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CHAPTER IX.

CHERBOURG.

CHERBOURG, as will be seen by the map, was somewhat out of the way, for travelers going from Paris to Jersey. The place of embarkation for Jersey is Granville, and the nearest railway station to Granville, at the time we are speaking of, was St. Lo. Now St. Lo is upon a branch railroad which leaves the main line and turns off to the southward, many miles to the eastward of Cherbourg, so that in visiting that city it would be necessary to go for two or three hours beyond the junction, and then come back to it again over the same ground.

Grimkie, however, who was very much interested in every thing relating to ships and shipping, and especially in respect to ships of war, had formed a strong desire to visit Cherbourg, and had awakened a portion of the same feeling in Florence and John. At length when the time drew near for leaving Bayeux, he proposed his plan to his aunt.

"It is one of the most remarkable places in Europe," said Grimkie. "Indeed next to Portsmouth, I suppose it is the greatest naval station in the world."

"Is it a place of any special historical interest ?" asked Mrs. Morelle.

"It will be a place of historical interest," said Grimkie, "if a war ever breaks out between France and England, for there will be a tremendous fight for the possession of it. The English would like very much to get possession of Cherbourg, and hold it as they do Gibraltar in Spain, I have no doubt."

"What is the situation of the town ?" asked Mrs. Morelle. "Is there anything striking or picturesque in the environs, or are they flat and uninteresting ?"

"They are very romantic," said Grimkie. "There are high mountains and precipices all about it on the land side, with forts and castles on the top."

"Can we go into the castles ?" asked Mrs. Morelle.

"Yes, Auntie," said Grimkie. "The sentinel will let us go in, and there will be a warder inside that will show us all about, if we will give him a franc."

"And besides," said Florence, "we want to

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see the great Digue. It is twice as big as the biggest pyramid in Egypt,—so Grimkie says."

In a word, the arguments in favor of going to Cherbourg were overwhelming, and accordingly the whole party took tickets for that place, at the Bayeux station, when they left Bayeux, and after four or five hours of pleasant journeying through a charming country, they arrived at the great seaport, and proceeded immediately to the hotel which Grimkie had chosen, from among a list given in his guide book.

They arrived at Cherbourg about noon, and almost immediately after becoming settled in their rooms, they sallied forth for a walk, in order to see a little of the town.

"And now first," said Grimkie, "we will go up to the top of one of the hills to get a general view."

The hill most favorable for a general view of Cherbourg and of the harbor, is the Roule, so called. There is a very good zigzag road leading up the declivity on the back side, and a steeper zigzag, suitable only for foot passengers, in front. * The party concluded to go up by the road and come down by the footpath. In the engraving we see them in the act of ascending.

After going up a considerable part of the way, they all stopped to rest, and Mrs. Morelle looked

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