M O N A CO, GENOA, &c. IN the Twelfth of December, 1699. I fet out from Marseilles to Genoa in a Tartane and arriv'd late at a fmall French Port call'd Caffis, where the next Morning we were not a little furpriz'd to fee al the Mountains about the Town cover'd with Green Olive-trees, or laid out in beautiful Gardens, that gave us a great Variety of pleafing Profpects, even In the Depth of Winter. The most uncul tivated of 'em bear abundance of sweet Plants, that rife naturally. I pluck'd above Five different Sorts that grew within a Yard of each other, as Wild-Time, Lavender, Rosemary, Balme and Mirtle. We were here shown at a distance the Defarts that have been render'd fo famous by the Penance of Mary Magdalene, who, after her Arrival with Lazarus and Jofeph of Arimathea at Marfeilles, is faid to have wept away the reft of her Life among thefe folitary Rocks and Mountains. It is fo Romantic a Scene, that it has always probably given occafion to fuch Chimerical Relations; for 'tis per A haps haps of this Place that Claudian speaks, in the following Defcription. Ef locus extremum pandit qua Gallia littus Cl, In. Kuf. L. I. A Place there lyes on Gallia's utmost Bounds, Where rifing Seas infult the Frontier Grounds. Ulyffes' here the Blood of Victims fhed, And rais'd the pale Affembly of the Dead. Oft in the Winds is heard a plaintive Sound Of melancholy Ghofts, that hover round; The lab'ring Plow-man oft with Horror fpies Thin airy Shapes, that o'er the Furrows rise, (A dreadful Scene!) and skim before his Eyes. I know there is nothing more undetermin'd among the Learned than the Voyage of Ulyffes; fome confining it to the Mediterranean, others extending it to the great Ocean, Ocean, and others to a World of the Poet's own making; tho' his Conversations with the Dead are generally fuppos'd to have been in the Narbon Gaul. Incultos adiit Laflrigonas Anthipatenque, &c. Tib. L. 4. El. 1. Uncertain whether, by the Winds convey'd, In new Imaginary Worlds was lost. The next Day we again fet Sail, and made the best of our way till we were forc'd, by contrary Winds, into St. Remo, a very pretty Town in the Genoefe Dominions. The Front to the Sea is not large, but there are a great many Houses behind it, built up the Side of the Mountain, to avoid the Winds and Vapours that come from Sea. We here faw feveral Perfons, that in the midft of December had nothing over their Shoulders but their Shirts, without complaining of the Cold. It is certainly very lucky for the poorer fort to be born in a Place that is free from the greatest Inconvenience, to which thofe of our Northern Nations are fubject; and indeed without this natural Be A 2 nefit nefit of their Climates, the extream Mifery and Poverty that are in most of the Italian Governments would be infupportable. There are at St. Remo many Plantations of Palm-trees, that don't grow in other Parts of Italy. We fail'd from hence directly for Genoa, and had a fair Wind that carry'd us into the middle of the Gulf, which is very remarkable for Tempefts and Scarcity of Fish. It is probable one may be the Cause of the other, whether it be that the Fishermen can't employ their Art with fo much Succefs in fo troubled a Sea, or that the Fish don't care for inhabiting fuch ftormy Waters Atrum Defendens pifces byemat mare Hor. Sa. 2. li. 2. While black with Storms the ruffled Ocean rolls, And from the Fisher's Art defends her Finny Sholes. We were forc'd to lye in it two Days, and our Captain thought his Ship in fo great Danger, that he fell upon his Knees and confefs'd himself to a Capuchin who was on Board with us. But at laft, taking the Advantage of a Side-wind, we were driv'n back in a few Hours time as far as Monaco. Lucan Lucan has given us a Defcription of the Harbour that we found fo very welcome to us, after the great Danger that we had efcap'd. Quaque fub Herculeo Sacratus nomine portus Urget rupe cava pelagus: non corus in illum Jus habet aut Zephyrus: Solus fua littora turbat Circius, & tutâ prohibet ftatione Monaci. Lib. 1. The winding Rocks a fpacious Harbour frame, That from the great Alcides takes its Name: Fenc'd to the Weft, and to the North it lyes; But when the Winds in Southern Quarters rife, Ships, from their Anchors torn, become their fport, And fudden Tempefts rage within the Port. On the Promontory, where the Town of Monaco now ftands, was formerly the Temple of Hercules Monacus, which still gives the Name to this fmall Principality. Aggeribus focer Alpinis atq; arce Monaci Virg. Æn. 6. |