that, seating myself on the beach, I got into
conversation with him, and elicited all the
information he could give me; this I have
added to, much that I have collected from
other sources, and thrown into the following
paper.

The principal ports in the Mediterranean
which send out vessels for this Fishery are
Genoa, Leghorn, and Torre del Greco, about
eight miles from Naples; and, as it was not
far from this Port that my attention was first
awakened to the subject, I shall confine myself
to the trade as it is carried on there. The
hardest service in which the sailor can be
engaged, it is either a school for the young or
the last resource of the poor and desperate;
and, early in the year, numbers of these two
classes, from every village on the coast, go
over to Torre to engage themselves, and take
their Caparra—alas, that Caparra!—(a portion
of their pay); it is the price of slavery for
the next six or eight months; and, once that
it has crossed the palm, as well might a
Virginian slave endeavour to throw off his servitude
as one of these poor Coral fishers redeem
his liberty. I have known many a poor fellow
repent the step, and hide himself as the time
of his suffering approaches; but sure is he to
be hunted down, and brought back with the
same rigour as a deserted recruit. And what
is the temptation to bind themselves to such
a fate ? A paltry sum of from twenty to
forty ducats—that is, from three to seven
pounds. " A larger sum than we can earn in
any merchant service," said a Coral fisher to
me. And what is the treatment which they
receive, and the nature of the service they
enter upon? This I shall describe in detail;
and then think, ye beauties, with what toil and
suffering have been purchased the glowing
ornaments which adorn your snowy bosoms.
As the time for starting approaches, all who
have received the Caparra, and, what is worse
too, spent it, go down to Torre, and get the
remainder of their paltry pay.

The scene which I witnessed in the Island
of Capri, in the month of March, is the
pattern of many others occurring at the same
time all round the Bay of Naples; and
nothing have I ever witnessed more touching
or picturesque than the sorrow of those rude
children of Nature. " My son," said an aged
mother, " may God bless you! may the
Madonna accompany you!" and she laid her
hand upon his head, whilst the son knelt
down, and took her other hand in his, and
kissed it, the very extent of the affection
which an Italian exhibits for a parent. Close
by stood the " fidanzata," overwhelmed with
grief, yet, from the reserve of custom, not
making any open show of it. Several who
were wives, too, were there; but they were of
good courage, as they were going to accompany
their husbands to Torre to bid them a
last farewell, and receive— I had almost said
the price of their blood— to keep their houses
together, whilst they were at sea.

At the Port of Torre del Greco, a little
fleet is assembled, each of from seventeen to
twenty tons, and carrying from eight to
twelve men. One portion of the fleet is
destined for the Barbary Coast, another for
that of Sardinia, and some visit other parts
of the Mediterranean. Vows have been made
to the Madonna, to the Patron Saints, and
masses said. Every bark has received the
priestly benediction. The church bells are
ringing, and continue to do so until the fleet
is leaving the shore, whilst this sweet harmony
of sounds is increased by a beating of
tambours, the sounding of a hundred tofi (conch
shells), and other instruments of a similar
character. In short, it is made rather a
festive scene, too much grief being supposed,
perhaps, to bring a "cattiv' augurio" (ill-luck);
yet many a heavy heart is hidden by a shining
face. Women, of course, are there; for in what
situation in which human sympathies are
greatly excited, are they ever absent ? and
the part which they take, was to me perfectly
new. As each bark lifted its anchor, and
glided off, a group of women gave expression
to their grief, mingled with benedictions and
"auguri' for good success: " May she sail like
a bark of the angels!" and throwing sea- water
and sand after it, again they cry, " May she
abound as the sea, and the sands of the sea!"
The last bark lifts its anchor, and now they are
all fairly off, and many an eye all round the
coast is on the stretch to catch a last glimpse
of the sails which are bearing their social
treasures to that Ultima Thule of the poor
people —the coast of Barbary.

On the arrival at their several destinations,
the captain lands and leaves his papers with
the authorities, not unaccompanied by a
present for the Consul; for before the season
breaks up, the captain may want justice
for himself, or the liberty of oppressing his
crew, and a douceur to the great man is
remembered with gratitude, and covers a
multitude of sins. Each bark, too, pays on
the Sardinian Coast, for medicine and medical
attendance, seven piastres; whilst on the
African coast, belonging to the French, a
hospital is established where advice is given
gratuitously: on both stations eleven piastres
are demanded for custom-house dues and the
examination of papers. There is another
payment to be made, later, though I speak of it
here, in the form of a tax for the privilege of
fishing in those waters; on the Sardinian
coast amounting to sixteen piastres for every
boat, on the French African coast to one
hundred and eight piastres, being just one
half of what was demanded formerly; and a
very sure and knowing way the authorities
have of collecting it. When the season is half
over, a vessel is sent out from Torre laden
with fresh supplies of food and rope; the coral
barks then push in to meet it, when their
stock of coral is seized and detained in the
custom-house until the tax has been paid;
on the demand being satisfied, the supplying