,,the ,,bible ,,in ,,spain              
or ,the ,journeys1 ,adventures1 and     
,imprisonments                      of  
an ,englishman1 in an ,attempt to       
circulate the ,scriptures in the        
,peninsula                              
,,by                                    
,,george ,,borrow                       
99 99 99 99 99                          
,,cassell ,,and ,,company1 ,,ltd4       
,,london1 ,,paris1 ,,new ,,york1        
,,toronto  ,,melbourne                  
,,mcmviii          ,,editor',s ,,note   
,blessed with a magnificent physique1   
and an unswerving belief in ,god's      
beneficence2 endowed with 8the gift of  
tongues0 and a cheerful  disposition1   
,george ,borrow was well equipped for   
life4  ,that he was  called to be a     
,bible ,society missionary was surely a 
curious turn of  fortune4  ,the son of a
 ,militia captain1 whose duties took him
 about the  country1 ,borrow early      
acquired the taste for a roving life1   
and it must  have been a severe hardship

 to him when1 at the age of sixteen1 he 
was  articled to a ,norwich firm of     
solicitors4  ,indeed1 it would almost   
appear  that the gypsy spirit was       
quenched1 for on the completion of his  
five  years he was engaged as literary  
hack to ,phillips1 the ,london          
publisher4  ,but after a year or so the 
8call of the wild0 came1 and ,borrow    
eagerly  responded4  ,what happened is  
not really known1 though much of his    
gypsy  life is pictured in ,lavengro4   
,in #ahcb he commenced his work for the 
,bible ,society1 and the next year  went
 as its representative to ,russia4  ,he 
stayed there until #ahce1 when  he was  
ordered to ,spain and ,portugal4  ,in   
spite of their adventurous  nature1 the 
five years there spent were described by
 ,borrow as 8the most  happy years of my
 life40  ,the ,bible in ,spain consists 
largely of his  letters to the ,society1
 and the vigour and directness of his   
language  must ofttimes have startled   
the officials4  ,the book was published 

in  ,december1 #ahdb4    ,george ,henry 
,borrow was born ,july #e1 #ahjc1 and   
died ,july #bf1 #ahha4                  
,,author',s ,,preface      ,it is very  
seldom that the preface of a work is    
read2 indeed1 of late  years1 most books
 have been sent into the world without  
any4  ,i deem it1  however1 advisable to
 write a preface1 and to this ,i humbly 
call the  attention of the courteous    
reader1 as its perusal will not a little
 tend  to the proper understanding and  
appreciation of these volumes4    ,the  
work now offered to the public1 and     
which is styled ,the ,bible in  ,spain1 
consists of a narrative of what occurred
 to me during a residence  in that      
country1 to which ,i was sent by the    
,bible ,society1 as its agent  for the  
purpose of printing and circulating the 
,scriptures4  ,it  comprehends1 however1
 certain journeys and adventures in     
,portugal1 and  leaves me at last in    
8the land of the ,corahai10 to which    
region1 after  having undergone         

considerable buffeting in ,spain1 ,i    
found it expedient to  retire for a     
season4    ,it is very probable that had
 ,i visited ,spain from mere curiosity1 
or with  a view of passing a year or two
 agreeably1 ,i should never have        
attempted  to give any detailed account 
of my proceedings1 or of what ,i heard  
and  saw4  ,i am no tourist1 no writer  
of books of travels2 but ,i went there  
on  a somewhat remarkable errand1 which 
necessarily led me into strange         
situations and positions1 involved me in
 difficulties and perplexities1  and    
brought me into contact with people of  
all descriptions and grades2  so that1  
upon the whole1 ,i flatter myself that a
 narrative of such a  pilgrimage may not
 be wholly uninteresting to the public1 
more especially  as the subject is not  
trite2 for though various books have    
been published  about ,spain1 ,i believe
 that the present is the only one in    
existence  which treats of missionary   
labour in that country4    ,many things1

 it is true1 will be found in the       
following volume which have  little     
connexion with religion or religious    
enterprise2 ,i offer1 however1  no      
apology for introducing them4  ,i was1  
as ,i may say1 from first to last       
adrift in ,spain1 the land of old       
renown1 the land of wonder and mystery1 
with better opportunities of becoming   
acquainted with its strange secrets  and
 peculiarities than perhaps ever yet    
were afforded to any individual1        
certainly to a foreigner2 and if in many
 instances ,i have introduced  scenes   
and characters perhaps unprecedented in 
a work of this  description1 ,i have    
only to observe1 that1 during my sojourn
 in ,spain1 ,i  was so unavoidably mixed
 up with such1 that ,i could scarcely   
have given a  faithful narrative of what
 befell me had ,i not brought them      
forward in  the manner which ,i have    
done4    ,it is worthy of remark that1  
called suddenly and unexpectedly 8to    
undertake the adventure of ,spain10 ,i  

was not altogether unprepared for  such 
an enterprise4  ,in the daydreams of my 
boyhood1 ,spain always bore a           
considerable share1 and ,i took a       
particular interest in her1 without any 
presentiment that ,i should at a future 
time be called upon to take a  part1    
however humble1 in her strange dramas2  
which interest1 at a very  early period1
 led me to acquire her noble language1  
and to make myself  acquainted with her 
literature 7scarcely worthy of the      
language71 her  history and traditions2 
so that when ,i entered ,spain for the  
first time ,i  felt more at home than ,i
 should otherwise have done4    ,in     
,spain ,i passed five years1 which1 if  
not the most eventful1 were1 ,i  have no
 hesitation in saying1 the most happy   
years of my existence4  ,of  ,spain1 at 
the present time1 now that the daydream 
has vanished1 never1  alas6 to return1  
,i entertain the warmest admiration3 she
 is the most  magnificent country in the
 world1 probably the most fertile1 and  

certainly with the finest climate4      
,whether her children are worthy of     
their mother1 is another question1 which
 ,i shall not attempt to answer2  but   
content myself with observing1 that1    
amongst much that is lamentable  and    
reprehensible1 ,i have found much that  
is noble and to be admired2  much stern 
heroic virtue2 much savage and horrible 
crime2 of low vulgar  vice very little1 
at least amongst the great body of the  
,spanish nation1  with which my mission 
lay2 for it will be as well here to     
observe1 that ,i  advance no claim to an
 intimate acquaintance with the ,spanish
 nobility1  from whom ,i kept as remote 
as circumstances would permit me2 en    
revanche1 however1 ,i have had the      
honour to live on familiar terms with   
the peasants1 shepherds1 and muleteers  
of ,spain1 whose bread and bacalao  ,i  
have eaten2 who always treated me with  
kindness and courtesy1 and to  whom ,i  
have not unfrequently been indebted for 
shelter and protection4        8,the    

generous bearing of ,francisco          
,gonzales1 and the high deeds of        
,ruy ,diaz the ,cid1 are still sung     
amongst the fastnesses of the ,sierra   
,morena40 #h    ,i believe that no      
stronger argument can be brought forward
 in proof of  the natural vigour and    
resources of ,spain1 and the sterling   
character of  her population1 than the  
fact that1 at the present day1 she is   
still a  powerful and unexhausted       
country1 and her children still1 to a   
certain  extent1 a high-minded and great
 people4  ,yes1 notwithstanding the     
misrule  of the brutal and sensual      
,austrian1 the doting ,bourbon1 and1    
above all1  the spiritual tyranny of the
 court of ,rome1 ,spain can still       
maintain her  own1 fight her own combat1
 and ,spaniards are not yet fanatic     
slaves and  crouching beggars4  ,this is
 saying much1 very much3 she has        
undergone far  more than ,naples had    
ever to bear1 and yet the fate of       
,naples has not  been hers4  ,there is  

still valour in ,astruria2 generosity in
 ,aragon2  probity in ,old ,castile2 and
 the peasant women of ,la ,mancha can   
still  afford to place a silver fork and
 a snowy napkin beside the plate of     
their guest4  ,yes1 in spite of         
,austrian1 ,bourbon1 and ,rome1 there is
  still a wide gulf between ,spain and  
,naples4    ,strange as it may sound1   
,spain is not a fanatic country4  ,i    
know  something about her1 and declare  
that she is not1 nor has ever been2     
,spain never changes4  ,it is true that1
 for nearly two centuries1 she was  the 
she-butcher1 ,la ,verduga1 of malignant 
,rome2 the chosen instrument  for       
carrying into effect the atrocious      
projects of that power2 yet  fanaticism 
was not the spring which impelled her to
 the work of butchery2  another feeling1
 in her the predominant one1 was worked 
upon--her fatal  pride4  ,it was by     
humouring her pride that she was induced
 to waste her  precious blood and       
treasure in the ,low ,country wars1 to  

launch the  ,armada1 and to many other  
equally insane actions4  ,love of ,rome 
had ever  slight influence over her     
policy2 but flattered by the title of   
,gonfaloniera of the ,vicar of ,jesus1  
and eager to prove herself not  unworthy
 of the same1 she shut her eyes and     
rushed upon her own  destruction with   
the cry of 8,charge1 ,spain40    ,but   
the arms of ,spain became powerless     
abroad1 and she retired within  herself4
  ,she ceased to be the tool of the     
vengeance and cruelty of ,rome4  ,she   
was not cast aside1 however4  ,no6      
though she could no longer wield  the   
sword with success against the          
,lutherans1 she might still be turned   
to some account4  ,she had still gold   
and silver1 and she was still the  land 
of the vine and olive4  ,ceasing to be  
the butcher1 she became the  banker of  
,rome2 and the poor ,spaniards1 who     
always esteem it a privilege  to pay    
another person's reckoning1 were for a  
long time happy in being  permitted to  

minister to the grasping cupidity of    
,rome1 who during the  last century1    
probably extracted from ,spain more     
treasure than from all  the rest of     
,christendom4    ,but wars came into the
 land4  ,napoleon and his fierce ,franks
 invaded  ,spain2 plunder and           
devastation ensued1 the effects of which
 will probably  be felt for ages4       
,spain could no longer pay pence to     
,peter so freely as  of yore1 and from  
that period she became contemptible in  
the eyes of  ,rome1 who has no respect  
for a nation1 save so far as it can     
minister to  her cruelty or avarice4    
,the ,spaniard was still willing to pay1
 as far as  his means would allow1 but  
he was soon given to understand that he 
was a  degraded being1--a barbarian2    
nay1 a beggar4  ,now1 you may draw the  
last  cuarto from a ,spaniard1 provided 
you will concede to him the title of    
cavalier1 and rich man1 for the old     
leaven still works as powerfully as  in 
the time of the first ,philip2 but you  

must never hint that he is poor1  or    
that his blood is inferior to your own4 
,and the old peasant1 on being  informed
 in what slight estimation he was held1 
replied1 8,if ,i am a  beast1 a         
barbarian1 and a beggar withal1 ,i am   
sorry for it2 but as there  is no       
remedy1 ,i shall spend these four       
bushels of barley1 which ,i had         
reserved to alleviate the misery of the 
holy father1 in procuring bull          
spectacles1 and other convenient        
diversions1 for the queen my wife1 and  
the young princes my children4  ,beggar6
 carajo6  ,the water of my village  is  
better than the wine of ,rome40    ,i   
see that in a late pastoral letter      
directed to the ,spaniards1 the  father 
of ,rome complains bitterly of the      
treatment which he has received  in     
,spain at the hands of naughty men4     
8,my cathedrals are let down10 he  says1
 8my priests are insulted1 and the      
revenues of my bishops are  curtailed40 
,he consoles himself1 however1 with the 

idea that this is the  effect of the    
malice of a few1 and that the generality
 of the nation love  him1 especially the
 peasantry1 the innocent peasantry1 who 
shed tears  when they think of the      
sufferings of their pope and their      
religion4  ,undeceive yourself1         
,batuschca1 undeceive yourself6  ,spain 
was ready to  fight for you so long as  
she could increase her own glory by     
doing so2  but she took no pleasure in  
losing battle after battle on your      
account4  ,she had no objection to pay  
money into your coffers in the shape of 
alms1  expecting1 however1 that the same
 would be received with the gratitude   
and humility which becomes those who    
accept charity4  ,finding1 however1     
that you were neither humble nor        
grateful2 suspecting1 moreover1 that you
  held ,austria in higher esteem than   
herself1 even as a banker1 she  shrugged
 up her shoulders1 and uttered a        
sentence somewhat similar to  that which
 ,i have already put into the mouth of  

one of her children1  8,these four      
bushels of barley10 etc4    ,it is truly
 surprising what little interest the    
great body of the ,spanish  nation took 
in the late struggle1 and yet it has    
been called1 by some who  ought to know 
better1 a war of religion and principle4
  ,it was generally  supposed that      
,biscay was the stronghold of ,carlism1 
and that the  inhabitants were          
fanatically attached to their religion1 
which they  apprehended was in danger4  
,the truth is1 that the ,basques cared  
nothing  for ,carlos or ,rome1 and      
merely took up arms to defend certain   
rights and  privileges of their own4    
,for the dwarfish brother of ,ferdinand 
they  always exhibited supreme contempt1
 which his character1 a compound of     
imbecility1 cowardice1 and cruelty1 well
 merited4  ,if they made use of  his    
name1 it was merely as a cri de guerre4 
,much the same may be said  with respect
 to his ,spanish partisans1 at least    
those who appeared in the  field for    

him4  ,these1 however1 were of a widely 
different character from  the ,basques1 
who were brave soldiers and honest men4 
,the ,spanish armies  of ,don ,carlos   
were composed entirely of thieves and   
assassins1 chiefly  ,valencians and     
,manchegans1 who1 marshalled under two  
cut-throats1 ,cabrera  and ,palillos1   
took advantage of the distracted state  
of the country to  plunder and massacre 
the honest part of the community4  ,with
 respect to  the ,queen ,regent         
,christina1 of whom the less said the   
better1 the reins  of government fell   
into her hands on the decease of her    
husband1 and with  them the command of  
the soldiery4  ,the respectable part of 
the ,spanish  nation1 and more          
especially the honourable and toilworn  
peasantry1  loathed and execrated both  
factions4  ,oft when ,i was sharing at  
nightfall  the frugal fare of the       
villager of ,old or ,new ,castile1 on   
hearing the  distant shot of the        
,christino soldier or ,carlist bandit1  

he would invoke  curses on the heads of 
the two pretenders1 not forgetting the  
holy father  and the goddess of ,rome1  
,maria ,santissima4  ,then1 with the    
tiger energy  of the ,spaniard when     
roused1 he would start up and exclaim3  
8,vamos1 ,don  ,jorge1 to the plain1 to 
the plain6  ,i wish to enlist with you1 
and to  learn the law of the ,english4  
,to the plain1 therefore1 to the plain  
to-morrow1 to circulate the gospel of   
,ingalaterra40    ,amongst the peasantry
 of ,spain ,i found my sturdiest        
supporters3 and yet  the holy father    
supposes that the ,spanish labourers are
 friends and  lovers of his4  ,undeceive
 yourself1 ,batuschca6    ,but to return
 to the present work3 it is devoted to  
an account of what  befell me in ,spain 
whilst engaged in distributing the      
,scripture4  ,with  respect to my poor  
labours1 ,i wish here to observe1 that  
,i accomplished  but very little1 and   
that ,i lay claim to no brilliant       
successes and  triumphs2 indeed ,i was  

sent into ,spain more to explore the    
country1 and  to ascertain how far the  
minds of the people were prepared to    
receive the  truths of ,christianity1   
than for any other object2 ,i obtained1 
however1  through the assistance of kind
 friends1 permission from the ,spanish  
government to print an edition of the   
sacred volume at ,madrid1 which ,i      
subsequently circulated in that capital 
and in the provinces4    ,during my     
sojourn in ,spain1 there were others who
 wrought good service in  the ,gospel   
cause1 and of whose efforts it were     
unjust to be silent in a  work of this  
description4  ,base is the heart which  
would refuse merit its  meed1 and1      
however insignificant may be the value  
of any eulogium which  can flow from a  
pen like mine1 ,i cannot refrain from   
mentioning with  respect and esteem a   
few names connected with ,gospel        
enterprise4  ,a  zealous ,irish         
gentleman1 of the name of ,graydon1     
exerted himself with  indefatigable     

diligence in diffusing the light of     
,scripture in the  province of          
,catalonia1 and along the southern      
shores of ,spain2 whilst two            
missionaries from ,gibraltar1 ,messrs4  
,rule and ,lyon1 during one entire      
year1 preached ,evangelic truth in a    
,church at ,cadiz4  ,so much success    
attended the efforts of these two last  
brave disciples of the immortal         
,wesley1 that there is every reason for 
supposing that1 had they not been       
silenced and eventually banished from   
the country by the pseudo-liberal       
faction of the ,moderados1 not only     
,cadiz1 but the greater part of         
,andalusia1 would by this time have     
confessed the pure doctrines of the     
,gospel1 and have discarded for ever the
 last relics of popish  superstition4   
,more immediately connected with the    
,bible ,society and myself1 ,i am most  
happy to take this opportunity of       
speaking of ,luis de ,usoz y ,rio1 the  
scion of an ancient and honourable      

family of ,old ,castile1 my coadjutor   
whilst editing the ,spanish ,new        
,testament at ,madrid4  ,throughout my  
residence in ,spain1 ,i experienced     
every mark of friendship from this      
gentleman1 who1 during the periods of my
 absence in the provinces1 and my       
numerous and long journeys1 cheerfully  
supplied my place at ,madrid1 and       
exerted himself to the utmost in        
forwarding the views of the ,bible      
,society1 influenced by no other motive 
than a hope that its efforts would      
eventually contribute to the peace1     
happiness1 and civilisation of his      
native land4    ,in conclusion1 ,i beg  
leave to state that ,i am fully aware of
 the various  faults and inaccuracies of
 the present work4  ,it is founded on   
certain  journals which ,i kept during  
my stay in ,spain1 and numerous letters 
written to my friends in ,england1 which
 they had subsequently the  kindness to 
restore3 the greater part1 however1     
consisting of  descriptions of scenery1 

sketches of character1 etc41 has been   
supplied  from memory4  ,in various     
instances ,i have omitted the names of  
places1  which ,i have either forgotten1
 or of whose orthography ,i am          
uncertain4  ,the work1 as it at present 
exists1 was written in a solitary hamlet
 in a  remote part of ,england1 where ,i
 had neither books to consult1 nor      
friends  of whose opinion or advice ,i  
could occasionally avail myself1 and    
under  all the disadvantages which arise
 from enfeebled health2 ,i have1        
however1  on a recent occasion1         
experienced too much of the lenity and  
generosity  of the public1 both of      
,britain and ,america1 to shrink from   
again exposing  myself to its gaze1 and 
trust that1 if in the present volumes it
 finds  but little to admire1 it will   
give me credit for good spirit1 and for 
setting down nought in malice4    ,nov4 
#bf1 #ahdb4          ,,chapter ,i       
,man ,overboard--,the ,tagus--,foreign  
,languages--,gesticulation--,streets of 

,lisbon--,the ,aqueduct--,bible         
tolerated in ,portugal--,cintra--,don   
,sebastian--,john  de                   
,castro--,conversation with a           
,priest--,colhares--,mafra--,its        
,palace--,the  ,schoolmaster--,the      
,portuguese--,their ,ignorance of       
,scripture--,rural  ,priesthood--,the   
,alemtejo4    ,on the morning of the    
tenth of ,november1 #ahce1 ,i found     
myself off the  coast of ,galicia1 whose
 lofty mountains1 gilded by the rising  
sun1  presented a magnificent           
appearance4  ,i was bound for ,lisbon2  
we passed  ,cape ,finisterre1 and       
standing farther out to sea1 speedily   
lost sight of  land4  ,on the morning of
 the eleventh the sea was very rough1   
and a  remarkable circumstance occurred4
  ,i was on the forecastle1 discoursing 
with two of the sailors3 one of them1   
who had but just left his hammock1      
said1 8,i have had a strange dream1     
which ,i do not much like1 for10        
continued he1 pointing up to the mast1  

