. II
I
T R A V E L S THROUGH
S E C T I O N VI .
DESCRIPTION OF THE ENVIII
AND PFLERSCHER —
ELEVATIOK -
IE CITY OF STEEZING, AND OF THE VALLIES LUDNAUN
^ TO THE GREAT GLACIER OF STUBEN ITS
! LEVEL OF THE SEA — PAS SAGE ACROSS
Î BRENNER — H E I G H T OF THAT MOUNTAINARRIVAL
AT STEINACH.
I T being near ten w!ien we arrived at Sterzing, I had only time to fettle my journal,
arrange the obfcrvations I had made fince I left Bötzen, and fix my plan for the next
day. I had gained tlie moft pleafing intelligence of the enviions of that city, from a
friend whoni I had met at Verona, and who particularly mentioned the vaîlies of
Ridnaun and Pflerfcher as deferving notice, becaufe they contained feveral different mines,
and a great number of curious Alpine plants. He alfo informed me, that their direäion
was nearly from eaft to wefl, and that they were terminated by the great Glaciers of
Hocher, Stuben, and Grindl Famer, &c. Being fo far inftru<Sed, my firft care was to
find a perfon well acquainted wich the country, who could give me further information,
and affift me in procuring a guide to conduä me to the neareft Glacier. I therefore
addreffcd myfelf to the inn-keeper, who fpoke both French and Italian, requefting him
to get a perfon to attend me the next morning, on my intended excurfion ; upon which
h e introduced me to a neighbour, who, with all the appearance of a plain honeft mountaineer,
was well informed. He told me that he was a miner, and that he had not only
worked liimfelf in the mines, but that he had been appointed by government as an
overfcer to feveral. The knowledge and talents whicii I foon after found he poiTeiTed,
convinced me that he had not deceived me.
I ASKED him whether he Iiad ever feen the Glaciers which were in the environs of that
city ? He faid, that he waä perfeflly well acquainted with them, having frequently been
there ; that he had alfo vifited thofe of Savoy and Switzerland, having had occafion to
crofs the great St. Bernard, in his way to Geneva. He told mc tliat he went there on
bufinefs ; but, on defcending that tremendous mount, he had been tempted, not only to
fee a pait of the Glaciers of Tzendy and Valpeline, but alfo thofe of the valley of Chamouny,
having taken the road leading to the Col of Balma, as being the neareft to
Gcnc%'a. After this ihort introduftion, which was delivered with great modefty, he
invited me (in order to avoid interruption) to accompany him to his laboratory, which I
found
T H E RH^ T I A N ALPS.
found in moft excellent order. From thence he took me to his cabinet of natural
liiftory, which he, very properly, ftyled A box of fampies of the Tyrolefe inountains. One
may eafily conceive that I was all aftoniihment, not having the moft diftant idea of
finding fo good a col ledion; as it was not only extenfive but well chofen, and arranged
w i t h tafte. He had fpecimens of the moft curious ftones, chryftals, and minerals of the
c o u n t r y : among the latter was a variety of filver ore, copper, native iron in grains,
antimony, mercury, and chryftalized fait; befides folTiIs, petrifadtions, impreíTions of
marine fubftances, plants, 8cc.
I WAS both delighted and amazed at meeting in a country, remote from the purfuits
of literature and fcience, a man in fo humbl e a fituation, who was of fo fcientific
a turn of mind, arid of a fufficient j u d gme n t to form a colledion that would not difgrace
our greateft Naturalifts. There is, however, a fimilar inftance in a man whofe name is
Francis Pacard, refiding in the valley of Chamouny, in Savoy, known by the appellation
o f Guide to the Ladies: for as the valley is furrounded by a number of Glaciers, which
a t t r a f t the curiofity of ftrangers, and are much reforted to in fummer, feveral of the
inhabitants make it their bufinefs to ferve as guides. He is fo perfeéHy illiterate that he
cannot read; yet he has formed a col leñion of the different produdlions of the Pennine
A l p s , which he has regularly claiTed, and arranged with tolerable tafte. When he is
not employed as a guide, he follows his bufinefs, whicii is that of a farrier.
I HAVE always remarked, and believe it to be a received opinion, that mountaineers
in general are particularly quick and intelligent, conceiving wi t h eafe whatever is taught
them, and that they have a retentive memory.
ON quitting the cabinet of my Tyrolefe Naturalift he offered to condu£l: me himfelf
t o any of the neighbouring Glaciers; at the fame time recommending Sfuben as being
well worth feeing, extenfive, eafy of accefs, and confsderably nearer than the others. I
immediately accepted his offer, although at firft I was fearful that bufinefs and want of
time would have interrupted our pian. Having, however, fettled my affairs, and removed
the obftacles which appeared to be in the way, I decided on fetting off the next
morning by fi.v. My guide, who feemed as eager as myfelf, went out foon after to
order mules, £cc.: I returned to the inn to collefi whatever I thought might be neceffary
during our journey, viz. my BAROMETER, which I had fortunately prcfervcd entire, a
ftecl hammer, a bottle of fpirits of nitre, and a compafs. The night being uncommonly
cold, although at the beginning of June, I found the eider-down, or covering on the
bed, which is generally made ufe of in Germany, exceedingly comfortable; as alfo a
ftove, which they liad not as yet difcarded. The feverity of the weather, at that time
o f the year, muft be attributed to tlie Glaciers, which furround the city.
I WAS