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11 November 1885 — Rome | |
Wednesday. 11th November [1885]. We breakfasted at 9 & at 10 drove to the station with Sir John & took the train to Checchino; there we changed into a train to Albano. At that place we got into a little open carriage & drove to the small town of Giusano where we got out & went into a magazine to see the various statues, marble & terra cotta, which Sir John discovered at Nemi & which he stores up here. Then we mounted on donkeys in order to ride to his excavations near Nemi. At first we mounted the hill & then turned down towards the lake. Sir John rode in front & his donkey was so frisky & his saddle so insecure that we suddenly saw him on the ground. He quickly remounted & we rode down a precipitous path which brought us on to the Lake of Nemi & we continued on a slope down to the further end of the lake we rode through several vineyards & found ourselves in the place where Sir John has already dug out several portions of the foundations of the Temple of Diana. The excavations are most interesting & the foundations of a wall very perfect. After going all about the spot we mounted our donkeys & returned to Checchino & found the carriage ready to drive us on to Civita Lavinia & after about 30 mins: drive we reached a picturesque little town with a fine old castle perched on the hill overlooking the plain & the distant sea. The town is said to be built on the top of the old Roman theatre & the street slopes down in such a way as makes it very probably. In the square is a curious public fountain built to represent a kind of rude arch of big stones, thro the arch was a most picturesque group of women washing at a trough. We got out of the carriage & walked along a narrow lane to Sir John’s vineyard & inspected the excavations & saw some of the fine remains of a Chariot & 4 horses wh he has unearthed. His servant in the meanwhile prepared some refreshments of wh we were much in need. He brought out of a cellar a table & bench & placed it under a kind of arbour & we sat down to satisfy a rampant appetite. Suddenly I turned to Sir John who was sitting next me & was just saying “this bench is not safe” when the legs of it gave way & we all came down of a row like ninepins. Amidst fits of laughter we picked ourselves up & another bench having been brought we finished our meal in peace. After this we drove to the nearest point of the railway station of Civita Lavinia & had to walk some way by the side of the line & then to wait abt ½ hour for the train by wh time it was nearly 6 & quite dark & we were glad when the train came which took us back to Rome by abt 7 o’clock. We dined at 8 o’clock. | |
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