l excursion occupied us until nearly one o'clock, and we
had only just time to catch the train leaving for Antibes. Not,
however, without first making a successful forage at the station, to
provide luncheon, our tall friend cramming _half a yard of bread_ into
each of his tunic pockets, which caused him to cut rather a comical
figure, especially as he wore knickerbockers; and he was consequently a
source of great amusement to people we met, who laughed good naturedly
enough, setting us down in their own minds, I doubt not, as mad English
people, in whom any amount of eccentricity was allowable.

The journey to Antibes, accomplished in a short half-hour, was very
interesting, different views and aspects of the snow-clad Maritime Alps
giving us from time to time ever-varying features of sublime beauty, and
moving our heartfelt admiration.

Antibes, the ancient Antipolis, a colony of the Massilians, was once a
Roman arsenal; there still remain two towers to mark this period. The
present fortifications were erected about the time of the first Francis,
and of Henry of Navarre, and afterwards greatly improved by Vauban under
Louis le Grand. Their erection had the salutary effect of draining the
marshy ground, and rendering the air healthy; but the sanitary
arrangements both here and elsewhere are still very defective. Before
Nice was annexed by France, this was her frontier line, which accounts
for its being still so strongly fortified. The remains of a theatre and
other ancient buildings attest to its former importance.

On reaching our destination, we strolled along the road leading to the
ramparts, and from these heights enjoyed a most glorious sea view. The
snowy Alps rising majestically on the opposite shore, and a fine old
Genoese fort, with wedge-shaped bastions, boldly standing at the end of
a peninsula, stretching out into the sea and agreeably breaking the
distance.

Antibes is almost surrounded by the sea, and, from the beauty of its
position and the natural purity of its air, is fast becoming a favoured
health resort, in spite of the dirtiness of the town and the inadequacy
of hotel accommodation. Nowadays doctors call all kinds of places
"health resorts," but they should first of all make sure that the
sanitary condition of the place justifies their recommendation. The
sublime and lovely views in this neighbourhood cannot fail to make a
lasting impression on any lover of fine scenery.

Catching our train bac