204 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THK [Se8S. LXiii. 



prettily situated with old frescoes on the faded whitewash 

 of their houses, and curious gratings to protect their 

 window^s, interesting wayside shrines, and Komanesque 

 churches and imposing forts in the midst of grand- scenery, 

 — all were scenes M'hich made the continuation of this 

 drive of enduring charnj. Our headquarters were at the 

 Croce d'Oro at Creto or Pieve di Buoua, almost the last 

 village in Yal Daone. Speaking her native dialect, the 

 Italian landlady did her best to minister to our comforts. 

 Though good of its kind, I have no doubt, to those who 

 like it, the cooking, with so much garlic and oil, was not 

 altogether palatable to our Scottish tastes. Through a 

 chance visit of a German lady, the services of an English- 

 speaking guide were secured for us. Frank Maestri had 

 emigrated to Australia from this valley in his salad days, 

 and had returned some years since with a modest compet- 

 ence. Investing his savings in a large house and croft, he 

 became a great man in the little town, in which he gave us 

 to understand that he had held various public offices with 

 honour to the township and credit to Idmself. Unfortun- 

 ately he cared little for Primulas. But he was a cheery 

 and intelligent guide, and may be recommended to any 

 botanist who desires to study the flora of that district. 



( )ur walk to Stabolette lay for eight miles or so up the 

 Yal di Daone, down which the Chiesa Water coursed in 

 mad turbulence for the Arno and the Adriatic. The 

 cobble stones of the thousand feet of ascent between Creto 

 and Daone caused exquisite torture, at the end of the day 

 particularly, and knocked our feet to pieces ; ' but these 

 cobbles formed the drainage system of the district, and 

 prevented the numerous rills of the rainy season rushing 

 all the soil into the Chiesa. AVe were near the Italian 

 frontier. Adamello, and other giants amongst the moun- 

 tains, shone with a glistering whiteness in the morning sun 

 Our guide had no good to say of his Italian neighbours, 

 whom he branded as greedy poachers for their wicked pro- 

 pensity to rob the edible frogs from the ponds of his 

 township. 



Little botany was done on the road, as the rrimulas lay 

 a long way ahead. Good plants were frequently in 

 evidence. There were well-grown and strong plants of 



