| Description | [Diary Transcription]
304
1838
August
yesterday morning he said Exactly the reverse — after an attentive examination of my Charpentier map
this morning at Rōddě, I found that, from my station there, neither the Port de Pinède nor Port de
Canou (Port de la Canaa) could possibly be seen — I called Charles and Pierre, and told them I was right
in saying from the 1st I thought it was the Port Vieux, not the Port de Pinède that we saw — Pierre owned I
was right — Charles talked on for some time but at last gradually ate up his words — we could in fact see nothing
like or near the Port de la Canaa — quite hid by what Charles calls the Mont Ferrand — A- [Ann] not
much satisfied with her sketch — but she certainly improves, particularly in colouring — she had another
Egg — off home at 5 5/.. — we both walked to the Pont de Sia, and both mounted there at
6 5/.. — home at 6 55/.. — ordered shoes — to be very strong for the mountains — 2 soldiers, a French man of Pau and a Prussian, licenciés at their own
request from the Queen of Spain’s foreign legion, Came up with us at the Echelle — had had no pay — Charles said
they had had to sell their clothes — but they themselves said nothing of this to me — the little Pau man said we might
go safely to Ainsa and Broto and Torla and Bouchero, but not to Benasque — The Curé of
Cambo was at the head of a set of voleurs [thieves] — even the Carlists would not own them — they
were voleurs, and made all thereabouts unsafe — even the soldiers had got their passport
altered to return by Broto instead of Benasque — regular carabiniers (douaniers) at all
the places mentioned above as safe — from Saragossa to Valencia the road open — we might go
safely — civil little man — on leaving him at the Pont de St. Sauveur, gave him and his companion
each 1/. and without stopping for the poor fellows’ thanks galloped off to overtake A- [Ann] dinner at 7 1/4
came to my room at 8 10/.. A- [Ann] too came and staid a little while then had Josephine at 8 1/2 at which hour
Fahrenheit 70 1/4° — very fine day — sat reading Chaussenque — felt rather giddy and bilious — in bed at 10 1/2
as I supposed —
Friday 3
8 10/..
10 1/4
: A's [Ann] monsieur came gently just before we went out very fine morning — very bilious this morning — breakfast at 9 1/4 — had Charles — horses to come at 3 p.m. —
my shoes of then seal-skin — like nothing against rough stone and wet — sent Charles with Josephine to
say I should not take the shoes — then had the shoemaker — civil little man — Explained — ordered another
pair — A- [Ann] read aloud the paper — ate strawberries as usual — breakfast over at 11 5/.. at which hour Fahrenheit 70 1/2° —
wrote out all yesterday except the 1st four lines, and so far of today till now 1 1/4 p.m. — then a little
with A- [Ann] and at accounts till 3 1/4 — off to Barèges at 3 1/4 — my watch done, but begged to keep it
till tomorrow — will send it to Charles by noon tomorrow — A- [Ann] dismounted at the sadler’s to have her
saddle made more easy for her horse — its shoulder galled — we went to the Poste aux lettres
for a minute or 2 — then asked the time at the watch maker’s, 5 1/2 — the main spring of my watch had been
slipped off the pivot — to pay 5/. — told Pierre to follow us with my horse — in 5 or 6
minutes we peeped about the 1st house entering the town, thinking of having it by and by — the postmaster
was to let us know the next time we went when it would be empty — Charles never overtook us
so that I walked all the way back and rode my horse about 2/3 or more of the way — home at
7 40/.. — dinner at 8 to 9 — had Josephine at 9 — Fahrenheit 71°. at 9 p.m. very fine day —
had A- [Ann] a little while and then a little while with her —
305
1838
August Saturday 4
7 1/2
10 50/..
very fine morning — reading Spanish Grammar — had A- [Ann] a minute or 2 — Josephine at 8 50/.. at which
hour Fahrenheit 71 1/2° — breakfast at 9 1/4 and reading the paper and eating strawberries as usual probably till near 11 — from
then to 2 3/4 at accounts — A- [Ann] and I off to Barèges at 3 5/.. — made the guides aller doucement [go slowly] and we trotted
on now and then — at the watch-maker's at 4 20/.. just in time for my watch — he was going to send it off by his
workman — well satisfied with my little Blacksmith like watch mender and paid him his 5/. — fine
view of our high range of St. Sauver mountains, § in returning — the 1st time — they have always before, on our going to Barèges, being
hid in clouds — home about 6 1/4 — I so taken up with the mountains forgot to dismount till we were
1/2 way back — then walked almost to Luz — Settled to go the Cabane 2 hours beyond Gavarnie tomorrow
and to ascend the Vignemale si cela m’est possible [if I can], on Monday sleep at the Bains du Penticouse
return on Tuesday to Gavarnie, and home on Wednesday — A- [Ann] will have taken both the guides — fiat —
and into Spain too — Agreed — dinner at 7 10/.. having just before written the last 9 lines and written out
St. Sauveur my accounts down to this afternoon inclusive — came to my room about 8 1/2 and had Josephine —
a minute or 2 with A- [Ann] looking over Spanish vocabulary in grammar and dictionary till 11 1/2 — very
fine day Fahrenheit 73°. now at 11 40/.. p.m.
§ from North to South Pic d’Ardiden, Candemil, les 2 cavaliers d’Aubiste, Santché and
on the crête of this mountain but lower and more South and not seen till near Luz the Barber de Bouc —
the Pic d’Ardiden very fine, seeming le point culminant —
Sunday 5
6 1/2
9 3/4
dawdling over 1 thing or other went for a minute or 2 to A- [Ann] at 7 — I saw she had been crying and was
low — but I did not say much and came away — breakfast at 9 25/.. had had Charles — very fine morning
Fahrenheit 75°. at 9 1/4 a.m. he has some fears about the weather — if not good, said I should return without
trying the ascent even after sleeping at the Cabane — A- [Ann] read almost all the paper aloud till
11 — Seemed in rather better spirits — I have not ventured to say much but that if the weather not quite
good, I should return immediately — all ready — the Guides and horses came about 12 1/2 — the sky was clouded —
long talk till one as to what to do — determined to wait till tomorrow — the horses to be here at 2 this
afternoon and A- [Ann] and I to ride to Gèdre if she should be able to go so far — but not very strong today — not
certain whether she can bear so long a ride or not — she and I read prayers to George in 1/2 hour till near
2 — off at 2 55/.. — the brouillard very low on the hills — A- [Ann] starved and poorly and turned back
a little way before reaching the Pont de Sia at 3 40/.. and I took Charles and rode forwards meaning to go to Gèdre
to speak to the Gèdre Guide — at 4 a peasant overtook us who was going to Gèdre and would take a message to the Gèdre
guide — to say that if tomorrow was favourable I should be at the Cabane in the evening — if tomorrow not
favourable (i.e. not fine and clear) I should be at the Cabane the 1st favourable day afterwards — returned at
4 from some distance beyond the Pont de Sia, and home (by the Pont Gontaut, walked all the way
from the Pont de Sia) at 5 5/.. — told A- [Ann] the plan of Charles’s brother in law going to the Cabane
to bring back the 3 horses which would be here on the 2nd day, and he would accompany her to Bouchero
to meet me on the 3rd and go to Torla and return by the Port de Pinède — A- [Ann] revived — dinner at 6 20/..
to 7 — brought A- [Ann] to sit with me in my room — had Josephine at 8 1/2 wrote the last 10 1/2 lines till 9 5/..
at which hour Fahrenheit 70 1/2° — fine i.e. fair day, but much brouillard — lower towards evening — seeming to rest on the chimney
tops after dinner —
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