8,i dreamt that ,i fell into the sea    
from the cross-trees40  ,he was heard to
 say this by several of the crew        
besides myself4  ,a moment after1 the   
captain of the vessel perceiving  that  
the squall was increasing1 ordered the  
topsails to be taken in1  whereupon this
 man with several others instantly ran  
aloft2 the yard was  in the act of being
 hauled down1 when a sudden gust of wind
 whirled it  round with violence1 and a 
man was struck down from the cross-trees
 into  the sea1 which was working like  
yeast below4  ,in a short time he       
emerged2  ,i saw his head on the crest  
of a billow1 and instantly recognised in
 the  unfortunate man the sailor who a  
few moments before had related his      
dream4  ,i shall never forget the look  
of agony he cast whilst the steamer     
hurried past him4  ,the alarm was given1
 and everything was in confusion2  it   
was two minutes at least before the     
vessel was stopped1 by which time  the  
man was a considerable way astern2 ,i   

still1 however1 kept my eye upon  him1  
and could see that he was struggling    
gallantly with the waves4  ,a  boat was 
at length lowered1 but the rudder was   
unfortunately not at hand1  and only two
 oars could be procured1 with which the 
men could make but  little progress in  
so rough a sea4  ,they did their best1  
however1 and had  arrived within ten    
yards of the man1 who still struggled   
for his life1  when ,i lost sight of    
him1 and the men on their return said   
that they saw  him below the water1 at  
glimpses1 sinking deeper and deeper1 his
 arms  stretched out and his body       
apparently stiff1 but that they found it
  impossible to save him2 presently     
after1 the sea1 as if satisfied with    
the prey which it had acquired1 became  
comparatively calm4  ,the poor  fellow  
who perished in this singular manner was
 a fine young man of  twenty-seven1 the 
only son of a widowed mother2 he was the
 best sailor on  board1 and was beloved 
by all who were acquainted with him4    

,this event  occurred on the eleventh of
 ,november1 #ahce2 the vessel was the   
,london  ,merchant steamship4  ,truly   
wonderful are the ways of ,providence6  
,that same night we entered the ,tagus1 
and dropped anchor before the old  tower
 of ,belem2 early the next morning we   
weighed1 and1 proceeding onward  about a
 league1 we again anchored at a short   
distance from the ,caesodr1  or         
principal quay of ,lisbon4  ,here we lay
 for some hours beside the  enormous    
black hulk of the ,rainha ,nao1 a       
man-of-war1 which in old times  so      
captivated the eye of ,nelson1 that he  
would fain have procured it for  his    
native country4  ,she was1 long         
subsequently1 the admiral's ship of  the
 ,miguelite squadron1 and had been      
captured by the gallant ,napier about   
three years previous to the time of     
which ,i am speaking4    ,the ,rainha   
,nao is said to have caused him more    
trouble than all the  other vessels of  
the enemy2 and some assert that1 had the

 others defended  themselves with half  
the fury which the old vixen queen      
displayed1 the  result of the battle    
which decided the fate of ,portugal     
would have been  widely different4    ,i
 found disembarkation at ,lisbon to be a
 matter of considerable vexation2  the  
custom-house officers were exceedingly  
uncivil1 and examined every  article of 
my little baggage with most provocating 
minuteness4    ,my first impression on  
landing in the ,peninsula was by no     
means a  favourable one2 and ,i had     
scarcely pressed the soil one hour      
before ,i  heartily wished myself back  
in ,russia1 a country which ,i had      
quitted  about one month previous1 and  
where ,i had left cherished friends and 
warm  affections4    ,after having      
submitted to much ill-usage and robbery 
at the custom-house1  ,i proceeded in   
quest of a lodging1 and at last found   
one1 but dirty and  expensive4  ,the    
next day ,i hired a servant1 a          
,portuguese1 it being my  invariable    

custom on arriving in a country to avail
 myself of the  services of a native2   
chiefly with the view of perfecting     
myself in the  language2 and being      
already acquainted with most of the     
principal  languages and dialects of the
 east and the west1 ,i am soon able to  
make  myself quite intelligible to the  
inhabitants4  ,in about a fortnight ,i  
found myself conversing in ,portuguese  
with considerable fluency4    ,those who
 wish to make themselves understood by a
 foreigner in his own  language1 should 
speak with much noise and vociferation1 
opening their  mouths wide4  ,is it     
surprising that the ,english are1 in    
general1 the  worst linguists in the    
world1 seeing that they pursue a system 
diametrically opposite8  ,for example1  
when they attempt to speak ,spanish1    
the most sonorous tongue in existence1  
they scarcely open their lips1 and      
putting their hands in their pockets1   
fumble lazily1 instead of applying  them
 to the indispensable office of         

gesticulation4  ,well may the poor      
,spaniards exclaim1 ,these ,english talk
 so crabbedly1 that ,satan himself      
would not be able to understand them4   
,lisbon is a huge ruinous city1 still   
exhibiting in almost every direction    
the vestiges of that terrific visitation
 of ,god1 the earthquake which          
shattered it some eighty years ago4  ,it
 stands on seven hills1 the  loftiest of
 which is occupied by the castle of     
,saint ,george1 which is the  boldest   
and most prominent object to the eye1   
whilst surveying the city  from the     
,tagus4  ,the most frequented and busy  
parts of the city are those  comprised  
within the valley to the north of this  
elevation4    ,here you find the ,plaza 
of the ,inquisition1 the principal      
square in  ,lisbon1 from which run      
parallel towards the river three or four
 streets1  amongst which are those of   
the gold and silver1 so designated from 
being  inhabited by smiths cunning in   
the working of those metals2 they are   

upon  the whole very magnificent2 the   
houses are huge and as high as castles2 
immense pillars defend the causeway at  
intervals1 producing1 however1  rather a
 cumbrous effect4  ,these streets are   
quite level1 and are well  paved1 in    
which respect they differ from all the  
others in ,lisbon4  ,the  most singular 
street1 however1 of all is that of the  
,alemcrin1 or  ,rosemary1 which         
debouches on the ,caesodr4  ,it is very 
precipitous1 and  is occupied on either 
side by the palaces of the principal    
,portuguese  nobility1 massive and      
frowning1 but grand and picturesque1    
edifices1 with  here and there a hanging
 garden1 overlooking the streets at a   
great  height4    ,with all its ruin and
 desolation1 ,lisbon is unquestionably  
the most  remarkable city in the        
,peninsula1 and1 perhaps1 in the south  
of ,europe4  ,it is not my intention to 
enter into minute details concerning it2
 ,i  shall content myself with          
remarking1 that it is quite as much     

deserving  the attention of the artist  
as even ,rome itself4  ,true it is that 
though  it abounds with churches it has 
no gigantic cathedral1 like ,st4        
,peter's1  to attract the eye and fill  
it with wonder1 yet ,i boldly say that  
there  is no monument of man's labour   
and skill1 pertaining either to ancient 
or  modern ,rome1 for whatever purpose  
designed1 which can rival the           
water-works of ,lisbon2 ,i mean the     
stupendous aqueduct whose principal     
arches cross the valley to the          
north-east of ,lisbon1 and which        
discharges  its little runnel of cool   
and delicious water into the rocky      
cistern  within that beautiful edifice  
called the ,mother of the ,waters1 from 
whence all ,lisbon is supplied with the 
crystal lymph1 though the source  is    
seven leagues distant4  ,let travellers 
devote one entire morning to  inspecting
 the ,arcos and the ,mai das ,agoas1    
after which they may repair  to the     
,english church and cemetery1           

,pre-la-,chaise in miniature1 where1  if
 they be of ,england1 they may well be  
excused if they kiss the cold  tomb1 as 
,i did1 of the author of ,amelia1 the   
most singular genius which  their island
 ever produced1 whose works it has long 
been the fashion to  abuse in public and
 to read in secret4  ,in the same       
cemetery rest the  mortal remains of    
,doddridge1 another ,english author of a
 different stamp1  but justly admired   
and esteemed4  ,i had not intended1 on  
disembarking1 to  remain long in        
,lisbon1 nor indeed in ,portugal2 my    
destination was ,spain1  whither ,i     
shortly proposed to direct my steps1 it 
being the intention of  the ,bible      
,society to attempt to commence         
operations in that country1 the  object 
of which should be the distribution of  
the ,word of ,god1 for ,spain  had      
hitherto been a region barred against   
the admission of the ,bible2 not  so    
,portugal1 where1 since the revolution1 
the ,bible had been permitted  both to  

be introduced and circulated4  ,little1 
however1 had been  accomplished2        
therefore1 finding myself in the        
country1 ,i determined1 if  possible1 to
 effect something in the way of         
distribution1 but first of  all to make 
myself acquainted as to how far the     
people were disposed to  receive the    
,bible1 and whether the state of        
education in general would  permit them 
to turn it to much account4  ,i had     
plenty of ,bibles and  ,testaments at my
 disposal1 but could the people read    
them1 or would they8  ,a friend of the  
,society to whom ,i was recommended was 
absent from ,lisbon  at the period of my
 arrival2 this ,i regretted1 as he could
 have afforded  me several useful hints4
  ,in order1 however1 that no time might
 be lost1  ,i determined not to wait for
 his arrival1 but at once proceed to    
gather  the best information ,i could   
upon those points to which ,i have      
already  alluded4  ,i determined to     
commence my researches at some slight   

distance  from ,lisbon1 being well aware
 of the erroneous ideas that ,i must    
form of  the ,portuguese in general1    
should ,i judge of their character and  
opinions  from what ,i saw and heard in 
a city so much subjected to foreign     
intercourse4    ,my first excursion was 
to ,cintra4  ,if there be any place in  
the world  entitled to the appellation  
of an enchanted region1 it is surely    
,cintra2  ,tivoli is a beautiful and    
picturesque place1 but it quickly fades 
from  the mind of those who have seen   
the ,portuguese ,paradise4  ,when       
speaking  of ,cintra1 it must not for a 
moment be supposed that nothing more is 
meant than the little town or city2 by  
,cintra must be understood the  entire  
region1 town1 palace1 quintas1 forests1 
crags1 ,moorish ruin1 which  suddenly   
burst on the view on rounding the side  
of a bleak1 savage1 and  sterile-looking
 mountain4  ,nothing is more sullen and 
uninviting than the  south-western      
aspect of the stony wall which1 on the  

side of ,lisbon1  seems to shield       
,cintra from the eye of the world1 but  
the other side is a  mingled scene of   
fairy beauty1 artificial elegance1      
savage grandeur1  domes1 turrets1       
enormous trees1 flowers and waterfalls1 
such as is met  with nowhere else       
beneath the sun4  ,oh6 there are strange
 and wonderful  objects at ,cintra1 and 
strange and wonderful recollections     
attached to  them4  ,the ruin on that   
lofty peak1 and which covers part of the
 side of  that precipitous steep1 was   
once the principal stronghold of the    
,lusitanian ,moors1 and thither1 long   
after they had disappeared1 at a        
particular moon of every year1 were wont
 to repair wild santons of  ,maugrabie1 
to pray at the tomb of a famous ,sidi1  
who slumbers amongst the  rocks4  ,that 
grey palace witnessed the assemblage of 
the last cortes held  by the boy king   
,sebastian1 ere he departed on his      
romantic expedition  against the ,moors1
 who so well avenged their insulted     

faith and country  at ,alcazarquibir1   
and in that low shady quinta1 embowered 
amongst those  tall alcornoques1 once   
dwelt ,john de ,castro1 the strange old 
viceroy of  ,goa1 who pawned the hairs  
of his dead son's beard to raise money  
to  repair the ruined wall of a fortress
 threatened by the heathen of ,ind2     
those crumbling stones which stand      
before the portal1 deeply graven1 not   
with 8runes10 but things equally dark1  
,sanscrit rhymes from the ,vedas1  were 
brought by him from ,goa1 the most      
brilliant scene of his glory1  before   
,portugal had become a base kingdom2 and
 down that dingle1 on an  abrupt rocky  
promontory1 stand the ruined halls of   
the ,english  ,millionaire1 who there   
nursed the wayward fancies of a mind as 
wild1  rich1 and variegated as the      
scenes around4  ,yes1 wonderful are the 
objects which meet the eye at ,cintra1  
and wonderful are the recollections     
attached to them4    ,the town of       
,cintra contains about eight hundred    

inhabitants4  ,the morning  subsequent  
to my arrival1 as ,i was about to ascend
 the mountain for the  purpose of       
examining the ,moorish ruins1 ,i        
observed a person advancing  towards me 
whom ,i judged by his dress to be an    
ecclesiastic2 he was in  fact one of the
 three priests of the place4  ,i        
instantly accosted him1  and had no     
reason to regret doing so2 ,i found him 
affable and  communicative4    ,after   
praising the beauty of the surrounding  
scenery1 ,i made some inquiry  as to the
 state of education amongst the people  
under his care4  ,he  answered1 that he 
was sorry to say that they were in a    
state of great  ignorance1 very few of  
the common people being able either to  
read or  write2 that with respect to    
schools1 there was but one in the place1
  where four or five children were      
taught the alphabet1 but that even this 
was at present closed2 he informed me1  
however1 that there was a school  at    
,colhares1 about a league distant4      

,amongst other things1 he said that     
nothing more surprised him than to see  
,englishmen1 the most learned and       
intelligent people in the world1        
visiting a place like ,cintra1 where    
there was no literature1 science1 nor   
anything of utility 7coisa que  presta74
  ,i suspect that there was some covert 
satire in the last speech  of the worthy
 priest2 ,i was1 however1 ,jesuit enough
 to appear to receive  it as a high     
compliment1 and1 taking off my hat1     
departed with an  infinity of bows4     
,that same day ,i visited ,colhares1 a  
romantic village on the side of the     
mountain of ,cintra1 to the north-west4 
,seeing some peasants collected  round a
 smithy1 ,i inquired about the school1  
whereupon one of the men  instantly     
conducted me thither4  ,i went upstairs 
into a small apartment1  where ,i found 
the master with about a dozen pupils    
standing in a row2 ,i  saw but one stool
 in the room1 and to that1 after having 
embraced me1 he  conducted me with great

 civility4  ,after some discourse1 he   
showed me the  books which he used for  
the instruction of the children2 they   
were  spelling books1 much of the same  
kind as those used in the village       
schools in ,england4  ,upon my asking   
him whether it was his practice to      
place the ,scriptures in the hands of   
the children1 he informed me that  long 
before they had acquired sufficient     
intelligence to understand them  they   
were removed by their parents1 in order 
that they might assist in  the labours  
of the field1 and that the parents in   
general were by no  means solicitous    
that their children should learn        
anything1 as they  considered the time  
occupied in learning as so much         
squandered away4  ,he  said1 that though
 the schools were nominally supported by
 the government1  it was rarely that the
 schoolmasters could obtain their       
salaries1 on  which account many had of 
late resigned their employments4  ,he   
told me  that he had a copy of the ,new 

,testament in his possession1 which ,i  
desired to see1 but on examining it ,i  
discovered that it was only the         
epistles by ,pereira1 with copious      
notes4  ,i asked him whether he         
considered that there was harm in       
reading the ,scriptures without notes3  
he replied that there was certainly no  
harm in it1 but that simple  people1    
without the help of notes1 could derive 
but little benefit from  ,scripture1 as 
the greatest part would be              
unintelligible to them2  whereupon ,i   
shook hands with him1 and on departing  
said that there was no  part of         
,scripture so difficult to understand as
 those very notes which  were intended  
to elucidate it1 and that it would never
 have been written  if not calculated of
 itself to illume the minds of all      
classes of  mankind4    ,in a day or two
 ,i made an excursion to ,mafra1 distant
 about three leagues  from ,cintra2 the 
principal part of the way lay over steep
 hills1 somewhat  dangerous for horses2 

however1 ,i reached the place in safety4
    ,mafra is a large village in the    
neighbourhood of an immense building1   
intended to serve as a convent and      
palace1 and which is built somewhat     
after the fashion of the ,escurial4  ,in
 this edifice exists the finest  library
 in ,portugal1 containing books on all  
sciences and in all  languages1 and well
 suited to the size and grandeur of the 
edifice which  contains it4  ,there were
 no monks1 however1 to take care of it1 
as in  former times2 they had been      
driven forth1 some to beg their bread1  
some  to serve under the banners of ,don
 ,carlos1 in ,spain1 and many1 as ,i was
  informed1 to prowl about as banditti4 
,i found the place abandoned to two  or 
three menials1 and exhibiting an aspect 
of solitude and desolation  truly       
appalling4  ,whilst ,i was viewing the  
cloisters1 a fine  intelligent-looking  
lad came up and asked 7,i suppose in the
 hope of  obtaining a trifle7 whether ,i
 would permit him to show me the village

  church1 which he informed me was well 
worth seeing2 ,i said no1 but added1    
that if he would show me the village    
school ,i should feel much obliged to   
him4  ,he looked at me with             
astonishment1 and assured me that there 
was  nothing to be seen at the school1  
which did not contain more than half a  
dozen boys1 and that he himself was one 
of the number4  ,on my telling  him1    
however1 that he should show me no other
 place1 he at length  unwillingly       
attended me4  ,on the way ,i learned    
from him that the  schoolmaster was one 
of the friars who had lately been       
expelled from the  convent1 that he was 
a very learned man1 and spoke ,french   
and ,greek4  ,we  passed a stone cross1 
and the boy bent his head and crossed   
himself with  much devotion4  ,i mention
 this circumstance1 as it was the first 
instance  of the kind which ,i had      
observed amongst the ,portuguese since  
my arrival4  ,when near the house where 
the schoolmaster resided1 he pointed it 

out to  me1 and then hid himself behind 
a wall1 where he awaited my return4     
,on stepping over the threshold ,i was  
confronted by a short stout man1        
between sixty and seventy years of age1 
dressed in a blue jerkin and grey       
trousers1 without shirt or waistcoat2 he
 looked at me sternly1 and  enquired in 
the ,french language what was my        
pleasure4  ,i apologised for  intruding 
upon him1 and stated that1 being        
informed he occupied the  situation of  
schoolmaster1 ,i had come to pay my     
respects to him and to  beg permission  
to ask a few questions respecting the   
seminary4  ,he  answered that whoever   
told me he was a schoolmaster lied1 for 
that he was  a friar of the convent and 
nothing else4  8,it is not then true10  
said ,i1  8that all the convents have   
been broken up and the monks dismissed80
  8,yes1 yes10 said he with a sigh1 8it 
is true2 it is but too true40  ,he  then
 was silent for a minute1 and his better
 nature overcoming his angry  feelings1 

he produced a snuff-box and offered it  
to me4  ,the snuff-box is  the          
olive-branch of the ,portuguese1 and he 
who wishes to be on good terms  with    
them must never refuse to dip his finger
 and thumb into it when  offered4  ,i   
took therefore a huge pinch1 though ,i  
detest the dust1 and we  were soon on   
the best possible terms4  ,he was eager 
to obtain news1  especially from ,lisbon
 and ,spain4  ,i told him that the      
officers of the  troops at ,lisbon had1 
the day before ,i left that place1 gone 
in a body to  the queen and insisted    
upon her either receiving their swords  
or  dismissing her ministers2 whereupon 
he rubbed his hands and said that he    
was sure matters would not remain       
tranquil at ,lisbon4  ,on my saying1    
however1 that ,i thought the affairs of 
,don ,carlos were on the decline  7this 
was shortly after the death of          
,zumalacarregui71 he frowned1 and  cried
 that it could not possibly be1 for that
 ,god was too just to suffer  it4  ,i   

