*^0 On the Wild Goat of the Alps-. 



follow this occupation; and as the animal is not found in 

 their mountains, they go to hunt in the Eaft Valley, ha^'ing 

 fiiit obtained permiffion from the inhabitants for that pur- 

 pofe. A hunter never goes out alone ; he generally aflociates 

 with himle'f one or two others, furniilied with rifle guns* and 

 a bag of provilions. 



They AlTociale for the purpofe of <rain, but dantrers and perils 

 unite them ; and indeed iliere are many reafous why two hunt- 

 ers (liould be united. Being oi)Iiged to fpend the night among 

 the rocks, and at very great heights, thcv conftrudl a wretehed 

 hut with pieces of lurt, where thev deep without lire or bed- 

 clothes, and on their awaking often lind the entrance of it 

 blocked up by two or three feet of fnow. When i'urprifed 

 by night while in the purfuit of a wild goat, it frequently 

 happens that, not being able to difengage themfelves from 

 the rocks, they arc obliged to pal's the night ftanding in 



of the rotks, which, attacked by the flov.-adi<'n of the moift elements, crum- 

 ble to pieces through age, and choke up the bottom of the valley. Thele 

 t irrcnts, bv tsariiig open the f.des ot the nvu itains, unveil to us their in- 

 terior ftruauie. in this couiury, every thing prcCents the im;ige of cie- 

 firudioa: ic is in the miiidle of thele ciegraded forefts of firs and pines, of 

 thofe accumulated rocks which pais through all the ftates I'f dccotnpofuion 

 to land, and from the ftnte of land to that of mould, that the geologue dif- 

 covcrs the compnution of mountains, and colle^?rs fafls for the theory of 

 the earth. But in the mi'Ul of this diforder one may ditcover the hand of 

 man and the labour of induftry : excited by his wants; fheltered fiom all 

 quarters by the rocks, and in a good expolure, the inhabitants have col- 

 leiied a httle cHrth, which they cultivate and fov,/ with corn to fupply 

 them with food. 



Of all the rafcndes with whieh this valley is decorated, the mod inte- 

 refting fc the naturalift and the painter is that, no doubt, of Maiipas, be- 

 tween the village of Finio and that of Servan. The torrent of the Trieve, 

 the white foaming waters of which dafliing againft the rocks, which they 

 break and carry with them to their bed, form feveral cafcades ; between 

 very high rocks, a plank laid acrofs ferves as a paffage, and from this tre- 

 mendous bridge the torrent is feen precipitating itl'elf from one fall to an- 

 other, and fiying to a diftance below the feet: before is a rock cut into the 

 form of a peak, and which I'cems to be an infurmountable barrier; but a 

 fmail r.ariow path, cut out in a zig-zi.g form and funiilhed with a parapet, 

 enables the traveller to pafs over it, and to ccnliiier this I'ublimc and mag- 

 nificent view, which the horrid r.oife of the torrent renders ftill more 

 fti iking. The more you advance towards Servan, the lefs Iteep the de- 

 clivity of the mountain becomes, while the valley becomes broader and 

 better cultivated. But in travcrfing this wild tountiy one is not a(lonifht;d 

 that the inhabitants fh'}uld feek fi'i and be fond of thofe dangers to which 

 they expofe thenili Kes in hunting the chamois and wild'joats: they ;i re 

 bred up to this occupation ; ihc rocks and precipices are, as wc may fay, 

 their element, and when tliev quit their habitations they lind no perils to 

 which they are not accuftonu<i. 



'" Thefe pieces can tire twice without being reloaded ; but they iiave 

 only one barrel, with two locks. Sec a dcicription of them in De Lues 

 Rt'cbcrcixs fur I' Anuofpbcrc. 



each 



