88 GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



o'clock, keeping along the banks of the rapid stream. The scen- 

 ery is thoroughly grand : high mountains covered with the state- 

 ly pine ; huge rocks towering above us, as if on the eve of falling 

 to crush the intruders ; thousands of waterfalls, which resembled 

 from a distance a silver ribbon ; in the far-off distance, mountains 

 clad with perpetual snow. There are many coal-mines on the 

 road, and villages which seem above the clouds. The land from 

 one rod up to five rods is all worked, but without oxen, mule, or 

 horse, as the inhabitants work their small property with spades. 

 Only a few vines may be seen now and then. 



Septemher 5. — The tunnel which is now being constructed will, 

 when finished, connect Italy and France, and will be four and a 

 half leagues in length. They are now pumping air into it, as the 

 workmen suffer much from its want. We passed within half a 

 mile of it, but as it was not connected with my commission I did 

 not visit it. After riding four miles more we stopped at a small 

 village and took our dinner. The mountains begin to show more 

 ' and more snow ; still, right under these snow-banks may be seen 

 houses, and herds of cattle grazing. Terrace upon terrace is built 

 from five to eighteen feet, according to the steepness of the hills. 

 This flat of ground is gained by walling up the side of the mount- 

 ain, and then carefully filling the space with sifted ground gravel, 

 and the manure which the poor peasant treasures up with great 

 care during the whole 3-car. The crops raised on these patches 

 of land are brought down on the backs of men and women. 



On this road is the Fort St. Albert ; the old one was blown up 

 by Napoleon. The mountains began to become more and more 

 distinct with their masses of snow. The cascades were more and 

 more numerous. At last we arrived in the village, where we were 

 to remain all night. Next morning, on the arrival of the stage, 

 I found that the poor travelers were almost frozen with cold, 

 which was intense during the night in the valleys and deep ra- 

 vines of the snow-clad mountains. 



At seven o'clock we started. Four mules were placed to the 

 carriage, as here the road begins to rise from the plain to the 

 mountain. The road winds so gradually around the mountain, 

 and is in such excellent order, that one hardly feels the gradual 

 rise. It was constructed by Napol#on, and the French side is 

 kept by that government ; the Italian by Victor Emanuel. At 

 a distance of every half mile there are men who water the road 

 from morning till night from a small ditch which runs alongside. 



