524 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke on the 



snow to allow mules to traverse them until July, and that at 

 the present time the snow lay both deep and soft from near the 

 foot of the pass to its summit, rendering the journey, which 

 is both difficult and long under most favourable circum- 

 stances, now quite impossible. Our would-be, but not dis- 

 interested, advisers suggested the long and costly journey, 

 requiring a number of mules, via Bourg-Madame and the 

 Spanish towns of Puycerda and Urgel, and thus to approach 

 Andorra from the south — a recommendation which we de- 

 clined, and, much disappointed, we returned to Ax, 



A day or two after we heard that a small party of Andor- 

 reans had crossed the mountains on foot by the Port de 

 Saldeu, and on the receipt of this news we at once posted to 

 Hospitalet in the hope that we might be able to accomplish 

 a similar journey. After some conversation, during which 

 the now familiar words '^ Neige, beaucoup de neige " were 

 frequently introduced, perhaps to forewarn us, all was satis- 

 factorily arranged for a start on the following morning. At 

 5 A.M. on the 20th of May, accompanied by our guide 

 Minguel, and carrying a minimum amount of luggage for a 

 week^s sojourn, including guns and cartridges, we set out for 

 Andorra. Our route at first lay through high pasture-lands 

 covered here and there by great sheets of snow. At 6000 

 feet the snow from the high enclosing mountains crossed 

 the narrow valley, and the river, which we had hitherto been 

 following, was lost under its mantle. All was now snow, 

 except where here and there a high rock cropped out from 

 beneath and formed a welcome object on which to cast and 

 rest the eyes from the brilliantly sunlit and dazzling surround- 

 ings. Plodding along slowly with the snow up to our knees, 

 but following as much as possible the track of the Andor- 

 reans, we reached the summit of the Port de Saldeu, 8202 

 feet, in good form, at 9.45 a.m. Bird-life was not absent 

 from this high snow-clad valley. The Dipper was observed 

 on the river^s margin until its waters '' took the snow/' The 

 Hedge Accentor was the most abundant species, and occurred, 

 along with the Black Redstart and Water Pipit, on every 

 rock that peeped from under the snow, but ceasiug when 



