mountains rise, which close in the valley, and out of which a path has been hewn with great difficulty, just wide enough for the passage of a horse or mule. When the bridge is taken away, and it is very easy to remove it, it is impossible to enter the valley; and should intruders be so hardy as to attempt to replace the bridge, a few women would be able to prevent them, by rolling fragments of stone upon them from the rocks above1." The annexed sketch represents this formidable pass, over which the Alpine bridge of Leger was suspended; but the narrow path has been widened, and strengthened by masonry work, so that what was formerly a mule path, is now a tolerably good carriage road, as far as Perero. In the darkest part of the pass, a murderous attack was made upon a native of Villa Secca some years ago. The assassin stabbed him, and after rifling his pockets, left him for dead. In this condition he was found, and restored to consciousness, and eventually to health; but the poor man's mind was so affected, that he never afterwards dare move from his own door alone. The robber was a neighbour of his, who, being a Roman Catholic, fled to an asylum; but having begged pardon and made his peace with his intended victim, he was soon permitted by the laws to be at large, as if nothing had happened. Leger, Liv. 1. 5. |