felt for the poor man who had been      
driven out of his home in the  noble    
convent close by1 and from a state of   
affluence and comfort reduced  in his   
old age to indigence and misery1 for his
 present dwelling scarcely  seemed to   
contain an article of furniture4  ,i    
tried twice or thrice to  induce him to 
converse about the school1 but he either
 avoided the  subject or said shortly   
that he knew nothing about it4  ,on my  
leaving  him1 the boy came from his     
hiding-place and rejoined me2 he said   
that he  had hidden himself through fear
 of his master's knowing that he had    
brought me to him1 for that he was      
unwilling that any stranger should  know
 that he was a schoolmaster4    ,i asked
 the boy whether he or his parents were 
acquainted with the  ,scripture and ever
 read it2 he did not1 however1 seem to  
understand me4  ,i must here observe    
that the boy was fifteen years of age1  
that he was in  many respects very      
intelligent1 and had some knowledge of  

the ,latin  language2 nevertheless he   
knew not the ,scripture even by name1   
and ,i have  no doubt1 from what ,i     
subsequently observed1 that at least    
two-thirds of  his countrymen are on    
that important point no wiser than      
himself4  ,at the  doors of village     
inns1 at the hearths of the rustics1 in 
the fields where  they labour1 at the   
stone fountains by the wayside where    
they water their  cattle1 ,i have       
questioned the lower class of the       
children of ,portugal  about the        
,scripture1 the ,bible1 the ,old and    
,new ,testament1 and in no one  instance
 have they known what ,i was alluding   
to1 or could return me a  rational      
answer1 though on all other matters     
their replies were sensible  enough2    
indeed1 nothing surprised me more than  
the free and unembarrassed  manner in   
which the ,portuguese peasantry sustain 
a conversation1 and the  purity of the  
language in which they express their    
thoughts1 and yet few  of them can read 

or write2 whereas the peasantry of      
,england1 whose  education is in general
 much superior1 are in their            
conversation coarse  and dull almost to 
brutality1 and absurdly ungrammatical in
 their  language1 though the ,english   
tongue is upon the whole more simple in 
its  structure than the ,portuguese4    
,on my return to ,lisbon ,i found our   
friend ---1 who received me very        
kindly4  ,the next ten days were        
exceedingly rainy1 which prevented me   
from making any excursions into the     
country3 during this time ,i saw our    
friend frequently1 and had long         
conversations with him concerning the   
best means of distributing the gospel4  
,he thought we could do no better  for  
the present than put part of our stock  
into the hands of the  booksellers of   
,lisbon1 and at the same time employ    
colporteurs to hawk  the books about the
 streets1 receiving a certain profit off
 every copy  they sold4  ,this plan was 
agreed upon and forthwith put in        

practice1 and  with some success4  ,i   
had thought of sending colporteurs into 
the  neighbouring villages1 but to this 
our friend objected4  ,he thought the   
attempt dangerous1 as it was very       
possible that the rural priesthood1 who 
still possessed much influence in their 
own districts1 and who were for  the    
most part decided enemies to the spread 
of the gospel1 might cause  the men     
employed to be assassinated or          
ill-treated4    ,i determined1 however1 
ere leaving ,portugal1 to establish     
dpots of  ,bibles in one or two of the  
provincial towns4  ,i wished to visit   
the  ,alemtejo1 which ,i had heard was a
 very benighted region4  ,the ,alemtejo 
means the province beyond the ,tagus4   
,this province is not beautiful and     
picturesque1 like most other parts of   
,portugal3 there are few hills and      
mountains1 the greater part consists of 
heaths broken by knolls1 and  gloomy    
dingles1 and forests of stunted pine2   
these places are infested  with         

banditti4  ,the principal city is       
,evora1 one of the most ancient in      
,portugal1 and formerly the seat of a   
branch of the ,inquisition1 yet more    
cruel and baneful than the terrible one 
of ,lisbon4  ,evora lies about  sixty   
miles from ,lisbon1 and to ,evora ,i    
determined on going with twenty         
,testaments and two ,bibles4  ,how ,i   
fared there will presently be seen4     
,,chapter ,,ii      ,boatmen of the     
,tagus--,dangers of the ,stream--,aldea 
,gallega--,the                          
,hostelry--,robbers--,sabocha--,adventur
e of a ,muleteer--,estalagem de         
,ladroes--,don  ,geronimo--,vendas      
,novas--,royal ,residence--,swine of the
 ,alemtejo--,monto  ,moro--,swayne      
,vonved--,singular ,goatherd--,children 
of the ,fields--,infidels and           
,sadducees4    ,on the afternoon of the 
sixth of ,december ,i set out for       
,evora1  accompanied by my servant4  ,i 
had been informed that the tide would   
serve  for the regular passage-boats1 or

 felouks1 as they are called1 at about  
four o'clock1 but on reaching the side  
of the ,tagus opposite to ,aldea        
,gallega1 between which place and       
,lisbon the boats ply1 ,i found that the
  tide would not permit them to start   
before eight o'clock4  ,had ,i waited   
for them ,i should have probably landed 
at ,aldea ,gallega about midnight1  and 
,i felt little inclination to make my   
entre in the ,alemtejo at that  hour2   
therefore1 as ,i saw small boats which  
can push off at any time  lying near in 
abundance1 ,i determined upon hiring one
 of them for the  passage1 though the   
expense would be thus considerably      
increased4  ,i soon  agreed with a      
wild-looking lad1 who told me that he   
was in part owner of  one of the boats1 
to take me over4  ,i was not aware of   
the danger in  crossing the ,tagus at   
its broadest part1 which is opposite    
,aldea ,gallega1  at any time1 but      
especially at close of day in the winter
 season1 or ,i  should certainly not    

have ventured4  ,the lad and his        
comrade1 a miserable  looking object1   
whose only clothing1 notwithstanding the
 season1 was a  tattered jerkin and     
trousers1 rowed until we had advanced   
about half a  mile from the land2 they  
then set up a large sail1 and the lad1  
who  seemed to direct everything and to 
be the principal1 took the helm and     
steered4  ,the evening was now setting  
in2 the sun was not far from its  bourne
 in the horizon1 the air was very cold1 
the wind was rising1 and  the waves of  
the noble ,tagus began to be crested    
with foam4  ,i told the  boy that it was
 scarcely possible for the boat to carry
 so much sail  without upsetting1 upon  
which he laughed1 and began to gabble in
 a most  incoherent manner4  ,he had the
 most harsh and rapid articulation that 
has  ever come under my observation in  
any human being2 it was the scream of   
the hyena blended with the bark of the  
terrier1 though it was by no means  an  
index of his disposition1 which ,i soon 

found to be light1 merry1 and  anything 
but malevolent1 for when ,i1 in order to
 show him that ,i cared  little about   
him1 began to hum 8,eu que sou          
,contrabandista10 he laughed  heartily  
and said1 clapping me on the shoulder1  
that he would not drown  us if he could 
help it4  ,the other poor fellow seemed 
by no means averse  to go to the bottom2
 he sat at the fore part of the boat    
looking the  image of famine1 and only  
smiled when the waters broke over the   
weather  side and soaked his scanty     
habiliments4  ,in a little time ,i had  
made up  my mind that our last hour was 
come2 the wind was getting higher1 the  
short dangerous waves were more foamy1  
the boat was frequently on its  beam1   
and the water came over the lee side in 
torrents2 but still the  wild lad at the
 helm held on laughing and chattering1  
and occasionally  yelling out part of   
the ,miguelite air1 8,quando el ,rey    
chegou0 the  singing of which in ,lisbon
 is imprisonment4    ,the stream was    

against us1 but the wind was in our     
favour1 and we sprang  along at a       
wonderful rate1 and ,i saw that our only
 chance of escape was  in speedily      
passing the farther bank of the ,tagus  
where the bight or bay  at the extremity
 of which stands ,aldea ,gallega        
commences1 for we should  not then have 
to battle with the waves of the stream1 
which the adverse  wind lashed into     
fury4  ,it was the will of the ,almighty
 to permit us  speedily to gain this    
shelter1 but not before the boat was    
nearly filled  with water1 and we were  
all wet to the skin4  ,at about seven   
o'clock in  the evening we reached      
,aldea ,gallega1 shivering with cold and
 in a most  deplorable plight4    ,aldea
 ,gallega1 or the ,galician ,village    
7for the two words are ,spanish1  and   
have that signification71 is a place    
containing1 ,i should think1  about four
 thousand inhabitants4  ,it was pitchy  
dark when we landed1 but  rockets soon  
began to fly about in all directions1   

illuming the air far  and wide4  ,as we 
passed along the dirty unpaved street   
which leads to the  ,largo1 or square in
 which the inn is situated1 a horrible  
uproar of drums  and voices assailed our
 ears4  ,on inquiring the cause of all  
this bustle1  ,i was informed that it   
was the eve of the ,conception of the   
,virgin4    ,as it was not the custom of
 the people at the inn to furnish       
provisions  for the guests1 ,i wandered 
about in search of food2 and at last    
seeing  some soldiers eating and        
drinking in a species of wine-house1 ,i 
went in  and asked the people to let me 
have some supper1 and in a short time   
they  furnished me with a tolerable     
meal1 for which1 however1 they charged  
three crowns4    ,having engaged with a 
person for mules to carry us to ,evora1 
which were  to be ready at five next    
morning1 ,i soon retired to bed1 my     
servant  sleeping in the same apartment1
 which was the only one in the house    
vacant4  ,i closed not my eyes during   

the whole night4  ,beneath us was a     
stable1 in which some almocreves1 or    
carriers1 slept with their mules2 at    
our back1 in the yard1 was a pigsty4    
,how could ,i sleep8  ,the hogs         
grunted1 the mules screamed1 and the    
almocreves snored most horribly4  ,i    
heard the village clock strike the hours
 until midnight1 and from  midnight till
 four in the morning1 when ,i sprang up 
and began to dress1  and despatched my  
servant to hasten the man with the      
mules1 for ,i was  heartily tired of the
 place and wanted to leave it4  ,an old 
man1 bony and  hale1 accompanied by a   
barefooted lad1 brought the beasts1     
which were  tolerably good4  ,he was the
 proprietor of them1 and intended1 with 
the  lad1 who was his nephew1 to        
accompany us to ,evora4    ,when we     
started1 the moon was shining brightly1 
and the morning was  piercingly cold4   
,we soon entered on a sandy hollow way1 
emerging from  which we passed by a     
strange-looking and large edifice1      

standing on a  high bleak sand-hill on  
our left4  ,we were speedily overtaken  
by five or  six men on horseback1 riding
 at a rapid pace1 each with a long gun  
slung  at his saddle1 the muzzle        
depending about two feet below the      
horse's  belly4  ,i inquired of the old 
man what was the reason of this warlike 
array4  ,he answered1 that the roads    
were very bad 7meaning that they        
abounded with robbers71 and that they   
went armed in this manner for their     
defence2 they soon turned off to the    
right towards ,palmella4    ,we reached 
a sandy plain studded with stunted pine2
 the road was little  more than a       
footpath1 and as we proceeded1 the trees
 thickened and became  a wood1 which    
extended for two leagues1 with clear    
spaces at intervals1  in which herds of 
cattle and sheep were feeding2 the bells
 attached to  their necks were ringing  
lowly and monotonously4  ,the sun was   
just  beginning to show itself2 but the 
morning was misty and dreary1 which1    

together with the aspect of desolation  
which the country exhibited1 had  an    
unfavourable effect on my spirits4  ,i  
got down and walked1 entering  into     
conversation with the old man4  ,he     
seemed to have but one theme1  8the     
robbers10 and the atrocities they were  
in the habit of practising in  the very 
spots we were passing4  ,the tales he   
told were truly horrible1  and to avoid 
them ,i mounted again1 and rode on      
considerably in front4    ,in about an  
hour and a half we emerged from the     
forest1 and entered upon  a savage1     
wild1 broken ground1 covered with mato1 
or brushwood4  ,the  mules stopped to   
drink at a shallow pool1 and on looking 
to the right ,i  saw a ruined wall4     
,this1 the guide informed me1 was the   
remains of  ,vendas ,velhas1 or the ,old
 ,inn1 formerly the haunt of the        
celebrated  robber ,sabocha4  ,this     
,sabocha1 it seems1 had1 some sixteen   
years ago1 a  band of about forty       
ruffians at his command1 who infested   

these wilds1  and supported themselves  
by plunder4  ,for a considerable time   
,sabocha  pursued his atrocious trade   
unsuspected1 and many an unfortunate    
traveller was murdered in the dead of   
night at the solitary inn by the        
wood-side1 which he kept2 indeed1 a more
 fit situation for plunder and  murder  
,i never saw4  ,the gang were in the    
habit of watering their horses  at the  
pool1 and perhaps of washing therein    
their hands stained with the  blood of  
their victims2 the lieutenant of the    
troop was the brother of  ,sabocha1 a   
fellow of great strength and ferocity1  
particularly famous for  the skill he   
possessed in darting a long knife1 with 
which he was in the  habit of           
transfixing his opponents4  ,sabocha's  
connection with the gang  at length     
became known1 and he fled1 with the     
greater part of his  associates1 across 
the ,tagus to the northern provinces4   
,himself and his  brothers eventually   
lost their lives on the road to         

,coimbra1 in an  engagement with the    
military4  ,his house was razed by order
 of the  government4    ,the ruins are  
still frequently visited by banditti1   
who eat and drink  amidst them1 and look
 out for prey1 as the place commands a  
view of the  road4  ,the old man assured
 me1 that about two months previous1 on 
returning to ,aldea ,gallega with his   
mules from accompanying some            
travellers1 he had been knocked down1   
stripped naked1 and all his money  taken
 from him1 by a fellow whom he believed 
came from this murderers'  nest4  ,he   
said that he was an exceedingly powerful
 young man1 with  immense moustaches and
 whiskers1 and was armed with an        
espingarda1 or  musket4  ,about ten days
 subsequently he saw the robber at      
,vendas ,novas1  where we should pass   
the night4  ,the fellow on recognising  
him took him  aside1 and1 with horrid   
imprecations1 threatened that he should 
never be  permitted to return home if he
 attempted to discover him2 he therefore

  held his peace1 as there was little to
 be gained and everything to be  risked 
in apprehending him1 as he would have   
been speedily set at liberty  for want  
of evidence to criminate him1 and then  
he would not have failed  to have had   
his revenge1 or would have been         
anticipated therein by his  comrades4   
,i dismounted and went up to the place1 
and saw the vestiges of a fire and  a   
broken bottle4  ,the sons of plunder had
 been there very lately4  ,i left  a    
,new ,testament and some tracts amongst 
the ruins1 and hastened away4    ,the   
sun had dispelled the mists and was     
beaming very hot2 we rode on for  about 
an hour1 when ,i heard the neighing of a
 horse in our rear1 and our  guide said 
there was a party of horsemen behind2   
our mules were good1 and  they did not  
overtake us for at least twenty minutes4
  ,the headmost rider  was a gentleman  
in a fashionable travelling dress2 a    
little way behind  were an officer1 two 
soldiers1 and a boy in livery4  ,i heard

 the  principal horseman1 on overtaking 
my servant1 inquiring who ,i was1 and   
whether ,french or ,english4  ,he was   
told ,i was an ,english gentleman1      
travelling4  ,he then asked whether ,i  
understood ,portuguese2 the man said  ,i
 understood it1 but he believed that ,i 
spoke ,french and ,italian better4  ,the
 gentleman then spurred on his horse and
 accosted me1 not in  ,portuguese1 nor  
in ,french or ,italian1 but in the      
purest ,english that ,i  ever heard     
spoken by a foreigner2 it had1 indeed1  
nothing of foreign  accent or           
pronunciation in it2 and had ,i not     
known1 by the countenance of  the       
speaker1 that he was no ,englishman1    
7for there is a peculiarity in  the     
countenance1 as everybody knows1 which1 
though it cannot be  described1 is sure 
to betray the ,englishman71 ,i should   
have concluded  that ,i was in company  
with a countryman4  ,we continued       
discoursing until  we arrived at        
,pegoens4    ,pegoens consists of about 

two or three houses and an inn2 there is
  likewise a species of barrack1 where  
half a dozen soldiers are stationed4    
,in the whole of ,portugal there is no  
place of worse reputation1 and the  inn 
is nick-named ,estalagem de ,ladroes1 or
 the hostelry of thieves2 for  it is    
there that the banditti of the          
wilderness1 which extends around it  on 
every side for leagues1 are in the habit
 of coming and spending the  money1 the 
fruits of their criminal daring2 there  
they dance and sing1  eat fricasseed    
rabbits and olives1 and drink the muddy 
but strong wine of  the ,alemtejo4  ,an 
enormous fire1 fed by the trunk of a    
cork tree1 was  blazing in a niche on   
the left hand on entering the spacious  
kitchen4  ,close by it1 seething1 were  
several large jars1 which emitted no    
disagreeable odour1 and reminded me that
 ,i had not broken my fast1  although it
 was now nearly one o'clock1 and ,i had 
ridden five leagues4  ,several          
wild-looking men1 who if they were not  

banditti might easily be  mistaken for  
such1 were seated on logs about the     
fire4  ,i asked them some  unimportant  
questions1 to which they replied with   
readiness and civility1  and one of     
them1 who said he could read1 accepted a
 tract which ,i offered  him4    ,my new
 friend1 who had been bespeaking dinner1
 or rather breakfast1 now1  with great  
civility1 invited me to partake of it1  
and at the same time  introduced me to  
the officer who accompanied him1 and who
 was his  brother1 and also spoke       
,english1 though not so well as himself4
  ,i found  ,i had become acquainted    
with ,don ,geronimo ,joze ,d',azveto1   
secretary to the  government at ,evora2 
his brother belonged to a regiment of   
hussars1 whose  headquarters were at    
,evora1 but which had outlying parties  
along the  road1--for example1 the place
 where we were stopping4    ,rabbits at 
,pegoens seem to be a standard article  
of food1 being produced  in abundance on
 the moors around4  ,we had one fried1  

the gravy of which  was delicious1 and  
afterwards a roasted one1 which was     
brought up on a  dish entire2 the       
hostess1 having first washed her hands1 
proceeded to  tear the animal to pieces1
 which having accomplished1 she poured  
over the  fragments a sweet sauce4  ,i  
ate heartily of both dishes1            
particularly of  the last2 owing1       
perhaps1 to the novel and curious manner
 in which it was  served up4  ,excellent
 figs1 from the ,algarves1 and apples   
concluded our  repast1 which we ate in a
 little side room with a mud floor1     
which sent  such a piercing chill into  
my system1 as prevented me from deriving
 that  pleasure from my fare and my     
agreeable companions that ,i should have
  otherwise experienced4    ,don        
,geronimo had been educated in ,england1
 in which country he passed his         
boyhood1 which in a certain degree      
accounted for his proficiency in the    
,english language1 the idiom and        
pronunciation of which can only be      

acquired by residing in the country at  
that period of one's life4  ,he had     
also fled thither shortly after the     
usurpation of the throne of ,portugal   
by ,don ,miguel1 and from thence had    
departed to the ,brazils1 where he had  
devoted himself to the service of ,don  
,pedro1 and had followed him in the     
expedition which terminated in the      
downfall of the usurper and the         
establishment of the constitutional     
government in ,portugal4  ,our          
conversation rolled chiefly on literary 
and political subjects1 and my          
acquaintance with the writings of the   
most celebrated authors of ,portugal    
was hailed with surprise and delight2   
for nothing is more gratifying to a     
,portuguese than to observe a foreigner 
taking an interest in the  literature of
 his nation1 of which1 in many respects1
 he is justly proud4    ,at about two   
o'clock we were once more in the saddle1
 and pursued our way  in company through
 a country exactly resembling that which

 we had  previously been traversing1    
rugged and broken1 with here and there a
  clump of pines4  ,the afternoon was   
exceedingly fine1 and the bright rays   
of the sun relieved the desolation of   
the scene4  ,having advanced about  two 
leagues1 we caught sight of a large     
edifice towering majestically in  the   
distance1 which ,i learnt was a royal   
palace standing at the farther          
extremity of ,vendas ,novas1 the village
 in which we were to pass the  night2 it
 was considerably more than a league    
from us1 yet1 seen through  the clear   
transparent atmosphere of ,portugal it  
appeared much nearer4    ,before        
reaching it we passed by a stone cross1 
on the pedestal of which  was an        
inscription commemorating a horrible    
murder of a native of ,lisbon1  which   
had occurred on that spot2 it looked    
ancient1 and was covered with  moss1 and
 the greater part of the inscription was
 illegible1 at least it  was to me1 who 
could not bestow much time on its       

