At length, on Tuesday the 10th, we met a vittureno, who was departing in the morning, with the intention of taking the route of Turin; when viewing the little chance we had of getting any conveyance, which would take the passage of the Simplon for some days, we determined to embrace the opportunity, and immediately entered into an arrangement with him, to convey us to Geneva, resting two days at Turin, bearing our expenses for supper and beds each night, while actually travelling, for which we agreed to pay him four Napoleons and a half each; this as the journey would occupy nine days, we thought a reasonable bargain. The expense of travelling is considered to increase on leaving Italy, and passing through Switzerland, particularly by the way of the Simplon, in consequence of the great number of barriers on that road; but I became convinced from experience, that the real difference of expense, is nothing equal to what the proprietors of the voitures would wish one to suppose. The Swiss drivers appear far more acute than the French or the Italians, for the cunning of the latter is easily detected; while the manners of the former are more sagacious and collected. One in particular, impressed me so strongly with his archness of expression, that my imagination leads me to suppose, if my powers of sight would admit of a use of the pencil, I could at this instant depict his portrait, as correctly as if I had actually seen him. CHAP. XXV. JOURNEY FROM MILAN BY TURIN, AND OVER MOUNT CENIS TO GENEVA.