a
quarter-deck, and had, besides the rowers' seats, a slender mast and a
sail. Five youths, ideally handsome, with bared shoulders and limbs,
were busy about the boat, or were amusing themselves with a like number
of maidens, their sweethearts. One of these, who was sitting in the
centre of the deck twining wreaths of flowers, was noticeable as well
for her beauty as for her dress. The others waited upon her, stretched
an awning to shield her from the sun, and passed her flowers from the
basket. One, a flute player, sat at her feet, and accompanied with her
clear tones the singing of the others. The beauty in the centre had her
own particular admirer; yet the pair seemed rather indifferent to each
other, and I thought the youth almost rude.

"Meanwhile the other boat had come nearer. It was more simply fashioned,
and carried youths only. The colors of the first boat were red, but the
crew of this one wore green. They stopped at sight of the others, nodded
greetings to the maidens, and made signs that they wished to become
better acquainted. Thereupon the liveliest of the girls took a rose from
her bosom, and roguishly held it on high, as if to ask whether such a
gift would be welcome. She was answered with enthusiasm. The red youths
looked on, sullen and contemptuous, but could not object when several of
the maidens proposed to throw to the poor strangers at least enough to
keep them from starving. A basket of oranges--probably only yellow
balls--stood on deck; and now began a charming display, accompanied by
music from the quay.

"One of the girls tossed from light fingers a couple of oranges; back
they came from fingers in the other boat, as light. On they went, back
and forth, and as one girl after another joined in the sport dozens of
oranges were soon flying through the air. Only one, the beauty in the
middle of the boat, took no part, except to look on, curiously, from
her comfortable couch. We could not sufficiently admire the skill on
both sides. The boats circled slowly about, turning now the prow, now
the sides, toward each other. There were about two dozen balls
continually in the air, yet they seemed many more, sometimes falling in
regular figures, sometimes rising high in lofty curves, almost never
going astray, but seeming to be attracted by some mysterious power in
the outstretched hands.

"The ear was quite as well entertained as the eye--with charming
melodies, Sicilian airs, dances, Saltorelli, _Ca