vin.] TRAVELS, 1835. 217 



and not to be spoiled by strangers, of whom there are very 

 few, except invalids. As I was gargling my throat this 

 morning (having got it relaxed), the good, worthy femme 

 de chctmbre bolted into my room, thinking that I was in 

 the " dead thraws ! " 



Journal, July 18. 



' I ascended the Pic de Bergons in magnificent weather. 

 I left Luz at about six, and though I ascended very gently, 

 I reached the summit, not by the easiest path, in exactly 

 three hours. This surprised me, as its height, according to 

 Reboul and Vidal, is about 730 toises, or nearly 4,700 feet 

 above Luz. Fifty minutes from the top I found a copious 

 spring witli a temperature of 40*5, and as I walked 

 pn-tty uniformly, its height above Luz may be 3,400 feet 

 ; ly ; but I had not my barometer. At the top, a little 

 to the south, and in the shade, I swung my needles very 

 fully, but the observation was almost entirely vitiated 

 by the discovery of my geological compass in my pocket, 

 after all was over, and after I had previously searched 

 for it in vain when I did want it. 



* The view was very magnificent : it was my first sight 



of Gavarnie. ... I descended a very steep and fatiguing 



]>;ith towards St. Laurent (which is not visible from the 



summit), and was well rewarded by a most exquisite 



view of the last-named village and the valley of Luz, 



whidi, from the extreme steepness of the mountain, seems 



to lie under one's very feet. This, with the stream of 



Gave, mapped out as it were upon it, in all its 



rmed the most exquisite picture of the kind 



1 have seen. I must not forget to commemorate a visit 



lr<m two immense eagles, as I sat alone on the top. 



i hie of ; liieh I h;id for some time watched making 



:!--d suddenly attracted by my appearance, 



with the utmost coolness made towards me. He mine 



so near that I absolutely thought he was going to pounce 



upon my stniw hat. Hut after coining quite close, and 



making two circles of reconnaissance around my head, 



. a good OIU.-M '.} he soh-mnlv flew njj' with hi- 



