PYRENEES.

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be repeated above once in seven or eight years, whilein the southern parts of Spain it is performed everyfifth autumn. Towards Bagneres, on the west, theoaks and the cork tree are succeeded by gloomy forestsof pine.

Almost all the high summits of these mountainsare extremely narrow, the granite there appearingquite exposed, and forming a pile of shattered rocksresembling a dismantled fortress, while the fragmentsof the separated rock preserve their angles and sharpsides, according to the manner in which they havebeen shivered. Such is the general state of all thehigh summits throughout the chain particularly inproceeding- towards the west, where the lofty peak ofCanigou bounds the department of the EasternPyrenees. This mountain once claimed the honourof being the highest elevation in the chain, butrecent admeasurements have deprived it of that dis-tinction.

The Eastern Pyrenees and the mountains of Cata-lonia, present, in many respects, a similar composition.In the former is found black argillaceous quartz andthe ordinary white quartz, in considerable beds, alter-nating with primary schistose slate, and the lattercontain many veins of amygdaloid in the midst ofancient conchiferous calcareous beds.

Leaving the confines of Catalonia, and crossingthe banks of the Garonne, the department of the HighPyrenees commences; and here the mountains riseto a majestic height, unknown to the eastern divisionof the chain. Near Bagneres de Luchon the pro-spect is extremely circumscribed, and the pass intoSpain is a gloomy narrow defile, forming a naturalbarrier between the two kingdoms, which even themost intrepid traveller could hardly either discoveror penetrate, were it not distinguished by a ruinoustower perched on a precipitous rock, which formerlyserved as a guard-house, and now points out thisalmost invisible break in the mountain line. Manyof the surrounding summits are covered with perpe-tual snow, and the whole range that bounds Luchon onthe north is bare of wood, yet the Pyrenees seem evenhere to be wonderfully peopled, and a large villagestands three parts up the steep of the mountain. Fewchains afford greater facility than the Pyrenees forobserving the most singular transitions and the super-position of rocks very different from each other; forinstance, in this valley of Bagneres de Luchon, thepassage of the primitive foliated slate into the veinedgranite may be distinctly traced.

From Saraneolin the northern calcareous ridge onthe side of France pursues its course through thedistrict of Quatre Vallees to the banks of the Adottr,on the western side of which stands the town of Bag-neres de Bigorre, and here the exterior chain of thePyrenees appears to the greatest advantage. Thehills are not rugged and precipitous, but gently sloped,and covered with verdant pasture ; while the timber,that darkens the middle regions with its umbrageousfoliage, is of the noblest size.

Indeed, this great mountain chain furnishes someof the most beautiful and picturesque scenes that areexhibited in any part either of Spain or France. Theabrupt and precipitous mountains, with their summitsenveloped in the clouds, usually ascend from valleysof the most enchantingly luxurious character; and thecork trees furnish a sufficient shade even in the hot-test seasons of the year. The castles of the ancientfeudal chiefs are also seen frowning defiance against

all the missile weapons common to their times, andthe venerable ecclesiastical edifices speak as muchfor the taste of their architects, as for the enthusiasticdevotion of their founders. The accompanyingsketch is intended to pourtray one of the most jiictu-resque of the passes between France and Spain.

IMS:

In the lower parts of this chain, the Spanish chest- 1nut is found in great abundance, but cherry, walnut,with other fruit trees, and even vines also abound;and in the centre are woods of beech overtopped bylofty forests of silver fir, while, above all, black spiresof rock shoot up to an amazing height, here and therevaried with a wreath of snow which their shade liaspreserved unmelted through the heats of summer.The effect of the temperature of the air upon regeta- ;tion is here particularly observable, for the slope of 1the mountains that faces the noon-tide sun is richlyclothed with wood, while the opposite side not only ;produces fewer trees, but those are of a dwarfishand diminished size, useful however for the supplyof fuel, and for the purposes of husbandry.

This part of the Pyrenean chain has long beencelebrated for a great number of boiling, lukewarm,andcold springs, which issue from the sides of the moun-tains that impend over the town of Bagneres, and allsupposed to possess very strong healing qualities.

To the south-west of Bagneres de Bigorre, the Picdo Montaigu rises to the height of 7308 feet abovethe level of the sea, closing in on the west the valley ,of Campan, equally celebrated with that ol Saran-colin for its marble quarries and calcareous stalac-tites; while to the south the view is terminated bvthe lofty Fie du Midi de Bigorre, the other highsummits of the chain seeming to crowd around if,and shut up all furlher access.

The celebrated peace of (he Pyrenees was con-cluded between France and Spain, by Mazarin anUe Haro, on the isle of Pheasants, in the rivet ni-dassoa, on the. borders of the two countries, on *7th of November, 1659. After the peace of Most