XV BYZANTINISM Exhausted With The Morning's Walk At Policoro, A Railway Journey And A Long Drive Up Nearly A Thousand Feet To Rossano In The Heat Of Midday, I Sought Refuge, Contrary To My Usual Custom, In The Chief Hotel, Intending To Rest Awhile And Then Seek Other Quarters.

The establishment was described as "ganz ordentlich" in Baedeker.

But, alas! I found little peace or content. The bed on which I had hoped to repose was already occupied by several other inmates. Prompted by curiosity, I counted up to fifty-two of them; after that, my interest in the matter faded away. It became too monotonous. They were all alike, save in point of size (some were giants). A Swammerdam would have been grieved by their lack of variety.

And this, I said to myself, in a renowned city that has given birth to poets and orators, to saints like the great Nilus, to two popes and - last, but not least - one anti-pope! I will not particularize the species beyond saying that they did not hop. Nor will I return to this theme. Let the reader once and for all take them for granted. [Footnote: They have their uses, to be sure. Says Kircher: Cunices lectularii potens remedium contra quartanum est, si ab inscio aegro cum vehiculo congrua potentur; mulierum morbis medentur et uterum prolapsum solo odore in mum locum restituunt.] Let him note that most of the inns of this region are quite uninhabitable, for this and other reasons, unless he takes the most elaborate precautions.

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