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In my way to the hold, %vliich was under the terrace, I had the falisfaaion of viewing
a very different fpecies of recreation; which, though attended with more decorum and lefs
tumult, afforded probably lefs pleafure. This was the noblefle and Hmngei-s (who refort
to this city during the winter fcafon) takmg their uiual promenade in the park by moonlight.
The city of Nice is not only remarkable for the foft and benign influence of its climate,
which makes it eftecmed (if I may be allowed the expreffion) as a ferre ehaude for invalids,
or broken conftitutions, bat likewife for its very delightful fitnation. It ftands contiguous
to the coaft, yet lies at tlie foot of a number of fertile and well cultivated hills, wooded to the
top, which, by their form and genfle afeent, rifuig into mountains that form on the northern
fide a fweep or araphidieatre over-topped by the peaks of the Maritime Alps covered with
fnow, whiift the beautiful countiy or plain, which may be faid to form the arena, exhibits,
by its continual verdure and quick fuceeffion of vegetation, a never-ceafing fpring, which
may be compared to Flora, Ceres, and Pomona, playing beneatli the hoary locks of
winter.
This town, whofe Ion. is 7° 25' and lat. 43° 42', is feated in the bay of Andbes, and
nearly equi-dillant from Turin, Marfeilles, and Genoa, at about ninety-five miles from
cach of thofe eities. It is built in the form of an irregular ifofcdes triangle, on l i e declivity
of an extenfive ifolated rock, which ftands at the mouth of the rich and charming valley
of St. Pons.
The port of Limpia, a dcfcription of which will foon follow, is fituated towards die
eaflcm fide of the rock, and Nice on the weftern; fo that it is literally wedged in between
this fleep rock and the Paglion, anciently called Paulo; a river noticed in the preceding
chapter, which waflies the town walls on the weftem fide.
It is bounded by tlic Mediterranean on the fouth, from which it is feparated only by a
beautiful and extenfive terrace, under which is built feveral good houfes and fafliionable
fliops.
This terrace, which is covered with a hard thick cement compounded of quick-lime,
pozolana, pounded bricks, and fmall pebbles, is ufed as a public walk when the wind is
not too violent. The profpeft from hence is beautiful, commanding a noble and extenfive
view of the fea, generally bounded by the horizon; but oftentimes have I been able to
difcern before fun-rife, when the atmofphere was unclouded, the mountains of Corfica,
diflant from Nice about two degrees towards the eaft.
The rock, on the declivity of which the city is built, is not only remarkable from its
ifolated fitualion, but from its form, which is that of a euneus or wedge, fimilar to Coni.
Its bafc, which is elevated and abrupt, turns towards the fouth, and overhangs the fea,
which has here, as in the whole gulph, or, as it is alfo called, river of Ginoa, a confiderable
deplJi ; whereas the northern pomt of the rock has a gentle or moderate defcent,
though unequal, or irregular. This defcent, which is confequently turned towards tlie
valley of St. Pons, appears to be entirely formed of fragments detached from the primitive
mountains, which in a great meafurc reft on the calcareous flrata of the rock.
This fuppofition I have found confirmed by tlie different obfervations I liave had an
opportunity of making on the excavations made by the inhabitants, for the purpofe of procuring
either fand or gravel. The following is nearly the order in which I foimd the beds
or firata of this part of the mountain. The deepeft, that is, thofe which feemed to reft on
the calcareous ftratum, were compofed of pierre roulées, or pebbles, of different fizes; on
which refted a ilratum of coarfe yellowifii fand, containing in-egular pieces of granite,
quartz, and lapis ollaris, fimilar to thofe in the fandy valley. Upon tliis lay another of a
fine grey coloured fand, over which lay the ftratum of vegetable earth, wliofe tliicknefs
diminiihed as it approached the fummit of tlie mountam.
Thefc pebbles and different kinds of fand, and more particularly the fimilarity which
feems to exift in the inclination of the ftrata of tins rock and thofe of Mont-Alban, at about
a mile diftant, leave not a doubt but tliat this ifolated rock was originally a ramification of
the latter, and that they have been feparated by fome violent current at tlie time of the
grand débâcle ; that is, prior to the calcareous matter, of which tliey are formed, had
acquired its prefent firmaefs or coherency.
This hypothefis furely appears to be fully fupported by the following fa<£ts, viz. 1. That
the bottom of the valley, in which the port of Limpia or Nice has been deepened, is
compofed of the fame kind of calcareous ftones, containing fimilar fpecies of foflils as
thofe found in the two lateral mountains. 2. That their beds, which extend from one
mountain to the other, confidei-ably under the level of tlie fea, have the fame inclination.
What is ftill more fingulai-, the lateral mountains contain in their firata imprcfiions of the
fame fort of fhell-fifii called datlc dc mer, or dadtylus maris, as thofe now exifiing in a
living fiate ¡n the rocks which ai'c covercd by the fea at tlie entrance of the harbour, &c.
This fifti is much cfteemed, and reckoned delicious eating.
Thefe obfervations are the fruit of feveral years refidence at Nice, where I profeffionally
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