Part 10 (1/2)
The Garden of Plants is beautifully laid out; groves and avenues of magnolias in full flower, with rocks, waterfalls, rustic bridges, all most picturesquely disposed, making it one of the prettiest gardens and public promenades in France.
We descended the Loire by steamer, pa.s.sing by vast granite buildings, built as magazines for colonial imports, called Les Salorges, in front of which the horrible noyades of Carrier took place, and these warehouses served as a temporary place of confinement for the victims. We next steamed past the island of Indret, the great manufacture of steam-engines for the State. Here we landed some market women, in caps of the same form, with high combs, as those of clear muslin worn by the Nantaises, only of a coa.r.s.e material, and edged with black. On the right was Coueron, where Duke Francis II. died in consequence of a fall from his horse. The battle of St. Aubin-du-Cormier had decided his fate and that of his daughters,-a humiliation from which he never recovered. His faithful friend Rieux, who commanded his army, defeated by the youthful Louis de la Tremouille; the chivalrous Louis of Orleans, a prisoner in an iron cage in the ”Grosse Tour” at Bourges; and the safety of his daughters at the mercy of King Charles VIII., or worse, of his imperious sister, the Regent Anne de Beaujeu, who would have committed some act of spoliation, had not the Chancellor Rochefort saved the duchy by his integrity, declaring to Anne that ”a conqueror without right is but an ill.u.s.trious robber.”
At Les Pellerins, barges were loading with hay, and heaps of it standing on the river's edge ready for embarkation. On the left bank is Paimbuf, where diligences run to p.o.r.nic, a favourite little watering-place south of the Loire.
St. Nazaire is a bustling seaport town, now the point of departure of the transatlantic steamers for the West Indies and Mexico. A Mexican, in his picturesque costume, all the seams of his dress fringed with hanging silver b.u.t.tons, was living in the same hotel with ourselves. St. Nazaire has now a large floating basin, opened in 1858, capable of holding 200 s.h.i.+ps of large size, and another is in course of construction.
It was from St. Nazaire that Prince Charles, the young Pretender, sailed on the adventurous expedition of '45, furnished with a frigate and a s.h.i.+p of the line by Mr. Walsh, of Nantes. Among the n.o.ble cavaliers who had sacrificed everything to follow the Stuarts into exile was the Walsh family, originally from Ireland. They had shared the wandering fortunes of Charles II., returned with him at the Restoration to find the greater part of their property confiscated; but they did not hesitate to sacrifice the rest when James II. abdicated the throne, and a Walsh commanded the s.h.i.+p which carried the King to France. Sent on a secret mission to England, he was recognized, denounced, and arrested. James II. created him an Earl at St. Germain. Two of his sons had retired to St. Malo and Nantes, and engaged in commercial speculations, endeavouring thereby to restore the fortunes of their house. Commerce was strictly forbidden to the Breton n.o.bles; but, when war or misfortune had reduced their fortunes, they were allowed to enter into commerce, or any other profession, without derogating from their rank, provided they first deposited their swords with the Parliament, to be again claimed when their circ.u.mstances were improved. All will remember the anecdote in the 'Sentimental Journey.' As a book, called 'The State of n.o.bility in Brittany,' published in 1681, sets forth: ”When n.o.bles are engaged in commerce, their n.o.ble blood sleeps; but when the derogatory works are over, it revives. It is never lost but in death.” But to return to the Walsh family. One of the brothers had embarked the remains of his little fortune in the business of ”armateur”-a kind of s.h.i.+powner, or one who fits out and charters s.h.i.+ps, and sometimes commands them himself-the profession of Jean Bart and Duguay Trouin.(23) It was to this Anthony Walsh, and a banker of Dunkirk, that Prince Charles addressed himself to fit out an old worm-eaten seventy-gun man-of-war, the 'Elizabeth,' they had just obtained from Government for his expedition. True to the hereditary loyalty of his family, Mr. Walsh not only devoted all he possessed to the armament of the frigate, but also fitted out a brig, called the 'Doutelle'-both intended as privateers to cruise against the English-and took the command of her himself. On the 28th June, 1745, furnished with about 4000l. of money, Charles Edward embarked on the Loire, in a fisherman's boat, to join the 'Doutelle' at St. Nazaire, and the 'Elizabeth' at Belle-Isle. He pa.s.sed for a young Irish priest, and wore the habit of a student of the Scots' College at Paris. The s.h.i.+ps encountered an English man-of-war, the 'Lion.' At the sound of the first shot, the Prince rushed on deck and asked for a sword.
