In the "sala" a motley set of Piedmontese, priests, and swaggering carabiniers, were drinking, smoking, and playing cards; while in the adjoining room, through which was the entrance to the sala, peasants were doing much the same, and playing "Morra" with frantic noise and gesticulations. Our appearance excited evident surprise, and all were astonished when it was understood we had crossed the Col d'Egua, and in such weather, with a mule, as they told us it was many years since one had passed it. As soon as we had changed our drenched garments, a welcome supper of noble trout from the Tosa, and stewed chamois, was set before our famished appetites, as we had tasted nothing since our meagre lunch on bread and snow on the top of the Col; and some red wine, which Delapierre had promptly heated with spices, restored warmth to our bodies. The host, who had taken no notice of our arrival, though he was in the room playing cards, at last lounged up at the end of a game, with his coat off and a huge meerschaum in his mouth, and he did not improve on acquaintance.

We soon left the noisy party and retired to rest, duly thankful-unpleasing as our quarters were to be safely housed for the night, instead of huddling under some rock on the top of the dreary Col we had left far above us, in drizzling sleet and snow, without food or wine; and with little better chance of finding our way the next day, which proved one of incessant rain and thick mist.

Ponte Grande

CHAPTER XVIII.

VAL ANZASCA.-VAL MACUGNAGA.

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Festa and procession - Bishop of Novara - Inn - Mora's plight — Start for Macugnaga — Vanzone-Cure's apiary-Ceppo Morelli -Ferns - Limit of Val Anzasca- Barrier of ancient moraine - Morgen -Pestarena Borca-"Albergo dei Cacciatori"- Culinary matters Marmot Monte Rosa - Inundations - Macugnaga glacier-Belvedere - Lost valley Ascent of Monte Moro - Old church and linden-treeGerman colonies: origin of - Dialects - Gold-mines of PestarenaDescent to Calasca - Deluge of rain-Lower Val Anzasca - Pie di Mulera-View into Val d'Ossola.

THE morning of the great Sunday festa at Banio dawned gloomily enough. The dense cloud of brouillard, which had enveloped us on our weary walk over the Col d'Egua, the day before, now hung down closely on the valley, like a dark curtain. By nine o'clock a thorough drenching rain poured steadily down, without intermission for the rest of the day; until the noisy Anza in front of our windows, brimful to the banks, roared like thunder down its rough granite bed.

We were awoke by the ringing of the church bells; followed by the melodious sounds of chanting, coming up the valley, which swelled into rich harmony as it passed under our windows. Looking out, we saw a long procession filing past; headed by banners, crucifixes, and highly gilt and decorated carved lanterns on poles; followed by a long line of picturesquely dressed peasants, in full Val Anzascan costume. The rear was closed up by a number of priests, in richly embroidered vestments of purple, fine linen, and gold brocade; carrying the gold enshrined pyx and massive silver crucifixes; accompanied by a body of chorister boys in white surplices, whose treble and contralto voices alternated with the deep tenors and bass of the priests. As they neared the

church on the bridge, the bells rang out hurriedly and loud from the campanile; and uncovering their heads on approaching it, the procession made a short halt at the door; and then wound up the zigzag road opposite our windows, by which we had descended the night before.

Scarcely had it extended in full line, when we again heard the sounds of chanting, from the opposite direction, coming down the valley; and another procession crossed the bridge, still longer than the last; and—except the priests, choristers, and banner-bearers--entirely of women in a different costume; their heads covered with a wide veil of white linen, which hung down below their waists. Another and another procession, from different parts of the Val, followed in succession; until eight were seen all at once, winding up the face of the hill, in long and varied line: one of the most. picturesque scenic effects I ever witnessed. Three of the processions were from up the Val-viz. from St. Carlo, Ceppo Morelli, and Vanzone; and three from below-Calasca, Castiglione, and Cima Mulera; in addition to which, were those from Ponte Grande and the neighbourhood.

