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A
TOUR UP THE STRAITS,
FROM
GIBRALTAR
TO
CONSTANTINOPLE.
WITH THE
LEADING EVENTS IN THE PRESENT WAR
BETWEEN THE
AUSTRIANS, RUSSIANS, AND THE TURKS,
TO THE
COMMENCEMENT OF THE YEAR 1789.
By CAPTAIN SUTHERLAND,
OF THE 25th REGIMENT.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR;
AND SOLD BY J. JOHNSON, No 72, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD.
M.DCC.XC.
THE RIGHT HONORABLE
LADY LOUISA LENNOX,
THIS VOLUME
IS
MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED,
BY HER LADYSHIP's
MOST OBLIGED,
MOST FAITHFUL, AND
MOST OBEDIENT SERVANT,
D. SUTHERLAND.
INTRODUCTION.
The Commander in Chief of the garrison of Gibraltar having indulged the Author of the following pages with leave of absence, he accepted an invitation from an amiable Friend, to accompany him on a Voyage to the Levant.
It was with the most heart-felt satisfaction, that he found himself enabled to profit by so favorable an opportunity of visiting a country, not only interesting from the precious remains of antiquity with which it is still adorned, but from the critical state into which it was thrown by the war already began, which threatened, sooner or later, to involve in it many of the Powers of Europe, and to call forth the just arm of Great Britain, to check the haughty usurpations of the ambitious Court of Russia.
The Author's friends saw his happiness in embarking on such a Tour; and, that they might, in some degree, partake of it, one of them insisted that he should keep, and transmit him, a regular Journal.
This promise the Author readily gave, and faithfully observed.
The compliments paid to this little work, first gave him the idea of appearing in print. Aware, however, that the ground he had travelled over, had often been treated upon by much more able pens, he for some time suppressed his hopes of becoming a candidate for fame in the literary world: but, after the general encouragement he met, he would have been guilty of injustice to himself, and of want of confidence in his friends, had he any longer hesitated to appear before the Public.
CONTENTS.
LETTER I.
Page
CEUTA--Goths and Saracens--Almeria--Rocks
of Abibo
LETTER II.
Carthagena--War of the Succession
LETTER III.
Reception at Cagliari--Lucilla
Churches--Ball at the Palace--Trade,
&c. of Sardinia
LETTER V.
Island of Capria--Tiberius--Malonia
LETTER VI.
Excursion to Baia
LETTER VII.
Mount Vesuvius--The Hermit--Bay of
Naples
LETTER VIII.
Capo de Monte--Portici--Herculaneum--Pompeia
LETTER IX.
Casertta--St. Januarius--Opera--Government
Visit to the King of Naples at Castello
Mare--The Queen--Coast of Salerno--Pestum
LETTER XI.
Lipari Islands--Volcano of Strombolo
LETTER XII.
Messina--Earthquake--Scylla and Charybdis--Sir
George Byng--Commodore
Walton
LETTER XIII.
A fireball--Zante--Ithaca--Promontory
of Leucate--Turks and Greeks
LETTER XIV.
Pirates--Milo--Paros--Attica--Sunium
Smyrna--Great Advantages to be derived
from the Turkey Trade--Necessity of
a regular Lazaretto in England
LETTER XVI.
Cause of the War--The Russian Minister
is sent to the Seven Towers--Turkish
Manifesto--Attempt on Kimbourn--A
Russian Ship of sixty-four guns gives
herself up to the Turks--Ambitious
Views of the two Imperial Courts--The
Interest of England greatly endangered
by them--Necessity of our opposing
the Empress
LETTER XVII.
Journey to Ephesus--The poor Girl--Caravansera--Temple
of Diana--Character
of the Turkish Ministers--The
Vice-Admiral of the Porte beheaded
Scyros--Idra--History of Athens
LETTER XIX.
Present State of Athens--Battle of Marathon
LETTER XX.
Greek and Mahometan Religion
LETTER XXI.
Voyage from Athens to Leghorn
LETTER XXII.
Journey from Leghorn to Florence--Government
of Peter Leopold--Public
Ornaments--Palaces, Ricardi and Gerrini
LETTER XXIII.
Gallery of Florence
Island of Elba--Mount Vesuvius
LETTER XXV.
Voyage to Palermo--Grotesque Statues--Funeral
of Prince Patagonia
LETTER XXVI.
Attempt upon Belgrade--The Emperor declares
War--Operations in Croatia--Prince
Lichtenstein defeated by the
Turks--The Emperor takes the Field in
Person--The Prince of Moldavia deserts
from the Turks
LETTER XXVII.