deciphering4  ,having  arrived at       
,vendas ,novas1 and bespoken supper1 my 
new friend and myself  strolled forth to
 view the palace2 it was built by the   
late king of  ,portugal1 and presents   
little that is remarkable in its        
exterior2 it is a  long edifice with    
wings1 and is only two stories high1    
though it can be  seen afar off1 from   
being situated on elevated ground2 it   
has fifteen  windows in the upper1 and  
twelve in the lower story1 with a       
paltry-looking door1 something like that
 of a barn1 to which you ascend  by one 
single step2 the interior corresponds   
with the exterior1 offering  nothing    
which can gratify curiosity1 if we      
except the kitchens1 which are  indeed  
magnificent1 and so large that food     
enough might be cooked in  them1 at one 
time1 to serve as a repast for all the  
inhabitants of the  ,alemtejo4    ,i    
passed the night with great comfort in a
 clean bed1 remote from all  those      
noises so rife in a ,portuguese inn1 and

 the next morning at six we  again set  
out on our journey1 which we hoped to   
terminate before sunset1  as ,evora is  
but ten leagues from ,vendas ,novas4    
,the preceding morning had  been cold1  
but the present one was far colder1 so  
much so1 that just  before sunrise ,i   
could no longer support it on horseback1
 and therefore  dismounting1 ran and    
walked until we reached a few houses at 
the  termination of these desolate      
moors4  ,it was in one of these houses  
that  the commissioners of ,don ,pedro  
and ,miguel met1 and it was there agreed
  that the latter should resign the     
crown in favour of ,donna ,maria1 for   
,evora was the last stronghold of the   
usurper1 and the moors of the  ,alemtejo
 the last area of the combats which so  
long agitated unhappy  ,portugal4  ,i   
therefore gazed on the miserable huts   
with considerable  interest1 and did not
 fail to scatter in the neighbourhood   
several of the  precious little tracts  
with which1 together with a small       

quantity of  ,testaments1 my carpet bag 
was provided4    ,the country began to  
improve2 the savage heaths were left    
behind1 and we  saw hills and dales1    
cork trees1 and azinheiras1 on the last 
of which  trees grows that kind of sweet
 acorn called bolotas1 which is pleasant
 as  a chestnut1 and which supplies in  
winter the principal food on which the  
numerous swine of the ,alemtejo subsist4
  ,gallant swine they are1 with  short  
legs and portly bodies of a black or    
dark red colour2 and for the  excellence
 of their flesh ,i can vouch1 having    
frequently luxuriated upon  it in the   
course of my wanderings in this         
province2 the lombo1 or loin1  when     
broiled on the live embers1 is          
delicious1 especially when eaten with   
olives4    ,we were now in sight of     
,monte ,moro1 which1 as the name        
denotes1 was once  a fortress of the    
,moors2 it is a high steep hill1 on the 
summit and sides  of which are ruined   
walls and towers2 at its western side is

 a deep  ravine or valley1 through which
 a small stream rushes1 traversed by a  
stone bridge2 farther down there is a   
ford1 over which we passed and  ascended
 to the town1 which1 commencing near the
 northern base1 passes  over the lower  
ridge towards the north-east4  ,the town
 is exceedingly  picturesque1 and many  
of the houses are very ancient1 and     
built in the  ,moorish fashion4  ,i     
wished much to examine the relics of    
,moorish sway on  the upper part of the 
mountain1 but time pressed1 and the     
short period of  our stay at this place 
did not permit me to gratify my         
inclination4    ,monte ,moro is the head
 of a range of hills which cross this   
part of the  ,alemtejo1 and from hence  
they fork east and south-east1 towards  
the  former of which directions lies the
 direct road to ,elvas1 ,badajos1 and   
,madrid2 and towards the latter that to 
,evora4  ,a beautiful mountain1  covered
 to the top with cork trees1 is the     
third of the chain which  skirts the way

 in the direction of ,elvas4  ,it is    
called ,monte ,almo2 a  brook brawls at 
its base1 and as ,i passed it the sun   
was shining  gloriously on the green    
herbage on which flocks of goats were   
feeding1  with their bells ringing      
merrily1 so that the tout ensemble      
resembled a  fairy scene2 and that      
nothing might be wanted to complete the 
picture1 ,i  here met a man1 a goatherd1
 beneath an azinheira1 whose appearance 
recalled to my mind the ,brute ,carle1  
mentioned in the ,danish ballad of      
,swayne ,vonved3--        8,a wild swine
 on his shoulders he kept1      ,and    
upon his bosom a black bear slept2      
,and about his fingers with hair        
o'erhung1      ,the squirrel sported and
 weasel clung40    ,upon the shoulder of
 the goatherd was a beast1 which he told
 me was a  lontra1 or otter1 which he   
had lately caught in the neighbouring   
brook2  it had a string round its neck  
which was attached to his arm4  ,at his 
left side was a bag1 from the top of    

which peered the heads of two or  three 
singular-looking animals1 and at his    
right was squatted the sullen  cub of a 
wolf1 which he was endeavouring to tame2
 his whole appearance  was to the last  
degree savage and wild4  ,after a little
 conversation such  as those who meet on
 the road frequently hold1 ,i asked him 
if he could  read1 but he made me no    
answer4  ,i then inquired if he knew    
anything of  ,god or ,jesus ,christ2 he 
looked me fixedly in the face for a     
moment1 and  then turned his countenance
 towards the sun1 which was beginning to
 sink  in the west1 nodded to it1 and   
then again looked fixedly upon me4  ,i  
believe that ,i understood the mute     
reply2 which probably was1 that it was  
,god who made that glorious light which 
illumes and gladdens all creation2  and 
gratified with that belief1 ,i left him 
and hastened after my  companions1 who  
were by this time a considerable way in 
advance4    ,i have always found in the 
disposition of the children of the      

fields a  more determined tendency to   
religion and piety than amongst the     
inhabitants of towns and cities1 and the
 reason is obvious1 they are less       
acquainted with the works of man's hands
 than with those of ,god2 their         
occupations1 too1 which are simple1 and 
requiring less of ingenuity and  skill  
than those which engage the attention of
 the other portion of their             
fellow-creatures1 are less favourable to
 the engendering of self-conceit  and   
sufficiency so utterly at variance with 
that lowliness of spirit  which         
constitutes the best foundation of      
piety4  ,the sneerers and  scoffers at  
religion do not spring from amongst the 
simple children of  nature1 but are the 
excrescences of overwrought refinement1 
and though  their baneful influence has 
indeed penetrated to the country and    
corrupted man there1 the source and     
fountainhead was amongst crowded        
houses1 where nature is scarcely known4 
,i am not one of those who look  for    

perfection amongst the rural population 
of any country2 perfection is  not to be
 found amongst the children of the fall1
 wherever their abodes  may happen to   
be2 but1 until the heart discredits the 
existence of a ,god1  there is still    
hope for the soul of the possessor1     
however stained with  crime he may be1  
for even ,simon the magician was        
converted2 but when the  heart is once  
steeled with infidelity1 infidelity     
confirmed by carnal  wisdom1 an         
exuberance of the grace of ,god is      
required to melt it1 which  is seldom   
manifested2 for we read in the blessed  
book that the ,pharisee  and the wizard 
became receptacles of grace1 but where  
is there mention  made of the conversion
 of the sneering ,sadducee1 and is the  
modern  infidel aught but a ,sadducee of
 later date8    ,it was dark night      
before we reached ,evora1 and having    
taken leave of my  friends1 who kindly  
requested me to consider their house my 
home1 ,i and  my servant went to the    

,largo de ,san ,francisco1 in which the 
muleteer  informed me was the best      
hostelry of the town4  ,we rode into the
 kitchen1  at the extreme end of which  
was the stable1 as is customary in      
,portugal4  ,the house was kept by an   
aged gypsy-like female and her daughter1
 a fine  blooming girl about eighteen   
years of age4  ,the house was large2 in 
the  upper storey was a very long room1 
like a granary1 which extended nearly   
the whole length of the house2 the      
farther part was partitioned off and    
formed a chamber tolerably comfortable  
but very cold1 and the floor was  of    
tiles1 as was also that of the large    
room in which the muleteers were        
accustomed to sleep on the furniture of 
the mules4  ,after supper ,i went  to   
bed1 and having offered up my devotions 
to ,him who had protected me  through a 
dangerous journey1 ,i slept soundly till
 the morning4          ,,chapter ,,iii  
,shopkeeper at ,evora--,spanish         
,contrabandistas--,lion and             

,unicorn--,the  ,fountain--,trust in the
 ,almighty--,distribution of            
,tracts--,library at                    
,evora--,manuscript--,the ,bible as a   
,guide--,the ,infamous ,mary--,the ,man 
of  ,palmella--,the ,charm--,the        
,monkish ,system--,sunday--,volney--,an 
,auto-,da-,f--,men  from                
,spain--,reading of a ,tract--,new      
,arrival--,the ,herb ,rosemary4         
,evora is a small city1 walled1 but not 
regularly fortified1 and could not      
sustain a siege of a day4  ,it has five 
gates2 before that to the  south-west is
 the principal promenade of its         
inhabitants3 the fair on ,st4  ,john's  
day is likewise held there2 the houses  
are in general very  ancient1 and many  
of them unoccupied4  ,it contains about 
five thousand  inhabitants1 though twice
 that number would be by no means       
disproportionate to its size4  ,the two 
principal edifices are the ,see1 or     
cathedral1 and the convent of ,san      
,francisco1 in the square before the    

latter of which was situated the posada 
where ,i had taken up my abode4  ,a     
large barrack for cavalry stands on the 
right-hand side1 on entering the        
south-west gate4  ,to the south-east1 at
 the distance of six leagues1 is  to be 
seen a blue chain of hills1 the highest 
of which is called ,serra  ,dorso2 it is
 picturesquely beautiful1 and contains  
within its recesses  wolves and wild    
boars in numbers4  ,about a league and a
 half on the other  side of this hill is
 ,estremos4    ,i passed the day        
succeeding my arrival principally in    
examining the town  and its environs1   
and1 as ,i strolled about1 entering into
 conversation  with various people that 
,i met2 several of these were of the    
middle  class1 shopkeepers and          
professional men2 they were all         
,constitutionalists1 or pretended to be 
so1 but had very little to say  except a
 few commonplace remarks on the way of  
living of the friars1  their hypocrisy  
and laziness4  ,i endeavoured to obtain 

some information  respecting the state  
of instruction in the place1 and from   
their answers  was led to believe that  
it must be at the lowest ebb1 for it    
seemed that  there was neither book-shop
 nor school4  ,when ,i spoke of         
religion1 they  exhibited the utmost    
apathy for the subject1 and making their
 bows left  me as soon as possible4     
,having a letter of introduction to a   
person who kept a shop in the           
market-place1 ,i went thither and       
delivered it to him as he stood behind  
his counter4  ,in the course of         
conversation1 ,i found that he had been 
much persecuted whilst the old system   
was in its vigour1 and that he          
entertained a hearty aversion for it4   
,i told him that the ignorance of  the  
people in religious matters had served  
to nurse that system1 and that  the     
surest way to prevent its return was to 
enlighten their minds3 ,i  added that ,i
 had brought a small stock of ,bibles   
and ,testaments to ,evora1  which ,i    

wished to leave for sale in the hands of
 some respectable  merchant1 and that if
 he were anxious to help to lay the axe 
to the root  of superstition and        
tyranny1 he could not do so more        
effectually than by  undertaking the    
charge of these books4  ,he declared his
 willingness to do  so1 and ,i went away
 determined to entrust to him half of my
 stock4  ,i  returned to the hostelry1  
and sat down on a log of wood on the    
hearth  within the immense chimney in   
the common apartment2 two surly looking 
men  were on their knees on the stones2 
before them was a large heap of pieces  
of old iron1 brass1 and copper2 they    
were assorting it1 and stowing it  away 
in various bags4  ,they were ,spanish   
contrabandistas of the lowest  class1   
and earned a miserable livelihood by    
smuggling such rubbish from  ,portugal  
into ,spain4  ,not a word proceeded from
 their lips1 and when ,i  addressed them
 in their native language1 they returned
 no other answer  than a kind of growl4 

,they looked as dirty and rusty as the  
iron in  which they trafficked2 their   
four miserable donkeys were in the      
stable in  the rear4    ,the woman of   
the house and her daughter were         
exceedingly civil to me1 and  coming    
near crouched down1 asking various      
questions about ,england4  ,a man       
dressed somewhat like an ,english       
sailor1 who sat on the other side of the
  hearth confronting me1 said1 8,i hate 
the ,english1 for they are not          
baptized1 and have not the law10 meaning
 the law of ,god4  ,i laughed1 and  told
 him that according to the law of       
,england1 no one who was unbaptized     
could be buried in consecrated ground2  
whereupon he said1 8,then you are       
stricter than we40  ,he then said1      
8,what is meant by the lion and the     
unicorn which ,i saw the other day on   
the coat of arms over the door of  the  
,english consul at ,st4 ,ubes80  ,i said
 they were the arms of ,england6        
8,yes10 he replied1 8but what do they   

represent80  ,i said ,i did not know4   
8,then10 said he1 8you do not know the  
secrets of your own house40  ,i  said1  
8,suppose ,i were to tell you that they 
represent the ,lion of  ,bethlehem1 and 
the horned monster of the flaming pit in
 combat1 as to  which should obtain the 
mastery in ,england1 what would you     
say80  ,he  replied1 8,i should say that
 you gave a fair answer40  ,this man and
 myself  became great friends2 he came  
from ,palmella1 not far from ,st4 ,ubes2
 he  had several mules and horses with  
him1 and dealt in corn and barley4  ,i  
again walked out and roamed in the      
environs of the town4    ,about half a  
mile from the southern wall is a stone  
fountain1 where the  muleteers and other
 people who visit the town are          
accustomed to water  their horses4  ,i  
sat down by it1 and there ,i remained   
about two hours1  entering into         
conversation with every one who halted  
at the fountain2 and  ,i will here      
observe1 that during the time of my     

sojourn at ,evora1 ,i  repeated my visit
 every day1 and remained there the same 
time2 and by  following this plan1 ,i   
believe that ,i spoke to at least two   
hundred of  the children of ,portugal   
upon matters relating to their eternal  
welfare4  ,i found that very few of     
those whom ,i addressed had received any
 species  of literary education1 none of
 them had seen the ,bible1 and not more 
than  half a dozen had the slightest    
inkling of what the holy book consisted4
  ,i found that most of them were       
bigoted ,papists and ,miguelites at     
heart4  ,i therefore1 when they told me 
they were ,christians1 denied the       
possibility of their being so1 as they  
were ignorant of ,christ and ,his       
commandments1 and placed their hope of  
salvation on outward forms and          
superstitious observances1 which were   
the invention of ,satan1 who wished  to 
keep them in darkness that at last they 
might stumble into the pit  which he had
 dug for them4  ,i said repeatedly that 

the ,pope1 whom they  revered1 was an   
arch deceiver1 and the head minister of 
,satan here on  earth1 and that the     
monks and friars1 whose absence they so 
deplored1 and  to whom they had been    
accustomed to confess themselves1 were  
his  subordinate agents4  ,when called  
upon for proofs1 ,i invariably cited the
  ignorance of my auditors respecting   
the ,scriptures1 and said that if  their
 spiritual guides had been really       
ministers of ,christ1 they would  not   
have permitted their flocks to remain   
unacquainted with ,his ,word4    ,since 
this occurred1 ,i have been frequently  
surprised that ,i experienced  no insult
 and ill-treatment from the people1     
whose superstitions ,i was  thus        
attacking2 but ,i really experienced    
none1 and am inclined to believe  that  
the utter fearlessness which ,i         
displayed1 trusting in the ,protection  
of the ,almighty1 may have been the     
cause4  ,when threatened by danger1 the 
best policy is to fix your eye steadily 

upon it1 and it will in general  vanish 
like the morning mist before the sun2   
whereas1 if you quail before  it1 it is 
sure to become more imminent4  ,i have  
fervent hope that the  words of my mouth
 sank deep into the hearts of some of my
 auditors1 as ,i  observed many of them 
depart musing and pensive4  ,i          
occasionally  distributed tracts amongst
 them2 for although they themselves were
 unable  to turn them to much account1  
,i thought that by their means they     
might  become of service at some future 
time1 and fall into the hands of others1
  to whom they might be of eternal      
interest4  ,many a book which is        
abandoned to the waters is wafted to    
some remote shore1 and there proves  a  
blessing and a comfort to millions1 who 
are ignorant from whence it  came4      
,the next day1 which was ,friday1 ,i    
called at the house of my friend ,don   
,geronimo ,azveto4  ,i did not find him 
there1 but was directed to the see1  or 
episcopal palace1 in an apartment of    

which ,i found him1 writing1 with       
another gentleman1 to whom he introduced
 me2 it was the governor of  ,evora1 who
 welcomed me with every mark of kindness
 and affability4  ,after  some          
discourse1 we went out together to      
examine an ancient edifice1 which  was  
reported to have served1 in bygone      
times1 as a temple to ,diana4  ,part  of
 it was evidently of ,roman             
architecture1 for there was no mistaking
 the  beautiful light pillars which     
supported a dome1 under which the       
sacrifices to the most captivating and  
poetical divinity of the heathen        
theocracy had probably been made2 but   
the original space between the  pillars 
had been filled up with rubbish of a    
modern date1 and the rest of  the       
building was apparently of the          
architecture of the latter end of the   
,middle ,ages4  ,it was situated at one 
end of the building which had once  been
 the seat of the ,inquisition1 and had  
served1 before the erection of  the     

present see1 as the residence of the    
bishop4    ,within the see1 where the   
governor now resides1 is a superb       
library1  occupying an immense vaulted  
room1 like the aisle of a cathedral1 and
 in  a side apartment is a collection of
 paintings by ,portuguese artists1      
chiefly portraits1 amongst which is that
 of ,don ,sebastian4  ,i sincerely  hope
 it did not do him justice1 for it      
represents him in the shape of an       
awkward lad of about eighteen1 with a   
bloated booby face with staring  eyes1  
and a ruff round a short apoplectic     
neck4    ,i was shown several           
beautifully illuminated missals and     
other  manuscripts2 but the one which   
most arrested my attention1 ,i scarcely 
need say why1 was that which bore the   
following title3--        8,forma sive  
ordinatio ,capelli illustrissimi et     
xianissimi principis      ,henvici      
,sexti ,regis ,anglie et ,francie am dm 
,hibernie descripta      serenissio     
principi ,alfonso ,regi ,portugalie     

illustri per humilem      servitorem sm 
,willm4 ,sav4 ,decanu capelle           
supradicte40    ,it seemed a voice from 
the olden times of my dear native land6 
,this  library and picture gallery had  
been formed by one of the latter        
bishops1  a person of much learning and 
piety4    ,in the evening ,i dined with 
,don ,geronimo and his brother2 the     
latter soon  left us to attend to his   
military duties4  ,my friend and myself 
had now  much conversation of           
considerable interest2 he lamented the  
deplorable  state of ignorance in which 
his countrymen existed at present4  ,he 
said  that his friend the governor and  
himself were endeavouring to establish a
  school in the vicinity1 and that they 
had made application to the  government 
for the use of an empty convent1 called 
the ,espinheiro1 or  thorn tree1 at     
about a league's distance1 and that they
 had little doubt  of their request     
being complied with4  ,i had before told
 him who ,i was1  and after expressing  

