DESCRIPTION

OF THE

H O AD FROM HYONS TO NANTUA . .

. -r, i „ ci p riaire the banks of the Rhone

On quitting the city of Lyons, through the Fauxbour., • , ’ in „ that noble and exten-

gradually retreat; the high road taking a north-eastern d.rectton, leavra, that

sive river more towards the east. Comitatus, a province in part

Proceeding on my journey, I crossed La Bres , Lyons in Idol, between

bounded by the rivets Saone and Rhone ; which, previous made part of that

Henry the Fourth of France and Charles Emanuel the First, duke f ^ rritory .

sovereign’s dominions: but ever since that period, it has been annexe o t j ie

My route, therefore, lying through this country (which may e^pronij had j ust left),provinces in France , being no less fertile and pleasing than ie o •

I stopped at Mirebel, the first village I came to, about nine miles rom y°” s * . lo>e f rom the

This village, or rather town of no considerable extent, possesses, . 7 a] ther>

cheerfulness of the inhabitants, and the cleanly comfortable appearance t ^ . a sight

more ease and affluence than is in general met with m most of f \ ' r , A and ferti l e statewhich augmented my pleasure; as every object around harmonize viof the country, and added considerably to the charms of the landscape.

From hence I directed my course to Mont-luel, or Mo«-lu t dU tbe ca£ * “

Valbonne, although included in the province of La Bresse . Th, ? town a „ dfrom Mirabel, is agreeably situated at the extremity of an v i„es, pasturage,

nearly at the foot of a long-range of lulls, which are mg P Qne though it extends

and wood. Those hills, or more properly this hill from its ticles of which, in many

some miles, is formed of a kind of coarse-grained sane - ' K ug fiavescens 0 f Wallerius,

places, crumble, having very little coherence, resemblu a .

spec. 77 . n g P ecies of echlnites and gryphites, in excel-

I likewise discovered, on tbe same chain, as P , - ^ hurried thither

lent preservation', besides fragments of other mature fossils which ^ ( , i9 , Ient

by some great convulsions of nature, such as om globe , continent those fossils,

epochas; and as a fresh proof that the sea did once com ‘^ wWch \ foun(l them.

111 their interior, contain argillaceous matter, tota y of them fixed in a hard cal-

They are likewise heaped in irregular groups or clusters ; ant many

careous incrustation, of a yellowish colour. . . , • hundred

In taking the elevation of Mount-luel, the last mentioned town, I fount 1and fifty-eight feet above the level of the sea, and one hundred and twenty a >ovethe vicinity of Lyons. . - „

From Mont-luel, having forded the river Lain, or Dain, which takes its source 10m o

the stupendous mountains of Franche Comte , and though, in geneial, inconsiceia ,tremendous on the melting of the snow, I proceeded towards St. Denis, a vi ag

further. _ . h ‘ n at its

The country, thus far, presents an immense plain, which loses itsel in t ie orl ^° . Qver

northern extremity ; yet the numerous towns, villages, and hamlets^ irregu ar y sea oton y

this rich and extensive surface, not only diversify the view, and destroy) e 1 ea o mwhich a wild tract of plain frequently conveys, but embellish the scene, and piove,tainty, the industry of the inhabitants. Besides, most of the farm-houses and cottages, 0constructed of clay, make such a cleanly and decent appearance, that penury seems tota ycarded from their humble dwellings. 1 ■ o-

The manner of building, on enquiry, appeared so simple, while the effect was so peathat 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 mannerin which the clay was prepared, by beating it with a mallet (made on purpose) for alen 0 ti o

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