The Prince of Saxe Cobourg invests Choczim--Siege
of Oczakow--Marshal
Laudohn--Political Observations--Meadia
taken by the Turks--The Grand
Vizir defeats the Emperor
Passage through the Dardanelles--Constantinople
LETTER XXIX.
Conclusion of the Campaign 1788
Advertisement
A
TOUR
FROM
GIBRALTAR
TO
CONSTANTINOPLE.
LETTER I.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Carthagena, August 14th.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
In compliance with your request, I
I have kept a regular Journal of my
Voyage, which I now inclose you:
Tuesday, August 7th, Noon.
At eight o'clock, yesterday morning, we left Gibraltar, with a contrary wind; and, on the first tack, we passed Ceuta, a place of no great intrinsic value, but an indifferent port. It is situated on a peninsula of Africa, which, with Gibraltar, Spartel and Trafalgar, forms the Straits, and is so strongly fortified by Nature, that, although the Moors have often besieged it, it has withstood all their efforts.
Count Julian was Governor of this place, at the time Roderigo ravished his daughter, the beautiful Cava. The Count, inflamed with rage at the dishonor perpetrated on his family, and distracted at the ruin of his own child, forgot his duty to his country, which no private injuries can excuse, and engaged to put the Moors in possession of Spain, if they would revenge him on his abandoned Monarch.
It is not easy to determine who were the first inhabitants of Spain. We know that it was subdued by the Carthaginians before the Christian æra, and that they were conquered by the Romans; who, in their turn, yielded to the Goths, from whom Roderigo was descended.
At this time, the Saracens (the name the followers of Mahomet assumed) emigrating from Arabia, had overrun the neighbouring parts of Africa, which they have kept possession of ever since. To these people, Count Julian, with great truth, represented Roderic as a Prince universally detested, and whose tyranny promised a general insurrection among the Goths. The Saracen Chief at first doubted the Count's sincerity, but at last sent over a large army, which gained a | A. D. 712| complete victory over Roderigo, who was killed in the action; and the whole country submitted to the Moors.
Divisions arising among the conquerors, the natives, in less than six years, again appeared in arms, and the Saracens gradually declined for near two centuries. Almanzor then arose, and, by his repeated victories, revived the affairs of his countrymen: But, on the death of this great General, the Christians again made head, and reduced the Moors to such straits, that, although Mahomet Ben Joseph, Sovereign of Barbary, came over to their assistance with all his forces, he was entirely defeated. A. D. 1212.
The same dissensions, however, which had ruined the Saracens, now broke out among the Christians, and enabled the former to shelter themselves in Grenada, the only province now remaining to them in Spain. Here they continued till the different monarchies which had been erected on their ruin, were all, except Navarre, united under | A. D. 1492.| Ferdinand and Isabella. Grenadawas then taken; but the Moors were allowed to remain in the country, as subjects, till the reign of Philip the Third, who, in apprehension of an insurrection, banished them entirely | A. D. 1602.| from out of his kingdom. The depopulation which this measure occasioned, is sensibly felt to the present day. Count Julian was himself put to death by the Moors, on a suspicion that he intended to desert their cause. His fate afforded us an ample field for reflection.
We continued our course along the Barbary shore till midnight. We were then obliged to tack, and are now opposite Malaga, twenty leagues from Gibraltar. This, considering that the wind has been constantly easterly, is no bad specimen of our sailing.
On the spot we are passing, Sir George Rooke, soon after he had taken Gibraltar, engaged the Grand Fleet of France, consisting of fifty-two sail of the line. The English and Dutch had as many ships; but the French, being later from port, were much better manned, and in superior | August 13, 1704.| condition. The battle lasted all the day. Both sides suffered a very severe loss in men; but not one vessel was taken or destroyed. Each claimed the victory; but the French Admirals took care not to face us again during the whole of the war.
August 8th and 9th.
Calms and light easterly winds. The sea, for several miles round us, is entirely covered with the spawn of fish. Philosophers have not been able to determine how these animals are engendered: I will therefore pass them over. The Grenada mountains rise to a stupendous height on our left, and, even at this late season, their heads are covered with snow.
August 10th, Noon.
We have been, all this morning, in sight of Almeria. The more, for two or three leagues on each side, is almost flat, with a very fine beach; but the town itself displays all the variety of hill, dale and water. It stands on a river, whose banks seem in high cultivation, and are over-hung by prodigious mountains; whilst the low ground, particularly to the east, rises in a gradual slope, covered with groves and avenues of olive, and cork-trees, interspersed with vines and green canes. This beautiful spot forms a kind of amphitheatre, enclosed by the Grenadines, whose rugged summits appear almost inaccessible.
