“The view from Monte Rotondo did not impress me. The central uplands, which form a large portion of it, are bare and arid, while the great ridge of Monte Cinto stretches across the northern horizon like a long screen. Comparatively little of the coast is seen in any direction, but most towards the west. It was curious to notice how completely the tops of the mountains between us and the Cinto ridge were flattened down, while the crest on which we stood was a set of bristling teeth. There are two kinds of granite in Corsica, one friable and unable to resist the action of the air, the other hard and defiant of the elements. Of this latter consist the Cinto range, Monte Rotondo and the rocks in the forest of Bavella.”—D. W. Freshfield, Alpine Club.
The road now from Corté to Bastia traverses the Quilico Col, 1932 ft., passes Soveria, 1843 ft., and Caporalino, 8 m. from Corté, 36 from Bastia and 1 m. from Omessa. About 1½ m. farther it crosses the Golo by the [Francardo bridge], 856 ft., where it meets the great Forest Road from Porto, 50 m. S.W. by Evisa and the Col de Vergio, [p. 18], and [map, p. 20].
AJACCIO
BASTIA 66 29 PONTE ALLA LECCIA 624 ft. Village, and coach and railway station. Inn: Cyrnoz. Diligence to Calvi by the beautiful northern continuation of the road from Prunete by Cervione and [Piedicroce], [p. 20]. "Courrier" daily to Piedicroce, 18 m. S.E. by Morosaglia, see [p. 34]. During the summer heats Ponte alla Leccia is considered insalubrious.
AJACCIO
BASTIA 71 24 PONTE NOVO. The site of the disastrous battle fought on the 9th of May 1769, when the Corsicans lost their independence and
became subject to France. The two small houses on the right bank, a little farther down the river, were Paoli’s headquarters. One month afterwards he, with some other Corsican refugees, sailed from Porto Vecchio in a British vessel for England ([p. 39]).
AJACCIO
BASTIA 85 10 BORGO pop. 820. On the Mariana hills, rising from [Lake Biguglia], one of the many [lagoons on the eastern coast], separated from the sea by narrow sandbanks. Along this coast extend the only large plains in Corsica. Unfortunately, in summer they are subject to malaria, which, however, a judicious system of drainage is gradually abating. They are cultivated by Italian labourers who visit the island periodically. Between Borgo and Bastia is [Bevinco], with valuable marble quarries. Southward from Borgo on the coast is Mariana, the site of the colony founded by Marius ([p. 34]).