DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57734#0054
account the natural bight and the banks of rock jutting
out of the water, a little harbor was made. This was
protected against the breakers by means of a mole
and capable of accommodating small vessels and fishing-
boats. One can still see traces of Roman walls and,
even without a “molo”, the “Piccola marina” serves
as a haven of refuge for steamboats and sailing vessels
— which one daren otventure to anchor on the northern
coast when the billows, lashed into fury by the Tra-
montana (North wind), beat high against the walls of
rock and against the insignificant harbor-breakwater.
As we have already done on the northern side,
let us land at the little southern harbor, in order to
look about us and to subject the wild.valley rising
before us to closer inspection: As we already know,
the larger, western half of the island is connected
with the smaller, eastern part by a narrow saddle, or
ridge, having an altitude of about 140 metres above
the sea-level and leading northwards to the fruitful
area sloping downwards to the sea, upon which the
ancient City of Capreae stood. Towards the south,
too, joining onto this narrow ridge, is another inclined
plane (ending in the sea) which also lies between
steep walls of rock and leads to the little port, the
“Piccola marina”. One can hardly imagine a greater
contrast than that existing between these two sloping
valleys. While the northern one is broad, gently
sloping and rich in vegetation, the eastern one is steep,
narrow and unfruitful, a desert of boulders, with which
patches of genista (broom) alone consort. The steep
walls on each side thereof, namely the high rocks of
Monte Solaro towards the west and the cleft, craggy
cliffs of Monte Castiglione in the east, already in pre-
historic times gave its form to this valley and filled
up its slopes with the falling boulders, and, so late as
in the time of the Romans — and even still later —
especially from the Castiglione side, whole walls of
rock and gigantic blocks became detached and, falling
45
out of the water, a little harbor was made. This was
protected against the breakers by means of a mole
and capable of accommodating small vessels and fishing-
boats. One can still see traces of Roman walls and,
even without a “molo”, the “Piccola marina” serves
as a haven of refuge for steamboats and sailing vessels
— which one daren otventure to anchor on the northern
coast when the billows, lashed into fury by the Tra-
montana (North wind), beat high against the walls of
rock and against the insignificant harbor-breakwater.
As we have already done on the northern side,
let us land at the little southern harbor, in order to
look about us and to subject the wild.valley rising
before us to closer inspection: As we already know,
the larger, western half of the island is connected
with the smaller, eastern part by a narrow saddle, or
ridge, having an altitude of about 140 metres above
the sea-level and leading northwards to the fruitful
area sloping downwards to the sea, upon which the
ancient City of Capreae stood. Towards the south,
too, joining onto this narrow ridge, is another inclined
plane (ending in the sea) which also lies between
steep walls of rock and leads to the little port, the
“Piccola marina”. One can hardly imagine a greater
contrast than that existing between these two sloping
valleys. While the northern one is broad, gently
sloping and rich in vegetation, the eastern one is steep,
narrow and unfruitful, a desert of boulders, with which
patches of genista (broom) alone consort. The steep
walls on each side thereof, namely the high rocks of
Monte Solaro towards the west and the cleft, craggy
cliffs of Monte Castiglione in the east, already in pre-
historic times gave its form to this valley and filled
up its slopes with the falling boulders, and, so late as
in the time of the Romans — and even still later —
especially from the Castiglione side, whole walls of
rock and gigantic blocks became detached and, falling
45