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coarse-grained sand-stone, the particles of which, in many places, crumble, having very
little coherence, resembling the arenarius favesce/is of Wallerius, spec. 77.
I likewise discovered, on the same chain, a small species of echinites and gryphites,
in excellent preservation, besides fragments of other marine fossils, which must have
been hurried thither by some great convulsions of nature, such as our globe has doubtless
experienced at different epochas 5 and, as a fresh proof that the sea did once cover that
part of our continent, those fossils, in their interior, contain argillaceous matter, totally
different from that in which I found them. They are likewise heaped in irregular
groupes or clusters ; and many of them fixed in a hard calcareous incrustation, of a yellowish
colour.
In taking the elevation of Mont-luel, the last-mentioned town, I found it to be six
hundred and fifty-eight feet above the level of the sea, and one hundred and twenty
above the Rhône, in the vicinity of Lyons.
From Mont-luel, having forded the river Lain, or Dain, which takes its source from
among the stupendous mountains of Franche Comté, and though, in general, inconsiderable,
becomes tremendous on the melting of the snow, I proceeded towards
St. Denis, a village five miles further.
The country, thus far, presents an immense plain, which loses itself in the horizon
at its northern extremity ; yet, the numerous towns, villages, and hamlets, irregularly
scattered over this rich and extensive surface, not only diversify the view, and destroy the
idea of monotony which a wild tract of plain frequently conveys, but embellish the
scene, and prove, to a certainty, the industry of the inhabitants. Besides, most of the
farm-houses and cottages, though constructed of clay, make such a cleanly and decent
appearance that penury seems totally discarded from their humble dwellings.
The manner of building, on inquiry, appeared so simple, while the effect was so
pleasing, that I cannot withhold the information I gained, on this subject, from one of
the honest peasants, who was in the act of making some addition to his little cottage.
After showing me the manner in which the clay was prepared, by beating it with a
mallet (made on purpose) for a length of time, he added—" That a quantity of pebbles,
taken from the adjacent rivulets, were then mixed with it, which, from his description,
formed a kind of amalgam not unlike pudding-stone, and then thrown into wooden
encaissemens or cases, placed where the walls of the house were to be erected ; that
those cases being only six feet in length, three in height, and one and a half in
£7
width, they were under the necessity of removing them as the building extended—
which, when finished, gave it the appearance of free-stone j that they again beat
or mixed the clay when put into the cases, in order to bring it to a consistency, and to
accelerate its drying j that likewise, prior to the walls being quite dry, it was customary
to lay on two or three coatings of quick lime and plaster, with a few handfuls of salt
mixed together ; but, if they were desirous of giving a yellowish or greyish hue to the
outside, a small quantity of ochre, or burnt straw, reduced to powder, and mixed with
water, was then added :"—a simple manner of painting alfresco, which not only serves
as an admirable deception, but delights the eye.
The peasantry of this province, being mostly proprietors, each possessing a small
piece of land, which they can call their own, these ckaumiires are numerous, and are
profusely scattered on this wide surface, which extends for miles, sometimes on the
edge of a forest, at other times on the side of a meadow, or at the foot of a rivulet ;
whilst the green turf, variegated with aromatic flowers, and the bright tints of aquatic
herbs, diversify the scéne, and give the whole plain an appearance on which the eye
delights to repose.
I did not remark that the soil, though rich and well manured, had that tenacity
which is observed in marly land, or ien-es /ranches-, for, in many places through which
I passed, I often noticed only an ox and a horse, and sometimes a cow and an ass,
yoked to the plough instead of horses.
The mutton is excellent, and much esteemed for flavour and taste 5 and their sheep
are reckoned the finest in France, next to those of the province of Berry, for the beauty
of their wool. This superiority of excellence with regard to their sheep is supposed to
be, in great measure, owing to the rich pasturage on which they feed, and which is peculiar
to this province.
TTlie farmers, in general, confine their flocks in folds, in order to improve their land ;
and they successively remove them, from place to place, till the fall of snow ; at which
time they feed them in part with poplar leaves, dried for that purpose.
But as the wolves from the adjacent mountains, pushed on by hunger, frequently
descend into the plains, a shepherd regularly attends with dogs, having a hut so constructed
as to run on wheels, which he draws after him when the fold is changed.
From the village of St. Denis I pursued my route she miles farther, to that of St. Jean
ie Vieux, where the hills which had before begun merely to show themselves, increase