ncient harbour is now surrounded by an alluvial
meadow, and in place of the numerous vessels which must have crowded the
ancient quay, a brig, and two or three feluccas, were quietly at anchor.
A change like this, of the very soil, and local features, speaks more
strongly to the imagination than the most mighty and extensive ruins.

29th.--We rose at a very early hour to pursue our route,

----for our sleep
Was airy light, from pure digestion bred,
And temperate vapours bland,

thanks to the precautions of mine hostess of the Chapeau Rouge: the
first part of our road lay almost parallel with the line of ruins,
marking the course of the aqueduct, and afforded a more just idea of its
extent and size than the view which we had taken before. To judge from
the scattered groupes of arches, it must have extended as far as the
hills bounding the bay of Napoule, up whose sides we began to wind, at
the distance of about two miles from Frejus, and continued to ascend for
six more. This morning's drive was agreeable enough from its novelty, so
little reminding us of the usual features of France. The bold and
sombre character of its fine woods, undiversified save by an occasional
patch of cultivation, or a solitary hut, and swept by bodies of clouds
in their progress from the Mediterranean, reminded us more of the
descriptions of Norwegian forests, and of the mountains haunted by the
Wild Huntsman, than of Provencal scenery. The enormous extent of these
forests has not, as may well be supposed, improved the state of society.
About fifteen years ago a banditti, composed of deserters, and of the
peasantry of the country, and regularly organized, held them for a
length of time, and defied the efforts of a numerous body of
gend'armerie sent to subdue them. We observed also the traces of a wider
spread conflagration, which we understood to have caused damage to the
amount of a million of francs, and the perpetrators of which had equally
escaped detection: it had made but a small comparative gap in these
immense tracts of wood.

Soon after passing the post-house of Estrelles, situated on the summit
of the mountain, the view which opens on the other side becomes
strikingly fine, and extensive. The shores of the bay of Napoule,
beautifully wooded and interspersed with white villas, lie under foot in
a complete bird's-eye view, backed by the sweeping mountains of the
neighbourhood of Grasse, and terminated by the cape where A