— 402 — 



nificent breed of draught and heavy cart-horses : they 

 are generally grey or white. One occasionally meets 

 with these splendid specimens of the equine race, in 

 Paris and in England ; they fetch 2500 francs, about 

 £100, each. They were more active and handsome, 

 than the Flemish horses, we saw on the quays of Ant- 

 werp. The huge Antwerp dray and truck horses look 

 like moderate-sized elephants. Let us resume our 

 - review of Pitres. The little church was delapidated ; 

 its churchyard neglected, over run with rank grass, 

 very much alas ! like some of our own. In rear or in 

 front of the dwellings, the old style vegetable and flower 

 beds : sun-flowers, roses, carnations, popies, margue- 

 rites, pionies, sweat-briar. A trim little garden led up 

 to the presbyter e or manse ; within, we found a charm- 

 ing, hospitable, enlightened, white-haired cure'. What 

 a pleasant welcome awaited us, Canadians, when we 

 presented our letters of introduction ! 



We found ourselves bound to accept, the cordial 

 invitation of Monsieur le Curd, to partake with him, of 

 what he was pleased to style his poor, country fare. 

 " Pitres, is too distant from Rouen, said he, for me tp 

 have always on hand fresh meat, but if you can make 

 up your mind to eat a Norman hare, I shall have a 

 young and fat one killed." Having readily assented to 

 his offer, we retired with our worthy host to his garden ; 

 examined the flower-beds, plantations, pear and apple 

 trees, as well as a species of coarse vines cultivated in 

 Normandy. Soon Marie, the extremely active and very 

 talkative old menagdre, made her appearance, saying 

 that le dejeuner was ready " such as it was," she added 

 with a sigh. Travel and exercise had indeed sharpened 

 our appetite ; my travelling companion and myself, we 

 did ample justice, first, to the potage or soup; next, to 

 the juicy, roasted hare ; then, to the Gruyere cheese, 

 which was exquisite ; after that came a little dish of 

 blanquette ; then apples, plums, pears followed ; Nor- 

 man cider a delicious beverage, brimming over in silver 



