2o8 A SKETCH OF THE 



in manuals, must feel sorely puzzled when he sees this tree. Packets 

 of Carob seeds were distributed by the Indian Government some 

 years ago, but I have not heard whether the experiment of intro- 

 ducing the tree into India has succeeded. 



We now arrived at a corner of the road from which the town of 

 Mentone appeared a thousand feet below us, with Italy beyond. A 

 stream of pure cold water issued from the rock above, and some 

 benevolent person has placed a drinking fountain there, where 

 thirsty travellers can drink. May his shadow never grow less ! and 

 many men and beasts must gratefully have slaked their thirst, as we 

 did, there. The birds even have reason to be grateful, for we saw a 

 robin sitting by the water as we approached, but instinctively he 

 hurried off, fearing we should kill him for the pot. Above our 

 heads, on a thirsty-looking rock, we saw the beautiful sea lavatera 

 in flower, side by side with the Mediterranean sarsaparilla {Smilax 

 aspera), whose red berries remind one of the bryony of English 

 hedgerows. Here also are the head-quarters of the wild carrot, 

 which appears in every field, disputing each inch of ground with the 

 purple cuckoo-pint, whose poisonous look reminds one of the Indian 

 cobra with hood erect. 



Up to the point where the branch road from Mentone to Monaco 

 joins the Corniche road, a distance of sixteen miles from Nice, we 

 met no one, but now man}' carriages came in view, the horses, 

 generally galloping, carrying persons who appeared in desperate 

 haste to lose their money at the tables. A well-appointed carriage 

 with four horses and postillions, also passed, and as we watched it 

 turning a sharp corner, one of the wheels caught against a pro- 

 jecting rock and threw the carriage upon its side. On running up 

 we learnt that this was the property of the Prince of Monaco, going 

 to meet him at the station. Although very little damage was done, 

 the box-seat was overhanging a deep precipice, and had anyone 

 been sitting there when the collision occurred, he must have been 

 shot out and fallen sixty feet into the ravine below. 



It was now past noon, and the sun was very hot. We had 



