Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1849-08-31
ge1eGG e ale.
A COR SfCAN FAMILY.
TRASsLATED PROM THE FRENCH
ALEXANDER DUMAS.
CHAPTER !.

About the commencement of the month Of
March, in the year I64I, was travelling in
Corsica.
Nothing can be more picturesque, and COM
modious than a journey in Corsica You em-
bark at Toulon; in twenty hours you arrive
at AJaccia, or in twenty-four hours at Zastia.
There you buy or hire a horse; if you hire
him you pay five francs day; if you buy him,
you get him for one hundred and fifty francs.
And don't you laugh about the lowness ofthe
price; that horse, either hired or bought, will
perform feats, like the Gascon's famous horse
who Jumped from the Pont Neuf into the
Seine, which neither Prospero nor Nautilus.
the heroes of the Courses of Chantilly OF
the Champ de Mars, could do.
He passes through roads where Zalmah
himself would have stuck in his crampirons,
and over bridges where 'Auriol would have
asked for a balance pole.
As for the traveller, let him shut his eyes,
and let his beast go. The danger concerns
him not Consider moreover, that with this
horse that passes everywhere, you can make
fifteen leagues is miles) each day, he requir-
ing neither food nor water. From time to
time, when you make halt to visit an old
castle, built by some lord, hero, or chief of a
feudal tradition, or to take a drawing of an
old tower built by the Genoese, the horse will
eat a few tufts of grass, peel the bark from
tree, or lick rock covered with mess, end that
is all.
Your nights lodgings are still more easily
obtained; the traveller arrives in village,
traverses the principal street in its whole
length, picks out house that pleases him,
and knocks at the door. In a moment the
master or mistress of the house appears up
on the threshold, invites the traveller to dis
mount. offers him the half of his supper. his
whole bed if he has but one, and the next
morning, re-conducting him to his door, thanks
him for the preference he has shown him.
Of remuneration of any kind, it is well I'M
deIstood, there cannot be any questions the
least word on that subject, would be consid-
cred an insult by the host. If the house is
served by young girl. you may offer her
some silk kerchiefs, which she will use as
picturesque head dress 70 60 10 the feast at
Cabri or Corte. If the servant is man. he
will eagerly accept dirk knife, with which
TO kill his. enemy, if he chances TO meet him.
Yet you have TO inform yourself Of one
thing more, that is, whether the servants of
the house, and that happens sometimes, are
not the masters relatives, less favored by for
tune than himself. and who render him do
mestic services, for which they are pleased to
accept their board. lodging, and one or TWO
dollars month. And do not believe that
these masters who are waited upon by their
relatives, ard cousins in the fifteenth or twen-
tieth degree, are the worse served for it. No,
such is not the case. Corsica is French
department, but Corsica as yet is very far
from being France
As for thieves. YOU never hear word rnen-
tioned. but of banditti, plenty; yes, but you
must not confound the one with the other
1ou NAV 90 without fear from Ajaccia.
Basta, purse full of gold hanging at your
saddle-bow, and you may cross and re-cross
hewhole Island without the shadow ofdanger;
but you may not travel from Accana TO Lee
waco, if you have an enemy who has declared
YOU the ''yendetta;' for / would not answer
for YOU during that journey of two leagues.
Wen. as l have said, was in Coysica in
the beginning of March. l was there alone,
jakin having staid at Rome.
] came from the Island of Elbe disem-
harked at Bastia; had bought me horse at
the above mentioned place. / had visited
EoTte and Ajaccio, and was just then travel
ing through the province Of Sartene.
This day was going from Sartene 10 Sui
lacaro. The journey was short one; ten
leagues perhaps, OF account of the wlndlngs
of the principal chain which divides the Is
land and which | had to cross; had taken
guide for fear Of being lost n the makis.s
Towards FIVE O'Clock we reached the sum
nit Of the hill. which commands as we'll Al
meto as Sullacaro. There We rested few
moments.