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or magistrate elected by themselves hears the complaint, and effects an amicable settlement.

They possess many of those comforts which an Englishman appreciates, and which are unknown to the lower inhabitants of the valleys. Their education and attainments are of a higher order than is usually found in such a class, especially in such a place.

Many of their young men have distinguished themselves by the abilities which they have displayed when they have gone abroad in the world. They have become merchants and bankers, and many from among them have become eminent for learning and science, and reflected honour on the little community located in this Alpine solitude. Among these is Herr Zumstein, better known in the Val Sesia as M. De la Pierre, who has made several ascents of the Monte Rosa, and gave great assistance to Colonel Von Welden in his topography of Monte Rosa. Zumstein holds the appointment of inspector of the forests of the Val Sesia.

From Gressoney St. Jean, the descent to St. Martin, in the Val d'Aosta, by the valley of the Lys, is a journey of about 18 miles (5 hours' walk), passing through many villages and hamlets, of which the principal are Gaby, Issime, Fontainemore, and Lillianes, and through some scenes of wildness and beauty, which, however, become common to the traveller in the Val d'Aosta and its lateral valleys. Above Gressoney St. Jean are the hamlets of Gressoney la Trinité, San Giacomo, and St. Pietro.

The excellent accommodations afforded at Gressoney St. Jean render it desirable head-quarters to those who would visit the magnificent glaciers at the head of the Val de Lys, or make excursions around Monte Rosa by the Col d'Ollen, which connects the heads of the valleys of the Sesia and

tween the Val de Lys and the Val Challant. Excellent guides may be found at Gressoney, and there are few valleys in proximity with the glaciers which offer so many Alpine wonders to the examination of the traveller.

In continuing the route direct to Châtillon, in the Val d'Aosta, it is necessary to ascend the steep forestpaths and 'slopes of the mountain on the side of the valley opposite to the Col de Val Dobbia: it is an extremely difficult and fatiguing path the whole way up to the Col de Ranzola, the summit of the ridge which divides the valleys of the Lys and Challant.

On emerging in the ascent from the pine forest, the finest perhaps of the views of Monte Rosa is presented, especially when taken in connection with the beautiful Val de Lys, which lies far below the traveller, with its quiet villages and fertile pasturages. The Lys, like a silver thread, may be traced up to its glaciers. On either side of the valley the vast mountains, belted with forests, offer, at the depression of their ridges, the paths by which the most frequent intercourse takes place with the neighbouring valleys. The scene is imperishable from the memory whilst any recollections of the Alps remain to the traveller.

After passing the Col de Ranzola the descent is gradual to the little hamlet of St. Grat. Nor is it either steep or difficult to Brussone, in the Val Challant. The distance from Gressoney to Brussone is 5 hours. In the descent, the Val Challant may be traced in its course far down towards Verrex, where it joins the Val d'Aosta; except at the lowest part of the valley it fails in striking objects of interest, but near its termination there are some fine scenes. Above Brussone the valley ascends through several hamlets to St. Giacomo d'Ayas, whence a pass leads to the head of

At Brussone there is one of the most detestable inns in Piedmont. Filth and its accompanying goître disgust in every direction, and the Cheval Blanc, with its dirty hostess, cannot be forgotten. Sleeping here may be avoided, as the journey from Gressoney to Châtillon in the Val d'Aosta may be easily accomplished in a day, and from Gressoney to Varallo may be performed in another, and thus the bad inns at Brussone and at Riva may be avoided.

From Brussone another mountain range must be crossed to reach the Val d'Aosta at Châtillon; or the traveller may descend to Verrex in the Val d'Aosta, which requires 5 hours, passing through Challant and Chal

: On reaching the descent towards the Val d'Aosta, this beautiful valley is seen in all its length, from Châtillon to the Mont Blanc; not traced quite to the base of the latter, for its summit only is seen towering over the lower abutments into the Val d'Aosta, and showing a glorious termination to this vast and beautiful view, which, in the descent, constantly varies. A series of steep tourniquets brings the traveller down to the forests of chestnut and walnut trees, for which the Val d'Aosta is celebrated. These offer to him their shade, and soon the vines and figs add their luxuriant foliage to the cool and refreshing path which leads through the village and baths of St. Vincent (3 or 4 hours from Brassone),

ROUTE 104 a.

PASS OF THE TURLOZ FROM ALAGNA

TO PESTERENA.

