scriptions Medicinal uses of ferns Hermit of Fenis - Roman aqueduct, Pont d'Ael View into Val d'Aosta 1 Aimaville Fare at - Leone d'Oro, Châtillon — cabaret Giant's grave - Bridge of St. Marcel Difficulty with Carabiniers Entrance of Val Challant Brussone Last evenings with friends. Col de THE day following our ascent of the Grivola, we had intended crossing over the mountains north of Cogne, by Arpisson, and climbing the Becca de Nona, dropping down again into the Val d'Aosta by St. Marcel ; but the grand view, which we had seen under circumstances of such unusual splendour, from the much loftier position of the Grivola, had, we felt, spoiled us for that from the Becca. My foot, which had been crushed by the fall of a block of stone on the Lys Glacier, had been so painful on the Grivola, that I walked with difficulty; added to which my boots were completely done up with the "clappey," and would scarcely have held together for such another hard day's work. The idea therefore was abandoned; and as the Professor was returning down the Val de Cogne to Aosta next morning, we agreed to go together. Heavy mist turning to a slight drizzle as we started, made us congratulate ourselves the more on our good fortune the day before. It indeed prevented us going to the "filons" or iron-mines, but we had had a good survey of them through the telescope, and the more so as they are worked above. ground. The summit of the mountain is in fact almost entirely of iron ore, a vein of which continues down to Ivrea. The specimens brought to me were very rich and heavy. It has hitherto been worked only in the most clumsy and unscientific manner, with the rudest machinery, and no tramroads, the ore being chiefly carried from the mines to Aimaville or Villeneuve on the backs of women. Under such circumstances, it is hardly to be wondered at, that, as the local supply of wood for fuel began to fail, the rich profit the mines at one time used to yield gradually diminished; until, for some years past, they have hardly been worked at all, and the "Societé des Mines de Fer" has become bankrupt. This failure has produced most calamitous results to the inhabitants of the Val Cogne, extending to the Val d'Aosta, which, especially the upper part, was greatly dependent on them. I am informed that their produce was at one time valued at 60,000 francs, and the total loss to the valley on the mines and furnaces is now at least 1,000,000 francs per annum. Cogne, once one of the richest communes in the Sardinian states, is at present one of the poorest. I was assured that if taken up by English capitalistswhom they seemed very anxious should buy and work them -the mines would be found highly remunerative. As far as I can judge from report, this is not improbable. But though they are no doubt extremely rich, there are two serious difficulties in the way; one, the great scarcity of wood, which has been recklessly cleared away for the requirement of the moment, and nothing left to replace it. The other is, the innumerable obstacles to be surmounted, in making any change in the existing state of things. I have seen instances of it which have astonished me. To erect a mill, to turn or dam a torrent, make a bridge, or any necessary improvement, involves an amount of official correspondence and trouble hardly credible, and a loss of months and often years of time. There is no lack of disposition on the part of Government to facilitate such works, but the complicated usages with regard to property require thorough reform before enterprise can meet with any encouragement; and even here, in the remotest mountains of Piedmont, red-tapism is dominant. Lately a project has been seriously talked of, especially in the Val d'Aosta, of continuing the line of railroad, now in progress from Turin to Ivrea, up to Aosta; and from thence to tunnel through the Alps under the Col de Menou :—a short but littleused route, parallel to the Great St. Bernard; leading from Etroubles by the Val de Menou, and over the flank of Mont Velan and the Glacier of Menou, down into the Val d'Entremont. Should this scheme ever be carried out, it is evident that it will afford immense facilities for developing the vast mineral wealth of Cogne, and the other branches of the Val d'Aosta. The wild and savage scenery, the many objects of botanical and geological interest, with the conversation of our accomplished companion, all contributed to the enjoyment of the morning's walk. Below Crétaz and Epinel the valley contracted and the gorge became wilder. At first the road was good, and this, and numerous other public works of the greatest utility to Cogne, are chiefly owing to the liberal and enlightened exertions of a Dr. Grappin, who had devoted himself to benefiting