AND LOWER EGYPT. 3 I 



only from that of feeling, were incompatible with 

 his state of degradation. 



■'is 4 



After having been detained, by contrary winds, 

 ten whole days in the port of Genoa, we took our 

 departure from it May 13th at six in the morning, 

 with a good breeze of wind from the north-east, 

 and rapidly increased our distance from the eleva- 

 ted and smiling shores of this part of Italy. Behind 

 us, the maritime Alps presented a vast amphithe- 

 atre whitened with eternal snows. The lofty moun- 

 tains which skirt the gulf of la Specia, and which 

 the French seamen pronounce FEspecie, appeared 

 in view; their summit was covered with snow, 

 and they appeared to me arid, and formed of rocks 

 cut perpendicularly. They are the quarries that 

 principally furnish the fine marbles of every spe- 

 cies which we import from Italy. We passed, 

 on our left, the island of Gorgona, which is sub- 

 ject to the Duke of Tuscany. It is of small ex- 

 tent ; its form is rounded, and its mountains, 

 which render it visible a great way off, seem to 

 be of the same nature with the adjacent coast. 

 We afterwards steered between cape Corse and 

 Capraria, a small island vulgarly called Cabraire, 

 belonging to the republic of Genoa. It is no- 

 thing but a rock almost entirely barren, but con- 

 taining, nevertheless, habitations which furnish 

 very excellent sailors. 



On 



