Genoa, and voyage to (92 M.) Leghorn, comp. pp. [113], 134. We pass Melória, a cliff 4 M. to the W. of Leghorn, off which the Genoese destroyed the fleet of Pisa in 1284.
Leghorn, Ital. Livorno (Marble Palace Hotel; Hôt. d’Angleterre & Campari, Hôt. Giappone, both in Via Vittorio Emanuele, with restaurants, good Italian houses for passing travellers; Brit, cons., M. Carmichael; U. S. cons., E. A. Man; pop. 78,000), a provincial capital, one of the chief seaports of Italy, and a sea-bathing place, is quite a modern town. The harbour consists of the Porto Nuovo, sheltered by a semicircular mole (diga curvilinea) and the new Molo Vegliaia, and the old Porto Mediceo, or inner harbour. (Landing or embarkation 1 fr.; trunk 30 c.).
Near the harbour is the Piazza Micheli, adorned with a curious monument of the grand-duke Ferdinand I. of Tuscany (1587–1609). Straight on runs the Via Vittorio Emanuele, the main street, lined with shops. It leads across the large Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, which is flanked by the Cathedral, the Municipio, and other public buildings, to the Piazza Carlo Alberto, whence the Via Garibaldi and Via Palestro lead to the left to the railway-station.
A pleasant walk (or tramway from the station to Antignano) is offered by the Viale Regina Margherita, about 2 M. in length, the seaside promenade to the S. of the town, in summer enlivened by numerous bathers. Between it and the harbour, and adjoining the Piazza Mazzini, is the Cantiere Orlando, the dockyards where iron-clads and other vessels are built for the Italian navy.
At the S. end of the sea-promenade lie the villa-suburbs of Ardenza and Antignano, which have sea-baths also.
On the fine Voyage from Leghorn to (339 M.) Cagliari we at first obtain a good view of the Tuscan Archipelago, relics of the primæval Tyrrhenis (p. xxxi). These islands are composed mainly of granite, with slate and limestone strata overlying it in places.
Passing at some distance from the barren fisher-island of Gorgona (837 ft.) and from Capraia, the Capraria (goats’ island) of antiquity, we steer to the S.S.W. towards the W. coast of Elba, enjoying in clear weather a fine distant *View of the peninsula of Cape Corse, the N. extremity of Corsica, and of Monte Cinto (8892 ft.), the highest mountain in the interior of that island.
We next skirt the island of Elba, the Æthalia of the Greeks and Ilva of the Romans, the largest island in the archipelago, 19 M. long, famous as the scene of the first exile of Napoleon I. (1814–5). The valuable iron-mines here (comp. pp. [134], 135), worked from very ancient times, are an important factor in the industries of Italy. We pass the rocky N. coast of the island, which is visible as far as the Capo della Vita (p. [135]), and on its W. side we observe the massive granitic Monte Capanne (3343 ft.).
The steamer passes between the hardly less steep S. coast of Elba and the flat island of Pianosa (85 ft.; the ancient Planasia), and steers to the S.S.W. towards the S. coast of Sardinia. On the left, about 26 M. from Elba, appears the bold granitic island of Montecristo (2126 ft.), the ancient Oglasa, the scene of the well-known novel ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’, by Alex. Dumas.
The Straits of Bonifacio (p. [133]) lie far to the W. of the steamer’s course. Off the N.E. coast of Sardinia we first sight the massive rocky island of Tavolara (1821 ft.), the Bucina of the Romans, masking the Bay of Terranova; then, when off Capo Comino, the eastmost point of Sardinia, we see Monte Alvo (3701 ft.), a little inland. The somewhat monotonous S.E. coast of the island is backed by sterile mountains. We pass the little port of Arbatax (Tortolì Marina), the Capo di Bellavista, the Capo Sferra Cavallo, the Monte Ferrau (2878 ft.), the Capo Ferrato, and lastly the islet of Serpentara.