mountain-road, and seen as it was in a half-light near sunset, with the darkness of advancing night keeping some parts in the deepest shadow, while the tints of the setting sun brightened and enlivened other portions, it presented a rich contrast, occasionally heightened by the lights in the villages far below our feet, the whole being in the highest degree picturesque, and a fit introduction to that mountain-chain which we now entered in carnest, and which forms so important a physical boundary between lands geographically adjacent. The rest of the Pyrenean chain traversed between this first entrance and the gates of San Sebastian we passed by night, and with a somewhat thick mist covering the ground. I believe however it is not, on the whole, so fine as the first portion on the Spanish side *.

We reached San Sebastian about 5 A.M., just before sunrise, and there remained some time. This most beautifully-placed town, crowned by its fortress, appears to rise out of the sea, and as it really forms an island at low water, the appearance is hardly deceptive. Most of the streets are new, and the town altogether is neat and regular; but the chief charm is in the surrounding country and the port, which are singularly pleasing and cheerful. The hills are wooded quite to the water's edge; the deep indentations, partially occupied by fresh water, but affected by tidal influence, are fringed by pretty villages, and the whole country is well-wooded. The road out of San Sebastian is extremely pleasing, and the same style of scenery continues as far as the town of Irun, and the banks of the small stream, the Bidassoa, which separates Spain from France. In spite of the terrible account given of the frontier Spanish towns in Mr. Ford's Handbook, whose authority it is dangerous to contest, I must venture to record my opinion that Irun is a clean-looking, interesting town, full of cheerful, pleasant people, and that the Spanish officials on this frontier are like those I have seen elsewhere, perfectly well-behaved, and not at all troublesome, even when they are not propitiated by that bribe which is so strongly recommended.

The frontier between Spain and France is passed on crossing a bridge over the Bidassoa, near a point celebrated at the close

*This part of the road, which I have since crossed by daylight, does not in fact afford much that is worthy of notice, though certainly pleasing and picturesque.