On a steep ascent, at the West end of the town, stands a large Moorish castle, in very good repair. At present it is only respectable for its antiquity; but, in 1147, it made a most vigorous defence against Conrad the Third, assisted by the French, Genoese, and Pisans; and, after a glorious resistance, it was taken by assault, and all the Moors most inhumanly put to death. Vast riches were found in the place, particularly the famous Agate ship, which is still shewn by the Genoese, as one of the most valuable curiosities in Genoa. The castle of Almeria is an exact copy of that at Gibraltar, and, like it, is commanded by an height immediately above it.
Dusk. Early in the afternoon, a breeze sprang up, and we are now off Cape de Gatt, about six leagues from Almeria, and fifty-two from Gibraltar. On the point, the Spaniards have a small barbette battery. The land, for some miles on each side, is almost perpendicular; but, although we are near a league from the shore, we have soundings in sixteen fathoms. The easterly wind continuing, we have just tacked, and are standing to the South.
August 11th.
In the morning, we made Abido, an island of rocks, on the Barbary shore, Lat. 35° 44′, Long. 51′ W. and, in the afternoon, passed between the island and the main, which no British ship, I believe, ever did before. The passage is barely three leagues wide; but the shallowest water, three quarters of a mile from the rocks, was thirty-seven fathoms. The wind being contrary, we were several hours in working through.
August 12th.
During last night, we crossed from the African to the Spanish shore, where the wind has left us in a calm.
August 13th, Mid-day.
We are now in sight of Almazaron, a scattered village, at the bottom of a small bay, well flanked by some little works on the cliffs on each side. At 4 P. M. tacked in fifteen fathoms water, one mile off Cape Tignose. On the west side of this point, there is good anchorage, well sheltered from the east wind. The Spaniards have a white tower on the point, on which they have mounted two or three small guns; and, indeed, we have scarce seen a spot on the coast of Spain, that a boat could land on, but what is defended by a tower or a little battery. Slight as these works appear, they not only check the smugglers, but have frequently been of service in protecting the coasters from the depredations of the Barbary corsairs; while they also communicate intelligence, by signals, from one extremity of the kingdom to the other, in very few hours.
Tuesday, August 14th.
The wind blowing hard from the East, with a heavy swell, we have anchored off the mouth of Carthagena harbour.
Notwithstanding the adverse winds, nothing could be more pleasant than our voyage. We have crossed the Mediterranean several times, but have never been more than twelve hours out of sight of land; and the weather, till last night, was so moderate, that not a soul has been sea sick.
The Spaniards have been remarkably civil. They have made a thousand apologies for putting us under quarantine, and have promised to send us every thing we may want. Carthagena is in Lat. 37° 42′, Long. 58′ W. two hundred and fifty miles from Gibraltar. It was built by Asdrubal, from whose country it took its name. I will be more particular in my next letter.
LETTER II.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Carthagena, August 15th.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
The entrance of this harbour is not more than six hundred yards wide, and is flanked by about thirty guns on the east side, and two-and-twenty on the west: But, as troops coming from the town, must take a considerable circuit round the water, I imagine that, on a sudden attack, these batteries would not be manned in less than two hours. I can discern no embrazures on the line wall towards the sea; but, on the pier without the gates, there is a low battery of fifty heavy guns, to defend the entrance of the bason at the west end of the town. This passage has no defence on the opposite side, but is scarce fifty yards wide. The King's ships are laid up immediately within it. At present, they amount to twenty-one sail of the line, besides frigates; but they are so closely lashed together, that, if one took fire, the whole, in all probability, would be consumed. None of them are coppered, nor have they any masts standing; and, although Carthagena is the second naval arsenal in Spain, nothing like a man of war in any readiness for service; is here to be seen, except a small copper-bottomed brig, and a few galleys: of these the brig only is in commission.[[1]]
The dock-yard is contiguous to the bason, and both are commanded by several heights. Two of these are secured by redoubts; the rest are intrusted to crosses. The works round the city are, I believe, but weak; and there are several fine landing places within a day's march of the town.
[1]. This was only four weeks before the French Ambassador delivered the hostile declaration, which, to the honor of our country, his Court was compelled to retract, and proves, that nothing had been pre-concerted with Spain, relative to the succours to be given to the French faction in Holland.