The path runs along the right bank of the Sesia for about a mile above

Alagna, but returns to the right bank, a little beyond Rouch, by a wooden bridge. It soon after recrosses the stream for the last time, and where it regains the left bank the ascent commences up a steep slope of débris. Above this, after taking for some time the direction of the valley below, you follow the course of a small stream descending from a wild rocky amphitheatre, at the head of which is the pass. The path lies on the left side of the valley, and is but faintly traced. It is on a gentle ascent until the final mounting of the ridge, which is so sharp that it cannot be passed where lowest, but at a point to the left of this, marked by a wooden cross. The view of Monte Rosa from hence is very fine, but too near to give a general idea of the mountain, The descent begins over a steep slope of snow, after which it becomes very precipitous. The best way of effecting it is to make a circuit above the rocks to the left. After following the course of a narrow valley, the Val Macugnaga is reached, a few miles above Pesterana (p. 259.), where there is a tolerable inn. See also p. 273. for the Pass of the Turloz.

ROUTE 105.

VOGOGNA, IN VAL D'OSSOLA, TO VISP IN THE VALLAIS, BY THE VAL ANZASCA, THE PASS OF THE MONTE MORO, AND THE VALLEY OF SAAS.

Vogogna (Route 59) is situated in the plain of the Val d'Ossola, 2

at

On leaving Vogogna, a road, leading directly to the Val Anzasca, lies across the plain, and passes by the village of Pie di Muliera, at the foot of a steep ascent which leads to another village called Cima di Muliera; these are situated on the left bank of the Anza.

The path rises high on the steep slopes which descend to the bed of the Anza, and the village of Castiglione overhangs the richly-wooded sides of the valley. On the lower slopes of the valley the vine flourishes, and the path for miles, with little interruption, is shadowed by trellices. On looking back, the views of the Val d'Ossola are beautiful, and greatly enriched by the luxuriant vegetation of the foreground. The buildings, especially the churches, are still Italian in character, and sparkle in the landscape; and beyond the plain of the Val d'Ossola the mountains which divide it from the Lago Maggiore bound the view,

The road up the valley is scarcely anywhere level.

The valley is remarkably narrow, and the path, accommodated to the sinuosities of the slopes, is carried steeply up and down, in and out, but offers from this cause an infinite variety of sites,

whence the scenes of the valley are beautifully presented: its steep sides, however, present few spots for cultivation. Forests, fruit-trees, and vines enrich the whole surface, and it is only when the path reaches considerable elevations that little plains and slopes of arable and pasturage, and village spires are seen above the belts of forest on the opposite side, and these again surmounted by the peaks of Monte Rosa at the head of the valley.

The descent to the village of Calasca offers beautiful views, and beyond it the path descends to the banks of the Anza, and for some time borders on the stream. Here the fine cascade of the Val Bianca bursts out, and forms one of the celebrated waterfalls of Piedmont. Soon after the valley opens, a little above the Ponte Grande, where a single arch of large span and sweeping elevation, crosses the Anza: here two roads branch off; that on the right bank of the river leads to Banio, a large village whence paths ascend to cross the mountains into the Val Sesia (Route 104). road to the Monte Rosa ascends by the left bank of the river; in its course it skirts the village of St. Carlo, and the traveller soon after arrives at | Vanzone, the chief place in the Val Anzasca, and halfway in his day's journey from Vogogna to Macugnaga. Here is a very comfortable little inn (Delle Stelle ?)

The

Above Vanzone the same beautiful scenery prevails, and the route passes through many villages,-among them Ceppo Morelli, Campiole, and Morgen-to an abrupt and narrow defile which marks a distinction between the valleys of Anzasca and Pesterana, the latter being the name given to the upper part of the valley through which the Anza flows, from the plain of Macugnaga to the defile.

The beautiful valley of Anzasca has been described by Brockedon in his "Excursions in the Alps," and a

quotation from that work will put the reader, and the traveller in this district, in possession of requisite information upon this interesting valley and its inhabitants :

"After sketching the fine view of Monte Rosa from the door of the auberge, and collecting from mine host some information for my day's journey, and a confirmation of my guide's topography in the names of the places which we had passed, we left the retired little plain of Macugnaga. The valley soon narrowed to a deep glen; the descent was rapid, and in less than an hour brought us to the gold mines of Pesterana. There is an El Dorado sound in this, which excites high expectations; but there is no more appearance of it than in the pavement of St. Paul's Churchyard. The mines are explored to find this 'world's chief mischief,' combined, in very small proportions, with sulphate of iron; a kilogramme of ore yielding, by the process of amalgamation, an average of only six grammes, the richest ore only yielding ten. landlord at Macugnaga had furnished me with the naine of Professor Fantonetti, as the superintendent of the mines, and as the possessor of a collection of specimens of the minerals of the valley.

