one but very small
vessels can enter. About two miles to the eastward is Oneglia, a small
town with fortifications, lying along the open beach, and belonging to
the king of Sardinia. This small territory abounds with olive-trees,
which produce a considerable quantity of oil, counted the best of the
whole Riviera. Albenga is a small town, the see of a bishop, suffragan
to the archbishop of Genoa. It lies upon the sea, and the country
produces a great quantity of hemp. Finale is the capital of a
marquisate belonging to the Genoese, which has been the source of much
trouble to the republic; and indeed was the sole cause of their rupture
with the king of Sardinia and the house of Austria in the year 1745.
The town is pretty well built; but the harbour is shallow, open, and
unsafe; nevertheless, they built a good number of tartans and other
vessels on the beach and the neighbouring country abounds with oil and
fruit, particularly with those excellent apples called pomi carli,
which I have mentioned in a former letter.

In the evening we reached the Capo di Noli, counted very dangerous in
blowing weather. It is a very high perpendicular rock or mountain
washed by the sea, which has eaten into it in divers places, so as to
form a great number of caverns. It extends about a couple of miles, and
in some parts is indented into little creeks or bays, where there is a
narrow margin of sandy beach between it and the water. When the wind is
high, no feluca will attempt to pass it; even in a moderate breeze, the
waves dashing against the rocks and caverns, which echo with the sound,
make such an awful noise, and at the same time occasion such a rough
sea, as one cannot hear, and see, and feel, without a secret horror.

On this side of the Cape, there is a beautiful strand cultivated like a
garden; the plantations extend to the very tops of the hills,
interspersed with villages, castles, churches, and villas. Indeed the
whole Riviera is ornamented in the same manner, except in such places
as admit of no building nor cultivation.

Having passed the Cape, we followed the winding of the coast, into a
small bay, and arrived at the town of Noli, where we proposed to pass
the night. You will be surprised that we did not go ashore sooner, in
order to take some refreshment; but the truth is, we had a provision of
ham, tongues, roasted pullets, cheese, bread, wine, and fruit, in the
feluca, where we every day enjoyed a slight repast about on