" Five minutes more and we steamed away.
The railway ascended a long valley, that of the Esaro, where along
the deep watercourse trickled a scarce perceptible stream. On either
hand were hills of pleasant outline, tilled on the lower slopes, and
often set with olives. Here and there came a grassy slope, where
shepherds or goatherds idled amid their flocks. Above the ascent a
long tunnel, after which the line falls again towards the sea. The
landscape took a nobler beauty; mountains spread before us, tenderly
coloured by the autumn sun. We crossed two or three rivers--rivers
of flowing water, their banks overhung with dense green jungle. The
sea was azure, and looked very calm, but white waves broke loudly
upon the strand, last murmur of the storm which had raged and
renewed itself for nearly a fortnight.
At one of the wayside stations entered a traveller whom I could not
but regard with astonishment. He was a man at once plump and
muscular, his sturdy limbs well exhibited in a shooting costume. On
his face glowed the richest hue of health; his eyes glistened
merrily.
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