CHAPTER V.

Excursion to Tagliaretta, and an attempt to explore the Cavern of Castelluzzo.

July 6. A REFRESHING morning, and a clear atmosphere, enticed us to make the attempt of exploring the rocks of Castelluzzo, in search of the celebrated cavern, which, according to Leger, afforded an asylum to three or four hundred Vaudois, during one of the rifest periods of persecution. Its situation is described as being so peculiarly favourable to the purpose, that one only can enter it at a time, and yet it is spacious enough in its interior to receive abundant supplies, besides having the farther advantage of containing a spring of water of its own. A peasant, named Grant, who accompanied Mr. Acland in his fatiguing, and often hazardous adventures in the mountains, undertook to be our guide to the spot, and we set out five in party, Mrs. Gilly on a pony, which was to carry her as far as the ascent would permit, my brother, M. Amadée Bert, the guide, and myself. To the eye, Castelluzzo was not far off, though

its cliffs appeared at an elevation which it would be aspiring to reach; but it required double the time, which we calculated would be sufficient for the excursion: so deceptive are all mountain distances. The cool fragrance of the air, and the natural beauty and romance of the scenery, would not suffer us to give a moment's admission to any apprehensions that the endeavour to attain the ridge of the cliff might be too much for unpractised lowlanders. In vain did our friends assure us, that when the sun should be well up, we should repent of our undertaking, and abandon it in despair. We trusted to the shade of the groves which covered the mountain side, and commenced the journey in high spirits and expectation.

Our path lay in the direction of the Biglione torrent, which, in spring and autumn, pours down its impetuous flood from Vandelin to the Pelice, but at this season had not much water. A profusion of gigantic walnuts and chesnuts stretched their branches over its broken and rocky bed, and, for the first hour, we had no great reason to complain either of the abruptness, or ruggedness of the ascent. The slopes were beautifully coloured with corn in various stages of ripeness, for, in these regions, a quarter of an hour's walk will bring you to spots, where, from the difference of soil and situation, the grain is here of a bright golden hue, and there as green as the foliage which waves above it. The scattered cottages had

not only clusters of grapes hanging about the roofs and eaves, but had also each its little vineyard and orchard by its side, where the vine was not of the dwarfish species like that of France, but clambered from tree to tree. The depths and solitude of the groves were broken by these objects rising unexpectedly upon the sight, and were echoing moreover with the songs of birds, and presenting, to the fancy at least, enchanting images of rustic enjoyment in the midst of that, which, at a distance, looked like one vast forest, bordered by a crest of rock. Alas, that these scenes should have witnessed so much contention and suffering!

When we approached towards Tagliaretta, the steeps became rough and threatening; more like a succession of terraces, which can only be surmounted by scrambling over fragments of stone, or by winding your way circuitously by that which resembles a stair-case more than a path. The motion of the pony became here so uneasy, from his having to step over and up such rugged ground, that Mrs. Gilly begged to walk; but the guide assured her, that unless she consented to break the journey, by riding as far as it was safe, it was impossible that she could encounter the fatigue and the heat of the day. After arriving at Tagliaretta, we were on land in which every foot had been the scene of action, of sanguinary conflict, of daring enterprises, surprisals, assaults, and defences. This hamlet, with Puy-Castel, Rua,

Kiavoula, Costa Rossina, and Mananda, all of which find a place in the old maps of Leger and Morland, and in the very accurate new map, which Mr. Acland designed for his translation of Henri Arnaud's "Rentrée Glorieuse des Vaudois,” (and which could not have been drawn but by one well acquainted with the localities of the country) constituted what was formerly called the commune of Tagliaretta, the holy ground of La Torre.

At different periods of Waldensian history, when the courts of Turin and Rome determined to make new efforts to extinguish the light of truth, there used to issue edicts, from time to time, which not only forbade the exercise of any religion but that of the Latin Church, except among the remote craggs and thickets of the higher valleys, of the valleys within the valleys, but commanded mass to be celebrated in the lower districts. The people of those parts naturally protested against such an invasion of their rights, and pleaded the validity of solemn treaties and ancient compacts. times their remonstrances were heard, but when evil counsels prevailed, then the mandate was peremptory, and the troops of the duchy of Savoy were quartered in the main villages to enforce the papal will. It is not without reason, that I have so often ascribed the sufferings of the Waldensian Church to aggressions instigated by the evil genius of Rome. There is scarcely an instance, in which the stern contests, or holy wars, into which the

Some

Vaudois were forced, did not grow out of the seeds of evil, out of the dragon's teeth, sown by cardinal legates and nuncios, delegated by the popes to stir up the wrath of the dukes of Savoy against the recusants of the valleys. Let the reader, whether Roman Catholic or Protestant, reflect upon the tendency of this one specimen of the numerous edicts in my possession, and I shall not be accused of doing wrong to the Church of Rome, when I affirm, that the lintels of the Vatican are sprinkled with the blood of every Vaudois, who died in defence of his religion. "Charles Emanuel, by the grace of God, duke of Savoy, prince of Piemont, &c. In conformity with the brief published by his holiness, our Lord, Pope Gregory XV. and with our desire to promote the sacred wishes of his Holiness, we command," &c. Then follows one of those penal enactments, which drove unhappy men to desperation, and converted scenes of peace into an arena of frightful conflict.

Away went the inhabitants of the vale to the mountain asylums. Ready to sacrifice all but their religious integrity, they fled from their houses rather than go to mass, and left their pleasant homes in possession of the soldiery.

So long as the troops found plunder enough in the deserted houses and fields to satiate their rapacity, the fugitives were left unmolested to share the scanty supply, which their brethren of