(Charge for entrance to the Grotto, guides and smaller illumination (156 candles) for two visitors, 5 florins, 70 kreuzers. Same, for four persons, 7 fl. 20 kr. Larger illumination (410 candles) two persons, 7 fl. 70 kr; four persons 9 fl. 20 kr. The illumination with 1,800 candles, for two persons, 21 f. 20 kr.; for four persons, 23 fl. 90 kr. Special arrangements may be made for an illumination with lime lights at very moderate cost.)

NABRESINA (3514 miles), from which the direct line to Venice branches off. We have a good view of the Adriatic below, as we approach

TRIESTE (363 miles. Hotels: see "HOTEL APPENDIX "), population 105,000. This town is situate at the head of the Gulf of Trieste, an arm of the Gulf of Venice. It is enclosed by hills, in the form of a semicircle, and consists of the old town, the new town, the Josephsstadt, and the Franzens-Vorstadt. The old town, surmounted by the castle, occupies the site of the Roman colony Tergeste, the Cathedral, a Byzantine edifice of great antiquity, near the castle, standing, it is said, on the site of a temple of Jupiter. The modern parts of the town are well built, and contain handsome houses and spacious squares. The Tergesteum is a splendid modern structure, containing a bazaar, a grand concert and ball-room, exchange and reading-rooms, and the offices of the Austrian Lloyd's. On the seashore, to the north, is a magnificent Lazaretto, with a harbour in which 60 vessels can perform quarantine at once. There are numerous churches for various nationalities, of which the Greek church is the finest; and among the other buildings worthy of in

spection is the Palazzo Revoltella, containing some very fine objects of art, and splendidly furnished. Trieste is the see of a bishop, the seat of civil, mercantile, and marine courts, and of a number of important public offices, and possesses various establishmentsbenevolent, educational, literary, and scientific. The country around the city is extremely beautiful— gardens, vineyards, and orchards, under an Italian sky, meet the eye in every direction.

The city first receives historical mention 51 B. C., when it was overrun and plundered by neighbouring tribes. It was much improved by Augustus, and in 1382 finally passed into the hands of Austria. It owes its prosperity chiefly to the Emperor Charles VI., who constituted it a free port, and to Maria Theresa.

Trieste is one of the largest steam-packet stations in Europe. Steamers leave at frequent intervals for all the chief ports of the Adriatic and Mediterranean.

Leaving Nabresina we pass along the shore of the Adriatic to Monfalcone (3544 miles), and after passing several unimportant places reach UDINE (3944 miles. Hotel : L'Europe), population 24,000. This town is still surrounded by its old fortifications. It resembles Venice in many particulars; indeed some of its buildings and monuments are copies of those in Venice. The Cathedral is a fine building in the Byzantine style. The Bishop's Palace has a curious picture by Jean of Udine. PORDENONE (4244 miles), supposed to be the Portus Naonis of the Romans, is a town of 4,200 inhabitants. There are large paper-mills here. CONEGLIANO (442 miles. Hotel: La Posta), population 6,800. The Castle, above the town, is a fine building. In the

Duomo, or Cathedral, is a handsome altar-piece. Before arriving at the station we pass under a triumphal arch, erected in honour of the late Emperor Francis I. of Austria. Passing some other places of no interest we reach TREVISO (470 miles. Hotel: Quatro Corone), population 18,800. This town is situated on the Sile. It is a bishop's see, and the capital of the province of the same name. Considerable manufactures of cloth and paper are carried on here. The handsome Cathedral contains some good frescoes, an altar-piece by Titian, and pictures by P. Bordone and Pordenone, and sculptures by Sansovino and Lombardi. The Church of San Nicolo, a Gothic structure, has some fine paintings, and a good fresco. In the Monte di Pietà there is a picture of "The Burial of Christ," the last work of Giorgione. The Theatre and Paluzzo Publico are handsome buildings. The gardens attached to the Villa Manfrini are well laid out, and extensive. At Mestre (471 miles) the line from Padua falls in. We next reach VENICE (476 miles). (See Route 127.)

