where the grass is very long. The head and tail resemble those of a bull; the rest of the body is like that of a horse, or an ass. Their strength is inconceivable: they are less in size than mules; eat but little, and travel with uncommon speed. I myself took a journey of eighteen leagues over the mountains, on the 13th of September, on one of these jumarres, and with much more ease than if I had been on horseback 1."

Before we left the scenery of Angrogna, and took a last view of its matchless beauties, we looked down upon a vale, the sweetest I ever saw, and which to this moment, after having seen the most lovely spots in Switzerland and Italy, I remember rather as a delightful vision, than a real prospect. It lay in the midst of a circular chain of mountains, so sheltered and protected, that it looked as if no rough winds could ever visit it. The declivities which sloped down to it were clothed with trees of every description, among which were abundance of walnuts, mulberries, chesnuts, cherry and other fruit trees. Its surface was as smooth and level as a village green in England, and retained much of its verdure, even at this season of the year. A clear stream ran gurgling through it, and one small cottage stood upon its margin. If ever there was a place calculated to realize the dreams of happiness in solitude, it is this, where nature appears under the most favourable circumstances. Peace seems amidst these rocks, and health in the air; the ills of society are excluded; but then the barrier which shuts out those evils, is equally effective in shutting out its benefits. The man who has been used to cities is seldom qualified for the happiness of retirement; as long as his imagination is excited by the new aspect of nature, it is well; but that which we see every day we soon cease to admire, and habit dulls enthusiasm, without reconciling us to the solitude which has produced it. The in

1 Leger, p. 7.

THE FORTRESS OF LA TORRE.

139

habitants of remote valleys are not much alive to the attractions of local beauty; they do not borrow their notions of happiness from romance and sentiment; and those who do, and who fancy they could leave the bustle of life to dwell amidst rocks and valleys, will soon sigh to return to the world, and talk about the charms of seclusion. We may sometimes amuse ourselves with the idea, that the serenity which cannot be found in cities, may be discovered in solitudes. But to those who have once lived in society, it is change of scene which contributes to enjoyment.

Upon recrossing the torrent, or Fiume d'Angrogna, we passed very near the dismantled and ruined fortress of La Torre, il forte de la Torre. The remains of the old tower, and its dilapidated walls, standing upon a bushy knoll, and shaded by a few venerable trees, is now regarded only as a picturesque object, where it was formerly the terror of the neighbourhood. The government always contrived to have it garrisoned by choice troops, and many a bloody fight, for its capture or recovery, has dyed the waters of the stream beneath it, which is now so limpid and transparent. The tower itself, and the ground upon which it stands, are the property of M. Vertu, who will most probably sacrifice the picturesque to the politic, and take care that not one stone shall remain above another, to be put into a state of repair, lest a new fortress should rise up at some future time, and once more become the terror of the people.

Upon our return to La Torre we took up our quarters at our comfortable inn, and fared and reposed as well as we could have done in one of the best hotels at Turin.

CHAPTER VII.

-In

Fall of snow-Valley of San Martino-M. Bert-Vaudois soldier -The Pelice Torrent-Game on the mountains-Anecdote— Traditionary tales-Le Bric Casteluzzo—Immense cavern—. dustry of the Vaudois-The witness of the wilderness—Shrines -Le Pilori Taviere-Villaro-Inquisitors-Church of Villaro -Pastors of the Vaudois-Their ministerial labours—Attempts to seduce the Vaudois from their faith-Unsuccessful-The confessional-Popish rituals-The young penitent-Pope Braschi, Pius VI.-Anecdotes-Dominican monk-Testimonies in favour of the Vaudois-M. Gay, pastor of Villaro.

