It is the nearest town to the Maladetta, their highest point, in which
the Garonne rises, and among whose rocks is one of the last
strongholds of the ibex or bouquetin, the "wild goat" mentioned by
Homer. Eagles and vultures are to be seen sailing about the sky near
Luchon nearly every day, and bears, which in the Pyrenees are neither
mythical nor formidable, descend to within a few miles of the town
after wild strawberries, which abound there.
We heard of two female peasants lately gathering wild strawberries who
were suddenly confronted with competitors for the spoil in the shape
of a she bear and two cubs. It was doubtful whether man or beast was
the more surprised. The cubs began to growl, but their dam gave both
of them a box on the ears for their bad manners, and led them away. As
for flowers, the neighborhood of Luchon has the reputation, perhaps
not undeserved, of being the most flowery part of the Pyrenees.
We went the usual expeditions from the town, in spite of the weather,
and I will try to remember what plants we noticed in each of them. The
first trip was to the Vallee du Lys. In spite of the spelling, the
name suggests lilies of the valley, but we are told that lys is an old
word meaning water, and that the valley took its name from the number
of cataracts, not from lilies, there.
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