The Road From Domo
D'Ossola Thro' The Villages Of Ornavasso And Vagogna Is Thro' A Fertile And
Picturesque Valley, Or Rather Gorge, Of The Mountain, Narrow At First, But
Which Gradually Widens As You Approach To The Lake.
The river Toso runs
nearly in a parallel direction with the road.
The air is much milder than
in Switzerland, and you soon perceive the change of climate from its
temperature, as well as from the appearance of the vines and mulberry trees
and Indian corn called in this country grano turco.
At Fariolo, after breakfast, my friend Zadera took leave of me and embarked
his carriage on the lake in order to proceed to Lugano; and I who was bound
to Milan, having hired a cabriolet, proceeded to Arona, after stopping one
hour to refresh the horses at Belgirate. The whole road from Fariolo to
Arona is on the bank of the Lago Maggiore, and nothing can be more neat
than the appearance of all these little towns which are solidly and
handsomely built in the Italian taste.
Before I arrived at Arona, and at a distance of two miles from it, I
stopped in order to ascend a height at a distance of one-eighth of a mile
from the road to view the celebrated colossal statue in bronze of St
Charles Borromaeus, which may be seen at a great distance. It is seventy
cubits high, situated on a pedestal of twenty feet, to ascend which
requires a ladder. You then enter between his legs, or rather the folds of
his gown, and ascend a sort of staircase till you reach his head.
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