On the morning when we meant to extend our excursions to some of the more distant villages of the Vaudois, we found, to our great disappointment, that a heavy fall of snow had rendered a visit to the valley of San Martino quite impracticable. Until we arrived at the country itself, we were not aware of its very formidable aspect, but we now learnt that the valley of San Martino can only be entered by the passes over the lofty mountains which encircle it, or by Le Pont de la Tour. For eight or nine months in the year the snow blocks up the mountain passes, and Le Pont de la Tour is a defile between two natural walls of rock, barely wide enough to admit the waters of the Germanasca torrent. High above the bed of the river, one of those frightful Alpine bridges is flung across the chasm, consisting of the trunks of pine trees, supported at each end by the projecting crags of rock, which is merely intended to answer temporary purposes, and may be cut away, or tumbled into the abyss below at the shortest notice. In times of danger the bridge used to be destroyed, and then every access to the valley in this quarter

was rendered impassable. These accounts of the valley of San Martino, and its impenetrable bulwarks, excited our curiosity, at the same time that they removed every hope of visiting them at this unseasonable period.

own.

We were even informed that a walk to Villaro and Bobbio would be attended with some difficulty, if the snow continued. It fell in great flakes till past nine o'clock, but our anxiety to proceed induced M. Vertu the elder to offer to accompany us, and with his usual disinterested kindness, he gave up another day to our service. It snowed fast when we set out, and as M. Bert's house lay on our way, we were glad to take shelter for a few minutes under his roof. He has a small property, independent of his income as a pastor of the Vaudois church, and does not reside in the presbytery of La Torre, but in a good substantial dwelling of his The rooms are of an ample size, and are well fortified against the admission of cold, but the furniture and decorations, if indeed any thing there could admit of the latter designation, were of that humble kind, which corresponded with the general simplicity of the Vaudois. I do not recollect observing a single article but what was indispensable; neither elegance nor luxury was studied in any one respect; whitewashed walls, plain unpainted wainscot, uncarpeted floors, and uncurtained windows, must appear sadly comfortless to the strangers, who visit this learned and respectable clergyman, who, if I am rightly informed, will succeed M. Peyrani, as the primate or moderator of the Waldenses m.

To our surprize two English faces presented themselves at M. Bert's, and we most cordially shook by the hand two very fine boys, the one twelve years of age, and the other nine, the sons of Captain Humphreys, of Stockport, who are receiving their education under the paternal care of the pastor of La Torre. The joy of these lads, at being accosted

m I have lately been favoured with a letter from M. Bert, in which he informs me, that the synod has elected him to fill the chair of the lamented Peyrani.

by their contrymen, exceeded all description: because we came from England they took it for granted that we must come also from their native county, and be acquainted with their families. We answered their questions as satisfactorily as we could, and lamented that we could not give a better account of Stockport, and the dear objects of their inquiry. The younger of the two had almost forgotten his own language, but the elder, a very intelligent lad, although he spoke it with a foreign accent, was not at any loss for expressions, but addressed us as fluently as if he had but lately left home. They had been three or four years at La Torre. We pursued our walk from La Torre, and after a while the day cleared up, and the sun shone so brightly that we were glad to leave our great coats at a cottage by the way. It was situated about a hundred and fifty yards up the slope of the mountain, in the midst of a groupe of ancient chesnut trees, some of which might vie with those on Mount Etna in size and height. The brother of the peasant, who occupied the cabin, served in the French army during the Russian campaign, and rose to the command of a company. He was pointed out to us at La Torre, as having received eleven wounds from the Cossacks, before Leipsic, and is now in the enjoyment of a pension of seven hundred and fifty francs a-year. With this pittance, small as it is, he calls himself happy, associates with the humblest of his former companions, and considers himself as loyal a subject of the king of Sardinia, as if he had never fought under the banners of the conqueror, who obliged his sovereign to take refuge amidst the rocks of Cagliari.

Our road lay due west from La Torre, upon the northern bank of the Pelice. The mountains sloped or broke down to it, and the river was rushing violently along a rocky channel, which encroaches so much upon the valley, as frequently to rob the cultivator of half his labours. The torrents sometimes swell this stream to such a height that the whole of the lower grounds are flooded; and, in that