accommodating fishing-craft and small vessels; but at little
Villafranca, a mile or so away to the eastward, is an excellent port,
affording shelter to large ships; occasionally men-of-war are to be seen
there. The harbour of Villafranca is very prettily situated, surrounded,
as it is on the land side, by high hills rising from the water's edge,
and beautifully timbered. The walk from Nice to Villafranca, either by
way of the sea, along the face of the rocks, where the road is lined
with aloes and cacti (which impart quite a semi-tropical aspect to the
country); or by the higher road, over a steep hill and deeply shaded
roads,--is very beautiful, and well rewards the wayfarer for his
fatigue; for fatiguing it is in the broiling sun, along a dusty road. On
approaching the port from the upper road, the first view obtained from
the high ground, looking down into the land-locked basin of the harbour,
is very charming.

Nice is so surrounded by beautiful walks and drives, that one fails in
the attempt to describe the half of them. View after view breaks on the
admiring gaze, till you cease to exclaim at the varying loveliness, and
content yourself by drinking in the grandeur and beauty of nature in
silent admiration.

It is colder and more bracing here than at Cannes, but on the whole the
climate is more equable, there being no such sudden fall in the
temperature after sunset; it is, however, I fear, less suited for
invalids of a consumptive nature than other parts of the Riviera. It is
dangerous to be out late, almost less on account of the heavy dews and
chill atmosphere than for the very questionable people one meets, in
every grade, from princes to pick-pockets. Nice is literally infested
with doubtful characters, for, being so near the frontier, numbers of
Italian vagabonds, who have been in prison and find it best to leave
their country, assemble here, and tragedies are constantly occurring.
There are also many wretched desperadoes from the gaming-tables.

On one occasion, two men attacked an old lady who was reading a placard
on a wall. They were fortunately observed by a woman from a small shop
near, who called her husband, and also summoned two gens d'armes. The
men drew their knives, but the gens d'armes threatened to use their
revolvers if the weapons were not instantly given up, and, being
probably as deficient in pluck as most bullies, they finally succumbed,
and were taken in charge--but, I have no doubt, g