CAMARGUE, COWBOY COUNTRY OF SOUTHERN FRANCE 



25 



T*?: 



THE EDIBLE SNAIL FLOURISHES IN THE CAMARGUE 



A favorite feature in the gastronomic romances of the French and Italians, the edible 

 snail, tradition says, was introduced into Britain by the Romans. This species is herbivorous 

 and a great enemy of the gardener, but in the wild Camargue is welcomed by the herdsmen, 

 for whom the Helix pomatia furnishes many a meal. The hat furnishes the yardstick by 

 which to measure the size of the shells. 



charges, and in a cloud of dust the man 

 is bull-dogging the beast. Although 

 thrown by the animal, he has succeeded 

 in encircling its neck, and, tightening 

 his hold, he brings it to earth amidst 

 tremendous applause. Held immovable, 

 the bull is marked. Then it scrambles 

 to its feet, bellows, and joins the lowing 

 herd. 



Each young bull goes through the 

 process of being muzzled, an operation 

 which consists of placing in its nose a 

 slab of wood called museau, shaped like 

 a half-moon. The animal is free to graze, 

 but the muzzle, falling down on its nose, 

 prevents it from sucking. In time this 

 slab of wood decays and falls off. 



"the fight for the cockade" 



From the natural pastoral drama, the 

 fight between man and beast incidental 

 to branding, was developed the Provengal 

 "fight for the cockade. " The origin of 

 this contest antedates the oldest traditions. 

 It gratifies the passion of the Provencal 



and the Languedocian peasant for this 

 peculiarly humane type of bull-fighting. 



The Provencal fight for the cockade 

 has nothing in common with the Spanish 

 fight to the death, which has been cele- 

 brated for eighty years, with ceremonial 

 pomp, in the arenas of Nimes, Aries, 

 Marseille, Beaucaire, and Lunel. 



In the villages the fights are staged in 

 temporary inclosurcs formed of carts, 

 barrels, and boxes. Formerly the seven 

 animals used for the day's sport were 

 always driven in by gardians. Now it is 

 only in Languedoc that this picturesque 

 custom is kept up, for in Provence the 

 animals are brought to their bovine 

 Olympic in special wagons. 



It is to Le Cailar, about 12 miles from 

 Nimes, or to the neighboring villages, 

 that one must go to see an abrivado, the 

 rapid charge of the gardians, taking the 

 bulls to the local fight. 



At daybreak the crowd gathers in the 

 fields to eat, dance, and be amused by the 

 snorting of the bulls. 