joy at the plan which he had in         
contemplation1 ,i now  urged him in the 
most pressing manner to use all his     
influence to make  the knowledge of the 
,scripture the basis of the education   
which the  children were to receive1 and
 added1 that half the ,bibles and       
,testaments  which ,i had brought with  
me to ,evora were heartily at his       
service2 he  instantly gave me his hand1
 said he accepted my offer with the     
greatest  pleasure1 and would do all in 
his power to forward my views1 which    
were  in many respects his own4  ,i now 
told him that ,i did not come to        
,portugal  with the view of propagating 
the dogmas of any particular sect1 but  
with  the hope of introducing the       
,bible1 which is the well-head of all   
that is  useful and conducive to the    
happiness of society1--that ,i cared not
 what  people called themselves1        
provided they followed the ,bible as a  
guide2  for that where the ,scriptures  
were read1 neither priestcraft nor      

tyranny  could long exist1 and instanced
 the case of my own country1 the cause  
of  whose freedom and prosperity was the
 ,bible1 and that only1 as the last     
persecutor of this book1 the bloody and 
infamous ,mary1 was the last  tyrant who
 had sat on the throne of ,england4  ,we
 did not part till the  night was       
considerably advanced1 and the next     
morning ,i sent him the  books1 in the  
firm and confident hope that a bright   
and glorious morning  was about to rise 
over the night which had so long cast   
its dreary  shadows over the regions of 
the ,alemtejo4    ,the day after this   
interesting event1 which was ,saturday1 
,i had more  conversation with the man  
from ,palmella4  ,i asked him if in his 
journeys  he had never been attacked by 
robbers2 he answered no1 for that he    
generally travelled in company with     
others4  8,however10 said he1 8were ,i  
alone ,i should have little fear1 for ,i
 am well protected40  ,i said that ,i   
supposed he carried arms with him4  8,no

 other arms than this10 said he1        
pulling out one of those long desperate 
looking knives1 of ,english             
manufacture1 with which every           
,portuguese peasant is usually          
furnished4  ,this knife serves for many 
purposes1 and ,i should consider it a   
far more  efficient weapon than a       
dagger4  8,but10 said he1 8,i do not    
place much  confidence in the knife40   
,i then inquired in what rested his hope
 of  protection4  8,in this10 said he3  
and unbuttoning his waistcoat1 he showed
  me a small bag1 attached to his neck  
by a silken string4  8,in this bag is   
an oracam1 or prayer1 written by a      
person of power1 and as long as ,i      
carry it about with me1 no ill can      
befall me40  ,curiosity is the leading  
feature of my character1 and ,i         
instantly said1 with eagerness1 that ,i 
should feel great pleasure in being     
permitted to read the prayer4  8,well10 
he replied1 8you are my friend1 and ,i  
would do for you what ,i  would for few 

others1 ,i will show it you40  ,he then 
asked for my  penknife1 and having      
unripped the bag1 took out a large piece
 of paper  closely folded up4  ,i       
hurried to my apartment and commenced   
the  examination of it4  ,it was        
scrawled over in a very illegible hand1 
and  was moreover much stained with     
perspiration1 so that ,i had            
considerable  difficulty in making      
myself master of its contents1 but ,i at
 last  accomplished the following       
literal translation of the charm1 which 
was  written in bad ,portuguese1 but    
which struck me at the time as being one
  of the most remarkable compositions   
that had ever come to my knowledge4     
,,the ,,charm          8,just ,judge and
 divine ,son of the ,virgin ,maria1 who 
wast born in      ,bethlehem1 a         
,nazarene1 and wast crucified in the    
midst of all ,jewry1      ,i beseech    
thee1 ,o ,lord1 by thy sixth day1 that  
the body of me be not      caught1 nor  
put to death by the hands of justice at 

all2 peace be      with you1 the peace  
of ,christ1 may ,i receive peace1 may   
you receive      peace1 said ,god to his
 disciples4  ,if the accursed justice   
should      distrust me1 or have its    
eyes on me1 in order to take me or to   
rob      me1 may its eyes not see me1   
may its mouth not speak to me1 may it   
have ears which may not hear me1 may it 
have hands which may not      seize me1 
may it have feet which may not overtake 
me2 for may ,i be      armed with the   
arms of ,st4 ,george1 covered with the  
cloak of ,abraham1      and shipped in  
the ark of ,noah1 so that it can neither
 see me1 nor      hear me1 nor draw the 
blood from my body4  ,i also adjure     
thee1 ,o      ,lord1 by those three     
blessed crosses1 by those three blessed 
chalices1 by those three blessed        
clergymen1 by those three               
consecrated hosts1 that thou give me    
that sweet company which thou           
gavest to the ,virgin ,maria1 from the  
gates of ,bethlehem to the      portals 

of ,jerusalem1 that ,i may go and come  
with pleasure and joy      with ,jesus  
,christ1 the ,son of the ,virgin ,maria1
 the prolific yet      nevertheless the 
eternal virgin40    ,the woman of the   
house and her daughter had similar bags 
attached to  their necks1 containing    
charms1 which1 they said1 prevented the 
witches  having power to harm them4     
,the belief in witchcraft is very       
prevalent  amongst the peasantry of the 
,alemtejo1 and ,i believe of other      
provinces  of ,portugal4  ,this is one  
of the relics of the monkish system1 the
 aim of  which1 in all countries where  
it has existed1 seems to have been to   
besot  the minds of the people1 that    
they might be more easily misled4  ,all 
these charms were fabrications of the   
monks1 who had sold them to their       
infatuated confessants4  ,the monks of  
the ,greek and ,syrian churches         
likewise deal in this ware1 which they  
know to be poison1 but which they  would
 rather vend than the wholesome balm of 

the gospel1 because it  brings them a   
large price1 and fosters the delusion   
which enables them to  live a life of   
luxury4    ,the ,sunday morning was     
fine1 and the plain before the church of
 the  convent of ,san ,francisco was    
crowded with people hastening to or     
returning from the mass4  ,after having 
performed my morning devotion1 and      
breakfasted1 ,i went down to the        
kitchen2 the girl ,geronima was seated  
by  the fire4  ,i inquired if she had   
heard mass8  ,she replied in the        
negative1 and that she did not intend to
 hear it4  ,upon my inquiring her       
motive for absenting herself1 she       
replied1 that since the friars had been 
expelled from their churches and        
convents she had ceased to attend mass1 
or to confess herself2 for that the     
government priests had no spiritual     
power1 and consequently she never       
troubled them4  ,she said the friars    
were holy men and charitable2 for that  
every morning those of the convent  over

 the way fed forty poor persons with the
 relics of the meals of the  preceding  
day1 but that now these people were     
allowed to starve4  ,i  replied1 that   
the friars1 who lived on the fat of the 
land1 could well  afford to bestow a few
 bones upon their poor1 and that their  
doing so was  merely a part of their    
policy1 by which they hoped to secure to
  themselves friends in time of need4   
,the girl then observed1 that as it  was
 ,sunday1 ,i should perhaps like to see 
some books1 and without waiting  for a  
reply she produced them4  ,they         
consisted principally of popular        
stories1 with lives and miracles of     
saints1 but amongst them was a          
translation of ,volney's ,ruins of      
,empires4  ,i expressed a wish to know  
how she became possessed of this book4  
,she said that a young man1 a  great    
,constitutionalist1 had given it to her 
some months previous1 and  had pressed  
her much to read it1 for that it was one
 of the best books in  the world4  ,i   

replied1 that the author of it was an   
emissary of ,satan1  and an enemy of    
,jesus ,christ and the souls of mankind2
 that it was  written with the sole aim 
of bringing all religion into contempt1 
and  that it inculcated the doctrine    
that there was no future state1 nor     
reward for the righteous nor punishment 
for the wicked4  ,she made no  reply1   
but going into another room1 returned   
with her apron full of dry  sticks and  
brushwood1 all which she piled upon the 
fire1 and produced a  bright blaze4     
,she then took the book from my hand and
 placed it upon the  flaming pile2 then 
sitting down1 took her rosary out of her
 pocket and  told her beads till the    
volume was consumed4  ,this was an auto 
da f in  the best sense of the word4    
,on the ,monday and ,tuesday ,i paid my 
usual visits to the fountain1 and       
likewise rode about the neighbourhood on
 a mule1 for the purpose of  circulating
 tracts4  ,i dropped a great many in the
 favourite walks of the  people of      

,evora1 as ,i felt rather dubious of    
their accepting them had ,i  proffered  
them with my own hand1 whereas1 should  
they be observed lying  on the ground1  
,i thought that curiosity might cause   
them to be picked up  and examined4  ,i 
likewise1 on the ,tuesday evening1 paid 
a farewell visit  to my friend ,azveto1 
as it was my intention to leave ,evora  
on the  ,thursday following and return  
to ,lisbon2 in which view ,i had engaged
 a  calash of a man who informed me that
 he had served as a soldier in the      
grande arme of ,napoleon1 and been      
present in the ,russian campaign4  ,he  
looked the very image of a drunkard4    
,his face was covered with  carbuncles1 
and his breath impregnated with the     
fumes of strong waters4  ,he wished much
 to converse with me in ,french1 in the 
speaking of which  language it seemed he
 prided himself1 but ,i refused1 and    
told him to  speak the language of the  
country1 or ,i would hold no discourse  
with him4    ,wednesday was stormy1 with

 occasional rain4  ,on coming down1 ,i  
found that  my friend from ,palmella had
 departed3 but several contrabandistas  
had  arrived from ,spain4  ,they were   
mostly fine fellows1 and unlike the two 
,i  had seen the preceding week1 who    
were of much lower degree1 were chatty  
and communicative2 they spoke their     
native language1 and no other1 and      
seemed to hold the ,portuguese in great 
contempt4  ,the magnificent tones  of   
the ,spanish sounded to great advantage 
amidst the shrill squeaking  dialect of 
,portugal4  ,i was soon in deep         
conversation with them1 and was  much   
pleased to find that all of them could  
read4  ,i presented the  eldest1 a man  
of about fifty years of age1 with a     
tract in ,spanish4  ,he  examined it for
 some time with great attention2 he then
 rose from his  seat1 and going into the
 middle of the apartment1 began reading 
it aloud1  slowly and emphatically2 his 
companions gathered around him1 and     
every  now and then expressed their     

approbation of what they heard4  ,the   
reader  occasionally called upon me to  
explain passages which1 as they referred
  to particular texts of ,scripture1 he 
did not exactly understand1 for not  one
 of the party had ever seen either the  
,old or ,new ,testament4    ,he         
continued reading for upwards of an     
hour1 until he had finished the  tract2 
and1 at its conclusion1 the whole party 
were clamorous for similar  ones1 with  
which ,i was happy to be able to supply 
them4    ,most of these men spoke of    
priestcraft and the monkish system with 
the  utmost abhorrence1 and said that   
they should prefer death to submitting  
again to the yoke which had formerly    
galled their necks4  ,i questioned  them
 very particularly respecting the       
opinion of their neighbours and         
acquaintances on this point1 and they   
assured me that in their part of  the   
,spanish frontier all were of the same  
mind1 and that they cared as  little for
 the ,pope and his monks as they did for

 ,don ,carlos2 for the  latter was a    
dwarf 7chicotito7 and a tyrant1 and the 
others were  plunderers and robbers4  ,i
 told them they must beware of          
confounding  religion with priestcraft1 
and that in their abhorrence of the     
latter  they must not forget that there 
is a ,god and a ,christ to whom they    
must  look for salvation1 and whose word
 it was incumbent upon them to study on 
every occasion2 whereupon they all      
expressed a devout belief in ,christ    
and the ,virgin4    ,these men1 though  
in many respects more enlightened than  
the surrounding  peasantry1 were in     
others as much in the dark2 they        
believed in  witchcraft and in the      
efficacy of particular charms4  ,the    
night was very  stormy1 and at about    
nine we heard a galloping towards the   
door1 and then  a loud knocking2 it was 
opened1 and in rushed a wild-looking man
 mounted  on a donkey2 he wore a ragged 
jacket of sheepskin1 called in ,spanish 
zamarra1 with breeches of the same as   

far down as his knees2 his legs  were   
bare4  ,around his sombrero1 or shadowy 
hat1 was tied a large  quantity of the  
herb which in ,english is called        
rosemary1 in ,spanish  romero1 and in   
the rustic language of ,portugal1       
alecrim2 which last is a  word of       
,scandinavian origin 7ellegren71        
signifying the elfin plant1 and  was    
probably carried into the south by the  
,vandals4  ,the man seemed  frantic with
 terror1 and said that the witches had  
been pursuing him and  hovering over his
 head for the last two leagues4  ,he    
came from the  ,spanish frontier with   
meal and other articles2 he said that   
his wife was  following him and would   
soon arrive1 and in about a quarter of  
an hour  she made her appearance1       
dripping with rain1 and also mounted on 
a  donkey4    ,i asked my friends the   
contrabandistas why he wore the rosemary
 in his  hat2 whereupon they told me    
that it was good against witches and the
  mischances on the road4  ,i had no    

time to argue against this              
superstition1 for1 as the chaise was to 
be ready at five the next  morning1 ,i  
wished to make the most of the short    
time which ,i could devote  to sleep4   
,,chapter ,,iv      ,vexatious          
,delays--,drunken ,driver--,the         
,murdered ,mule--,the                   
,lamentation--,adventure on the         
,heath--,fear of ,darkness--,portuguese 
,fidalgo--,the ,escort--,return to      
,lisbon4    ,i rose at four1 and after  
having taken some refreshment1 ,i       
descended and  found the strange man and
 his wife sleeping in the chimney corner
 by the  fire1 which was still burning2 
they soon awoke and began preparing     
their  breakfast1 which consisted of    
salt sardinhas1 broiled upon the embers4
  ,in the meantime the woman sang       
snatches of the beautiful hymn1 very    
common in ,spain1 which commences       
thus3--        8,once of old upon a     
mountain1 shepherds overcome with sleep1
      ,near to ,bethlem's holy tower1   

kept at dead of night their sheep2      
,round about the trunk they nodded of a 
huge ignited oak1      ,whence the      
crackling flame ascending bright and    
clear the darkness      broke40    ,on  
hearing that ,i was about to depart1 she
 said1 8,you shall have some of  my     
husband's rosemary1 which will keep you 
from danger1 and prevent any  misfortune
 occurring40  ,i was foolish enough to  
permit her to put some of  it in my hat2
 and the man having by this time arrived
 with his mules1 ,i  bade farewell to my
 friendly hostesses1 and entered the    
chaise with my  servant4    ,i remarked 
at the time1 that the mules which drew  
us were the finest ,i  had ever seen2   
the largest could be little short of    
sixteen hands high2  and the fellow told
 me in his bad ,french that he loved    
them better than  his wife and children4
  ,we turned round the corner of the    
convent and  proceeded down the street  
which leads to the south-western gate4  
,the  driver now stopped before the door

 of a large house1 and having alighted1 
said that it was yet very early1 and    
that he was afraid to venture forth1  as
 it was very probable we should be      
robbed1 and himself murdered1 as the    
robbers who resided in the town would be
 apprehensive of his discovering  them1 
but that the family who lived in this   
house were going to ,lisbon1  and would 
depart in about a quarter of an hour1   
when we might avail  ourselves of an    
escort of soldiers which they would take
 with them1 and  in their company we    
should run no danger4  ,i told him ,i   
had no fear1 and  commanded him to drive
 on2 but he said he would not1 and left 
us in the  street4  ,we waited an hour1 
when two carriages came to the door of  
the  house1 but it seems the family were
 not yet ready1 whereupon the coachman  
likewise got down and went away4  ,at   
the expiration of about half an hour    
the family came out1 and when their     
luggage had been arranged they called   
for the coachman1 but he was nowhere to 

be found4  ,search was made for  him1   
but ineffectually1 and an hour more was 
spent before another driver  could be   
procured2 but the escort had not yet    
made its appearance1 and it  was not    
before a servant had been twice         
despatched to the barracks that  it     
arrived4  ,at last everything was ready1
 and they drove off4    ,all this time  
,i had seen nothing of our own coachman1
 and ,i fully  expected that he had     
abandoned us altogether4  ,in a few     
minutes ,i saw him  staggering up the   
street in a state of intoxication1      
attempting to sing  the ,marseillois    
hymn4  ,i said nothing to him1 but sat  
observing him4  ,he  stood for some time
 staring at the mules and talking       
incoherent nonsense  in ,french4  ,at   
last he said1 8,i am not so drunk but ,i
 can ride10 and  proceeded to lead his  
mules towards the gate4  ,when out of   
the town he  made several ineffectual   
attempts to mount the smallest mule     
which bore  the saddle2 he at length    

succeeded1 and instantly commenced      
spurring at a  furious rate down the    
road4  ,we arrived at a place where a   
narrow rocky  path branched off1 by     
taking which we should avoid a          
considerable circuit  round the city    
wall1 which otherwise it would be       
necessary to make before  we could reach
 the road to ,lisbon1 which lay at the  
north-east2 he now  said1 8,i shall take
 this path1 for by so doing we shall    
overtake the  family in a minute02 so   
into the path we went2 it was scarcely  
wide  enough to admit the carriage1 and 
exceedingly steep and broken2 we        
proceeded2 ascending and descending1 the
 wheels cracked1 and the motion  was so 
violent that we were in danger of being 
cast out as from a sling4  ,i saw that  
if we remained in the carriage it must  
be broken in pieces1 as  our weight must
 insure its destruction4  ,i called to  
him in ,portuguese to  stop1 but he     
flogged and spurred the beasts the more4
  ,my man now  entreated me for ,god's  

sake to speak to him in ,french1 for1 if
 anything  would pacify him1 that would4
  ,i did so1 and entreated him to let us
  dismount and walk1 till we had cleared
 this dangerous way4  ,the result       
justified ,antonio's anticipation4  ,he 
instantly stopped and said1 8,sir1  you 
are master1 you have only to command and
 ,i shall obey40  ,we  dismounted and   
walked on till we reached the great     
road1 when we once  more seated         
ourselves4    ,the family were about a  
quarter of a mile in advance1 and we    
were no  sooner reseated1 than he lashed
 the mules into full gallop for the     
purpose of overtaking it2 his cloak had 
fallen from his shoulder1 and1 in       
endeavouring to readjust it1 he dropped 
the string from his hand by which  he   
guided the large mule1 it became        
entangled in the legs of the poor       
animal1 which fell heavily on its neck1 
it struggled for a moment1 and  then lay
 stretched across the way1 the shafts   
over its body4  ,i was  pitched forward 

into the dirt1 and the drunken driver   
fell upon the  murdered mule4    ,i was 
in a great rage1 and cried1 8,you       
drunken renegade1 who are ashamed  to   
speak the language of your own country1 
you have broken the staff of  your      
existence1 and may now starve40         
8,paciencia10 said he1 and began        
kicking the head of the mule1 in order  
to make it rise2 but ,i pushed him      
down1 and taking his knife1 which had   
fallen from his pocket1 cut the  bands  
by which it was attached to the         
carriage1 but life had fled1 and  the   
film of death had begun to cover its    
eyes4    ,the fellow1 in the            
recklessness of intoxication1 seemed at 
first disposed  to make light of his    
loss1 saying1 8,the mule is dead1 it was
 ,god's will  that she should die1 what 
more can be said8  ,paciencia40         
,meanwhile1 ,i  despatched ,antonio to  
the town for the purpose of hiring      
mules1 and1  having taken my baggage    
from the chaise1 waited on the roadside 