My

"I called upon this gentleman at Pesterana, and received the most courteous and obliging attentions from him. He sent a servant with me to the mills on the Anza, where the ore is crushed, and to the mines; and directed the miners to give me assistance and information. The first was readily offered; but the last was useless, as I could not understand a syllable of their jargon. I entered the mine about 300 yards, by an adit of slight ascent: here a shaft was sunk about 60 feet, and I saw several miners working on the lower vein of the ore. The quantity raised is not very considerable. Women are chiefly employed in pounding and picking the ore, whence it passes to the mills

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of granite, in which it is ground and prepared for amalgamation: the final process is in the hands of M. Fantonetti alone. On my return to that gentleman's house, he pressed me to take refreshment, and gave me some specimens of the ore of the mines, and two works which he had written, -one of them, on the mines of those valleys, in answer to a work of Rossini's, at Turin.

"I soon after crossed the Anza, over an Alpine bridge, and continued to ascend above the right bank of the river. Numerous adits of mines, indicated by the earth and stones thrown from them, marked the pursuits of the inhabitants of this valley, who are nearly all miners. The mineral riches of these mountains-iron, lead, copper, silver, and gold-are worked at short distances from each other; and many of the mines of the inferior metals are very productive. The distinction between the continuous valleys of Pesterana and Anzasca, is strongly marked by a vast mass of the mountain, which, nearly closing the bottom of the former valley, leaves only a deep and savage gorge, through which the Anza escapes on the left side into the Val Anzasca. The path over this mass leads through what scarcely deserves the name of a vil lage, Morgen, but which lies in a spot richly wooded by magnificent chestnut-trees. The descent into the Val Anzasca is very beautiful: the river is again crossed over a fearful bridge, immediately below the defile of Pesterana; and the road continues on the left bank of the river, entirely through the valley. The first village in the Val Anzasca is Campiole, near Ceppo Morelli; it is the place which travellers who would avoid the valley of Macugnaga, or Pesterana, would arrive at by the path over the Mont Moro. The descent, my guide informed me, is longer than from the Macugnaga pass; but much distance is gained by travellers who would go from the valley of Saas direct to the

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dialect began to prevail; though the German patois of my guide was understood even below Vanzone.

"The immediate scenery of the upper part of this beautiful valley, where from its depth the lofty mountains were hid from my view reminded me of some of the sweetest scenes of Devonshire. But the path soon rose above the left bank of the river, and attained a considerable elevation; and I perceived that, except in a few limited spots at the upper end of the valley, and here and there on the steep sides of the mountains, there was no land to cultivate. Extensive

forests of chestnut and walnut-trees, fine in form and rich in colour, clothed the hills as far up as the eye could perceive them (except where lofty and distant mountains peered above), and descended far beneath the traveller's path, to where it met the opposite slope, scarcely appearing to leave room enough for the river to struggle through, and of which glimpses were rarely caught. This was the general character of the valley. From a chapel at Cimamorga, in the road near Ceppo Morelli, there is a very striking view in it all the beautiful characteristics of the scenery seemed to be assembled-the river far beneath struggling through its narrow bed; the majestic forests, which clothed the mountain sides, among which was sometimes seen a village church or group of cottages; and the vista towards the Alps terminated by the vast and beautiful peaks of Monte Rosa.

"I was much struck by the appearance of the inhabitants of this valley. I rarely saw a plain woman: their beautiful faces and fine forms, their look of cheerfulness and independence, and what in Piedmont was more remarkable, their extreme cleanliness, continually arrested attention. Their costume was peculiar, but pleasing the hair braided; a vest fitted to the form, and buttoned high, over which was another, usually embroi

other cincture round the waist, and a petticoat reaching half-way down the legs the feet generally bare; the sleeves of the chemise loose, full, and white as the snow of their mountains; with faces, hands, and feet, cleaner than those of any other peasantry that I ever saw. Sometimes I observed a loose coat, like that of the modern Greek, worn over their usual dress, as if going on a distant visit. Naked feet are rarely seen without the concomitants of filth and beggary, and among such persons a large proportion of the gummy; but here the feet, ankles, and legs, were models for the artist; and my admiration as a painter was demanded, in observing the elegant form and graceful appearance of one particularly beautiful young girl, near St. Carlo, who was bearing a vessel of oil on her head to the mines. All this I suppose will appear rodomontade to those who are only acquainted with the ugliness, filth, and wretchedness of the general inhabitants of the valleys of Piedmont; but another fact will support the claims of the Anzascans to distinguished superiority. I did not see nor hear of a goître or crétin in my day's journey of twenty-five miles through the valley-a strong confirmation of the opinions always given to my inquiries by mountaineers themselves, that the filthy habits of a people are the primary causes of goîtres and crétinism; it is thus induced in the community of those afflicted by the dreadful scourge, becomes hereditary, and can only be removed by a change of habits in two or three generations. This valley differs not in the local causes, often cited as productive of crétinism, from other valleys which are marked by this scourge. The waters of the Anza flow from the glaciers of Monte Rosa as those of the Doire descend from Mont Blanc, and both are drank by the inhabitants. The proportions of labour, and the burdens borne, are at least equal in