The Republican journal., 1912-04-18
IN AJACCIo.

We started out, that bright February
morning, merry party of nine persons
and two dogs, Frenchmen all, with the
exception of one Swiss and one Ameri-
can. We were divided into two groups.
In a carriage three charming French
ladies, who did not care to brave the
fatigue of the long ascent up the steep
mountain side in the broiling sun, over a
rough, rocky road, through the maquis,
and dear little doglum, fox-terrier
from Rouen, called MISS" but pro-
nounced 'Mees," aged a bit over thir-
teen years. On foot, the remaining men,
bers of the jolly group, with an ex-
quisitely beautiful and dainty Partisan
dog, by name, "Follette." At the cor
ner of the Cours Grandval, where we ar
rived at a. M, we were further rein
forced by the presence of an Ajaccian
dog of most amiable disposition, who
had often joined us on previous rambles,
and whom we had christened Fidelity"
He set up joyous barking at seeing us,
and fell into line as punctually as if he
had been expressly invited!
These Ajaccian dogs are such dear
creatures, so friendly, clearly and self
respecting. 1t is always pleasure to
have them with us. We traversed the
whole length of the Cours Napoleon and
took a short cut over the Casteluccio
road, passing the quaint chapel of Our
Lady of Loretto.
Arriving at Mileli, with its interest
ing memories of Napoleon, we walked
through the cool shade of its olive groves,
emerging at the very foot of the noun
tain, the ascent of which brings one out
upon the level of the Pozzo di Borgo
terrace.
We stopped moment to rest and ad-
mire the beautiful flowers of the Mozzo
domain, beds of violets, cyclamen, mar
cissus, anemones, jonquils, hyacinths,
and stephanotis pertaining the air, roses
of every shade and hue, and the waving
palms and fluffy mimosas of this semi
tropical land. The maquis had begun
to flower, the air was filled with its
sweet, lingering, all-pervading, never
to-be forgotten odor. Many rivulets
trickled down the mountain on their way
to the sea, making merry music over the
rough, stony way. With song and laugh
ter we climbed upwards, gaining en-
trancing views at each new height at
tanned.
Often we rubbed elbows with the cactus
and the prickly pear, and stood ankle
deep in nettles, which elected rueful
expressions of pain. The two dogs.
Fidelity" and "Follette" trotted on
ahead, busily nosing around on their own
account. Then almost at the summit we
heard the jingle of the bells on the necks
of the sturdy little Corsican ponies, and
were able to hail our carriage friends,
now visible on loop of the winding
road below. Answering shouts and ener-
getic barking from "Miss" proclaimed
all was well. In quarter Of an hour we
were able to walk beside the carriage up
to the Chateau Pozzo di Borgo.
After some Eght-hearted conversation,
with much witty repatee, in which the
French excel thus making them such
neutrality-suspicious., we all agreed that
luncheon was the question Of the hour.
The concierge, who had been willing
listener to our small talk, agreed to set
out table and chairs and provide neces-
sary napery and other accessories. The
lunch itself we had brought compactly
with US, in the carriage, in big baskets,
with dozen bottles of the rich, red wine
of the old Corsican vintage.
The sub-human company was now
further added unto by the appearance of
the hunting dog of the caretakers, an
underfed, but most ingratiating young
creature, whom we took to our hearts at
once.
The meal proceeded hilariously. The
wit of France, Switzerland, and even,
albeit in much slighter measure, of far
away America. flowed as freely as the
wine of this glorious country. The four
dogs ate ravenously. Anything we did
not want disappeared into their capaci-
Gus stomachs with surprising rapidity.
Then followed the visit over the cha
teau, which stands 1000 feet above the
level of the sea. The present chateau was
built in 1886 to 1894, by the Duke Jerome
Pozzo di Borgo and his son Charles, out
of the material saved from the burning
of the Tuileries, in Paris, in 1871. The
Pozzo di Borgos are an old Corsican
family. 1t was at Alata that the great
Charles Andre Pozzo di Borgos, who
built the CHATEAU de la Punta, was born.
He was lawyer in Ajaccio, like his
friend, Charles Bonaparte, father of the
mighty Napoleon the First.
The expedition against Sardinia having
failed, Pozzo di Borgo and the illustrious
Pascal Paoli, the Father of His Country,
were called to the bar of the convention
81 d., 6