BOOKS.

FORESTER'S RAMBLES IN CORSICA AND SARDINIA.* Tam real subject of this handsome and illustrated folio is a jour- ney from Bastia at the northern end of Corsica to Bonifaoio at the Southern extremity, crossing the central mountain range of the island to visit Ajaccio, the birthplace of Napoleon. This Corsi- can ramble is followed by a similar excursion through Sardinia, that is, from Madalena on the straits which separate Corsica and Sardinia, to Cagliari the capital of the latter, although a por- tion of this Sardinian journey was made on a second visit. The in- terest which the narrative possesses, in the freshness of the sub- ject and the character of the scenery and people, is rather overlaid in various ways. Mr. Forester seems to be possessed with the notion that he is a literary artist, and aims at effect by personal and minute details ;—and that too on well-worn topics which only a finished artist should attempt, and which even such a one had better let alone. In like manner our author tries to embody trivial incidents in dramatic dialogue, without the requisite dra- matic power ; and he dwells too much upon descriptions of the sce- nery. Some perhaps may think there is also too much of second- hand matter ; as scientific knowledge from modern writers ; his- torical resumes of prehistorical, classical, mediaeval, and even mo- dern periods ; but these are not overdone, and to many readers will be useful, besides throwing the interest of association over the scenes described. The most questionable matters in this way are less concerned with literature than logic. Mr. Forester attri- butes to remote antiquity a greater certainty than can be proved, and ascribes an oriental origin, and a scriptural resemblance, to various customs of the peasantry, without any other foundation than archaeological conjecture or at best inference.

Despite these drawbacks the Rambles are interesting, princi- pally for their freshness. In many parts of Corsica, and even in Sardinia, though less frequently, an Englishman is a rara avis, and the neighbourhood assembles to look at him. Something oft, halo too hangs over him. In Corsica, this arises from the remem- brance of our alliance with Paoli and subsequent efforts in fa. your of the national independence. In both islands from the ex- ploits and visits of Nelson, who long made the port of Madelena in the dividing straits his head-quarters for some years, and thence he sailed at night-fall, in mid-winter, on that world-wide chase which ended at Trafalgar.

" Our boatman pointed out to us the channel through which Lord Nelson led his fleet, when at length, after more than two years' watching, the object of all his hopes and vows was accomplished by the French fleet putting to sea. This, the eastern channel, of which the low isle of Biscio forms the outer point, is the most dangerous of all, from the sunken rocks which lie in the fairway, and its little breadth of sea room. Yet Nelson beat through it in a gale of wind, in the dusk of the evening, escaping these dangers almost miraculously. Our sailor pointed out all this with lively interest, for Nelson's name and heroic deeds are still household words among the sea- faring people of La Madelena."

The interior of both islands is pretty much as it was during the middle ages, except that along the leading main road an old- fashioned diligence runs at intervals. The inns and their accomo- dation are primitive to a degree ; sometimes they fail altogether ; and the traveller must submit to be obliged in some private house, where an elderly dame will condescend to receive a stranger and fleece him. A road-side house seems unknown. Between town and town the traveller must carry his meals with him, and eat them on the way ; but this is no hardship. Good water can al- ways be had in the mountains to temper the wine for those who so like it. Mules or horses can be hired ; but the traveller, who wishes to ramble in these islands, must mainly depend on his pe- destrian powers. He may certainly ride along so-called roads on horse or mule-back ; but if he wishes really to see and enjoy the country—the forest views, the most striking mountain features, the most wonderful vegetation, he must often journey on foot, and rough it in earnest. The mode of travel revives the middle ages, or reeds the exploration of wild countries ; it is not without its pleasures and attractions ; but only for a man who has strength and powers of endurance sufficient to go through the work. Such was the case with both our travellers. Mr. Forester has explored Norway and Southern Africa in his time ; his companion was a soldier.

