New-York daily tribune., 1844-02-15


Vetturino,' or carriage-man, for the next dav
lie demanded % francs l laughed at him
and he instantly down to 90. offered him
III and he finally agreed to Is. That is the way
things are done in Italy, and this bargaining,
though at first very disagrecable necessity be-
comes soon an instructive amusement.
Next we sent our luggage to the only hotel in
the place, and thougha regular bargain was made
with the porters, on paying them their price they,
too begged 'qualche cosa more. The inn was
outside af the village of Luvino and upon the
shore Of the lake. Like most Italian inns. it was
built around courtyard, and its entrance served
equally for man and beast The basement floor
was occupied by stables, and the rooms above
were paved with bricks. Here however, we
managed to dine and pass the night pretty COM
| fortaby, lulled 10 sleep by the waves of the
lake, dashed on the shore by high wind which
arose In the night.
At sunrise the next morning we left Luvno,
getting glorious view of Lago Maggore from
high hill which we crossed. Soon after, you
leave the Austrian territory but must first have
your passport examined, TO see that you are not
refugee from Justice. The official here was ex-
ceedingly bothered by the epithet of Esq
which was unluckily attached tony name in my
passport. First he demanded if it was my family
name and then what it meant. Now the term
Esquire is hard to define even in English, but
much more so to explain to a stupid fellow, who
spoke only Italian and German. After exhaust
ing my vocabulary in both languages, told him
finally that it was a mere complimentary title of
courtesy. "Ah yes. yes" said he; 81 under
stand; title" and he forthwith registered me
as Count c.
This difficulty being thus satisfactorily over
come, we left Austria and entered the Swiss can
ton of Ticino, and by beautiful road soon after
arrived at Lugano-a picturesque town built on
the slope of hill rising from the LAKE OF LII
GANo, the second of the three beautiful sisters
The Cathedral Of the town looks down upon it
from hill ascended by broad steps. Around its
door marble bas-reliefs worthy to be pre-
served in gallery of the fine arts, and beside it
is curious ossuary,' or bone-house Looking
through grated window you see nine skulls grin
ming at you from an altar, and over them is an
inscription, Pray for the souls of the justified
This memento morn is very necessary here, for in
this climate and in this country, a man might
easily fancy hinlsefimmortal.
At noon we embarked at Lugano for the East
ern extremity of the lake. Its shores are here
bright and smiling, and speckled with villas and
churches. But as you advance the houses be-
come fewer, the foliage less luxuriant, and the
shores more steep and rocky. Pine forests lend
wilder character, and the rocks are often entirely
bare Of verGure. The houses are scanty, and
perchcd on little shelves of rock beside small
patch of vines and olives. Inc ..enory much
resembles that of our New York Lake George, or
more properly Lake Horizon, which one should
wish to see again before calling even Laguno
more beautiful.
In the middle of the lake we were beckoned
ashore, and for what think you To show our
nsssnorts again to the Austrian Customhouse
officers there stationed. They also entered the
boat. and compelled the boatmen to open their
nackaoes of bread and cheese to see that they
had nothing to smuggle, but our large luggage
was passed on our simple declaration that VIC had
nothing contraband Here is great distinction
Of persons"
We dined deliciously on rich grapes and lus
cops fics. fresh from the tree, which we had
bouoht in Lugano for less pence than they would
have cost pounds in England. The fresh fig has
delicate sweetness of which We have no exam
ple in our country. There are two species, green
and purple the latter the more luscious, but the
former more delicate. At first they are devoured
with ayiditv, but they soon cloy on the appetite
and are little valued after the novelty is at an end
A strong wind raised high waves, with" white
capsn upon the little lake, and at every fresh
cnst the boatmen would stop to invoke the
Saints. instead pulling the harder but IN three
hours we reached Porle=Sa, at the Northeastern
extremity Of Lago Lugano Here we were again
met by an Austrian custom-house officer, VINO
was, however, satisfied with has " Qualche cosa'
without opening the trunks, and after the usual
| haroaining, we took carriage by a road through
y;ncvards and olive plantations, and at sunset
reached Cadenabbia on the shore OF the Lake Ct
Como.
LAGo p1 CoMo is the most lovely OF the trio,
chiefly because it is the most varied and versatile
Of them all. Indeed it is itself three lakes, beng
shaped like the letter Y, with the open part to the
South. and each of the three branches having
pecuI;ar character of their own Cadena151a
| lies immediately opposite the fork of the letter.
Here few days passed most deliciously after the
latigues of Switzerland. We seemed TO have
cone back season, for on the Alps was winter,
5rt bore still was midsummer. Vines, bending
with the bursting grapes, hung from the mulber-
rics. Figs and olives were ali over, prousey Ia
l l.. L where