mer, maintain themfelves in the caverns o f the higheft part o f
the mountain, induced me to attempt the afcent. My agreeable
friend, Signor Guilio Bajamonti, confented to bear me company.
We left Macarfka at day break, with two Primorians for guides,
without whom, my prudent friend did not chufe to go, not
thinking it advifeable to expofe himfelf to the chance o f meeting
Haideus, many of whom, fecure by the ruggednefs of the fitu-
ation, inhabit like wolves, the caves o f Biocova. I, lefs confi-
derate, and more dlfpofed to depend on the probity of thefe
banditti, who indeed too often become io through the avarice
o f a rapacious minifter, and not for their own crimes, would
without much hefitation have gone alone. The'back o f the
mountain is altogether ruinous, and the lead: impracticable paths
that we could -find, .were thofe by which the rain water runs
down. Thejgravel and -broken ftones ■ gave way under our feet,
and put me in mind of thè fatigueing afcent o f Vefuvius, in
which 1 had the honour to accompany your Lordihip, and where
our fteps forward, ferv.ed fometimes to make us Hide farther
back.
The .fine view of the fea, promontories, and iilands, which
we enjoyed from that height, was almo.il: the only compenfatlon
for our labour. It was the beginning o f Odober, and there was
no ice in the refervcdrs which we went to fee through fuch difaf-
trous paths— leaping from rock to rock. We went down into
a very deep gulph or cavern, that receives light from above, and
on one fide pierces far into the bowels o f the mountain ; we found
a very iharp cold air in it. Without, we faw wooden troughs,
where the ihepherds ufe to melt ice and fnow for their flocks to
ft rink. The mountain is almoil quite bare o f trees, even in
the deepeft and moil inacceflible hollows ; and very rarely, in
proportion
t M i i
proportion to its extent, the traces o f ancient woods are feen ;*
though no doubt, they have once exifted in the impradtieable parts
o f the mountain, and far from habitations, from whence it was
phyfically impoflible to tranfport .large pieces o f timber. But the
fires kindled by the ihepherds to warm themfelves, and fometimes,
perhaps, to enjoy a favage fpedacle, have deifroyed even
the traces o f large trees. They fay, that in former times, the
flames proceeding from thefe flender beginnings, continued fometimes
for whole months.
The upper part o f the Biocova, is compofed o f breccia and
common whitiili marble.' In the malfes o f the firft, as well as
o f the fecond kind, are found adventitious pieces o f angulated
flints, cracked without, and full o f fmall marine bodies; but
■within, it is hard, clofe, almoft tranfparent, and capable o f a
very bright and equal poliih. The roots o f this mountain extend
along the fea fide, from one end to the other o f the territory
o f Macarfka; and hence all the foffils, properly belonging to it,
■which I ihall have occafion to fpeak o f in this long letter, as I-
proceed in the courfe e f my journey, tothe different places where
I ohferved and collected them.
’But before I end this account of my jaunt to the Biocovo, permit
me to add, as a fpecimen of the character o f the Primorian
peafants, a little adventure that we met with in coming down
from the mountain. The two men who went before us armed,
according to the cuftom (if the nation, happened to fee a viper
that was moving peaceably on near the path. They both ran
furioufly to kill it with ftones-; our interceffion to let it alone
had no eftedt; they faid that it was a malefick, demon difguifed;
in that form, and even turned with horrour.from the way which
N n -they