e bay is
surrounded with plantations of olives and oranges, and makes a very
delightful appearance. In case of a war, this would be an admirable
station for a British squadron, as it lies so near Genoa and Leghorn;
and has a double entrance, by means of which the cruisers could sail in
and out continually, which way soever the wind might chance to sit. I
am sure the fortifications would give very little disturbance.

At the post-house in Lerici, the accommodation is intolerable. We were
almost poisoned at supper. I found the place where I was to lie so
close and confined, that I could not breathe in it, and therefore lay
all night in an outward room upon four chairs, with a leather
portmanteau for my pillow. For this entertainment I payed very near a
loui'dore. Such bad accommodation is the less excusable, as the fellow
has a great deal of business, this being a great thoroughfare for
travellers going into Italy, or returning from thence.

I might have saved some money by prosecuting my voyage directly by sea
to Leghorn: but, by this time, we were all heartily tired of the water,
the business then was to travel by land to Florence, by the way of
Pisa, which is seven posts distant from Lerici. Those who have not
their own carriage must either hire chaises to perform the whole
journey, or travel by way of cambiatura, which is that of changing the
chaises every post, as the custom is in England. In this case the great
inconvenience arises from your being obliged to shift your baggage
every post. The chaise or calesse of this country, is a wretched
machine with two wheels, as uneasy as a common cart, being indeed no
other than what we should call in England a very ill-contrived
one-horse chair, narrow, naked, shattered and shabby. For this vehicle
and two horses you pay at the rate of eight paoli a stage, or four
shillings sterling; and the postilion expects two paoli for his
gratification: so that every eight miles cost about five shillings, and
four only, if you travel in your own carriage, as in that case you pay
no more than at the rate of three paoli a horse.

About three miles from Lerici, we crossed the Magra, which appeared as
a rivulet almost dry, and in half a mile farther arrived at Sarzana, a
small town at the extremity of the Genoese territories, where we
changed horses. Then entering the principalities of Massa and Carrara,
belonging to the duke of Modena, we passed Lavenza, which seems to be a
decayed fort