XLV. 



ZTbe Grottoes of 1foan* 



ONE summer part of my holiday wanderings found me 

 in the district of the Ardennes. Whether the Belgian 

 quarter was that of Shaksperean fame, or whether 

 the scene of Arden Forest is to be laid in Yorkshire, 

 is a matter with which, happily (not being an archaeo- 

 logist), I have nothing whatever to do. Suffice it to 

 say that, after a week spent in roaming about Dinant 

 all-picturesque on the Meuse, and in making journeys 

 to the ruins of Montaigle and to Maredsous and else- 

 where, I set off for the Ardennes proper, and drove 

 away one fine August morning en route, first of all, 

 for Rochefort and the famous grottoes of Han. 



In passing, let me recommend the Great Eastern 

 Railway's tour to Dinant (via Harwich) and the 

 Ardennes as a pathway to holiday-making of pleasant- 

 ness combined with speed, and with what the pater- 

 familias will regard more favourably still namely, 

 high economy. Arrived at Rochefort, then, some four 

 hours' drive or so from Dinant, you find yourself in a 

 tolerably primitive Belgian district. The railway has 

 not succeeded in spoiling it, although crowds flock 

 daily in summer to see the grottoes of Han, which, by 

 the way, you may notice advertised on the hoardings 

 in the Belgian capital itself. 



