, a sort of ark, with cabins, where travellers could be fairly
comfortable, space where the berlin could be stowed away in the rear, and
a deck with an awning where the passengers could disport themselves. From
the days of Sully to those of the Revolution, this was by far the most
convenient and secure mode of transport, especially in the south of
France. It was very convenient to the Bourke party; who were soon
established on the deck. The lady's dress was better adapted to
travelling than the full costume of Paris. It was what she called _en
Amazone_--namely, a clothe riding-habit faced with blue, with a short
skirt, with open coat and waistcoat, like a man's, hair unpowdered and
tied behind, and a large shady feathered hat. Estelle wore a miniature
of the same, and rejoiced in her freedom from the whalebone stiffness of
her Paris life, skipping about the deck with her brother, like fairies,
Lanty said, or, as she preferred to make it, 'like a nymph.'

{The cohe d'eau: p40.jpg}

The water coach moved only by day, and was already arrived before the
land one brought the weary party to the meeting-place--a picturesque
water-side inn with a high roof, and a trellised passage down to the
landing-place, covered by a vine, hung with clusters of ripe grapes.

Here the travellers supped on omelettes and _vin ordinaire_, and went off
to bed--Madame and her child in one bed, with the maids on the floor, and
in another room the Abbe and secretary, each in a _grabat_, the two men-
servants in like manner, on the floor. Such was the privacy of the
eighteenth century, and Arthur, used to waiting on himself, looked on
with wonder to see the Abbe like a baby in the hands of his faithful
foster-brother, who talked away in a queer mixture of Irish-English and
French all the time until they knelt down and said their prayers together
in Latin, to which Arthur diligently closed his Protestant ears.

Early the next morning the family embarked, the carriage having been
already put on board; and the journey became very agreeable as they
glided slowly, almost dreamily along, borne chiefly by the current,
although a couple of horses towed the barge by a rope on the bank, in
case of need, in places where the water was more sluggish, but nothing
more was wanting in the descent towards the Mediterranean.

The accommodation was not of a high order, but whenever there was a halt
near a good inn, Madame de Bourke and the children landed for