84 Notes on a Tour in France, Italy, and Elba. 



The surface of the ground, in many places, exhibits a very curious 

 appearance. The sides of the ravines, produced by the force of the 

 water, rushing down from the highlands, look as if they were covered 

 with a thick green moss ; but, on approaching, I discovered that the 

 substance was copperas, or the sulphate of iron crystallized. In 

 other places, it is carpeted by nearly pure sulphur. The summit of 

 the mountain is taken off. The removal of an immense amount of 

 the ore, has converted a large area of the highest land into an hori- 

 zontal plain. On this plain is situated a round building, called the 

 Coliseum, in which visitors take repose, and in which, 1 believe, an 

 account is kept of the labor performed by the workmen. Near to 

 this edifice is a grotto, in the mine, made by the ancients, in which 

 have been found hammers, wedges, and other instruments, used by 

 them in digging out the ore. The ore is obtained in the same man- 

 ner here, that it is in America, by blasting, wedges and pounding. 



I was a little surprised, on learning that no metallic iron has been 

 obtained in modern times, from this excellent ore, in the island of 

 Elba. The work is done elsewhere, in Sicily, Turkey, and Spain. 

 It is all conveyed to foreign countries in the ore. It was smelted 

 here in old times, but has not been in modern days, nor can it be, 

 for there is no fuel here which can be spared for this purpose, no 

 mineral coal, and next to no wood. After procuring a large variety 

 of specimens of the different substances found in this neighborhood, 

 I returned to Porto Ferrajo, well satisfied with my day's work, but 

 not a little fatigued. 



To-morrow I trust a good wind will carry me back to Leghorn, 

 whence I shall, as soon as possible, pursue my course to the snow- 

 capped Alps. 



You will, I hope, my dear sir, excuse me for troubling you with a 

 much longer communication than I at first intended. 



Yours, most respectfully. 