We felt much obliged to the Governor, Don Joseph De Rocas, for his very great attention. Besides repeated offers of his best services, he sent his Aid de Camp to compliment us on our arrival, and to express the utmost regret, that the orders from his Court were so strict, that he could not have the honor of seeing us on shore, until we had performed a tedious quarantine; but, in the mean while, if we were disposed to amuse ourselves in the harbour, he would send a boat to shew us every thing we wished, and would do all in his power, to make our stay as pleasant as possible. We thanked him for his kindness and civility, and, in return, determined to give him no trouble.
As the English were once in possession of Carthagena, and I may have frequent occasion to mention the operations of the British arms in the Mediterranean, to prevent repetition, I will recite, in as few words as possible, the rise, progress, and conclusion of the War of the Succession.
Ferdinand and Isabella were succeeded, in 1515, by their grandson, the famous Charles, afterwards Emperor of Germany. Charles, in 1556, resigned his crown to his son, Philip II. whose grandson, Philip IV. had issue, Charles, Maria Theresa, and Margaret. Maria Theresa married Louis XIV. of France, who was compelled to resign every pretension he might afterwards have to Spain, in consequence of this marriage; and Margaret was given to the Emperor Leopold.
Philip IV. was succeeded by his son Charles II. who seemed likely to leave no issue. Louis XIV. therefore apprehending that, at the death of this King, a great contest would arise for the crown of Spain, entered into a secret treaty with William III. and the Dutch, for the partition of its dominions: by which it was agreed, that all the Spanish territories in Italy, the province of Guipuscoa in Spain, and the duchies of Lorrain and Bar, should devolve to the Dauphin; whilst the kingdom of Spain, and Spanish America, should be given to the Archduke Charles, the Emperor's second son, the eldest being already provided for. It is to be observed, that these sons were by the Emperor's second marriage, Margaret and all her issue being dead. The Dauphin would therefore have been the undoubted heir apparent, had not his father, on his marriage, renounced his right.
The Spaniards, who were so nearly concerned, knew nothing of this Partition Treaty. Soon after its conclusion, Charles II. of Spain died, and, by his will, left all his dominions to Philip, Duke of Anjou, the Dauphin's second son. Louis immediately sent his grandson to ascend the throne. This was a breach of the Partition Treaty, which William determined to oppose; but dying at this crisis, war was declared by Queen Anne, who, in conjunction with the Emperor Leopold and the Dutch, set up the Archduke Charles, in opposition to the Duke of Anjou. In this war several other Powers took part.
Sir George Rooke and the Duke of Ormond were sent to Cadiz, in hopes that the Andalusians would declare for Charles: but they refused to acknowledge him; and the English, thinking the town too strong to be carried by force, re-embarked. On their return, Sir George and the Duke, hearing that a squadron of French men of war, with a very valuable convoy, had put into Vigo, determined | Oct. 1702.| to attack them; which they executed with the most brilliant success. Ten line-of-battle ships and eleven galleons were taken, and six galleons and five sail of the line, burnt, besides many smaller vessels.
In 1704, the Archduke embarked on board the Confederate Fleet, and, after an unsuccessful attempt on Barcelona, set off for Lisbon, the Portuguese having espoused his cause against Philip. In the mean while, Sir George took Gibraltar, and engaged Count Thoulouse off Malaga. Gibraltar was immediately besieged by the French and Spaniards, but was relieved by Admiral Leake, in 1705, who took a line-of-battle ship, and burnt four more.
Charles again embarked on board our fleet, at Altea Bay, with Lord Peterborough, and the Prince of Hesse Darmstadt. The Prince was repulsed and killed at the assault of Fort Montjuic, at Barcelona; but Lord Peterborough instantly | Sept. 3, 1705.| renewed the attack, and carried the fort. The town surrendered soon after. Lord Peterborough marched directly into Valentia, and, in a few months, with scarce six thousand English troops, overrun the greatest part of Spain, and entered Madrid in triumph. His stay there, however, was but short; for he was obliged to return to the assistance of King Charles, who was now besieged in Barcelona, by General Tessé: but, on the Earl's approach, the French General raised the siege with the utmost precipitation, leaving all his baggage, camp equipage, | April, 1706.| artillery and wounded men behind him. Victory, throughout this campaign, was the constant attendant on the British arms. The town of Alicant was taken by assault; | June 28.| and the citadel surrendered next day. Carthagena having offered to acknowledge Charles, a detachment was sent to secure it. Majorca and Ivica surrendered soon after.
