We had walked about three miles when a muddy bog brought us to a sudden stop. The bay still lay some distance from us, and we now saw that a tolerably wide river ran across the plain between it and us; so we turned back, sadder and wiser, baulked once more, but with our hands full of lovely flowers.
Not a creature did we see on this dangerous route, except one very ragged boy who was tearing madly after a herd of cows on the boggy plain beneath; but here and there, in the distance, were wretched-looking stone or mud hovels, belonging, no doubt, to the dreaded bergers of whom we had been warned. These shepherds, scattered all over the country, among the hills and lonely pastures, are, according to all accounts, a very rough lot.
They live almost like wild beasts, and appear to be half savage.
Their miserable hovels are generally without window or chimney, and utterly destitute of furniture, even sometimes of any approach to a bed, or any cooking utensil.
Their clothes are in rags, and their food consists chiefly of the milk, cheese, and mutton they obtain from their flocks, with the addition of sour bread. Their wives are as wild and uncivilized as themselves; they know little or nothing of religion, and their children grow up utterly ignorant and uneducated.
I never heard of their robbing strangers; but their rough lawlessness makes the more civilized village women afraid to go amongst them.
Returning to the village, we determined to brave one of the boggy plains; and, creeping along by the side of a hillock, managed at last to reach the sea-shore without much damage. The rocks, scattered about the little bay on which we entered, completely sheltered us from the village, and looked picturesquely black with the clear white foam dashing over them in the occasional gleams of a stormy sun. Regardless of the great blue-black curtain darkening the hills before us and spreading over half the sky, we flung ourselves, face downwards, upon the sands, and commenced an energetic search for shells.
The shore here was simply covered with them; some small, some large, but all of them lovely; especially the large Venus' ear, or Haliotis Tuberculata, with bright mother-of-pearl lining.
A brilliant flash and loud thunder-clap roused us from our interesting occupation; and, together with heavy rain, put an end to the shell-gathering of No. 3, who fled ignominiously homewards, leaving No. 2 still reclining in dignified persistency, regardless of storm and rain, under the lowering sky. It is a very great mistake to wear a billycock hat and a light-coloured ulster in Corsica. They were the cause of much persecution to poor No. 3.
When she reached the hotel, she was dripping from head to foot, and a lively thunder-storm was raging; but this was not cause sufficient to depress the energy of the infant islander, who (now, alas! let forth from school), with many a hoot and yell of triumph, pursued both her and No. 2—who arrived in the same condition ten minutes later—not only to the door of the hotel, but half-way up the stone staircase.