BORNII0, a county in Switzerland, lying at the foot, and in the midst of the Rhetian Alps, upon the confines of the Tyrol and the Grisons. Surrounded on every side by lofty mountains, it has only one nar row opening connecting it with the Valteline, and apparently formed by the river Adda, which flows through it. This opening is named the Serra. The other accesses to Bormio lie across the rugged Alps, which at all times are difficult and toilsome, and in winter frequently impassable. This county, which is about 15 miles in length and 14 in breadth, is divi into five communities or districts ; viz. Bormio, including the capital and several dependent villages ; the valley of Furba ; the valley of Pedinusa ; the valley of Cepino ; and the valley of Luvino. It for med. once a part of the Valteline, from which it was disjoined about the end of the twelfth century, when it became a separate county. After having frequent ly changed masters, and sustained many destructive wars, it was at length reduced under the dominion of the Grisons, who made a conquest of it in the year 1512. In the new division of Switzerland, recently made by its French conquerors, the county of Bor mio, with the Valteline, and Chiavenna, form a part of the Cisalpine republic.
The county of Bormio is, in general, very fertile. Its mountains, besides producing considerable quan tities of wood, afford-excellent pasturage for cattle ; and its valleys yield luxuriant crops of grain. It would appear, however, that the rearing of cattle is the principal object of attention; for the inhabitants are obliged to import corn and other articles of provi sion from different countries. For their wine they
are indebted to the Valteline ; for corn, to the Ty rol ; for corn and rice, to Milan; for linen, to Ber gamo and Appenzel ; and for cloth, to Germany. Their exports consist of cattle, cheese, and iron, which is obtained from the mines of Freli, in the plain of Pedinoso, wrought at the expence of a private in.' dividual, who enjoys all the profit, after paying a small annual rent to the community. The honey produced in Bormio is of the finest quality. The climate is keen, pure, and salubrious.
The established religion is Popery, nor is any other even tolerated. In spiritual affairs, the inhabitants of Bormio are under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Coire. Their priests ire held in great reverence, and enjoy peculiar privileges, which extend even to those who wear the clerical habit. Before Switzer land was revolutionised by the French, most of the peasants possessed a small portion of land ; and in consequence of the freedom of their government, were much happier than their neighbours of the Valteline and Chiavenna. Population 14,000. For further particulars relative to the former government of Bor mio, the reader may consult the third volume of Coxe's Travels in Switzerland. See also Diction naire do la Suisse. (pc)