117 



PYRENEES, BASSES. 



PYRENEES, BASSES. 



243 



Dtaim, kirtiug the nucleus of primitive rook* by which they are 



supported. The secondary formations, especially the now red-sand- 

 tone, and the Alpine limestone which overlies it, form the predominant 

 rocks ; the former is observed in the higher part of the mountains, 

 where it usually exceeds the transition rocks in elevation ; the Utter 

 appear* in the lower slopes and at the base of the mountains, extending 

 northward in several parts to the banks of the Adour and the Gave- 

 de-Pan. The immediate vicinity of these river*, and the north-eastern 

 part of the department, which extends across the Oave-de-Pau, are 

 occupied by the tertiary formations. Masses of secondary trap rocks 

 are found in the lower part of the valleys watered by feeders of the 

 Nive ; the Gave-d'OWron, and the dave-de-Pau. The formations of 

 the cretaceous group are found on the flanks of the Pyrenees, but 

 considerably altered in their mineralogies! character by their vicinity 

 to the granite. 



The mineral wealth of the department comprises silver, copper, iron, 

 lead, coal, salt, cobalt, and sulphur; slate, marble of all colours, 

 granite, alabaster, rotten-stone, and marl Of the numerous mineral 

 springs the most famous are those of Eaux-Bonnes and Eaux-Chaudes, 

 in the upper part of the Val-d'Osaau. Game abounds in the highlands, 

 and includes roebucks, bears, chamois, ortolans, &c. 



The height of the Pyrenees, and the snow that lies on them several 

 months in the year, the proximity of the ocean, and the great number 

 of springs, streams, marshes, and rivers, which, presenting & consider- 

 able surface, absorb a large quantity of heat, modify the temperature of 

 the department very considerably, and render it much less genial and 

 more cold than one -would expect from the latitude. From the end 

 of February to the end of April the south wind blows regularly, 

 changing winter into spring ; west winds succeed for the next two 

 months ; and during the summer and autumn the north and north- 

 west winds prevail. In some valleys men and women, the latter 

 especially, are very subject to goitre, the diseased gland in some ex- 

 ceeding the size of the head. 



The manufactures include linen, calico, coloured handkerchiefs, 

 flannel, drugget, hosiery, Bearnese caps, carpets, chocolate, liqueur 

 and common brandy, paper, leather, pottery, and iron. Ships are 

 built on the Adour and on the coast. The commerce is composed of 

 the various products already named, and of wine, liquorice, rosin, 

 prepared skins, wool, hides, deal planks, colonial produce, salt, &c. 

 Highway accommodation is afforded by 5 national and 20 depart- 

 mental roads: two of the former lead across the Pyrenees from 

 Bayonne to Spain, one through St-Jean-Pied-de-Port by the ' ports ' 

 or pusses of Orisson and Roncevaux ; the other to Pamplona by the 

 pass of Maya. A railway, opened in 1854 from Bordeaux to Bayonne, 

 gives the department rapid means of intercourse with Paris, and 

 connects it with the general railway system of France. 



The department was comprised in the Roman Novempopulana, It 

 is inhabited chiefly by two distinct races, the Bearnese and the 

 Basque.-', who differ from each other in character and language. There 

 are also several of that once degraded race, the Cagots, who it is 

 believed are descended from the Saracens. 



The surface measures 1,883,713 acres. Of this area, 386,049 acres 

 are under tillage; 163,723 acres are natural pasture; 57,269 acres are 

 laid out in vineyards; 323,183 acres are covered with woods and 

 forests; 15,385 acrea are occupied with orchards, nurseries, and 

 gardens; 841,997 acres consist of unproductive mountain and barren 

 moor; 37,106 acres are covered with streets, roads, and buildings; and 

 24,820 acres with rivers, waters, and lakes. 



The department is divided into five arrondissements, which, with 

 their sub-divisions and population, are as follows : 



1. Of the first arrondissement, and of tho whole department, the 

 capital is PAU. Lacar, 3 miles N.W. from Pau, is built on the slope 

 of a hill on the right bank of the Gave-de-Pau, and has a population 

 of 2096 ; before the revolution of 1789 it was the residence of a 

 bishop, and had a college of Barnabites. The church of Lescar is 

 reckoned among the historical monuments of France. Morlaag, once 

 the capital of licarn, and the residence of its viscounts, is situated 5 

 miles N.E from Pau, and has 1836 inhabitants. For several centuries 

 there was a mint in this town, at wbich the livres morlancs were 

 coined. Horse-races were established here by Gaston IV. Nay, 

 situated on the Gave-de-Pau at the extremity of a fertile plain 10 miles 

 S. by E. from Pau, is a well-built town with 3227 inhabitants, who 

 manufacture woollen-cloths, drugget, blankets, calico, hosiery, caps, 

 and leather. Pontac, 15 miles S.E. from Pau, on the Lousse, a feeder 

 of the Gave-de-Pau, has a population of 2123. 



