pond, by a subterranean course. One stone, hollowed out,
is called the ecuelle of the Virgin, and others have each the name of some
different utensil requisite for the "Menage" of our Lady. The young people
managed to scramble to the bottom.

Huelgoat (Breton, "high wood") is celebrated for its lead-mines, which are
now no longer worked. A well-kept path, cut on the top of the ridge, leads
to the mines, about two miles and a half distant, along a neat little
canal, three feet wide, issuing from the great pond, and supplying the
hydraulic machine used to pump the water out of the mine. The deeply
wooded valley, along the ridge of which it runs, is traversed by a rushing
stream, which runs over rocks; and at a place called Le Gouffre, the
rounded granite masses are piled in the wildest confusion, like those of
the Menage de la Vierge, forming a large dark cavern, at the bottom of
which the imprisoned river foams and roars, and has forced itself an
escape through a gorge at some distance from the place, where it is lost
to view. A young girl is said, about a century back, to have fallen down
this gulf. Attempting to gather some of the mosses that line the sides of
the rocks, she slipped in and perished in the sight of her intended. Her
body never reappeared, but our guide assured us that her ghost was seen
four years since, and that sighs and groans are to be heard at eve issuing
from the fatal chasm.

The pretty little ivy-leaved campanula was growing here in abundance. We
visited in succession the "robber's cave," the "Pierre cintre" (a natural
archway), and other wonders, and returned much pleased with the infinite
variety of fantastic rocks, rushing waters, and hanging woods, which form
this charming scene.

The lead-mines of Huelgoat have been worked since the fifteenth century
for the silver which the lead-ore (galena) contains.

The right of working these mines and those of Poullaouen was given by
Louis XIII. to Jean du Chatelet, Baron of Beausoleil, and his wife. He was
at that time General of the Mines in Hungary, and inspector of the French
mines. They were accompanied by German miners, but their mysterious
researches caused them to be accused of sorcery and magic. Richelieu had
them imprisoned in the Bastille, where they both died, victims of the
fanaticism of the age, and the works were abandoned till the eighteenth
century. They are now no longer in operation, but it is said are about to
be re-opened.

R