travels through france and italy-第107章

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Nice；　　when　it　began　to　rain　so　hard　that　in　less　than　an　hour　the　mud　　was　half　a　foot　deep　in　many　parts　of　the　road。　This　was　the　only　　inconvenience　we　suffered；　the　way　being　in　other　respects　　practicable　enough；　for　there　is　but　one　small　hill　to　cross　on　　this　side　of　the　village　of　L'Escarene；　where　we　arrived　about　　six　in　the　evening。　The　ground　in　this　neighbourhood　is　tolerably　　cultivated；　and　the　mountains　are　planted　to　the　tops　with　olive　　trees。　The　accommodation　here　is　so　very　bad；　that　I　had　no　　inclination　to　be　a…bed　longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary　for　　refreshment；　and　therefore　I　proceeded　on　my　journey　at　two　in　　the　morning；　conducted　by　a　guide；　whom　I　hired　for　this　purpose　　at　the　rate　of　three　livres　a　day。　Having　ascended　one　side；　and　　descended　the　other；　of　the　mountain　called　Braus；　which　took　up　　four　hours；　though　the　road　is　not　bad；　we　at　six　reached　the　　village　of　Sospello；　which　is　agreeably　situated　in　a　small　　valley；　surrounded　by　prodigious　high　and　barren　mountains。　This　　little　plain　is　pretty　fertile；　and　being　watered　by　a　pleasant　　stream；　forms　a　delightful　contrast　with　the　hideous　rocks　that　　surround　it。　Having　reposed　myself　and　my　mules　two　hours　at　this　　place；　we　continued　our　journey　over　the　second　mountain；　called　　Brovis；　which　is　rather　more　considerable　than　the　first；　and　in　　four　hours　arrived　at　La　Giandola；　a　tolerable　inn　situated　　betwixt　the　high　road　and　a　small　river；　about　a　gunshot　from　the　　town　of　Brieglie；　which　we　leave　on　the　right。　As　we　jogged　along　　in　the　grey　of　the　morning；　I　was　a　little　startled　at　two　　figures　which　I　saw　before　me；　and　began　to　put　my　pistols　in　　order。　It　must　be　observed　that　these　mountains　are　infested　with　　contrabandiers；　a　set　of　smuggling　peasants；　very　bold　and　　desperate；　who　make　a　traffic　of　selling　tobacco；　salt；　and　other　　merchandize；　which　have　not　payed　duty；　and　sometimes　lay　　travellers　under　contribution。　I　did　not　doubt　but　there　was　a　　gang　of　these　free…booters　at　hand；　but　as　no　more　than　two　　persons　appeared；　I　resolved　to　let　them　know　we　were　prepared　　for　defence；　and　fired　one　of　my　pistols；　in　hope　that　the　report　　of　it；　echoed　from　the　surrounding　rocks；　would　produce　a　proper　　effect：　but；　the　mountains　and　roads　being　entirely　covered　with　　snow　to　a　considerable　depth；　there　was　little　or　no　　reverberation；　and　the　sound　was　not　louder　than　that　of　a　pop…gun；　　although　the　piece　contained　a　good　charge　of　powder。　　Nevertheless；　it　did　not　fail　to　engage　the　attention　of　the　　strangers；　one　of　whom　immediately　wheeled　to　the　left　about；　and　　being　by　this　time　very　near　me；　gave　me　an　opportunity　of　　contemplating　his　whole　person。　He　was　very　tall；　meagre；　and　　yellow；　with　a　long　hooked　nose；　and　small　twinkling　eyes。　His　　head　was　eased　in　a　woollen　night…cap；　over　which　he　wore　a　　flapped　hat；　he　had　a　silk　handkerchief　about　his　neck；　and　his　　mouth　was　furnished　with　a　short　wooden　pipe；　from　which　he　　discharged　wreathing　clouds　of　tobacco…smoke。　He　was　wrapped　in　a　　kind　of　capot　of　green　bays；　lined　with　wolf…skin；　had　a　pair　of　　monstrous　boots；　quilted　on　the　inside　with　cotton；　was　almost　　covered　with　dirt；　and　rode　a　mule　so　low　that　his　long　legs　hung　　dangling　within　six　inches　of　the　ground。　This　grotesque　figure　　was　so　much　more　ludicrous　than　terrible；　that　I　could　not　help　　laughing；　when；　taking　his　pipe　out　of　his　mouth；　he　very　　politely　accosted　me　by　name。　