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290 i k o n M A N U F A C T U l l E S .
Near the coal pit before mentioned, I
observed the road mended with a dark
stone, res'embling basalt, but which, on
examination, appeared to be an intimate
intermixture of hornblende and felspar.
Towards evening we descended to the town
of Feurs, situated in the upper valley of
the Loire, which here forms an extensive
plain, situated between two parallel ranges
of mountains. Some of the mountains
on the west were of considerable height,
for I observed them covered with snow ;
as far as can be estimated by the eye, I
should suppose the highest part of the
range to be as high as the Jura. The
next morning, on going into the yard to
speak to our voiturier, I was surprised
at being accosted in English by a man
who was sweeping out the stables: on enquiry,
I learned that he was taken prisoner
at the siege of Toulon, and that he
had married a French woman and settled
in the country. He informed me that
several English iron master manufacturers
and workmen had established themselves
in the vicinity of Feurs, and that the
iron trade was very much increasing and
improving. He said some English work\
;
F O R E Z M O U N T A I N S , 291
men, who were lately come over, were
bringing the manufacture of steel to great
perfection. We crossed the rivers Loire
and Lenon in ferry-boats, but the road to
Clermont is so seldom travelled, except by
the public diligences, that we were obliged
to wait a very long time for the ferry-man
at the latter river. We soon after entered
into the narrow defiles of the mountains of
Forez. Before arriving at the town of
Boen I observed the rocks were of red
and grey sienite, and sienitic granite exactly
resembling the rocks in Cham wood
forest. We slept at a village or town
called La Bergere, where I met with the
first and only striking instance of an attempt
at gross imposition in the charge,
our hostess claiming ten franks for the
lodging room ; I gave her five, and we
parted, with the music of her voice ringing
in our ears, though she knew very well
that she was overpaid. The road from La
Bergere to Thiers ascends, and runs along
the side of granitic mountains that impend
over deep precipices. It resembles
some parts of the Semplon ro a d : this road
was commenced by order of Napoleon.
Before arriving at Thiers we had a view of
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