Naples Italy

Tuesday July 13, 1909.

It was on this day 1:00 P.M. that we entered the magnificent Bay of Naples. To describe the scene as one enters the ancient city requires one of greater literary power than myself. From the distance one sees only lofty Vesuvius, silent yet feared. One must think of '79 and 1906 on visiting the gigantic volcano of volcanoes. Soon the city appears. Larger and larger grow both the city and the volcano until as the port is reached we see a large thickly populated district with a great volcanic mountain in the background. "Good bye", "Hope you have a pleasant trip", "Hope we'll see each other again." These and many others were the only remarks heard. All were preparing to board the steamer. The gangplank was finally let down and we began to disembark. It requires a man of nerve to carry his own valise for there are ever so many porters ready to snatch the gift from the hand of the weak minded. We proceeded to the customs house. Oh! What a farce. "Have you any whisky or tobacco in your valise?" is asked in Italian. Not Understanding Italian, we said no. And then a stamp is put on our valises and we are OK. And there I had about a dozen cigars and a bottle of whiskey in my valise.

We were a party of 14. Ben Brody and I left in company with a certain Pantorian ( a friend (brother) of the barber of Mason [?] in N.Y.) to look for a hotel. We hit upon the Pension Francais Maurice, focusing the beautiful Bay of Naples. The rooms were most beautiful, large, airy and commodious. The charge the moderate rate of 7 lira per day.