Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1915-07-16

tive to progress-the goal Of my jour-
ney being the entrance to the Val
di Ledro, where the road makes an
abrupt swerve into a precipitous
mountain gorge.
Lake Viewed From Above.
The lake below me was faint purple
in the shadow of the cliffs, while be-
yond, where the golden light still
touched the water, it was a delicate
shade of turquoise. Rowboats, drift
ing or In motion, shrunk in size to
toy craft, and their rowers were like
pygmies working automatically. The
white and saffron and umber sails that
dotted the lakes bosom seemed no
more than SO many taut or Tapping
flags.
Leaning over the parapetlike wall
that guards the road / observed that
in many places the descent was sheer,
in others there were jutting crags
carpeted with coarse grass and droop-
ing sprays of family crimson flower.
At length l came to tunnel that was
guarded both at the near and the
further entrance by huge grated iron
gates that were backswung. Above
upon an outlook reached by a zigzag
path was sentry box.
This was the boundary between
Austria and Italy, and l later learned
that in certain well chosen places the
Ponale road is mined and is likely,
in the event of hostilities between the
two countries, to be rendered in an
eye twinkling unusable. A second
series Of gates succeeded the first, and
here there were barbed wire entangle-
ments as we'll as threatening looking
lines of loopholes staring at me from
a small but massive one-storied struc'
ture built into the mountainside.
Famous Old Stronghold.
AS one draws toward Malcesine, on
the eastern shore, the imposing bulk
of it's castle looms up boldly. This
fortress marks the rule of that prince
ly family of Verona, the Scaligers, and
it's crenelated tower and grand sweep
Of battlements IRE among the most
striking features upon the lake. At
their massive base the town washing
was being done, and some enterprising
boatmen were calking fishing schoon-
er in a little bay adjacent. At the
landing fruit women were clamorous
and a Maicesine dog added his Nex-
clamatory voice to theirs.
To the south the beetling height OF
Monte CASTILLO now became prominent,
not again to be lost sight ola noun
tain headland rising sheer from the
lakes border, with a church nesting
just below its crest. AS we bore to-
ward the Tremosine landing began to
wonder where the town was.
At first glance there was nothing
visible save the wharf and an almost
perpendicular cliff. Then / CHANGED to
follow the line Of the precipice to its
top, an elevation of more than 1900
feet. and there, hanging upon the very
verge, was cluster Of houses. AS We
approached deserted two windlasses
one at the lakes edge and one at the
cliffs crown-connected by seemingly
slender wire cables. These. 1t proved,
were used for hoisting provisions and
building material and for letting down
whatsoever of produce the villagers
and mountain jewellers desire to ex'
port.
Path Up the Mountain.
Access to Tremosine is gained by q
zigzag path, though just how 1t mounts
the last two hundred feet 1t was i'm
possible to discern. At the waterside
large signs announced hotels with
grand views above, and whatever
comforts they might lack, no one could
deny them this attraction.
Near Campione, crouching under
Monte CASTILLO, tiny white shrine,
sacred to fishermen, shone from its
niche of rock Beyond Tingale, with
it's slender waterfall. more peaceful
landscape became the ruling feature.
There were vast stretches of olive
groves interspersed with lemon ter
races, here and there among them
slender expresses towering like so
many Noah's ark trees.