The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

THE CfiVEXNES. 175
forests ; on flic other, stony torrent beds, odoriferous herbs, and rare trees. Tlio
contrast between the inhabitants is equally great, and the dweller in tho plain,
proud of his ancient civilisation, looks with disdain upon tho Gavacho inhabiting
the plateau, though tho latter does not yield to him in industry.
In the cast of the Orb the Garrigues—thus named from tho kcrmes oaks, or
ffarnis, which cover their slopes—form tho southern edge of a scries of lime-
stone plateaux known as causses, from the Latin caU, lime. The most southern
of these is that of Larzac (2,9S0 feet), but tho most typical is the Cuussc of ^Mejeau
(4,200 feet), a huge mass of limestone 100,000 acres in extent, and bounded on
all sides by steep precipices. There can bo no doubt that these causses were
formerly continuous, though separated now by deep cailons, which excite the
Fig. 132.—The Mountaixs op Espinouzb.
Jo? 30' E. ol Paris
:?5o-E. ofGr.
Scale 1 : 240,000.
admiration of geologists. No running streams are met witli on these limestone
"tables," the rain disappearing almost immediately beneath tho surface. The
inhabitants carefully collect tho rain-water in cisterns ; and in summer, when the
supply fails them, they are obliged to descend into the canons in search of it.
Springs of sparkling water abound there ; and the shrubs and trees which flourish
near them contrast most strikingly with the barren rocks around. The causses
are covered with herbage, and the inhabitants, very few in number, confine them-
selves to the cultivation of oats, barley, and potatoes. The herbage, however,
scanty as it is, supports thousands of sheep, which furnish excellent wool, and
from whoso milk is manufactured the famous cheese known as Eoqiicfort. In
winter, when these plateaux are covered with snow to the depth of several tvct, and
N 2
Miles.