Winter Travel on Floating Palaces. To the Azores, Madeira, the Mediterranean, and the Orient. Hamburg-American Line Twin-Screw EVER since the childhood of the human race, the Mediterranean coasts have played the most important part in the history of advancing civilization. Greece has bequeathed to us her precious legacy of art and poetry, Rome has given us her grand representatives of patriotism and statecraft, Egypt has filled our souls with thrills of awe and wonderment, and the Holy Land has inspired us with lofty sentiments and religious fervor. All along the blue Mediterranean Sea we find the indelible imprints of man's past, the glorious monuments of antiquity. Upon these coasts the skies smile to-day as serene as in the days of Homer, of Virgil, of Cleopatra, and of Sulamith; and the hand of nature has not grown less lavish than of old. For several years past the Hamburg-American Line has organized during the winter season excursions to the Mediterranean and the Orient, placing at the disposal of travelers one of its floating palaces, and affording them all the comforts and luxuries of modern life. These excursions have become so popular with the American traveling public that during the coming season two of the Hamburg-American Twin-screw Express Steamers of 13-16,000 horse-power, the Augusta Victoria and the Fuerst Bismarck, will leave New York for the Mediterranean and the Orient, the former on Janu ary 22, and the latter on January 29, 1895. Instead of sailing direct for Gibraltar, as in previous years, the steamer will call at Ponta Delgada on San Miguel, one of the Azores Islands, and also at Funchal on Madeira, and thence proceed to the historical and picturesque fortress of Gibraltar, where it stays about twelve hours. From there it continues to Algiers, which combines the comforts of a modern French town with the picturesqueness of the Orient. The steamer next heads northward across the Mediterranean to Genoa, that great commercial emporium of Italy. This beautiful city is justly entitled to the epithet "La Superba." Her streets remind the visitor at every turn of great historical events. The steamer now proceeds to Villefranche, the port of Nice, enabling passengers to see the celebrated Riviera; then crosses the Mediterranean for quaint Malta, one of the bulwarks of England's naval supremacy, and thence reaches Alexandria and the land of the Nile. Egypt has the peculiar charm of the Oriental climate, the singularly clear atmosphere and the wonderful coloring and effects of light and shade unknown to northern countries. From Alexandria a short trip brings the traveler to Cairo and the Pyramids, where a whole week may be spent. From the land of the Pharaohs the steamer proceeds to Jaffa, the seaport of the Holy Land, whence a railroad ride of a few hours takes the traveler to Jerusalem, where once the stupendous scenes were enacted which exercise so supreme an influence on religious thought throughout the world. The emporium of trade and commerce of the Levant, Smyrna, "The Beautiful," is the next point visited by the excursion. Smyrna, by far the greatest of the cities of Asia Minor, is full of the bustle and activity of a beehive of industry, while monuments of antiquity are encountered in every quarter. Through the Dardanelles then the steamer winds her course toward the "Golden Horn" and Constantinople with its mosques, kiosks, and bazaars. Every door here recalls some wonderful occurrence, or some carnage, some love or mystery or prowess of a Padishah or caprice of a Sultana. Turning south again, the steamer enters the port of Piræus, the seaport of Athens. The classic period of ancient Greece, with its marvelous works of art, has left its vestiges here wherever you turn. The next stop is at Messina, the steamer anchoring in full view of the majestic Mount Etna, the loftiest volcano in Europe, and, after a short stay, proceeds to Palermo, the capital of Sicily. Pushing again northward, the steamer casts anchor in the magnificent Bay of Naples of world-wide fame. So striking is the beauty of this favored spot, that it found expression in the well-known Italian proverb, "See Naples, and then die!" The ascent of Mount Vesuvius and visits to the excavated cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii and the islands of Capri and Ischia are excursions of extreme interest. The distance by rail from Naples to Rome is only five hours, so that excursionists may visit the Eternal City with ease. The steamer again touches Genoa, to disembark passengers who wish to prolong their stay in Europe, and then turns homeward, being scheduled to reach New York about 65 days after departure. Passengers leaving the excursion at Genoa have the priv ilege of returning by any of the other express steamers of the Hamburg-American Line from Genoa, Naples, Algiers, Gibraltar or Hamburg and Southampton. To be able to make this unique excursion on board a palatial ocean steamer, free from all annoyances, inseparable from hotels, railways, small boats, custom houses, etc., appeals at once to all. No way can be conceived of visiting the far-famed places with greater safety, speed, and comfort. For further information, for illustrated pamphlet and Traveler's Guide, address HAMBURG-AMERICAN LINE, 37 Broadway, New York. 125 La Salle St., Chicago. 