VIEW FROM CALIFORNIE. 217 



CHAPTER II. 



As we did not care to live down by the sea in the 

 dusty quarters of Cannes, we ascended the slope that 

 overlooks the town from the east, as far as Californie. 

 Over the beautiful gardens of the Hotel Californie we 

 look onto the Croisette, the small tongue of land that 

 separates the Golfe de la Napoule from Golfe Jouan. 

 Beyond lies the lie Ste. Marguerite, and in the morning 

 light every detail of the fort which crowns the island is 

 distinctly delineated. Of the He St. Honorat the church 

 alone is visible ; the rest is hidden by the sister isle. To 

 the west, above the flowering Acacias, stands the old 

 town of Cannes on the hill whose summit is crowned b}' 

 the old castle, forming a picturesque and varied scene. 

 Less pleasing in outline is the new part of the town along 

 the bay; but, as seen from this elevation, it is broken 

 and diversilied by the luxuriant gardens of the hills. Our 

 e\'es rested with delight on the jagg'ed contour of the 

 Esterel. It is yonder we take our first look in the morn- 

 inp, when the sun trilds the summits and everv hamlet 

 stands out dazzlingly white at the foot of the mountains ; 

 and yonder again do our e^'es turn in the evening when 

 the sun is disappearing behind the long chain of hills, 

 his rays extending over the evening sky like a tier}' fan. 

 Then, one b^' one, the lighthouses flash out along the 

 coast, and in the twilight Cannes sparkles with innumerable 

 lights. This spectacle was repeated every evening, but 

 we never wearied of it. 



At nightfall the tree frogs begin their concert in front 

 of the Hotel — a sound familiar to all who frequent 



