JACKS, JENNETS AND MULES 67 



mountains and romantic scenery. Here we took the 

 tourists' boat and rode the entire length, sixteen miles, 

 enjoying the whole immensely. Then by lake Como 

 on railroad. Then went to Magna Grotto, which is 

 3,327 feet above sea level, but the summit of moun- 

 tain above this grotto is 10,800 feet above the sea. 

 This tunnel is said to be nine miles in length and I 

 do not doubt it, for it took the cars considerable time 

 to pass through it. The descent makes two circles 

 into the side of the mountain to lessen the grade. 



We then turned to the Adriatic seashore in northern 

 Italy, and traveled almost parallel with the shore into 

 the heel of Italy. Several times we left the cars and 

 went into the interior searching for stock, finding 

 some good ones. And here let me say it may surprise 

 some to know how these people care for their donkeys. 

 Very many of the houses are built of stone, and the 

 donkey is kept on the first or ground floor, which is 

 also of stone. The family occupies the rooms above. 

 Barri and Forga are the principal cities visited on the 

 Adriatic sea. We spent two weeks at Martino Franka, 

 and visited many villages that were used during the 

 feudal system, whose watch towers and belfries still 

 stand well preserved. Portions of the walls around 

 some of these villages are in a good state of preserva- 

 tion, whilst other portions have yielded to time. Then 

 on to Toranto on the great sea. Thence an all day's 

 ride on cars to Naples where we remained one month, 

 daily viewing the noted Mount Vesuvius, from the 

 city and several times passed by its base, through 

 Pompeii. During our stay in Naples we visited all 

 the places of interest in the city; the Royal Palace, 

 the castle which was built by the Romans, whose base- 



