CHAP. XII.VOYAGE TO GENOA.
On the 26th of February, 1821, I left Nice in the Divine Providence felucca, of eleven tons, bound to Genoa, with a freight of passengers only, not having been able to procure a cargo.
Some time elapsed, after getting on board, before I felt able to inquire into the persons, or characters of my fellow-passengers; my mind was too deeply absorbed in the painful emotions, occasioned by taking leave of a family with whom I had so long and happily resided, and for whom I must ever entertain an affectionate regard. In time, however, I found that, besides myself, our vessel contained three English gentlemen, who, indeed, had taken their passage at my suggestion, instead of pursuing their journey to Genoa, over land, with mules, as they had intended. It was, however, their third attempt to get farther into Italy by sea. They had first endeavoured to reach Leghorn in an American vessel, which, on some account or other, put back to Villa Franca: after this they sailed for Civita Vecchia, but a contrary wind, and roughish sea arising, after they had left port a few hours, the master of the vessel becamefrightened, and notwithstanding, every argument to induce him to persevere, returned to port. In order to make progress, it is preferable to coast it in small vessels, rather than trust to the open sea in larger traders, for they never keep out in bad weather, if it is possible to reach a port.
Besides these gentlemen, our party consisted of three Frenchmen, and two ladies, one French, and the other an Italian.
After leaving the harbour, the wind was light and variable, and the water smooth, so that by dint of rowing and sailing, we proceeded at the rate of three miles an hour. On arriving off the town, and principality of Monaco, we stood towards the shore, and took on board three sailors, belonging to a Sardinian frigate, lying at Genoa, who had been visiting their friends at Monaco, and agreed to work their passage back to the former place.
At sunset, the captain provided each of us with a straw mattress for our repose; my companions, accordingly, laid themselves down for the night on the floor of the cabin, but I placed mine in preference, on the bench upon which I had been sitting.
We glided on smoothly until midnight, when the wind changed to the eastward, accompanied by small rain. The master expecting bad weather,now bore up for a small port called Cerf, where we anchored about three o’clock in the morning; at seven, we landed at the town of Cerf, situated on the side of so steep a hill, that the streets consist of continued flights of steps. We were conducted to a small auberge, the best however in the place, where we got some hot water, and refreshed ourselves, after our miserable night, with tea, cold meat, &c. of which we had been cautious to lay in good stores before leaving Nice. The care of my friends had supplied myself with no less than a couple of large tongues, a dozen loaves, smoked herrings, coffee, sugar, wines, &c. I name these particulars, because their kind consideration, in the sequel, proved important to me.
After breakfast, the whole of our party, except the Italian lady and myself, set off on mules for Genoa, we having determined to remain in hopes of the wind shortly becoming favourable, in which case, we doubted not, by pursuing our original plan, still to reach Genoa before them, and avoid a difficult and expensive journey by land.
To amuse myself in the interim, I visited the church, and also a miserable auberge, where our captain took me. We here found a number of low-lived fellows, some playing at cards, and others smoking, drinking, and quarrelling. On my return to the auberge, I found the Italian ladysolitary, and out of spirits, in consequence of our detention. At five o’clock, we were asked to take refreshment, and informed, that they could give us soup and macaroni, but, on tasting the former, it was composed chiefly of water, with some onions and vermicelli, and a large quantity of oil floating upon the surface; this fare I could not relish, and determined to wait until we returned on board, as we intended to do shortly, in order to take advantage of any favourable change in the weather, and when I could avail myself of my own stores.
After returning to the vessel, and making a hearty meal, we lay down upon our mattresses as on the preceding night, myself on the bench, the lady on the floor, and the captain and crew in the forepart of the vessel.
The wind, which throughout the night had continued fresh, in the morning became more moderate and favourable; soon after day-light we weighed anchor, stood out of the harbour, and beat up along shore during the day, making what sailors call a long leg and a short one, or perhaps what will be more intelligible, a long tack and a short one, the wind being three points on the right side of our noses; about evening it freshened, and was fed by small rain. A Swedish brig passed us at two p.m. which was running out ofthe gulf of Genoa, with a fine fair wind. About eight in the evening, the wind had increased in such a degree, that the captain thought it necessary to seek shelter for the night, but it was become so dark, that in running for a place he had been accustomed to, the vessel took ground, under the lee of some small uninhabited island. The whole crew, including himself, now made such a hue-and-cry, that one would have thought, nothing less than immediate destruction was to be the result of this mistake; however, we made shift to secure the vessel to the rocks, with an anchor, and it was fortunate that we succeeded in effecting this, for the wind soon increased to a tremendous gale, with heavy rain, which continued through the present night, and the following day and night also.
