Austria-Hungary . e ruggedcliffs ; the torrent rushing by is spanned by bridgesof snow, while huge unmelted avalanches lie in itsbed below, cascades tumble from a hundred heights,while peaks, some dark, some snowy, many thou-sand feet high almost close overhead, and seem tojut into the sky. The valley of the Inn is boundedby lofty mountain ranges on both sides, and is ofan average breadth of two to six miles. It is highlycultivated, and a good deal of Indian corn is grown,the little patches of agricultural land pushing upthe slopes of the steep ground as they overflow thevalley. The Brenner Pa
Austria-Hungary . e ruggedcliffs ; the torrent rushing by is spanned by bridgesof snow, while huge unmelted avalanches lie in itsbed below, cascades tumble from a hundred heights,while peaks, some dark, some snowy, many thou-sand feet high almost close overhead, and seem tojut into the sky. The valley of the Inn is boundedby lofty mountain ranges on both sides, and is ofan average breadth of two to six miles. It is highlycultivated, and a good deal of Indian corn is grown,the little patches of agricultural land pushing upthe slopes of the steep ground as they overflow thevalley. The Brenner Pass, as one of the gateways ofthe Alps, is known by name to many who couldnot place it geographically did their lives hang onthe chance. Numberless military expeditions havewound their way through these precipices and crags,beginning with the wild tribes of the ages beforehistory has detailed records, on to the days of theRomans, who made the road through the , Odoacer, and Attila all made use of this. THE MOUNTAIN PASSES 169 pass, and some attribute the origin of the name toBrennus, the Gaul who harried the city of only was the pass the highway for armies, butfor trade and bands of merchants, whose lives indeedin the Middle Ages were seldom less adventurousthan those of recognised men of war. They pouredtheir caravans with rich freight through this now by a railway, the modern travellerhas the advantage of being able to sit at ease andenjoy the scenery while the powerful locomotives(often two) do the straining and panting to thehighest altitude at 4600 feet, for here there is notunnel to mar the view or choke the traveller withbriquette-smoke, as on so many Italian railway curves and curves again in its ascentup the incline, only having recourse to very brieftunnels and rock cuttings. The line is part of thatfrom Berlin to Rome and is owned by a privateFrench-Italian company. The station at the sum-mit level is called Brenner
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidaustriahunga, bookyear1915
