HAWTHORNE'S JOURNEY TO FLORENCE.

FIRST DAY OF TRIP.

We passed through the Porta del Popolo at about 8 o'clock, and ... began our journey along the Flaminian Way.... The road was not particularly picturesque. The country undulated, but scarcely rose into hills.... Finally came to the village of Castel Nuovo di Porta ... between 12 and 1.... Afternoon, Soracte rose before us.... The road kept trending towards the mountain, following the line of the old Flaminian Way, which we could see at frequent intervals close beside the modern track. It is paved with large flagstones, laid so accurately together that it is still, in some places, as smooth and even as the floor of a church, and everywhere the tufts of grass found it difficult to root themselves into the interstices.... Its course is straighter than that of the road of to-day.... I forget where we finally lost it.... Passed through the town of Rignano—road still grew more and more picturesque.... Came in sight of the high, flat table-land, on which stands CivitÀ Castellana.... After passing over the bridge, I alighted with J. and R. and made the ascent on foot.... At the top our vetturino took us into the carriage again, and quickly brought us to what appears to be a very good hotel.... After a splendid dinner we walked out into the little town, etc.

MY NOTES.

LAST DAY OF TRIP.

We left CivitÀ Castellana at a quarter of eight. Road so rough, had to walk down-hill and up again. (So did Hawthorne's party.) Road very picturesque, and, before long, a distant glimpse of St. Peter's. Began to see, and occasionally to feel, the paving of the old Flaminian Way, which is abominable. Made of flagstones thrown roughly together, or else little blocks, like the Roman pavement. Coming on a stretch of it, at the foot of a hill, and hidden with dust, smashed our luggage-carrier, and loosened the machine,—more than the whole trip had done. Passed Rignano,—usual sensation,—good cafÉ. Under Soracte all morning. Reached Castel Nuovo di Porta at 11. (Distance to this village from CivitÀ Castellana much farther than from it to Rome, yet we reached it one hour sooner than Hawthorne did, starting out from Rome.) Road got worse and worse. Finally nothing but ruts and stones. Hills not to be laughed at (though Hawthorne thought them scarcely perceptible). Arrived at the Porta del Popolo about half-past one. (About three and a half hours' better time than Hawthorne.) Distance, thirty-five Italian miles.

SECOND DAY.

Roused at 4 o'clock this morning; ... ready to start between 5 and 6.... Remember nothing particularly till we came to Borghetto.... After leaving Borghetto, we crossed the broad valley of the Tiber.... Otricoli by and by appeared.... As the road kept ascending, and as the hills grew to be mountainous, we had taken on two additional horses, making six in all, with a man and boy ... to keep them in motion.... Murray's guide-book is exceedingly vague and unsatisfactory along this route.... Farther on [we saw] the gray tower of Narni.... A long, winding street passes through Narni, broadening at one point into a market-place; ... came out from it on the other side.... The road went winding down into the peaceful vale.... From Narni to Terni I remember nothing that need be recorded. Terni, like so many other towns in the neighborhood, stands in a high and commanding position.... We reached it between 11 and 12.... It is worth while to record, as history of vetturino commissary customs, that for breakfast we had coffee, eggs, and bread and butter; for lunch, an omelette, stewed veal, figs and grapes, and two decanters of wine; for dinner an excellent vermicelli soup, two young fowls fricasseed, and a hind-quarter of roast lamb, with fritters, oranges, and figs, and two more decanters of wine.

OUR SECOND DAY FROM ROME.

(We never got up at any such unearthly hours as Hawthorne indulged in.) Left Terni at 11 o'clock, having been obliged to get a new brake made. Terni, dead level, in low valley,—straight, wide road, ten miles across the valley,—surface of the road good. Just outside of Narni road climbs up a steep hill into the town. (There must have been an earthquake since Hawthorne's time, as Terni, which he saw in a high and commanding position, now stands in the lowest part of the valley, with mountains all around.) From Narni up nearly all the way to Otricoli, with the exception of here and there such a steep descent that we had to hold the machine back with all our might, riding for several hours was almost impossible. (Wish we had had six horses, a man, and a boy to pull us on.) From Otricoli, down and all across the valley, excellent riding to Borghetto; then big hill up, out on to the Campagna, and up and down—good road—all the way to CivitÀ Castellana, which we reached between 6 and 7. Terrible sensation!!! (This day Hawthorne came in two hours ahead; but he had six horses and the hills in his favor.) We eat every day coffee, bread and butter, and rolls in the morning; for lunch, a beefsteak, or macaroni, and fruit, no wine, but fresh lemons and water; for dinner, soup, two meats, fruit, and a fiasco of wine. Distance about thirty-three Italian miles. (We carried Baedeker, and not Murray, and found it not unsatisfactory.)

