A Two Months' Cruise in the Mediterranean in the Steam-Yacht 'Ceylon'
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THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTED BY PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID A TWO MONTHS' CRUISE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. A TWO MONTHS' CRUISE m THE MEDITERRANEAN IN THE STEAM-YACHT 'CEYLON.' SURGEON-GENERAL MUNRO, M.D., C.B. AUTHOR OF REMINISCENCES OF MILITARY SERVICE WITH THE 93kd SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS." •5-$^ii^-^^- LONDON: HUEST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS, 13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET. 1884. A U rights reserved. i|> DEDICATED TO MY WIFE, FOR WHOM THE JOURNAL OF THE CRUISE WAS WRITTEN, AND TO MY FELLOW -PASSENGERS AND FRIENDS, IN REMEMBRANCE OF PLEASANT INTERCOURSE AND CHEERFUL COMPANIONSHIP. COJfTENTS. CHAPTER I. The Steam-yacht Ceylon—Sail from Southampton—Ocean Steam Yachting Company—Object of the Company— Caught in a Fog—Anchor inside the Needles—Sail again 4th January—Rough Night—Fellow-passengers —Sunday Parade and Service—The Dreaded Bay— Delights of the Sea —Shorten Sail—Half Speed— Good-night 3 CHAPTER n. Entering the Tagus—First Sight of Lisbon—Prominent Objects—Land for Sight-seeing—Cathedral—Citadel — Portuguese Soldiers—Rocio Square —Old Cathedral of Carmo—Archaeological Museum—Church of San Roque—Silver Chapel—Beautiful Mosaics—Passeio Publico—Streets and Houses—Prisons . 19 CHAPTER in. Landed Early— Start for Cintra —Aspect of Country— Aqueduct—Village of Cintra—Volcanic Hills —Castle of Cintra—The Gardens—Donkey Ride—View from the Castle—Beautiful Sunrise—Lisbon by Day and by Night—Farewell to the Fair City— History of Ijisbon 35 CHAPTER IV. A Rough Night in a Steady Ship—Passing Vessels— Straits of Gibraltar—The Old Rock—Lord and Lady Napier—93rd and 79th Highlanders—The Blue Medi- terranean—Malaga—Scenery around the Town—The Gilalparo—The Cathedral—The Strangers' Cemetery —The Empress Eugenie's House— A Magnificent Sunset 51 ivi309151 viii Contents. CHAPTER Y. The Malaga Cathedral—The Chapel of Victoria—Start for Granada— Orange Gardens—Olive Groves—Wild Rocky Scenery — Mountain Scenery — Sunset—Cold Wind—Arrive at Granada— Suete Suellos and Don Jose de (ladea—Moonlight on the Ruins—A Morning Run—The Tower of the Bell—View of the City, Vega, and Mountains— Reflections ... 67 CHAPTER VI. The Alhambra—Its Ruined Palace, Walls, and Towers— Summary Justice — Romantic Little Stories — The Moorish Boabdil—The Geueraliffe—The Cathedral— The Organ—The Royal Chapel—Tombs of Kings and Queens — The Paucity of Worshippers — The Reredos—The Gipsy Dance— Guitar Music—Return to Malaga 81 CHAPTER Vn. Mediterranean Weather—The Good Ship Ceylon—Minorca —Port Mahon—Narrow Entrance—Beautiful Harbour —The Town—Churches—The Talayots—Bilithons and Monoliths —The English Missionary—The fepauish Flag-ship— Our Visit and Reception—Spanish Officers Speaking English—^The Organ played for Us . 97 CHAPTER Vin. Leave Port Mahon—Ville Franclie—Nice—Scenery— Cli- mate—The Promenade des Anglais—Exhibition— Monaco—Monte Carlo—The Casino and Gardens— The Gaming Tables—The Gamblers—Old and Young Playing— Heavy Losses taken Quietly— Weeping and Distress—Sail for Naples . ^. 