66 TR A V E L S THRpUGH
THE mountains are rich in paftiirage, and abonnd with wood of different forts. They
brcwl great quantities of cattle; and Viiiftgau is particularly famous for horfes, which
arc much admired, although of a middle fizc.
THE cxtenfivG and thick forcfls, which cover the fecondary range of mountains
and the bafc of the primordial, are filled with wild bcafts; fuch as bears, wolves,
foxes, 6cg.
THE chamois, or wild goat, and the bouquetin, or hircus fylveftris, which is another
fpecics of goat, not quite as large, of a reddifli colour, but remarkably fwift, and difficult
to catch, as they leap from rock to rock with the greateft agility, and inhabit the higheft
chain of mountains, which ferve as a fupport to the Glaciers. There is alio another
animal peculiar to thefe mountaiiis, called fteinbocks, or rock goats (rupicapra]^
which are excellent to cat.
THE greateft part of Tyrol is convenient for hunting and fiihing, as it contains abundance
of game; and few countries can boaft of finer rivers, or better flocked with fiih.
MOST of thefe rivers or torrents bring with them from the different mountains duft,
or grains of gold, in fmall quantities.
THIS country contains twelve cities, eleven boroughs or market-towns, eight hundred
and ninety-four villages, two biihopricks, and one hundred and forty-two feigneuries, or
particular jurifdiñions.
BEFORE I enter on a dcfcription of their modern form of government, I muft give a
Ikctch of their charaííer, rulVoms, and manners.
THE Tyrolefe in general, as well as mnft of the inhabitants of the Alps, are not
opulent, yet there arc fcarcely any poor among them. I have traveUed through feveral
of tlieir vallies, which extend upwards of ten miles, and have not met with the leaft
appearance of wretchednefs.
EACH individual cultivates his own land; and when that is not fufficient for the
maintenance of his family, he has rccourfe to that induftry and adivity which is natural
to them all; and endeavours to procure work in the mines, or different manufadories;
if not fuccefsful, they quit Tyrol in the quality of hawkers, and convey into other
countries the produce of their own.
SUCH are the little plcafurable barters of life, when life is governed by fimplicity
alone, and the eftimation in which obje^s arc held is only proportioned to their real utility.
THEY are tall, ftrong, and robuft, as mountaineers are in general; remarkably chearful,
with great mildnefs and honefty of charafter; but keen, with an uncommon ihare of
natural underflanding. They are Roman Catholics, and exccllively devout, placing not
only in the roads, but on their habitations, a number of images, according to the forms
of