To strangers, journeying in either island, our author thinks the stories of danger from brigands or blood avengers grossly ex- aggerated, if not altogether apocryphal. Of late years what civilized people call assassination, the vendetta, and brigandage, have been put down in Corsica by the despotic power of Napoleon the Third. The bands of brigands have been vigorously pursued to their fastnesses and either destroyed or driven from their haunts, many having taken refuge in Sardinia. The Vendetta has been stopped by disarming the population ; no man, be he whom he may, is permitted to carry fire-arms. Even field-sports, for the present, are put an end to in Corsica ; there is no popping at bird, beast, or biped. In Sardinia an improvement has also been effected by a better administration of local justice and a more stringent pursuit of brigands. Still a constitutional govern- ment cannot proceed so ruthlessly to its end, even wheii agood one, as a despotism. Arms are still borne in Sardinia, at toast were a few years since : private revenge was still carried on, without being popularly considered murder ; and that brigands existed.

• Rambles in the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia. With Notices of their Ma- tory, Antiquities, and Present Condition. By Thomas Forester, Authoh et "Norway in 1848-1849," &c. Published by Longman and Co.

Mr. Forester had ocular demonstration ; he saw a band, or at least what looked like one.

" But I can assure my readers that it requires a stout heart, and a strong faith in what one has heard of the redeeming qualities in the outlaws' cha- racter, to meet them in the open field without shuddering. It was in the dusk of early morning, that, soon after leaving a village on the borders of the Campidano, where we-bad passed the night, we suddenly fell in with a piety of ten or twelve of these men, who crossed our track making for the hills. They were mounted on small-sized horses, stepping lightly under the great weight they carried ; for the bandits were stalwart men, and heavily accoutred. Their guns were, variously, slung behind them, held upright on the thigh, or carried across the saddle-bows ; short daggers were stuck in each belt, and a longer one hung by the side ; a large powder-horn was suspended under the arm. Saddles en pique, with sheepskin housings, and leathern pouches attached on both sides, supplying the place of knap- sack and haversack, completed the equipment. The cabbanu,' a cloak of coarse brown cloth, hung negligently from the shoulders, and underneath ap- peared the tight-fitting pelisse or vest of leather ; and the loose white linen drawers, which give the Sardes a Moorish appearance, were gathered below the knee underneath a long black gaiter tightly buckled. " Already familiar with the garb and equipments of a Sarde mountaineer, these details were caught at a glance. The gaze was riveted on the features of these desperate men,—the keen black eyes flashing from their swarthy countenances, to which a profusion of hair, falling on the shoulders from beneath the dark bcrette, gave, with their bushy beards, a ferocious aspect ; and, above all, the resolute but melancholy cast of features which expressed so well their lot of daring—and despair. " Whether the party was bent on a plundering raid, or returning from some terrible act of midnight murder, there was nothing to indicate ; but the impression was that they were the men 'to do or die' in whatever enterprise they were engaged. The party_ kept well together, riding in single file with almost military precision. Their pace was steady, with no appearance of haste, though they must probably have been aware that some carabineers were stationed in the place hard by, which we had just left. It was a startling apparition,—these children of the mist '—sweeping by us in grim cavalcade over a wild heath, in the cold grey dawn of a November day, every hand stained with blood, every bosom steeled to vengeance. They took no notice of us, though we passed them closely, not even exchanging salutations with our carallante. We gazed on them till they were out of sight."

A more real danger, and one which cannot be so easily got rid of, if it can be removed at all, is the mal aria of the plains. At certain seasons of the yeas, especially in Sardinia, a single night in these pestilential regions will kill a stranger ; sometimes an in- cautious exposure of a few hours or less in the evening is deadly ; we imagine when there is some constitutional peculiarity or de- pression. Like most similar disease-breeding spots the plains are fertile.

According to the account of foreign writers the Corsicans and the Sardes are both very lazy, probably because there is little on which industry can exercise itself hopefully, save in the few sea- ports. Communal rights of pasture seem to prevail over entire districts, with doubtless the same ideas of tneum and tuum that Gallenga describes as existing in Piedmont, while in older times any outrage to public opinion by encroachments, might have been punished by what in Corsica is shortly termed a "coup." This is the general picture of the shepherds.

"The Corsican shepherds are a singular race. We found them leading a nomade life in all parts of the island. They wander, as the season permits, from the highest mountain ranges to the verge of the cultivated lands and -vineyards, where the goats do infinite mischief; and drive their flocks in the winter to the vast plains of the littoral, and the warm and sheltered valleys. Home they have none ; the side of a rock, a cave, a but of loose stones, lends them temporary shelter. Chestnuts are their principal food ; and their clothing, sheep-skins, or the black wool of their flocks, spun and woven by the women of the valleys into the coarse cloth of the pelone. Their greatest luxuries are the immense fires, for which the materials are boundless, or to bask in the sun, and tell national tales, and sing their sim- ple canzone. But though a rude they are not a bad race ; contented, hospi- table, tolerably honest, and, as we found, often intelligent."

