Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-06-18
ISLAND OF NAPOLEON.
FAMOUS SCENES AND MEMORIES OF
j THE CORSICA OF TO-DAY.

y
Newspaper Correspondent.
Our ideas Of Corsica are, | am afraid,
biased by the dramatist and the novelist
We think of it as it is represented to us in
the adventures of the brothers De Franchi,
or through the medium of Merimee's pict-
uresque Colombia; therefore we associate
the wild Mediterranean island with ven
dettas, savage passions and more savage
loves. Less terrifying but not less pictur-
esque, are the descriptions given by Al
phonse Daudet in the "Lettres de mon
Moulin" written after spending several
weeks In the lighthouse of Mezzo Mare
with no other companion than the aged
custodian of the isolated building, and the
seductive pictures of landscape and YER
dure of Guy de Maupassant in "Une Vie.n
But 1t is well known that both dramatist
and novelist are gifted with glorified Wis
ion which the ordinary tourist does not
possess, and the lack of which possibly ac-
counts for the divergence of impressions;
the former are more vivid and poetical, the
latter perhaps the more to be depended
upon.
IL Is not without regret that the travelre
of today has to relinquish certain precon-
iucttSb anu 10 TtuOulCe MS Idltn IN
the legendary Corsican vendetta He
bushes when he finds the native smiling
somewhat ironically Mt any illusions to
their hereditary and sanguinary family
feuds, and, If the truth must be told in all
its unromantic badness, he finds that the
conflicts which most engross the inhabi-
tants are the establishment of battle OF
flowers" after the Nice and Monte Carlo
style, while their jealous emulation is cen
tered on a pacific exhibition, where, besides
the rural and agricultural products OF the
island, are TO be seen specimens of rough
OF manufactured marble, granite and
porphyry, old pieces OF furniture carved
woods, curious gourds and richly chased
weapons
GAME AND FRUIT.
The climate Of Corsica is simply perfect;
the soft air is laden with spicy, aromatic
odors, and made vivifying by the iodine
exhalations of rich marine fora; the long
stretches OF sandy beach are stepped in
warm sunshine; the background of mount
aims has the luminous green tints OF the
Greek hiilsides. Existence in those seagirt
ATTITUDES sinks to a blissful Incidence;
strife, bloodshed, fiery passions and wild
revenge are absolutely incompatible with
this dreamy languor, and the chief interest
Of the lazy hours becomes the recurrence of
meals. The epicure revels In the varied
and dainty fish, the most delicate ever
cooked, pink like the rocks and blue like
the skies.
The game is no less exquisite, notably
the famous Corsican blackbird so highly
praised by Cambaceres, and which are only
at their best during the short span be
tween the list and Both Of January, when
they are gorged with the luscious myrtle
berries honey brown in color, and retain
ing the slight bitterness mentioned by
Virgil, mingling with the delicious perfume
Of wild flowers; the broccio, the national
white cheese, Of sweet, peculiar flavor;
huge lines, preserved in sugar, and va
riety Of excellent wines constitute bill of
fare to satisfy the most fastidious gourmet
The brand of Santa Lucia Of Tallane was
such favorite with Nine. Laetitia, mother
of Napoleon I, that she would drink no
other wine, and had some sent to her in
Paris.
THE BoNAPARTE FAMILY.
One cannot fail to be struck by the fact
that the influence, | might almost say the
presence, OF the Bonaparte family Is every
where apparent In the Green Island" At
Ajaccio, on the market place the women
courtesy before the statue Of the First Con-
sui; on another square he towers amid his
brothers in the garb OF a Roman emperor.
Behind the citadel in the cathedral they
show the basin that held the water for his
baptism, and in the old house the hard sofa
on which he was born, and the trap door
leading to the subterranean passage by
which he escaped to the harbor one night
when he discovered that he was tracked by
spies.
Where be himself is not the members Of
u.
the museums, their works in the libraries.
His mother Is buried in the Bonaparte
chapel with the simple epitaph. Mater
Regum." His father stands erect at the
Hotel de Vile in red gold laced coat.
There also are his brothers-Joseph in a
royal mantle, Louis in gray uniform.
Jerome on ship, Lucieu abstractedly
dreaming under a tree.
BY a tragical antithesis the bust of the
King of Rome faces the mask of Napoleon
dead, and the contrast between these silent
witnesses Of distant past is painfully ac-
cented by the busy, cheerful hum Of the
bright adjoining thoroughfare
IN THE CITIES OF THE ISLAND.
As long as the traveller fingers in the
cities-Ajaccio, the capital; Bastia, the
chief seaport; Vizzavone and Corte-he
finds vague mblance with all Italian
towns, and flavor OF a comparatiyely
modern and general civilization, with near
ly the same customs and forms of com
nerce and life; but it is when he penetrates
into the heart of the country that he be
comes haunted by the memories OF old ira
ditions-the legends Of the Evil Eye, OF the /
devil and supernatural phantoms which
seem to have left their impression on the
rugged, distorted trees, the misshapen
rocks, the tortuous, rushing streams, and
the somber mountain defiles.
The western coast, jagged, serrated and
wild, Is the most picturesque, and at the
same time far the healthiest Every viii
lsge and hamlet has history or a link
with dead past; Bardelica, with its statue
OF Sampiero; Calvi, the anciec. Genoese
city; CarRese, once a Greek colony and re-
tanning the bastard dialect and religious
rites Of Greece; Aleria, destroyed by Scipio, |
rebuilt by Scylla and recalling its Phocean |
origin.
Every civilization has marked with its /
passage this curious little island; its soil |
has been trodden successfully by the Van /
dals, the Byzantines, the Lombards, the |
Saracens and the Gepoese, and not the |
least singular characteristic of the small
nation Is that II has gradually assimilated |
its conquerers without losing the distinct |
I've traits Of its race; not satisfied with |
having given birth to Napoleon, it claims |
as its child Christopher Columbus.-Cor
New York Sun.