[this is written on the same sheet as a note from Lady Elisabeth - see Doc. No: 00807]
Naples
22d May 1823. -
My dear Henry
I received your letter on Sunday last, which I thank you very much for, & Horatia <1> received another from you this morning; I should have answered sooner, only we had so much to do. - Since I wrote, <2> we have been to Pozzuoli, Baja, Misenum, & every thing that is to be seen on that coast; but we have not yet been to Cumæ. After a day's rest, we made an expedition to the top of Vesuvius; it lasted about 13 hours & a quarter, which is more than the usual time, on account of an accident which I will relate. - From Resina, we set off, 8 of us on donkeys, to the hermitage, where unluckily it was giorno di festa <3>, & all our guides got drunk; then following your advice, we continued on our donkeys to the foot of the cone, where our guides refused to take us up for the sum agreed upon, (which was seven carlins apiece,) pretending that they could only go to the foot of the cone for so little. - Papa <4>, being quite angry that they did not keep their word, said that we might go up without them; & accordingly we left Mama <5> at the bottom, with only Adolphe to take care of her, & Papa, Horatia, Mlle A <6>- Mr Montgomerie <7>, & I, began to climb up, with only Antonio & one Guide to take care of us; we found the ascent extremely fatiguing & difficult, the hot cinders burning our feet, & every time we attempted to breathe, swallowing mouthfulls [sic] of dust; however we arrived at the top, & having satisfied our eyes with the view of the crater which was quite tranquil, we returned to the Hermitage, where we found Mama who had been shockingly frightened; she told us that as soon as we were too far to return, the men who staid with her, did every thing they could to pick a quarrel with Adolphe, out of revenge that we did not take them up with us. - One in particular, whose name was Francesco, threatened to bury Adolphe beneath the stones, & to drink his blood. - However, we made all possible haste down the hill, to Resina, where the carriage was waiting for us; but I forgot to say, that all the way down the guides were talking to each other in the patois we did not understand, but the word ammazzare <8>, came distinctly over & over again; after having paid them all, Mr M. refused to pay Francesco, who had behaved worse than the others, upon which with the most furious air, he went before the carriage, taking hold of the bridle to stop the horses; in the mean time the crowd gathered round us, & Papa desiring the coachman to make the best of his way on, he gave a coup de fouet <9> to Francesco, which nearly cut his eye out; he directly began to cry like a child, & the gendarmes perceiving his blood flowing, desired the coachman to get down; but he not obeying, they began to beat him most unmercifully with sticks & the flat sides of their swords; Mama, Horatia, Mlle & I, then jumped out & ran into a neighbouring house, where we were most hospitably received; but we were all dreadfully frightened for Papa & Mr M. who remained in the carriage; after some time of most anxious suspense, which by Mama, Mlle A & Hor, was mostly spent in tears, they arrived; & told us that the coachman had been put in prison & the carriage was in custody; they then went to make their dépositions at the guardia, after which they released the carriage, & we arrived at Naples, (having taken a guard as far as Portici,) leaving the poor coachman, whose arm was almost dislocated by the blows he had received, in the same prison with Francesco; we did not get home before a quarter to twelve; it is quite glorious to have been to the top of Vesuvius with only one guide who was obliged to help us all, during the greatest heat of the sun; it took us about an hour & ½ from the Hermitage to the top of the cone. - Tomorrow morning we go to Castelamare. Adieu my dear Henry, pray write to me soon again,
& believe me your affectionate sister,
Caroline Augusta Feilding
M.
Monsr H. F. Talbot
Poste Restante
Florence
Tuscane
Nizza <10>
Notes:
1. Henrietta Horatia Maria Gaisford, née Feilding (1810-1851), WHFT's half-sister.
2. See Doc. No: 01062.
3. A feast-day.
4. Rear Admiral Charles Feilding (1780-1837), Royal Navy; WHFT's step-father.
5. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773-1846), WHFT's mother.
6. Amélina Petit De Billier, 'Mamie', 'Amandier' (1798-1876), governess and later close friend of the Talbot family [See Amélina's journal].
7. Rev. George Stephen Molyneux Montgomerie (1790-1850), close friend of Talbot family, artist, Rector of Garboldisham, near Thetford, Norfolk.
8. To kill.
9. Cut of the whip, whiplash.
10. Readdressed in another hand.