until he  should arrive4    ,the fumes  
of the liquor began now to depart from  
the fellow's brain2 he  clasped his     
hands and exclaimed1 8,blessed ,virgin1 
what is to become of  me8  ,how am ,i to
 support myself8  ,where am ,i to get   
another mule6  ,for my  mule1 my best   
mule is dead1 she fell upon the road1   
and died of a sudden6  ,i have been in  
,france1 and in other countries1 and    
have seen beasts of  all kinds1 but such
 a mule as that ,i have never seen2 but 
she is dead--my  mule is dead--she fell 
upon the road and died of a sudden60    
,he continued  in this strain for a     
considerable time1 and the burden of his
 lamentation  was always1 8,my mule is  
dead1 she fell upon the road1 and died  
of a  sudden40  ,at length he took the  
collar from the creature's neck1 and put
  it upon the other1 which with some    
difficulty he placed in the shafts4     
,a beautiful boy of about thirteen now  
came from the direction of the  town1   
running along the road with the velocity

 of a hare3 he stopped  before the dead 
mule and burst into tears3 it was the   
man's son1 who had  heard of the        
accident from ,antonio4  ,this was too  
much for the poor  fellow3 he ran up to 
the boy1 and said1 8,don't cry1 our     
bread is gone1  but it is ,god's will2  
the mule is dead60  ,he then flung      
himself on the  ground1 uttering fearful
 cries4  8,i could have borne my loss10 
said he1  8but when ,i saw my child cry1
 ,i became a fool40  ,i gave him two or 
three  crowns1 and added some words of  
comfort2 assuring him ,i had no doubt   
that1 if he abandoned drink1 the        
,almighty ,god would take compassion on 
him and repair his loss4  ,at length he 
became more composed1 and placing  my   
baggage in the chaise1 we returned to   
the town1 where ,i found two  excellent 
riding mules awaiting my arrival at the 
inn4  ,i did not see the  ,spanish      
woman1 or ,i should have told her of the
 little efficacy of  rosemary in this   
instance4    ,i have known several      

drunkards amongst the ,portuguese1 but1 
without one  exception1 they have been  
individuals who1 having travelled       
abroad1 like  this fellow1 have returned
 with a contempt for their own country1 
and  polluted with the worst vices of   
the lands which they have visited4    ,i
 would strongly advise any of my        
countrymen who may chance to read these 
lines1 that1 if their fate lead them    
into ,spain or ,portugal1 they avoid    
hiring as domestics1 or being connected 
with1 individuals of the lower  classes 
who speak any other language than their 
own1 as the probability  is that they   
are heartless thieves and drunkards4    
,these gentry are  invariably saying all
 they can in dispraise of their native  
land2 and it  is my opinion1 grounded   
upon experience1 that an individual who 
is  capable of such baseness would not  
hesitate at the perpetration of any     
villainy1 for next to the love of ,god1 
the love of country is the best         
preventive of crime4  ,he who is proud  

of his country1 will be  particularly   
cautious not to do anything which is    
calculated to disgrace  it4    ,we now  
journeyed towards ,lisbon1 and reached  
,monte ,moro about two  o'clock4  ,after
 taking such refreshment as the place   
afforded1 we pursued  our way till we   
were within a quarter of a league of the
 huts which stand  on the edge of the   
savage wilderness we had before crossed4
  ,here we were  overtaken by a         
horseman2 he was a powerful1            
middle-sized man1 and was  mounted on a 
noble ,spanish horse4  ,he had a broad1 
slouching sombrero on  his head1 and    
wore a jerkin of blue cloth1 with large 
bosses of silver  for buttons1 and      
clasps of the same metal2 he had        
breeches of yellow  leather1 and immense
 jackboots3 at his saddle was slung a   
formidable gun4  ,he inquired if ,i     
intended to pass the night at ,vendas   
,novas1 and on my  replying in the      
affirmative1 he said that he would avail
 himself of our  company4  ,he now      

looked towards the sun1 whose disk was  
rapidly sinking  beneath the horizon1   
and entreated us to spur on and make the
 most of its  light1 for that the moor  
was a horrible place in the dusk4  ,he  
placed  himself at our head1 and we     
trotted briskly on1 the boy or muleteer 
who  attended us running behind without 
exhibiting the slightest symptom of     
fatigue4    ,we entered upon the moor1  
and had advanced about a mile when dark 
night  fell around us2 we were in a wild
 path1 with high brushwood on either    
side1 when the rider said that he could 
not confront the darkness1 and  begged  
me to ride on before1 and he would      
follow after3 ,i could hear him         
trembling4  ,i asked the reason of his  
terror1 and he replied that at one  time
 darkness was the same thing to him as  
day1 but that of late years he  dreaded 
it1 especially in wild places4  ,i      
complied with his request1 but  ,i was  
ignorant of the way1 and as ,i could    
scarcely see my hand1 was  continually  

going wrong4  ,this made the man        
impatient1 and he again  placed himself 
at our head4  ,we proceeded so for a    
considerable way1 when  he again        
stopped1 and said that the power of the 
darkness was too much  for him4  ,his   
horse seemed to be infected with the    
same panic1 for it  shook in every limb4
  ,i now told him to call on the name of
 the ,lord  ,jesus1 who was able to turn
 the darkness into light1 but he gave a 
terrible shout1 and1 brandishing his gun
 aloft1 discharged it in the air4  ,his 
horse sprang forward at full speed1 and 
my mule1 which was one of the  swiftest 
of its kind1 took fright and followed at
 the heels of the  charger4  ,antonio   
and the boy were left behind4  ,on we   
flew like a  whirlwind1 the hoofs of the
 animals illuming the path with the     
sparks of  fire they struck from the    
stones4  ,i knew not whither we were    
going1 but  the dumb creatures were     
acquainted with the way1 and soon       
brought us to  ,vendas ,novas1 where we 

were rejoined by our companions4    ,i  
thought this man was a coward1 but ,i   
did him injustice1 for during the  day  
he was as brave as a lion1 and feared no
 one4  ,about five years  since1 he had 
overcome two robbers who had attacked   
him on the moors1  and1 after tying     
their hands behind them1 had delivered  
them up to  justice2 but at night the   
rustling of a leaf filled him with      
terror4  ,i  have known similar         
instances of the kind in persons of     
otherwise  extraordinary resolution4    
,for myself1 ,i confess ,i am not a     
person of  extraordinary resolution1 but
 the dangers of the night daunt me no   
more  than those of midday4  ,the man in
 question was a farmer from ,evora1 and 
a  person of considerable wealth4    ,i 
found the inn at ,vendas ,novas thronged
 with people1 and had some  difficulty  
in obtaining accommodation and          
refreshment4  ,it was occupied  by the  
family of a certain ,fidalgo1 from      
,estremoz2 he was on the way to         

,lisbon1 conveying a large sum of money1
 as was said--probably the rents of  his
 estates4  ,he had with him a body guard
 of four-and-twenty of his  dependants1 
each armed with a rifle2 they consisted 
of his swineherds1  shepherds1 cowherds1
 and hunters1 and were commanded by two 
youths1 his  son and nephew1 the latter 
of whom was in regimentals2             
nevertheless1  notwithstanding the      
number of his troop1 it appeared that   
the ,fidalgo  laboured under            
considerable apprehension of being      
despoiled upon the  waste which lay     
between ,vendas ,novas and ,pegoens1 as 
he had just  requested a guard of four  
soldiers from the officer who commanded 
a  detachment stationed here3 there were
 many females in his company1 who1 ,i   
was told1 were his illegitimate         
daughters--for he bore an infamous moral
  character1 and was represented to me  
as a staunch friend of ,don ,miguel4    
,it was not long before he came up to me
 and my new acquaintance1 as we  sat by 

the kitchen fire3 he was a tall man of  
about sixty1 but stooped  much4  ,his   
countenance was by no means pleasing3 he
 had a long hooked  nose1 small         
twinkling cunning eyes1 and1 what ,i    
liked worst of all1 a  continual        
sneering smile1 which ,i firmly believe 
to be the index of a  treacherous and   
malignant heart4  ,he addressed me in   
,spanish1 which1 as  he resided not far 
from the frontier1 he spoke with        
fluency1 but contrary  to my usual      
practice1 ,i was reserved and silent4   
,on the following morning ,i rose at    
seven1 and found that the party from    
,estremoz had started several hours     
previously4  ,i breakfasted with my     
acquaintance of the preceding night1 and
 we set out to accomplish what  remained
 of our journey4  ,the sun had now      
arisen2 and all his fears had  left     
him--he breathed defiance against all   
the robbers of the ,alemtejo4  ,when we 
had advanced about a league1 the boy who
 attended us said he saw  heads of men  

amongst the brushwood4  ,our cavalier   
instantly seized his  gun1 and causing  
his horse to make two or three lofty    
bounds1 held it in  one hand1 the muzzle
 pointed in the direction indicated1 but
 the heads  did not again make their    
appearance1 and it was probably but a   
false  alarm4    ,we resumed our way1   
and the conversation turned1 as might be
 expected1  upon robbers4  ,my          
companion1 who seemed to be acquainted  
with every inch  of ground over which we
 passed1 had a legend to tell of every  
dingle and  every pine-clump4  ,we      
reached a slight eminence1 on the top of
 which grew  three stately pines3 about 
half a league farther on was another    
similar  one3 these two eminences       
commanded a view of the road from       
,pegoens and  ,vendas ,novas1 so that   
all people going and coming could be    
descried1  whilst yet at a distance4    
,my friend told me that these heights   
were  favourite stations of robbers4    
,some two years since1 a band of six    

mounted banditti remained there three   
days1 and plundered whomsoever          
approached from either quarter3 their   
horses1 saddled and bridled1 stood      
picqueted at the foot of the trees1 and 
two scouts1 one for each  eminence1     
continually sat in the topmost branches 
and gave notice of the  approach of     
travellers3 when at a proper distance   
the robbers below  sprang upon their    
horses1 and putting them to full gallop1
 made at their  prey1 shouting ,rendete1
 ,picaro6 ,rendete1 ,picaro6            
7,surrender1  scoundrel1 surrender67    
,we1 however1 passed unmolested1 and1   
about a  quarter of a mile before we    
reached ,pegoens1 overtook the family of
 the  ,fidalgo4    ,had they been       
conveying the wealth of ,ind through the
 deserts of ,arabia1  they could not    
have travelled with more precaution4    
,the nephew1 with  drawn sabre1 rode in 
front2 pistols at his holsters1 and the 
usual  ,spanish gun slung at his saddle4
  ,behind him tramped six men in a rank1

  with muskets shouldered1 and each of  
them wore at his girdle a hatchet1      
which was probably intended to cleave   
the thieves to the brisket should  they 
venture to come to close quarters4      
,there were six vehicles1 two of  them  
calashes1 in which latter rode the      
,fidalgo and his daughters2 the  others 
were covered carts1 and seemed to be    
filled with household  furniture2 each  
of these vehicles had an armed rustic on
 either side2 and  the son1 a lad about 
sixteen1 brought up the rear with a     
squad equal to  that of his cousin in   
the van4  ,the soldiers1 who by good    
fortune were  light horse1 and admirably
 mounted1 were galloping about in all   
directions1 for the purpose of driving  
the enemy from cover1 should they       
happen to be lurking in the             
neighbourhood4    ,i could not help     
thinking as ,i passed by1 that this     
martial array was  very injudicious1 for
 though it was calculated to awe        
plunderers1 it was  likewise calculated 

to allure them1 as it seemed to hint    
that immense  wealth was passing through
 their territories4  ,i do not know how 
the  soldiers and rustics would have    
behaved in case of an attack2 but am    
inclined to believe that if three such  
men as ,richard ,turpin had suddenly    
galloped forth from behind one of the   
bush-covered knolls1 neither the        
numbers nor resistance opposed to them  
would have prevented them from  bearing 
away the contents of the strong box     
jingling in their saddlebags4    ,from  
this moment nothing worthy of relating  
occurred till our arrival at  ,aldea    
,gallega1 where we passed the night1 and
 next morning at three  o'clock embarked
 in the passage-boat for ,lisbon1 where 
we arrived at  eight--and thus          
terminates my first wandering in the    
,alemtejo4          ,,chapter ,v        
,the ,college--,the                     
,rector--,shibboleth--,national         
,prejudices--,youthful  ,sports--,jews  
of ,lisbon--,bad ,faith--,crime and     

,superstition--,strange ,proposal4      
,one afternoon ,antonio said to me1 8,it
 has struck me1 ,senhor1 that your      
worship would like to see the college of
 the ,english ---40  8,by all  means10  
,i replied1 8pray conduct me thither40  
,so he led me through  various streets  
until we stopped before the gate of a   
large building in  one of the most      
elevated situations in ,lisbon2 upon our
 ringing1 a kind  of porter presently   
made his appearance1 and demanded our   
business4  ,antonio explained it to him4
  ,he hesitated for a moment2 but       
presently1  bidding us enter1 conducted 
us to a large gloomy-looking stone hall1
  where1 begging us to be seated1 he    
left us4  ,we were soon joined by a     
venerable personage1 seemingly about    
seventy1 in a kind of flowing robe  or  
surplice1 with a collegiate cap upon his
 head4  ,notwithstanding his  age there 
was a ruddy tinge upon his features1    
which were perfectly  ,english4  ,coming
 slowly up he addressed me in the       

,english tongue1  requesting to know how
 he could serve me4  ,i informed him    
that ,i was an  ,english traveller1 and 
should be happy to be permitted to      
inspect the  college1 provided it were  
customary to show it to strangers4  ,he 
informed  me that there could be no     
objection to accede to my request1 but  
that ,i  came at rather an unfortunate  
moment1 it being the hour of refection4 
,i  apologised1 and was preparing to    
retire1 but he begged me to remain1 as1 
in a few minutes1 the refection would be
 over1 when the principals of the       
college would do themselves the pleasure
 of waiting on me4    ,we sat down on   
the stone bench1 when he commenced      
surveying me  attentively for some time1
 and then cast his eyes on ,antonio4    
8,whom have  we here80 said he to the   
latter2 8surely your features are not   
unknown to  me40  8,probably not1 your  
reverence10 replied ,antonio1 getting up
 and  bowing most profoundly4  8,i lived
 in the family of the ,countess ---1 at 

,cintra1 when your venerability was her 
spiritual guide40  8,true1 true10  said 
the old gentleman1 sighing1 8,i remember
 you now4  ,ah1 ,antonio1  things are   
strangely changed since then4  ,a new   
government--a new system--a  new        
religion1 ,i may say40  ,then looking   
again at me1 he demanded whither  ,i was
 journeying8  8,i am going to ,spain10  
said ,i1 8and have stopped at  ,lisbon  
by the way40  8,spain1 ,spain60 said the
 old man2 8surely you have  chosen a    
strange time to visit ,spain2 there is  
much bloodshedding in  ,spain at        
present1 and violent wars and tumults40 
8,i consider the cause  of ,don ,carlos 
as already crushed10 ,i replied2 8he has
 lost the only  general capable of      
leading his armies to ,madrid4          
,zumalacarregui1 his  ,cid1 has fallen40
  8,do not flatter yourself2 ,i beg your
 pardon1 but do  not think1 young man1  
that the ,lord will permit the powers of
 darkness to  triumph so easily2 the    
cause of ,don ,carlos is not lost2 its  

success did  not depend on the life of a
 frail worm like him whom you have      
mentioned40  ,we continued in discourse 
some little time1 when he arose1 saying 
that by  this time he believed the      
refection was concluded4    ,he had     
scarcely left me five minutes when three
 individuals entered the  stone hall1   
and advanced slowly towards me2--the    
principals of the  college1 said ,i to  
myself6 and so indeed they were4  ,the  
first of these  gentlemen1 and to whom  
the other two appeared to pay           
considerable  deference1 was a thin     
spare person1 somewhat above the middle 
height2 his  complexion was very pale1  
his features emaciated but fine1 his    
eyes dark  and sparkling2 he might be   
about fifty--the other two were men in  
the  prime of life4  ,one was of rather 
low stature2 his features were dark1    
and wore that pinched and mortified     
expression so frequently to be  observed
 in the countenance of the ,english ---3
 the other was a bluff1  ruddy1 and     

rather good-looking young man2 all three
 were dressed alike in  the usual       
college cap and silk gown4  ,coming up1 
the eldest of the three  took me by the 
hand and thus addressed me in clear     
silvery tones3--    8,welcome1 ,sir1 to 
our poor house2 we are always happy to  
see in it a  countryman from our beloved
 native land2 it will afford us extreme 
satisfaction to show you over it2 it is 
true that satisfaction is  considerably 
diminished by the reflection that it    
possesses nothing  worthy of the        
attention of a traveller2 there is      
nothing curious  pertaining to it save  
perhaps its economy1 and that as we walk
 about we  will explain to you4  ,permit
 us1 first of all1 to introduce         
ourselves to  you2 ,i am rector of this 
poor ,english house of refuge2 this     
gentleman is  our professor of humanity1
 and this 7pointing to the ruddy        
personage7 is  our professor of polite  
learning1 ,hebrew1 and ,syriac40        
,myself4--,i humbly salute you all2     

excuse me if ,i inquire who was the     
venerable gentleman who put himself to  
the inconvenience of staying with  me   
whilst ,i was awaiting your leisure4    
,rector4--,o6 a most admirable          
personage1 our almoner1 our chaplain2 he
  came into this country before any of  
us were born1 and here he has  continued
 ever since4  ,now let us ascend that we
 may show you our poor  house3 but how  
is this1 my dear ,sir1 how is it that ,i
 see you standing  uncovered in our cold
 damp hall8    ,myself4--,i can easily  
explain that to you2 it is a custom     
which has  become quite natural to me4  
,i am just arrived from ,russia1 where  
,i have  spent some years4  ,a ,russian 
invariably takes off his hat whenever he
  enters beneath a roof1 whether it     
pertain to hut1 shop1 or palace4  ,to   
omit doing so would be considered as a  
mark of brutality and barbarism1  and   
for the following reason3 in every      
apartment of a ,russian house there  is 
a small picture of the ,virgin stuck up 

in a corner1 just below the             
ceiling--the hat is taken off out of    
respect to her4    ,quick glances of    
intelligence were exchanged by the three
 gentlemen4  ,i  had stumbled upon their
 shibboleth1 and proclaimed myself an   
,ephraimite1  and not of ,gilead4  ,i   
have no doubt that up to that moment    
they had  considered me as one of       
themselves--a member1 and perhaps a     
priest1 of  their own ancient1 grand1   
and imposing religion1 for such it is1  
,i must  confess--an error into which it
 was natural that they should fall4     
,what  motives could a ,protestant have 
for intruding upon their privacy8  ,what
  interest could he take in inspecting  
the economy of their establishment8  ,so
 far1 however1 from relaxing in their   
attention after this discovery1  their  
politeness visibly increased1 though1   
perhaps1 a scrutinizing  observer might 
have detected a shade of less cordiality
 in their manner4    ,rector4--,beneath 
the ceiling in every apartment8  ,i     

think ,i understood  you so4  ,how      
delightful--how truly interesting2 a    
picture of the ,blessed  ,virgin beneath
 the ceiling in every apartment of a    
,russian house6  ,truly1  this          
intelligence is as unexpected as it is  
delightful4  ,i shall from  this moment 
entertain a much higher opinion of the  
,russians than  hitherto--most truly an 
example worthy of imitation4  ,i wish   
sincerely  that it was our own practice 
to place an image of the ,blessed       
,virgin  beneath the ceiling in every   
corner of our houses4  ,what say you1   
our  professor of humanity8  ,what say  
you to the information so obligingly    
communicated to us by this excellent    
gentleman8    ,humanity ,professor4--,it
 is1 indeed1 most delightful1 most      
cheering1 ,i  may say2 but ,i confess   
that ,i was not altogether unprepared   
for it4  ,the  adoration of the ,blessed
 ,virgin is becoming every day more     
extended in  countries where it has     
hitherto been unknown or forgotten4     

