The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-18
Special TO :hc Scranton Tribune.


Mines, France, Jan. I.--This Is how
the guide book tells one to go fro,.,
Avigron to Mines, taking the train at
Port Gu Avignon, across the Rhone from
the town. Beyond Aramon the line
quits the RhOne and enters the valley
Of the Carbon. passing Thesiers and
Remoulins. The Pont du Gard lies
about two miles to the west of Remou-
Inns, and Is reached by crossing the sus-
pension bridge and then turning to, the
right by the Lafous road. Carriage for
l-3 persons four francs there and back"
A word about guide books. They are
almost Indispensable In Europe to give
one the names Of hotels, rates OF car
riage fare and size and history OF
towns, but there is one golden rule to
follow with them. 1t Is always keep
ahead of the guide book. Don't go
through Europe following a title red
covered in every particular. II you
really wish to see 4 country, to be able
to stop and enjoy any fine bit of scenery
or interesting thing you may come
across, the best way is to walk through
parts OF 1t, and so I decided to walk
from Avignon to Mines.
Old Fort ST. Andre.
An early start--a very important
thing for a long walk-took me across
by o'clock was In front of the very
interesting old Fort st. Andre. which
looms above the town. and which was
built by the popes In the time when they
held their court at Avignoh. between
the years 1905 and 1877. Seven popes
re!gned there and the country round
about remained papal dependency un-
til the French Revolution.
The entrance to the fort is between
tV.n ct,.sa hat A.l a
Is very we'll preserved. as are the walls.
Just underneath the hill on which the
fort stands Is very quaint old quar-
ter of the town. built amid the ruins of
the Carthuslan monasteries. The houses
are built around the old cioisters, the
corridors form the streets of the section
and the effect Is necessarily pictur-
esque.
After cup OF coffee and roll at the
Cafe d'la Universe-it's u poor French
town that hasn't its Cafe de Paris. it's
Cafe de France and its Cafe dla Uni
verse-I started from Villeneuve. The
road wound around a hill. on reaching
the top of which a magnificent view Is
obtained. Olive groves, dotted with
red tiled houses. slope down to the
river RhOne, across which stands the
picturesque town OF Avignon. the huge
palace of the popes rising high above
it, Then back of the town level plains
stretching to the Alpines, and back Of
them and filling in the picture. the Alps.
lifting their SUBMITS high into the
heavens.
outside the walls of Avignon some
thousands of French soldiers were GO
ing through their morning exercise, and
although the distance must have been
several miles. the sound Of their voices
as they counted I'm, Deux, Trois,
Quatre," was easily distinguishable.
Interesting ZOOloaicsi Phenomena.
From this point the road led across
table land, richly cultivated, and I
passed a number of peasants driving
into town on their high two-wheeled
carts. IL the cart Is of average size a
horse draws 1t. but IL 1t Is unusually
large they procure the smallest donkey
obtainable and hitch him to it.
Some of these little annals are SO
small that one feels like buying a cou-
pie for souvenirs. They are. perhaps.
the most interesting feature of the
French roads, and Inever tire of watch
ing them. To one of these peasants I
intrusted key which l had absent
mindedly carried away from my hotel
at Avignon. He promised to deliver 1t,
and 1t Is to be hoped he did Otherwise
they may be charging me for the room
yet.
Leaving the table land and the road
I climbed a little hill. and here l had
what might be termed an adventure. I
was going through a little bit Of wood
just before the summit was reached.
when I heard something scrambling
down the side of the road, and looking
up saw bear making for me. If we
did not have the word nervous in the
language think should be compelled
to say was frightened. but having that
word, will say that felt somewhat
nervous, and gripped my umbrella-my
sole defense-somewhat hopelessly.
When climbing the hill I had heard
what seemed to be the bark Of dog,
and was prepared for him. but q bear
was an entirely different thing.
And there was no doubt about this
being a real live bear, II grOwls count
ed for anything. He had taken several
steps in my direction, and l was con-
templating an ignominious flight. when
he stopped, and to my intense relief, 1
saw he was chained to a tree. II had
discovered the chain little earlier 1t
would have saved me bad quarter Of
a minute.
AfouI of O Gypsy Camp.
Deciding that where there was a
chain there must be q man, and keep
ing well on the Otner Slue or the road,
l passed his bearish majesty and dis
covered, around q bend Of the road, a
gypsy camp. a number of beautiful
brOwn-skinned children were rolling
over each other on the green in front
of the tents. and a monkey leaped
chattering from tree to tree. The mo-
ment they saw me, they all, children
and monkey, made a rush for me and
begged for cOppers. All the older gyp-
sizes seemed to be not at home, and the
children We're running the camp.
The Pencils, in their study of the
gypsics. have made the observation
that these nomadic folk always choose
site for their camps commanding a
fine view. and this camp was no excep-
ton. The table land over which had
just passed was spread out below me
like a carpet bounded on the hori-
zon by the mountains The camp it,
self was small one of only two tents.
I should have liked to examine it q
little more closely than did. but the
children were importuIate. the monkey
jumped at me continually, and l had
not any too great faith in the strength
of that bears chain, and so 1 came on.
Another Romnn Ruin.
From the camD tho road descended tn
Remoulins which found to be small
town of no great interest. Crossing
the garden, which runs by the town,
q H.