XIV 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



along the base of lofty mountains ; whilst the inter- 

 vening land has the appearance of a continuous 

 vineyard. Eecent rains had much impaired it in 

 many places, and had forced down gravel and huge 

 pieces of rock into the cultivated plain, causing 

 lamentable spoliation. Men were standing ready, 

 by order of the Austrian Government, to assist 

 arriving carriages ; but they refused our offer to 

 remunerate them for their labour ! 



I only saw one solitary crow, and a small flock 

 of finches throughout the whole of this day : birds 

 indeed, seem to be forbidden all protection in this 

 portion of our earthly paradise, which, as far as 

 ornithology is concerned, may be compared to 

 Ovid's memorable description of Famine. 



The railway to Venice, is supported by such a 

 length of arches, that it fairly astounds the beholder. 

 There must be good doings at the Hotel d' Europe 

 in this ancient city; for, we had scarcely got into 

 it, when I spied a sleek and well fed Hanoverian 

 rat, basking in a sunny nook. It looked at us 

 with the most perfect indifference, as much as to 

 say, "I have capital pickings here, both for myself 

 and my relatives." How well this plodding animal 

 contrives to fatten both in a cold climate and in a 

 warm one ! Although so late in the season, we 

 could perceive numerous bats over our heads as we 