113 CHAPTER IX. Corsican Light—Elba and Monte Christo —Corsican Moun- tains—Americans on Board—Bay of Naples—Vesu- vius—The City—Capri— Ischia—Naples—Land and Visit Museum—Relics of Pompeii and Herculaneum— Ancient Statuary—The Tomb of Virgil—The Aqua- rium —The Chiaia or Fashionable Drive—Streets and Beggars 131 CHAPTER X. En Route for Vesuvius—Long steep dreary Road— Traces Conienis. ix of Vegetation—Lava Beds—The Solitary Hut —Its History—The Observatory—The Railway Station— Start for the Cone—Arrival —A Snow-storm—Sul- phurous Gas—Rents and Fissures in Cone—Effloresced Sulphur—Frequent Eruptions—Guide Alarmed—Dash for the Crater—Stand on its Brink . 143 CHAPTER XI. Start for Ischia—Bright Sunshine—View of N'aples— Vesu- vius Unveiled—The Coast—Ischia and its History— Mount Epomeus—Extinct Volcanoes— Hot Springs— The Earthquake— Kuiu and Desolation—Walk Round the Town—The Guide and his Description—The Beautiful Valley—The Return Voyage—Beautiful Evening ICl CHAPTER XII. Sunday—Start for Pompeii—Porta del Marina—Museum —Human Bodies—Temples—Forum—Basilica—Baths —Private Houses—Streets and Shops— Wall Paintings — Statues—The Amphitheatre— Theatres—Excavating Still—The Skeleton in Situ—Church in Naples—Ex- — . quisite Statuary Sail for Palermo . 175 CHAPTER XIII. Storm at Night— Ceylon Behaves Well—Palermo Harbour —Scenery— City—Conchodoro — Cathedral—Monreale —Cathedral and Cloisters—Cappuccini Convent—Sub- terranean Corridors—The vast Golgotha—Advice to Visitors— The Palace—The Capella Palatina . 19a CHAPTER XIV. Leave Palermo—Lipari Islands— Strom boli— Etna—Straits of Messina—Grand Scenery—Scylla and Charybdis— Coast Lines—Etna in the Distance—Corfu—Albanian Coast—Snowy Range—Beautiful Harbour—Town of Corfu—Different Nationalities—Picnic in Albania— Duke of Sutherland 211 CHAPTER XV. Sailed from Corfu—Grand Views of Mountain Scenery— The Islands in the Ionian Sea—Ithaca and Cephalonia —Castle of Ulysses—Penelope—Zante—Cape Malea —Old Hermit—^The Myrtoan Sea—Sinus Sardonicus —Salamis—Distant View of the Acropolis— Piraeus— X Contents. Athens—Theseum—Philopappus—Socrates' Prison — Dionysia—Temple of Jupiter . 227 , CHAPTER XVI. Acropolis—Roman Theatre—Propylaea—Temple of Wing- less Victory—Parthenon—llie Erechtheum—Tomb of Cecrops— Caryatides—Tower of the "Wind— Lantern of Demosthenes—Areopagus—Scenery—The City of Athens—Phalerum—King and Queen of Greece— Salamis Bay— Kleusis—Second Visit to Acropolis 243 CHAPTER XVII. Ell Route for Malta—Arrive at Malta—Sail for Tunis— The Bay of Tunis— Site of Carthage—Masonry Reser- voirs—Sidi Ben Said— Cliapel of St. Louis —The Byrsa —Position of Ancient Harbour—Temple of P'.sculapius —Goletta—Railway—The Bey— Bazaar of Tunis— Moors—Moorish AVomen—Carpets—Jewellery—Lake Tunis— African Coast—Atlas Mountains . 257 CHAPTER XVIII. Algiers — New and Old Towns — The Kasbah—Walk through old Algerine Town—The Arabs—Arab Wo- men — French Officers — French Admiral — Zouave Barracks—Recruits at Drill—Zouave Pack—Men's Dinners — Trapiste Monastery — Bleda — Gorge of Chiffa—Cathedral—INIosque—British Consul-General —An Old Friend 273 CHAPTER XIX. Gibraltar—Ape's Hill—]Mud and Rain —The (naileries— St. Michael's Cave— 01<1 Friends— Glen Rocky—Old Friends Passed Away—The Old Jew— Sir John Adye —Leave Gibraltar—j\Lagnificent Sunset—The Coast of Portugal—Vigo Bay—The T'own of Vigo—Beauti- ful Scenery—The People of Vigo and the Women— The Schoolmaster 287 CHAPTER XX. On Shore—Showery Weather—'i'he Schoolmaster—His Opinion of People North and South—Leave Vigo— The Northern Channel—The Bay of Biscay—Heavy Swell—Homeward Bound—In the Channel—The Dear old Home—Iler Kindly Welcome—Arrive at Gravesend—Farewell Speeches . 