43) 



SARDEGNA. 



SAUDEQNA. 



431 





elevated plain or table land nearly 1600 feet above the sea, called Sa 

 Giara a Serri, from the neighbouring village of Serri. This plain is 

 covered with oak, ilex, and cork-trees, while iU northern declivity 

 contains rich pasture. North-west of this plain is the Giara, or lava- 

 bed of Geatori, of similar formation, which has proceeded from a 

 crater near the town of Alee : it is strewed with masses of obsidian 

 and trachytic and cellular lava, so as to resemble a city in ruins. At 

 Monastir, in the plain north of Cagliari, there is a distinct double 

 crater, now well wooded, and a bridge has been constructed there of 

 fine red trap over a feeder of the Ulla. 



The principal riven of Sardinia are : 1. The Tini, the Thyrtut of | 

 Ptolemy, which drains the central part of the island. It rises i 

 near Buduso, on the west side of th Gallon Mountains, flows first 

 south and then south-west, along the base of the Goceano ridge, 

 pastes through the fine valley of Ottana, receiving several tributary 

 streams from the mountains of Genargeutu ; then flowing by Fordon- 

 fianus it enters the plain of OrisUno, passing north of that town, 

 below which it tarns abruptly to the south, and enters the sea after a 

 tortuous coune of between 70 and 30 miles. In very dry summers it 

 is fordable near its mouth, but in winter it contains a vast mass of 

 water, and inundates considerable tracts. 2. The Cuyuinat. in the 

 northern part of the island, rises in the volcanic region of Bonorva, 

 flows northward through the plains of Giavesu and Ozieri, receives 

 several streams from the highlands of Goceano and of Gallura, passes 

 between Mount Sassu and the Limbara ridge, when it assumes the 

 name of Rio di Partidas, and flowing through a romantic ravine 

 below the clifi of Cutel Doria, enters a fine plain adjoining the sea. 

 It forms a small lake near its mouth, a few miles east of CasUl Sanlo. 

 The course of the Coguinu is between 50 and 60 miles, and it is 

 fordable near iU mouth, except in rainy seasons. 8. The Flumauloto, 

 the Safrmi of Ptolemy, the principal stream of the eastern part of the 

 island, rises in the mountains of Corno di Bue, and runs southward 

 lhn%li high vmlley between the ridge of Oenargentu on the west and 

 the Ogliaatra Mountains to the east, passing through many solitary 

 glen*. It then turns eastward between the mountains of Sarrabus on 

 one tide and the hills of Part* Olla, which divide it from the Campi- 

 dano, or plain of Cagliari, and afterwards winding through the fertile 

 grounds of Villa Puzzu, San Vito, and Muravera, enters the sea 

 between two low rocky points on which stand the towers of Xalinas 

 and Corallo, after a course of between 60 and 80 mile*. As it runs 

 between two mountain ridges, the basin of the Flumendoso is very 

 narrow ; in the winter it is swelled with the drainage of the surround- 

 ing mountain n-irion, and it then sun roe* a very imposing appear- 

 ance. 4. The Jta***, or CUa, rise, in a fountain in the table-land of 

 Ssrcidann on the south dope of the Genargentu ridge, and, flowing 

 southward through the plain of the Campidano, is joined by tho 

 CaUriU from the mountains of Gergei on the east, and the Sixerris, 

 which comes near Iglesiaa, from the west. The united stream enters 

 the Lake f Caytiari, which Has west of that city, and is 6 or 7 miles 

 long by 3 or 4 miles broad, and communicates with the sea by seven 

 cuts through a narrow strip of sand. Thin lake is navigated by flat- 

 wta, and contains abundance of eel*, mullets, and other 

 it it ako frequented by flamingoes! and pelican* in the winter. 

