forte" than of a "manoir," as was termed the
habitation of a knight, and of those who holding a fief, yet did not
possess the seignorial right to a castle with towers and donjon. The
manoir might be enclosed by walls and moats, but not with towers. The
entrance on the side opposite to the river is through a large walled court
by a low Gothic doorway, closed by an enormous iron grating of upright and
horizontal bars of great thickness, hanging on four hinges, and secured by
four locks; all the windows have gratings of the same kind. A stone
staircase leads to the one story, consisting of a suite of large rooms
half lighted by narrow windows. Some of these are occupied by the keeper
of the castle and others are reserved for the use of the proprietor, the
Marquis d'Argentre, and, when he goes there, are decorated and partly
furnished with the pieces of old tapestry lying about. At the end of these
rooms is a turret, which communicates with a covered gallery surmounting
the whole length of the facade facing the river, and commanding a
beautiful view of the windings of the silvery Trieux and of its
fir-clothed banks. This gallery is furnished with battlements, and served
the double purpose of a rampart and an observatory. The wall on the
river-side is fifteen feet thick, and a chapel hewn in the thickness of
the wall is lighted by a Gothic window looking over the Trieux. Fourteen
elegant chimney-shafts of cut stone, cylindrical in form, and ornamented
with iron spikes, give a most original character to the building. The
chateau belonged to the Marechal Duc de Richelieu, who sold it in 1773 to
the Tressan family, under the stipulation that its subterranean passages
should not be explored. They are said to extend under the bed of the river
to the Chateau of Frinandour, half a league distant.

We next passed through Pontrieux, a pretty, small town, seated in a deep
valley, the river Trieux flowing through it. The river here is famous for
salmon, and there is a considerable commerce in its little port.

La Roche-Derrien on the Jaudy, during the War of Succession in Brittany,
was a castle of some celebrity. It was here Charles of Blois was taken
prisoner by the English, who, under Sir Thomas Dagworth, were in
possession of the place. Charles of Blois assembled a large army, and
attacked them by night. Three times was he rescued, and three times
retaken; he had received eighteen wounds, and was at last compelled to
surrender. Jea