The province of Grosseto consists chiefly of a vast tract of maremma along the coast of the Mediterraneau from the valley of the Cornia on the borders of the province of Pisa, to the Lake of Buren° and the river Fiore, being a length of about 70 miles, whilst its breadth from the sea-coast inland is from 15 to 20 miles. Besides the Ombrone, several rivers flow from the hills, which form a belt along the inland side of the Maremma, and crossing the plain run into the sea after a short course. These streams are, the Cornia, which after a course of 24 miles enters the shore-lake of Piombino; the Pecora, a small river near Massa, which enters the shore-lake of Scarlino ; the Bruno, which enters the bake of Castiglione ; the Albegna, which, rising in the Monte Labro (a summit about 3600 feet high, forming part of the group of Montamiata) flows rapidly southward, past the ruins of the Etruscan city of Saturnis, and crossing the Maremma enters the sea north of Monte Argentaro.
The Maremma is not a uniform level, for at several points the hills approach near to the sea, dividing the plain into several basins, distin guished by tho names of Maremma of Massa, Maremma of Grosseto, &a Active measures were commenced for the drainage of a portion of the marshes of Grosseto, by the grand-ducal goverment in 1852. There is a succession of ebore-lakes along the seacoast, which by their mephitic exhalations in summer occasion malaria. The largest are the lagoon of Castiglione, and the Lake of Orbetello, which is salt, and occupies an area of about ten square miles. Between the Lake of Orbetello and the sea rises the rocky and lofty promoutory of Monte Argentaro, a conspicuous object from, the sea, which appears to have been once an island. Monte Argentaro is of calcareoue forma tion; it occupies an area about 22 miles is circumference, and the summit is about 1700 feet high. It is joined to the mainland by two very narrow and low isthmuses which run between the Lake of Orbetello and the sea-coast, the northernmost of which is intersected by a narrow canal, uniting the lake and the sea. The eca at the base of Monte Argentaro is very deep, and forms two good harbours, Santo Stefano on the north and Port Ercole on the cast. Port Ercole has a strong fort, and several towers defend tho coast on the foot of the mount. The mountain is covered with forests which abound in game : it has copious springs and excellent pastures, and the air is perfectly healthy. Near Port Ercole are the ruins of the ancient Etrurian and Roman town of Cosa. The ruins are called Ansedonia, for what reason is unknown. The walls constructed with nicely-fitted polygonal blocks of hard limestone still remain in tolerable preserva tion, with a ohain of towers, of which 14 still remain. The walls of Cosa inclose a quadrangle about a mile in circuit, forming the level summit of a hill about 600 feet above the sea. At the foot of the hill was a station Subcosa, or Succosa, on the Aurelian way. Port Ercolo, which still retains its ancient name (Portia Ilerculis), was the port of C06114 It is situated opposite Cosa, under the shoulder of Monte Argentaro.
The air of the Maremma is very unwholesome, and the towns situated in it, with the exception of Orbetello, are thinly inhabited, and subject to the malaria fever. The principal branch of industry is the rearing of cattle, which feed in the wide solitary plains, and the cutting of timber in the extensive forests, Corn is sown, but not to a great extent. The wine made in the Mnrcmma is not in much esteem. Great hydraulic works undertaken since the accension of the present Grand Duke, have already produced a considerable improve ment in the atmosphere of a portion of the Maremma. Several of the lagoons have been entirely drained, and become cultivable land ; the rivers have been embanked; a fine road has been opened along the length of the province, parallel to the line of the ancient Via Aurelia ; handsome bridges have been thrown screw the rivers; Artesian wells hare been made to provide the inhabitants of Groeseto and other places with wholesome water: and the conaoqueuce is that the population is Increasing as the malaria decreases, fresh ground is broken up, and cultivation and life spread along the once desolate wastes. The chief products of the province are corn, wine, timber,
silk, potash, and oiL Orcaselo, the head town, built in the middle ages from the ruins of the Etruscan town of which was a few miles distant, lies in the midst of a wide plain between the Ombroue, the lagoon of Castiglione, and the eea-coast, from which it is distant 6 miles, and about 45 miles S. from Siena. It is eurrouuded by walla and bastions, and contains about 2500 inhabitants. It. has a bishops see, and has a clerical seminary, and a civil and criminal tribunal for the province. Nana Maritima, a bishop's see and a town with some fine buildings, Is situated on a hill a few miles from the sea-coast, north-east of Piombino : population, about 3000. At Follonica, on the sea-coast, 10 miles S. from Massa, are extensive furnaces and iron-works, in which the iron from the mines of Elba is smelted. Piombino is a email fortified seaport-town, facing the island of Elba, from which it is divided by a channel about five miles wide. The principality of Piom bino, which formerly included the isle of Elba, belonged to Prince Bacciocchi, brother-iu-law of Napoleon I., from 1805 till 1815. Piombino is about 40 miles S. from Leghorn, and has about 1500 inhabitants. Near it are some traces of the ancient Populonia. The neighbouring lagoon is in progress of being drained. Campiglia, a thriving town in the valley of the Condit, 10 miles N. from Piombino, stands on a bill, and has a handsome church built in the 12th century, an hospital, and a population of 2200. Orbetello is a considerable town, built on a promontory which projects into the salt lake of Orbetello. The walls of Orbetello are formed of large stones without cement, and the town is strongly fortified on the side of the isthmus which unites it with the mainland. The territory, which extended from the village of Talamoue to the States of the Church and included also a portion of the island of Elba, belonged for centuries to Spain, and was ceded in the last century to the king of the Two Sicilies; but by the treaty of Vienna it was annexed to Tuscany, of which it naturally forms a part. The town of Orbetello has about 3000 inhabitants, and enjoys a healthy climate, though the surrounding country is affected by malaria. The lake abounds with fish. Pitigliano, an inland town in a fine situation in the valley of the Fiora at the foot of the lofty grout, of Montamiata, has about 2000 inhabitants. The Fiera, which has its source in the mountain of the same name, runs southward, and after a course of about 30 miles in the Tuscan territory enters the States of the Church, and passes near Montalto, after which it enters the sea.
The island of Giglio, the ancient Igilium, which belongs to the pro vince of Grosseto, is 11 miles W. by S. from Monte Argentaro : it has a harbour on its eastern coast, and a castle with a village on the hill above it. The surface is 6 miles long by 3 miles broad, and hilly ; the rocks are of granitic formation, except in the western part, where they are calcareous. The inhabitants are very industrious, and culti vate corn and the vine. They export annually 12,000 barrels of wine to the continent. A number of them are fishermen and sailors. Almost all the families are possessed of some landed property. A considerable part of the island is covered with timber trees. When Rome was taken by Alaric a number of the citizens took refuge in this island.
The neighbouring island of Mammal is about 5 miles in circuit : it is destitute of springs, and uninhabited. Some Roman remains have been found upon it, which show that the island was once inhabited. It is the ancient Dianium, which Pliny says the Greeks called Artemisia.