fond of exhibiting in their pages. On board
his boat the only punishment administered
was a blow with the fist: he called that
"pushing."

The port of La Calle, with its numerous
coral-fishers, afforded me plenty of subjects
of amusement, without mentioning my friend
Baussand. But La Galite is what we are
talking of just now.

The isle of La Galite is situated about five-
and-twenty miles to the north of Cap Négre,
and is about three leagues in circumference.
Close to it, on the north and west, there are
four small islets which are called Galitons,
and which are nothing but steep, absolutely
naked rocks. The shore of the island is very
steep all round, and is surmounted by two
principal peaks, one of which rises in the
middle of the island (considered in respect
to its length) to the height of about fifteen
hundred feet, English measure. On the
south side, at the extremity of a very open
bay, there is a picturesque and extensive
grotto, through which a tolerably abundant
spring flows. Two small basins, hollowed out
by human hands, testify to the service which
this watering- place has rendered to navigators.
There are likewise three other springs on the
north shore, but they are dried up in summer
time.

The geology of La Galite is volcanic in its
character; most of the rocks are composed of
a sort of bluish granite. Still, some are found,
especially on the south side, consisting entirely
of porous lava, something like that which
constitutes the curious rocks of the port of
La Calle, but more compact. Scarcely any
vegetable mould is to be found, except on the
table-land which joins the two principal peaks,
and in the ravines. I cannot understand how
a member of the Scientific Commission, who
visited the place in October 1840, could
imagine that forty families might maintain
themselves here, besides creating a little
export trade. The same savant states that
he ascertained the fertility of a great part of
the island!

There are no trees; for it is impossible to
apply that name to a few brambles—although
they are rather tall—which are to be found
upon one single spot. I saw a solitary fig
tree; it grows from a chink in the rock,
and is quite inaccessible.

The species of native plants are extremely
limited in number; the wild graminaceœ,
such as the perennial rye-grass, prevail; but
the most abundant vegetable production is a
herbaceous plant with leaves that are unctuous
to the touch, and which diffuse an unbearable
odour all over the island. The Italians visit
La Galite for the purpose of gathering a plant
which they call erba tramontana, and which is
used in dyeing. It is a species of orchil, known
as roxela tinctoria. The discovery of the
properties of orchil, accidentally made by a
Florentine merchant, dates back so far as
1300. Having observed that liquid ammonia
caused this lichen to assume a brilliant hue,
he made experiments, from which he learned
the mode of treatment requisite to make
orchil available to the dyer. He kept this
discovery secret for a long while. His
descendants, a branch of whom is still surviving,
according to the account of Domenique Mauni,
derived their name of Rucelai from the Spanish
word oreiglia, which denotes this species of
cryptogamic vegetable.

But all the plants here are generally
stunted and puny. The rabbits and goats
are continually ravaging them. And besides,
every year during the summer, a fire lighted
by nobody knows whom, consumes every
vegetable production. It may be presumed
that were it not for these impeding causes,
we should see at La Galite a vegetation much
the same as that of the mountains of Algeria.

Rabbits and goats are almost the only
living creatures at La Galite, but their number
is very considerable. The goats keep together
in troops of twenty or thirty among the
defiles of the rocks, and are exceedingly wild.
But few are killed; the sportsman finding it
no easy task to follow them to the retreats to
which they climb, and to keep pace with them
as they mount the rocky peaks. The rabbits
also are extremely numerous.

All these particulars we were anxious to
verify. On one fine day in June we set sail
for La Galite;—M. Pergaut, an excellent
Lorrain, a great sportsman, and Garde Général
of the forests of La Calle; and Theurkauff,
the superintendent of the hospital, a delightful
fellow of most promising talents, who was
soon afterwards miserably murdered by
the Arabs. I have forgotten who were our
other companions. M. and Mme. Pérallo
did the honours of their vessel to perfection.
Thanks to Baussand, I felt scarcely a symptom
of sea-sickness. He furnished me with such
an abundance of amusement during the
passage, that I had no time to think of
being ill.

During the voyage, we harpooned a few
sharks and shot several gulls. At last, after
a seven hours' passage, we reached La Galite;
that is to say, we lost two hours more in
waiting for the west wind before we could
cast anchor. Navigators wisely recommend
great caution in these seas. The gusts which
pour down from the mountain defiles are
often very dangerous; and, on the other hand,
the wind almost always absolutely drops
within sight of the anchorage. At that point,
in fact, our sails hung flapping lazily, and the
sailors were obliged to tow the Bobérach with
their two boats, till we came within convenient
soundings upon a gravelly bottom.

Our greedy eyes were already feasting upon
the country which we were shortly to possess
as absolute masters. The scenery we gazed
upon was extremely wild;—frightful rocks
scantily clothed with verdure, cool little bays,
and ravines still tolerably green, wherein we
already peered for the goats and rabbits