But it must be allowed that in this portion of the chain the Pyrenees go in for breadth rather than height. In fact, in Ariège they become somewhat dishevelled, unwind, and straggle into separate threads. The loftiest ridge is that along which runs the frontier; the second is that which starts from the Pic de Camporeile, and is called the Montagne de Tabe, attaining in the Pic de Campzas only to 7670 feet. The third chain is the limestone Planturel that reaches its supreme elevation in the Montagne de Roquefixade, 3010 feet. This is a curious ridge running parallel with the Pyrenees, very regular, but cut through in several places, and ending at Foix. Those who desire to visit a portion of the Pyrenees less in resort than the mountains of the Haute Garonne and the Hautes Pyrénées will not fail to find in this section many delightful sites. CHAPTER XVII FOIX Department of Ariège--Watershed--The counts of Foix--Raymond Roger--The Albigenses--Abuses in the Church--Manicheism-- Council of Albi--Innocent III--Murder of Peter of Castelnau-- Raymond VI of Toulouse--Crusade proclaimed--Simon de Montfort-- Subtlety of the Pope--Massacre at Béziers--And at Cascassonne-- Battle of Muret--Council of the Lateran--A second Crusade-- Simon de Montfort killed--Count Roger Bernard--Béarn annexed-- The town of Foix--The Castle--S. Volusinian--Nailmakers-- Hermitage--Grotto de l’Herme--Mas d’Azil--The River Ariège-- Tarascon--Richelieu--Ste. Quiterie--Iron mines--Sabarthès-- Vicdessos--Iron industry--Cavern of Lombrive--Slaughter and smothering of heretics--Les Cabannes--Lordat--Talc-- Ax-les-Thermes--Self-created nobles--Hôtel Dieu--Andorra--The Republic--The capital--Urgel--The Count of Spain--His death. The county of Foix, now constituting the major portion of the department of Ariège, is and always was in Languedoc. The Couserans was, however, ever regarded as forming a part of Gascony. The ridge between the Volp and the Salat separates two hydrographic basins and two provinces. Geographically the department of Ariège belongs nevertheless to the basin of the Garonne; all its streams, with the exception of a few at the extreme east, flow into that great artery, and finally discharge into the Atlantic. Linguistically only the Couserans is Gascon; yet Foix from an early date was united to Béarn and Bigorre. Of the earliest history of the counts of Foix we know very little. Roger Bernard, who died in 1188, was an excellent prince. His son, Raymond Roger, lived in difficult times, and was involved in the troubles arising out of the attempt of Pope Innocent III to stamp out the heresy of the Albigenses. To understand the spread of this heresy and the Crusade which devastated these fair lands in the South, a few words must be said.