Chapter I

Inducements to the Expedition.—Early impressions concerning
Corsica.—Plan of the Tour.—Routes to Marseilles.—Meeting
there Page 1

CHAP. II.

Marseilles.—Cafe de l'Orient.—Cannebière and Port.—Sail to the
Islands in the Gulf.—The Château-d'If and Count de
Monte-Cristo.—A sudden Squall 8

CHAP. III.

Embark for Corsica.—Coast of France and Italy.—Toulon.—Hyères
Islands, Frejus, &c.—A stormy Night.—Crossing the Tuscan Sea
21

CHAP. IV.

Coast of Capo Corso.—Peculiarity of Scenery.—Verdure, and
Mountain Villages.—Il Torre di Seneca.—Land at Bastia 28

CHAP. V.

Bastia.—Territorial Divisions.—Plan of the Rambles.—Hiring
Mules.—The Start 38

CHAP. VI.

Leave Bastia.—The Road.—View of Elba, Pianosa, and
Monte-Cristo.—The Littorale.—An Adventure.—The Stagna di
Biguglia 44

CHAP. VII.

Evergreen Thickets.—Their remarkable Character.—A fortunate
Rencontre.—Moonlight in the Mountains.—Cross a high
Col.—Corsican Shepherds.—The Vendetta.—Village Quarters 53

CHAP. VIII.

The Littorale.—Corsican Agriculture.—Greek and Roman
Colonies.—Sketch of Mediæval and Modern History.—Memoirs of
King Theodore de Neuhoff 65

CHAP. IX.

Environs of Olmeta.—Bandit-Life and the Vendetta.—Its
Atrocities.—The Population disarmed.—The Bandits exterminated
77

CHAP. X.

The Basin of Oletta.—The Olive.—Corsican Tales.—The Heroine of
Oletta.—Zones of Climate and Vegetation 90

CHAP. XI.

Pisan Church at Murato.—Chestnut Woods.—Gulf of San
Fiorenzo.—Nelson's Exploit there.—He conducts the Siege of
Bastia.—Ilex Woods.—Mountain Pastures.—The Corsican Shepherd
102

CHAP. XII.

Chain of the Serra di Tenda.—A Night at Bigorno.—A hospitable
Priest.—Descent to the Golo 117

CHAP. XIII.

Ponte Nuovo.—The Battle-field.—Antoine's Story 129

CHAP. XIV.

Filial Duty, Love, and Revenge: a Corsican Tale 134

CHAP. XV.

Morosaglia, Seat of the Paolis.—Higher Valley of the
Golo.—Orography of Corsica.—Its Geology 145

CHAP. XVI.

Approach to Corte.—Our “Man of the Woods.”—Casa Paoli.—The
Gaffori.—Citadel.—An Evening Stroll 156

CHAP. XVII.

Pascal Paoli more honoured than Napoleon Buonaparte.—His
Memoirs.—George III. King of Corsica.—Remarks on the
Union.—Paoli's Death and Tomb 164

CHAP. XVIII.

Excursion to a Forest.—Borders of the
Niolo.—Adventures.—Corsican Pines.—The Pinus Maritima and
Pinus Lariccio.—Government Forests 179

CHAP. XIX.

The Forest of Asco.—Corsican Beasts of Chase.—The
Moufflon.—Increase of Wild Animals.—The last of the Banditti
191

CHAP. XX.

Leave Corte for Ajaccio.—A Legend of Venaco.—Arrival at
Vivario 200

CHAP. XXI.

Leave Vivario.—Forest of Vizzavona.—A roadside
Adventure.—Bocagnono.—Arrive late at Ajaccio 205

CHAP. XXII.

Ajaccio.—Collège-Fesch.—Reminiscences of the Buonaparte
Family.—Excursion in the Gulf.—Chapel of the Greeks.—Evening
Scenes.—Council-General of the Department.—Statistics.—State
of Agriculture in Corsica.—Her Prospects 213

CHAP. XXIII.

