220 TEE LIFE OF JAMES D. fORBES. [CHAP. 



Forbes' next resting-place was Bagnieres de Luchon, 

 and while there he made an excursion into Spain, which, 

 although rapid, was not devoid of small adventures. 



Journal, August 16. 



' I started for an excursion into Spain, that is, for the 

 Vallde d'Aran, the upper part of the valley of the 

 Garonne, which has been very awkwardly separated 

 from France. I left Luchon at about seven, with Bertrand 

 Lafond, the old guide of my friend M. de Kaffetot, who, 

 in recommending him to me, remarked, with great sim- 

 plicity, " Si le bon Dieu le trouve aussi brave que moi, 

 il sera bien heureux ! " and I am disposed to say as much 

 of him myself. The walk to Boussos, or Bosost, is 

 charming. A gently rising, richly-wooded valley leads 

 to the Port de Portillon, from whence we descended 

 to Bosost, where the fete of the Assumption is chiefly 

 celebrated/ 



To Miss FORBES. 



'BAGNIERES DE LUCHON, Aug. 17. 



' I have just returned from an excursion of two days 

 into Spain, where I slept last night. Yesterday 1 started 

 with a fine morning from hence, and in three hours 

 was in Bosost, where I found men gaudily dressed, with 

 showy embroidered silk handkerchiefs, worn as ladies 

 do, dancing the Bolero ; but while strolling about I fell 

 in with a far more interesting sight, a chapel seated 

 amongst rocks on the banks of the Garonne, where mass 

 was being said. All the neighbouring rocks were covered 

 with men, women, and children in the attitude of prayer, 

 all in the most gaudy dresses quite Spanish while 

 several pilgrims with staff and escalop completed the 

 scene, d la Wilkie. Having stayed some hours, I might 

 have returned here with the other less enterprising curious 

 who went to Bosost, but I had arranged to sleep at La 

 Vielle, the capital of the Vallee d'Aran, and to return a 

 different way by the mountains. . . .' 



