70 PEASANTRY.
material injury. It was nearly midnight
when I crossed the lake and arrived at
Chateau Duing, after a delightful but somewhat
fatiguing excursion. Travellers who
may be disposed to explore the valley of
Thones, should go from Annecy on horseback
or on foot; and by sleeping at Thones,
they might visit the mountain-lakes and
the upper part of the valley, which I am
persuaded would well reward their labour.
Though the peasants in this part of
Savoy are generally poor, yet the land
being much divided, most of them possess
a little portion of ground, sufficient to supply
their families with potatoes, which is
their principal food. This gives them a
feeling of equality and independence among
themselves, and they are very courteous to
strangers. Unlike the inhabitants of Chamouny,
who have been spoilt by the influx
of visitors, and who are continually following
you wherever you go, and begging
under the specious pretence of offering
fruits, flowers, or milk, the peasantry here
greet you civilly as you pass, but rarely
obtrude themselves further on your notice,
though they are very ready to answer any
enquiries you may wish to make.
PEASANTRY. 71
The numerous little flocks, consisting of
a few sheep and goats, and one or two
cows, returning home in the evening, winding
down among the rocks, form the most
picturesque pastoral groups imaginable.
The women or girls who conduct them are
always busily employed, either knitting,
platting straw, or spinning wool or flax
with the distaff.
The distaff, the first of all spinning machines,
was used, in its present form, in
the remotest antiquity, and has been the
only instrument employed in many countries
for some thousand years ; even a few
years since it was used in the counties of
Norfolk and Suffolk, by the country people,
for spinning worsted for the manufacturers
of Norwich. Its execution is susceptible
of greater perfection than might
have been expected from the extreme
simplicity of the operation ; and it has this
advantage, that it may be used by the spinster
in the fields. From the distaff to the
cotton-mili of Arkwright, the progress of
mechanical improvement appears almost
immeasurable ; but the distance between
these two extremes is less than might be
imagined on the first view. From the
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