There are various incidents in the Rambles, illustrative of na- tional character. The following is one of the most pleasing. The

i elements, indeed, for similar incidents exist everywhere ; for everywhere humble poverty has to gain its bread through risks and difficulty ; but in this country national reserve and advanced civilization would prevent the exhibition to a traveller.

" Heat and hunger now combined to make us look out for a rill of water at a convenient spot for taking our d6ell tier, and a torrent crossing the road, with a rude bridge over it, we sat down on the low parapet, and, opening our baskets, the boy Filippi fetched water from the pure stream to cool and temper our wine. Bread, slices of ham, and grapes, were rapidly disap- pearing, when unexpected visitors appeared on the scene, in the shape of two country girls, travellers to Ajaccio like ourselves. " We had not been so much struck, to speak the truth, as some travellers seem to have been with the beauty and gracefulness of the Corsican women ; but these really were two very pretty girls, of the age of fifteen or sixteen, brunettes, bright-eyed, slightly-formed, and with pleasing and expressive features. They were lightly clad, and one of them carried a small 'bundle. Accosted by Filippi, we learnt that they came from Corte, and were on their way to Ajaccio, in search of domestic service. Filippi appeared to know some of their family. To desire the boy to share with them the meal he was making at some little distance was only returning Corsican hospitality. The girls were shy at first, and it was only by degrees that we were able to esta- blish a chat with them ; and I was struck with the manner in which the eldest, taking a handful of new chestnuts from a bag, offered the contribu- tion to our picnic. Poor girls, chestnuts and the running brooks were pro- bably all they had to depend upon for refreshment during their journey. HappiHappily, both were easily to be found. ly, road lying the same way, and the girls having walked from Viva- rio while we had been riding, they were offered a ride on the mules, and, after some hesitation, the offer was accepted. With Filippi for their squire, the trio being about the same age, they were a merry party, making the glades of the old forest ring with their laughter and the sound of their young voices in the sweetest of tongues. The girls were in such glee, Fi- lippi pressing the mules to a gallop, that though we enjoyed the fun, we really feared they would be thrown off. Our fears were groundless; riding astride, as is the fashion of the country, but with all propriety, they had a firm seat, and laughed at our apprehensions.

" With all this exuberance of spirits, there were the greatest modesty and

simplicity in the demeanour of these poor girls. When they proceeded in a more sober mood we joined in the conversation asking questions about their prospects at Ajaccio, and the schooling they had received. They had no friends at Ajaccio ; but the Mother of Mercy' would guide and protect them."

The denouement of the little adventure was satisfactory. By pressing the mules and travelling late, our author and his friend reached Ajaecio the same night. The girls of course could not, but Mr. Forester carried the bundle, directing them to call for it at the hotel.

" We were quite as well served, and the accommodations were as good at Ajaceio as in any provincial city of France. They gave us a delicate white wine made in the neighbourhood, an agreeable beverage, which we thought resembled Chabldis ; and a confiture of cherries preserved in jelly, which was exquisite. I had told the story of our adventure with the poor girls from Corte to the mistress of the house, and, on Bridget's appearing the day after our arrival to claim her wardrobe, she informed me with great joy, that our good hostess had taken her into her service."

Although the author's literary powers are scarcely equal to produce effective composition out of trite materials, yet he nar- rates agreeably when his matter has any attraction in itself ; and such is the force of truth and nature that Mr. Forester leaves upon his reader's mind a general impression of the country he has travelled through—its wild freshness, the diffused perfumes of its plains and glades, the magnificence of its forest trees, and the singular character of the combination. His military companion was an amateur artist, who has enriched the pages of his friend with many a wood-cut and several plates. There is also a map of the islands, which would have been more useful on a larger scale. Mr. Forester, subsequently to these ramblings, was present at the laying down of the electric telegraph cable between Sar- , dinia and Algiers, and gives an interesting account of the exploit, as well as some characteristic information respecting the tele- graphic company, and the execution of the line.