This grand and romantic spectacle will be best witnessed from below, to which a guide should be taken to conduct you, by a narrow steep footway, the carriage returning and awaiting your arrival at the termination of the falls; there will be however, a considerable distance to walk.
We did not return to Terni before five o’clock, when, at the instance of our driver, although contrary to my own inclinations, my companions were induced to drive on to Spoletto, to accomplish which journey, we had an additional horse for the first post, and afterwards a pair of oxen attached to our voiture, to enable us to ascend to Mount Somma, said to be two thousand feet in height; it was, however, too dark to see, from this elevated spot, the delightful scenery around it, and over the beautiful plains of Terni, which we had just quitted, and Clitumnus, on which we were entering.
At ten o’clock, we arrived at Spoletto, which appeared to be a fine ancient town, with a beautiful cathedral, fountains, and other public buildings. The inhabitants are not a little proud of their city having held out against Hannibal, when he besieged it, after his signal defeat of the Romans at Thrasymene.
At Spoletto we had a comfortable bed and supper, in comparison to what we enjoyed the preceding night, when we were unfortunate enough to be anticipated by a large party of English ladies, attended by one gentleman; and I suppose we should have been placed in the same situation, throughout our journey, had not the latter been taken so seriously ill at Terni, as to be unable to proceed.
On Thursday, we set out with day-light; breakfasted at Foligno, and reached Perrugia at nine in the evening, between which places, the road turns off on the right for Lorretto, Ancona, and Venice. On our arrival, it was so cold, that, notwithstanding, we were in the centre of Italy at Midsummer, it was necessary to order a fire; indeed the sensation was so urgent, that, I believe, had we been compelled to give up this or our supper, the latter would have been abandoned. Perrugia is situated on very elevated ground, so that we were obliged to call in the assistance of a couple of oxen, for the last hour, to drag us up to it, and had experienced cold heavy rain throughout the greater part of the day. In the course of the afternoon, we were rather surprised at having once more to cross the Tiber.
The following morning was exceedingly cold as we left Perrugia, but as the day advanced, and we descended into a more champaign country, the day became finer, as well as comfortably warm. We now, after passing through the village of Torricelli, arrived at the borders of the renowned lake of Thrasymene, where we travelled by its side, along a tolerably level road, through Passignano, from whence we passed over a small plain to Borghetto, the lake being constantly on our left, and the Appennine mountains surrounding this plain on our right.
“It was in the centre of this plain, that Hannibal encamped at the head of the African and Spanish troops; the Baleares, and the light-armed forces, he placed on the recesses of the mountains all around, while his cavalry were commissioned to occupy a defile in rear of the Romans, as soon as they had passed through it. The consul entered by Borghetto, with his characteristic rashness and impetuosity, and hastened to attack the army which he beheld in front; when a sudden shout bursting all around, informed him that he was beset on all sides; a thick mist rising from the lake, darkened the air; noise, confusion, dismay, defeat, and slaughter, immediately followed.”
We breakfasted at Casa del Piano, and after the various ceremonies of entering the Tuscan territories, reached Castiglione Fiorentino at half after seven in the evening. This is a beautiful village, and we could not avoid contrasting, as I believe all other travellers do, the appearance of the country and people, with the Roman states. We had a good supper, and some excellent wine of Monte Pulciano, and moreover, the felicity of being waited upon by a neat, interesting young female.
On the following morning, as we were preparing to depart, we found our fair attendant had laid out a breakfast of coffee, &c., in so clean and inviting a manner, that we could not resist breaking through our usual custom of travelling a stage before we took breakfast. We found it so good, compared to what we had for some days been accustomed to, that we could not refrain from loudly expressing our preference of Tuscany. After this repast, we felt inclined for walking, and as the morning was delightful, Major S⸺ and myself, accompanied our voiture in this way for ten miles, until, near Arezzo, the inconvenience of several droves of cattle, intended for a fair at that place, induced us to re-enter the carriage. At this place, we regretted parting from Major S⸺, who left us for Sienna, promising however to rejoin us in a few days at Florence, where, he said, he had a brother, belonging to the Danish navy, with whom he should be happy to make us acquainted.
It was at this town that a monk, named Guido l’Aretino, in the eleventh century, first invented the present scale of musical notes. Our vittureno did not appear in haste to leave it, because he was desirous of picking up, if possible, a couple of passengers, to fill the now vacant places of Major S⸺ and his servant. This gave us nearly three hours to explore the place, which we found a pretty large and pleasing town.