from Journals and Notebooks: 1826-1829 by Washington Irving

... we were fortunate enough to arrive rather early for shortly after the inn was crouded with new comers who found great difficulty in finding beds.

April 28  We left Fiorenzolo this morning about sun rise, having been cautioned by Mr Morelli of Bologna not to travel in these parts in the dark. Indeed we had heard from others as well from him (Mr Morelli) that the country as you approach Milan is very infested by robbers, particularly after leaving Lodi. Between that place and Milan it is dangerous to travel either before sun rise or after dark, and very often at midday as at that time the peasantry are not in the fields, but at home eating dinner, which affords a good opportunity for the Robbers. Mr Morrelli had been robbed himself, in these, near Milan last summer.

We had sufficient proof that his information was well grounded, for between Fiorenzola and Piacenza we passed several crosses (in three places) nailed to trees near which travellers had been robbed and murdered. One of the crosses appeared quite new. In one place five crosses were naild on one tree, in another place two. The scenery was the same as yesterday except that to the right we saw the chain of Alps covered with snow, that run along the borders ...