,dr4 ,w---1  when he passed through     
,lisbon1 gave me some most interesting  
details with  respect to the labours of 
the propaganda in ,india4  ,even        
,england1 our own  beloved country4 4 4 
4                                    99 
99 99 99 99    ,my obliging friends     
showed me all over their 8poor house10  
it certainly  did not appear a very rich
 one2 it was spacious1 and rather       
dilapidated4  ,the library was small1   
and possessed nothing remarkable2 the   
view1  however1 from the roof1 over the 
greater part of ,lisbon and the ,tagus1 
was very grand and noble2 but ,i did not
 visit this place in the hope of  seeing
 busts1 or books1 or fine prospects1--,i
 visited this strange old  house to     
converse with its inmates1 for my       
favourite1 ,i might say1 my  only study1
 is man4  ,i found these gentlemen much 
what ,i had anticipated1  for this was  
not the first time that ,i had visited  
an ,english ---  establishment in a     
foreign land4  ,they were full of       

amiability and  courtesy to their       
heretic countryman1 and though the      
advancement of their  religion was with 
them an object of paramount importance1 
,i soon found  that1 with ludicrous     
inconsistency1 they cherished1 to a     
wonderful  degree1 national prejudices  
almost extinct in the mother land1 even 
to  the disparagement of those of their 
own darling faith4  ,i spoke of the     
,english ---1 of their high             
respectability1 and of the loyalty which
 they  had uniformly displayed to their 
sovereign1 though of a different        
religion1 and by whom they had been not 
unfrequently subjected to much          
oppression and injustice4               
,rector4--,my dear ,sir1 ,i am rejoiced 
to hear you2 ,i see that you are well   
acquainted with the great body of those 
of our faith in ,england4  ,they  are as
 you have well described them1 a most   
respectable and loyal body2  from       
loyalty1 indeed1 they never swerved1 and
 though they have been  accused of plots

 and conspiracies1 it is now well known 
that such had no  real existence1 but   
were merely calumnies invented by their 
religious  enemies4  ,during the civil  
wars the ,english --- cheerfully shed   
their  blood and squandered their       
fortunes in the cause of the unfortunate
  martyr1 notwithstanding that he never 
favoured them1 and invariably  looked   
upon them with suspicion4  ,at present  
the ,english --- are the most  devoted  
subjects to our gracious sovereign4  ,i 
should be happy if ,i could  say as much
 for our ,irish brethren2 but their     
conduct has been--oh6  detestable4  ,yet
 what can you expect8  ,the true--blush 
for them4  ,a  certain person is a      
disgrace to the church of which he      
pretends to be a  servant4  ,where does 
he find in our canons sanction for his  
proceedings1  his undutiful expressions 
towards one who is his sovereign by     
divine  right1 and who can do no wrong8 
,and above all1 where does he find      
authority for inflaming the passions of 

a vile mob against a nation  intended by
 nature and by position to command them8
    ,myself4--,i believe there is an    
,irish college in this city8            
,rector4--,i believe there is2 but it   
does not flourish1 there are few or  no 
pupils4  ,oh6    ,i looked through a    
window1 at a great height1 and saw about
 twenty or  thirty fine lads sporting in
 a court below4  8,this is as it should 
be10  said ,i2 8those boys will not make
 worse priests from a little early      
devotion to trap-ball and cudgel        
playing4  ,i dislike a staid1 serious1  
puritanic education1 as ,i firmly       
believe that it encourages vice and     
hypocrisy40    ,we then went into the   
,rector's room1 where1 above a crucifix1
 was hanging  a small portrait4         
,myself4--,that was a great and         
portentous man1 honest withal4  ,i      
believe  the body of which he was the   
founder1 and which has been so much     
decried1  has effected infinitely more  
good than it has caused harm4           

,rector4--,what do ,i hear8  ,you an    
,englishman1 and a ,protestant1 and yet 
an admirer of ,ignatius ,loyola8        
,myself4--,i will say nothing with      
respect to the doctrine of the ,jesuits1
  for1 as you have observed1 ,i am a    
,protestant3 but ,i am ready to assert  
that there are no people in the world   
better qualified1 upon the whole1  to be
 intrusted with the education of youth4 
,their moral system and  discipline are 
truly admirable4  ,their pupils1 in     
after life1 are seldom  vicious and     
licentious characters1 and are in       
general men of learning1  science1 and  
possessed of every elegant              
accomplishment4  ,i execrate the        
conduct of the liberals of ,madrid in   
murdering last year the helpless        
fathers1 by whose care and instruction  
two of the finest minds of ,spain  have 
been evolved--the two ornaments of the  
liberal cause and modern  literature of 
,spain1 for such are ,toreno and        
,martinez de la ,rosa4 4 4 4            

99 99 99 99 99    ,gathered in small    
clusters about the pillars at the lower 
extremities of  the gold and silver     
streets in ,lisbon1 may be observed1    
about noon in  every day1 certain       
strange looking men1 whose appearance is
 neither  ,portuguese nor ,european4    
,their dress generally consists of a red
 cap1  with a blue silken tassel at the 
top of it1 a blue tunic girded at the   
waist with a red sash1 and wide linen   
pantaloons or trousers4  ,he who  passes
 by these groups generally hears them   
conversing in broken ,spanish  or       
,portuguese1 and occasionally in a harsh
 guttural language1 which the  oriental 
traveller knows to be the ,arabic1 or a 
dialect thereof4  ,these  people are the
 ,jews of ,lisbon4  ,into the midst of  
one of these groups ,i  one day         
introduced myself1 and pronounced a     
beraka1 or blessing4  ,i have  lived in 
different parts of the world1 much      
amongst the ,hebrew race1 and  am well  
acquainted with their ways and          

phraseology4  ,i was rather anxious  to 
become acquainted with the state of the 
,portuguese ,jews1 and ,i had now  an   
opportunity4  8,the man is a powerful   
rabbi10 said a voice in ,arabic2  8it   
behoves us to treat him kindly40  ,they 
welcomed me4  ,i favoured their         
mistake1 and in a few days ,i knew all  
that related to them and their  traffic 
in ,lisbon4    ,i found them a vile1    
infamous rabble1 about two hundred in   
number4  ,with  a few exceptions1 they  
consist of escapados from the ,barbary  
shore1 from  ,tetuan1 from ,tangier1 but
 principally from ,mogadore2 fellows who
 have  fled to a foreign land from the  
punishment due to their misdeeds4       
,their  manner of life in ,lisbon is    
worthy of such a goodly assemblage of   
amis  reunis4  ,the generality of them  
pretend to work in gold and silver1 and 
keep small peddling shops2 they1        
however1 principally depend for their   
livelihood on an extensive traffic in   
stolen goods which they carry on4  ,it  

is said that there is honour amongst    
thieves1 but this is certainly  not the 
case with the ,jews of ,lisbon1 for they
 are so greedy and  avaricious1 that    
they are constantly quarrelling about   
their ill-gotten  gain1 the result being
 that they frequently ruin each other4  
,their  mutual jealousy is truly        
extraordinary4  ,if one1 by cheating and
 roguery1  gains a cruzado in the       
presence of another1 the latter         
instantly says ,i  cry halves1 and if   
the first refuse he is instantly        
threatened with an  information4  ,the  
manner in which they cheat each other   
has1 with all its  infamy1 occasionally 
something extremely droll and ludicrous4
  ,i was one  day in the shop of a      
,swiri1 or ,jew of ,mogadore1 when a    
,jew from ,gibraltar  entered1 with a   
,portuguese female1 who held in her hand
 a mantle1 richly  embroidered with     
gold4    ,gibraltar ,jew 7speaking in   
broken ,arabic74--,good-day1 ,o ,swiri2 
,god has  favoured me this day2 here is 

a bargain by which we shall both gain4  
,i  have bought this mantle of the woman
 almost for nothing1 for it is  stolen2 
but ,i am poor1 as you know1 ,i have not
 a cruzado2 pay her  therefore the      
price1 that we may then forthwith sell  
the mantle and  divide the gain4        
,swiri4--,willingly1 brother of         
,gibraltar2 ,i will pay the woman for   
the  mantle2 it does not appear a bad   
one4    ,thereupon he flung two cruzados
 to the woman1 who forthwith left the   
shop4    ,gibraltar ,jew4--,thanks1     
brother ,swirl1 this is very kind of    
you2 now let  us go and sell the mantle1
 the gold alone is well worth a moidore2
 but ,i  am poor and have nothing to    
eat1 give me1 therefore1 the half of    
that sum  and keep the mantle2 ,i shall 
be content4    ,swiri4--,may ,allah blot
 out your name1 you thief4  ,what mean  
you by  asking me for money8  ,i bought 
the mantle of the woman and paid for it4
  ,i know nothing of you4  ,go out of my
 doors1 dog of a ,nazarene1 if not ,i   

will pay you with a kick4    ,the       
dispute was referred to one of the      
sabios1 or priests2 but the sabio1  who 
was also from ,mogadore1 at once took   
the part of the ,swiri1 and  decided    
that the other should have nothing4     
,whereupon the ,gibraltar ,jew  cursed  
the sabio1 his father1 mother1 and all  
his family4  ,the sabio  replied1 8,i   
put you in ndui10 a kind of purgatory or
 hell4  8,i put you in  seven nduis10   
retorted the incensed ,jew1 over whom1  
however1  superstitious fear speedily   
prevailed2 he faltered1 became pale1 and
  dropping his voice1 retreated1        
trembling in every limb4    ,the ,jews  
have two synagogues in ,lisbon1 both are
 small2 one is1 however1  tolerably well
 furnished1 it has its reading desk1 and
 in the middle  there is a rather       
handsome chandelier2 the other is little
 better than a  sty1 filthy to a degree1
 without ornament of any kind4  ,the    
congregation  of this last are thieves  
to a man2 no ,jew of the slightest      

respectability  ever enters it4    ,how 
well do superstition and crime go hand  
in hand4  ,these wretched  beings break 
the eternal commandments of their ,maker
 without scruple2 but  they will not    
partake of the beast of the uncloven    
foot1 and the fish  which has no scales4
  ,they pay no regard to the            
denunciations of holy  prophets against 
the children of sin1 but they quake at  
the sound of a  dark cabalistic word1   
pronounced by one perhaps their equal1  
or superior1  in villainy1 as if ,god   
would delegate the exercise of his power
 to the  workers of iniquity4    ,i was 
one day sauntering on the ,caesodr1 when
 a ,jew1 with whom ,i had  previously   
exchanged a word or two1 came up and    
addressed me4    ,jew4--,the blessing of
 ,god upon you1 brother2 ,i know you to 
be a wise and  powerful man1 and ,i have
 conceived much regard for you2 it is on
 that  account that ,i wish to put you  
in the way of gaining much money4  ,come
  with me1 and ,i will conduct you to a 

place where there are forty chests  of  
tea4  ,it is a serka 7a robbery71 and   
the thieves are willing to  dispose of  
it for a trifle1 for there is search    
being made1 and they are  in much fear4 
,i can raise one half of what they      
demand1 do you supply  the other1 we    
will then divide it1 each shall go his  
own way and dispose  of his portion4    
,myself4--,wherefore1 ,o son of ,arbat1 
do you propose this to me1 who am a     
stranger8  ,surely you are mad4  ,have  
you not your own people about you  whom 
you know1 and in whom you can confide8  
,jew4--,it is because ,i know our people
 here that ,i do not confide in  them2  
we are in the galoot of sin4  ,were ,i  
to confide in my brethren  there would  
be a dispute1 and perhaps they would rob
 me1 and few of them  have any money4   
,were ,i to apply to the sabio he might 
consent1 but when  ,i ask for my portion
 he would put me in ndui6  ,you ,i do   
not fear2 you are  good and would do me 
no harm1 unless ,i attempted to deceive 

you1 and that  ,i dare not do1 for ,i   
know you are powerful4  ,come with me1  
master1 for ,i  wish to gain something1 
that ,i may return to ,arbat1 where ,i  
have children  4 4 4    ,such are ,jews 
in ,lisbon4          ,,chapter ,,vi     
,cold of ,portugal--,extortion          
prevented--,sensation of                
,loneliness--,the ,dog--,the            
,convent--,enchanting                   
,landscape--,moorish                    
,fortresses--,prayer for the ,sick4     
,about a fortnight after my return from 
,evora1 having made the necessary       
preparations1 ,i set out on my journey  
for ,badajoz1 from which town ,i        
intended to take the diligence to       
,madrid4  ,badajoz lies about a hundred 
miles distant from ,lisbon1 and is the  
principal frontier town of ,spain in    
the direction of the ,alemtejo4  ,to    
reach this place1 it was necessary to   
retravel the road as far as ,monte      
,moro1 which ,i had already passed in my
  excursion to ,evora2 ,i had therefore 

very little pleasure to anticipate  from
 novelty of scenery4  ,moreover1 in this
 journey ,i should be a  solitary       
traveller1 with no other companion than 
the muleteer1 as it was  my intention to
 take my servant no farther than ,aldea 
,gallega1 for which  place ,i started at
 four in the afternoon4  ,warned by     
former experience1 ,i  did not now      
embark in a small boat1 but in one of   
the regular passage  felouks1 in which  
we reached ,aldea ,gallega1 after a     
voyage of six hours2  for the boat was  
heavy1 there was no wind to propel it1  
and the crew were  obliged to ply their 
huge oars the whole way4  ,in a word1   
this passage  was the reverse of the    
first1--safe in every respect1--but so  
sluggish and  tiresome1 that ,i a       
hundred times wished myself again under 
the guidance  of the wild lad1 galloping
 before the hurricane over the foaming  
billows4  ,from eight till ten the cold 
was truly terrible1 and though ,i was   
closely  wrapped in an excellent fur    

8shoob10 with which ,i had braved the   
frosts  of ,russian winters1 ,i shivered
 in every limb1 and was far more        
rejoiced  when ,i again set my foot on  
the ,alemtejo1 than when ,i landed for  
the  first time1 after having escaped   
the horrors of the tempest4    ,i took  
up my quarters for the night at a house 
to which my friend who  feared the      
darkness had introduced me on my return 
from ,evora1 and where1  though ,i paid 
mercilessly dear for everything1 the    
accommodation was  superior to that of  
the common inn in the square4  ,my first
 care now was  to inquire for mules to  
convey myself and baggage to ,elvas1    
from whence  there are but three short  
leagues to the ,spanish town of         
,badajoz4  ,the  people of the house    
informed me that they had an excellent  
pair at my  disposal1 but when ,i       
inquired the price1 they were not       
ashamed to demand  four moidores4  ,i   
offered them three1 which was too much1 
but which1  however1 they did not       

accept1 for knowing me to be an         
,englishman1 they  thought they had an  
excellent opportunity to practise       
imposition1 not  imagining that a person
 so rich as an ,englishman must be1     
would go out  in a cold night for the   
sake of obtaining a reasonable bargain4 
,they  were1 however1 much mistaken1 as 
,i told them that rather than encourage 
them in their knavery1 ,i should be     
content to return to ,lisbon2 whereupon 
they dropped their demand to three and a
 half1 but ,i made them no answer1  and 
going out with ,antonio1 proceeded to   
the house of the old man who had        
accompanied us to ,evora4  ,we knocked a
 considerable time1 for he was in  bed2 
at length he arose and admitted us1 but 
on hearing our object1 he  said that his
 mules were again gone to ,evora1 under 
the charge of the  boy1 for the purpose 
of transporting some articles of        
merchandise4  ,he1  however1 recommended
 us to a person in the neighbourhood who
 kept mules  for hire1 and there        

,antonio engaged two fine beasts for two
 moidores and  a half4  ,i say he       
engaged them1 for ,i stood aloof and    
spoke not1 and the  proprietor1 who     
exhibited them1 and who stood           
half-dressed1 with a lamp  in his hand  
and shivering with cold1 was not aware  
that they were  intended for a foreigner
 till the agreement was made1 and he had
 received  a part of the sum in earnest4
  ,i returned to the inn well pleased1  
and  having taken some refreshment went 
to rest1 paying little attention to  the
 people1 who glanced daggers at me from 
their small ,jewish eyes4    ,at five   
the next morning the mules were at the  
door2 a lad of some  nineteen or twenty 
years of age attended them2 he was short
 but  exceedingly strong built1 and     
possessed the largest head which ,i ever
  beheld upon mortal shoulders2 neck he 
had none1 at least ,i could discern     
nothing which could be entitled to that 
name4  ,his features were  hideously    
ugly1 and upon addressing him ,i        

discovered that he was an  idiot4  ,such
 was my intended companion in a journey 
of nearly a hundred  miles1 which would 
occupy four days1 and which lay over the
 most savage  and ill noted track in the
 whole kingdom4  ,i took leave of my    
servant  almost with tears1 for he had  
always served me with the greatest      
fidelity1 and had exhibited an assiduity
 and a wish to please which  afforded me
 the utmost satisfaction4    ,we        
started1 my uncouth guide sitting       
tailor-fashion on the sumpter mule  upon
 the baggage4  ,the moon had just gone  
down1 and the morning was  pitchy dark1 
and1 as usual1 piercingly cold4  ,he    
soon entered the dismal  wood1 which ,i 
had already traversed1 and through which
 we wended our way  for some time1      
slowly and mournfully4  ,not a sound was
 to be heard save  the trampling of the 
animals1 not a breath of air moved the  
leafless  branches1 no animal stirred in
 the thickets1 no bird1 not even the    
owl1  flew over our heads1 all seemed   

desolate and dead1 and during my many   
and  far wanderings1 ,i never           
experienced a greater sensation of      
loneliness1  and a greater desire for   
conversation and an exchange of ideas   
than then4  ,to speak to the idiot was  
useless1 for though competent to show   
the road1  with which he was well       
acquainted1 he had no other answer than 
an uncouth  laugh to any question put to
 him4  ,thus situated1 like many other  
persons  when human comfort is not at   
hand1 ,i turned my heart to ,god1 and   
began to  commune with ,him1 the result 
of which was that my mind soon became   
quieted and comforted4    ,we passed on 
our way uninterrupted2 no thieves showed
 themselves1 nor  indeed did we see a   
single individual until we arrived at   
,pegoens1 and  from thence to ,vendas   
,novas our fortune was the same4  ,i was
 welcomed  with great kindness by the   
people of the hostelry of the latter    
place1  who were well acquainted with me
 on account of my having twice passed   

the  night under their roof4  ,the name 
of the keeper of this is1 or was1 ,joz  
,dias ,azido1 and unlike the generality 
of those of the same profession as      
himself in ,portugal1 he is an honest   
man1 and a stranger and foreigner  who  
takes up his quarters at his inn1 may   
rest assured that he will not  be most  
unmercifully pillaged and cheated when  
the hour of reckoning  shall arrive1 as 
he will not be charged a single r more  
than a native  ,portuguese on a similar 
occasion4  ,i paid at this place exactly
 one half  of the sum which was demanded
 from me at ,arroyolos1 where ,i passed 
the  ensuing night1 and where the       
accommodation was in every respect      
inferior4    ,at twelve next day we     
arrived at ,monte ,moro1 and1 as ,i was 
not pressed  for time1 ,i determined    
upon viewing the ruins which cover the  
top and  middle part of the stately hill
 which towers above the town4  ,having  
ordered some refreshment at the inn     
where we dismounted1 ,i ascended till   

