travels through france and italy-第63章

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four　　livres　Piedmontese；　about　the　size　of　a　loui'dore；　and　the　mezzo　　doppia；　or　piece　of　twelve　livres。　In　silver；　there　is　the　scudo　　of　six　livres；　the　mezzo　scudo　of　three；　and　the　quarto；　or　pezza　　di　trenta　soldi：　but　all　these　are　very　scarce。　We　seldom　see　any　　gold　and　silver　coin；　but　the　loui'dore；　and　the　six；　and　three…livre　　Pieces　of　France；　a　sure　sign　that　the　French　suffer　by　　their　contraband　commerce　with　the　Nissards。　The　coin　chiefly　　used　at　market　is　a　piece　of　copper　silvered；　that　passes　for　　seven　sols　and　a　half；　another　of　the　same　sort；　valued　two　sols　　and　a　half。　They　have　on　one　side　the　impression　of　the　king's　　head；　and　on　the　other；　the　arms　of　Savoy；　with　a　ducal　crown；　　inscribed　with　his　name　and　titles。　There　are　of　genuine　copper；　　pieces　of　one　sol；　stamped　on　one　side　with　a　cross　fleuree；　and　　on　the　reverse；　with　the　king's　cypher　and　crown；　inscribed　as　　the　others：　finally；　there　is　another　small　copper　piece；　called　　piccalon；　the　sixth　part　of　a　sol；　with　a　plain　cross；　and　on　the　　reverse；　a　slip…knot　surmounted　with　a　crown；　the　legend　as　　above。　The　impression　and　legend　on　the　gold　and　silver　coins；　　are　the　same　as　those　on　the　pieces　of　seven　sols　and　a　half。　The　　livre　of　Piedmont　consists　of　twenty　sols；　and　is　very　near　of　　the　same　value　as　an　English　shilling：　ten　sols；　therefore；　are　　equal　to　six…pence　sterling。　Butcher's　meat　in　general　sells　at　　Nice　for　three　sols　a　pound；　and　veal　is　something　dearer：　but　　then　there　are　but　twelve　ounces　in　the　pound；　which　being　　allowed　for；　sixteen　ounces；　come　for　something　less　than　twopence　　halfpenny　English。　Fish　commonly　sells　for　four　sols　the　　twelve　ounces；　or　five　for　the　English　pound；　and　these　five　are　　equivalent　to　three…pence　of　our　money：　but　sometimes　we　are　　obliged　to　pay　five；　and　even　six　sols　for　the　Piedmontese　pound　　of　fish。　A　turkey　that　would　sell　for　five　or　six　shillings　at　　the　London　market；　costs　me　but　three　at　Nice。　I　can　buy　a　good　　capon　for　thirty　sols；　or　eighteen…pence；　and　the　same　price　I　　pay　for　a　brace　of　partridges；　or　a　good　hare。　I　can　have　a　　woodcock　for　twenty…four　sols；　but　the　pigeons　are　dearer　than　in　　London。　Rabbits　are　very　rare；　and　there　is　scarce　a　goose　to　be　　seen　in　the　whole　county　of　Nice。　Wild…ducks　and　teal　are　　sometimes　to　be　had　in　the　winter；　and　now　I　am　speaking　of　sea…fowl；　　it　may　not　be　amiss　to　tell　you　what　I　know　of　the　halcyon；　　or　king's…fisher。　It　is　a　bird；　though　very　rare　in　this　country　　about　the　size　of　a　pigeon；　the　body　brown；　and　the　belly　white：　　by　a　wonderful　instinct　it　makes　its　nest　upon　the　surface　of　the　　sea；　and　lays　its　eggs　in　the　month　of　November；　when　the　　Mediterranean　is　always　calm　and　smooth　as　a　mill…pond。　The　　people　about　here　call　them　martinets；　because　they　begin　to　　hatch　about　Martinmass。　Their　nests　are　sometimes　seen　floating　　near　the　shore；　and　generally　become　the　prize　of　the　boys；　who　　are　very　alert　in　catching　them。

You　know　all　sea…birds　are　allowed　by　the　church　of　Rome　to　be　　eaten　on　meagre　days；　as　a　kind　of　fish；　and　the　monks　especially　　do　not　fail　to　make　use　of　this　permission。　Sea　turtle；　or　　tortoises；　are　often　found　at　sea　by　the　mariners；　in　these　　latitudes：　but　they　are　not　the　green　sort；　so　much　in　request　　among　the　aldermen　of　London。　All　the　Mediterranean　turtle　are　of　　the　kind　called　loggerhead；　which　in　the　West…Indies　are　eaten　by　　none　but　hungry　seamen；　negroes；　and　the　lowest　class　of　people。　　