ARIF.OE. 



ARIEGE. 



sands, brought down it Is supposed by the mountain streams that 

 rater the mer in this part In the neighbourhood of Pamiera the 

 Ariege enters the plain of Languedoc. At Cintegabelle, just beyond 

 the northern boundary where it in joined by the Lera on the right 

 bank, the Aritge become* navigable for barges. The Ariege has a 

 total length of about 90 miles. The Lert, the most important feeder 

 of the Ariege, drains the east of the department It rises in an off- 

 shoot of the Pyrenees a little to the east of Lea-Cabanes, runs first 

 toward the north-east put Baleata and Chalabre, forming for some 

 miles the boundary between the departments of Aricge and Aude ; 

 from the boundary it rung west past Mirepoix to its junction with the 

 Touire which join* it on the left bank ; it then turns first north 

 and then north-west, and entering the department of Haute-Qaronne 

 empties itself into the Ariege at Cintagabelle after a length of about 

 80 miles. The Lt*t, a considerable stream, rises near La-Bastide-de- 

 Seron, and flowing northward enters the Ariege within a couple of 

 miles of the mouth of that river. The Arize and the Volp flow 

 directly into the Garonne from the western side of the department. 

 The Salat rises in the Col of Salau, a pass of the Pyrenees in the 

 south-west of the province, and running north-north-west past 

 St -Lizier joins the Garonne on the right bank below St.-Martory in 

 the department of Haute-Garonne, after a course of about 55 miles. 

 During seven months of the year, when the river is full, the Salat has 

 a navigation downward of about 26 miles, and for some miles higher 

 up it is available for floating timber. A good many river-boats arc 

 built on the Salat and the Ariege, and sent down the stream to be 

 sold at Toulouse. Iron, planks, staves, plaster-of- Paris, lime, apples, 

 and cattle are frequently conveyed in these boats to the same market. 

 The principal feeders of the Salat are the Lizard'on the left and the 

 Erce on the right The Aude, a tributary of the Mediterranean, flows 

 for few miles along the south-eastern boundary of the department 

 In the mountainous districts there are numerous tarns and ponds 

 which give rise to as many torrents. The streams of the department 

 are all rapid ; their great water-power is made to drive the machinery 

 of numerous mills and iron-works. Their waters are also used for 

 irrigating the land. 



Of the roads by which the department is traversed the most import- 

 ant is the one that leads from Toulouse to Puycerda in Spain : it follows 

 the valley of the Ariege, and crosses the Pyrenees by the port of 1'uy- 

 maurin, having sent off a branch from Torascon up the valley of the 

 Vic-Dessos. On the port of Puymaurin the French custom-house is 

 planted. The valley of the Salat communicates with Spain by the port 

 of Salau, and with the valley of the Ariege by the port of Lira. The 

 department is also crossed by great roads leading from Carcassone to 

 St. -(/irons, and from Perpignan to Bayonne. The departmental roads 

 are in number 1 4, but few of these are practicable for carriages. 



itr, Soil, and Prvducti. The climate is cold in winter and 

 warm In summer, but the north of the department has a more equable 

 climate than the south. The greatest cold is felt between the middle 

 of December and the end of January, and is sometimes indicated by 

 10'4 " on Fahrenheit's thermometer, or nearly 22 degrees below freezing 

 point Snow begins to fall on the summits of the Pyrenees towards 

 the end of September ; by the middle of November it covers most of 

 the valleys. Frosts continue ordinarily till the end of March. July 

 and August are the warmest months, the maximum temperature then 

 reaching 06*8* Fahrenheit Rains fall l'r.-.|u.-ntly in winter, iniv 

 frequently in spring, but they are seldom continuous. Th.- pri'vailing 

 winds range from north-west to south-east through east, but the north- 

 west blows most frequently. Snow or rain falls on an average on 128 

 days In the year. The soil in most of the valleys is a deep black 

 loam : in the plains about Pamien and Saverdun it is light and 

 gravelly, an.1 in some valleys It is sandy, consisting chiefly of the 

 detritus of the rocks. The' mountains are in many places rocky and 

 hare. The south of the department consist* of transition rocks inter- 

 spersed with granite and limestone : to the north of Foix first the 

 Alpine limestone, then the tertiary rocks prevail. Marble, freestone, 

 alabaster, plaster-of-ParU, slate, coal, peat, amianthus, lead, . 

 turquoise, jot, jasper, and alum are found. Particles of gold are 

 found In some of the streams of the department Iron is abundant, 

 especially in the mines of La-Rancid In the valley of the Vic-Dessos. 

 These mine*, which are among the richest in France, exist in a ni'.un- 

 tain in the commune of Sem. Bands of the ore are visible in flanks 

 of the mountain alternating with ferruginous limestone. They are 

 worked in horizontal galleries some of which are 188 feet in length, 

 and the floor of the lowest gallery Is 2000 feet deep from UK 



ic mountain. There are two salt springs in the department, and 

 several hot springs ; the most frequented of the latter are those of 

 Ax and Ussat The highlands of the department contain 

 peMurag*. wd hi many places are covered with foreste : to these the 

 reemo.t commonly met with are firs, pines, and oak; elm, beech, 

 and lime also flourish. The woods however having always b. 



the supply of charcoal for the iron-works and furl for th.- 

 inhabitant. of th. department, are now very considerably thinned. 