Leave Ajaccio.—Neighbourhood of Olmeto.—Sollacaró.—James
Boswell's Residence there.—Scene in the “Corsican Brothers”
laid there.—Quarrel of the Vincenti and Grimaldi.—Road to
Sartene.—Corsican Marbles.—Arrive at Bonifacio 227

CHAP. XXIV.

Bonifacio.—Foundation and History.—Besieged by Alfonso of
Arragon.—By Dragut and the Turks.—Singularity of the
Place.—Its Medieval Aspect.—The
Post-office.—Passports.—Detention.—Marine Grottoes.—Ruined
Convent of St. Julian 242

CHAP. XXV.

ISLAND OF SARDINIA.—Cross the Straits of Bonifacio.—The
Town and Harbour of La Madelena.—Agincourt Sound, the Station
of the British Fleet in 1803.—Anecdotes of Nelson.—Napoleon
Bonaparte repulsed at La Madelena 258

CHAP. XXVI.

Ferried over to the Main Island.—Start for the Mountain Passes
of the Gallura.—Sarde Horses and Cavallante.—Valley of the
Liscia.—Pass some Holy Places on the Hills.—Festivals held
there.—Usages of the Sardes indicating their Eastern Origin
272

CHAP. XXVII.

The Valley narrows.—Romantic Glen.—Al fresco Meal.—Forest of
Cork Trees.—Salvator Rosa Scenery.—Haunts of Outlaws.—Their
Atrocities.—Anecdotes of them in a better Spirit.—The Defile
in the Mountains.—Elevated Plateau.—A Night March.—Arrival
at Tempio, the Capital of Gallura.—Our Reception 280

CHAP. XXVIII.

Tempio.—The Town and Environs.—The Limbara
Mountains.—Vineyards.—The Governor or Intendente of the
Province.—Deadly Feuds.—Sarde Girls at the
Fountains.—Hunting in Sardinia.—Singular Conference with the
Tempiese Hunters.—Society at the Casino.—Description of a
Boar Hunt 295

CHAP. XXIX.

Leave Tempio.—Sunrise.—Light Wreaths of Mist across the
Valley.—A Pass of the Limbara.—View from the Summit.—Dense
Vapour over the Plain beneath.—The Lowlands unhealthy.—The
deadly Intempérie.—It recently carried off an English
Traveller.—Descend a romantic Glen to the Level of the
Campidano.—Its peculiar Character.—Gallop over it.—Reach
Ozieri 310

CHAP. XXX.

Effects of vast Levels as compared with Mountain
Scenery.—Sketches of Sardinian Geology.—The primitive Chains
and other Formations.—Traces of extensive Volcanic
action.—The “Campidani,” or Plains.—Mineral Products 320

CHAP. XXXI.

Ozieri.—A Refugee Colonel turned Cook and Traiteur.—Traces of
Phenician Superstitions in Sarde Usages.—The Rites of
Adonis.—Passing through the Fire to Moloch 331

CHAP. XXXII.

Expedition to the Mountains.—Environs of Ozieri.—First View of
the Peaks of Genargentu.—Forests.—Value of the Oak
Timber.—Cork Trees; their Produce, and Statistics of the
Trade.—Hunting the Wild Boar, &c.—The Hunters' Feast.—A
Bivouac in the Woods.—Notices of the Province of
Barbagia.—Independence of the Mountaineers 344

CHAP. XXXIII.

Leave Ozieri.—The New Road, and Travelling in the
Campagna.—Monte Santo.—Scenes at the Halfway House.—Volcanic
Hills.—Sassari; its History.—Liberal Opinions of the
Sassarese.—Constitutional Government.—Reforms wanted in
Sardinia.—Means for its Improvement 358

CHAP. XXXIV.