But the eminent services of the Earl of Peterborough not gaining him a proper influence in the Administration, he resigned his command, and was succeeded by Lord Galway, a brave man. But, by the mismanagement of King Charles, his affairs fell into great confusion; and Lord Galway, being obliged to engage the enemy under many disadvantages at Almanza, | April 14, 1707.| was entirely defeated. The consequences of this victory gave Philip a decided superiority in Spain.
In the mean while, the Duke of Marlborough having carried all before him in Flanders, and the Duke of Savoy having driven the enemy out of his dominions, it was resolved, that the army under his Highness's command in Italy, assisted by the fleet in the Mediterranean, should besiege Toulon: but the Emperor Joseph, who had succeeded his father Leopold, withdrawing his forces to besiege Naples, | August 4.| and the French making a successful sally, in which they burnt all the batteries, the Allies were obliged to raise the siege.
Nothing remarkable was done in Spain in 1708. Our army was reinforced, and the enemy's distressed by the capture of a large convoy of provisions. Cagliari, the capital, and the whole island of Sardinia, submitted to King Charles; Minorca was taken by General Stanhope, and Naples surrendered to the Emperor.
Next year, Alicant was taken by the enemy. The rock on which the citadel stood, was defended for several months, by Major General Richards, with the | April, 1709.| most romantic valour, but was at last undermined and blown up. The General, and most of the principal Officers, having purposely exposed themselves, to animate the garrison to stand the threatened shock, were lost in the explosion; but the survivors, under Colonel D'Allon, defended themselves till the British fleet arrived and carried them off.
During the remainder of the war, Charles's affairs continued to decline; and his success at Sarragossa and Almanara was balanced by a defeat at Villa Viciosa, and the capture of General Stanhope's army at Brihuega.
At this juncture, his brother died, and Charles, succeeding to the empire of Germany (1711), left Spain; but his partizans, assisted by the English under the Duke of Argyle, kept possession of Barcelona, and the greatest part of Catalonia, till the peace of Utrecht in 1713.
By this treaty, Charles resigned his pretentions to Spain; but, in addition to the empire, he retained Sardinia, Naples, Milan, and the Spanish Netherlands. Sicily was given to the Duke of Savoy, with the title of King; together with Fenestrelles, and some other places taken from the French. The Dutch got their Barrier; the English, only Minorca and Gibraltar, with some settlements in North America. Prussia got Upper Gueldres.
Philip, Duke of Anjou, was declared King of Spain: but, to prevent that kingdom and France from ever being united under one head, Philip was obliged to renounce every future claim to France; whilst the Dukes of Berry and Orleans were obliged to do the same by Spain.
I wish much to enlarge on the gallant exploits of the Earl of Peterborough, the heroic defence of General Richards, and the noble spirit of the Catalonians after they were abandoned by the Emperor and Queen Ann to the chastisement of Philip; but the bounds prescribed to a journal will not permit me.
LETTER III.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Cagliari, September 1st.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
ON the 16th of last month, we weighed anchor off the harbour of Carthagena, and sailed out of the bay, between the rock and the continent, to the great astonishment of the Spaniards: but, although one might almost make hands with them on each side, there is no danger in a steady breeze; for the shore is so bold, that, whilst we had soundings in fourteen fathoms on one side of the ship, we found no bottom with a line of twenty on the other.
The wind favoured us for some hours; but, before night, it got back to its old quarter, the east, and continued there, with little variation, till the 23d. By this time, after having had a distant view of the high land of Majorca, we were in sight of Sardinia, in Lat. 40° 10′, and, with the assistance of the land breeze, got down to Cape Tolero on the 24th. In the night, we passed two rocks, called the Bull and Cow, Lat. 38° 35′, and, on the 25th, anchored in the bay of Cagliari, the capital, Lat. 39° 14′, Long. 9° 20′ East, distant from Gibraltar about two hundred and fifty leagues.
Early the next morning, we got prattick, with an invitation to dine with the Viceroy, Count St. André. Three carriages were sent to carry us to the palace. The dinner was in the French stile, and the head dish in the second course was half a young wild boar, roasted entire: it was superior to any pork I ever tasted. We had no wine but at dinner, and one glass of liqueur after the desert. The principal people of the island were invited to meet us, and among them, the Marchionesses of Villarias and Pasqua, and the Baroness Tauolard, the three handsomest of their ladies.
