d, missing the train, had to return on foot in
the middle of the day. The railway customs are rather curious. On one
visit I asked for return tickets, and, as they were not taken on
leaving the station at Salona, supposed I had them. In the train the
guard told us as we were returning that they were not available, and
that we must therefore pay a fine of a florin! I, of course, protested,
detailed the circumstances, and pleaded the ignorance of a foreigner;
and on arrival at Spalato the matter was referred to a higher official,
who was graciously pleased to refund the fine, and accept the fare for a
single journey. The traveller in Austria must not calculate on paying
his fare on the train, as he would do on the Italian light railways.

Near the station at Salona is a little _osteria_, in and about which a
number of antique fragments are disposed. It was stopping to have some
wine here that caused us to miss our train. There were some eight or ten
children playing beneath the pergola, and I found by experience how
small a sum may suffice to make a human being happy, since the
distribution of three halfpence in heller, the small copper coin which
is the basis of calculation, delighted them all! As we left the station
on arriving we saw a crowd of peasants kneeling at the cross roads, with
three banners, a big crucifix, a chandelier with three candles, and
other objects rising above their bent heads. The priest in the centre
was blessing the fields, sprinkling holy water in all directions, whilst
prayers and responses went up from the kneeling people, the smoke from
the censers which the acolytes were slowly swinging hanging round the
group like a cloud. Afterwards they came down the road in procession.
The priest held a little silver crucifix on a base; near him were the
acolytes bearing their various, utensils, and a choir of male singers.
The men and boys went first, in two rows down the sides of the road,
just as we had often seen in Italy. The women and girls followed.

[Illustration: OSTERIA AT SALONA

_To face page 310_]

The oldest part of the city is towards the Clissa road, for it spread
westwards. The Basilica Urbana is quite close to the wall, and only a
little farther south are the Porta Suburbia and the Porta Caesarea. Of
the latter the arches no longer exist, but the ruts in the stone show
the carriage-way, flanked by two footways. The Basilica Urbana, with its
accompanying buildings, has been fully exca