his native valley. He had died a short time previously, but his name will long live in the remembrance of those for whose welfare he laboured so earnestly. On a high face of rock, which had been cut away in improving the road, were a number of his inscriptions painted in large white letters, quotations from various authors; and doubtful as the good taste of this decoration may be, yet such as the following are an index to the views and motives which influenced him, and have no doubt read a good moral to many a passer by:-"Quand le songe de la vie sera terminé, à quoi auront servi nos actions, si elles ne laissent la trace de l'utilité." -Sady. "La mémoire des actions utiles au public est la seule qui résistera aux atteintes du temps. La véritable honneur est d'être utile aux hommes."-Thomas: with others of similar import from Cicero, Ovid, Condillac, &c. Lycopodium helveticum was abundant by the wayside, and the Professor informed us it was much esteemed for its medicinal qualities, an infusion of its fronds being taken for coughs; another species, the stag's-head club moss, L. clavatum, is collected, dried, and used by the peasantry in winter colds and influenza. The beautiful little fern Botrychium lunaria-minor, abundant on all these mountains in July and August, is also in great repute as an embrocation ; highly extolled in all cases of external inflammation and similar affections. The fronds are merely infused in olive oil, which is drawn off, and is then fit for use. Among many rare plants found about Cogne is the Linnæa borealis; so interesting, in addition to its own elegant and singular habit, from its having been discovered by Linnæus himself in his Lapland tour, and chosen by him to commemorate his own name. The dense clouds all day concealed all but the immediately prominent geological features. At Vieges my attention was drawn to numerous large blocks of a beautifully fine grey granite riven from the impending heights, which are a part of the Grivola range. In this commune are the châlets of Nomenon, which have sometimes given the name of Pic de Nomenon to the Grivola; but as to the nomenclature of this and the neighbouring mountains, there is much obscurity which I was unable to clear up. The torrent pours rapidly down the deepening ravine, until at last it is lost to sight in the profound chasm, above which the track runs, with precarious protection from the gulf below. In the midst of this wild scenery we suddenly met with a singular figure, dressed in black cassock and greenish scapular, with sandalled feet, bare head, and a long black beard. The Professor recognised him as the hermit of Fenis, where he inhabits a little hut built on the rock; and most hermit-like he looked, more accordant with one's romance suggested ideas of the venerable anchorite of the olden time, than the dirty lazy impostors of modern Italy. Half an hour before reaching the mouth of the valley we came to the Pont d'Ael, where, a short distance below the path, the ravine is crossed by an old Roman aqueduct. Built by Caius Aimus of Padua and his son-as recorded by the inscription on it, and of whom mention has already been made as possessors of Aimaville in the time of Augustus-it is still perfect, and singularly interesting. The massive Roman masonry, the bold span with which the single arch crosses the chasm, and the profound depth of some four hundred feet below it, are wonderfully impressive. When the Val d'Aosta came in view, clear from the mist behind us, and glittering in the morning sun, we thought that from no other point had its charming features presented so matchless a scene. Castles, villas, clustered hamlets among rich wood and sunny vineyards, the flashing river and the green meadows, were backed up by the long range of purple mountains, relieved by the frosted heads of the great Combin and other of the Pennine snow Alps. Turning to the right from the main road, we descended on Aimaville, passing the "rococo" château, and reached the village. All of us were by this time very hungry, and, following the Professor, we entered a humble cabaret, down a bye lane. "Pain dur" and cheese were all they had to offer; but, led by curiosity to examine a copper in the kitchen containing what seemed to be black soup, but proved to be wood-ashes and egg-shells for washing, I caught sight of a large pot full of splendid potatoes boiled to perfection. The sight was irresistible, and, carrying off a bowlful, we all feasted on them with such relish and appetites as, even at this distance of time, invest their memory with an excellence never found in any potato before or since. When we again continued the journey, the pleasant lanes lay through the characteristically rich scenery of the Val; |