Byways in southern Tuscany . may fancyTelamon the Argonaut landing in its little harbor; or somecenturies later we may see the shores dotted with Romanvillas that gleamed through enchanting gardens. Now itis a bleak, rocky waste; a castle harshly rebuilt and stand-ing alone, a handful of poor houses near by, and a few 45 BYWAYS IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY fishing boats at the shore are all that is left to-day. Inthe Middle Ages it passed from hand to hand and for ashort time under Siena revived to some degree of pros-perity, but good fortune never stayed long with took it, the terrible pi
Byways in southern Tuscany . may fancyTelamon the Argonaut landing in its little harbor; or somecenturies later we may see the shores dotted with Romanvillas that gleamed through enchanting gardens. Now itis a bleak, rocky waste; a castle harshly rebuilt and stand-ing alone, a handful of poor houses near by, and a few 45 BYWAYS IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY fishing boats at the shore are all that is left to-day. Inthe Middle Ages it passed from hand to hand and for ashort time under Siena revived to some degree of pros-perity, but good fortune never stayed long with took it, the terrible pirate Areodeno of the RedBeard ravaged it, and it finally went to ruin altogether,seaweed encumbered its port, the winds heaped walls ofsand about it, and stagnant pools bred fever, malariaravaged it, and Repetti tells us it was a source of dangerfor miles inland. Corsairs, who according to traditionappeared immune to all such peril, nested there and de-fied capture, and it is only now beginning to be habitable. ^^X^x^^ _____. Guardala e passa! is a better motto for Talamonethan for Massa; still from it the view of the indented shoreis charming and across the gulf of its name rise the twinpeaks of Monte Argentario at whose foot low-lying Orbe-tello seems to float like the island of y^olus, upon thesurface of its lagoon. Toward it we take our way, forTalamone does not detain us long; but there is still a riverto cross, the Albegna, and even as late as the last century 46 BYWAYS IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY we might have approached it through the pine woodsthat Dennis describes. To-day not a tree remains. TheAlbegna is a stream with the most tranquil air imaginable,the margin plumed and tufted with greenery that dipssoftly to its slow current. Nothing could look moresweet-tempered and harmless, yet its reputation is of theworst; it is given to inundating grain and drowning ferry is so near its mouth that you see the river jointhe sea a stones throw away, but so quietly that hardl
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjecttuscany, bookyear1919
