136 Mr Arnott's Tour to the South of France. 



In addition to what I have mentioned as the more common, 

 we found scattered the Iberis garrexiana (I cannot believe that 

 this differs from Iberis sempervirens)^ Plantago sericea, W. et 

 K. Cardamine resedifblia, Spergtda saginoides, Pyrethrmn al- 

 pmum, and Primula viscosa^ all which we procured as we fol- 

 lowed the mule along the footpath to the summit of that part of 

 the mountain called the Treizabents. The scene at this point was 

 grand. Our view extended far down into Spain, to Girona, Fi- 

 gueras, and the Bay of Rosas. Looking back towards the her- 

 mitage, we had at some distance on our left the true summit of 

 the Canigou, about 300 feet still above us ; but as the snow 

 seemed newly melted from off it, and no appearance of vegeta- 

 tion, we felt no inclination to go out of our road, for the sole 

 purpose of mounting to the top. On our right was another 

 point of the mountain called the Sept Hommes. The highest 

 part of the Canigou is said to be about 1450 toises, or 8700 

 feet above the level of the sea : it is the most elevated mountain 

 in tbe Pyrenees orientales, and is seen even from Montpellier. 



We now descended the north side, and, though we found 

 again several of those we picked up in our ascent, yet, compa- 

 ratively speaking, few specimens were in flower, owing to the 

 large masses of snow that still lay unmelted. According to our 

 guide''s account, there was even more snow now than had been 

 a month before, owing to a second storm. Indeed, we saw 

 proofs of it in the beautiful Senecio leucophi/Uus, which appa- 

 rently had almost been in flower before the last storm came on, 

 but that so buried it beneath the snow, and checked its progress, 

 that, even at this advanced season, we could not procure one 

 good specimen. As, however, we came down to the more shel- 

 tered and warmer spots, we found abundance of other plants, 

 among which were Sisymbrium pinnatifidum. Anemone alpina, 

 var. sulphurea, Rhododendrum Jerrugineum^ Paronychia poly- 

 gonifblia. Reseda sesamoides, besides the Azalea procumbens * 

 in profusion. At length, after a fatiguing, if not a long walk, 

 we arrived at Cady, a small summer cabin for the shepherds at 

 the entrance of the wood, and at the base of the principal sum- 

 mit of the Canigou. 



Having passed here a pretty good night, thanks to the fa- 



• I agree with Mr Don in thinking this to be the only legitimate speciet 

 of Azalea, and that all the others form a section of Rhododendron, 



