[ 9 ] 
which are in the vicinity of the town, and which 
alFord bread to many of the inhabitants, if I may 
judge by a view of the most frequented streets, 
which, when I was there, were literally paved with 
their rinds; that they are very wholesome food, the 
looks of the children, who chiefly live upon them, 
manifest; for never have I seen any more healthy 
and ruddy. This, with the warmth and comfort of 
their cloathing, would repel your charity, were it 
possible to resist the importunity of those little 
chubby cheeked beggars, whose innocence and 
good^nature forbids you to be angry, though you 
know they have no physical wants to supply with 
the produce of your charity. 
The soil in the vicinity of this town, appears to 
me chiefly gravelly. The stone used in building 
is brought down the Loire, and transported by sea 
to L’Orient. The enclosures are made of earth, 
sometimes, but not often, faced with round stones. 
On the top of the bank we now and then see an im¬ 
perfect hedge, but in general they are covered with 
genista, which grows wild here in great abundance, 
and is extremely beautiful, with its fine pendant 
branches of light green, covered with thick yellow 
flowers. These enclosures are for the most part 
extremely small, seldom containing five acres, and 
very often not more than one. For what purpose 
this extreme small division is made, I know not, 
and it surprised me more, as many of these enclo¬ 
sures seemed to be very imperfectly cultivated, 
