In the middle of the Gulf of Spezzia there is a constant spring of fresh water, which is a matter of astonishment to most people, but the phenomenon is not difficult to account for; as the ancients who were well acquainted with this gulf, by them termed Porta Luna, do not name it, it is probably of subsequent occurrence and volcanic origin, and perhaps supplied from reservoirs contained within the adjacent Apennine mountains.
I was informed by the sailors, that a new light-house is nearly completed at the entrance of this gulf, which must be a most important security to vessels passing that way.
The town of Carrara, so celebrated for its quarries of beautiful marble, used for the purposes of sculpture, is situated in this neighbourhood.
We were tacking about all the following day, and at times assisted with the weather oars, at which I occasionally took my place, by way of exercise; in the forenoon we passed the mouth of one river, and in the evening arrived at the entrance of another, the Sier, distant about eight miles from the Arno, and twenty from Leghorn.
We entered the mouth of this river, and secured our vessel under a fort, with the object of procuring provisions, for our Genoa stores were now nearly exhausted. We had an additional view, to seek for protection and security, for the weather had become very cloudy, and the captain felt assured that the night would prove stormy, which in fact it did, a severe gale, with heavy rain, coming on at ten o’clock.
The whole of the next morning, we had high wind with heavy rain, and I began to meditate, in case the weather cleared up, walking to Pisa with the captain, which place was nine miles distant from the fort, and then taking coach for Leghorn. The captain had, this morning, to go a league and a half to procure provisions for his crew; these coasting vessels seldom carry more then three or four days store with them, and in case of necessity trust to getting into some port for supply, and which they appear particularly fond of doing. When on the contrary, I urged the captain to proceed, he would silence me by asking, why he should wish to go into port, when it would expedite the voyage, and save the extra expenses of maintaining his crew, to keep out of it?
About noon we had the pleasure of finding it become quite fair, and the wind favourable; we weighed anchor at two o’clock, and stood towards the Arno, for the purpose of discharging part of the cargo, consisting of goods for Pisa; this detained us about an hour; after which we made sail for Leghorn, with as fresh a breeze as our vessel could stagger under, and made the port in fine style, running a distance of twelve miles, in less than an hour and a half. I could hardly credit the circumstance, when they wanted to thrust me into the boat like a bale of goods; the fact was, that it was necessary, before we could be allowed to quit the vessel, to be examined at the health-office, and it wanted but a few minutes before this would be closed, in which case we should have been detained on board till morning. I left the vessel, without my baggage, which the captain promised should be taken on shore immediately after me; but here he deceived me, for after getting on shore, I was given to understand that it could not be sent before morning; he offered however, to accompany me wherever I might wish to go, and I lost no time in making my way to the Aquila Nira, where I proposed to take up my residence.
After the luxury of washing, and partaking of a good dinner, I retired to rest, in a bed large enough to contain at least four persons, and where I was for some hours, incapable of sleeping from excess of enjoyment. In the morning my baggage was brought according to promise, and the day being fine, I engaged a valet-de-place to deliver some letters of introduction, but had the misfortune to find all the gentlemen to whom they were addressed out of the way; after this I amused myself in exploring the town.
At the table d’hôte we had a party of twenty-five natives of various nations, many of whom like myself, had been enjoying the pleasures of felucca travelling, of which they gave woful accounts. Among them was a merchant from Saxony, who, hearing that I intended to set off by diligence for Florence on the following morning, recommended me to take a place in a voiture de voyage in preference, as both cheaper, and more expeditious, in consequence of its taking a shorter route, and at the same time offering to secure me a place in company with himself. This proposal was very agreeable to me, and after dinner we walked together to the voiture office, but the clerk was not within; the merchant, however, assured me, that I need feel no uneasiness respecting a place, and that all events he would, if necessary, give me up his own, and take the outside. I then left him, and proceeded with my valet to visit the English burial ground, where, amongst many other neat tombs, may be seen that of Smollet, who has here a small monument erected to his memory; I was not a little affected in tracing, under such circumstances, the character of this man as deduced from his writings, but I could not spare time for extending my reflections. A few of the tombs were surrounded by cypress-trees, others by neat railings of cane-work enclosing a variety of flowers; the ground is protected by a wall, and the entrance kept locked, the key being placed under the care of a person, who preserves every thing neat and clean, and of course expects a small gratuity for shewing it. I should have been glad to have spent more time in examining this interesting spot, but had an engagement to meet a gentleman at my hotel, the time for which was approaching.