But it was towards the approach of evening that I felt the
highest enthusiasm awakened.
The setting sun, declining beyond the vast Campagna, shed its rich
yellow beams on the woody summits of the Abruzzi. Several mountains
crowned with snow shone brilliantly in the distance, contrasting their
brightness with others, which, thrown into shade, assumed deep tints of
purple and violet. As the evening advanced, the landscape darkened into
a sterner character. The immense solitude around; the wild mountains
broken into rocks and precipices, intermingled with vast oak, cork, and
chestnuts; and the groups of banditti in the foreground, reminded me of
those savage scenes of Salvator Rosa.
To beguile the time the captain proposed to his comrades to spread
before me their jewels and cameos, as I must doubtless be a judge of
such articles, and able to inform them of their nature. He set the
example, the others followed it, and in a few moments I saw the grass
before me sparkling with jewels and gems that would have delighted the
eyes of an antiquary or a fine lady. Among them were several precious
jewels and antique intaglios and cameos of great value, the spoils
doubtless of travellers of distinction. I found that they were in the
habit of selling their booty in the frontier towns. As these in general
were thinly and poorly peopled, and little frequented by travellers,
they could offer no market for such valuable articles of taste and
luxury.
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