THE ENVIRONS OF SARTENE.
Sartene is encircled by a range of bleak mountains, to the north of
which stand the Incudine and Coscione. The Coscione is celebrated for
its rich pasture-grounds, which are watered by the beautiful streams
of the Bianca and the Viola. To these grounds the herdsmen of Quenza
bring their flocks in summer, spending the winter on the coast of
Porto Vecchio. One of the mountains in the neighbourhood of Sartene
is an immense rock of a very remarkable shape; its appearance from a
distance is that of a giant lifting his monstrous and misshapen head
into the clouds. The mountain goes by the name of the Man of Cogna. In
this part of the country are also to be found the remains of Menhirs
and Dolmens—those ancient mementos of the Sabian ritual, which are
not unfrequently met with in the islands of the Mediterranean, and in
countries inhabited by Celtic nations. They consist of stones—not very
unlike pillars—placed in a circle, and are here called Stazzone. Corsica
has preserved but few remains of these heathen temples; but they are
peculiarly abundant in Sardinia. I regretted exceedingly that I had no
time, when in Sartene, to pay a visit to these curious remains.
On the surrounding mountains stand ruins of many of the old castles of
the brave Renuccio, and the famous Giudice della Rocca. The estates of
these old seigniors lay in the neighbourhood of Sartene. The canton of
Santa Lucia de Tallano still preserves a memorial of Renuccio in the
ruins of the Franciscan convent which was founded by this brave hero,
with whom fell the power of the old Corsican barons. In the church is
shown the tomb of his daughter Serena, with a marble statue of her in
a recumbent posture, a chaplet in her hand, and attached to it a gold
purse, as a symbol of her great benevolence.
Among the mountains of Santa Lucia is found that remarkable species of
granite—peculiar to Corsica—which goes by the name of Orbicularis. The
ground-colour is a grayish blue, but interspersed with black points
with a white border, which appear in great numbers on the surface of
the stone when broken. I saw some beautiful specimens of this stone.
It has, when polished, a remarkably rich appearance, and is of peculiar
value in architectural ornamentation. Nature seems to have created this
stone in one of her sportive and most genial moods; it is a jewel in the
rich mineralogical cabinet of the island. The orbicular granite of Santa
Lucia de Tallano has been also deemed worthy of a place in the chapel
of the Medicis at Florence, in the decoration of which the rarest and
most beautiful stones have been employed.
North-east from Santa Lucia, in the valley of the Fiumiccioli, lies
the celebrated canton of Levie, which extends to the small gulf of
Ventilegne. The district is mountainous, and tolerably well wooded.
It was the abode of several old noble families, particularly that of
the Peretti, from whom was descended Napoleon, the friend of Sampiero,
and the first of this name mentioned in Corsican history. He was not,
however, a relation of Bonaparte. He was killed in a battle with the
Genoese.
In Levie stands the town of San Gavino de Corbini, a place well known
in Corsican history as the head-quarters of the strange sect of the
Giovannalists—those old communists of Corsica, whose theories made such
remarkable progress on the island, and who may be considered as the
forerunners of Saint-Simonism and Mormonism. Only in a country where the
inhabitants still lay in a state of the rudest and most uncultivated
nature, and where a belief in the natural equality of man was the
dominant trait in the national character—only in a time, moreover, of
social disorder, misery, and blood—could the sect of the Giovannalists
have found their origin. It is very much to be regretted that the
chronicles of the country have not preserved more particular accounts
of this remarkable sect. Its appearance seems to be a remarkable trait
in the physiognomy of the national history; and transitory as was the
phenomenon, I look upon it as forming a strongly-marked line in the
portrait of this extraordinary people.
Before taking leave of Sartene, my heartiest eulogies are due to the
hospitality of its inhabitants. It was my good fortune to meet with
the greatest kindness from these amiable people; their noble and honest
confidence cheered my heart, and I spent many a pleasant hour in their
society. I could with difficulty tear myself from their hospitality; I
accompanied them on their hunting expeditions among the mountains, and,
above all, enjoyed myself many a summer day in their beautiful orchards.
On leaving Sartene, early in the morning, I was accompanied by all
those excellent gentlemen with whose friendship I had been honoured; and
when bidding the company adieu, one of them—a cousin of the unfortunate
Vittoria Malaspina—placed a note in my hands.
Upon opening it, I found its contents to be as follows:—
"TO SIGNOR FERDINANDO.
"If you should ever happen to be in danger or in difficulty during your
stay in our island, do not forget that you have a friend in Sartene.
ALESSANDRO CASANOVA."
I preserve this note as a talisman, and at the same time as a testimony
to the noble hospitality of Corsica. It was not sufficient for my
Sartenese friend to assure me by hand and word that, as his guest, I was
under his protection for the rest of my life, but he must needs add to
his promise the additional guarantee of a written document.