Alghero—Notice of.—The Cathedral of
Sassari.—University.—Museum.—A Student's private
Cabinet.—Excursion to a Nuraghe.—Description of.—Remarks on
the Origin and Design of these Structures 376

CHAP. XXXV.

Sardinian Monoliths.—The Sepolture, or “Tombs of the
Giants.”—Traditions regarding Giant Races.—The Anakim, &c.,
of Canaan.—Their supposed Migration to Sardinia.—Remarks on
Aboriginal Races.—Antiquity of the Nuraghe and
Sepolture.—Their Founders unknown 389

CHAP. XXXVI.

Oristano.—Orange-groves of Milis.—Cagliari.—Description
of.—The Cathedral and Churches.—Religious
Laxity.—Ecclesiastical Statistics.—Vegetable and Fruit
Market.—Royal Museum.—Antiquities.—Coins found in
Sardinia.—Phenician Remains.—The Sarde Idols 407

CHAP. XXXVII.

Porto-Torres.—Another Italian Refugee.—Embark for Genoa.—West
Coast of Corsica.—Turin.—The Sardinian Electric
Telegraph.—The Wires laid to Cagliari 422

CHAP. XXXVIII.

Sardinian Electric Telegraph.—The Land Line completed.—Failures
in Attempts to lay a Submarine Cable to Algeria.—The Work
resumed.—A Trip to Bona on the African Coast.—The Cable
laid.—Importance of Cagliari as a Telegraph Station.—Its
Commerce.—The return Voyage.—CONCLUSION 432

INDEX TO THE ILLUSTRATIONS.

LITHOGRAPHS.

AJACCIO _frontispiece_
MAP OF CORSICA AND SARDINIA _facing p._ 1
ERSA, CAPO CORSO “ 33
CORTE “ 157
VIVARIO “ 205
BONIFACIO “ 242
VALLEY OF THE LISCIA, SARDINIA “ 275
THE LIMBARA, FROM TEMPIO “ 296
THE PLAN OF OZIERI “ 318

WOOD ENGRAVINGS.

CORSICA.

MARSEILLES, FROM THE RAILWAY 7
ISLETS OFF MARSEILLES 12
CHÂTEAU-D'IF 14
MARSEILLES, FROM THE CHÂTEAU-D'IF 17
FRENCH COAST, OFF CIOTAT 23
OFF TOULON 24
IL TORRE DI SENECA 34
ISLE OF MONTE-CRISTO 47
MEETING OF MOUNTAIN AND PLAIN NEAR BASTIA 48
OLMETA 77
ISLE OF MONTE-CRISTO, THROUGH A GORGE 91
BETWEEN OLMETA AND BIGORNO 95
PONTE MURATO 103
CAPO CORSO, FROM CHESTNUT WOODS 107
NEAR BIGORNO 122
CITADEL OF CORTE 161
PINUS MARITIMA 185
PINUS LARICCIO 185
CONE OF THE PINUS LARICCIO 186
BARK OF THE PINUS LARICCIO 186
BOCAGNONO 209
HARBOUR OF AJACCIO 217
BONIFACIO, ON THE SEA-SIDE 240
OUTLINE OF SARDINIA, FROM BONIFACIO 253
CAVES UNDER BONIFACIO 255
BONIFACIO, FROM THE CONVENT IN THE VALLEY 256

SARDINIA.

LOOKING BACK ON CORSICA 259
A SALVATOR ROSA SCENE 282
DESCENT TO THE CAMPIDANO 313
THE CAMPIDANO 321
EXTERIOR OF A NURAGHE 379
ENTRANCE TO A NURAGHE 381
INTERIOR OF A NURAGHE 381
SEPOLTURA DE IS GIGANTES 390
THE SAME 391
SARDO-ROMAN COIN 417
CARTHAGINEAN COIN 418
SARACEN COIN 418
PORTO-TORRES 425

RAMBLES

IN

CORSICA AND SARDINIA.