it assumes, by reflection, the color of the sky or atmosphere, black, green, blue, according to the state of the weather.  If any person wished to retire from his acquaintance, to live absolutely unknown, and yet in the midst of physical enjoyments, it should be in some of the little villages of this coast, where air, water, and earth concur to offer what each has, most precious.  Here are nightingales, beccaficas, ortolans, pheasants, partridges, quails, a superb climate, and the power of changing it from summer to winter at any moment, by ascending the mountains.  The earth furnishes wine, oil, figs, oranges, and every production of the garden, in every season.  The sea yields lobsters, crabs, oysters, tunny, sardines, anchovies, &c.  Ortolans sell, at this time, at thirty sous, equal to one shilling sterling, the dozen.  At this season, they must be fattened.  Through the whole of my route from Marseilles, I observe they plant a great deal of cane or reed, which is convenient while growing, as a cover from the cold and boisterous winds, and when cut, it serves for espaliers to vines, pease, &c.  Through Piedmont, Lombardy, the Milanese, and Genoese, the garden bean is a great article of culture; almost as much so as corn.  At Albenga, is a rich plain opening from between two ridges of mountains, triangularly, to the sea, and of several miles extent.  Its growth is olives, figs, mulberries, vines, corn, and beans.  There is some pasture.  A bishop resides here, whose revenue is forty thousand livres.  This place is said to be rendered unhealthy in summer, by the river which passes through the valley.

April 30. Oneglia.  The wind continuing contrary, I took mules at Albenga for Oneglia.  Along this tract are many of the tree called caroubier, being a species of locust.  It is the ceratonia siliqua of Linnaeus.  Its pods furnish food for horses, and also for the poor, in time of scarcity.  It abounds in Naples and Spain.  Oneglia and Port Maurice, which are within a mile of each other, are considerable places, and in a rich country.  At St. Remo, are abundance of oranges and lemons, and some palm trees.

May 1. Ventimiglia.  Mentone.  Monaco.  Nice.  At Bordighera, between Ventimiglia and Mentone, are extensive plantations of palms, on the hill as well as in the plain.  They bring fruit, but it does not ripen.  Something is made of the midrib which is in great demand at Rome, on the Palm Sunday, and which renders this tree profitable here.  From Mentone to Monaco, there is more good land, and extensive groves of oranges and lemons.  Orange water sells here at forty sous, equal to sixteen pence sterling, the American quart.  The distances on this coast are, from La Spezia, at the eastern end of the territories of Genoa, to Genoa, fifty-five miles, geometrical; to Savona, thirty; Albenga, thirty; Oneglia, twenty; Ventimiglia, twenty-five; Monaco, ten; Nice, ten; in the whole, one hundred and eighty