The Austrian Lloyd's steamers leave Trieste for Venice on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at midnight. Time, 8 hours. Fares, 9 florins, and 6 fl. 50 kr. Steamers also leave Venice for Trieste on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at midnight.

ROUTE 122.

VIENNA TO PESTH.

1714 miles; 1st class, 10 fl. 98 kr. ; 2nd, 8 fi. 24 kr.; 3rd, 5 fl. 49 kr.

TEAMERS leave Vienna for Pesth every morning during the summer months. The voyage occupies about 13 hours, but the return Voyage takes nearly twice that time. It would be advisable therefore for tourists who wish to vary the journey to go by steamer to Pesth, and return to Vienna by rail. Express fares by steamer are, for the 1st cabin, fl. 13.32; 2nd cabin, fl. 9.99.

From Vienna to GANZENDORF (18 miles), see Route 119.

Passing Marchegg (304 miles), we cross the Austrian frontier at Neudorf (33 miles), and reach

PRESBURG (414 miles), (Hotels: Grüner Baum, Rother Ochs, Goldene Rose), population 46,000. It is situate on the left bank of the Danube. The site of the town is remarkably fine, being in the form of a semi-circle. The neighbouring hills are clothed with vineyards. It was long the principal city of Hungary, having been made the capital in 1541, when the Turks took possession of Buda; and even as late as the last quarter of the 18th century, it was the most beautiful, and the most populous town in the kingdom. The edifices most deserving of notice are the Royal Palace, a building once of great magnificence, but accidentally destroyed by fire in 1811, and not since repaired; the Landhaus, or Hall of the Diet, in which the chambers of the kingdom meet; the Cathe

dral, a huge Gothic pile, in which the kings of Hungary were crowned; the Capuchin Franciscan, and Ursuline Monasteries, each with a handsome church attached; the bishop's palace, the theatre, &c.

Presburg is a place of great antiquity, and had acquired some importance even before the country was subjugated by the Romans. In after times it became as abovementioned, the capital of Hungary, and retained the honour till the Emperor Joseph II. restored it to Buda. The peace by which Austria ceded Venice to France, and the Tyrol to Bavaria, was concluded here in 1805.

Leaving Presburg we proceed past several unimportant places to NEUHAUSEL (97 miles), situated on the Neutra, with a population of about 6,200. (Day train halts here 12 minutes for dinner.) GRAN-NANA (124 miles) is situated on the Danube, on the opposite side of which is Gran, a steamboat station. We continue along the left bank of the river to

see

PESTH (1714 miles), (Hotels: 66 HOTEL APPENDIX"), population, including Buda, 202,000. This is the most populous and important city of Hungary. It lies on the left bank of the Danube. Its low situation contrasts strongly with the antique, picturesque, and rock-built Buda, on the other side of the river. The two cities are connected by a fine suspension bridge, erected in 1849, the length of which is about 1,500 ft.

Pesth is the seat of the chief judicial courts of Hungary. Its University is richly endowed; it is attended by upwards of 2,000 students, and attached to it are a museum, a botanic garden, and a library of 80,000 volumes. Other public buildings are the Neugebaude, an immense edifice now

used as barracks, and as an artillery depot; the parish church, a Gothic structure, the Synagogue, the National Museum, with a library of 125,000 volumes; the Theatre capable of holding 3,000 persons, and the National Casino, which is open to strangers.

Near the city is the Rakos Mezo (field of Rákos), a plain where the Diet, the great national assembly of the Magyars, used to be held in the open air, and the deputies, attended by their vast retinue of vassals, sometimes swelled to the number of 100,000 men, who remained encamped in tents during the continuance of the sittings. The Rákos is now famous for its annual horse-races.

