rrison of Clissa in a night attack, led
by the archdeacon, who, with three canons, was left on the field. Their
leader dead, they were not able to retain possession of the fortress.
Under Venice, Spalato was the principal place for trade with Persia and
the Indies, and many noble Venetian families established themselves
there.

[Illustration: ITALIAN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE BOATS, SPALATO

_To face page 303_]

The costume of the country people shows the influence of Turkish and
Oriental relations, and suggests the possibility of many figures in Old
Italian pictures being painted from Dalmatian models. The men are
generally blonde, and wear great moustaches. They are fond of bright
colours, and wear light-blue tight cloth hose, red-and-green stockings,
the usual shoes, a broad red-leather girdle, which used to have weapons
in it, a red waistcoat, a short brown jacket embroidered with red and
ornamented at the corners with red and white stripes, and on the head a
turban of a red-brown colour. These costumes may be seen in numbers in
the morning in the market, on the way to the station. The women have a
shawl or folded piece of stuff on their heads, and frequently wear
printed calicoes of a startling pattern in the town, but outside have a
modification of the usual Morlacca costume.

Along the quays many Italian boats are moored, bringing cargoes of
fruit, onions, and other kindred produce, which they appear to sell
retail as well as wholesale; and many picturesque subjects may be noted,
to which the masts and rigging, awnings and sails, weather-beaten paint,
baskets of gleaming fruit and other articles, cordage, gangway planks,
&c., in careless arrangement, lend attractiveness and beauty, whether in
the full glare of the midday sun, with its strong contrasts of light and
shade, or in the early morning or late evening, when its level rays tend
to greater simplicity of effect and greater glow of colour. On Sunday
evening the long parapet of the Marina is lined with townsfolk taking
the air, while those who desire to show off their toilettes march up and
down the Piazza dei Signori (which appears to answer to the "Park") for
an hour or so, after which it resumes its usual quiet condition. On the
morning of May 1, the _municipio_ was decorated with flags, and saluted
by a band which played in front of it for a short time and then marched
off, still playing.

At the end of the Marina is the Franciscan convent dedicated to S.