May 13. _Agde_. On the right of the Etang de Thau are plains of some
width, then hills, in olives, vines, mulberry, corn, and pasture. On the
left a narrow sand-bar, separating the Etang from the sea, along which
it is proposed to make a road from Cette to Agde. In this case, the post
would lead from Montpelier by Cette and Agde to Beziers, being leveller,
and an hour or an hour and a half nearer. Agde contains six or eight
thousand inhabitants.
May 14. _Beziers_. Rich plains in corn, saintfoin, and pasture; hills
at a little distance to the right in olives; the soil both of hill and
plain is red going from Agde to Beziers. But at Beziers the country
becomes hilly, and is in olives, corn, saintfoin, pasture, some vines,
and mulberries.
May 15. _Beziers. Argilies. Le Saumal_. From Argilies to Saumal are
considerable plantations of vines. Those on the red hills, to the right,
are said to produce good wine. No wood, no enclosures. There are sheep
and good cattle. The Pyrenees are covered with snow. I am told they are
so in certain parts all the year. The canal of Languedoc, along which
I now travel, is six _toises_ wide at bottom, and ten _toises_ at
the surface of the water, which is one _toise_ deep.
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