Each long line was distinct in its costume; and several of the processions comprised numbers of little girls, in white frocks, white net or cambric veils, with wreaths of roses round their heads, and carrying garlands in their hands. This was perhaps the prettiest part of the whole pageant. We were again excessively struck with the universal and remarkable beauty of the women; and the exquisite cleanliness and freshness of their characteristic dress, with the same fine and vigorous forms as noticed elsewhere. The effect of the different processions, the varied costumes, the white veils, and the clusters of surpliced priests, was especially striking, as they ascended slowly in sinuous line under the wide-spreading chesnut trees. Before the last had quitted Ponte Grande the impending rain fell in torrents; and, suddenly, at the first burst, hundreds of crimson, green, orange, yellow,

and striped umbrellas, shot up along the lines, their gaudy colours heightening the effect.

The plaintive tones of the chanting rose and fell musically in the distance; and there was something more satisfactory in the idea of such a procession going to do homage to their bishop, to receive his blessing, and have their children confirmed, than had they been on a pilgrimage to the miraclemongering shrine of some pseudo saint.

The bishopric of Novara was said to be the richest, as well as the most extensive, in Piedmont; consisting of 390 parishes, with an income of above 100,000 francs. The bishop was extremely infirm, getting through his public duties with great difficulty; and, in consequence, his visits to these outlying Vals were very rare. On the present occasion he had come for the confirmations, the consecration and reopening of churches, and the visitation of his clergy.

We regretted the pouring rain as much for the unfortunate processionists as for ourselves. The sala, as on the previous night, was filled with an indiscriminate crowd, smoking and drinking, joined later on by a number of priests; and as no other room was to be had, we preferred to spend the Sunday quietly in our bed-room, mean as it was; for not a single break in the rain allowed us to escape into the quiet country, and strict economy of dry clothes prevented our roughing it at all hazards.

The inn at Ponte Grande was the most disagreeable, and its landlord the least obliging, we ever met with anywhere. Though in general we troubled ourselves but little about hotel grievances, leaving them to fastidious grumblers, who forget the true object of travelling in the means of accomplishing it; yet, Ponte Grande was a combination of filth with pretension and discomfort of every kind, compared with which any of our former mountain quarters, a smoky châlet or a litter of hay, would have been enjoyment. The sala was at one end of the common room-only separated by

open folding doors-where the peasants messed, smoked vile tobacco, and played cards and noisy games of "Morra" all Sunday; and the only access to the room was by the kitchen. The rudeness and incivility of the waiters was a novelty. In the "Livres des Voyageurs" at various places " en route," we met with constant complaints in the strongest language; and the new hotel, which the landlord was then building, bade fair to stand empty, unless a reform should take place. There is an excellent little inn at Calasca, a mile or two lower down the valley, which would enable travellers to avoid it.

The village of Ponte Grande itself is extremely pretty and clean looking; the houses being unusually well built. The situation is remarkably beautiful, backed as it is by densely wooded heights, from which terraces of trellised vines and luxuriant gardens descend to the rear of the houses. The rapid torrent of the Anza secures effectual drainage. The remarkably narrow and high spanned bridge-which strides over it, based on the bare granite rocks, and gives the village its name-affords a noble point of view, especially when in clear weather the summits of Monte Rosa disclose themselves at the upper end of the deep basin.

Our only walk during the day was to the stable to see poor Mora, who had suffered severely from her extraordinary exertions the day before. Her body was swollen to an almost incredible extent, and her back seriously galled. All that was possible was done for her; and Delapierre had covered her back with a fomenting application of herbs steeped in hot water; chiefly the common pink cranesbill, which he stated to be an excellent remedy, and generally used in such cases. She recovered rapidly, and was quite fit next morning to do the few hours' work up to the head of the valley, E. walking to spare her.

Doubtful as the morning seemed, we were heartily glad to quit our host's at 6 o'clock on the 1st of October without