Venice, from being full of canals and nearly surrounded
by the sea, is one of the most extraordinary cities in the
world. During our brief sojourn there, two or three little
voyages in gondolas enabled us to form some idea of the
place. " This city is built upon piles, on three large and
114 small islands, formed by 150 narrow canals, and
crossed by 380 short bridges. The islands and city upon
them are in a shallow lagune of the Adriatic. Palaces and
houses, once magnificent, line the Banks of the Grand
Canal, which is two miles and a half in length, and the



124 MISSIONARY TOUKS AND LABOURS

' Bridge of Sighs' connects the Palace of the Doges
with the prisons that belong to it; but the whole city bears
marks of a grandeur that has passed away, and its fame
and glory are of a bygone character. Venice is divided
into two unequal parts by the Grand Canal, which is
crossed near the middle of its course by the Ponte di
Eialto, a marble bridge of one single, spacious arch. The
city contains upwards of 4,000 gondolas. From the top
of the Campanile, a square tower 316 feet in height,. an
extensive prospect is obtained, embracing the Alps, the
Adriatic, the Istrian Mountains, and Monti Euganei,
near Padua.''

On May 15th, early in the morning, we left for Breschia,
and, after passing through Padua, Vicenza and Verona,
reached Peschiera, close to Lago Garda, one of the beau-
tiful lakes in northern Italy. After our arrival at Breschia,
Mr. MiiUer preached that evening at the Vaudois Church,
from John i. 29. Amongst his hearers were several
Roman Catholics, and some officers and soldiers belong-
ing to a regiment in the city. He held another meeting,
also, the following evening at the same church, and after
the service we distributed little Italian books amongst
the people, which were gratefully accepted.
