JOTTINGS FROM A TRAVELLER'S JOURNAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 974, 20 June 1883, Page 4

JOTTINGS FROM A TRAVELLER'S JOURNAL.

[WBITTBN BPKOIAI.LT FOR THE “ASHBURTON GUARDIAN.”]

No. xvni.

Leaving San Remo— Subterranean Travelling— Studies of Character —A Table d’Hotb—The Reading Room— Modbrn Infidelity A Bi-.ight Exception—Out of the Tunnel— BusSANA —POGGIO. I suspect that some portions of my journal will be considered prosaic and dull. If my suspicions are well founded, I must crave the indulgence of my readers. If every portion of the globe I visit were equally attractive and rich in objects of interest, and my descriptive p y always equal to the occasion, I might succeed in maintaining a style of level entertainment. But mental moods vary as much at different times as the features of the landscape in different places. The world is not a continuous garden; more weeds than flowers are to be found upon its surface, and if my journal be according to the reality of things, and not meiely a fanciful record, the jottings from it must sometimes be comparatively commonplace. For a considerable distance after leaving San Remo, the country is less attractive. The line runs along the coast, affording frequent views of the sea. Landward, the prospect is often limited by the hills, that sometimes are so near that but little space is left between the roadway and high water mark. Here and there, however, the view expands, valleys surrounded by gentle slopes, intersected by gullies, intervene, reminding one of the scenery in some parts of New Zealand. The inhabitants have done their best to utilise the naturally uninviting coast line. The face of the hills is terraced. Stone walla rise, one above another, in tiers, supporting narrow strips of soil planted with vines. A tunnel pierces Capo Yerdo, pleasant. But the traveller may often find diverting compensation in the chatter of the chance companions whd occupy the same carriage with himself. While lam taking my readers through the long tunnel 1 may 7S2SMB&SS& IfZ continent. ’Even the contracted space of a railway carriage furnishes examples ; but the table d'hote of a crowded continental hotel is the place_ to see a variety of life. It may be likened to a menagerie. As I belong to the genus homo.&nd must, therefore, include myself, I may be pardoned if I say that in the company that gathers around 3B itdSbe (dffiole you msy find all kinds of animals. As in a veritable menagerie there are wild animals and tame, sleek-skinned and rough-hided, spotted and striped, and sleepy creatures, and creatures that growl and show their teeth ; together with birds of varied and grey to raataors of prismatic hue, so in the men and women composing the nomadic society of a continental hotel there is. a mfldleyi-beacn individual betraying peculiarities of habit, temper, and disposition. But the best part of the exhibiting ns to the animals feed. There is a tehiale specimen of the crane kind, who pecks at her plate like a bird with a long neck ; and next to her is literally ons,g| resembling a pouter pigeon, fair, fat, and forty at the very least, who gobbles in the viands and talks with her mouth full in a way that [may : i A tfe&PTo spectators whose stomachs are not week. A little lower down the table is a young man of jh danger of dropping his eye-glass into the dish the ' waiter holds, as he turns over its contents the entrie. The dinner table is not the only place where mannerisms of all kinds are displayed. J ,^e ! and the demeanor of the groups that gather in the toUe recreazione, or reading-room, after the repast, is even more notable and surprising. Talkers are more plentiful than listeners, and well it issoTfor the topics dis cussed are not always edifying, especially when pseudo-philosophers get together, ami contemptuously discard established principles and divineTkurfsj iftiAi jiarade their own conceits as axioms that cannot but be preferred. Their talk is tremendous ! * ‘ Objective l\and - ‘ J-Kubjectiye such like termY*'artr "hkftcliad about' 'to the bewilderment of many. They pick the world to pieces and put it together again on an plftW, o#tthi*sueh an assumption of wisdom and skill, that if you could but believe, their creation would be perfect, and much more worthy of commendation thSHTthat which was announced originally to be “ very good.” And as to religion and religious faith, tei»f with reason and modern enlightenment. Intellect, henceforth, is to be the only god 1 To hear them talk —especially if you could brjpgj(|9urfifainfrito regard them as reliable authorities —is enough to frighten you, and give birth to an uneasy apprehension that personal existence is a problem the final issttwrof which are as uncertain as the determination of a balloon sent up on a holiday for the amuseBut as in a mena.erie—if I may recur to the simile without offence—there are pleasant attractive animals, as well as those that are repulsive,- so in the travelling assemblies of human beings, there are some individuals whom, in spite of peculiar characteristics, you are compelled “i have one such grotesque but gentle and lovable creature before the eye of ray yonhgpld man who charmed everyone who oamvw contact witK ! hiftf. ,!:6 llis face was full of wrinkles, but so finely drawn that it seemed as if Time had had a sneaking kindness for him, because of his kindness to others. The expression cf his countenance was as bright as sunshine ; and the curves about his mouth were tell-tale witnesses of the laughter he delighted to provoke. His eyes had a liquid softness, not such as is often the result of too frequent and copious bibations of fluid stimulants—but the overflowings of natural good humor. When he shook hands it was as if his whole warm being had you in its grasp. Even his clothes were testimonials of character ; they were so large and loose that they seemed to •ay their owner abhorred restraint, and was determined to be easy and comfortable. The size of his waistcoat plainly intimated the largeness of his heart. His Coat was not superfine, but superlatively social, and his bulging pockets almost invited others to share their contents. His very boots were too benevolent to hurt - his corns; and it was plain from his shirt collar that there was not a particle of Starch ■or stiffness in bis nature; had it never stood bp as if it a design upon his jugular, or wished to cat off his ear, In short, he was a most amiable oddity, and though a prize specimen of his class, I am glad to say I have met others of his kind, if not in all respects as perfect in every point. Such characters make up for the disagreeable creatures with whom you occasionally are obliged to associate. Bat we are through the tunnel, and at t ..fhe risk of being prosy, I must resume commonplace description. Emerging into the light I got a view of Bussana. When I ssj it is charmingly situated, 1 must be ’ understood as speaking from an artistic ; point of view, for it is perched upon a ; * spot apparently inaccessible.. If I lived there,' and’ bad business to do at times in |/ ; the lower regions—ss I suppose some of

the inhabitants must have —I should want the wings of a bird to get back home, tne charm would be destroyed if I had to climb. Across the valley is the village of Poggi ; what it gains from its situation being more accessible, it loses by being less romantic.

[To be continued.]