tration: 60. Well of Ste. Anne-la-Palue.]

Girls carrying blue flags walked by their side. Troops of barefooted
penitents and shaggy-headed beggars closed the procession, which was
followed by a countless train of the peasants. It slowly wound its way
over the hill, and again descended to the church, where it mingled among
the crowds of assembled spectators, which filled the churchyard and were
seated on the steps of the calvary.

Not far from the church is the holy well of Ste. Anne, where devotees were
engaged pouring the holy water over their hands and backs, dipping their
children, and testing its miraculous efficacy by various other ablutions.

We proceeded next morning to Quimper, having had no opportunity of seeing
Douarnenez itself. In the season it is a favourite watering-place, the
bathing being about two miles from the town. It is a great place for the
sardine fishery. From Quimper we went by rail to Rosporden, whence an
omnibus runs to Concarneau. The church of Rosporden is situated on a
little promontory, jutting out into a large etang fed by the river Aven,
which runs through it and flows on to Pontaven.

We took a carriage at Rosporden for Le Faouet, passing by Scaer on the
Isole, a stream which rises at the foot of the Montagnes Noires, takes a
curve round the town of Scaer, and joins the Laita. It is full of trout
and salmon.

Scaer is a town remarkable for having preserved many old customs and
superstitions; among others, the bees are considered to be entitled to
share in the joys and sorrows of the family. Their hives are surrounded
with a red stuff on the occasion of a marriage; with a black on that of a
death. This custom is still preserved in Wales. In all parts of Brittany
bees are treated with special affection. As the redbreast is sacred,
because she broke a thorn from the crown of our Lord that pierced His
brow, so are the bees revered because, as we learn from the code of Hoel
the Good, though they were sent from heaven to earth after the fall of
man, the blessing of Heaven has ever followed them in their exile. This,
too, is the reason the wax they produce has the privilege of lighting the
altars for the divine office.

[Illustration: 61. Cross Stones.]

It was the day of a Pardon, and the peasants were all in gala dresses. A
wrestling match unfortunately had just been finished; for throughout
Cornouaille wrestling has been, from time immemorial, as favourite a game
as in our county of