2. In the second arrondissement tho chief town Olcron, or Oloron, 

 situated on the summit and slope of a hill at the confluence of the 



Aspe and tho Ossau, which here unite to form the Gave-d'Oloron, is 

 an ancient town, with 6272 inhabitants in the commune. The town, 

 which occupies the site of the ancient lluro, or Etorensium Civitas, has 

 i tribunal of first instance, manufactures of cloth, woollen caps, hosiery, 

 woollen-yarn, horn and boxwood combs, leather, and paper. There is 

 a good trade with Navarre and Aragon in wool, sheep-skins, hams, and 

 cattle. A high bridge over the Aspe, under which there are several 

 mills, joins the town to Sainte-Marie-d' Oloron, a well-built little town 

 of 3629 inhabitants. In this town, there is a street called Rue-des- 

 Jagots from its having been the residence of that unfortunate race; 

 .n the ancient parish church there is still to be seen tho separate door 

 and holy water basin of the Cagots. Arudy, prettily situated in a 

 fertile territory watered by the Ossau, is 10 miles S. from Oloron, and 

 has about 2000 inhabitants, several of whom are Cagots. The church 

 of Arudy, like that of Sainte-Marie, gives evidence of the loathing 

 with which this race was formerly looked upon. Arudy is a place of 

 considerable trade in wool, cattle, sheep, corn and agricultural produce, 

 as the shepherds and graziers on the slopes of the Pyrenees dispose of 

 their stock and buy provisions in the town. Laruns, a small place of 

 1814 inhabitants, 8 miles S. from Arudy, is a depot for the mast and 

 ship-timber from the Pyrenees for the French marine. It has also 

 iron-forges. Not far from this town is the valley, village, and baths of 

 Eaux-Chaudes, and a little further south is the Pic-du-Midi-de-Pau, a 

 granite mountain, the summit of which is 9700 feet high, being the 

 highest point within the department. Lasseube, a large village with 

 a population of 3040, stands on the Buze, 8 miles N.E. from Oloron. 

 Monein, a well-built town, consisting of several good streets abutting 

 on a central square, is situated 8 miles N. from Oloron, on the left 

 bank of the Baise, in a country productive of excellent wine, and has 

 5373 inhabitants. There are iron-, copper-, and lead-mines in tho 

 neighbourhood. The chief trade is in wine and ship-timber. 



3. The third arrondissement takes its name from its chief town 

 ORTHEZ. Salies, 8 miles W. from Orthez, takes its name from its 

 abundant salt-springs ; it stands on a small feeder of the Gave-d'Oloron, 

 and has a considerable trade in salt and hams. The population of 

 Salies is 7852. 



4. In the fourth arrondissement the chief town is BATONNB. La- 

 astide-de-Clairence, 14 miles E. from Bayonne, has 2097 inhabitants, 

 who manufacture hosiery, caps, and leather. There are copper- and 

 iron-mines near it. Bidache, 19 miles E. from Bayonne, on the 

 Bidouze, which is here navigable, is a pretty town with 2869 inhabit- 

 ants. Ifasparren, 11 miles S.E. from Bayonne, situated in a fertile 

 and well cultivated country, has 5370 inhabitants iu the commune, 

 and a great number of tanneries for shoe and white leather, and a 

 large trade in cattle. St.-Jean-de-I/uz, a small sea-port at the inouth 

 and on the right bank of the Nivelle, over which a bridge leads to the 

 suburb of Sibourre, has a population of 3208. The town is pretty 

 well built, and is defended by two forts, near one of which there is a 

 lighthouse. Uitaritz, 7 miles S. from Bayonue, is a collection of 

 hamlets on the left bank of the Nive, and has a population, of 2348. 

 Before the revolution of 1789 it was the seat of a court of justice for 

 the Basque territory of Labour. The administrative council of Labour 

 called ' bilcar,' and consisting of the heads of families, met in a rocky 

 wood near Ustaritz for the decision of questions affecting all the com- 

 munes of the territory. Except the president and secretary, who sat 

 on stones by a large block which served for a table, the members of 

 tho bilcar stood leaning on their blackthorn sticks, or against the old 

 oaks that grew in a circle round the place. The privilege of managing 

 their own affairs was taken away from this people by the revolution of 

 1789. 



5. The fifth arrondissement takes its name from MauUon, a small 

 town, with a college and 1167 inhabitants, situated on the Gave-de- 

 Gaison, which divides it into two parts one built on a hill surmounted 

 by an ancient castle, and the other in a level plain. Mauldon was the 

 capital of the Basque district of Soule. The tribunal of first instance 

 is at St.-Palais, a little walled town with 1619 inhabitants, situated 

 in a fertile country, on the left bank of the Bidouze. St.-Etienne-de- 

 Baigorry, situated in a valley of the same name, has a population of 

 about 3300. The valley commences on the frontier of Spain, from 

 which it extends about 11 miles in a northern direction, with a breadth 

 of about 8 miles. It is traversed by a small stream, the Hourepeteca, 

 which falls into the Nive, a tributary of the Adour. There are rich 

 copper- and iron-mines in the valley, and large copper- and iron-works 

 for smelting and refining the ores. St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, a small 

 fortified town, with a population of 2332, is situated on the Nive, 

 18 miles W. by S. from Maule'on ; it takes the latter part of its namo 

 from its position at the foot of the port or pass across the Pyrenees 

 into Spain. The town is of some importance in a military point of 

 view ; the citadel stands on a hill, and commands three passes by 

 which France may here be entered from Spain. Not far from this 

 town, is Roncevaux, or Roncesvalles, famous for the defeat of Charle- 

 magne in 778, and for the death of Roland : in the Augustiuian abbey 

 of Roncevaille, as the place is properly called, the monks display 

 some memorials of the illustrious paladin, whose memory is still 

 glorious in the neighbourhood. 



The department forms the see of the Bishop of Bayonne ; it is 

 included in the jurisdiction of the High Court of Pau, and within 

 the limits of the University-Academy of Bordeaux ; and belongs to 



