. In the Abruzzi . a prouder descent—from the ancientkings of Scotland, Duncan, the victim of Macbeth, theirancestor. With the Stuart dynasty they claimed connec-tion too, and Charles H. by a patent gave them theright to bear his family name. Thus in later ages theywere always known as the Cantelmi-Stuarts. AtPettorano, at Popoli, at Pratola, at Roccacasale, atRoccaraso, at a score of other places, their castles are inruins ; and only the shade of the name remains of a racethat kept a province in awe and used the people asstufi for war and faction fights. Pettorano in its poverty has kept more
. In the Abruzzi . a prouder descent—from the ancientkings of Scotland, Duncan, the victim of Macbeth, theirancestor. With the Stuart dynasty they claimed connec-tion too, and Charles H. by a patent gave them theright to bear his family name. Thus in later ages theywere always known as the Cantelmi-Stuarts. AtPettorano, at Popoli, at Pratola, at Roccacasale, atRoccaraso, at a score of other places, their castles are inruins ; and only the shade of the name remains of a racethat kept a province in awe and used the people asstufi for war and faction fights. Pettorano in its poverty has kept more of the grandair than Pacentro. With its great sweeping view faralong to Monte Corno, and its women with their finephysique, their gorgeous costume and jewellery, it hassplendour still. The country from Sulmona to Castel di Sangro is ofpeculiar beauty. The land rises from Pettorano up tomountainous heights. After the dark Valle Scura andthe terrible Piano di Cinquemiglia, the view opens out , J 1 • • ,■ ^ ^. O2 I H CH. XIII.] ROAD TO CASTEL DI SANGRO 267 round Roccaraso to undulating stony moorlands, to highoak forests, dominated everywhere by spurs of theMajella; then falls by gradual, gentle slopes to thetowering fortress place above the rushing river of the main roads to Naples runs through this tract;and the hardy traveller would be well advised to foot itor ride it—unless he be curious about the construction ofmountain railways. This one from Sulmona to Iserniaand Naples is wonderful enough in the first part of itscourse. It takes you smoothly along to Pettorano, thenswings you back almost to Sulmona again, then eastwardfar into the Majella, where it seems to lose itself Itburrows, it emerges, it hangs by its teeth on the edge ofthe precipice ; it swings up to the bare top of the worldat Campo di Giove, where once stood a temple to GreatJupiter. If this be the chosen route, then the goal had bestbe Roccaraso, which makes an excellent centre, and—the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookidinabruzzi00m, bookyear1908
