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vited me to his house. I bowed deeply and told him how
grateful I felt to him, and how gladly I would accept his
hospitality. He forbade me to say more, and pointing to his
carriage, which was close at hand, he motioned me to a seat
therein. I again bowed profoundly to the Mayor and Coun-
cillors, and drove off with my entertainer, whose name was
Senoj Nosnibor. After about half a mile the carriage turned
off the main road, and we drove under the walls of the town
till we reached a palazzo on a slight eminence, and just on
the outskirts of the city. This was Senoj Nosnibor’s house,
and nothing can be imagined finer. It was situated near the
magnificent and venerable ruins of the old railway station,
which formed an imposing feature from the gardens of the
house. The grounds, some ten or a dozen acres in extent,
were laid out in terraced gardens, one above the other, with
flights of broad steps ascending and descending the decliv-
ity of the garden. On these steps there were statues of most
exquisite workmanship. Besides the statues there were vases
filled with various shrubs that were new to me; and on ei-
ther side the flights of steps there were rows of old cypresses
and cedars, with grassy alleys between them. Then came
choice vineyards and orchards of fruit-trees in full bearing.
The house itself was approached by a court-yard, and
round it was a corridor on to which rooms opened, as at
Pompeii. In the middle of the court there was a bath and
a fountain. Having passed the court we came to the main
body of the house, which was two stories in height. The
rooms were large and lofty; perhaps at first they looked
rather bare of furniture, but in hot climates people gener-

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