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erly winds have prevailed for some time; these coming over the Atlantic Ocean, and bringing with them the gross vapours, which arise continually, or are exhaled, from that immense body of water.

CHAP II.

Voyage continued—Arrive at Genoa-Manner of fishing in the Mole-the City-We set sail-At Leghorn.

THE Angelica, being freighted for Genoa and Leghorn, we now shaped our course for the former port. We were becalmed, on the 7th of July, near the coast of Spain, off Cape de Gatte. We then had heavy showers and hard gales, by which we were driven out of our way, and our masts endangered. Light airs and clear weather followed; the sky blue, and spread with thin fleecy clouds. We had a view of several Spanish towns, and of St. Philip's castle in the Island of Minorca. We found the days lengthen as we advanced northward; and the wind, with a bright sun, very cold, coming from the Alps. We stood for Corsica with a brisk gale and a great swell, which took us on the weather side; the waves distinct, vast, and black, breaking with white tops. In the night it blew hard. We shipped several large seas, and rolled and tossed prodigiously. The gulf of Lyons almost equalled in turbulence the bay of Biscay.

We were becalmed, on the 17th of July, off Cape de Melle ; and then had a fine gale, and approached Italy at the rate of twelve miles an hour. The Pharos of Genoa appeared as a tall pillar, the coast picturesque and mountainous, its slopes

covered with white houses, looking from the sea as one continued city. We now regretted that the evening was near, fearing the land-breeze would spring up before we could get into the mole. It became hazy along shore, and the glorious prospect vanished. The breeze ceased, and the vessel seemed without motion. On one of the mountains a bright flame ascended; and round about us, on the water, were several fires made by fishermen in their boats, one of which we hailed.

The ship glided on towards the shore, almost insensibly, until the land-breeze reached us, scented with the delicious fragrance of odorous trees and flowering shrubs. We then fell to the eastward, to wait for a current, which sets in before morning. The night was still and clear. The moon, in its wane, gleamed on the waves and mountains. The coast was spangled with lights from the houses, which were over-topped by that of the Pharos. We could hear distinctly, at intervals, the bells of the churches and convents, which sounded sweetly soft and pensive. Early the next day we came to an anchor in the port.

An Italian proverb affirms, that the Genoese have sea without fish. However, from the great demand for that article of diet, the water is continually harassed. We had frequent opportunities of seeing the method of fishing within the mole. Several seines are united and extended so as to form a large semicircle, but much curved at the two extremities. The men then retire to some distance, and begin clattering with sticks or hammers on the sides of their boats; the noise, as is observed of thunder, making the fish rise. One, stationed on the yard-arm of a ship, takes notice which way they swim, and gives directions, until they are within the net, when they are driven towards the ends, and are soon entangled; or, trying from despair to leap over,

fall on a wing, which is fastened to long reeds, and kept floating horizontally on the surface. The reward of much toil was, now and then, a few grey mullet. The thynnus, or tunny-fish, was anciently, and is now taken nearly in this manner, but in shoals, which endanger and often break the nets.

We were delighted at Genoa with the magnificent churches, the marble palaces, the pieces of excellent sculpture, and the many noble pictures, which adorn so profusely that admired city. But this splendour is contrasted by the general poverty and misery of the people. Beggars pestered us exceedingly; and a great number of persons occurred, variously, and often most shockingly deformed, witnessing early violence; nature, when uncontrolled, rarely failing to be regular, if not beautiful in her productions. One evening we saw a man amuse the populace by performing on a slack rope, which crossed the street; and, among other extraordinary feats, he hung by the neck, swinging, and clapping his hands at intervals.

We tarried at Genoa until the 25th of July, when we weighed anchor and got out of the mole in the night. On the second day we passed the island Gorgogna, by which were many sail of small-craft fishing under shore for anchovies. We were becalmed all night about three leagues from Leghorn. St. Antony was blamed for this delay, and punished in effigy by some of the sailors, who made an image with a piece of wood, which they clothed and threw overboard at the end of a line; a couple of nails, which were driven in, keeping the head downwards in the water. He was dragged in this manner until a breeze commenced, when they took him into the ship with caresses. In the afternoon we moored within the mole.

We had been advised to carry with us money, for our journey, in crown-pieces of silver, called imperial tallerie, from Leg

horn. Mr. Rutherfurd, an English merchant, accepted our bills on a banker in London; and, on our arrival at Smyrna, we found that we gained more than five per cent. on the money we had imported, not including insurance, freight, and consulage, which, by the Anglicana, would have amounted to about two per cent. and that drawing on Leghorn from Smyrna would be nine and a half per cent. better, according to the then exchange, than drawing directly from Smyrna on London, exclusive of the beforementioned expenses.

We were detained at Leghorn by foul weather, the wind south, with thunder, lightning, and rain; the air thick and hazy. Some ships, which had put to sea, were forced back again. We went daily on shore. One evening I was amused by a quack, who was very familiar with a viper, kissing and winding it about his head and neck. It remained twisted round the latter, while he harangued the crowd on the virtues of his medicines. Among these was a pill, on which he expatiated as of singular efficacy; and which, he affirmed, possessed the wonderful property to distinguish by whom it was taken; constantly withholding its beneficial operation from all schismatics and heretics, particularly the English.

CHAP. III.

Sail from Leghorn-In the Archipelago-Ruin of an ancient temple on Sunium-Pass Smyrna-Enter the HellespontArrive at the inner castles-Quit the ship.

On the 10th of August we got out of the mole of Leghorn into the road, and early next morning set sail with a light and

pleasant breeze. In the evening we were becalmed on the cast side of the island Cabrera, in view of a fishing town. A brisk gale, with rain, issued from clouds resting on the mountains. A calm then followed, after which the wind veered about every moment. moment. We had now left Monte Christo astern. In the afternoon it thundered, and a most violent squall overtook us, with rain, which quite obscured the sky. We had warning given us by a mighty agitation of the waves, and were prepared to receive it. The wind continued very high, and we made great way. In the morning it was fair and almost calm. We were then in sight of Sardinia.

A gentle breeze springing up, on the evening of the 14th of August, wafted us by Maritimo, a rocky island, on which is a fishing town. The next night we saw many lights on the coast of Sicily. We sailed with a fine gale by Sergentum, a large town on the slope of some hills. The air was exceedingly hot, and hazy over the land. We were becalmed beyond Malta in a chopping sea, and tossed prodigiously; but, on Sunday the 19th, a pleasant breeze commenced, which continued to follow us, without intermission, quite through the Archipelago or Egean Sea. We had seen a few turtles floating, and this day many porpoises approached very near us, some leaping out of the water, some turning, as if in pursuit of their prey, and darting through it with incredible swiftness.

On the 21st we were in view of the high-land of Modona, which had white clouds hanging over it, in the Morea of Peloponnesus; and, before evening, of the cape named Tænarum, now Matapan, which is the extremity of a mountain, sloping gradually to a point, having before it a piked rock. The disk of the setting sun was indented by the uneven tops of

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