to Reggio. ROTO\DA. 17. Route. ISI
of .7 arches, and then ascends the mountain in zigzags. A short
distance beyond the culminating point a charming view is dis¬
closed to the S. of the valley of the Diano , into which the road
now descends. On entering it the beautifully situated Polla,
almost entirely destroyed in 1857, is left to the r. The valley,
15. M. in length, 3 M. in width, is traversed by the Negro, or
rather Calore, as it is here named, and is remarkable for its fer¬
tility. Numerous villages are situated on the heights on the r.
and 1. The road ascends more rapidly. On the 1. lies Atena, the
ancient Atina in Lucania, with remnants of an amphitheatre, walls
and towers, almost destroyed by the earthquake of 1S57. Then
to the 1. Sala, picturesquely situated on a height; opposite to it,
a short distance farther, on the other side of the river which is
crossed by the Ponte di Silla, an ancient Roman bridge, rises the
small town of Diano on an isolated eminence, the ancient
Jegianum, whence the valley derives its name. To the L, 3"2-M.
farther, lies Padula, below which are the distorted ruins of the
Certosa di S. Lorenzo.
A by-road traversing the Monte S. Elm and the valley of the Agri, leads
to Miui'i uairro and Saponuru where (near Agriinonle) the ruins of an am¬
phitheatre indicate the site of the ancient Grumeiituin. Coins, statues and
bronzes are frequently found here. This entire tract was frightfully de¬
vastated by the earthquake of Dec. 1857, and upwards of ln,<KKl persons
perished.
At ('asalnuovo the ascent commences and 7 M. farther the
other side of the mountain is reached. Then across the rivulet
Trecchina to I.agonegro , halting-place of the votturiir, a small
town in a wild situation, surrounded by lofty mountains. Hero
in 1806 the French gained a victory over the Neapolitans, after
which they committed the most savage excesses.
The road now winds through dark and profound ravines, pass¬
ing to the 1. by the Lago di Seroni . the ancient Lavas Xiger,
near the gorges where the Sinno, the Siris of the ancients, takes
its rise. The next village, Lauria , lies at the base of a lofty
mountain, opposite the huge mass of Monte Sinno. and sur¬
rounded by vineyards. Then Caslelluccio, rising on an eminence.
above the Lao, Lat. Laos, surrounded by dense woods. Tin- next
village is
Rotonda, where the vetturini usually pass the third night.
The province of Calabria ("ttra is now entered and the long and
desolate table-land of Campo 7 enese traversed, where in 1S0H the
Neapolitans fled before the French general Iio-nier. The road
then winds downwards and passes through the narrow valley at
the base of Monte Poliino (6S75ft.). on the AV. side of which
Morano, the ancient Muranum, is picturesquely situated.
The town of Castrovillari (9"2 M. I, situated on an eminence.
surrounded by lofty mountains, with an ancient Norman ca-tlc
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