Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-27
NOTES OF TRAVEL.


Rouen, France, Aug. "a. Feeling
that could not go home happy with
out first seeing 1.-THE eighth wonder Of
the world" Mont Saint Miohael-7-I,
set off. The distance from Rouen is not
great, or would not be by an American
train. but railway journey in France
is not thing to be lightly undertaken,
for trains run slowly and there are in
terminsble waits at the stations, for
what purpose II is difficult to discover,
as nothing appears to be doing mean
while The rcadbeds are rough and
the car springs, il there are any, weak,
SO 1t Is like riding in wagon whose
springs touch continually. In travelling
through France 1t is surprising to see
how much of their small country the
French spare for forests. When pro-
visions are scarce it should seem
natoral that they should use the land
for grazing and agriculture, but the
forests, mostly oil spindling, immature
looking timber, may be kept for game
needed for guarding moisture of which
there is rather an over supply.
The country between Rouen and
Mont Saint Michael is full of beauty
and historic interest; at Caen still
exist the two abbeys built by William
the Conqueror and his Queen Matilda
as a propitiatory to the pope by which
to secure his sanction of their marriage
within the forbidden degree Of con-
sanguinity. Matilda's modest tomb is
in one, in the other William was buried,
being brought. down the Seine from
Rouen where he died. There were
dramatic scenes at his funeral: as his
body was borne along the narrow streets
of Caen followed by monks IN their
black habits bearing an uplifted cross
and trailing incense, by bishops and
abbots in their gorgeous vestments,
flames suddenly burst from q house and
the brilliant cortege dissolved and fled
in all directions, only few monks
bearing the body of the king on to the
abbey. Here the people gathered again
hut just as the mass was over and all
we're gathered about the open grave in
the church they were startled by a
voice saying, THAT earth which you
disturb is the site of my fathers house
That man for whom you pray took it
from him by force, and without heed
ing his just claims built thereon this
church. Therefore, ] do reclaim this
ground; in the name of God | forbid
you to cover the body of the robber
with my soil or to bury it in my
heritage" The strong hand that had
ruled them all was powerless now and
each sought to claim his own again.
The sturdy burgher was paid for the
grave, but the king was, after all, not
allowed to rest in peace with IN it for
many centuries afterwards the Hugue-
nots broke into the tomb and scattered
the bones. In the museum is paint
ing representing the interrupted obse.
quies. In the exquisite tower Of the
church of st. Pierre Admiral Coligny
stationed men to fire on the castle,
which naturally responded with cannon
that made several large holes. 1t was
from Caen that Charlotte Corday set
out on her mission to assassInate Marat.
Besides it's beautiful cathedral, Bayeux
can show the original Tapestry oil
Queen Matilda" on which she was
claimed to have embroidered repre-.
sentation of the events of her husband &
conquest OF England, a perfect fac
smile Of which is in the Metropolitan
Museum in New York. Although il
was made at the time Of the Norman
invasion 1t is now said that the worn
was not done by the queen but by
order Of Bishop Odo, the kings
brother. Although quaint and angular
the work is really artistic in its power
of telling story and in the fancy oil
its grotesque borders; while its his.
toric interest is incalculable.
The view of Saint Lo from the rail.
, way is charming; the twin spires OIL
its cathedral crown the rock on which
the town stands and vista of brown
, tiled roofs slopes down to the darl
waters of the Wire River, which re-
hected the picturesque houses and tn,
women washing along its banks. i
! was stronghold Of the Huguenots il
the wars of religion and during it!
! siege by the League the women hepel
, in its defence by rolling down rock
, and pouring hot pitch and oil upon tn,
! besiegers down the abrupt face of nakel
) rock that fronts towards the railway
Colombieres, the Huguenot leader
3 made brave defence, but was killet
on the ramparts, and the garrison wa
, forced to surrender. A fine view o
> Constances can also be had from th,
. train with its cathedral, one Of th,
finest in France. dominating the tow
D whose houses are grouped around ittoi
the hillside. At Lisieux chapel wa
added to the cathedral by Bishop
Cauchon, the man most responsible TO
I the burning of Joan Of Arc, in expia
tion for his condemnation of her, al
easy way OF atoning for his great sin
q with money contributed by others
Z: Every town has its bit of history onl,
: one of those Of which Avranchps beast
5 is that there Henry III did penanoe ant
. received absolution for the murder o
! Thomas 'aBecket.
From Ponto son we rode by omnibu
: five miles to Mont Saint Michael, tn,
+, amphibious, the understandable, like n,
l other place on earth or sea, for it Is OF
both, fortress, town, and church on
rock that at high tide is cut off from
2 the land by n waste of water and onl,
! attainable by dyke, thrown up ii
! 1880, on which was built substantial
road across the treachsrous sands
above which the rock rises 160 feet. 4
monastery was first built on it in 10
and in 101T Abbot HildeDert conceivet
. the colossal scheme of building upon i
+, huge foundations brought to the leve
of the top of the mount instead of level
: ing tho top to stand them upon, an,
in many places we came upon tn
living rock acting as part Of wall o
hastion, as well as foundation. 1t |
impossible to describe the beauty O
tho place, the majesty of the hug
, walls with their towns and bastions
and OF the buttresses, constructed {
bear the thrust of vaults. The builder
!, BILE, and they sucoeeded, for it ha
\ \ never heen takentt the beauty happepe
because of its situation and because
: is not weaKened by characterization, an
every line has a meaning.
| II he I.x..I L..