St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-10-03

| undressing part OF our railway jour
ney to the Pyrenees. And here we enter
the valley of the Adour which flows into
the Atlantic at Bayonne, its sources
among the glaciers of the high Pyrenees.
At Dax, 90 miles south of Bordeaux
whose mineral waters were famous even
in Roman days, the railway for Madrid
bends to the southwest, the line to Pau
and the Pyrenees, turning to the south
east. Between the valley of the Adour
at OAK and the valley of the Gave de
Pau" we get our first view of the Pyren-
ees, 100 miles to the southeast. The
long skyline of snow.capped peaks in
background with green and fertile val
legs, and forest covered hills, lying be
tween, was in pleasing contrast with the
when our vision was confined to mono
tonous pine forests suggesting only
study in the manufacture of resin and
turpen inc At Pau 1.-TWO hours from
Dax) by branch railway we cross the
river and over viaducts and through
rock cuttings we commence to zigzag
our way up the mountains, at first
through a vine district, then through
narrow belt of corn aud wheat with for
ests OF oak and chestnuts and walnut on
the hilsdes At Laruns, "a miles from
Pau, the railway journey from Par is
ends.
We are now over 1000 feet higher than
when we entered our train at Pau, an
hour since, and on leaving it we find our
selves inclosed by bold mountains, snow
capped laying an embargo not only on
further railway travel, but seeming to
promise no room even for a carriage to
| find its way four miles up the valley Of
Ossau to Faux Chaudes, 1000 feet above
| the station, where our summer tent was
pitched. 1t is a national road which
connects Laruns with this little village,
the work OF Napoleon |. 1t is as smooth
as a billiard table and as piece Of high
way engineering it would be hard to
find four miles OF finer workmanship, set
in grander surroundings. The valley is
only wide enough for a mountain tor
rent, and the highway and is hemmed in
by mountains of granite and limestone
so high that the sun does not visit the
valley even in the longest days until
9 o'clock and the shadows fall again at
four. Hard wood forests, with quite
percentage Of beech rise from the river
bank, and the box and ivy grow every
where in great profusiou. At one point
where the Gave d'Ossau breaks through
the mountains before entering the valley
at Laruns, the gorge is so narrow that
the rock was blasted out to make room
for a short viaduct which spans the
ravine $50 feet above the river-bed,
where mountains almost precipitous rise
1000 feet higher. AS we enter Faux
Chaudes the mountains on the left re-
treat little, and make room for large
bathing establishment, two hotels and
about thirty houses besides one Catholic
and one Protestant church.
The season at Faux Chaudes is very
short one, though this hotel, the best
one here, is open all the year. Between
the 18th of July and the 18th of Septem-
Der there have been seasons when 1000
visitors sought the GOODNESS of this
mountain resort, and the healing OF it's
mineral waters. This year there are
fewer visitors than usual, the Paris Ex-
position, the magnet which makes Paris
this year even in the hot months the
most attractive place in France. Our
hotel is about 500 feet higher than the
Crawford house, and as near us, as
Mount Washington to the Notch, is the
Pic du Midi d'Ossau, $500 feet high. No
mountain in the Pyrenees has more
striking outline and few if any are so
difficult to ascend. Only Alpine climbers
attended by experienced guides attempt
this. During the recent heated term
when London and Paris, and Europe in
general were hardly habitable the Mer-
curry the hottest day was at $40 in the
park and in our sitting room IT. was
the highest point reached. Since our ar.
rival have not seen an American and
during four summers in the Pytenees
have not seen as many as have fingers
and thumbs. They can be found by the
} thousands in London, Paris and Geneva
and Lucerne, in Homburg and Carlsbad
at Interaken and St. Moritz. On the
old beaten tracks of travel in Europe
New York and Boston and Philadelphia,
are as much in evidence as at Newport
Bar Harbor and Saratoga, but these
+ untrodden paths in the Pyrenees are a
terra incognita to the great army OF
sight. seers who annually invade the con.
; tinent. Here can be found as attractive
a summer playground as there is in
Europe, and during the hot months nc
greater comfort can be found anywhere
The scenery is grand, the walks through
the forests are always tempting and the
drives as exciting as those over the AL
pine passes, and the streams and lakes
are well stocked with trout, while the
occasional bear and the frequent lizard
= and "Chamois" with Eagles" ant
t "Vultures" furnish ample entertainment
for the sportsman. For me this quie
life among this simple people in thu
: Pyreuees insures greater dividends O
, health and pleasure than the artificial
!. life of the crowded though more fashion
able summer resorts.
H. l.. Clapp.
+ Faux Chaudes