AYWAILLE. 28. Route. 261

bourg, traverses one of the most picturesque valleys of the Belgian
hill-country. It at first ascends the right bank of the river, which is
here navigable, passing (141/9 M.) Liotte and skirting the furrowed
limestone cliffs of the Belle Roche. To the right we obtain a glimpse
of the fine rocks of Halleurx. — Immediately beyond (18 M.)
Martin-Rive the train crosses to the left bank. On the right bank,
to the left, tower lofty rocks crowned with the insignificant ruins of
the chateau of Ambléve, which are chiefly interesting from their
association with the medieval legend of the Quatre Fils Aymon, who
are said to have resided here, and with the ‘Wild Boar of the Ar-
dennes’, who once occupied the castle, and was beheaded at Maas-
tricht in 1485. The keys of the castle are kept at the village(fee), The
exploits of this adventurer are admirably described by Sir Walter
Scott in his ‘Quentin Durward’. His true history is as follows: —

Witi1am pe La Marox, the scion of a noble family of Westphalia,
born about 1446, was educated by Louis de Bourbon, Bishop of Liége.
The bravery, or rather ferocity, of his character, procured for him at an
early age the sobriquet of the ‘Wild Boar of the Ardennes’. Having been
censured by the bishop’s chancellor on one occasion, he slew that of-
ficer, almost before the eyes of his patron, and was banished in conse-
quence. William now sought an asylum at the court of Louis XI. of
France, where he planned a revolt in the Bishop’s dominions, and re-
ceived money and troops for the enterprise. On his arrival in the Province
of Liege he entrapped the unfortunate Bishop into an ambuscade, and
slew him with his own battle-axe. The Liégeois, ever prone to rebellion,
now created William their commander-in-chief. He next invaded Brabant,
but having been defeated by Archduke Maximilian, he returned to Liége,
and allied himself with René of Lorraine against Austria. Maximilian
now had recourse to treachery. He bribed Frederick of Horn, William's
friend, to betray him. The ‘Wild Boar’ thus fell into the power of the
Austrians, and was conducted to Maastricht, where he terminated his blood-
stained career on the scaffold at the age of 39 years. He died bravely,
as he had lived, meeting his merited fate with composure.

20 M. Aywaille (400 ft.; Hot. du Luxembourg, R. 23/s-5, B. 1,
D. 3, pens. 6-9 fr.), a small town with 3500 inhab., is frequented
a3 a Summer-resort.

From Aywaille we may follow the road up the valley of the Ambléve
to Dieupart, with its solitary old church, and then cross the river to
(41/2 M.) Sougné, at the foot of the steep cliff known as Heid des Gattes
(‘goat mountain’), below Remouchamps. — A picturesque walk may be
taken from Aywaille vid the village of Harzé (with a 16th cent. castle
of the De la Marcks) to My and Bomal (p. 259) in the valley of the
Ourthe,

Farther on we cross the river by a viaduct 175 yds. long, com-
manding a good view of the village of Remouchamps on the left,
and of the still occupied chateau of Mont Jardin on the right, peep-
ing down from its lofty situation amid dense foliage. Farther up is
the chateau of M. de Theux.

21 M. Remouchamps (423 ft.; Hét. des Etrangers, R. 2-3, B. 3/4,
D. 21/2, pens. from Bt/y fr., good; Hot. de la Grotte, both with
gardens), one of the prettiest spots in the valley of the Ambléve,
has a Stalactite Grotto, which, however, is far inferior to that at

Han-sur-Lesse (p. 234).