CHAP. IX.
JOURNEY TO NICE.
On leaving Aix, our coach, besides myself, contained two gentlemen, sons of General M⸺, who had been residing for eight years at a college near Toulouse. We breakfasted at Luc, where we took up two or three more passengers; from hence we passed on to Frejus, and thence over the Estralès, formerly noted for numerous banditti. At Cannes General M⸺ came out with his daughter, in his carriage, to meet his sons, whom we here parted from. The remaining passengers also quitted us about this time, so that before we entered Antibes I had the whole carriage to myself.
At Antibes I got my passport signed, to enable me to enter his Sardinian majesty’s dominions; but this gave little trouble, as a person negotiated the affair for the remuneration of one franc.
I remained at the inn where the diligence put up, in consequence of finding that the one for Nice set off from it on the following morning. I got my supper at the table d’hôte, in company with two or three officers; the fare was very indifferent, and the charge exorbitant, in consequence of not having made my bargain beforehand.
After supper I retired early to bed, in hopes of compensating for my loss of sleep on the preceding night in the coach; but, alas! I reckoned without my host, for it proved a night of misery; a multitude of mosquitoes tormented me without intermission, and with joy did I welcome the arrival of the moment, which announced that the diligence was preparing to depart.
At four o’clock we left the inn, but the town-gates were yet closed, and some time elapsed before they were opened to us; at length an officer came and accomplished this with military ceremony; but we were still unable to proceed, for a whole drove of asses and mules, laden with fruits, vegetables, &c. had stationed themselves in the pass on the other side, and began to enter amidst the smacking of whips, and hallooing of muleteers; this occupied at least ten minutes.
Shortly afterward we took up a man who had fought in the battle of Trafalgar, but was now a traiteur at Nice, and had been into the country to purchase grapes, in order to manufacture his own wine: he seemed pleased on discovering that I had served in the British navy, of which he spoke very highly.
We now arrived on the banks of the Var, which separates the kingdoms of France and Sardinia, and, with little interruption from the custom-house officers, immediately crossed the frontiers.
We here received the addition to our party, of two very genteel ladies and a gentleman, who proved for the remainder of the journey, most agreeable companions; I was so much interested in their conversation, that, almost without being sensible of the progress, we arrived at the Hotel des Etranger, at Nice.