Winter in the Riviera. 355 



has received no letters in five days, and he is greatly 

 excited at somebody's derelictions. I have heard nothing 

 yet, but suppose it is not time, and there is probably noth- 

 ing to hear. When I get to Cannes, if the circumstances 

 allow it, I expect to begin work, in subordination, however, 

 to my picking-up errand. Spencer is very well. This 

 agrees with him. He liltes to walk and to talk and to 

 teach, and will sit down in the wet anywhere, and at any 

 time, to give an explanation. He is a good teacher, but it 

 i s i a te the last of 1878 late to be still taking lessons. 



CANNES, FRANCE, January 2, 1879. 



DEAR SISTER : We left Hyeres New Year's morning, at 

 10.45, for this place, stopping at Toulon an hour to wait 

 for the Nice train, and got breakfast at 12.30 at a common, 

 cheap cafe". It was a new experience, and interesting. 

 Everything was clean, and-the cooking was excellent. The 

 provision was doubly abundant. First, cold ham, bread 

 and butter; second, free wine; third, fish; fourth, a chop 

 with beans (pods); fifth, beefsteak pudding; sixth, me- 

 ringue ; seventh, Roquefort cheese and fruit. Price, 2 

 francs. 



We got into Cannes a little after four o'clock ; it had a 

 different air from " He-air." It is a rich, prosperous water- 

 ing place a kind of Saratoga on a side hill. We passed 

 along the Mediterranean coast some distance, shooting 

 through gorges and tunnels as the ridges ran down to 

 the water. The rocks are old red, and the shore is broken, 

 indented with bluff, picturesque rocks. 



Spencer had telegraphed for rooms at the Hotel Mont 

 Fleury (Hotel of the Flowery Mountain). We were the sole 

 passengers in its omnibus. We started, and went a mile 

 straight through a narrow street, very narrow, level, and 

 unattractive. This flat part of the town is broken up into 

 patches with chateaus surrounded by trees and low walls. 

 People may look in, but they must be kept out. Then we 



