TRAFFIC.
XVII
or to their own honesty, or who, as rarely happens, are offended
by the traveller's manifestation of distrust, may well be answered
in the words of the proverb: upatti cliiari, amicizia lunga". In
the following pages the prices, even of insignificant objects, are
stated with all possible accuracy; and although liable to constant
fluctuations, they will at least often prove a safeguard against
gross extortions. The Editor ventures to offer the homely hint,
that the equanimity of the traveller's own temper will greatly
assist him if involved in a dispute or bargain, and no attention
whatever should be paid to vehement gesticulations or an offensive
demeanour. The slighter his knowledge of the Italian language is,
the more careful should he be not to involve himself in a war of
words, in which he must necessarily be at great disadvantage.
It need hardly be observed that the representations of drivers,
guides etc., with whom even the inhabitants of the place often
appear to act in concert, are unworthy of the slightest reliance.
Thus in Naples the charge for a single drive is t/o 1. and yet the
driver would find no difficulty in summoning 20 individuals ready
to corroborate his assertion that the proper fare is 5 1. In such
cases the traveller may generally implicitly rely on the data in the
handbook. Where farther information is required, it should be
sought from fellow-travellers, gensdarmes, respectably dressed per¬
sons present, occasionally from landlords, but seldom or never
from waiters.
Caution is everywhere desirable in Italy ; but, if exaggerated, it
may be construed as the result of fear or weakness on the part
of the traveller, whose best safeguard is often his own self-
confidence ; and it must be admitted, that, the preliminaries once
adjusted, the trustworthiness exhibited by members of the frater¬
nity in question is often greater than at first anticipated.
An abundant supply of copper coins should always be at the
traveller's command in a country where donations trifling, but
very frequent are everywhere expected. Drivers, guides, porters,
onkey-attendants etc. invariably expect, and often demand as their
right, in addition to the hire agreed on, a gratuity (buona mano,
mancia, da here, bottiglia, caff'e, fumata), varying according to cir¬
cumstances from 2—3 sous to a franc or more. The traveller need
feel no embarrassment in limiting his donations to the smallest
possible sums. Liberality is often a fruitful source of future an¬
noyance and embarrassment. Half-a-franc bestowed when two
sous would have sufficed may be fraught with disagreeable results
to the injudicious traveller; the fact speedily becomes known, and
other applicants make their appearance, whose demands it becomes
utterly impossible to satisfy. It may be laid down as a rule, that
the exercise of a certain degree of parsimony, however repugnant
to the feelings of the traveller, will tend essentially to promote
his comfort and enjoyment.
RAFnF.TcpR. Ttalv TIT. 2nd Edition. h
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