Out of a hut, half-buried in snow, came
some mountaineers, with two poor sledges, drawn by mules, to carry us
through the Plain of Mount Cenis, as it is called, which is about four
Italian miles in length, to the descent of the Italian side of the
mountain. These sledges are not much different from the chairs, or
sedans, or horse, we then quitted; only the two under poles are flat, and
not so long as the others, and turning up a little at the end, to hinder
them from sticking fast in the snow. To the fore-ends of the poles are
fixed two round sticks, about two feet and a half long, which serve for a
support and help to the man who guides the mule, who, running on the snow
between the mule and the sledge, holds the sticks with each hand.
It was diverting to see the two sledgemen striving to outrun each other.
Encouraged by Sir Charles's generosity, we very soon arrived at the other
end of the plain. The man who walked, or rather ran, between the sledge
and the mule, made a continual noise; hallooing and beating the stubborn
beast with his fists, which otherwise would be very slow in its motion.
At the end of this plain we found such another hut as that on the
Lanebourg side. Here they took off the smoking mules from the sledges,
to give them rest.
And now began the most extraordinary way of travelling that can be
imagined. The descent of the mountain from the top of this side, to a
small village called Novalesa, is four Italian miles.
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