The hotel charges here are much the same as at Cannes, and not unreasonable. Five francs for bedroom, three for luncheon, and five for _table d'hôte_.
Most visitors fall into foreign habits, and have their coffee and rolls in their bedrooms, _dejeuner_ or heavy luncheon at noon, and _table d'hôte_ at six; but we came down to our breakfast between eight and nine o'clock, _à l'Anglais_, and dined _à la carte_ at any hour that suited our convenience. The day's expenses were generally from ten to twelve francs for each person. Carriage hire is also very reasonable, for you can go from one end of the town to the other for less than a franc.
The beauty-spot and plague-spot of the Riviera--Arrival at Mentone--Hotel des Isles Britanniques--English church--Her Majesty's Villa--Gardens of Dr. Bennett--Custom-house--Remarks on Mentone--A charming walk--A word about Brigands--An adventure--In the cemetery--A labour of love--A frog concert--Excursion to Monte Carlo--Lovely coast scenery--Castle of Monaco --The sombre Olive--The exodus of the Caterpillars.
In travelling from Nice to Mentone you have to pass through some of the most lovely and enchanting scenery in the world.
The tiny principality of Monaco is indeed a little Paradise; but, alas! Paradise _after the fall_, for does it not include that awful gaming pandemonium, Monte Carlo? It is sad to think that the choicest spot on this fair earth should be selected by sinful men for their evil purposes. Here, amid all that is beautiful and captivating in nature, is a pit dug for the unwary, the innocent, and the weak; and, alas! too many succumb to the fatal allurements prepared for their ruin and destruction.
As we passed Monte Carlo, we saw some of the _shady fraternity_ I mentioned as having observed at the Nice station, on one of the heights above the town, overlooking a grassy enclosure. They were characteristically engaged in slaughtering tame pigeons, by way of a manly recreation and noble sport!
We arrived at Mentone in the evening, about seven o'clock. It is a quiet, pretty little town something like Cannes. As usual, there were a legion of hotel omnibuses, with their liveried porters, the name of the hotel they belonged to on their cap, and each accurately measuring the length of your purse. Fortunate the traveller who has already determined on the hotel he intends to patronize! We had selected the Hotel des Isles Britanniques. Here we had a small but handsomely furnished apartment on the third floor, commanding a charming view of the sea from its French windows, and we were soon sitting down to our quiet little dinner.