 Betwreu the lower course of the Flnmeodoeo and Cape Carbonara is 

 a remarkable seven-peaked ridge (2310 feet high), called SeUe-Fratelli 

 (Seven Brothers), which fills up the south-eastern angle of the island 

 Besides these four rivers there are many smaller streams, such as the 

 Turrilamo. which flows through the plain of Sassari, and is crossed 

 near its mouth by a substantial Ituman bridge in excellent pi seen a. 

 tion ; the Termo, or River of Boca, on the western coast ; and the 

 Ctdrimo, or River of Oroeei, which is navigable by boats for about a 

 mile aad a quarter inland on the eastern coast ; it is an abundant and 

 impetuous strram from iU source, which is on the eastern slope of 

 the Barbargia Mountains, 



The climate varies greatly according to the seasons and localities. 

 Along the cot the thermometer ranges in the coune of the year 

 from 34' to 0' ; but it falls at times considerably lower in the high- 

 land*. The summit* of Oenargentu are often capped with snow in 

 the course of the winter. Hail and thunder-storms are rare, but rain 

 (alls copiously in the autumn. In the summer the country is subject 

 to long droughts, but th* heavy dews of the night partly compensate 

 for the want of rain. Earthquakes are very rare and slight The 

 plains and some of tho lower valleys are very unhealthy in consequence 

 of malaria fever, called by the natives ' intemperie.' Most people 

 remove from the plains to the higher grounds on St. John's Day, the 

 24th of Jim-, when the air begins to be unhealthy, though it does not 

 become dangerous till August, from which time it continues so to the 

 end of November. The inhabitants of the plains are viewed by those 

 of the highlands with marked contempt as weak and degenerate. 



The lauds of Sardinia are divided into feudal and non-feudal. The 

 feudal lands either belong to the respective noble*, several of whom 

 are of Spanish families and non-resident, who entrust their domain* to 

 indolent ' podatarii,' . or stewards, or have been sold to private indi- 

 viduals, who still reoognise the feudal lord by paying him a trifling 

 fee, aid are under some restrictions, such as not planting vineyards or 

 tree* without hi* consent. The lands not feudal belong either to com- 

 munities or individuals, and can be let or sold, or given away at the 

 will of the owner*. Small portions of these lauds are inclosed and well 



0100. PIT. TOt,. IV. 



cultivated, and are called ' tanche ' ; but the larger proportion consists 

 of ' vidazzoni,' that is, lands belonging to communities; they are 

 mostly divided into tliree parts, each of which in cultivated in its 

 turn, and while under culture is inclosed with a line of hurdles, aud 

 the rest, being fallow, is generally open to the wandering flocks. The 

 government however has for several years encouraged the inclosure of 

 fields, and trees aud hedges have been planted in many places. Leases 

 are short, and rent is generally paid in kind. In some parts farms are 

 let on the met iyer system. One-third of the surface of the island 

 consists of macchie, bush or waste, consisting of sandy or stony districts, 

 and lakes and marshes; another third is occupied by forests or 

 natural pastures ; and the remainder, which is estimated at 5,500,000 

 starelli (a measure about four-fifths of an acre), consists of corn-fields, 

 vineyards, olive-grounds, orchards, and gardens. About a million of 

 these starelli are allotted to the growth of corn. The Sardinian 

 plough resembles the aratrum of the Romans ; it is light, and pene- 

 trates only two or three inches into the ground, and has no coulter. 

 Most of the garden-grounds are worked with the hoe, the spade aud 

 mattock being generally unknown. Guru is left in the fields until it 

 is threshed, which operation is performed by the treading of mares or 

 colts on an area prepared by paring off the sward and beating the soil 

 with a mallet to the requisite hardness. Wind-mills are unknown, 

 and water-mills are found only in the northern part of the island. 

 Corn is winnowed, and it is generally ground in a corner of the house 

 by means of the domestic mill, turned by an ass. There is no regular 

 system of manuring the ground ; it is done however sometimes whcu 

 urgently required. Paring and burning are the common processes. 

 The only artificial fodder for cattle is the ' mischiale,' a mixture of 

 barley, lucerne, basil, ami vetches, well known to the ancients. 



