But the basin of
the harbour is surrounded to seaward by a curious bulwark founded
upon piles driven in the water, consisting of a wall, ramparts,
casemates, and quay.
Vessels lie very safe in this harbour; but
there is not water at the entrance of it to admit of ships of any
burthen. The shallows run so far off from the coast, that a ship
of force cannot lie near enough to batter the town; but it was
bombarded in the late war. Its chief strength by land consists in
a small quadrangular fort detached from the body of the place,
which, in a particular manner, commands the entrance of the
harbour. The wall of the town built in the sea has embrasures and
salient angles, on which a great number of cannon may be mounted.
I think the adjacent country is much more pleasant than that on
the side of Nice; and there is certainly no essential difference
in the climate. The ground here is not so encumbered; it is laid
out in agreeable inclosures, with intervals of open fields, and
the mountains rise with an easy ascent at a much greater distance
from the sea, than on the other side of the bay. Besides, here
are charming rides along the beach, which is smooth and firm.
When we passed in the last week of April, the corn was in the
ear; the cherries were almost ripe; and the figs had begun to
blacken. I had embarked my heavy baggage on board a London ship,
which happened to be at Nice, ready to sail: as for our small
trunks or portmanteaus, which we carried along with us, they were
examined at Antibes; but the ceremony was performed very
superficially, in consequence of tipping the searcher with half-a-crown,
which is a wonderful conciliator at all the bureaus in
this country.
We lay at Cannes, a neat village, charmingly situated on the
beach of the Mediterranean, exactly opposite to the isles
Marguerites, where state-prisoners are confined. As there are
some good houses in this place, I would rather live here for the
sake of the mild climate, than either at Antibes or Nice. Here
you are not cooped up within walls, nor crowded with soldiers and
people: but are already in the country, enjoy a fine air, and are
well supplied with all sorts of fish.
The mountains of Esterelles, which in one of my former letters I
described as a most romantic and noble plantation of ever-greens,
trees, shrubs, and aromatic plants, is at present quite desolate.
Last summer, some execrable villains set fire to the pines, when
the wind was high. It continued burning for several months, and
the conflagration extended above ten leagues, consuming an
incredible quantity of timber. The ground is now naked on each
side of the road, or occupied by the black trunks of the trees,
which have been scorched without falling. They stand as so many
monuments of the judgment of heaven, filling the mind with horror
and compassion.
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