Villarias has captured all our hearts. I have often endeavoured to form an idea of Eve in her state of innocence, but never succeeded until I saw this charming Marchesa. With the first rank and fashion, she is a child of Nature, and Nature in perfection. Her limbs are most elegantly turned, and her beautiful shape is neither distorted by stays, nor encumbered by a load of false croupion. It is impossible to describe how such a woman moves. She is of the middle size, and in the prime of youth. Her face is equal to her person, brunette, with lovely black eyes, whose expression gives full force to the vivacity of her conversation.
Pasqua possesses every attraction but that of drawing one from Villarias. Tauolard is handsome and amiable, but has not so much of L'Allegro as the other two. Their dress is like the English; but the unnatural passion for monstrous protuberances, which I am sorry to hear still reigns among our fair countrywomen, hath not yet reached Cagliari.
In their manners, the Sardinian ladies are more like the French. They say every thing that comes uppermost, and have no idea of reserve. You kiss their hands as a mere compliment; and, in dancing, whenever you turn a lady, she expects you to put your arm round her waist, whilst her's rests on your shoulder.
This frankness is vastly pleasant, and is here of no evil tendency; for, in a confined society, secluded from the general world, where the characters and their connections are thoroughly known, and where the number of the profligate is too small to find either countenance or protection, confidence and sincerity on the part of the women, naturally produce honor and esteem in the breasts of the men.
The
STORY of LUCILLA.
MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED TO
The Hon. Mrs. CHETWYND STAPYLTON
After coffee, the ladies carried us to see a nunnery, of which there are no less than fourteen in Sardinia. I have ever thought these institutions a defect in policy, and have reprobated the idea of the Almighty being pleased at our depriving ourselves of the power of doing any one good and moral action: but, in justice to the Superintendants in this island, it must be observed, that no girl is permitted to become a Novice until she is fifteen, and must then serve a year longer before she can be allowed to take the veil; but this ceremony once performed, she must bid an eternal farewell to the world.
We saw none of the Nuns but the Superiors and Novices. They stood within the inner door, which, as a particular distinction, they opened while they conversed with us across the threshold. My attention was soon arrested by the youngest of the Superiors.
She appears scarcely thirty. Confinement has only softened the colour of her cheek, and composed the lustre of her eye. Her features are perfectly regular, and her countenance is animated by the cheerful glow of benevolence and virtue. With the gentleness of a saint, she possesses all the accomplishments of a woman of the world, and speaks a variety of languages, with a voice harmoniously sweet.
Her name is Lucilla. She is aunt to the beautiful Villarias, and, like her, in her youth, was the pride of Sardinia. Early in life, she engaged herself to Fernando, a young nobleman, in every respect her equal. Their hearts were already united, and the day was fixed for their nuptials; but, before this happy hour could be celebrated, the sudden death of the best of parents obliged Fernando to pass over to the Continent, to perform the last offices to his deceased, and affectionate father. Before his departure, he repeated those endearing vows of eternal constancy; which both he and Lucilla had often given and received; and each promised to write by every opportunity.
Lucilla kept her word; and when the time she expected an answer had expired, her mind was filled with anxious fears for her lover's safety. At length she heard of his arrival at Turin from his friends, most of whom had received letters from him; but Lucilla, who expected to have had the first, got none. She was too generous to be suspicious, and, instead of complaining, continued writing to Fernando in the most affectionate terms, making every excuse for not hearing from him, but entreating him, as he valued her affection, to write to her by every channel.
The amiable Lucilla had still the mortification of seeing post after post arrive, without a line from her lover. At length she heard, accidentally, that he was soon to set out for Spain, from whence he was to embark for South America. A thousand painful emotions now seized her breast, and her grief for her lover's unworthiness was not the least. Her fate was drawing to a crisis; and, as her last resource, she wrote him the following letter:
"Until I heard of your preparations
for crossing the Atlantic, I attributed
your silence to your confidence in my
esteem, and in my unalterable attachment;
and when I reflected how long
your indispensable concerns would engage
you, I had almost persuaded
myself to wish that you would not
prolong your absence, even by the
time in which you would be writing
to me: but, what I have hitherto considered
as an occasional slight, is now
become an injury so cruel and inhuman,
that, with all my prejudice in
your favor, I have great difficulty to
make myself believe that I am not
entirely bereft of your affection. If
you are capable of such inconstancy,
I absolve you of your vows; and may
Heaven forgive you. Mine, I shall
ever keep sacred. If you deprive me
of the power of fulfilling them--the
convent of St. Lucia is not far from
me: there will I for ever seclude myself
from the world, and confirm how
sincerely I am your
LUCILLA."
