]strange and as if we were in an unknown land - I cannot describe my feelings while I enjoyed

[Left side]

better he knew how to keep a clean Hotel and make his guests feel that he studied their pleasure - my room was supplied with most beautiful baskets of flowers. The next day at 11 we started for Pompeii - only three quarters of an hour off by carriage - a lovely [drive ?] the same team of three horses abreast - [grip cup ?] with bells - we soon reached the sacred spot for so it seemed to me its silent struts - the shadows of the sun gleaming through the old and noble ruins they far excelled my idea of their size & magnificence - the beautiful frescoes on the walls bright & fresh the fountains in mosaic

[Right side]

I was eager to hasten away and still would have left [ ?] but this filth of the city its mass of inhabitants so different from us in all their customs made me feel it would be well to heed the advice given me by Dr Valerie of this place and not stay there too many were here in Rome sick of Typhoid fever contracted this - so we cheerfully went on to this little quaint village of C- our Hotel was pitched high on the mountainside it took us half an hour three horses abreast before our cairage[sic] half way up a little Donkey was added with a box astride which amused us -The horses were rigged out with bells and fancy brass trappings

[Left side] as we entered the court yard The marquee - Hotel boys - Porters were all out as we had been announced by the ringing of a bell at the Concierge as we exited the gate way we were received with all the bows and [smiles ?] given to royalty - our rooms ready fire flowers on the table and I was surprised at the [fixtures?] and even luxury of the Hotel - our rooms were really sumptious - The Manager could speak a little English so I questioned about the House - He said it had been built one hundred years ago by one of the Bourbon Princes but abandoned and now owned by a company - same for his black sour bread and strong

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