The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-01-08

From the FREE ESqUIRER.
The Drean-Gir..

ldoc, at no great distance from tue puia-
ces of the bishop of Mendes, where 10
this day the trave!e: is struck by some
singular diyerSities of scenery. The
valley itself is the most quiet and delight
lful that France can boast. A stream
Iwanders through it with just rapidity c.
nough to keep its waters sweet and clear
and on either side Of this line Of beauty
some gentle swelling meadows extend
on one side to a chain Of smooth green
hills, and on the other TO the base of
mountain of almost inaccessible rocks.
The river is bordered by willows and
other shrubs crowding to dip their
branches in he transparent wave and
here and there in its neighboi hood,
groves of walnut trees stud the mead
ows, serving as IL rendezvous of amuse-
ment for innummerable nightingales,
which at the first dawn Of summer as
semblc on the branches, and as if in
mockery of the poets, fill the evening
air with their mirthful music.
Even now the human population of
the valley is not particularly abundant {;
and he vino chances to pass that way on
his journey to the more celebrated scenes
of travelling curiosity finds sometimes
little difficulty, no doubt to his great
modification and surprise, in obtaining
all the Injuries which render London
and Paris SO agreeable. Two centuries
ago, however, IN the reign Of Louis XIII
matters were still worse for there was
only one village III the whole arena be-
tween hill and mountain, and that was n
very small and very poor one.
The village Of Rossgnol, 50 named,
probably on account of the abundance
of nighlingaIes in the noishborhood, was
Inhabited by very poor, but very happy
people. 1t is true that i'll common with
other culivators Of the lickle earth, they
had sometimes to mourn The overthrow
of the husbandman's hopes and that G.
ven their remote and lonely situation did
not always protect them from the exac-
lion OF those whom birth, violence or
accident, had made tho lords Of tho do
main. But in such cases, the villagers
uf nvSsisnui had a resource, limited in
deed and attended by lordships and even
danger, bu, to a certain oxtont absolute
ly unfailing.
When NJ. de Thou, the excellent his
sorlan travelled in this province about
the time referred to, his imagination
was greatly struck by the peculiarities of
the occupation about to be described
The following, in his own words, is the
simple way in which he first Glanced to
hear of it,
"ln "A Journey" says he, 'which
made into Languedoc, paid n yisi, to
the bishop of Mondes, at his delightful
sea, in that province, who treated us al
his table rather with the mngnifceuce of
a nobleman than the simplicity of an &C.
clesiastic. We observed, however, that
all the wild fowl wanted either leg or
wing or some other part.
"Why," cried the prelato, good hu-
moredly, al, does not look very elegant,
indeed, but you must excuse the greed.
mess of my caterer, who is always for
having the first bit Of what he brings. -
Upon being informed that his caterers
were no other than eagles, we express
ed a desire to be informed of tho man
ner of their service with which our
friend accordingly complied.
"The eagles built their nests in the !
cavity of some high, steep rock and
when the peasants discover the place, |
they erect a little hut at the foot of the
precipice, where they may secure them !
selves from the weather and watch till |
the birds fetch prey to their young. The
moment these deposite the game in their
nests, they fly of in ques, of more and
the peasants, starting from their ambush
run up to the rocks with astonishing a.
giliiy, und carry away the prize leaving
some entrails of anipals instead, ,ba,
the nests may not be forsaken. In gen.
eral, before the plunderers reach the /
Tic oil IL Nnnn.r ~ ul.. Lu... ......