T R A V E L S THROUGH
having reftrved the territorial fiiperiority over the Counts of Caftiebark, who at ptcfciil
pollcri them as a fcodal tenure from the emperor; that fmall province may be laid to
belong to the county of Tyrol.
T..OS« Vicatiati include four large boroughs, viii. Ala, Mori, Avio, and Brentonico;
but before I quit the Veroncfc, I mull not omit fpeaking of mount Baldo, which is
famous for its fimples, and the tempeftuous lake of Garda, or Lacus Benacus, whofe
waves Virgil juftly compares to thofe of the fea. Its direction is neatly from north to
f o u t h ; offering moft enchanting and piaurefii«e views, preferable, if poffible, to thofe
of the lake of Geneva: but, to do them jufticc, and to dcfcribe them with the elegance
and advantage they deferve, one ought not only to poffefs the tnlcn... but the pens of
the philofophic naturalifts of Geneva.*
Tnr. banks of the lake are irregular, and its Ihores much indented, whiel. greatly
adds to the romantic view, for the waters are frequently feen forming a variety of creeks
and liays, in the midft, as it were, of extenfive and well-cultivated meadows, whofe fides
are embelliflied with various forts of trees; further up the lake the fcene (hifts, and
t h e land is feen extending itfelf in the water, which, at a dillance, has the appearance of
fo many enchanted peitinfuks, or iflands of different forms and dimenfions. Its length
is thirty-five Italian miles, and its widt h fifteen. A number of fmall commercial cities,
boroughs, and villages are fituated oit its banks. The inhabitants, who are aflive and
induftrious, enjoy all that cafe, comfort, and cleanhnefs (fo fcldom feen in the plains of
Italy), which muft be entirely attributed to their trade and habits of induftry. There are
alfo a variety of manufaflorres.
TilE principal cities which border the lake, arc, Torgole (belonging to the bifliopric of
T r e n t ) , Maffena, Tori, and Garda (from which the lake takes its name). It is fuppofcd
that Adelaide, wife to the Emperor Lothairc the Second, king of Italy, and
daughter to Rodolphus, king of Burgundy, was, in 9+9, confined in that city by the
cruel Berenger the Second, ufurper of the crown of Italy.
T h i s unfortunate princefs, finding means to elude the vigilance of her keepers, effeiled
her efeape in the dead of n ight ; but, having millaken her way, (he fell into a large piece
of water, where Ihe remained four and twenty hours (for fear of being difcovered)
nearly exhaufted by hunger and cold; (he, at laft, alone and unalfifted, extricated herfelf,
and took refuge in the fortrefs of Canoze, whence flic folicited the affiftancc of the
Emperor Otho the Firft, who, having avenged her wrongs, and delivered her from her
perfeeutor, married her in 951, and took her to Pavia, where her virtues and accompliihmcnts
not only gaiitcd the affcflion of her hulband, but the admiration of every one.
• h ii ofy to conjcihite ihal I mcjn Mcr.s. Bonnel aod Saufurc.
T H E RH^TIAN ALPS. =9
T o the poor and the opprelTed Ihe was a kind and benevolent benefaflrefs; but a fworn
enemy to hypoerify and deceit.
T h e other cities in the vicinity of the lake, ate, Laeife, Defenxano, and Pefchiera
which is fituated at the fouthern extremity of it and on the river Mineio, whofe waters
iffue from the lake, in the fame manner as thofe of the Rhone at Geneva iffue f rom lake
Lcman.
T h e peninfula of Sermione, which is illuftrious for having given birth to the poet
Catullus, deferves the obfervations of the Naturalift. as there are feveral fulphureous
mineral fprings contiguous to the lake. The cities of Alo, Gargnano, and Pfarol, are
famous for their manufaflories of cloth, wool, and Huff.
• I s,<A.L wave the defeription of a variety of iron found.ries, where feveral articles are
fabricated for exportat ion; as. alfo, a number of mills and preffmg-houfes, made ufe of
for extrafting the oil of olives, 8cc.
T h e lake Garda is well provided wi t h filh, a.nd, by thofe means," aff-ords a maintenance
to the poorer mhabitants, who get their living by filhmg.
T h , hills, which nearly furrounj this, vaft exp^ f e of water, are merely fm.H roots of
thofe hi.h and tremendous mountains which ferve as its eafteru, Wf tern, and northern
boundaries; but they are bleffed wi t h fuch an union of different and various produdtons
as belong to few other regions; for thofe, towards the fouth, are covered with orange,
lemon, and olive-trees, mtermixed with all kinds of delicious fruit trees, and ornamented
wi t h the leafy branches of the vine. The myrtle, which is as common as at N.ce,
is planted by the inhabitants to divide their territorial pofi-effrons. The northern h, 11.
are emiehed with trees of a d.iTerent fpeeies. though not lefs ufeful, vix. the beech,
t h e alh, green oak, and common oak, which are moft of drem excellent tituber for bu.ld
ing of t i p s , there are alfo firs and larch-trees, of a confiderable height and bulk, wh.ch
adom the moll elevated fummits near the lake.
T „ . highell chain of mountains towards the call confills of the mounts A bare.
Ganrbon, Poffete. and Nago. which is 11.11 a eontinuatton of Mount Baldo. or Alp. d.
Monte Baldo. There are feveral large banks of marble found in them, but the red ,s predominant.
Thofe mountains are compofed of calcareous ftone, containing a quat.t.ty of
imprcffrons of marine produdlions; I lhall not however attempt a defeript.on of them,
not having had fufiicient time to make any obfervations worth notice.
T o w „ „ s the weft are the mounts Lignano, Pinedo, Puria, Dar.o, and the elevated
Peak of Mount Gretagna, which is nearly oppofite to that of Nargo; the two laft are
fituated in the bifliopric of Trent.
I „CEiVEn fuch pleafing accounts of mount Albare, and of the charming and extenfive
views which arc thence eonrpic.ous, the eye being able not only to difcern the Adriatic fea
H