When the snow has
filled up all the inequalities of the mountain, it looks, in many parts,
as smooth and equal as a sugar-loaf. It is on the brink of this rapid
descent that they put the sledge. The man who is to guide it, sits
between the feet of the traveller, who is seated in the elbow-chair, with
his legs at the outside of the sticks fixed at the fore-ends of the flat
poles, and holds the two sticks with his hands; and when the sledge has
gained the declivity, its own weight carries it down with surprising
celerity. But as the immense irregular rocks under the snow make now
and then some edges in the declivity, which, if not avoided, would
overturn the sledge; the guide, who foresees the danger, by putting his
foot strongly and dexterously in the snow next to the precipice, turns
the machine, by help of the above-mentioned sticks, the contrary way,
and by way of zig-zag goes to the bottom. Such was the velocity of this
motion, that we dispatched these four miles in less than five minutes;
and, when we arrived at Novalesa, hearing that the snow was very deep
most of the way to Susa, and being pleased with our way of travelling, we
had some mules put again to the sledges, and ran all the way to the very
gates of that city, which is seven miles distant from Mount Cenis.
In our way we had a cursory view of the impregnable fortress of Brunetta,
the greatest part of which is cut out of the solid rock, and commands
that important pass.
Pages:
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405