After transacting a little business at the post-office (there is none at St. Sauveur except in the season), which stands in one of the principal streets traversed on the route to Bareges, we returned to St. Sauveur by another way.  The ordinary short cut from Luz to St. Sauveur crosses the bridge over the Gave leaving the Gavarnie road on the left, and turning sharply up a short distance beyond the river, joins the high road above the “Pharmacie Clavarie,” near an ornamental pillar.  We, however, bore up the Gavarnie road till, reaching a cottage, we pursued the narrow path obviously conducting to the river, over which a wooden bridge—­whence a pretty view can be obtained,—­leads to the Jardin a l’Anglaise.  This garden, much frequented during the summer months, brought us in turn, by means of zigzags and steps, close to our hotel, and though it may be slightly longer than the “short cut,” we certainly found it prettier and more agreeable.

There is one excursion from St. Sauveur, which is not very difficult nor laborious, and which well repays the certain amount of exertion that is at all times associated with ascents.  This is the ascent of the Pic de Bergons.  Although we could tell before we started that the snow would prevent us from reaching the summit, we nevertheless had hopes of arriving very near it; and finding a beautiful day, as it were, staring us in the face, we ordered round the horses and a somewhat aged guide, and were in motion by ten o’clock.  Reaching the further end of the Pont Napoleon, we found the path striking off immediately before us, and the work began.  The gradient for several minutes rose rather sharply, and as the road was anything but a pleasant or even one, the labour for the horses was considerable; but they went very willingly, until, at our arrival at a couple of cottages, we halted to give them a few minutes’ rest.

Until then we had been winding up the face of the hill, but after leaving the cottages, the track bearing round to the side brought us above Luz, over which and the whole valley we had a splendid view.  Not far from this point, the path from Luz, via Villenave, joined in, but no improvement in the general unevenness and stoniness of it was effected.  With a barren gorge on our left, and the green pastures with the snow-peaks of Bugaret and Maucapera towering behind them, straight before us, we followed the disagreeable zigzags, our horses always on the very edge, as though courting our overthrow, till, finding on reaching the “cabanes” some shepherds kindly and well disposed, we repaired to the shelter that their cow-house wall afforded, to eat our lunch.  The meal was a success, as such meals, when the victuals are good and the appetites hearty, usually are, and the vin ordinaire, cooled to a pleasant extent with snow from a neighbouring drift, tasted like nectar.  But the same snow which was so delightful in the claret, interfered sadly with our locomotion, and having finished