RECOLLECTIONS OF CITAMOTS HUNTING IT 



the ruin ot" locks is so great, that a eh)ser comparison 

 would l)t' fnimd in tile remains of tlic tenijilc of tlio Sun at 

 I\ariiak. Most striking of all. water spouts out in certain 

 places in t'ull-liodicd streams I'rom the face of sheei- dills. 

 Then this kind nf lock is stained witli ochre and russet, 

 ;inil liu'hts up strano'L'h' under the mvsterious o-low of 



1*10.- * O 



sunset. The slopes are (dollied with dense patches of 

 tlie /^//^^^■ iiiiKjhus, or /c;/-fdhren, the tangled thickets 

 of \vhi(di are a favourite haunt of chamois. Owino- to 

 the iuaccessihlc character of this ravine, the whole valley 

 of Livigno, though geographical]}- on the northern side of 

 the watershed, and in the ma[) projecting like a peninsula 

 into Switzei'land. has .dways belonged politically to Italv. 



At the time of whicdi I write there were many 

 kiinimeri'eier in Li\i<jn(». It is nowadavs a very rare 

 bird in the Alps. It is easily distinguished from the 

 moi-e numerous ea2;les by its areat size, and a tail loneer 

 in proportion to its bo(ly than theirs, as well as ii\- more 

 pointed wings. 



There are always rumours flying about of bears in the 

 Lower Engadine. Two or three limes we came across 

 tolerably fresh tracks in snow or on soft onnuMl. and I 

 once saw the skin of a newl\ -kiUed om-, a daik pelt with 

 a tinge of gray on the lips of the hairs, but I uin-er 

 eiieonnteiTMl one in the lle,-h. 



I'^ir a series of years i visited this \alle\- almost 

 anniiallw and alwa\s had good spoi't. Sometimes we; 

 a[)proached it from Pontresina, across the mountains fiom 

 the' lieridna Pass. Sometimes we ascended its lowei- 

 extremit}' from /einetz. If the weather \\a> \-er\- rou^h. 

 we put up at the little /<K'(n(/(i in the village. it smelt 



