C O N T E N T S .
CHAP. IX.
FIItST DESCmPTIOK OP NICE ASD ITS ENVIIiONS.
CHAP. X.
C0i?Tl>'UATI02i OF NICE, IKCLUDIJfG VILLA-FRANCA.
CHAP. XI.
CONTINUATION OF THE PRECEDING CHAPTER,
W I T H DESCRIPTIONS OF TTJRBIA, MONACO, AND VINTIMIGLIA.
C H A P . XII.
DEPARTURE FROM NICE. ARRIVAL AT ANTIBESC
H A P . XIII.
RECAPITULATION OF DEDUCTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS, ARISING FROM
TUE PRINCIPAL PACTS STATED IN THE PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
I N T R O D U C T I O N .
T h a t part of the wonderful and tremendous chain of mountains called Maritime Alps, or
Alpes MaritimzB, from their contiguity to the fea, ftill remaining, even in this enlightened
age, negle£ted, and as it were fearcely noted by the naturalift, or frequented by the traveller
(doubtlefs owing to the numerous difilculties to which they might be expofed, befidc Uie
meonvenience arifing from the want of accommodations of inns, and of every comfort in
travelling), induces the Author of the prefent Work, who has already been fo fortunate
as to meet with the mofl: flattering encouragement from men of taile and fcience in this
country, to profecute the plan he prefcribed to himfelf, and indeed promifed in a former
publication, of exliibiting the fequel of obfervations made whilil: exploring that beautiful
and cxtenlive range of mountains, which ferve as the eaftem and weftcm boimdaries to
Italy: a fatisfailion he enjoyed at a veiy early age, and at different periods of time.
The delire of exploring this wild and tremendous region of the globe, imbibed in hi.s
youth, has been continually increaiing on him, not only from his partiality to the iludy of
natural hiilory, particularly lithology, and from his delight in drawing, but alfo from
his profelEonal lituation, as Engineer in the fervice of his Sardinian Majcfty, fent in that
capacity to Nice, where he had frequent opportunities of indulging his thirli for natural
knowledge, being oftentimes undei' tlie neceffity of traverfing that part of the Alps which
feparates Piedmont from the county of Nice—a ridge of mountains which furely merit as
mucli the attention of tlie philofophically inquiiitive, as thofe wliich have been fo fcientifically
examined and defcribed by Meflrs. Do Sauffure, de Luc, and many other eminent
natiu-alifis.
The Co I- DE T e k d e , which is now claffed as one of tlie three gi-and paffages over the
Alps to Italy, is the highcft peak of the Maritime Alps, and the only part of that chain
including the Brovis and the Braus which is paflable.
The whole range of thefe Alps may be confidercd as forming a portion of a circle,
at the convexity of which ftands this iiupendous mountain, raifing majeflically his lofty