The contiguous river may be called the Rance, from the Rance. I name of the principal river, which, however, is not more than eighteen leagues in length. It is formed by the chain which serves as a limit to the preceding basin, and which passes northward of Brest, to the heights of Menez and Arree. Mounts Menez and a range of hills, extending from the north Vilaine. to the neighbourhood of the Loire, bounds the basin of the Vilaine, a small river which rises near Juvigné, and is rendered navigable by sluices at the village of Cessan; afterwards enlarged by the Meu, the Seiche, and the Don, it reaches the ocean after a course of forty-five leagues. The Charente, a sinuous river, about eighty-five leagues Charente. long, rises near the village of Cherronac in the department of the Upper Vienne. The Ne, the Seugne, and the Boutonne, are the principal feeders; it is navigable at Montignac, a few leagues above Angouleme, and throws itself into the ocean, opposite the isle of Oleron. The basin is bounded by a chain that descends from the heights of Gatine, and by a range of hills, which separate it from the basin of the Charante. The basin of the Adour is limited on the south by the PyreAdour. nees, and by a number of hills that extend from these mountains to the sandy plains of the Gironde. The river issues from the declivities in the Pic du Midi, and forms a cataract of a hundred feet in height, a short way above Bagneres. The length of the course may be about seventy leagues; it quits the vallies of the Pyrenees, and receives the Midouze, the Luy, the Gave de Pau, the Gave d'Oleron, the Bidouze, and other streams. The Adour cannot be considered either a useful or important river; its course is very rapid, and the inundations occasioned by the melting of the snows, desolate the fields in the neighbourhood of the banks. It begins to be navigable at Saint-Severe, and throws itself into the Gulf of Gascogny at Bayonne. The Aude rises from the marshes of the same name in the Aude. 1 eastern Pyrenees about a league from Mount Lewis; the Orbieux, or the principal feeder, is not navigable. The length of the Adour's course may be about fifty leagues; boats, however, are seldom seen on it, until it joins the canal at Narbonne. The basin of the river is enclosed by Mounts Espinouze, the black Mountains, and the extreme branches of the Pyrenees. The basin limited by Mounts Maures, Esterel, and their raArgens. mifications, is watered by several rivers, of which the Argens or the most important is formed by the streams that unite at ChateauVert. The waters of the Artuby fall into the Argens, which enters the Mediterranean, after a course of twenty-four leagues. It is not navigable, and although it flows between high and rocky banks, it often leaves its bed, and forms pestilential marshes. The Herault traverses the eastern part of the same basin from the Cevennes to the sea, a distance of twenty-eight leagues. France is watered by twelve great rivers, by a hundred and eight that are navigable, and by more than five thousand streams and rivulets. But in order to complete the hydrographical account of the same country, it is necessary to notice the lakes and marshes. Of the former, one only need be mentioned; it is the Lake of Grand-Lieu in the department of Nantes; enlarged by the waters of the Boulogne, the Ognon, and other small rivers, it discharges itself by the Achenau into the Loire. It may be about two leagues and a half in length, and nearly two in breadth. The large marshes in France are situated in the maritime departments on the south-west and south-east. The marsh of Carcans in the department of the Gironde, may be about two leagues long by one and a half broad; it communicates with another, the Canau, which is not much smaller. The Biscarosse in the Landes, may be nearly of the same dimensions as the first; it as well as others of a smaller size are separated from the sea by downs. The boundary on the coast of the Mediterranean, between the departments of the Eastern Pyrenees and the Aude, divides the Leucate, a marsh about three leagues long, into two almost equal parts. The Sigean, nearly four leagues in length, is also situated in the same department. The marsh of Thau in the department of the Herault, is almost as long as the last; it exhibits two phenomena not unworthy of notice; first, it is salt, although fed by many fresh water springs; secondly, a sort of subterranean water spout rises several feet above the surface near the northern extremity, and forms by its fall a circular pool. It communicates on the north-east by means of a natural channel with the marshes of Maguelonne, Perols, and Mauguio, thus forming a length of more than thirty miles. The marsh of Bere in the Bouches du Rhone, may be considered a gulf; it enters