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396 Route 42. HANS SUR LESSE. From Dinant
beyond this a 3rd opening by which those who‘visit the caverns
emerge from the mountain. It is entered, through the naturale
arch out of which the Lesse issues, in a boat kept by a man who
Eile lives close by, and provides torches and blouses, which are indis=ei
| - pensable. The first chamber, la salle du dime, is best seen at § 3
or 9 in the morning when the sun is opposite to the entrances
the effect of the reflection, cast from the surface of the water upp
to the roof is then very brilliant : on entering this chamber, the
walls of which plunge perpendicularly into a gulf of immensaer
depth, one is reminded of Virgil’s description of the descent.to thet.
infernal regions : the roof is in some places of a considerable height:
and has some fine stalactites. After leaving the boat you have tont
scramble through a series of chambers opening into one anothers
mg until at length you.come out at the opposite side of the mountains 1:
To explore the cave about-2 hrs. are required. A pathway fromm
here leads up tothe summit from whence there is a fine view 31
after having enjoyed this, descend again and visit Ze Chantoir daw
Belvaux, then, ascend the river on its rt. bank, and after passingss
several fine rocks cross to, the 1. at Benvaux by the bridge; fromtix
here a path leads to Resrxiene, which village is reached by a stoneps
bridge : here are 2 inns remarkable for their signs, one consists oflo
2 niches containing figures carved in stone of Moses and Aarontic
with scrolls bearing these legends; « Tu AnMenas LE SEIGNEUR TONKiC
DIEU SUR TOUTES CHOSES DE TOUT TON: CUER. » — « NE FAIC A AULTRUYY
QUE TU NE VOLDROY ESTRE FAICT A TOY MESMES: 1596 » + the other,)x
a man drinking bears the inscription. « Aw dibéral, bon vivant.
Passez piteux! 1830.» The river about here abounds with gray=ty
ling. A bye-way from here leads up the hill to Trin, froni fa
whence there is a path across the heath to ‘Minwart, beforep:
reaching which you have to cross a bridge. over the-Ernau and bi
tees 3 more over different branches of the Lomme. Beyond the village o:
: is the CasTLe of Mirwart, a quadrangular edifice with 5 towers, ye
one at each angle, and the fifth, which is the largest and loftiest, .i
in the centre of the KE. facade. It is seated on the summit of ais
Mountain at the foot of which flows the Lomme,.and was -for:
: merly an, important military post. It was founded in 953 by iy
a Stephen, Count of Chiny; in 1034 it belonged to.Godfrey le Barbu; ,
pO ier Count of Lorraine, from whom it was taken by the Empr. Henry IIL 1
i who demolished it and gave the mountain on which it stood to
ea the Counts of Hainault; Henry de Verdun, Bp..of Liege, bought it Ji
; of the Countess Richildis, and rebuilt the castle in 1083; Otbert, 3
Weal his successor, again rebuilt it in 1094, and made it one of the 4:
ina frontier fortresses of his principality. In 1293 it was seized bya
fl Guy, Count of Hainault; but, having heen recovered by Bp. Adole 9!
phus de Waldeck in 1302, it was by his orders demolished: th- ~ |