38 TR A V E L S THROUGH
TaoSB machmes arc thm conftnifted—A wheel, nearly twenty feet m diameter, is
provided with wooden br.ekeK. Thefc, filling as the wheel tnrns round, empty themfelics
into a conduit, which conveys the water over the land by furrows ent in the
gronnd. The wheel is fnpported by a treffel, which rifes or falls according to the depth
of the river. The invention is fo perfeflly fimple, and at the fame time of fuch great
utility, that it is to be lamented it Ihonld not be known in thofe countries where want
of water occaftons a total lofs of their crops of hay, &c.
St. MicniEL, which is a poft-town, may be looked npon as a key to the valley, or
plain, we have been defcribing, diftant from Trent near eight Italian miles. It has
nothing to recommend it except its fituation, which is delightful, being feated at the
confluence of two capital rivers, viz. the Adige and the Nos: this laft waters the
extenfrve vallies of Non and Sole.
TBi! valley of Non, or Anania, is fertile, and well inhabited; but by no means
extenfive: yet it contains a number ofcaftles, villages, and hamlets, and is referred to in
the fummer by moft of tlie principal families of Trent and its environs. Its direftion is from
fouth-weft to north-weft. That of Sole is much larger, and extends from eaft to weft^.
The air is alfo more keen than that of Non, owing to its being more elevated, and
furroundcd by Glaciers, which are in a north-weft direflion. The moft conf.derable are
tliofe of Kluften Farner and Zufall Farner (for, in the Tyrol, all Glacier, are known
by the name of Farner). Having converfed with feveral of the peafant. who were
Imntfmcn, they afthted me that they were more than twenty miles in length.
Oppos.ti to St. Michael is mount Como, which is remarkably fteep, and a continuation
of a range of mountains that defcend from the high Alps, called Mendola, extending
from north to fouth. At the foot of mount Corno is a rugged hill, compofed of a kind
of compound ftonc, which Walletius terms Cis fartkulh Mimm! Glamfu, MtlUs,
Ctedua, Efp. 76.
Ik the front of the hill is an extenfive cavity, in which is conftruded a fmall hermitage,
called St. Gotha. Although the road is difficult of accefs, yet it merits the attention of
travellers, from its fingulatity, and elevated fituation, which commands thofe vallies.
Above the hermitage is the village of Mezzo Tedefco, or Half German; and on the
oppofite fide of the river Nos is that of Mezzo Lombardo, or Half Lombard. Thefe
villages boaft of their antiquity, and trace their origin from the time of the wars between
the Lombards and Bavarians.
Soon after paffing the eaftle of Koniglberg one enters the valley of Salurnc, which
is fertile, and well cultivated. The village is fituatetl at its extremity. The next pofttown
is Neumarkt, diftant eight miles from St. Michael. It is the common opinion that
it was formerly known by the name of Midejum, a city belonging to the Rhaiti. From
thence
T H E RH.ffiTIAN ALPS, 39
thence one proceeds to Branzoll, which is the next poft, a fmall village, nearly furrounded
by heaths and marlhcs.
Opposite is the fmall lake of Calterei, which takes its name from the village Caltern,
fituated below the lake, famous for its hot alum baths of Muchlburg, at the foot of
mount Mendola.
T h . road from Branzoll to Botzen, or Bolfano, is nearly the fame as that from Neumarkt
to Branzoll, the adjacent country being well cultivated and covered with vines.
0» this fide Botzen is the caffle of Haftbnrg, which is on an eminence, and commands
the vallies of Botzen and Venofta. One quits the courfe of the Adige, near the caftle,
to follow that of the river Eifach, the road continuing on its banks till one gets beyond
the Brenner mountain, where it takes its fource.
The valley of Venofta, which is left on the right, is more than fifteen miles in
length, and is watered by the Adige, which defcends from the extenfive Glaciers of
Langtauft-er, and Gebatfch, f,mated to tlre north of the finall village of Clurns, and the
town of Schlanders.
BpsroES thofe two places, which are conflderable, is the ancient city of Meran, feated
on the river Paflbr, and near the Adige, it was formerly the capital of the county of
Tyrol, and is even at prefent acknowleged as fuch m their public records.
A t no great diftance from Meran is the fpot where ftood the original city of that
name, or Urbs Majienfis, which was entirely deftroyed in the fourteenth century, and
buried in the ruins of a mountain that fuddenly gave way.
NEia that city is the borough and caftle of Tyrol, the refidence of the ancient counts
of that province, and from whence they take their title.
The inhabitant, of its valley are very induftrious, and confequently diffufe over the
coiantry an appearance of comfort and cafe. They have feveral manufaSorie,; but therr
carpet, and lace, axe particularly adnured. The river Eifach feparate. the caftle of
Hafelberg from Botzen, which are a mile drftant from each other. Its fituat.on „
pleafant and pidurefque, being in the center of four valUes, and at the meeting of two
capital rivers, viz. the Talfer and the Eifach. The firft takes it, fource at the foot
of mount Schnceberg. and the other above the great Bremrer. The honfes are umform,
and well built; the ftreet, are tolerably wide; and tire air mtld and temperate, although
in the vicinity of the Alps.
T „ „ city formerly made part of the biftropric of Trent; but fince the year ,295 .t
has belonged to the houfe of Auftria. Its commerce is confidcrable, being, as rt were,
a place of reunion to the Germans and Italians, who meet there, to fell or barter the
produdions of thdr country, and the fruit, of their induftry. They have four cap.tal
annual fair., although not fo confiderable as formerly, for the manufaaorie. of filk
which
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