337 Walnut St., Philadelphia. 70 State St., Boston. The Great Northern Railway. THE STATE OF WASHINGTON is becoming better known and more discussed in the East. Just what are its extraordinary features cannot be told in a few words. FOUR-YEAR-OLD APPLE TREE IN A WENATCHEE ORCHARD, WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON lies along the international boundary, and to the uninformed may seem too far north to nurture the growth of delicate fruits. This was practically the opinion of early settlers, but experience has shown that all conditions are favorable to the production of a large variety of fruits, berries, grapes, and nuts. A peculiarity is rapid growth and extreme fruitfulness. Grape cuttings will yield the first year; peaches and apples the second and third year, and the young limbs need propping up to keep from breaking down under the weight of fruit. Berries are prolific in yield, growing tons to the acre; indeed, all fruits are noted for large yields, as well as for color, aroma, flavor, and size. This view is of a four-year-old apple tree in a Wenatchee Valley orchard. "The business of raising fruits has been aptly termed 'The Sweetened Water Industry.' Water constitutes 90 per cent. of the substance of many varieties. Soil is a secondary factor in fruit growth. Where the climate is propitious-pure air, bright sunshine, and suitable warmth- and water is plentiful, the most sterile soil can be made as fruitful as a Nilean garden." Every year a larger number of people are going to Washington and the other new great Northwestern States both as tourists and to make new homes. Many are studying the question now, and to such we give a special invitation to apply to us for information, printed or written. You do not cause us trouble; it's our business, and you are under no obligation. Address [SEAMAN] F. I. WHITNEY, G. P. & T. A., St. Paul, Minn. THE "Shasta Route" is the Southern Pacific's rail line between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. When you buy your excursion ticket to Cali fornia this winter, if the going portion takes you over one of the southern lines, see that the return part of the ticket is over the Shasta route and the MT. TACOMA-ABOVE THE CLOUDS. Northern Pacific Railroad. After enjoying the grandeur of the scenery in the Siskiyous, the beauties of the Sacramento, Rogue, and Willamette Valleys, make headquarters at Portland and from this beautiful city visit Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia, the Falls of the Willamette at Oregon City and devote a day to a boat ride on the Upper Columbia. When ready to resume your journey take the local train on the Northern Pacific for Puget Sound and, after visiting Tacoma and Seattle, devote two or three days to a boat ride across Puget Sound to Victoria. You will find the steamers of the Northern Pacific commodious and comfortable and the ride across this land-locked sea with Mt. Tacoma and the Olympic range in plain sight, one not easily forgotten. If your engagements will permit stop on your way east at Spokane, Helena and Butte; and when you reach Livingston, Montana, don't fail to make the grand tour of Yellowstone Park-this you will find the crowning glory of the trip. For full particulars enclose six cents postage to Chas. S. Fee, General Passenger Agent, St. Paul, Minn., and he will mail you maps and illustrated "Indianland and Wonderland” that will answer all your questions. One of the SUPP Rare Refinements of Modern Travel. UPPOSING you were going West from New York or Philadelphia, via Buffalo, and were told that there was one route on which the Dining Car Service had recently been carried to a state of absolute perfection. A veritable Delmonico's on wheels! The napery a pleasure! The china a delight! The waiters all that waiters should be, From the oyster to the walnut, every dish And not expensive, either! Supposing the heroes of a thousand dinners had been heard to say ""Twere worth a trip to Buffalo and back, to eat a meal like that!" You going to Buffalo anyway-and other things being equal: quick time, solid vestibule trains, steam heat, gas light, the most delightful scenery in the world, and no cinders-wouldn't you feel disposed to try that route-once? You need not go to Switzerland if you wish to travel through wonderfully beautifully scenery, but arrange your journey between NEW YORK or PHILADELPHIA BY WAY OF THE PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK and CHICAGO via NIAGARA FALLS, Lehigh VALLEY We could fill our advertisements with reproductions of the beautiful views through which our trains pass, but what we want is to have travelers see Nature's pictures in person and not belittling photographs. [SEAMAN] CHARLES S. LEE, G. P. A., Philadelphia, Pa. RAILROAD. |