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PALERMO TO ALCAMO AND SEGESTE. 321
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
^ ^ Alx The First Days Of The Month Of A...
and then each takes possession of her separate corner , and does her best to sleep . The _sufferings of one of our party that night
are too sad to relate ; but many were the enemies she slew , and many werethe wounds she received in the combat , and most
unbecoming , were the scars when she rose next morning . But spite of all misfortunes we gofc up in good humour , and started at seven
o ' clock , with the most brilliant sunshine and a cool breeze , for Calatafimi , where mules had been sent on for us to ride to Segeste .
Eleven miles of hilly country , covered with olive trees and young corn , brought us to Calatafimiwhich lies on the ridge of a hill
overtopped with a stern old Saracenic _^ castle , now used as a prison . Here the mules were ready saddled , and the guides waiting us .
So we mounted at once , making the best of the fact that only two of the four were ladies' saddlesand that all were as uncomfortable
, as it was possible to be . As it chanced to be a Fete day , the whole population was outand we were a delightful addition to the
, excitement of the day . They pressed round us and examined our clothes as though we had been creatures of another world , and *
made remarks about us to our faces , which happily were complimentaryor perhaps we might have found their attentions more
insufferable , ; as it was , we wound our way , single file , through the crowd , quite satisfied with ourselves and with them . Giuseppe ,,
bearing the great white umbrella , added greatly to the dignity of our appearance , and it struck evident terror into the hundred
little vagabonds who trotted round us . Oh , the agony of riding a baggage mule ! A camel is nothing
to it . I have tried every sort of beast , from a cow upwards , and never felt anything like the torture of sitting aside on this hard
man's saddle , jogging down an execrable pathway ! After ten minutes I could bear it no longer , and jumped off , begging Giuseppe
to let me try his ; but after another ten minutes I was in despair aguin , and the Signora F insisted on my taking her mule with ?
a ladies' saddle , on which it was , of course , far easier to sit . _Oiv my jumping off this second time , my guide , who was an ugly and
rather surly old fellow , turned to one of his companions , and asked why Qui-ista pupa had taken the worst mule ? So not only was
my back half broken , but my feelings were deeply wounded at being called a doll ! a cut I couldn't get over till I got back to
Palermo , and was told it was meant as a compliment ; a doll being the only creature they ever saw that looked clean and smart ! !
So on we went again : the first view of the Temple standing on the top of a lonely cliff some four miles distant , and encircled with
lofty mountains , made us all _forg-et the heat and the wearinessand we went our way with increased spirit . The pathway now became ,
shaded with olive trees , and the asphodel and other sweet flowers bloominall round
were- g us . Crossing a little stream , we now began to ascend the mountain side across a field of newly ploughed
vox . xr . 1 a
Palermo To Alcamo And Segeste. 321
PALERMO TO ALCAMO AND SEGESTE . 321
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), July 1, 1863, page 321, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01071863/page/33/
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