One　of　these；　weighing　about　two　hundred　pounds；　was　lately　　brought　on　shore　by　the　fishermen　of　Nice；　who　found　it　floating　　asleep　on　the　surface　of　the　sea。　The　whole　town　was　alarmed　at　　sight　of　such　a　monster；　the　nature　of　which　they　could　not　　comprehend。　However；　the　monks；　called　minims；　of　St。　Francesco　　di　Paolo；　guided　by　a　sure　instinct；　marked　it　as　their　prey；　and　　surrounded　it　accordingly。　The　friars　of　other　convents；　not　　quite　so　hungry；　crowding　down　to　the　beach；　declared　it　should　　not　be　eaten；　dropped　some　hints　about　the　possibility　of　its　　being　something　praeternatural　and　diabolical；　and　even　proposed　　exorcisms　and　aspersions　with　holy　water。　The　populace　were　　divided　according　to　their　attachment　to　this；　or　that　convent：　a　　mighty　clamour　arose；　and　the　police；　in　order　to　remove　the　　cause　of　their　contention；　ordered　the　tortoise　to　be　recommitted　　to　the　waves；　a　sentence　which　the　Franciscans　saw　executed；　not　　without　sighs　and　lamentation。　The　land…turtle；　or　terrapin；　is　　much　better　known　at　Nice；　as　being　a　native　of　this　country；　yet　　the　best　are　brought　from　the　island　of　Sardinia。　The　soup　or　　bouillon　of　this　animal　is　always　prescribed　here　as　a　great　　restorative　to　consumptive　patients。　The　bread　of　Nice　is　very　　indifferent；　and　I　am　persuaded　very　unwholesome。　The　flour　is　　generally　musty；　and　not　quite　free　of　sand。　This　is　either　owing　　to　the　particles　of　the　mill…stone　rubbed　off　in　grinding；　or　to　　what　adheres　to　the　corn　itself；　in　being　threshed　upon　the　　common　ground；　for　there　are　no　threshing…floors　in　this　country。　　I　shall　now　take　notice　of　the　vegetables　of　Nice。　In　the　winter；　　we　have　green　pease；　asparagus；　artichoaks；　cauliflower；　beans；　　French　beans；　celery；　and　endive；　cabbage；　coleworts；　radishes；　　turnips；　carrots；　betteraves；　sorrel　lettuce；　onions；　garlic；　and　　chalot。　We　have　potatoes　from　the　mountains；　mushrooms；　　champignons；　and　truffles。　Piedmont　affords　white　truffles；　　counted　the　most　delicious　in　the　world：　they　sell　for　about　　three　livres　the　pound。　The　fruits　of　this　season　are　pickled　　olives；　oranges；　lemons；　citrons；　citronelles；　dried　figs；　　grapes；　apples；　pears；　almonds；　chestnuts；　walnuts；　filberts；　　medlars；　pomegranates；　and　a　fruit　called　azerolles；　＇The　　Italians　call　them　Lazerruoli。＇　about　the　size　of　a　nutmeg；　of　an　　oblong　shape；　red　colour；　and　agreeable　acid　taste。　I　might　　likewise　add　the　cherry　of　the　Laurus　cerasus；　which　is　sold　in　　the　market；　very　beautiful　to　the　eye；　but　insipid　to　the　palate。　　In　summer　we　have　all　those　vegetables　in　perfection。　There　is　　also　a　kind　of　small　courge；　or　gourd；　of　which　the　people　of　the　　country　make　a　very　savoury　ragout；　with　the　help　of　eggs；　　cheese；　and　fresh　anchovies。　Another　is　made　of　the　badenjean；　　which　the　Spaniards　call　berengena：　＇This　fruit　is　called　　Melanzana　in　Italy　and　is　much　esteemed　by　the　Jews　in　Leghorn。　　Perhaps　Melanzana　is　a　corruption　of　Malamsana。＇　it　is　much　eaten　　in　Spain　and　the　Levant；　as　well　as　by　the　Moors　in　Barbary。　It　　is　about　the　size　and　shape　of　a　hen's　egg；　inclosed　in　a　cup　　like　an　acorn；　when　ripe；　of　a　faint　purple　colour。　It　grows　on　a　　stalk　about　a　foot　high；　with　long　spines　or　prickles。　The　people　　here　have　different　ways　of　slicing　and　dressing　it；　by　broiling；　　boiling；　and　stewing；　with　other　ingredients：　but　it　is　at　best　　an　insipid　dish。　There　are　some　caperbushes　in　this　　neighbourhood；　which　grow　wild　in　holes　of　garden　walls；　and　　require　no　sort　of　cultivation：　in　one　or　two　gardens；　there　are　　palm…trees；　but　the　dates　never　ripen。　In　my　register　of　the　　weather；　I　have　marked　the　seasons　of　the　principal　fruits　in　　this　country。　In　May　we　have　strawberries；