305 CHAPTER I. THE STEAM-YACHT « CEYLON '—SAIL FROM SOUTHAMPTON— OCEAN STEAM YACHTING COMPANY—OBJECT OF THE COM- PANY—CAUGHT IN A FOG—ANCHOR INSIDE THE NEEDLES —SAIL AGAIN 4tH OF JANUARY—ROUGH NIGHT—FEL- LOW-PASSENGERS—SUNDAY PARADE AND SERVICE—THE DREADED BAY—DELIGHTS OF THE SEA—SHORTEN SAIL— HALF SPEED—GOOD-NIGHT. A TWO MONTHS' CRUISE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN CHAPTER I. N Thursday the 3rd of January, 1884, the steam-ship Ceylon^ belongino- to the Ocean Steam Yachting Company, Limited, sailed from Southampton as had been advertised, punctually at two o'clock, p.m., on a two months' pleasure cruise in the Mediterranean, during which, accord- ing to the published programme, it is intended that she shall call at a number B 2 4 The Ceylon. of of interest and I shall endea- places ; vour to Avrite something about tliese places, in the order in which we arrive at or depart from them. The Ceylon is a stately ship of 2,200 tons burden, fitted with powerful engines of the most modern type, and fully rigged as a barque. She is a beautiful model of a ship, sits gracefully on the water, and, having been only recently painted and thoroughly overhauled and trimmed, had the appearance of a man-of-war, or large private yacht, rather than an ordinary trading vessel. She has a deep counter, square stern, splendid beam, and a fine cut-water and graceful figure-head, this last so unusual now with ocean-going steamers. She was built upwards of twenty years ago by Messrs. Samuda for the P. and 0. for mail and passenger trade to India sun- ; and, having gone through The First Cruise. dry vicissitudes since the P. and 0. parted with her as unsuitable for cargo trade, she passed into the possession of a private company or syndicate, who conceived the idea of using her as an ocean-going yacht, and sent her on a cruise round the world, and afterwards on a second cruise to Ma- deira and the Azores. After this last cruise, however, the company (or syndicate) for reasons with which I am not fully ac- quainted, resolved to sell the ship, and accordingly the present company pur- chased, completely refitted, and propose to sail her as a yacht for the use of the public. This cruise is the first of a regular series of short voyages which it is intended she shall make, and in 'bringing before the public the objects which the Ocean Steam Yachting Company, Limited, have in view the directors wish to avoid conveying the 6 the , Object of Company, impression that the proposed cruises of the Ceylon are in any way to be considered as or personally conducted^ that any who j^ar- ticipate in them are to feel that they are members of a party in any other sense than that, with others, they form the comple- of the ment ship's passengers ; though doubtless, amongst those likely to be on board, pleasant and congenial parties will be formed. ' The chief object of the company is to supply what has been thought to be a public want, namely, to provide those fond of a sea-trip, or who may have been recommended one for the benefit of their health, a large, commodious, and Avell- appointed ship which, when in port, can be made available as a liome or head-quar- ters^ free from dirt, confusion, and man}' other annoyances incidental to a vessel when embarking or discharging cargo.' A Fog.