This letter having only increased her disappointment, Lucilla took the irrevokable vow, and exerted all her resolution to subdue her passion. Two years after she had taken the veil, her guardian died; and, in his last moments, the wretch confessed, that he had never forwarded any of the letters intrusted to him, and that he had kept Fernando's. He pointed to a box, where they were deposited; but death prevented his discovering his motive for such enormous treachery.
Fernando's letters were exactly in the same strain with Lucilla's. He frequently mentions, that his friends in Spain had solicited him to accept one of the chief appointments in South America; but that he should think the whole world itself no recompense for being absent from his Lucilla. In his last, he reminds her of her vows, with the utmost delicacy and affection. He assures her that, without her, all situations will be equally miserable to him, and conjures her, in the most passionate terms, no longer to trifle with his happiness; for, that he should be obliged to yield to the importunity of his Spanish relations, unless me would again make Sardinia a Paradise, by alluring him of her constancy.
Lucilla was soon informed how cruelly she had been deceived; but, far from complaining, she was almost overcome with joy at the proof of her lover's affection. From that time, she reassumed her former cheerfulness; and, with injuries sufficient to distract any thing less than an angel, I really believe she is the happiest person in the convent. Such are the comforts of religion, and so true is the adage--"Virtue is happiness," that Lucilla's thoughts now rise superior to the world; and, without offending the Deity by heat or impatience, she looks, with tranquil joy, for that moment which will be the commencement of endless bliss, when she and Fernando will be united in Heaven.
I leave you to conceive, my dear Madam, how much her history increased the veneration I before felt for her. Villarias is my author. Her words, enforced by her expressive countenance, are engraven on my heart; but it is impossible to translate them. The youthful Marchioness is no enthusiast in favor of nunneries; but she has made me allow, that, to dispositions and misfortunes like Lucilla's, they afford a comfortable asylum.
LETTER IV.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Cagliari, September 1st.
MY DEAR SIR,
THE churches here are plainer than one expects in a Roman Catholic country; but many of them are beautifully neat. The altar-pieces are composed of coloured marble, with no other ornaments than plated candlesticks and artificial flowers. We have seen but few paintings, and very little sculpture. The piece which struck us most, was for its singularity as a religious ornament, in one of the chapels of the cathedral. It is a group, with two figures a little detached on each side; neither of whom convey any idea of decency, much less of religion.
The only procession I have seen, I at first mistook for a recruiting party. It was led by a red standard, with drums and fifes playing Malbrook, followed by several detachments of menial ecclesiastics, in party-coloured dresses, with a small crucifix between each division. The rear was brought up by an image of the Virgin Mary, and a chorus. These gentlemen were rather sparing of their music; but what they did perform, was remarkably fine.
On the second night after our arrival, Count André gave us a ball at the palace. The dances were all English, except two: the first was La Courance; the other, a Sardinian. It consists of an unlimited number of ladies and gentlemen, who stand in a ring, and dance several times round the centre, in short steps, to a measure, something like the slow time of a Fandango. Every now and then, the whole close; and the men, with an imitation of neighing, first kick their legs forward, then throw them back, fall on their knees, and spring to their places. The ring now opens, and the two ends turning outwards, lead round till they join. After footing it a little thus back to back, the former manœuvre is repeated, to bring the ring to its original position, and the dance is ended. The ball concluded with Country Bumpkin, to the great delight of the Sardinians, who had never seen it properly danced. I had the pleasure of dancing that, as well as La Courance, and another with the charming Villarias. Different ices were served between the dances, and we broke up about an hour after midnight. We were introduced to near twenty ladies, but none of them are worth a particular description but the three I have named.
The Viceroy is a man of good understanding, and of accomplished manners. He was formerly Governor of Nice, and always remarkable for his partiality to the English. One afternoon when we were almost en famille, he said, "Allons en Angleterre," and led us into another room, where we found a complete tea-table. He was highly pleased at the agreeable surprise he saw in our countenances, and we were equally charmed with his flattering attention. He has had some of us to dine with him every day, and always sends his carriages for us. Let this, my dear friend, be a lesson to us to treat strangers with attention. We are always sure of receiving it abroad, and it is shameful not to return it at home. His son, the Chevalier de Revel, possesses all the politeness of the French, with the sincerity of the English. He has been in every part of England, and speaks our language very fluently.
