52 T R A V E L S THROUGH
I «?As awaked in the morning much earlier than I wiilied, by an uncommon nbife
occafioncd by tlic country people palTing chrougli the city, in their way to the marketplace,
which is fituated on the outfide of the gates of Stcrzing. My curiofity being
roufcd, I got up jui l in time to fee a number of carts or waggons pafs, loaded with fait,
from the city of Hall, which were drawn by oxen, fhod like horfcs, except that, owing
to the form of their feet, the iron was, of courfe, divided, which, added to their
unvfieldinefs, made a moft intolerable noifc.
THE fun had not yet made its appearance in the valley, when I qxiitted the city, in order
to viiit its environs. Having reached the market-place, I found the people bufily employed
in ereding tents, Cables, &c. at places affigned them by an oiiicer, or conftable, appointed
to maintain order and regularity. The roads leading towards the city were thronged
witii the inhabitants of the neighbouring mountains, loaded with the produce of their
induftry, which they were bringing for fale; fuch as carpets, ftuiis, cloths, threads, &c.
fo that it had much more the appearance of a fair than a common market-day; Others
were themfelves drawing fmall carts filled with corn and vegetables, their countenances
e s p r e f l l v e of jollity and gond-hnmour; the whole forming one of the moft interefting
fcenes I ever heheld.
A s the fingvdarity of their drcfs drew my attention, I muft not omit giving a Ihort
i k e t c h of it, Both men and women wear different-coloured, large, round hats, made
e x a f t l y alike; although green feems to be the favo-urite colour, efpecially on feftivals
and gala-days: they ornament them with gold and filver lace, with the addition of
talTcls, &;c. The men wear long, uncouth jackets, or waiftcoats, of the fame colour as
their hats, made of coarfe cloth, which they manufaiture themfelves.
THE girdle, or belt, is what they efteem moft, next to the hat. I have really feen
fome remarkably curious, made of thick leather, decorated with fmali iilver nails,
formed into a variety of figures, or devices. As for the reft of their drefs, it refembles
the German, Swifs, &c.
THEY arc in general tall and robuft, and their countenances have great ftrength of
exprcffion. The women wear a kind of loofe jacket, which they take off" at pleafure,
of the fame colour alfo as their hats; fo that, at fome diftance, it is difficult to diftinguifh
the fex. Their corfets, of which they are particularly proud, are ornamented with gold
fringe, ribbons, and black velvet. Their ftockings are likewife very remarkable^ being
o f an unufual length, feldom lefs than five feet. Thefe they plait, or roll, with the
greateft exadnefs; a cuftom, which, with the ihortnefs of their petticoats, makes their
l e g s appear to great difadvantage. I have been tempted thus to particularize their drefs,
as it is generally adopted by all the Tyrolefc.
T H E
T H E RHiETIAN ALPS. 5 3
THE city of Sterzing is the feat of the provincial jurifdidlion of tlie diftrid of Eifach;
for the county of Tyrol is divided into fix diftri¿ts, as I will hereafter explain. It was
formerly known by the name of Vipitenum, or Portia Caftra, forming part of the
RhsEtian country. During the relidence of the Tyrolefe Counts at Infpruch, the city
was well fortified; but, at prefent, there only remain its ditches, a few parapets, and
its caftlc, where a fmall number of foldiers are garrifoned. Its fituation is particularly
pleafant, being feated on an eminence, which commands a fertile plain, where four
vallics meet J but the Eifach, that croffes it, ceafes to be navigable at Brixen. The
filver, copper, and iron mines, which are worked in the environs of that city, give it a
commercial appearance, although fituated fo high in the Alps. Their manufaöures for
fwords, and various forts of tools made of fteel, arc much admired. The inhabitants
carry them to Germany, Italy, and Francc, to difpofe of. The country alfo produces,
i n feveral places, a great ijiinnfity of fom, See. which nrrnfinn« n mnftant infercourfe
w i t h the neighbours.
THE valley of Ridnaun, which is to the weft of Sterzing, takes its name from the
torrent that croflea it, and throws itfelf into the Eifach, at the foot of tlie caftle of
Sprechenftein. This valley extends nearly eight miles from fouth-eaft to nortli-weft,
and is terminated by the Glacier of Hochcr, which is difcernibl e from the environs of that
c i t y . It is wel l inhabited, and particularly fertile, for its vegetation extends to tlie foot
o f the Glacier. To the eaft of Sterzing is the valley of Pfitfcher, which is in a fouthw
c f t and north-eafi direftion. It is watered by a torrent of the fame name, which
defcends rapidly from the great Glaciers of Zint and Furtfchtagl. This valley is not fo
fertile as Ridnaun, but is as wel l inhabited. I iliall not attempt to particularize the
l i t h o l o g y of thofe vallies, not having had fufficient time to make any obfervations
deferving notice. I can only add, that the lower range of mountains in the vicinity of
Sterzing are compofcd of calcareous ftones, of different fpecies, witli their ftrata, inclini
n g to the fouth. The Calcareus Scintillans Grifeus, No. 42, is the moft common';
although there are fome entirely compofcd of large banks, or beds, of white or darkgrey
marble, fomctimcs intermixed with ftrata of calcareous ftone, nearly vertical, which
Monfieur Bomare terms Lapis fcstiJus, from its emitting a difagreeable fmell wlien
rubbed or broken. The upper range of mountains, whofe fummits are fcarccly difcernible,
are moftly granite, or a fpecies of porphyry, of a reddifli-brown colour, or Porphir
Rubens, No. 99; known to the Italians by the name of Brocatello. What furprized me
moft, in the appearance of thofe primordial peaks, was tlieir being rugged and furrowed,
as if tliey had been calcareous. I could not at firft account for that phenomenon; but I
had foon an opportunity of viewing them nearer, and found that the major part of thoie
moimtains were covcrcd with large ftrata of calcareous ftone.
O I AM