the sea by the canals of Martigues and the Tour de Bouc. It is about fifteen leagues in circumference, and a great quantity of salt is deposited in its calm and still waters. Several artificial marshes or pools, not inferior in size to natural lakes, are situated in the interior of France; among others, the Villers, in the department of the Cher, and the Indre, in the department of the Meurthe; the first is about six leagues in circumference, and the second, four. The Saille, a feeder of the Moselle, issues from the last. I Capes. Two large promontories are situated on the French coasts; the Hague, or the Hogue, at the extremity of a department of the same name, protrudes into the channel; the Raz forms the most western point in the department of Finistere. The waves are broken into foam at the base of the last cape, and the view from its summit extends to a great distance along the ocean. The same coasts are indented by large and deep gulfs; that Gulfs and of St. Malo in the Channel, stretches beyond the bay of Saint❘ bays. Brieuc on the left, and forms at its extremity the bay of Cancale, famous for its oysters. The Brest anchorage on the western coast of Finistere. might be more correctly called a bay, of which the depth at low tide is not less than ten or twelve fathoms, and the circumference about eight leagues; it communicates with the ocean by the strait of Goulet. The bay of Douarnenez on the south is still larger; its entrance is formed by Cape Chevre and Cape Raz. Another, the Morbihan, which gives its name to a department, is about eight leagues in circumference. The bay of Bourganeuf, although larger, but not so deep as the last, extends almost to the embouchure of the Loire. The gulf of Gascogny on the ocean is enclosed by the coasts of France and Spain; at one extremity it receives the small river of the Nivelle. The most important gulf on the Mediterranean, is the gulf of Lions, incorrectly written Lyons, an error which has led some geographers to suppose that it was called after the town of the same name, from which, however, it is more than fifty-five leagues distant in a direct line. During the middle ages, it was styled the sea or gulf of the Lion, because, from the frequency of tempests, it was formidable to mariners. It is known that Saint Lewis, after having embarked at Aigues Mortes, was detained in the gulf by a storm which lasted three days. It is bounded by the coasts of five departments; the Eastern Pyrenees, the Aude, the Herault, the Gard, and the Bonches du Rhone. Four bays are formed by the coasts in the department of the Var; namely, the bays of Cavaleire, Grimaud, Napoule, and Juan. • We may mention the testimony of William of Nangis, a monk of the thirteenth century, and a biographer of St. Lewis. "Mare Leonis nuncupatur, quod semper est asperum, fluctuosum et crudele." See also Memoires de l'Acadamie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, tom. xii. p. 210. Islands. It is unnecessary to mention all the islands near the coasts of France; Jersey and Guernsey are more important than any others in the channel, but as they are under the protection of England, they shall be described in the account of that country. The isle of Ouessant on the coasts of the ocean is surrounded by other smaller islands of the same name, and lined with rocks, which render the approach dangerous. It may be equal to two square leagues in superficial extent; the soil is by no means unfruitful. Croaix, a more productive island, is chiefly inhabited by fishermen. Belle-Isle, about four leagues in length, and two in breadth, yields rich pasturage. Mourmoutiers, equal to four square leagues in extent, is peopled by industrious inhabitants. Yeu is formed by a granite rock, covered with a light stratum of vegetable mould; the surface occupies the space of nearly six square leagues. The isle of Re, about five leagues long, and fifteen in circumference, is bounded by rocks on the north and the west. The land is ill provided with wood, and unfruitful in corn; the wealth of the inhabitants consists chiefly in the produce of their vineyards. Oleron, an island of considerable importance, is about six leagues long, and two broad; its salt marshes are very valuable. Camargue, an island on the Mediterranean, is formed by the allu vial deposits brought down by the Rhone; with the exception of a large marsh, the soil affords excellent pasturage. The Hyeres, of which the principal islands are Porquerolles, Port-Croz, Bagneaux and Titan, stretch to the distance of seven leagues from east to west; they are fruitful in oranges and in different aromatic plants. The Lerins, or the islands of St. Marguerite and St. Honorat, are encompassed with quicksands, and almost uninhabited. Corsica is situated on the south-east of the