32 From 1850 to 1862 



II 



this place are perfectly marvellous ; I had no idea 

 that they were so perfect or on so large a scale. 

 We have had wonderful snipe shooting, and have 

 killed nearly a hundred in the last three days. Only 

 think of us, shooting snipe amidst magnificent tufts 

 of papyrus and beds of the most exquisite wild 

 narcissus — infinitely sweeter than the cultivated ones 

 — and acres and acres of lovely sweet-scented purple 

 iris, with the vultures soaring above us and the 

 swallows skimming over our heads — and all this 

 at Christmas time ! Our best shooting was about 

 the fountain of Cyane — now only a mass of rushes 

 and great reeds. You cannot imagine how beautiful 

 the papyrus is with its strong green stalks rising 

 ten or twelve feet high, crowned with most graceful 



tufts of light green filaments a foot or two long. 

 One corner of the river, where we were actually shut 

 in on all sides by these lovely reeds, and they were 

 reflected in the bright, clear water, was the most 

 exquisite bit that I ever saw in my life.' 



A few days afterwards he wrote : — 



' Surely this is one of the loveliest places in the 

 world ! Last night, just at sunset, we ran through 

 the Straits of Messina, and had the bright green 

 tinted hills, with the beautiful crescent city at their 

 feet, on the left hand ; and, on the right, Reggio, 

 backed by the tumbled masses of Calabria, ranging 

 away, peak after peak, till they culminated in the 

 wild Aspromonte hills, snow covered and storm 

 swept ; and around us was the blue sea, flecked 



