How gladly the occupants of the diligences descend, for the short while adjudged sufficient, at this customary half-way house, who but themselves can tell?  Even we were glad to let the horses have an hour’s rest, and to enjoy meanwhile some good hot coffee and chicken.  The inn itself was certainly not a paradise; but there were some lovely fields behind it, and in front, across the road, there was an old table and an older seat among the trees, down by the swift-flowing river.  A charming place for moralising indeed!  None of us, however, were much in the style of the “melancholy Jacques,” or, with our eyes on some vigorous fisherman higher up the river, we might have begun: 

  “And yet it irks us, these bright speckled trout,
  Being native swimmers in this river, should
  From their own limpid pools, by gay, false flies
  Be cruelly decoyed.”

Instead of this, however, we returned to the inn, where we saw a worthy count endeavouring to clean a huge meerschaum pipe that he handled with evident fondness, and finding our carriage ready—­it being then nearly eleven o’clock—­we continued our journey.

It was now that the real Val d’Ossau commenced, and though the drive so far had been much enjoyed, we soon passed into scenery both more fine and more wild.  One kilometre from Louvie on the left stands the ancient Chateau de Geloz (161/2 miles) on a small hill, and on another hill beside it—­of corresponding size—­stands a church.  The view here, with the village of Castets behind, the beautiful river below, and the wooded slopes and massive rocks above, was especially charming.

With many lovely fields on either side of us we drove at a smart pace towards Bielle (181/4 miles), and at a quarter-past eleven entered the town, which in bygone days was the capital of Ossau.  Here the celebrated Coffre d’Ossau, that contained archives dating from the year 1227, was kept; and it is a noteworthy fact that the presence of the mayors of three towns, besides that of the President of the Valley Council, was necessary before this “strong box” could be opened.

There are many old houses and objects of interest, including some mosaics, to be seen in the town, and among other things that attracted our attention was a large board, painted in the most modern style, with a pair of scissors at one side and an open razor at the other, and the “welcome” information—­“Ici on rase” underneath.

The village of Bilheres, situated above Bielle on the slopes of the hill, is not without interest on account of the richness of its copper mines, while during the dry season a track leads from it over the Col de Marie Blanque to the Vallee d’Aspe.

As we continued our journey the frequent puffs of dust alone gave us any trouble, but they caused us at times to screen our eyes and miss the view.  The valley, now at its widest, with pastures high up on the hills seemingly as fertile as those beside the river, all bright with flowers or studded with well-leaved trees, spoke of peace and prosperity.  It would have been hard indeed to imagine a huge and ferocious bear appearing among such cultivation, although the valley still retains its ancient name, signifying that it was once the resort of these animals; but a “dancing bear” is the only specimen of the race seen about there now.