xv HOME LIFE AND TRAVELS 381 



cratic court, the convenience of which amidst the 

 unruly inhabitants the French well appreciate. One 

 great result of French civilisation is shown in the 

 restoration of the precious antiquities with which the 

 whole country teems. A tumbled down palace has 

 been repaired and is now filled with the most beautiful 

 statues, mosaic pavements, and architectural details of 

 temples. Parks are being laid out, good roads made, 

 electric lighting introduced, trams run along the streets, 

 and the Moors and Jews drive a thriving trade. Their 

 quaint costumes (for of all these I have ever seen, those 

 of the fat Jewesses of Tunis bear the palm) stand out 

 in vivid contrast to the modern aspects of the city. 



Every visitor to Tunis drives out through fields of 

 flowering asphodels to the site of Carthage, for of ruins 

 there are none to be seen, and yet remains of great 

 interest and value have there been found in opening 

 the tombs by the Franciscan Brothers, who live and 

 work in the monastery built on the spot, sacred to the 

 memory of St. Louis. 



From Tunis we took ship to Trepani, in Sicily, and 

 visited the two most remarkable sets of temples, though 

 not the best known, namely those of Segesta and 

 Selinunto. For their - description, as well as that of 

 Girgenti, Syracuse and Taormina, the reader may dip 

 into the interesting and amusing recital of the tour of 

 two energetic English ladies, who give accounts of 

 their travels in both well-known and unknown parts of 

 Trinacria. 1 



Among the sights of Naples none interests me more 

 than the Aquarium on the Chiaia, founded by J. Anton 

 Dorn. The beauty of the schools of herring and other 

 small fry in the glass cases of the Aquarium is equalled, 

 and perhaps surpassed, by that of the alcoholic 



1 Sunny Sicily, by Mrs. Tweedie. 