I had now plenty of occupation in calming the fears of my companion, who, as may be imagined, became dreadfully alarmed; partly with this intention, and partly from necessity, I changed my mattress from the bench to the floor; for the former station was too much exposed to the cold wind and rain, to make it longer tenable. Our cabin was not a close room, but covered over with a tilted roof like a waggon, and had temporary canvas screens, at each end, to secure us from the weather.
At length I had the pleasure of succeeding in my attempts to restore the lady’s confidence, and she afterward amply compensated me by her cheerful manners, and agreeable conversation. Sterne may dilate upon the delicacy of his situation by land, when shut up for eight hours in a room, half as large as our whole ship, and a third person in an adjoining closet, with a widow lady of thirty, who could coolly draw up articles to regulate their conduct; but what was his case compared with mine, enclosed, as I was, for two nights and a day in the cabin of a vessel, and scarcely within hearing of a living soul, with a young married female of five-and-twenty, and whom my imagination might lead me to suppose beautiful as anHouri. The whole of this time passed away like a night to me; for as it was cold, we shut ourselves up close, to keep out the wind and rain; like our sailors on the northern expedition, during this state of confinement, it made no difference, whether we dined in the night or day, for it was just as easy for me to serve out our provisions in the former, as in the latter; and with respect to sleep, I think I had the best of it in the day-time, as the lady’s fears were less on thequi vive, for whenever the sea at night struck us a little harder than usual, she would cry out in terror, “Monsieur! Monsieur!nous sommes contre les rochers,” and I must have had indeed a heart of rock, had I not poured in all possible consolation: I had the pleasure indeed of thinking that the assurances of myanimated tongue, were not less serviceable to her, than the enjoyment of mylingua mortua, which no doubt contributed very efficaciously to support her strength and spirits, for I soon found by the lightness of the basket, that her own stores were insufficient for so prolonged a voyage, or as sailors would express it, that she was in danger of experiencing a southerly wind in the bread-bag.
It was true that this was Friday, but my fair companion was not in a situation to think ofmaigreday, even had it beenVendrédi saintitself. I believe the influence of the French Revolution, has contributed materially to lessen the superstitions of the Catholic countries, which have been exposed to its action. I have heard a French officer remark, that for his part he had met with a sufficient number of maigre days during the war, and could now afford no more, but must livegrasto make up for what he had lost. The priests still contrive to make many women, children, and servants, observe their ordinances, but the men have ventured, pretty generally, to throw off their restraint.
On Saturday, soon after day-break, the lady,peeping out of a hole in the canvas screen, found that the vessel was moving along, by observing the masts pass by the trees on shore; and immediately called out aloud for the captain. We at first attributed her exclamations to her fears; but soon perceived that the ship was actually drifting from the shore, and taking the anchor with her. All hands were called, and the anchor got in, when we fortunately found that the wind, although far from fair, had become moderate enough, to allow us to make sail, and as the day advanced, it became still more propitious. About four in the afternoon, we got round cape Noli, being obliged however to make a few tacks to accomplish it; at this point I heard the sea beating against the rocks, and roaring in the hollow caverns, and could perceive, by the motion of the vessel, that we were near breakers; but so long as our sailors expressed no fears, I felt no apprehension, as I was satisfied, that while they could use their eyes they would run no risk. The character of the Italian, differs widely from that of the British sailor; the former loses his presence of mind by his fears, and makes confusion more confused; the latter, so long as his ship continues unbroken, retains his undaunted spirit, and only contemplates how to apply his energies with most effect.
“⸺E’en should danger round his fenceless head,Her threatening weight of mountain surges spread,He, like a whale, amid the tempest’s roar,Smiles at the storm, nor deigns to wish it o’er.”
“⸺E’en should danger round his fenceless head,Her threatening weight of mountain surges spread,He, like a whale, amid the tempest’s roar,Smiles at the storm, nor deigns to wish it o’er.”
“⸺E’en should danger round his fenceless head,Her threatening weight of mountain surges spread,He, like a whale, amid the tempest’s roar,Smiles at the storm, nor deigns to wish it o’er.”
“⸺E’en should danger round his fenceless head,
Her threatening weight of mountain surges spread,
He, like a whale, amid the tempest’s roar,
Smiles at the storm, nor deigns to wish it o’er.”
