AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



letters, but he returned with us to the hotel, and 

 gave us most interesting information concerning 

 the Ecstatic Virgin, and the cause of her present 

 sojourn at the retired convent of Caldaro. 



Caldaro is full three hours drive by post from 

 Botzen. It lies in the bosom of lofty mountains, 

 and is entirely surrounded by extensive and highly 

 cultivated vineyards, which are interspersed with 

 fruit trees. We passed along the border of a far 

 spreading morass, on which I hoped to see some 

 water -fowl. But I was disappointed. All was 

 nearly " barren as lances," as the old saying has 

 it. A few carrion crows, half a dozen hawthorn 

 finches, and three common wagtails, were all I 

 saw in ornithology ; saving a bird which was quite 

 unknown to me. It appeared to be about the size 

 of our common grey bunting, and with black wings 

 and tail. A huge and almost perpendicular sand- 

 bank flanked the road. To this, it would cling at 

 times ; and then it fluttered onwards, as our 

 chaise advanced. Just as I felt certain of getting 

 sufficiently near to view its whole plumage, an 

 unlucky boy and girl suddenly made their appear- 

 ance ahead of us, and completely frustrated my 

 expectations. We saw no more of it. 



Caldaro is a pretty rural village, in which is 

 situated the convent where Maria Mori the Ecstatica 

 resides. 