BUDA (called in German OFEN (oven,) either on account of its hot springs, or because of the limekilns in the vicinity), has a highly picturesque appearance, being built round the Castle-hill in the form of an amphitheatre, in the midst of a district covered with vineyards. Crowning this hill is the Royal Palace which contains, in its chapel, the royal insignia of Hungary, and has many fine apartments. Buda has various charitable and scientific institutions, and contains in all thirteen churches and a synagogue. There are here some celebrated hot sulphurous springs, used as baths successively by the Romans, the Turks, and those who came after them, down to the present day.

It is a place of great antiquity, but its importance dates from 1240, when the fortress was erected. During the inroads of the Turks, it was regarded as the key of Christendom. It was captured by Solyman the Magnificent in 1526, but retaken the following year by Ferdinand I. King of Bohemia. In 1541, it was again taken by Solyman, who introduced into it

a garrison of 12,000 janizaries; and it remained in the possession of the Turks until 1686, when it was captured by the Duke of Lorraine.

FROM VIENNA TO PESTH

(By River.)

A steamer leaves Vienna every morning for Pesth, occupying thirteen hours. A small steamer starts from the Ferdinand Bridge at 6.30 a.m. and transfers the passengers to the large steamer near Lobau island, about half an hour later. The chief places on the route are as follows: right, Deutsch Altenberg, with a castle, and near by on a hill, the fine Gothic church of St. John. Right, Hainburg, a picturesque town with old walls, and an extensive ruin on a neighbouring height. The Austrian Government tobacco factory is here, occupying 1,100 hands. PRESBURG, the old palace

of which, now in ruins, is a conspicuous object for a long distance, (see Route 122 above). Below Presburg, the banks are flat and uninteresting. Left, KOMORN (population 18,000) a strong fortress, which was for a long time successfully defended by the Hungarians in 1849. GRAN, on the right bank, is the residence of the Primate of Hungary. The cathedral, built as an imitation of St. Peter's, at Rome, is a conspicuous object. It was built in 1821. Near it is an extensive college. Wissegrad, right, is surmounted by the ruins of a castle, which as early as the 11th century was inhabited by the Kings of Hungary. Waitzen, left, has a cathedral similar to that of Gran. At the upper end of the town is an extensive workhouse with a Gothic church. At AltOfen, the steamers of the Danube Co. are built. Soon the heights of Buda (Ofen) with the Royal Palace, are seen, and soon after the steamer lands at the busy wharf of PESTH. (For description see above.)

HE territory comprised under the name of Italy is bounded on the north by France and Switzerland, on the south by the Mediterranean, on the west by France and the Mediterranean, and on the east by the Ionian and Adriatic Seas. The Alps, which extend in a curved line from the Gulf of Genoa to the head of the Adriatic, form its northern frontier. The Apennines, which stretch through the entire length of the Italian peninsula, are the most important among the subsidiary chains of the Alpine system. Their average height varies from three to five thousand feet, but in the middle portions of the range, several summits rise to between seven and eight thousand feet in height. Mount Corno,the highest, attains

133. FLORENCE TO ROME 134. FLORENCE TO SIENA 135. ROME TO NAPLES 136. NAPLES TO MESSINA 628 137. NAPLES TO PALERMO . 630

a height of upwards of 9,500 feet above the level of the sea. In the spaces between the mountains and hills lie valleys remarkable either for their wild romantic beauties or the fertility of their soil. Between the Alps and the northern portion of the Apennine chain is the plain of Lombardy, which has a gradual slope towards the head of the Adriatic. The lower part of this plain is nearly a perfect level and the most richly cultivated and populous portion of Italy. The other great plains are those of Piedmont, the Venetian plains, the plain of the Campo Felice, on which stands Vesuvius, the Apulian plain, and the long narrow Neapolitan plain of the Basilicata, stretching along the Gulf of Ta

rento.

A volcanic zone traverses the peninsula from the centre to the south, of which the most remark