own-green.

[Illustration: LUSSIN GRANDE

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Lussin Piccolo lies at the head of a deep bay, and climbs the ridge
along which the road runs to Lussin Grande, a place which is now much
smaller than its neighbour, but more picturesque and pleasant. The
bigger hotels are at Lussin Piccolo, where the larger harbour allows the
steamers to call. It has become a winter residence for Russians and
Austrians; and the keeper of the largest cafe told us that many of the
former came, instancing an officer of the guards who stayed six months,
and told him he was better off there than in St. Petersburg, or indeed
Manchuria, where he expected to be sent if he returned! The harbour is
called Val d'Augusto, because the fleet of the Emperor Augustus is said
to have remained at anchor there for a whole winter. It may be true, for
at the battle of Actium his fleet was principally manned by Dalmatians.
From above the town the view looking towards Ossero is rather fine, the
summits of the hills along the spine of the island rising one beyond the
other, culminating in Monte Ossero, paling and getting bluer with
greater distance. The sea, of a blue quite different in its quality,
runs into the land in many little inlets, while beyond are Veglia and
the mainland mountains often capped with clouds.

The road to Lussin Grande runs along the slope of the hills, rounding
tree-clad spurs and diving into hollows, with frequent peeps down into
little coves where boats are drawn up. In one of these a little fellow
was paddling himself about in a tub. On seeing us looking at him, he
raised the usual boatman's cry, "Barca, barca, Signori, per Lussin
Grande," and burst into a peal of laughter, in which we joined. The port
is delightfully picturesque; at the entrance is a church approached by a
flight of steps, with a terrace and cypresses, towards which nuns were
wending their way for "benediction"; the sun glowed upon white walls,
dark trees, and tiled roofs; while the harbour in shadow, full of boats
rich with the colour of nets and sails, and the reflections of the blue
sky upon its rippled surface, afforded an attractive contrast. One round
tower of the walls remains, built of stone, with machicolations and
Ghibelline battlements added in brick and plastered; a modern slab over
the door gives the date 1455. A kind of public garden called the Piazza
del Pozzo, from an old rope-worn well within it, contains many different
kinds of fl