The soil of Elba is unequal, and wants depth; in consequence of which, and of the want of industry in its inhabitants, scarcely any corn is raised. They grow, however, maize, pease, beans, and other spe ties of pulse. Fruits are in general bad ; but figs and chesnuts are very plentiful, and the olive and mulberry flourish through the greater part of the island. The most valuable vegetable produce is the grape. The white wine is common, and used only at home; but the red wine is exquisite, though in small quantity ; and there are two kinds of dessert wine, both highly esteemed, called Vermont and Alea tico. Wood, both for fuel and carpenter's work, is very scarce; yet Elba produces two remarkable trees, the American aloe and the Indian fig, both of which attain a greater height here than in other parts of Italy. The tunny fishery is considerable, and is carried on both at Porto Ferraio, and Marci ana. The tunnies visit this coast twice in the year, from April to July, and from September to the end of October. The fishery forms a sort of festival; the sea is covered with boats, which form a vast enclo sure, into which, when the tunnies have entered, they are pierced with harpoons, and the sea is red dened with their blood. The annual amount is about L.2500 Sterling. Pearl oysters were for merly caught, but this fishery has been exhausted. Where are numerous marine marshes from which salt is evaporated, though the manufacture is not well conducted. The produce is 60,000 sacks, of about 150 lbs. each.
The population of Elba was, in 1778, estimated at 8000, but it has since risen to 12,000 souls. They are a race, differing, in many respects, from that which inhabits the continent of Italy. They are
well made and robust, and often attain a great age without experiencing ailment or infirmity. They are brave, active, hardy, laborious, and, at the same time, kind-hearted and hospitable. They are, how ever, irritable and impatient of contradiction. They are almost universally ignorant and credulous, yet have a certain liveliness of imagination, which ren ders them fond of extravagant and romantic tales. The females are not in general handsome, but to this there are some exceptions; they are generally virtuous, and make good wives and mothers.
The principal town of Elba is Porto Ferraio, which contains a population of 3000 souls. The houses are small and inconvenient, but the streets are wide, and are in general terraces cut in the rock. Vast subterraneous magazines have been here con structed for the preservation of corn and other ne cessaries, with a view to provisioning the place in case of siege. The inhabitants are said to have lost the simplicity of the rural districts, without attaining any real information or refinement. Porto Longo is a well fortified town, with an agreeable and pictur esque neighbourhood, and contains 1500 inhabitants. Rio is poor, and is only supported by the great iron mine, which is situated in its neighbourhood; its po pulation may be 1800 souls. Other villages and dis tricts are Capo Liveri, Campo, and Marmano.—Voy age to the Island of Elba. By Arsenne Thiebaut de Berneaud, translated by W. Jordan, 8vo. 1814, Tour through the Island of Elba. By Sir Richard Colt Hoare, Bart. 4to. 1814.