Page:Life in the Old World - Vol. II.djvu/389

Rh arrive. Five strong rowers propelled us through the boiling waves, and our little boat was carried aloft on mountain waves and down into deep troughs of the sea; before us the heaven was clouded and the sailors began to exchange their merry cries about “macaroni,” into half-broken prayers to the Virgin. Little Elsa lay very pale and suffering in the boat, I suffered also from a kind of moral sea-sickness caused by anxiety for her; Hercules alone was calm and alert. The bad weather became a decided tempest with lightning and rain, just when we were sufficiently near Capri to lie to under the rocks, in a little cave, until the storm somewhat abated. High above our heads might be seen in the wall of rock an artificial gateway for the admission of carriages and goods, dating from the time of Tiberius, Timberius, as our sailors said. In half an hour we were able to continue our course, and an hour afterwards we were once more in our good hotel Pugani, where it was again a pleasure to inhale the fresh, cool air of the island, genuine Capri air, which seemed to us better than the air either of Ischia or Sorrento. The island was unusually lively on this day, from the celebration there of the Virgin Mary's birth-day, and cheerful voices were heard, and groups of festally-attired people might be seen wandering along on all hands.

Five days' stay in Capri gave us two glorious evenings with the grand spectacle of the sunset, flaming clouds and horizon, around the richly-colored sea, besides me morning of indescribable beauty, with a splendor of sunshine over heaven and earth, whilst we ascended five hundred and thirty-five steps up the cliffs