e or two
o'clock in the afternoon. This I mention as a necessary piece of
information to those who may be inclined to follow the same route. We
likewise found it convenient to lay in store of l'eau de vie, or
brandy, for the use of the rowers, who always expect to share your
comforts. On a meagre day, however, those ragamuffins will rather die
of hunger than suffer the least morsel of flesh-meat to enter their
mouths. I have frequently tried the experiment, by pressing them to eat
something gras, on a Friday or Saturday: but they always declined it
with marks of abhorrence, crying, Dio me ne libere! God deliver me from
it! or some other words to that effect. I moreover observed, that not
one of those fellows ever swore an oath, or spoke an indecent word.
They would by no means put to sea, of a morning, before they had heard
mass; and when the wind was unfavourable, they always set out with a
hymn to the Blessed Virgin, or St. Elmo, keeping time with their oars
as they sung. I have indeed remarked all over this country, that a man
who transgresses the institutions of the church in these small matters,
is much more infamous than one who has committed the most flagrant
crimes against nature and morality. A murderer, adulterer, or s--m--te,
will obtain easy absolution from the church, and even find favour with
society; but a man who eats a pidgeon on a Saturday, without express
licence, is avoided and abhorred, as a monster of reprobation. I have
conversed with several intelligent persons on the subject; and have
reason to believe, that a delinquent of this sort is considered as a
luke-warm catholic, little better than a heretic; and of all crimes
they look upon heresy as the most damnable.

Noli is a small republic of fishermen subject to Genoa; but very
tenacious of their privileges. The town stands on the beach, tolerably
well built, defended by a castle situated on a rock above it; and the
harbour is of little consequence. The auberge was such as made us
regret even the inn we had left at St. Remo. After a very odd kind of
supper, which I cannot pretend to describe, we retired to our repose:
but I had not been in bed five minutes, when I felt something crawling
on different parts of my body, and taking a light to examine, perceived
above a dozen large bugs. You must know I have the same kind of
antipathy to these vermin, that some persons have to a cat or breast of
veal. I started up immediately, and wrapping myself in