it-trees, the apple, peach, ,d sweet chestnut are extensively 

 cultivated. The lowland, produce wheat, Indian corn, . 

 wheat hemp, and flax, the seed of whi.-l, i,,i*.-,| with that of th.' ' 

 romtahet the oil for burning chiefly used in the department In th,. 

 south the potato is extensively cultivated to supplythe deficiency of 



corn, which does not ripen on the mountains. The cultivation of the 

 vine is pushed in favourable situations a good way up the hill-sides, 

 the plant being trained to trees as high as six feet from the pi 

 Lower down the vines are grown as espaliers, or more common! 

 as low bushes. In some parts the rolling stones that would otherwise 

 cover the soil at the base of the mountains are collected into heaps ; 

 among these vines are planted, and the cleared soil is cultivated. The 

 wine of the department (about 2,250,000 gallons are made annually) 

 is of inferior quality, and is all consumed by the inhabitants. Sheep 

 of good breed, horned cattle, asses, and mules ore numerous ; of 

 horses there are few, and these are small and ill shaped. Game and 

 poultry are abundant Among the wild animals are bears, wild boara, 

 wolves, foxes, badgers, roebucks, chamois (here called izarda), otters, 

 polecats, hares, and rabbits. Eagles, hawks, owls, wild geese and 

 ducks, partridges, &e., are numerous. The Ariege is famous for its 

 salmon-trout and crawfishes. 



M<inufaclura and Commerce. The most important industrial esta- 

 blishments of the department are its iron-works, which ore numerous 

 in the south of the department between the Ariege and the Salat, espe- 

 cially in the valleys of the Erce and the Vic-Dessos. The iron is 

 smelted and converted into malleable iron in charcoal furnaces, the 

 coal-seams of the department being too thin to pay for working. Other 

 manufactured products are coarse woollens, linen, soap, hats, horn and 

 boxwood combs, and pottery. There are tan-yards, paper-mills, saw- 

 and grist-mills, and copper-foundries, where nails and bolts are manu- 

 factured for the French navy. The principal articles of export from 

 the department are manufactured iron and iron-ore, which ore < 

 on the backs of mules to Auterive in Halite-Garonne, and thru. < Ky 

 barges down the Ariege to the canal of Languedoc and the Gni 

 Several of the iron-works of the departments of Aude and I : 

 Garonne are supplied with ore from the mines of Ariege. Wool is 

 largely imported from Spain, which receives in return woollen fabrics, 

 linen, cattle, and wax. Other articles of commerce are rosin, pitch, 

 turpentine, cork, marble, medicinal herbs, &c. 



About 200 fairs are held in the department, chiefly for the sale of 

 corn and cattle. A great cattle and sheep fair is held in Foix on the 

 4th of November, on the return of the flocks from the upland pastures. 

 The products of the iron-foundries of the department ore displayed at 

 the fairs of Tarascon held May 8th and Sept 30th ; the latter is also a 

 famous cheese-fair. 



The department contains 1,209,845 acres, divided into 1,068,277 

 parcels. Of the whole area 866,693 acres are arable; 82,888 are 

 natural pasture ; 28,648 ore under vines; 221,676 ore covered with 

 forests ; 4149 are laid out in gardens, orchards, and nurseries ; 885,107 

 are barren rocks and moors ; 2871 are occupied by ponds, marshes, 

 and irrigating rills; 1851 are planted with osiers and willow* : '.'71 

 are under various culture; 8494 are under buildings; 15,178 are 

 taken up with roads, street*, and squares ; 9524 are covered by rivers 

 and other waters ; 50,681 with stunted woods ; and 203 are occupied 

 by churches and comet. 



The department is divided into three arrondissements, which, with 

 the cantons, communes, and population in each, are as follows : 



1. Of the first arrondissement the chief town is Fair, which is also 

 the capital of the department, as it was of the former county oi 

 The town is ancient ; it stands on the left bank of the Ariege, in thr 

 gorge of a narrow valley which is bounded by rocky and predi 

 hills, at a distance of 404 miles 8. from Paris, in 42 57' 67" N. lat, 

 1 86' E. long. : population 4980. The site is 1491 feet above the sea 

 level. The streets are narrow, but the houses are well built There 

 are in the town a tribunal of first instance, a college, and iv public 

 library of 8000 volumes : also manufactures of ironmongery. I. atlin-, 

 coarse woollens, serge, hats, and hosiery. The most remarkable public 

 liuililings are the castle >unt of Foix, the court-house, the 



church and abbey of St-Volusien, and the stone bridge over the Ariege. 

 The castle stands partly on and partly at the northern base of an iso- 

 lated rock to the west of the town. On the rock stand three lofty 

 gothic towers, two of which are square, and of great antiquity ; tin- 

 nd, dates from the 12th century, and in 86 feet high. 

 These towers are now used as a prison. The part of the castle at the 

 base of the rock has been converted into a court-house. The abbey 

 buildings were destroyed by fire at the beginning of the preset^ 



tit were re-erected on the same plan, and form the residence of 

 the prefect of the department AT or At/t, famous for its hot sulphu- 

 reous springe, >!' hi< h there are above 50 in the town and n : > 



It stands at the foot of the Pyrenees, on a shelf of rock 23!4 

 feet above the sea level, at the junction of ill. which 



three mountain torrents issue and unite near the town in the Ariege : 

 popul.v ' n of the spring of lowest temperature 



marks 81{* of Fahrenheit's thermometer ; that of the hottest spring 



