The succeeding day was the last of the Carnival, and a great number of people were parading the streets masked, and in all the fantastic garb of the season; the business, however, appeared to be kept up with more spirit than at Toulouse on the preceding winter. In the course of the evening a person with whom I was walking addressed a female mask, who said she was cook in a gentleman’s family, and that she must hasten home to wash the dishes; on parting, we induced her to shake hands with us; and if I am a judge of the affair, I pronounce that her hand had never been in dish-water, for a prettier formed, or more delicate one, I never touched in my life. In the evening, the festival concluded with masked-balls at the theatres, and other amusements.
On the following day (Wednesday), the weather was still unfavourable. Several gentlemen, to whom I had forwarded letters from their friends at Nice, called upon me, two of whom conducted me to various parts of the city, and described its beauties. It is surrounded by two walls; an inner one, taking in a circumference of six or seven miles, and an outer one, making a boundary of not less than thirteen miles, and enclosing various rising grounds which command the city: there are two fine bridges over small rivers, one in the eastern, the other in the western part of the town.
Independent of the three streets which I have already named, Genoa consists of little better than lanes, so numerous and intricate, that a stranger is constantly losing his way; and even those who have been some time resident are not unfrequently at a loss. The cathedral, churches, Doge’s palace, and various other public as well as private buildings, are very fine, and well worth the attention of the traveller.
There is an Italian proverb relative to Genoa, which says, that it has “sea without fish; land without trees; and men without faith.” The first of these accusations I am satisfied is without foundation: for I was given to understand that fish, as well as all other provisions, were plentiful, and even cheaper than at Nice. The wine of the country is not considered good, but excellent Italian and French wines may be purchased at a reasonable rate; the best and cheapest way of procuring them is to go on board some vessel in the port, taste the different qualities, and select what pleases the palate; any quantity may then be ordered, but it is advisable to be provided with a porter or two to carry it away immediately, and to take care not to lose sight of it, until it reaches home in safety, or it will run great risk of being changed.
After spending two or three days longer at Genoa, I engaged for my passage in a felucca to Leghorn, and what is singular, it had the same name, the Divine Providence, as the one I had so lately sailed in from Nice. A great number of vessels of this kind are continually passing from hence to Leghorn, and the felucca men, if they have an idea of any one being about to undertake the voyage, are extremely troublesome in pestering him, as he passes along the streets, to sail with them, and will even fish the servants at his hotel, to gain intelligence of his intended proceedings. In arranging the point of fare with them, it is necessary to be very cautious, as they will ask four times the usual rate.
I agreed for twelve francs, the sum which the master of the felucca had found out, that I had paid for my passage from Nice; it cost me, however, half as much more in gratuities, and other expenses, and I had afterward the mortification to find, that other passengers had secured the same accommodations, for only five francs each.
About six o’clock on the evening of Saturday, March the 11th, the captain came to apprize me that the vessel was waiting. On getting on board there was very little wind, so that throughout the night, we were obliged to make use of our oars as well as sails; at day-break a breeze sprang up from the eastward, which obliged us to turn back for fifteen miles, towards Porto Fino, where we anchored at ten o’clock, and went on shore to a miserable auberge.
Among our passengers were two French gentlemen who were friends, but of very opposite characters; the one was volatile, and thoughtless, and talked of proceeding to Naples, and offering his services to the patriot army, the other who, we understood, had been a merchant, was sedate and thoughtful, so that, I dare say, pounds, shillings, and pence might have been read in his face. The lively one amused us, not a little, with his eccentricity; he spoke of having a mistress at Genoa, whom he had engaged to marry that very morning, but he stated that the present was not the first time of his having proved faithless to her, and seemed to exult in her disappointment; it, however, appeared in the sequel that he could not reconcile himself to give her up, for after we entered Porto Fino, he began to repent, and earnestly solicit his friend to return to Genoa with him, offering to pay all expenses; at length, the other acceded to his wishes, and they left us, which was to myself a source of considerable regret as I lost, at least, one amusing companion, whose language I could understand, and had no one left with whom I could converse. In order to get back to Genoa, these gentlemen had to pull five or six miles, in the midst of a heavy rain, and in an open boat, in a contrary direction, until they reached the new road making between Genoa and Spezzia.
This road when completed, will be an incalculable advantage to the communications with the southern parts of Italy; the old road to Florence, over the mountains, being a very indirect one; although an expensive undertaking, there is little doubt but that this will be compensated, as many thousands, who in order to reach southern Italy, now go by sea to Lerici and Leghorn, will then prefer the journey by land; and in the event of an equally good communication being formed between Genoa and Nice, a strong inducement will be offered to the traveller, to enter this country by that route, particularly in the winter season. This has been partially effected under the auspices of Bonaparte; the present Sardinian government, however, are not disposed to carry it forward, as they are naturally jealous of affording their neighbours, the French, so easy an access into the heart of their country.
Throughout the remainder of this, and part of the next day, the weather continued unfavourable, and we made no attempt to leave Porto Fino; however, in the afternoon of the latter we sailed, but in the evening it fell calm, and we took to our oars throughout the night; about noon, on the following day, a light and favourable air sprang up, which soon increased to a moderate breeze; about three o’clock we arrived at the entrance of the Gulf of Spezzia, where to my great concern, notwithstanding I said every thing to induce him to push on as the wind was fair, the captain persisted in coming to an anchor, when every one went on shore, excepting two seamen and myself;—had we continued our course, we should probably have reached Leghorn before daylight on the following morning; whereas, from the neglect, our voyage was rendered a most tedious one. The fact was, that the captain and many of his crew, were at this place, in the midst of their friends.