Mr. Walsh, by virtue of his authority as captain, took him by the arm and said to him sternly, ”M. Abbe, your place is not here; go below with the pa.s.sengers.” The Prince obeyed, night separated the combatants, and on the 18th of July he was safely landed in Scotland. On Michaelmas Day, the following year, the disasters of Culloden again threw him an exile on the sh.o.r.es of Brittany.
From St. Nazaire we took a carriage for Guerande, to visit that remarkable district called the Canton de Croisic, and consisting chiefly of that place and the Bourg de Batz. We first came to Es...o...b..ac, a corruption of Episcopi lacus, deriving its name from a lake belonging to the bishop of the diocese.
The old town has been entirely buried by the moving sands which have blown over it, and, in 1779, its inhabitants transferred their houses to the present site. Hills of sand surround it in every direction.
Here we left the high road, and turned off to the left to Poulignan, a little white bay, as its name implies; a charming retreat, with beautiful white sands and picturesque rocks. This is a favourite watering-place with the Nantais. Its whole population appeared to be in the water. A row of small wooden chalets are built along the sh.o.r.e for the bathers, no machines are used.
From Es...o...b..ac begins the large extent of salt-pans in which consist the riches of this country. They reach to Batz and Le Croisic, the peninsula which forms this district having formerly been an island which gradually has been transformed into a marsh.
[Ill.u.s.tration: 44. Salt-pans, with Le Croisic in the distance.]
These salt-pans, cut out into small squares, have the appearance of one great chess-board, interspersed with occasional hamlets and woods. The working of them employs the whole population of the district.
They consist of large basins, dug at different depths, into which the water of the sea is introduced, and are divided into squares called ”illets.” The salt-water is turned upon the marsh by ca.n.a.ls styled ”etiers,” edged with narrow paths or roads called ”bossis,” elevated, some of them, three or four feet above the marsh; on these the newly collected salt is generally laid. The water pa.s.ses by a subterranean conduit, the ”coef,” into the ”vasiere,” where the first evaporation takes place; and then successively into the ”cobiers,” ”fares,” and ”adernemetres,” until it flows finally into the ”illets,” where the salt is definitively formed. Each ”illet” is about 20 feet by 30. The heat of the sun and the wind effect the evaporation, which the paludier a.s.sists by stirring the water from time to time. The salt which forms on the surface resembles a kind of white cream, and exhales an agreeable perfume resembling violets.
This is the finest salt; that which falls to the bottom of the salt-pan is of a greyish cast. The salt when formed is then sc.r.a.ped off, drained, and the women collect it and stack it on the ”bossis” into conical heaps, which they cover with a coating of clay, to render them impervious to weather. In the salting season, the salt marshes with their innumerable hillocks of white salt have the appearance of a vast tent-covered camp.
Each ”illet” produces about 150 lbs. of salt. The same salt-pans are worked from century to century by the same ”paludiers” or their descendants. The proprietors may change, but the workmen remain, considering the salt-pans their prescriptive inheritance. For payment, they receive one-fourth of the salt. The dress of the paludier is a smock-frock of irreproachable whiteness, with pockets, white shoes, gaiters, and linen breeches, an enormous black flap hat turned up on the side in a point or horn. The young man wears the point over the ear, the married turns it behind, and the widower in front. We reached the Bourg de Batz in time for vespers, and had an opportunity of seeing the people in their Sunday dress. The men wear three or four cloth waistcoats, all of different lengths, so as to let the various colours, red, white, and blue, with which they are bound, appear one above the other in tiers, a muslin turnover collar, full plaited breeches of fine cloth tied at the knee by garters of floating ribbon, white woollen stockings with worked clocks and light yellow shoes, their flap hats ornamented with a roll of chenille of varied colours. The headdress of the women is singular and most intricate.
The hair, in two rolls, twisted round with white tape, forms a kind of coronet across their heads; over this, a piece of net is drawn tight, forming a sort of cap, describing a peak behind, and crossing in front like a handkerchief.
[Ill.u.s.tration: 45. Paludier of the Bourg de Batz, in his working dress.]
The dress consists of several petticoats of cloth plaited, red body, turned-up sleeves, and large coloured bibs or plastrons which they call ”pieces,” of the same stuff as their dresses. The girls' ap.r.o.ns are plain, without pockets, but the women's are of coloured silk, some of a rich brocade. A shawl with fringed border completes the costume. Some of the women had their heads and shoulders wrapped up in a triangular, black, s.h.a.ggy sheepskin mantle; these were widows.
