We No, Sooner Quitted
Lyons, Than We Got Into Summer Weather, And Travelling Through A
Most Romantic Country, Along The Banks Of The Rhone, Had
Opportunities (From The Slowness Of Our Pace) To Contemplate Its
Beauties At Leisure.
The rapidity of the Rhone is, in a great measure, owing to its
being confined within steep banks on each side.
These are formed
almost through its whole course, by a double chain of mountains,
which rise with all abrupt ascent from both banks of the river.
The mountains are covered with vineyards, interspersed with small
summer-houses, and in many places they are crowned with churches,
chapels, and convents, which add greatly to the romantic beauty
of the prospect. The highroad, as far as Avignon, lies along the
side of the river, which runs almost in a straight line, and
affords great convenience for inland commerce. Travellers, bound
to the southern parts of France, generally embark in the
diligence at Lyons, and glide down this river with great
velocity, passing a great number of towns and villages on each
side, where they find ordinaries every day at dinner and supper.
In good weather, there is no danger in this method of travelling,
'till you come to the Pont St. Esprit, where the stream runs
through the arches with such rapidity, that the boat is sometimes
overset. But those passengers who are under any apprehension are
landed above-bridge, and taken in again, after the boat has
passed, just in the same manner as at London Bridge. The boats
that go up the river are drawn against the stream by oxen, which
swim through one of the arches of this bridge, the driver sitting
between the horns of the foremost beast. We set out from Lyons
early on Monday morning, and as a robbery had been a few days
before committed in that neighbourhood, I ordered my servant to
load my musquetoon with a charge of eight balls. By the bye, this
piece did not fail to attract the curiosity and admiration of the
people in every place through which we passed. The carriage no
sooner halted, than a crowd immediately surrounded the man to
view the blunderbuss, which they dignified with the title of
petit canon. At Nuys in Burgundy, he fired it in the air, and the
whole mob dispersed, and scampered off like a flock of sheep. In
our journey hither, we generally set out in a morning at eight
o'clock, and travelled 'till noon, when the mules were put up and
rested a couple of hours. During this halt, Joseph went to
dinner, and we went to breakfast, after which we ordered
provision for our refreshment in the coach, which we took about
three or four in the afternoon, halting for that purpose, by the
side of some transparent brook, which afforded excellent water to
mix with our wine. In this country I was almost poisoned with
garlic, which they mix in their ragouts, and all their sauces;
nay, the smell of it perfumes the very chambers, as well as every
person you approach.
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