Cattle, sheep, goats, and swine are divided into two classes: the 

 ' manso,' or tame, being those which work or yield milk, wool, &c.. are 

 carefully tended and kept in the best pastures ; and the ' rude,' which 

 are for slaughter or for breeding, and which are allowed to ramblo 

 over hills and wastes almost in a wild state. All the labour of the 

 field is done by oxen. The breed of horses reared in the t:mche, or 

 inclosed grounds, is carefully attended to : horse-races are frequent. 

 For the improvement of the breed there is a government establishment 

 in the plain of Ghilona, called RegiaTanca, where Arabian and Spanish 

 stallions are kept, and also Swiss bulls and rams. Sardinian horses 

 are in general free from vice, patient of fatigue, aud require but mode- 

 rate food, and the Sards are generally very good horsemen. The mule 

 it unknown. Oxen are used for drawing the carts, the wheels of which 

 are made of a solid piece of wood, strengthened and protected by large- 

 headed nail*, the only iron used in the whole machine. The axletreo 

 is fixed into the wheels, and turns round with them. 



The best forest* are in the mountainous districts of Gallnrn, l!nr- 

 bargia, Goceano, Marghine, and Planargia. On the south-west side of 

 the ridge of Genargentu is an extensive elevated plain, called Su 

 Sarcidanu, covered with fine oak-, beech-, chestnut-, and cork-trees ; 

 and on the Menomeni range, between San Lussurgiu aud Macomer, is 

 another elevated plain, called Sa Littu do St. Antoni, about nine miles 

 wide and eleven or twelve mile* long, covered, with a rich forest. Kino 

 woods are also found in the Giara de Serri, and on the hills of Trebina 

 and Arcuota, and they abound with wild hogs aud game. Pine-trees 

 an not common except near Terranova. The cork-tree grows very 

 fine aud in great quantity iu the northern part of the island. Timber 

 is very scarce in the plains, aud the want of roads prevents the people 

 from msking use of that of the mountain forests. Dwarf mulberry- 

 tree* grow in abundance. 



Among fruit-trees, the fig, the vine, the apple, apricot, pencil, 

 almond, and prickly pear, ar* the most common. Walnuts and chest- 

 nut* are only met with in some places. Oranges, lemons, and citron < 

 are cultivated chiefly in the southern districts of Iglesia and Villa 

 C'idro, and near Sassari, but are not held in great esteem. Date-trees 

 grow on the Campidano, and some of the produce is gathered aud sold, 

 but it is not of a good quality. 



Vegetables an fine and plentiful; peas and cabbage grow wild iu 

 the greatest luxuriance, and the asparagus of the hedges is abundant 

 in the markets iu March and April. Celery and tomatas are large and 

 well flavoured. The 'torco,' a kind of turnip-cabbage, grows to a 

 gigantic size, weighing without the leaves 3 Ibs. or 10 Ibs. Saffron is 

 cultivated, and is much used in cookery. 



The vine is extensively cultivated, both soil and climate being highly 

 favourable to it ; and though the process of making wine is still very 

 imperfect, Sardinia produces tome excellent wines. The ' Malvaia,' 

 or malmsey wine of Quarto, Cagli*ri, Boso, and Sorso, the muscat wine 

 of Al.'hero. the red winu of Alghero and Oristano, aud the wiuej of 

 the Campidano, are much esteemed. The natives in general make 

 considerable use of wine. Common white wines are made near Sassari 

 and Terralba, and also in the Campidano. 



Th re an several extensive olive-grounds. The best olives are those 

 of lussri Inferior oil is produced from the Oyliattra, or wild olive, 

 which, with that made from the Lentucia, serves the peasants for 

 burning. 



Corn is the principal article of export. The greater part of the 

 wheat raised in Sardinia is of a superior though soft kind called trigue; 

 it will keep good only eighteen or twenty mouth*; it is sowed iu 

 November and December, and reaped in June. In seasons of abundant 



2 ! 