At the inn where we alighted, they keep the splendid costumes worn by the people at weddings and other great occasions; and, by paying them for their trouble, they will put them on for inspection. The bride's costumes are of great magnificence; they array themselves in three different dresses on their wedding-day. First, a gown of white velvet, with ap.r.o.n of moire antique; secondly, one of violet velvet; and the third equally costly. Embroidered sleeves, the ”piece” of cloth of gold, the petticoats looped up with a wide sash, embroidered in gold, and gold clocks to the stockings.
[Ill.u.s.tration: 46. Paludier of the Bourg de Batz, in his wedding dress.]
We were shown a state bed, or ”lit de mariage,” a tall four-post, painted red, with green reps tester and curtains, embroidered with yellow chenille. The great sign of wealth is to have the bedding reach to the top of the bedstead. To effect this, the base is formed of bundles of vine-stalks, over which is spread the straw, and when this scaffolding has been raised some feet, a pailla.s.se is placed over it, then the feather-bed, so that it literally requires a ladder to ascend to the top of this mountain of bedding, and then it is difficult to crawl into it.
There were a bolster and two pillows covered with velvet, which, with the sheets, were all trimmed with a kind of lace or cutwork.
The houses are solidly built of granite, and slated; the windows large.
The furniture is good, generally comprising a well-waxed carved oak armoire, upon which are arranged earthenware plates of various colours.
The paludiers of Batz preserve their original type distinct from the peasants of the environs; and form, like the Jews, a separate people, intermarrying among themselves, retaining their own peculiar manners and customs. They are supposed to descend from a Saxon colony. The paludier is tall in stature; their women remarkable for their fair complexions, which contrast strongly with their sunburnt neighbours. They are loyal and devout, true to their word, courageous and enduring; though the paludier is miserably poor, from the oppressiveness of the salt-tax, he never complains. Begging is unknown. Their food consists of rye bread, porridge of black corn, potatoes, and sh.e.l.lfish. They are sober, and drink wine in small quant.i.ties.
Formerly the salt was distributed over the adjacent provinces by means of ”saulniers,” the journeymen labourers of the paludiers. Dressed in their picturesque costume, with a train of mules, whose tinkling bells announced their arrival, the saulnier was welcomed in every village where he sold his salt or exchanged it for other merchandize. ”Le sucre des pauvres,” as salt has been aptly called, was severely taxed under the old regime; distributions of the ”sel royale” were yearly made by the Government among the gentry of the provinces, but the poor, who had no such privileges, severely felt the oppression, and smuggling was consequently extensively carried on, and the ”faux saulnier,” with his double bag across his shoulders, secretly sold salt upon which the gabelle had not been paid.
With a faux saulnier originated the great peasant rising in Brittany, the Chouan war; a war to which Napoleon said, ”All preceding wars have been but games.” Jean, father of the four brothers Cottereau, was a maker of wooden shoes, and lived in a forest near Laval (Maine). From his solitary life he had acquired such sombre, wild, melancholy habits, that people gave him the name of Chouan, Maine patois for Chat-huant, and his family received the sobriquet long before the insurrection of 1792. Jean Cottereau was the most celebrated faux saulnier of Maine; he had accidentally killed a revenue officer in one of his encounters, and his heroic mother made a journey to Versailles, barefooted, ”sur le cuir de ses pieds,” to obtain his pardon. Jean's master and patron was guillotined, his two sisters shared the same fate, and one of his brothers died of his wounds, and his body was disinterred by the Revolutionists.
These personal wrongs, the treatment of the King, the interdiction of the Catholic religion, its processions, its bells, the persecution of its ministers, all goaded the Breton peasantry to revolt; and Jean was the first to fire a gun against a Republican at the cry of ”Vive le Roi.” The rising began with a few peasants, armed with a gun or a stick, dressed in short breeches open at the knee, with leather gaiters, and coloured garters; their long hair streaming over the shoulders, their heads covered with a wide-brimmed hat, or brown or red cap, sabots tipped with iron, and, in cold weather, a loose coat of goatskin. The Chouans a.s.sembled in small bands and attacked the Republicans at night in ambuscade, and when they had killed a few ”Bleus” disappeared among the corn-fields or the furze-bushes. Simple peasants, they fought against the Republicans in defence of the altar and the throne. Their ”commandements” ran thus:-
”Ton Dieu, ton Roy, tu serviras Jusqu'a la mort fidelement.
Docile a tes chefs tu seras, Afin de vaincre surement.