I'i4 MALINFERNET. 



h'd\- of ^\o-aA", which in cahn weather is quite empti,', is 

 often full of ships in storm^' weather. They wait here 

 under the shelter of the mountains for a fa^•ourable 

 wind. In Roman times the port of Agathon saved man\ 

 a ^■essel from destruction. 



CHAPTER yi. 



Malinfernet is considered one of the marvels of the 

 Riviera: it is a lair\' tale m stone. ^I^here is a road to 

 it from Aga^•, and it is a three lioufs" drive from St. 

 Raphael. V\'e preferred the foot path from Le Tra^-as 

 station which we readied b^" rail in half an hour. Hero 

 we at once crossed the line and climbed up the western 

 slope of the mountain which rose before us. We wander 

 lhroii^"h iVLkhiis almost more luxuriant than what \s"e had 

 seen in other places in the Esterel. We are almost 

 stupilied b^' the hone\--scent of the Euphorbias ( Fig. y), LSI). 

 Wide tracts are \'ellow with the large llowered Ca/y- 

 cotomc spi'nosii (Fig. ]■). dl). Tlic Cistuses (C. albidus 

 Fig. p.iSo) are just beginning to open their large red blossoms, 

 '^rhev smoothe out their crumpled petals, and attract 

 buttertlics b\' the tender charm of their colour. We do not 

 gather any of these llowers, for the^• are too fugacious : 

 the gentlest breath of wind blows a^\-a3- tlieir petals. 

 Wliat a profusion of ga\- butterflies .animates the liill- 

 side! Flowers and butter lies are naturalh' associated. 

 Anthodiaris JiupJiciioide:^ (iMg. p. 1'),^), a butterib' rare else- 

 where, is ahiiost commoi here, it resembles our Orange- 

 tip, but is sul]:iliur coloured instead (if white. The same 



