North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-05-19
s. McGREGOR, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, MAY 10, 1865

very common and have been much hunted.
They are larger than the tame sheep.
Their horns are thick and bend forward.
They are Thoroughly conservatives to
hair; but their color is mixed-brown,
black and white. They have a frizzled
name, and an eye like that of Genius,
quick, fine and beautiful They are easily
tanned, and become a pet with the chill
dren. They are generally turned over to
the goat to feed, and they are not tender
of their foster-mother. They often milk
with dash Of ferocity that sometimes
draws blood instead of milk. Indeed,
everything in Corsica has wild and fierce
style.
WOMEN ENJOYING HER "RrGnTs."
On our upward way we perceive villages
upon the mountains, perched high, like all
the little towns on the Italiaa and French
coast so high that during the invasions
of Saracens, they were comparatively pro-
tected in their rock.bound strongholds.
We meet on the road, occasionally, women
carrying on their heads their burdens of
broccio, wine, fruit, or faggots, and inva-
riably knitting as they walk. Now and
then they ride upon tie donkey, and ride
will you believe it?-astraddle | Indeed,
l met upon donkey man riding upon a
side saddle and woman behind him
astride on the meek bearer of burdens.
A MAN TO HOLE.
AS we wind our way around mountain
sides and over the valleys and under the
shadow of overhanging rocks, we discern
workmen in gangs, either digging around
the olive. making terraces, or working the
soil for the vine; or what is very common,
making holes in the ground to hold the
rain, to assist the work of irrigation. In
deed, the vineyards everywhere, which
furnish the full bodied wines OF Corsica,
are perforated with holes. Every other
hole has in it laborer. AS we 60 by he
rests upon his spade, and wiping the sweat
from his brow, respectfully lifts his Phry>
gian cap, with "Luon giorno." If lie
were before the footlights in Booths thea.
tre, he would make capital personaton,
in attitude and costume, of the gravc-dig-
ger in Hamlet. But who are these work
men? Not Corsicans. The little 'pro-
prietor," who wears his velvet clothes, and
owns few chestnut or olive trees, or his
flock of goats and sheep; or his more
wealthy neighbor, who has his vineyard
or lemon grove, is not the workman Of this
isle. These gangs of laborers are Luchnesi.
They live in Italy. They come over to
Corsica for few months, make and save
few hundred francs, and return to their
homes. They are like the Chinese on our
Pacific slope. In fact, they are the only
laborers of this land, so favored by sky
and sun, and so neglected by the "pro>
prietors." What work they do not do
here the women do.
CHEsTNUTs.
The chestnut is the bane and blessing Of
Corsica. 1t grows in the high attitudes
1t requires no care as the olive does. 1t
never fails of a crop. 1t is more plentiful
in the eastern side Of the island. In fact,
there is on that side circle of land, called
Castagnicca. or chestnut country. There
the people live almost entirely on chest
nuts. Where the chestnut forests abound,
a little olive oil, a little wine, few fgs,
and sometimes kid or wild sheep fur
n;sh the food. 1t is this chance food.
picked without labor, to which is attribut
ed much Of the improvident, lazy, and in
dependent habits of the Corsicans. The
dry chestnut is fed to the horses. They
like it. 1t is hard, but they grind it in
their mouths as sweet morsels. The peo-
pie use it roasted sometimes, but generally
made into flour. The chestnut cakes we
had at Cauro, from an old brig;.nd hunter,
were delicious and nutritious. They are
baked in square, fiat pans, and have the
color Of our buckwheat. When the Pisans,
! Genoese, and French undertook to subju-
gate Corsica, the chestnut Boys beat
them. Their rations cost little. Hemmed
in by mountains and rocks, hiding in caves,
and while other parts of the island sue
cumbed to the yoke of the foreigner, the
) independent chestnut eater was unsubdu-
ed. 1t is not new kind of food here. 1t
is as Old as the earliest traditions of the
island. guess that when Kneas left Di-
do, and when his companion, Corso, "a
bad young man." from. whom the island is
named, eloped with Didos neice. Miss
: Sico (hence Corse Sico,) and when the
young people were followed hither by the
irate brother of the bride, they celebrated
their honeymoon in a chestnut grove, had
} baked chestnut for breakfast, chestnut
cakes for dinner and chestnuts la poule1
for supper. The mother Of Napoleon, il
is known, had dairy, when at Paris, fol
goats milk and broccio. Doubtless the
; young and old Napoleons preserved this
family affection for the food Of their native
land. There is good deal of fight in
chestnuts. The brigands, who have hardly
: yet been exterminated, had a constant and
ready supply of this home made belligerent
ailment. They retire on it to their fast,
nesses and defy starvation and surrender
Perhaps the world is indebted for its Bo
Q napartes-to chestnuts
i. THE OLIVE.
); All the care given to the olives is by tht