A BOAR-IIUXT. 129 



Wynne *, who arrived with the intention of making a 

 few exciu'sions into the interior of the island; but they 

 were cautioned by Mr. Hill to avoid some parts where 

 strangers were almost certain of catching the often fatal 

 intermittent fever, and medical aid was difficult to be 

 procm-ed. For a day or two we now devoted ourselves 

 to our visitors, and did ample justice to the bonne 

 chere of Mr. Hill's table. Our plat de resistance was 

 frequently a roast joint of the wild boar ; and as these 

 animals were fattened on the sweet chestnuts of the 

 forests, the flavour of the meat was excellent. On 

 market days at Cagliari, it was amusing to see some of 

 the farmers coming in on horseback with a wild boar 

 strapped behind them in a large black leather case, the 

 head protruding on one side and the hind quarters on 

 the other. The farmer wore a sheep-skin dress with 

 the wool outside, and on his head a velvet cap very 

 similar to those worn by the Spaniards in the south of 

 Spain f, short breeches, and black leather gaiters, with 

 silver or black buttons; their complexions extremely 

 dark, piercing and rather savage black eyes, moustache 

 and large black whiskers. Their saddles like those of 

 the Hussars, high before and behind, generally covered 

 ■with a sheepskin, and on the pommel of the saddle a 

 long Spanish carbine, as a protection against an attack 

 on the road, — for this island has always been notorioas 

 for being infested with ruffian banditti. 



As Mr. Hill had been informed that in a wide exten- 

 sive plain intersected with wild myrtle, arbutus, and 



* The former -was subsequently our minister at Berlin, and 3Ir. 

 WjTine OUT minister at Copenhagen, 

 t This island once belonged to Spain. 



