XX.] RECEPTION AT NAPLES. 727 



but when they saw to what high personages our telegrams were 

 addressed, and were informed by their countryman Bove, who 

 wore his uniform, to what vessel we belonged, they became very 

 obliging. Oue of them accompanied us back to our boat, after 

 providing us with excellent torches which spread abundant light 

 around our footsteps. They were much needed, for we were 

 now compelled to share the astonishment of our guide that in 

 the darkness we had succeeded in making our way over the 

 rugged hills covered with cactus plants and bushy thickets 

 between the railway and the coast, and along a railway viaduct 

 which we had jDassed on our way to the station without having 

 any idea of it. It was the last adventure of the voyage of the 

 Vega, and my first landing on the glorious soil of Italy. 



On the 14th February, at 1 p.m., the Vega arrived at Naples. 

 At Capri a flag-ornamented steamer from Sorrento met us; 

 somewhat later, another from Naples, both of which accom- 

 panied us to the harbour. Here the Swedish expedition was 

 saluted by an American war-vessel, the Wyoming, with twenty- 

 one guns. The harbour swarmed with boats adorned with 

 flags. Scarcely had the Vega anchored — or more correctly 

 been moored to a buoy — when the envoy LiNDSTRAND, the 

 Swedish-Norwegian consul Clausen, Prince Teano, president 

 of the Geographical Society, Commander Martin Franklin, 

 Commendatore Negri, and others came on board. The last- 

 named, who nearly two years before had made a special journey 

 to Sweden to be present at the departure of the Vega, now 

 came from Turin commissioned by the Italian government, and 

 deputed by the municipalities of Florence and Venice, the 

 Turin Academy of Sciences, and several Italian and foreign 

 geographical societies, to welcome the Expedition, which had 

 now brought its labours to a happy issue. 



After Herr Lindstrand, as King Oscar's representative, had 

 welcomed the Expedition to Europe, and publicly conferred 

 Swedish decorations on Palander and me, and two adjutants of 

 the Italian Ministry of Marine had likewise distribvited Italian 

 orders to some of the Vega men, some short speeches were 

 exchanged, on which the members of the Expedition, accom- 

 panied by the persons enumerated above, landed in the 

 Admiral's steam-launch under a salute of twenty-one guns 

 from the Italian guard-ship. On the landing-quay, where 

 a large crowd of the inhabitants of the city was assembled 

 the Swedish seafarers were received by the Syndic of Naples, 

 Count GlUSSO, accompanied by a deputation from the munici- 

 pality, &c. Here we were taken, between rows of enthusiastic 

 students, in the gala carriages of the municipality, to the Hotel 

 Royal des fitrangeres, where a handsome suite of apartments, 

 along with equipages and numerous attendants, was placed at 



