The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-06-20
A Carriage Tour in Corsica,
IL.

Signori! We lodged at the excellent lit.
tie Hotel Gigli. There not being room
enough for all our party, one couple was
housed with Monsieur lie Cure, much ia
our amusement. We exhorted them to
all the necessary virtues worthy of such
dignifed surroundings. A quiet evening
was spent in sending the inevitable DOS
tai cards home, to parents and friends.
We met man on-e in the railway train
between Damascus and Baelbeck. who
solemnly assured US he had given up
sending postals to people who very often
did not even take the trouble to acknowl-
edge them, and with the money thus
economical he had bought enough land
in his provincial town in France on
which to build himself home for his old
age!
When we awoke next morning we
were not little surprised to find that
two inches of snow had fallen over night.
1t was quite exhilarating. We had not
seen any snow for nearly three years. We
rushed out like children and began to
play at snow-balling. 1t was such con-
trast to semi-tropical Al acco, left behind
so recently. Evisa is most fascinating.
Picturesquely situated at an altitude of
$500 feet, it offers many attractive
promenades and excursions to the happy
tourist. Its proximity to the great
Aitone forest would alone recommend it.
This wonderful forest is composed of
the celebrated Laricio pines, over $50
feet in height, from which are made
some of the finest masts in the French
navy; confusion of rocks. and stately
oaks overhung with grey mistletoe, and
small holly trees growing abundantly,
laden down with shining red berries. 1t
is quite silent, this majestic old forest;
the only sound one hears is the rush of
the torrent and the babbling of the
brooks. As we drove along a snow
storm overlook us. 1t was like fairyland.
We all tumbled out to be photographed.
We came to the Col deVergio, 4,800 feet
above sea level, after eight miles of car
riage road through the grandeur OF the
forest. This is the highest pass we
crossed in our tour. The granite gorges
below US were decked out with blue
lupus, rose cyclamen, and the dainty
bell-like flowers of the wild garlic, deli
cate to the eye, but foul enough to the
scent! We descended rapidly, always
amid most picturesque scenery, often
getting out to walk a few miles, and
thus relieve the fiery, impetuous little
ponies, who asked no odds of anyone.
We reached Calacuccia at noon, with
feet soaked through after our long walk
through the Aitone forest in the gather
ing snow storm. The thoughtful land
lady had built huge fire of wood, and
we dried our feet as we ate the savory
luncheon she had prepared. Then off we
wandered on foot to cross La Scala di
Santa Regina, wonderful gorges with
fantastic groupings of gigantic rocks,
set, however, in minor key than those
of the famous Calanches. Had we seen
La Scala first, we should have been over
whelmed with awesome admiration. We
walked considerably this third day of our
tour. We crossed quaint Castirla, where
every man, woman and child of the To-
cality swarmed out to greet us, and ac-
companied us on every foot Of our prog
ress through their territory. The court
esy was frankly embarrassing. When
they saw our carriages following they
shouted with one voice Tnglese! Ing
lese!
We reached Corte, for fourteen years
the capital of Corsica, at twilight. This
old town has been the scene of much
bloodshed in the furious wars waged
against the hated Genoese. The snow
crowned Monte Rotundo, the second
highest in the island, looks calmly down
on this most ancient town, and the cita-
del built on an immense rock, in its turn,
looks down on the roaring tumultuous
Tavignano, and the Restonica rivers.
We saw the bullet-riddled house of the
Corsican patriot General Gaffori, who, in
1746 drove the detested Genoese from
Corte, and the outlying country.
In this same Gaffori house Carlo Bona
parte lived some time with his wife Lee
titia. 1t was here that their eldest son
Joseph, later King of Spain, was born.
There are several picturesque, squalid
and dirty streets in Corte, and the Hotel
Paoli, where we dined and slept, was the
only one where we had an unsatisfactory
meal in all our travels through Corsica.
We were up betimes next morning,
the concert of Growing ROSTERS, squeal-
ing black pigs, braying donkeys, and
cackling geese, defying US to court SUM
Der any longer.
A farewell tour of the interesting old
town and we jubilantly set forth on our
way to Vivario, where we lunched, pass
ing the famous Ponte Vecchio, built in
1924 to 1927, under the supervision of
Jouvin, and opening up the road of COM
munication between Bastia and Aiaccio.
Sweet little Vivario! Nesting like a
tired child in the lap of the encircling