Transcribed from the 1913 Thomas J. Wise pamphlet by DavidPrice, . Many thanks to Norfolk andNorwich Millennium Library, UK, for kindly supplying the imagesfrom which this transcription was made.
by
GEORGE BORROW
London:
printed for private circulation
1913
Venice,
October 22nd, 1844.
My Dearest Carreta,
I arrived this day at Venice, and though I am exceedinglytired I hasten to write a line to inform you of mywell-being. I am now making for home as fast as possible,and I have now nothing to detain me.
Since I wrote to you last I have been again in quarantine fortwo days and a half at Trieste, but I am glad to say that I shallno longer be detained on that account. I was obliged to goto Trieste, though it was much out of my way, p. 6otherwise Imust have remained I know not how long in Corfu, waiting for adirect conveyance. After my liberation I only stopped a dayat Corfu in order that I might lose no more time, though I reallywished to tarry there a little longer, the people were sokind. On the day of my liberation I had four invitations todinner from the officers. I, however, made the most of mytime, and escorted by one, Captain Northcott, of the Rifles, wentover the fortifications, which are most magnificent. I saweverything that I well could, and shall never forget the kindnesswith which I was treated. The next day I went for Triestein a steamer, down the whole length of the Adriatic. I washorribly unwell, for the Adriatic is a bad sea, and verydangerous; the weather was also very rough. After stoppingat Trieste a day, besides the quarantine, I left for Venice, andhere I am, and hope to be on my route again the day after p.7to-morrow. I shall now hurry through Italy by wayof Ancona, Rome, and Civita Vecchia to Marseilles in France, andfrom Marseilles to London, in not more than six days’journey. Oh, I shall be so glad to get back to you and mymother (I hope she is alive and well) and Hen. [7]
I am glad to hear that we are not to have a war with thosesilly people, the French. The idea made me very uneasy, forI thought how near Oulton lay to the coast.
You cannot imagine what a magnificent old town Veniceis—it is clearly the finest in Italy, although in decay; itstands upon islands in the sea, and in many places is intersectedwith canals. The Grand Canal is four miles long, lined withpalaces on either side. I, however, shall be glad to leaveit, for there is no place to p. 8me like Oulton,where live two of my dear ones. I have told you that I amvery tired, so that I cannot write much more, and I am presentlygoing to bed, but I am sure that you will be glad to hear from mehowever little I may write.
I think I told you in my last letter that I had been to thetop of Mount Olympus, in Thessaly. Tell Hen that I saw awhole herd of wild deer bounding down the cliffs, the noise theymade was like thunder. I also saw an enormouseagle—one of Jupiter’s birds, his real eagles, foraccording to the Grecian mythology Olympus was his favouritehaunt. I don’t know what it was then, but at presentit is the most wild, savage place I eve