Sardinia is now subject to the Duke of Savoy, who by the Quadruple Alliance, | A. D. 1720.| was obliged to accept it in lieu of Sicily, which was given to the Emperor. It is 140 miles long, and 70 broad, and contains 420,000 souls. The revenue arises chiefly from a duty upon salt, and is barely sufficient to defray its expences; but it certainly might be considerably augmented, as the soil produces wine, corn, and oil in abundance. Most of the salt that is exported, is taken by the Danes and Swedes; the English formerly took great quantities for Newfoundland, but having found the procuring it from Spain and Portugal more convenient, they now take little or none. A profitable tunny fishery is carried on at the south west part of the island, but it is monopolized by the Duke de St. Pierre, and a few more people, who happen to be proprietors of the adjoining land. Wild boars abound in the hilly parts of the island, and here are
some few deer, not so large as ours, but in colour and make exactly the same. I tasted part of one at the Viceroy's, and found it by no means inferior to our doe venison.
The Feudal System still subsists in a limited degree, and titles go with their estates, so that by purchasing the latter, you inherit the former. The regular troops seldom exceed two thousand men, but the militia amount to near twenty-six thousand, of whom eleven thousand are cavalry. Their horses are small, but uncommonly active. In a charge we should beat them, but on a march they would be superior to us. The country people are generally armed; but notwithstanding their having been so long under the Spanish and Italian government, assassinations are by no means frequent; and yet by the laws of the country, if a man stabs another without premeditated malice, within four hours after quarrelling with him, he is not liable to be hanged. On the other hand, the church affords no protection to the guilty.
The Sardinians are not at all bigoted, and, next to the Spaniards, the English are their favorites. In 1708, the Viceroy was disposed to support the Duke of Anjou, but on the approach of the British fleet, the inhabitants obliged him to acknowledge Charles.
The town stands on the side of an hill, rising from the sea, with a rampart round it. The situation is strong by nature; but the works are much out of repair. The worst of this port is, that, on account of the shoalness of the water, men of war are obliged to lay a long distance from the shore; and, although the bay is of a very considerable extent, yet the channel for large ships is so narrow, that, in working out with a contrary wind, it is difficult to avoid getting aground; but, as the bottom is, in general, soft, touching is attended with no bad consequence but the trouble of getting off.
For several leagues round the hill on which Cagliari stands, the country is almost flat; but, although it appears remarkably fine, it is reckoned prodigiously unhealthy; and it is a known fact, that the night air, in many parts of this island, is a kind of poison to strangers. The harvest is got in. The grapes are ripe; but the vintage has scarce begun. The vines are exactly in the order recommended by Virgil. We rode through several of the vineyards, and found the peasants excessively civil. They loaded us with their best grapes; and it was with the utmost difficulty, that we prevailed upon them to accept any money in return. They dress like the Spaniards, to whom they are still much attached; and I found my understanding Spanish a great recommendation, even with the Noblesse, and the divine Lucilla.
LETTER V.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Naples, September 9th.
MY DEAR FRIEND,
We left Sardinia on the 3d instant; on the 7th, at day-light, were in sight of Mount Vesuvius; and, in the evening, we were close to Capria, a small island on the right of the entrance to the bay of Naples, famous for the abode of Tiberius. In size and shape, it is not unlike Gibraltar. The town is in the center of the west side, surrounded and interspersed with vines and evergreens, which give the houses the appearance of so many villas peeping through the trees. This spot is extremely beautiful; but every other part of the island is a bare rock.
When Tiberius, from the consciousness of his crimes, was in perpetual dread of being assassinated, he made choice of Capria, as a place of security. It is totally inaccessible on every part, except at a little bay, which he surrounded with guards, and allowed nobody to enter but by his own invitation. Here he carried on the most abominable debauchery; and the accounts we read of his brutality are confirmed by the number of obscene medals and paintings found in the town.
That which exhibits the beautiful Malonia can never be beheld but with the utmost horror and companion. In those vitiated times, this unfortunate lady lived on terms of the purest affection with her husband, and carefully avoided the Emperor's court. But when, from his age and infirmities, Tiberius was looked upon as totally debilitated, he accidentally met her, and was instantly struck by her beauty. The modesty of her carriage only increased his desire. She was immediately seized by his guards, and conveyed to the palace, where the horrible monster, finding that neither power nor promises, threats nor severity, could tempt Malonia to swerve from her duty, had a machine contrived to force her to his purpose.--On this she is represented, with a countenance full of anguish and distress. The rest is too shocking to describe.
Passing by Capria, with Vesuvius in front, blazing from time to time during the night, we anchored off Naples the next day, and this morning got prattick.
LETTER VI.
TO CAPTAIN SMITH.
Naples, September 12th.
MY DEAR FRIEND,