They would be delicious as a curry.
The next morning we continued our journey; and crossing the river Allier at
twelve o'clock, arrived at Clermont-Ferrand at 2 p.m., and dined with Col.
Wardle.
Clermont and Ferrand are two towns within a mile and half distant
from each other and this Clermont is generally called Clermont-Ferrand to
distinguish it from other towns of the same name.
CLERMONT, March 26th.
I have taken lodgings for a month, and board with a French family for 90
franks per month. On the road hither the immense mountain called the Puy de
Dome is discernible at a great distance; it is said to have been a volcano.
Clermont is a very ancient city and has an air of dullness; but the Place
and promenades round the town are excellent. It is the capital of this
department (Puy de Dome). There is a terrible custom here of emptying the
aguas mayores y menores (as the Spaniards term those secretions) into the
small streets that lie at the back of the houses. The consequence is that
they are clogged up with filth and there is always a most abominable
stench. One must be careful how one walks thro' these streets at night,
from the liability of being saluted by a golden shower. The lower classes
of the Auvergnats have the reputation of being dirty, slovenly and idle.
Here is a church built by the English in the time of Edward III, when the
Black Prince commanded in this country; and it was in a chapel in this
city, the remains of which still exist, that Peter the Hermit preached the
first crusade. These are almost the only things worthy of remark in the
town itself, except that there is a good deal of commerce carried on,
manufactures of crockery, cloth and silk stockings. But in the natural
curiosities of the environs of Clermont there is a great deal to interest
the botanist and mineralogist and above all there is a remarkable
petrifying well, very near the town, where by leaving pieces of wood,
shell-fish and other articles exposed to the dropping of the water, they
become petrified in a short time. This water has the same effect on dead
animals and rapidly converts them into stone. I have myself seen a small
basket filled with plovers' eggs become in eight days a perfect
petrifaction.
CLERMONT, April 2d.
I am arrived here at rather a dull season: the Carnaval is just over and
all the young ladies are taking to their Livres d'Heures to atone for any
levity or indiscretion they may have been guilty of during the hey day of
the Carnaval. The Wardle family have a very pleasant acquaintance here,
chiefly among the liberaux, or moderate royalists, but there are some
most inveterate Ultras in this city, who keep aloof from any person of
liberal principles, as they would of a person infected with the plague. The
noblesse of Auvergne have the reputation of being in general ignorant and
despotic. There is but little agrement or instruction to be derived from
their society, for they have not the ideas of the age. In general the
nobles of Auvergne, tho' great sticklers for feudality and for their
privileges, and tho' they disliked the Revolution, had the good sense not
to emigrate.
There is a Swiss regiment of two battalions quartered here. It bears the
name of its Colonel, De Salis. As there are a number of officers of the old
army here, on half pay, about three hundred in number, it is said, frequent
disputes occur between them and the Swiss officers. The Swiss are looked
upon by the people at large as the satellites of despotism and not without
reason. It is, I think, degrading for any country to have foreign troops in
pay in time of peace. Several attempts have been made in the Chamber of
Deputies to obtain their removal or licenciement, but without success. As
it is supposed that the song of the Ranz des Vaches affects the
sensibility of the Swiss very much, and makes them long to return to their
native mountains, a wag has recommended to all the young ladies in France
who are musicians to play and sing the Ranz des Vaches with all their
might, in order to induce the Swiss to betake themselves to their native
country.
There has been a great deal of denunciation going forward here; but the
General de V - - [104] who commands the troops in Clermont, determined to
put a stop to it. He had the good sense to see that such a system, if
encouraged, would be destructive of all society, prejudicial to the
Government, and vexatious to himself; as he would be thereby kept
continually in hot water. Accordingly, on a delator presenting himself and
accusing another of not being well affected to the present order of things,
and of having spoken disrespectfully of the King, M. de V - - said to him:
"I have no doubt, Sir, that your denunciation proceeds from pure motives,
and I give you full credit for your zeal and attachment to the royal cause;
but I cannot take any steps against the person whom you accuse, unless you
are willing to give me leave to publish your name and consent to be
confronted with him, so that I may examine fairly the state of the case,
and render justice to both parties." The accuser declined acceding to this
proposition. The General desired him to withdraw, and shortly after
intimated publicly that he would listen to no denunciation, unless the
denouncer gave up his name and consented to be confronted with the accused.
The consequence of this intimation was that all denunciations ceased. The
late Prefect however was not so prudent, and chose rather to encourage
delation; but mark the consequence! He arrested several persons wrongfully,
was obliged to release them afterwards, was in continual hot water and it
ended by the Government being obliged to displace him.
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