Drove of Campagna Cattle. 241 



whether viewed in the early morning, or in the 

 glory of the setting sun, I was never tired of ad- 

 miring ; and whenever I drove out, preferred a 

 country drive to the more fashionable Villa Bor- 

 ghese. One day Somerville and I and our daughters 

 went to drive towards the Tavolata, on the road to 

 Albano. We got out of the carriage, and went into 

 a field, tempted by the wild flowers. On one side of 

 this field ran the acqueduct, on the other a deep and 

 wide ditch full of water. I had gone towards the 

 acqueduct, leaving the others in the field. All at 

 once we heard a loud shouting, when an enormous 

 drove of the beautiful Campagna grey cattle with 

 their wide-spreading horns came rushing wildly 

 between us with their heads down and their tails 

 erect, driven by men with long spears mounted on 

 little spirited horses at full gallop. It was so sudden 

 and so rapid, that only after it was over did we per- 

 ceive the danger we had run. As there was no 

 possible escape, there was nothing for it but standing 

 still, which Somerville and my girls had presence of 

 mind to do, and the drove dividing, rushed like a 

 whirlwind to the right and left of them. The 

 danger was not so much of being gored as of 

 being run over by the excited and terrified animals, 

 and round the walls of Rome places of refuge are 

 provided for those who may be passing when the 



