The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-05-02
v,cHr1Ne AROUND SARDINIA.
x;ews in the Twin Island Before Cross.
Las ing the Strait of BOnifazio.

;rhout deV0U1nS dt ledSC CWenCy-IOur
WIS 10 one of the oldest strongholds
.bp world -BonifaziO, on its extreme
,tharn border. Besides its remark
,sir picturesque Notifications, of great
i,ht and extent, perched high above
.[s SEA and the mysterious caverns
.,o+ noney-comb their foundations, all
w.. aryirons are extremely interesting,
binding the stored islets of the Strait,
.,,o.. of them almost within stones
a-N of the ramparts. The site of
porifaUo is unique, especially as view
81 from the sea. 1t occupies the apex
or q huge white pyramid of rock, wash
.ou turee sides by the sea, the fourth
bounded by tiny inlet, called by
....+.,, the harbor, shut in by mac
...I,I, hills. Wild rocks, tumbled all
..5.It. and exposed to the restless wash
-m the Mediterranean, are worn
did. .. most fantastic outlines. In
..r, places there is no beach at all
r, rroW strip bordering the inlet
..- 1sely built up with very tall
.....- ou whose fronts are carved the
.....f atns of Genoa, a crowned lion
i.lu- ring in his claw. a long and
r., i-it of stairs leads from the vii
r.4s,rlight up to the citadel, and the
-.y formed French soldiers, NOV
;tp -ook like SO many notes in the
..rsr-rr The soft. stratified cliff on
T.r.r the medieval defenses are built
has ttnhled away in many places,
fs.yrr their walls standing on shelves.
r edges Of the rock, projecting one
bsoad the other, with immense black
5r-r9r- beneath. The latter. extend
rgara, back into the darkness, nobody
sruVs LOW far, look as if about to
m1be altogether and drop the whole
Hu. uto the sea; and the danger is
.a- purely imaginary, as the walls of
masonry that in many places support
-ft sides Of the caves will show. Just
-rk et it. This old town was built
nor than ten hundred years ago "a.
j So 10y one of Charlemagne's con-
~mroiaueS' After a naval victory
5y-r >aracen Corsairs, the Marquis of
BmtaGio, a Tuscan margrave, selected
lofty cliff on the narrow strait
racr has since borne his name, as the
strongest barrier he could find against
mtUrt pratical attacks. OF the forts
- erected in that early day, one still
stands -ntire-a massive circular tower
ri I. Terriore" There are three
otcl towers, almost a counterpart of
-0 FIRST one. but they are of later date.
ftlHfe soon passed into the hands of
u l1,aui but was wrested from them
"1 r.r Genoese late in the eleventh
uHUw Then for three hundred tran
4. W3 prosperous years it enjoyed
. government under the pa
protection of Genoa. Almost
.t INK OF connection between
r. fsQ and the country of its con-
ga-ul was the Genoese governor: and
ie aas never put in possession of the
'ar until he had solemnly sworn, on
--- Sacrament. to preserve inviO-
IT, IFS treaties and statutes. The
aI~ aspect with which the Genoese
lar- 'lt B0nifaZianS is a matter Of
s-..E When one of their vessels en-
t.O re port Of Genoa its captain was
.a- Are you from the district of
-p-- io. or from Bonifazio proper"
-'-.t nose the popular saying, often
u- -o.day in this part of the world:
Irs Bonifazian proper" \ great
l4t} drn0ese mobiles, and other citi-
lsis u alk and wealth, were attracted
~ 'ae .ltt-town which enjoyed privi-
.e.-' -v are in those days; and in time
'- Hontazians proper could hardly
.5 l,,uglished from the Genoese in
aa-uAgr manners and characteristics.
1IrN Years before Columbus set off on
a> lst uunt for new world, this town
W-lstlod the most remarkable siege in
Italian history. The story of it reads
A4Le kr a romance of the Arabian
Nights than actual reality. Alfonzo of
AiagoU invested the town by land and
,ra with a powerful force. Night and
Jay for five months hail of stone balls
hammered the battlements and were
poured INTO the houses below, both from
0' iet' and the position occupied by
IF spanish forces on a neighboring hill.
-'.essant yolleys of arrows were also
discharged from the ships towers and
"Oldi0ps, and leaden arrows from the
AduGtombards of the time-of cast
metal. tollow like reed, and propelled
@ me with such force as to pierce
'aiolgh knights armour. Meanwhile
VIC walls and towers were shattered by
4'a'leT missiles, discharged from cata-
21@ and battering- rams, and other en-
''leS OF medieval warfare. Several
"ultS were breaches effected, and the
4'hISd rushed to the assault-only to
w aiFen back over the bodies of the
'r'a and dying. The women of Boni-
''''' We're not less active than the men
Intending their town; and even monks
.-' i"cstS took their turn in guarding
D''Aen ramparts. Finally Alfonzo
"S0'} I'd ia rpduce tho nlaca INV fan,ipo