200 BERTHA'S VISIT TO HER 



lower chain of the Apennine mountains, where 

 there are a few huts to shelter the wandering 

 shepherds, those plains, he says, are scarcely 

 habitable in hot weather, from the pestilential 

 effects of the malaria, which produces agues 

 and fevers, and which probably arises from the 

 exhalations of the low stagnant marshes. He 

 also saw a vast number of goats ; one flock con- 

 sisted of twelve hundred, and though apparently 

 very wild, they come regularly to their shep 

 herds, twice a- day, to be milked, and are always 

 rewarded with a little salt. 



He afterwards visited the vale of Arno, and 

 travelled along the right bank of that river, at 

 the foot of the Apennines. He describes the 

 forests of chesnut trees, which appeared on the 

 higher slopes of the mountains, with their fresh 

 and beautiful verdure, as forming a singular 

 contrast with the pale blue tint of the olive trees, 

 which cover the lower hills. The road was bor- 

 dered on each side by pretty brick houses, con- 

 sisting of a single story, and separated from the 

 road by a walled terrace, on which are com- 

 monly placed stone vases, containing flowers or 

 orange trees, or aloes ; and the house itself com- 

 pletely covered with vines. At the doors, or 

 seated on shady benches, were groups of young 

 female peasants, nicely dressed in white linen, 

 with silk bodice, and straw hats ornamented with 

 flowers. They are constantly employed in plait- 