You　may　easily　guess　I　was　　exceedingly　surprised　at　such　an　address　on　the　top　of　the　　mountain　Brovis：　but　he　forthwith　put　an　end　to　it　too；　by　　discovering　himself　to　be　the　marquis　M；　whom　I　had　the　honour　　to　be　acquainted　with　at　Nice。　After　having　rallied　him　upon　his　　equipage；　he　gave　me　to　understand　he　had　set　out　from　Nice　the　　morning　of　the　same　day　that　I　departed；　that　he　was　going　to　　Turin；　and　that　he　had　sent　one　of　his　servants　before　him　to　　Coni　with　his　baggage。　Knowing　him　to　be　an　agreeable　companion；　　I　was　glad　of　this　encounter；　and　we　resolved　to　travel　the　rest　　of　the　way　together。　We　dined　at　La　Giandola；　and　in　the　　afternoon　rode　along　the　little　river　Roida；　which　runs　in　a　　bottom　between　frightful　precipices；　and　in　several　places　forms　　natural　cascades；　the　noise　of　which　had　well…nigh　deprived　us　of　the　sense　of　hearing；　after　a　winding　　course　among　these　mountains；　it　discharges　itself　into　the　　Mediterranean　at　Vintimiglia；　in　the　territory　of　Genoa。　As　the　　snow　did　not　lie　on　these　mountains；　when　we　cracked　our　whips；　　there　was　such　a　repercussion　of　the　sound　as　is　altogether　　inconceivable。　We　passed　by　the　village　of　Saorgio；　situated　on　　an　eminence；　where　there　is　a　small　fortress　which　commands　the　　whole　pass；　and　in　five　hours　arrived　at　our　inn；　on　this　side　　the　Col　de　Tende；　where　we　took　up　our　quarters；　but　had　very　　little　reason　to　boast　of　our　entertainment。　Our　greatest　　difficulty；　however；　consisted　in　pulling　off　the　marquis's　　boots；　which　were　of　the　kind　called　Seafarot；　by　this　time　so　　loaded　with　dirt　on　the　outside；　and　so　swelled　with　the　rain　　within；　that　he　could　neither　drag　them　after　him　as　he　walked；　　nor　disencumber　his　legs　of　them；　without　such　violence　as　seemed　　almost　sufficient　to　tear　him　limb　from　limb。　In　a　word；　we　were　　obliged　to　tie　a　rope　about　his　heel；　and　all　the　people　in　the　　house　assisting　to　pull；　the　poor　marquis　was　drawn　from　one　end　　of　the　apartment　to　the　other　before　the　boot　would　give　way：　at　　last　his　legs　were　happily　disengaged；　and　the　machines　carefully　　dried　and　stuffed　for　next　day's　journey。

We　took　our　departure　from　hence　at　three　in　the　morning；　and　at　　four；　began　to　mount　the　Col　de　Tende；　which　is　by　far　the　　highest　mountain　in　the　whole　journey：　it　was　now　quite　covered　　with　snow；　which　at　the　top　of　it　was　near　twenty　feet　thick。　　Half　way　up；　there　are　quarters　for　a　detachment　of　soldiers；　　posted　here　to　prevent　smuggling；　and　an　inn　called　La　Ca；　which　　in　the　language　of　the　country　signifies　the　house。　At　this　　place；　we　hired　six　men　to　assist　us　in　ascending　the　mountain；　　each　of　them　provided　with　a　kind　of　hough　to　break　the　ice；　and　　make　a　sort　of　steps　for　the　mules。　When　we　were　near　the　top；　　however；　we　were　obliged　to　alight；　and　climb　the　mountain　　supported　each　by　two　of　those　men；　called　Coulants　who　walk　upon　　the　snow　with　great　firmness　and　security。　We　were　followed　by　　the　mules；　and　though　they　are　very　sure…footed　animals；　and　were　　frost…shod　for　the　occasion；　they　stumbled　and　fell　very　often；　　the　ice　being　so　hard　that　the　sharp…headed　nails　in　their　shoes　　could　not　penetrate。　Having　reached　the　top　of　this　mountain；　　from　whence　there　is　no　prospect　but　of　other　rocks　and　　mountains；　we　prepared　for　descending　on　the　other　side　by　the　　Leze；　which　is　an　occasional　sledge　made　of　two　pieces　of　wood；　　carried　up　by　the　Coulants　for　this　purpose。　I　did　not　much　　relish　this　kind　of　carriage；　especially　as　the　mountain　was　very　　steep；　and　covered　with　such　a　thick　fog　that　we　could　hardly　see　　two　or　three　yards　before　us。　Nevertheless；　our　guides　were　so　　confident；　and　my　companion；　who　had　passed　the　same　way　on　other　　occasions；　was　so