After weathering cape Noli, the wind became more favourable, and allowed us to shape our course for Genoa, and had we pursued it properly, I am persuaded that we might have made the lighthouse of that place in four hours, but our captain, in reply to my urgency in this respect, stated, what was certainly not unreasonable, that as his provision was exhausted, if by any chance we should be blown off the coast, the vessel might be lost, or the crew perish from hunger. He therefore determined to put into Noli, off which place we anchored at nine o’clock, when, with a part of his crew, he immediately went on shore to procure provisions, and amuse himself.
Noli was formerly a place of some repute, constituting a republic of fishermen: it is now a mere fishing-town. The castle still remains.
The captain returned between ten and eleven o’clock, and, according to my request, brought with him some bread and wine to increase my little store. The bread had a peculiar sweet taste, which, I was informed, was in consequence of chesnuts being mixed with the wheaten flour. The wine was good, and made us merry before lying down forthe night, and we felt happy in the prospect of reaching our destined port on the following day. In the early part of the next morning, on passing Savona, the captain went on shore, to order some new sails, which he stated were to be procured cheaper there than at Genoa, and returned at twelve o’clock; when a contrary breeze having sprung up, he declared his intention of running into that port, as he was confident that we were going to have bad weather, and should be obliged to put back to it at last. Thus we had the mortification of being again detained at the distance of thirty miles from Genoa, and only ten from the port we had left in the morning, after having already occupied six days in a voyage, which, with a fair passage, ought to have been completed in forty-eight hours, and has sometimes been effected in sixteen.
We anchored at Savona about one o’clock, and experienced a delightful afternoon. The port at this place is by nature very fine, and was formerly capable of receiving vessels of war, but has been obstructed materially at its entrance, by the jealousy of the Genoese, under the specious pretence of preventing its harbouring hostile shipping.
As there was no prospect of continuing our voyage to-day, my companion and myself went on shore, after dinner, and amused ourselves with awalk in the country; after an hour’s march, we reached a small town, named Albisola, remarkable for its porcelain manufactory; my companion saw, however, nothing but black plates: on our way, we fell in with a genteel young man, a native of Albisola, who gave us much local information; after which, we passed a lady and gentleman, who, we were informed, were the mayor of the place and his lady, on their way to a concert at Savona. We found Savona a small neat town, pleasantly situated, and entering some of the shops, made a few trifling purchases, and were remarkably struck with the politeness of the Italian shop-keepers. On inquiring the time of day, we were answered, “twenty-three hours and a half;” this appeared a very extraordinary manner of noting the time: the fact is, however, that, in Italy, their calculation always commences at sun-set, which is their twenty-fourth hour, and consequently, must vary according to the varying seasons of the year, which makes their mode of computation exceedingly difficult for a stranger to comprehend. In addition to the above, I had another indication of being in Italy, from the universal use of that language; in short, my companion conversed with every one in Italian, and then translated it for me into French; and I was much pleased with the specimen I herereceived both of the manners and language of the country.
In the evening we returned to our vessel to sleep, in order to be prepared for any favourable change in the wind, but determined, in case of its not shifting, to disembark with our baggage in the morning, and proceed to Genoa by land. We were cheerful and happy in the prospect of our difficulties being soon terminated, and after regaling the crew with wine, retired to rest.
We rose with day-break, and finding the wind still adverse, after settling with the captain, went on shore, and taking places in the voiture to Genoa, determined no longer to be the sport of the winds. There were but two vacancies in the coach, and finding our anxiety to proceed with it, the conducteur would fain have taken advantage of it, but the lady managed the affair well, for offering what she knew to be the usual sum, viz. five francs for each of us; on their refusal to accept it, under the plea that there was no other coach that day, we walked off, and pretended to be indifferent about it: this manœuvre brought them to, and before we had proceeded the length of a street, the conducteur came running after us, to say that he was willing to take us; after this, however, we had some trouble to get our luggage to the carriage, and were obliged to walk part ofthe way out of town, in doing which we were followed by the most importunate host of beggars I had ever witnessed in my life; my companion was so confused that she could with difficulty count out her money to pay the porters, &c. At length our supplicants dropped off, one by one, until we literally out-walked them all.
I ought not to take leave of Savona, without mentioning, that at this point the maritime Alps terminate, and the Apennines commence.
About four o’clock, we passed through a village, stated to be the birth-place of Columbus: this information excited much interest in my mind: I was led to reflect upon the manner in which his extraordinary genius had surmounted the various obstacles opposed to his discovery of a new world, and to regret the supineness of my own country, which might otherwise have had the honour of participating in so important an event; but the enlivening conversation of our party, would not admit of my indulging freely in such speculations, and ere long we made our entry through the gates of Genoa.