to the hill over which we were to pafs, whi l f t in accents fcarcely intelligible he requefted
me to look, for that he could difcera a group of men, whom he was convinced were robbers,
lying in wait for us, as he could plainly difcover tlieir fire-arms by the glimmering of
tlie moon. Then going on without giving me time to anfwer, he urged me, in the moil
fupplicatmg terms, to return to Fontan, for that it would be madnefs to proceed. In fatì,
his fears had fo worked on his imagination, and magnified tlic objefls, that he fancicd
them at leafl: three times their number ; and on my refufal to accede to his requeft (affuring
him that robbers never faUied forth in fuch parties), he paufed, ihook his head, and
feemed aftoniihed ; but immediately recovering himfeilf, h e attempted to walk, off, making
a retrograde motion as though he intended leaving me, in hopes that I Ihould be induced
to follow. Finding, however, that I laughed at his fears, and continued my route reg
a r d l e f s o f h i s a d r a o n i a o n , h e f e l t f o m c r e m o r f e of ihame, and returned, muttering grievouily
as h e offered me one of his piftols (for at Nice and Piedmont the greateil part of the
peaiantry carry arms), iaj-ing, ' e bene fignore, come é così, vendiamo nollra vita più cara
che fi potrà*.'
This piecc of advice I cheerfully received; and my poor Antonio, appearing more compofed,
col leaed all the courage he was mailer of, and accompanied me with fome degree
of fortitude. He was, ncverthelefs, foon after relieved from his anxiety concerning thefe
pretended robbers ; for fcarcely were we witliin muiket ihot of the party, than they with
one accord hailed us, faying, ' Hal t è là ! dà parte dell Rè t , ' ^ i n g at us the whole time,
which was certainly not the pleafanteft rencontre we had met with in the courfe of our
rambles. But no fooner had we obeyed tlieir fummons, tlmn we were immediately joined
b y fifteen or twenty peafants, armed with guns and fabres, moJHy inhabitants of the diftriéls
belonging to the jur i fdi t ì ion of Breglio, who were patroling from thence to Geflbla
by order of government.
This information I afterwards gained from one who appeared their chief, and who, on
coming up to me, aiked whence I came Ì whither I was going > and whether I had a paffport
Ì Having fully Ikdsfied his interrogatories, I requefled in my turn an explanation as
to the caufe of Uiis extra ordinar)- armament, being fenfible tliat, in the moil mountainous
parts of the Sardinian flatcs, this was not mi lomary, unlefs a murder or robbery had been
previoufly committed ; that then, in confequcnce, the fyndies, or magiilrates, of tlie ncigh-
* ' Well, Sir, let us at leaft fell our lives as dear as poffiblc.'
t ' Halt, by order of tlie king,' in the language of die country.
69
bom-ing diftridls, publiihcd a proclamation in the king's name, enjoining cacli community
to furnifh, dur ing a ftated time, a certain number of armed men to patrol the whole night
from village to village, witli i lri i t charge to flop all ftrangcrs unprovided witli a paiTport:
a procedure which has generaDy proved eiFedlual; for in a country fo wedged in by rocks
and mountains, it is fcarccly poffible for the culprit to cfcape or remain concealed for any
length of time.
This good man, complying with my requeft, proceeded by informing me, that fince the
road (which I have already defcribed) had been nearly finiihed, the dirmiffed workmen,
not finding immediate employment, had committed feveral robberies, which had determined
government to take this efFeitual ftep in order to flop their depredations. Thanking
him for his information, we took leave of each other, and diredled oiu- courfe to our
difFcrent dcftinations. As for Antonio, he was pcrfeftly at his eafe; for having met with
feveral of his acquaintance in tliis numerous company, to whom he made known the caufe
of his alarm, they joined in laughing moil heartily at his imaginary feare.
On my arrival at La Giandola, I arranged as ufual my daUy colleftion of ftoncs and
plants, numbering each fpecimen, and adding to each number the obfervations I had made
at the time of my collegling them, with their fpecific charailcr, in a book deftined for that
purpofc, which always accompanies me in my rambles. I then rendered tlie outlines of
my drawings as perfeft as was necefl'ary to preferve an exaft idea of the different placcs I
had feen, with the qualities, order, and various direilions of the flrata and form of the
mountains.
Having thus difpofed of the remainder of the evening, I found myfelf the next morning
perfedtly ready, without fear of burdening my memory, to proceed in new refearches.
This village, or ratlier hamlet, is compofed of a few fcattered habitations, iituated at
the fide of a fmall triangular plain, formed by the bafes of three flupendous mountains,
which nearly forround it; and, though wild and iiblated, is nevertlielefs remarkably
pleafant in fummer. The adjacent hills are well cultivated, and the olive u-ees, which are
here in great abundance, covci- to a confidcrable height the fides of the bordering mountains,
and form a moil charming contraft to tiie deep coloured leaves of the fir, larch, and
green oak. The latter is here found in vail quantities, and grows promifcuoufly wi th the
olive.
The Roida, which crofies Uiis plain, is well flocked with fiih. The trout is particularly
delicious and large, fome that 1 have feen weighing not lefs than eight poimds.
• j-àtn "rrrt^ : •'^..iBja,