Lerins; from its importance it may be necessary to enter into some details concerning it. Corsica. The island is partly covered with mountains, forming a group which a French geographer has denominated the Sardo Corsican, because it is the continuation of a range in Sardinia. The group consists of the chain of Caona on the south, the mountains of Cagnone in the centre, the Frontogna heights on the north-west, and the Titime on the north. Different counterforts or branches connected with these chains enclose numerous vallies or small basins. The seven of most consequence are those watered by the Tavignano and the Golo on the east, and the vallies of the Valinco, the Taravo, the Gravone, the Liamone and the Fango, which descend towards the western declivities of the island. None of these rivers are navigable. Several marshes are situated on the eastern coast, the largest, or the Biguglia, is nearly eight miles in length. The chain of Titime terminates at Cape Corsica on the north, the most important of any in the island. The mountains that descend on the western side, enclose many bays and several gulfs, among others, the gulfs of Valinco, Ajaccio, Porto and St. Florent. Other islands are situated near Corsica, but all of them are very small. Geology. Remarks. Before we proceed to examine the soil in the different parts Preliminary of France, it may not be out of place to make some remarks relative to the geology of the country. Granite rocks, or such as are anterior to the appearance of organic matter, are seen on the declivities of the Pyrenees and the Alps, but the granite in the former is less ancient than the granite in the second. Granite masses support volcanic summits in the Cevennes proper, and particularly in Cantal and Mount Dor. The granite in the Ceveno-Vosgian group disappears in the neighbourhood of Avalon, and is seen anew at the two extremities of the Vosges, in other words, at the sources of the Moselle, and in the vicinity of the Ardennes. The same rocks prevail in the Armorican range, See Tableau des Montagnes, by M. Brouguere. forming the crests of the small basins, watered by the feeders of the Loire, and covering almost all the surface in the departments of the Lower Loire, Norbihan, Finistere, the Cotes-du-Nord, the Ile-et-Vilaine, and the Manche. sandstone. From the remains of granite rocks, triturated and united by Ancient the action of water, are formed the masses of ancient sandstone which extend near the frontiers of the kingdom. But at the time that their molecules were cemented, continents existed, for in their inclined strata are found vegetable remains. Extensive deposits of the same rocks are situated at the base of the Cevennes, on the banks of the Tarn, in the neighbourhood of St. Etienne, near Brives, in the territory of BourbonArchambault, on the banks of the Cher and the Auron. The same rocks bound the Vosges on the west and south, they form their summits from the sources of the Sarre to the base of Mount Tonnerre, and appear again on the banks of the Moselle in the vicinity of Sierck. The ancient ocean has left traces of its existence in every Saline country on the earth; as its waters became gradually lower, deposits. calcareous strata or beds of sea salt, were deposited in the declivities of the heights which have been already indicated, and in basins of which the limits are still apparent. Calcareous The whole chain of Jura may be considered the highest region of these deposits, which are supported on the south by the base of the Lower Alps, the Cevennes and the Pyrenees, and on the east by the base of the High Alps, and form on the right of the Saone, the mountains of the Charollais, the Cote d'Or, and the heights of Langres. The same deposits become lower towards the Mediterranean, and their declivities extend in the direction of the channel, occupying a zone, which may be traced from the banks of the Tarn to Valogne and the neighbourhood of Cherburg; they form the ridge of the Ardennes, terminate at the sources of the Serre, and re-appear in the vicinity of Boulogne-sur-Mer. But a second series of sediments is found on these lands, Chalk exhibiting in the south of Angouleme and Perigueux, and at I deposits. the distance of some leagues to the north of the Garonne, the calcareous substances which belong to the chalk formation. It might be said that they have been accumulated in the depths of vast Caspian seas, of which the remains on the banks of Dordogne, the Ille, and the Charente, extend and are lost in the ocean, where they form the island of Oleron. Another deposit, much greater than the last, occupies an immense basin, which, in its irregular windings, stretches into England, terminating on the west towards a branch of the hills, that diverges from the Armorican chain to the