THIRD DAY.

At 6 o'clock this morning ... we drove out of the city gate of Terni.... Our way was now through the vale of Terni.... Soon began to wind among steep and lofty hills.... Wretched villages.... At Strettura we added two oxen to our horses, and began to ascend the Monte Somma, which ... is nearly four thousand feet high where we crossed it. When we came to the steepest part of the ascent, Gaetano allowed us to walk.... We arrived at Spoleto before noon.... After lunch ... we found our way up a steep and narrow street that led us to the city gate.... Resumed our journey, emerging from the city into the classic valley of the Clitumnus.... After passing Le Vene, we came to the little temple ... immortalized by Pliny.... I remember nothing else of the valley of Clitumnus, except that the beggars ... were well-nigh profane in the urgency of their petitions. The city of Terni seems completely to cover a high peaked hill.... We reached Foligno in good season yesterday afternoon. [This passage really belongs to his fourth day of travel, but as it shows at what time of the third day he reached Foligno, I have included it with the third.]

THIRD DAY.

Left Assisi about 8. Splendid coast down into the valley. Beautiful ride over the undulating road, past Spello to Foligno, not stopping in the latter place, excepting to have accidents wished us by an old woman we almost ran over. Then through the beautiful valley of the Clitumnus—grand road—lovely day and wonderfully fair country. (We saw no beggars.) Rode by the little temple spoken of by Pliny. Ate some bread and cheese at Le Vene. Reached Spoleto at one; lunched; then rode up the steep street, through the gate at the other end of the city, and then began a tremendous climb of six miles over Monte Somma, most of which we had to walk. At last had hard work to push. Coming finally to the top, found the descent on the other side even steeper. Where it was a little less steep, we got on the machine, put on the brake, which came off in my hand. Bad brake was the one defect in our tandem. Had to walk the rest of the way. In Strettura, men set bull on us. (Not quite so pleasant as Hawthorne's experience.) Arrived in Terni at 8 o'clock, having walked the last few miles by moonlight,—about forty miles all together, of which we walked fully the last fourteen. (Made in one day what Hawthorne did in a day and a half.)

FOURTH DAY.

I have already remarked that it is still possible to live well in Italy at no great expense, and that the high prices charged to forestieri are artificial, and ought to be abated.... We left Foligno betimes in the morning; ... soon passed the old town of Spello.... By and by we reached Assisi. We ate our dÉjeÛner, and resumed our journey.... We soon reached the Church of St. Mary of the Angels.... By and by came to the foot of the high hill on which stands Perugia, and which is so long and steep that Gaetano took a yoke of oxen to aid his horses in the ascent. We all, except my wife, walked a part of the way up.... The coach lagged far behind us.

FOURTH DAY.

(Expenses of this trip about five francs a day each.) Rode from Perugia to Assisi, a distance of fourteen miles, in about two hours. Splendid coast down the hill outside of Perugia (up which Hawthorne walked). Crossed the Tiber. Visited Santa Maria degli Angeli. Awful stitch in my side. Climbed up into Assisi, where we stayed all afternoon, to recover, and to see the church.

FIFTH DAY.

Left Perugia about 3 o'clock to-day, and went down a pretty steep descent.... The road began to ascend before reaching the village of Mugione; ... between 5 and 6 we came in sight of the Lake of Thrasymene, ... then reached the town of Passignano. (He stayed there all night.)

FIFTH DAY.

I covered their fifth and sixth days' ride, this time by myself on the tricycle, in three hours and a half actual riding time, and was pulled up the long hill into Perugia, in a most easy and delightful way, behind the diligence.

From Arezzo, Hawthorne went directly to Florence in one day, over a road which Italian cyclers have told me is excellent, and which is the post-road to Rome. We went by way of Montepulciano and Siena, being between two and three weeks on the way. I hope this short account of about one third of our ride will convince other people that cycling is far quicker than the old posting system, far pleasanter than riding in a stuffy railway-carriage, which whirls you through tunnels, and far the best way in which to see Italy,—a country which abounds in magnificent roads, and which should be thoroughly explored by all cyclers who care for something beside record-making.

SIXTH DAY.

We started at 6 o'clock ... [for Arezzo]. We saw Cortona, like so many other cities in this region, on its hill, and arrived about noon at Arezzo.