almost of uniform height from point to
point of the little bay, except where a deep gorge has split the rock,
and comes to the sea, forming a cove, where a cluster of rude buildings
is likely to gather. Along the precipice, which now juts and now recedes
a little, are villas, hotels, old convents, gardens, and groves. I can
see steps and galleries cut in the face of the cliff, and caves and
caverns, natural and artificial: for one can cut this tufa with a knife;
and it would hardly seem preposterous to attempt to dig out a cool,
roomy mansion in this rocky front with a spade.

As we pull away, I begin to see the depth of the plain of Sorrento, with
its villages, walled roads, its groves of oranges, olives, lemons,
its figs, pomegranates, almonds, mulberries, and acacias; and soon the
terraces above, where the vineyards are planted, and the olives also.
These terraces must be a brave sight in the spring, when the masses of
olives are white as snow with blossoms, which fill all the plain with
their sweet perfume. Above the terraces, the eye reaches the fine
outline of the hill; and, to the east, the bare precipice of rock,
softened by the purple light; and turning still to the left, as the boat
lazily swings, I have Vesuvius, the graceful dip into the plain, and the
rise to the heights of Naples, Nisida, the shining houses of Pozzuoli,
Cape Misenum, Procida, and rough Ischia. Rounding the headland, Capri
is before us, so sharp and clear that we seem close to it; but it is a
weary pull before we get under its rocky side.

Returning from Capri late in the afternoon, we had one of those effects
which are the despair of artists. I had been told that twilights are
short here, and that, when the sun disappeared, color vanished from the
sky. There was a wonderful light on all the inner bay, as we put off
from shore. Ischia was one mass of violet color, As we got from under
the island, there was the sun, a red ball of fire, just dipping into the
sea. At once the whole horizon line of water became a bright crimson,
which deepened as evening advanced, glowing with more intense fire,
and holding a broad band of what seemed solid color for more than three
quarters of an hour. The colors, meantime, on the level water,
never were on painter's palette, and never were counterfeited by the
changeable silks of eastern looms; and this gorgeous spectacle continued
till the stars came out, crowding the sky with silver points.

Our boatmen,