44 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 



fectly distinct, and to have been found only in this spot. — (Geogr. Botan. 

 1855, page 587.) 



A few hours having been devoted to Eaux Bonnes, whose hotels were 

 crowded with patients, and offered poor accommodation to the mere 

 passing traveller, we returned to the valley, and ascended the gorge 

 leading to Eaux Chaudes, finding at the Hotel Baudot a pleasant wel- 

 come and comfortable apartments. This small village, for it scarcely 

 deserves the name of town, is less romantically placed than Eaux Bonnes. 

 The gorge is narrow, but offers sufficient space along one of its borders 

 for a narrow street, which might, if required, be extended, a good car- 

 riage road having been formed on a gradual ascent towards Gabas, six 

 miles further up the mountains. This road, as a mule path, is further 

 continued over the mountains into Spain, and is much frequented during 

 the summer months, not merely by invalids en route for Panticosa, but 

 by thousands of muleteers, who carry on a legal or contraband trade in 

 French and Spanish merchandise. 



"We rode up the next day to Gabas, at the base of the highest ridge 

 of the Pic du Midi d'Ossau, hoping to gain a near view of this, one of 

 the monarchs of the Pyrenean range ; but, to our great disappointment, 

 a dense fog enveloped the mountain summit, and refused to withdraw 

 its white veil of impenetrable gauze during our brief halt at its feet, 

 most provokingly uncovering the beauties it concealed when we had 

 again returned to our hotel, and could view them at the respectful dis- 

 tance of some eight or ten miles. The form of this mountain is that of 

 a cone, with a double or forked peak : its height is 7500 feet, and, with 

 its glistening snows, even at the distance of Eaux Chaudes, it forms a 

 very beautiful termination to the landscape. 



For several miles the road towards Gabas skirted forests of pine, and 

 rocky knolls covered with thick shrubberies of box ; and while our 

 ponies were baited at this mountain hostelry, we wandered into the 

 woods, and collected a few interesting plants. Among these were ex- 

 cellent specimens of Asplenium septentrionale, a fern of rare occurrence 

 in the highest mountainous districts of Wales and Scotland, but which 

 here occupied every rocky crevice. 



Before leaving Eaux Chaudes we noted the conspicuous manner in 

 which the abrupt sides of the gorge exhibited the line of junction be- 

 tween the limestone and the granite rocks of the higher ridges of the 

 mountain. At this line oiiginate the hot springs of the bathing estab- 

 lishment, which is well supplied by numerous sources, the temperature 

 of the principal being about 95° Fahrenheit. They are much resorted 

 to by those who find the stronger waters of Eaux Bonnes unnecessary 

 in mild cases of rheumatism or bronchitis. 



From Eaux Chaudes it was possible to pass, on foot or horseback, by 

 a mountain path to Argelez, and thus reach Cauteretz, our next desti- 

 nation : the distance by this route is about twenty -five miles. To avoid 

 parting from our baggage, however, which we would have been obliged 

 to trust to the care of strangers, we preferred making the necessary 



