At five o'clock in the morning we
put to sea again, and though the wind was contrary, made shift to
reach the town of Sestri di Levante, where we were most
graciously received by the publican butcher and his family.
The
house was in much better order than before; the people were much
more obliging; we passed a very tolerable night, and had a very
reasonable bill to pay in the morning. I cannot account for this
favourable change any other way, than by ascribing it to the
effects of a terrible storm, which had two days before torn up a
great number of their olive-trees by the roots, and done such
damage as terrified them into humility and submission. Next day,
the water being delightful, we arrived by one o'clock in the
afternoon at Genoa. Here I made another bargain with our patron
Antonio, to carry us to Nice. He had been hitherto remarkably
obliging, and seemingly modest. He spoke Latin fluently, and was
tinctured with the sciences. I began to imagine he was a person
of a good family, who had met with misfortunes in life, and
respected him accordingly: but I afterwards found him mercenary,
mean, and rapacious. The wind being still contrary, when we
departed from Genoa, we could get no further than Finale, where
we lodged in a very dismal habitation, which was recommended to
us as the best auberge in the place. What rendered it the more
uncomfortable, the night was cold, and there was not a fire-place
in the house, except in the kitchen.
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