by M. Lecocq, but it was clearly not Madame Bertrand's interest to set us right.

The day was too far advanced to enable us to do more than make a home acquaintance with the village and valley. The first is learnt by heart in a few minutes. One church, one large bath-house, some half dozen hotels, and some half hundred small houses, constitute the place, forming one street. The village has grown with the reputation of the baths. No bold speculator built the hotels first, trusting that patients would fill them; but hotel after hotel has been added to meet the demand for more accommodation; and the consequence is, a number of huge buildings standing here and there, turning their backs on the lovely valley. Indeed, although most beautiful scenes abound within rifle shot of the village, not a single boarding-house commands them. So the tourist who is here for other purposes than bathing, will mourn over the barbarous taste of the Mont Dore architects.

The baths are more remarkable for their solidity than elegance. Built of stone, they cover a large space of ground, and include the hot springs, which were well known to the Romans. The principal source is still covered with its original Roman roof. A covered portico adınits of promenading during the morning, when the waters are drunk. There is a large salon, used occasionally for réunions and balls. By the side of the Dordogne, a small stream which rises at the head of the valley and flows past the village, a promenade has been made, at one end of

which the Roman remains which have from time to time been discovered are placed. They are numerous, and include portions of gigantic columns, capitals, &c., testifying to the colossal nature of the buildings reared by the Romans. The view, looking towards the head of the valley, is extremely fine; peaked mountains, dominated by the Pic de Sancy, the highest elevation in central France, stand up in all the wild array of basaltic forms, fissured and streaming with waterfalls. To the right, dense woods clothe the sides of the valley, surmounted by a peak which, from its cowl-like summit, has received the name of the Capucin. Looking downwards, the valley expands and assumes a more pastoral appearance; meadows of emerald green line the slopes, peopled by flocks and herds, which are destined to play no unimportant part in the domestic economy of Mont Dore.

The morning after our arrival I rose early, with the intention of indulging in a warm bath. On applying to the director of the bath establishment, I found that unless I entered myself as an invalid, requiring a series of baths, I could not obtain one during the early morning hours. The service, as it is called, for the patients, commences at four, and continues until about nine, though in crowded seasons the baths are used earlier and later. After nine o'clock, I was permitted to bathe. A rough Auvergnat, the very reverse of Egeria's nymph, insisted on undressing me, declaring that it was always customary for gentlemen frequenting the baths to be thus attended.

My valet was very loath to permit me to enter the bath until he knew the temperature which Monsieur le Medecin had prescribed. It was in vain I assured him that I was no invalid, but merely desirous of a bath for my own gratification. This appeared so exceedingly improbable to him, that he absolutely refused to fill the bath until he had inquired from the director whether my statement were correct. He returned satisfied, but still could not understand how I could take what he called outward medicine.

There are various springs under the same roof. All the waters rise from fissures in the trachytic rock. Here is a list of them, and of their temperature :

Fontaine de la Madelain

Left happily, at length, to my own devices, I luxuriated in my bath, turning on the hot or cold springs as suited my inclination. The water has not that soft, satinizing effect which characterises the baths at Schlangenbad, where, according to the authority of the author of the Bubbles,' the French gentleman, after immersion, became absolutely amoureux de soi-même; but they impart a soothing, pleasant sensation, which causes one to dally long in the element.

MADAME BERTRAND'S TABLe d'hote.

85

On ringing a bell, my attendant came with a large wooden cylinder full of warm sheets and towels, with which he rubbed me in true shampooing fashion. By the time I had completed my toilet, the summons for breakfast pealed from the hotels. On repairing to my quarters, I found the company assembling fast, and ere we sat down I was enabled to form outward acquaintance with my fellow-guests. There were about half a hundred ladies and gentlemen. Remembering the sanatory fame of Mont Dore, I was quite prepared to see pale faces and decrepit forms, such as are frequently found in watering places-but not so here. Health of the ruddiest and most vigorous nature seemed to have taken up her abode with them. Sparkling eyes and glowing cheeks abounded among the ladies, and the gentlemen appeared fully equal to climbing the steepest heights in the vicinity. It may have been that the waters had produced these happy results, that the guests had arrived invalids, but that now, as the season was far advanced, health and activity had taken the place of sickness and weakness. Certainly a merrier party never were assembled than those whom we had the happiness of meeting at the table-d'hôte of Madame Boyer Bertrand's hotel. My friend and myself were the only English present, the rest of the company being principally Parisians. The breakfast differed in no way from a dinner, excepting in the absence of soup. There were innumerable dishes, messes, and hashes, such as are prodigally outpoured from the abundant

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PREPARATIONS FOR EXCURSIONS.

resources of a French cuisine; and most ample justice was done to them. Indeed, the man who is horrified by seeing the fair sex partake of more than a sippet, or a dainty slice of a pullet, would be fairly outraged at Mont Dore. It should be remembered, however, that the air is most appetizing-that the patients, or visitors rather, have been up since dawn, and have eaten nothing since five o'clock the previous evening.

The one only condiment forbidden by the medecin is mustard. On my asking for this, the garçon stared; Mais, Monsieur,' said he, with great gravity, 'c'est expressement défendu.' But tumblers-full of sour wine at breakfast are en règle—we alone drank coffee. Breakfast over, the company dispersed to their rooms, and presently re-appeared, equipped for riding. The little square before our hotel was filled with troops of horses, of all sizes, colours, and shapes, the owners energetically vociferating the excellent qualities of their steeds. As the hire of a horse for the entire day is only three francs, nobody thinks of walking; those ladies who are unable to ride are carried in chairs, by stalwart porteurs, even to the summits of the highest mountains. It was a curious spectacle to see the preparations of the various parties for their excursions. Great was the competition to obtain the most serviceable-looking horses; and as these were few in number, and the bidders many, they were soon hired. The majority of the nags were diminutive, and it was not uncommon to see