Loire, where it forms the tegular schistus of Angers; the same deposit extends on the south towards the heights of Gatines, the ridge of Issoudun, and the hills near Bourges, on the east towards those of Auxerre, and the heights of Langres and the Ardennes, on the north beyond the Baltic. The animals that existed in these Caspian seas, differed Ancient wholly from any that now frequent the ocean. Among those Reptiles. that the naturalist considers the most remarkable, are large reptiles, which may be compared to monsters engendered in the imagination, exhibiting the singular spectacle of a head like a dolphin's with the teeth of a crocodile, placed at the extremity of a long neck consisting of eighty vertebræ, and attached to the body of a lizard. The remains of the marine reptiles, called Ichtyosauri, have been found in the blue marl near Honfleur, and other animals, the Plesiosauri, not unlike lizards, and about. nine feet in length, have been collected near Boulogne and Auxonne. A third animal, to which a French naturalist has given the name of TeleosauVOL. V.-3 L rus Cadomensis," resembles in some respects the crocodile; it is found in the quarries near Caen. Higher At a period subsequent to the formation of the chalky I deposits. basins, which cover a great part of Champagne, Normandy, Touraine, Picardy, and Artois, the traces of smaller seas have been left in France. These traces may be discovered wherever there are beds of coarse limestone, such as the kind used for building in the neighbourhood of Paris, or wherever there are deposits similar to the strata beneath the same rocks. The smallest of these Caspian seas, if they may be so called, covered the country now watered by the Rhone in the lower part of its course; it may be traced in the departments of Herault, Gard, Vaucluse, and Bouches du Rhone. Another and a somewhat larger sea was situated on the north of the former, and bounded by the declivities of Jura, those on Cote d'Or, and the heights of Charolais. The basin which it formed, reaches from the north of Dijon to the south of Valence. A third of still greater dimensions, covered almost all the surface in the departments of Tarn, Upper Garonne, Gers, Landes, Gironde, and lastly, Lot-et-Garonne. But the largest of them all extended over the Loiret, the Seine-et-Oise, the Oise, and partly over the departments of Aisne, Seine-et-Cher, Indreet-Loire, and Indre. The basins of these Caspians were not drained at the same epoch. While the one on the north, the last that has been mentioned, is formed by marine calcareous strata, in which the organic remains belong to animals wholly different from any that now frequent our seas; in the basin through which the Garonne flows, are found many shell-fish similar to others that still exist. It may be concluded from the gypsum rocks, which appear to have been formed in the depths of fresh water, that lakes succeeded the seas in the two basins round Paris and Avignon. Ancient Graminivorous animals frequented the banks of these lakes, quadrupeds. I but they were part of a creation very different from the one which now inhabits the surface of the earth. Their bones have been collected, examined and compared by a celebrated naturalist, and with the aid of a science, which was brought by the same person to a high degree of perfection, their forms have been discovered. It was in the strata of Montmartre, Belleville and Montmorency, in the quarries of Aix, in the calcareous marl near Orleans, and on the Rhenish limits of France, that the bones of these ancient animals were found. From their particular conformation and the marked characters which distinguish them from every living being, names have been assigned them, which, together with their antiquity, indicate the forms of their jawbones and teeth. Thus the palæotheria (ancient animals) have been divided into seven sorts, of which the largest may be equal in size to a horse, and the smallest, somewhat larger than a hare. The only animals to which they bear any resemblance in shape, are the tapirs that exist at present in the new world. The anoplotheria (defenceless animals) are divided into six species, the largest are three feet high by five long, and the smallest, not less than a rat. The remains of the lophiodontes are chiefly found in calcareous marl; they resemble tapirs in many respects, the difference consisting principally in their greater or smaller size. Ridge of When the marine calcareous masses in the departments Auvergne. round Paris were covered with fresh water, there must have been large lakes in the highest part of France, on the mountains in the departments of Puy de Dome, Cantal, Lozere and Ardeche; for no marine M. Geoffroy de St. Hilaire. M. Cuvier. See Recherches sur les Ossemens Fossiles, 5 vols. 4to. 1823. |