New-York daily tribune., 1844-02-15
Gllntpses of Europe.
NUMBER ALA. By TRAVELLING Nxw-YoR KER.
Foreign Correspondence of the New ok r tribune


lovely trio arc the three lakes OF Northerl
Italy, winch in a shining cluster lic." The,
are three sisters, each with charm Of her own
and each most beautiful. LAGo MAcGroRE, tn
most westerly (and therefore the nearest to Amer
ica) l first saw on arriving at Bapeao, after
very early ride of five hours from Donno d'Ossola
From the terrace of the dirty inn the Lake was
seen spreading Northward, sprinkled by islands
and framed by mountains. At Baveno we plan
ned an original route to include all three Of the
Lakes, and the experiment proved so successful
that similar course may safely be recommended
to future travellers. Embarking here in one OF
the lake boats (whose awning. stretched on hoops
make them look like the skeletons of whales, and
whose rowers stand erect facing the point to
which they go, and push their long oars IL
stead Of pulling them we arrived in half an hour
at ISola Bella
This beautiful island is entirely the work OF
art, and after careful examination of its beau
ties and ample time for subsequent reflection, it
is hard to say whether it should be admired or
ridculed. Less than two centuries ago it was a
barren slate rock, slightly elevated above the sur
face of the lake. Nowit is fairy garden, laden
with the productions of Che tropics, and the bad
taste which deforms it can scarcely be noticed by
traveller descending from the frozen Alps. when
he looks at the luxuriant beauty which here sur
rounds hum. Every particle Of earth on the island
was brought from the shores of the lake. and the
mass thus accumulated is piled up in ten terraces
rising and receding in pyramidal form. The
lowest are supported by ranges of broad arches,
under which are cool grottoes with fountains and
statues, and with seats commanding the fine vis-
tas around the lake. Above these rise gardens
upon gardens bordered by statues, vases and bal
ustrades, and filled with the rich vegetation which
properly belongs only to countries warmed by
vertical sun. Laurcls here become forest trees,
seventy feet in hight The camphor tree rises
like pear tree in size and shape, and every part
of it, even to It's crushed leaves, is fragrant with
It's refreshing essence. The Camca Japonica SO
great favorite in America, here becomes tree
and bears fruit like apples The Cedar of Leban-
on seems as perfectly at home here as In its ma
tive Palestine. A thousand Orange Lemon and
Citron trees are nterspersed through the garden,
heavily laden with the golden fruit, and ali this
is within sight of the covered Alps!
Isola Bella is remarkable and beautiful ex-
ample of the triumph of mans skill in resisting
the powers of the elements; whether the labor,
ingenuity and wealth, so bountilully lavished upon
this spot, be not misapplied, and whether higher
and more valuable results might not nave been
attained by different direction Of them, is another
question. But although it is true that much of
the beauty seems forced and unnatural, and though
it is deformed by much fantastic affectation and
erroneous taste. traveller fresh from the bare rocks
ofthe Smpon, cannotfal to be delighted wththls
little Paradise of flowers and would be ungrateful
in the extreme to crticise TOO harshly what has
given him SO much pleasure.
After strolling for an hour among the fruit and
flowers of Isola Bella, ascending and descending
the broad steps which connect its terraces, enter
ing its grottoes where fountains play among aloes
and cactuses, we at length reluctantly tore our
selves away from its charms, and embarked agaln
to continue our little voyage up Lago Maggiore.
The mountains which surround it run down TO the
very brink, and are reflected as vividy as reall-
ties in it's smooth waters. Every little platform,
or hollow. Oh their dark green slopes is filed with
a cluster Of white houses, and from each village
rises tall white tower with overhanglng top, IN
which hangs the bell to summon the people TO
mathis or yespers Often such tower stands on
shelf of rock with q chapel at It's foot, and not
a house near; but when the bell sounds tram
of peasants may be seen winding up narrow
path, invisible from below, and passing around
the prccipiccst to their morning or evening prayers
Twelve such chapels were in sight at once and the
beauty they add to an Italian landscape harmo-
nizes well with the clear blue of the sky ana the
green depth Of the foliage.
Along these lovely shores VIC coasted Tor seV-
era hours, and at last, almost sorry to arrive' we
reached Luyiao Here began one OF the chie1
discomforts of our new route, Tor about thesc
lakes the territories of Sardinia, Switzerland ana
Austria, are so dove-talcd into each other, liiat
YOU cross from one into the other and BACK again
many different times, and on each occasion your
,,a ssnort must be endorsed with PERMISSION 10
leave the country, and then on crossing Inc iilie
with permission to enter the other Accordingly
on approaching Luvino an Austrian custom-ho"se
officer was seen pacing up and down the shore
ready to pounce upon US, and, on landing, our lug
oacn was seized by dozen extempore pofters'
each taking something, and as there were more
men than articles, two strong fellows carried d
bat.box between them, and every thing was taken
70 the custom m-house-marked by the black and
yellow stripes, which are the badges OF Austria,
Here the officer merely looked at the trunks and
was satisfied with being told that they contained