CHAPTER XXXYI.

THE STEIATO PASS—THE OltTLEll SPITZ-THE VALTELINE.

The great military road, over Mont Stclvio was constructed by the Emperor of Austria ,as a new line of communication between bis German and Italian states, and as havingthe advantage of not traversing any portion of territory belonging to another govern-ment. From Vienna two roads communicate with this pass, meeting at Prad. Shortlyafter leaving this village, the road begins to ascend the magnificent mountain of theOrtler Spitz. A little beyond the barrier, this mountain suddenly discloses itself withan appalling effect, as it is seen from its summit to its base robed in everlasting snows,■while enormous glaciers, descending from its sides, stream into the valley below theroad. Immense masses of rock, in themselves mountains, throw out their black andscathed forms in striking contrast with the brightness of the glaciers which theyseparate. Mr. Brockedon considers the whole ascent from Drofoi as without a parallelin Alpine scenery.

The road, which is admirably constructed, winds round the northern side of the deepravine into which the glaciers sink, and so near to them that a stone may, with littleeffort, bo thrown upon them. The summit of this extraordinary pass is the highest thathas been made traversiblo for carriages in the world; it being 9,272 feet above the sea,780 feet above the line of perpetual snow in this latitude, and nearly half a mileperpendicularly higher than the pass of the Simplon. Yet the road on the summit isusually clear of snow by the end of July, and, except from occasional falls, continues sotill September. A descent of 993 feet leads down to the inn and custom-house on theMonte Brauglio, over which there is a passage from the Valteline to the valley of theAdige . This was formerly a line of considerable commerce ; but as this route traverseda small part of the territory of the Grisons, the Austrian government made the new roadascend, by the defile of Drofoi, to a col a thousand feet higher.

From the Monte Brauglio, a zigzag road leads down to the IVurmser-loch, a deep andappalling ravine, through which the Adda falls from rock to rock. This was formerlyconsidered one of the most dangerous passes of the Alps, but is now rendered secure bygalleries, either excavated in the rock or constructed by masonry. The extent of theroad thus sheltered is 2,226 feet, besides 700 feet more so cut out of the side of themountain as to be sufficiently guarded by the impending rock. This defile leads downto the Valley of Bormio . The little town of that name was formerly enriched by thetransit of merchandise from Venice to the Grisons by the old pass. The district ofBormio terminates at the narrow defile of La Sarra, which w r as then secured by a walland a gate. Here the traveller leaves behind him the cold region, and descends withthe Adda into the rich district of the Val Teline or Valteline.

Valteline is a longitudinal valley on the Italian side of the Rhsctian Alps, drainedthroughout its length by the river Adda. This river rises at the foot of the Stilsfer Joch,over which the new road made by the Austrian government leads from the Tyrol into