,i arrived at a large wall or rampart1  
which1 at a certain altitude  embraces  
the whole hill4  ,i crossed a rude      
bridge of stones1 which  bestrides a    
small hollow or trench2 and passing by a
 large tower1 entered  through a portal 
into the enclosed part of the hill4  ,on
 the left hand  stood a church1 in good 
preservation1 and still devoted to the  
purposes  of religion1 but which ,i     
could not enter1 as the door was locked1
 and ,i  saw no one at hand to open it4 
,i soon found that my curiosity had led 
me to a most extraordinary place1  which
 quite beggars the scanty powers of     
description with which ,i am  gifted4   
,i stumbled on amongst ruined walls1 and
 at one time found ,i was  treading over
 vaults1 as ,i suddenly started back    
from a yawning orifice  into which my   
next step1 as ,i strolled musing along1 
would have  precipitated me4  ,i        
proceeded for a considerable way by the 
eastern wall1  till ,i heard a          
tremendous bark1 and presently an       

immense dog1 such as  those which guard 
the flocks in the neighbourhood against 
the wolves1  came bounding to attack me 
8with eyes that glowed and fangs that   
grinned40  ,had ,i retreated1 or had    
recourse to any other mode of defence   
than that which ,i invariably practise  
under such circumstances1 he would      
probably have worried me2 but ,i stooped
 till my chin nearly touched my  knee1  
and looked him full in the eyes1 and as 
,john ,leyden says1 in the  noblest     
ballad which the ,land of ,heather has  
produced3--        8,the hound he yowled
 and back he fled1      ,as struck with 
fairy charm40    ,it is a fact known to 
many people1 and ,i believe it has been 
frequently  stated1 that no large and   
fierce dog or animal of any kind1 with  
the  exception of the bull1 which shuts 
its eyes and rushes blindly forward1    
will venture to attack an individual who
 confronts it with a firm and           
motionless countenance4  ,i say large   
and fierce1 for it is much easier to    

repel a bloodhound or bear of ,finland  
in this manner than a dunghill cur  or a
 terrier1 against which a stick or a    
stone is a much more certain  defence4  
,this will astonish no one who considers
 that the calm reproving  glance of     
reason1 which allays the excesses of the
 mighty and courageous  in our own      
species1 has seldom any other effect    
than to add to the  insolence of the    
feeble and foolish1 who become placid as
 doves upon the  infliction of          
chastisements1 which if attempted to be 
applied to the  former would only serve 
to render them more terrible1 and like  
gunpowder  cast on a flame1 cause them  
in mad desperation to scatter           
destruction  around them4    ,the       
barking of the dog brought out from a   
kind of alley an elderly man1  whom ,i  
supposed to be his master1 and of whom  
,i made some inquiries  respecting the  
place4  ,the man was civil1 and informed
 me that he served  as a soldier in the 
,british army1 under the 8great lord10  

during the  ,peninsular war4  ,he said  
that there was a convent of nuns a      
little  farther on1 which he would show 
me1 and thereupon led the way to the    
south-east part of the wall1 where stood
 a large dilapidated edifice4    ,we    
entered a dark stone apartment1 at one  
corner of which was a kind of  window   
occupied by a turning table1 at which   
articles were received into  the convent
 or delivered out4  ,he rang the bell1  
and1 without saying a  word1 retired1   
leaving me rather perplexed2 but        
presently ,i heard1 though  the speaker 
was invisible1 a soft feminine voice    
demanding who ,i was1 and  what ,i      
wanted4  ,i replied that ,i was an      
,englishman travelling into ,spain1  and
 that passing through ,monte ,moro ,i   
had ascended the hill for the  purpose  
of seeing the ruins4  ,the voice then   
said1 8,i suppose you are a  military   
man going to fight against the king1    
like the rest of your  countrymen40     
8,no10 said ,i1 8,i am not a military   

man1 but a ,christian1  and ,i go not to
 shed blood but to endeavour to         
introduce the gospel of  ,christ into a 
country where it is not known20         
whereupon there was a  stifled titter4  
,i then inquired if there were any      
copies of the ,holy  ,scriptures in the 
convent1 but the friendly voice could   
give me no  information on that point1  
and ,i scarcely believe that its        
possessor  understood the purport of my 
question4  ,it informed me1 that the    
office  of lady abbess of the house was 
an annual one1 and that every year there
  was a fresh superior2 on my inquiring 
whether the nuns did not frequently     
find the time exceedingly heavy on their
 hands1 it stated that1 when they  had  
nothing better to do1 they employed     
themselves in making cheesecakes1  which
 were disposed of in the neighbourhood4 
,i thanked the voice for its            
communications1 and walked away4        
,whilst proceeding under the wall of the
  house towards the south-west1 ,i heard

 a fresh and louder tittering above  my 
head1 and looking up1 saw three or four 
windows crowded with dusky  faces1 and  
black waving hair2 these belonged to the
 nuns1 anxious to  obtain a view of the 
stranger4  ,after kissing my hand       
repeatedly1 ,i moved  on1 and soon      
arrived at the south-west end of this   
mountain of  curiosities4  ,there ,i    
found the remains of a large building1  
which seemed  to have been originally   
erected in the shape of a cross4  ,a    
tower at its  eastern entrance was still
 entire2 the western side was quite in  
ruins1  and stood on the verge of the   
hill overlooking the valley1 at the     
bottom  of which ran the stream ,i have 
spoken of on a former occasion4    ,the 
day was intensely hot1 notwithstanding  
the coldness of the preceding  nights2  
and the brilliant sun of ,portugal now  
illumined a landscape of  entrancing    
beauty4  ,groves of cork trees covered  
the farther side of the  valley and the 
distant acclivities1 exhibiting here and

 there charming  vistas1 where various  
flocks of cattle were feeding2 the soft 
murmur of  the stream1 which was at     
intervals chafed and broken by huge     
stones1  ascended to my ears and filled 
my mind with delicious feelings4  ,i sat
  down on the broken wall and remained  
gazing1 and listening1 and shedding     
tears of rapture2 for1 of all the       
pleasures which a bountiful ,god        
permitteth his children to enjoy1 none  
are so dear to some hearts as the  music
 of forests1 and streams1 and the view  
of the beauties of his  glorious        
creation4  ,an hour elapsed1 and ,i     
still maintained my seat on  the wall2  
the past scenes of my life flitting     
before my eyes in airy and  fantastic   
array1 through which every now and then 
peeped trees and hills  and other       
patches of the real landscape which ,i  
was confronting2 the sun  burnt my      
visage1 but ,i heeded it not2 and ,i    
believe that ,i should have  remained   
till night1 buried in these reveries1   

which1 ,i confess1 only  served to      
enervate the mind1 and steal many a     
minute which might be most  profitably  
employed1 had not the report of the gun 
of a fowler in the  valley1 which       
awakened the echoes of the woods1 hills1
 and ruins1 caused  me to start on my   
feet1 and remember that ,i had to       
proceed three leagues  before ,i could  
reach the hostelry where ,i intended to 
pass the night4    ,i bent my steps to  
the inn1 passing along a kind of        
rampart3 shortly  before ,i reached the 
portal1 which ,i have already mentioned1
 ,i observed a  kind of vault on my     
right hand1 scooped out of the side of  
the hill2 its  roof was supported by    
three pillars1 though part of it had    
given way  towards the farther end1 so  
that the light was admitted through a   
chasm  in the top4  ,it might have been 
intended for a chapel1 a dungeon1 or a  
cemetery1 but ,i should rather think for
 the latter2 one thing ,i am  certain   
of1 that it was not the work of ,moorish

 hands1 and indeed  throughout my       
wanderings in this place ,i saw nothing 
which reminded me of  that most singular
 people4  ,the hill on which the ruins  
stand was  doubtless originally a strong
 fortress of the ,moors1 who1 upon their
  first irruption into the peninsula1   
seized and fortified most of the  lofty 
and naturally strong positions1 but they
 had probably lost it at an  early      
period1 so that the broken walls and    
edifices1 which at present  cover the   
hill1 are probably remains of the       
labours of the ,christians  after the   
place had been rescued from the hands of
 the terrible enemies  of their faith4  
,monte ,moro will perhaps recall ,cintra
 to the mind of the  traveller1 as it   
exhibits a distant resemblance to that  
place2  nevertheless1 there is something
 in ,cintra wild and savage1 to which   
,monte ,moro has no pretension2 its     
scathed and gigantic crags are piled    
upon each other in a manner which seems 
to menace headlong destruction to       

whatever is in the neighbourhood2 and   
the ruins which still cling to  those   
crags seem more like eagles' nests than 
the remains of the  habitations even of 
,moors2 whereas those of ,monte ,moro   
stand  comparatively at their ease on   
the broad back of a hill1 which1 though 
stately and commanding1 has no crags nor
 precipices1 and which can be  ascended 
on every side without much difficulty3  
yet ,i was much gratified  by my visit1 
and ,i shall wander far indeed before ,i
 forget the voice in  the dilapidated   
convent1 the ruined walls amongst which 
,i strayed1 and  the rampart where1 sunk
 in dreamy rapture1 ,i sat during a     
bright sunny  hour at ,monte ,moro4     
,i returned to the inn1 where ,i        
refreshed myself with tea and very sweet
  and delicious cheesecakes1 the        
handiwork of the nuns in the convent    
above4  ,observing gloom and unhappiness
 on the countenances of the people  of  
the house1 ,i inquired the reason of the
 hostess1 who sat almost  motionless1 on

 the hearth by the fire2 whereupon she  
informed me that her  husband was deadly
 sick with a disorder which1 from her   
description1 ,i  supposed to be a       
species of cholera2 she added1 that the 
surgeon who  attended him entertained no
 hopes of his recovery4  ,i replied that
 it was  quite in the power of ,god to  
restore her husband in a few hours from 
the  verge of the grave to health and   
vigour1 and that it was her duty to pray
  to that ,omnipotent ,being with all   
fervency4  ,i added1 that if she did not
  know how to pray upon such an         
occasion1 ,i was ready to pray for her1 
provided she would join in the spirit of
 the supplication4  ,i then  offered up 
a short prayer in ,portuguese1 in which 
,i entreated the ,lord to  remove1 if he
 thought proper1 the burden of          
affliction under which the  family was  
labouring4    ,the woman listened       
attentively1 with her hands devoutly    
clasped1 until  the prayer was finished1
 and then gazed at me seemingly with    

astonishment1 but uttered no word by    
which ,i could gather that she was      
pleased or displeased with what ,i had  
said4  ,i now bade the family  farewell1
 and having mounted my mule1 set forward
 to ,arroyolos4          ,,chapter ,,vii
      ,the ,druids' ,stone--,the ,young 
,spaniard--,ruffianly ,soldiers--,evils 
of  ,war--,estremoz--,the               
,brawl--,ruined ,watch ,tower--,glimpse 
of ,spain--,old ,times and  ,new4       
,after proceeding about a league and a  
half1 a blast came booming from the     
north1 rolling before it immense clouds 
of dust2 happily it did not blow  in our
 faces1 or it would have been difficult 
to proceed1 so great was  its violence4 
,we had left the road in order to take  
advantage of one of  those short cuts1  
which1 though possible for a horse or a 
mule1 are far  too rough to permit any  
species of carriage to travel along     
them4  ,we  were in the midst of sands1 
brushwood1 and huge pieces of rock1     
which  thickly studded the ground4      

,these are the stones which form the    
sierras  of ,spain and ,portugal2 those 
singular mountains which rise in naked  
horridness1 like the ribs of some mighty
 carcass from which the flesh has  been 
torn4  ,many of these stones1 or rocks1 
grew out of the earth1 and  many lay on 
its surface unattached1 perhaps wrested 
from their bed by the  waters of the    
deluge4  ,whilst toiling along these    
wild wastes1 ,i  observed1 a little way 
to my left1 a pile of stones of rather a
 singular  appearance1 and rode up to   
it4  ,it was a druidical altar1 and the 
most  perfect and beautiful one of the  
kind which ,i had ever seen4  ,it was   
circular1 and consisted of stones       
immensely large and heavy at the        
bottom1 which towards the top became    
thinner and thinner1 having been        
fashioned by the hand of art to         
something of the shape of scollop       
shells4  ,these were surmounted by a    
very large flat stone1 which slanted    
down  towards the south1 where was a    

door4  ,three or four individuals might 
have taken shelter within the interior1 
in which was growing a small  thorn     
tree4    ,i gazed with reverence and awe
 upon the pile where the first colonies 
of  ,europe offered their worship to the
 unknown ,god4  ,the temples of the     
mighty and skilful ,roman1 comparatively
 of modern date1 have crumbled to  dust 
in its neighbourhood4  ,the churches of 
the ,arian ,goth1 his successor  in     
power1 have sunk beneath the earth1 and 
are not to be found2 and the  mosques of
 the ,moor1 the conqueror of the ,goth1 
where and what are they8  ,upon the     
rock1 masses of hoary and vanishing     
ruin4  ,not so the ,druids'  stone2     
there it stands on the hill of winds1 as
 strong and as freshly new  as the day1 
perhaps thirty centuries back1 when it  
was first raised1 by  means which are a 
mystery4  ,earthquakes have heaved it1  
but its copestone  has not fallen2 rain 
floods have deluged it1 but failed to   
sweep it from  its station2 the burning 

sun has flashed upon it1 but neither    
split nor  crumbled it2 and time1 stern 
old time1 has rubbed it with his iron   
tooth1  and with what effect let those  
who view it declare4  ,there it stands1 
and  he who wishes to study the         
literature1 the learning1 and the       
history of  the ancient ,celt and       
,cymbrian1 may gaze on its broad        
covering1 and glean  from that blank    
stone the whole known amount4  ,the     
,roman has left behind  him his         
deathless writings1 his history1 and his
 songs2 the ,goth his  liturgy1 his     
traditions1 and the germs of noble      
institutions2 the ,moor  his chivalry1  
his discoveries in medicine1 and the    
foundations of modern  commerce2 and    
where is the memorial of the ,druidic   
races8  ,yonder3 that  pile of eternal  
stone6    ,we arrived at ,arroyolos     
about seven at night4  ,i took          
possession of a  large two-bedded room1 
and1 as ,i was preparing to sit down to 
supper1 the  hostess came to inquire    

whether ,i had any objection to receive 
a young  ,spaniard for the night4  ,she 
said he had just arrived with a train of
  muleteers1 and that she had no other  
room in which she could lodge him4  ,i  
replied that ,i was willing1 and in     
about half an hour he made his          
appearance1 having first supped with his
 companions4  ,he was a very            
gentlemanly1 good-looking lad of        
seventeen4  ,he addressed me in his     
native language1 and1 finding that ,i   
understood him1 he commenced talking    
with astonishing volubility4  ,in the   
space of five minutes he informed me    
that1 having a desire to see the world1 
he had run away from his friends1  who  
were people of opulence at ,madrid1 and 
that he did not intend to  return until 
he had travelled through various        
countries4  ,i told him that  if what he
 said was true1 he had done a very      
wicked and foolish action2  wicked1     
because he must have overwhelmed those  
with grief whom he was  bound to honour 

and love1 and foolish1 inasmuch as he   
was going to expose  himself to         
inconceivable miseries and hardships1   
which would shortly  cause him to rue   
the step he had taken2 that he would be 
only welcome in  foreign countries so   
long as he had money to spend1 and when 
he had none1  he would be repulsed as a 
vagabond1 and would perhaps be allowed  
to  perish of hunger4  ,he replied that 
he had a considerable sum of money  with
 him1 no less than a hundred dollars1   
which would last him a long  time1 and  
that when it was spent he should perhaps
 be able to obtain  more4  8,your       
hundred dollars10 said ,i1 8will        
scarcely last you three  months in the  
country in which you are1 even if it be 
not stolen from  you2 and you may as    
well hope to gather money on the tops of
 the  mountains as expect to procure    
more by honourable means40  ,but he had 
not  yet sufficiently drank of the cup  
of experience to attend much to what ,i 
said1 and ,i soon after changed the     

subject4  ,about five next morning he   
came to my bedside to take leave1 as his
 muleteers were preparing to  depart4   
,i gave him the usual ,spanish          
valediction 7,vaya usted con  ,dios71   
and saw no more of him4    ,at nine1    
after having paid a most exorbitant sum 
for slight  accommodation1 ,i started   
from ,arroyolos1 which is a town or     
large village  situated on very elevated
 ground1 and discernible afar off4  ,it 
can boast  of the remains of a large    
ancient and seemingly ,moorish castle1  
which  stands on a hill on the left as  
you take the road to ,estremoz4         
,about a mile from ,arroyolos ,i        
overtook a train of carts escorted by a 
number of ,portuguese soldiers1         
conveying stores and ammunition into    
,spain4  ,six or seven of these soldiers
 marched a considerable way in  front2  
they were villainous looking ruffians   
upon whose livid and ghastly            
countenances were written murder1 and   
all the other crimes which the          

decalogue forbids4  ,as ,i passed by1   
one of them1 with a harsh1 croaking     
voice1 commenced cursing all foreigners4
  8,there10 said he1 8is this           
,frenchman riding on horseback0 7,i was 
on a mule71 8with a man0 7the  idiot7   
8to take care of him1 and all because he
 is rich2 whilst ,i1 who am  a poor     
soldier1 am obliged to tramp on foot4   
,i could find it in my heart  to shoot  
him dead1 for in what respect is he     
better than ,i8  ,but he is a           
foreigner1 and the devil helps          
foreigners and hates the ,portuguese40  
,he  continued shouting his remarks     
until ,i got about forty yards in       
advance1  when ,i commenced laughing2   
but it would have been more prudent in  
me to  have held my peace1 for the next 
moment1 with bang--bang1 two bullets1   
well aimed1 came whizzing past my ears4 
,a small river lay just before  me1     
though the bridge was a considerable way
 on my left4  ,i spurred my  animal     
through it1 closely followed by my      

terrified guide1 and commenced          
galloping along a sandy plain on the    
other side1 and so escaped with my      
life4    ,these fellows1 with the look  
of banditti1 were in no respect better2 
and  the traveller who should meet them 
in a solitary place would have little   
reason to bless his good fortune4  ,one 
of the carriers 7all of whom were       
,spaniards from the neighbourhood of    
,badajoz1 and had been despatched into  
,portugal for the purpose of conveying  
the stores71 whom ,i afterwards met  in 
the aforesaid town1 informed me that the
 whole party were equally bad1  and that
 he and his companions had been         
plundered by them of various  articles1 
and threatened with death if they       
attempted to complain4  ,how  frightful 
to figure to oneself an army of such    
beings in a foreign land1  sent thither 
either to invade or defend2 and yet     
,spain1 at the time ,i am  writing this1
 is looking forward to armed assistance 
from ,portugal4  ,may  the ,lord in his 

mercy grant that the soldiers who       
proceed to her  assistance may be of a  
different stamp3 and yet1 from the lax  
state of  discipline which exists in the
 ,portuguese army1 in comparison with   
that  of ,england and ,france1 ,i am    
afraid that the inoffensive population  
of the  disturbed provinces will say    
that wolves have been summoned to chase 
away  foxes from the sheepfold4  ,o6 may
 ,i live to see the day when soldiery   
will no longer be tolerated in any      
civilized1 or at least ,christian1      
country6    ,i pursued my route to      
,estremoz1 passing by ,monte ,moro      
,novo1 which is a  tall dusky hill1     
surmounted by an ancient edifice1       
probably ,moorish4  ,the  country was   
dreary and deserted1 but offering here  
and there a valley  studded with cork   
trees and azinheiras4  ,after midday the
 wind1 which  during the night and      
morning had much abated1 again blew with
 such  violence as nearly to deprive me 
of my senses1 though it was still in our

  rear4    ,i was heartily glad when1 on
 ascending a rising ground1 at about    
four  o'clock1 ,i saw ,estremoz on its  
hill at something less than a league's  
distance4  ,here the view became wildly 
interesting2 the sun was sinking  in the
 midst of red and stormy clouds1 and its
 rays were reflected on the  dun walls  
of the lofty town to which we were      
wending4  ,nor far distant to  the      
south-west rose ,serra ,dorso1 which ,i 
had seen from ,evora1 and which  is the 
most beautiful mountain in the          
,alemtejo4  ,my idiot guide turned  his 
uncouth visage towards it1 and becoming 
suddenly inspired1 opened his  mouth for
 the first time during the day1 ,i might
 almost say since we had  left ,aldea   
,gallega1 and began to tell me what rare
 hunting was to be  obtained in that    
mountain4  ,he likewise described with  
great minuteness a  wonderful dog1 which
 was kept in the neighbourhood for the  
purpose of  catching the wolves and wild
 boars1 and for which the proprietor had

  refused twenty moidores4    ,at length
 we reached ,estremoz1 and took up our  
quarters at the principal  inn1 which   
looks upon a large plain or market-place
 occupying the centre  of the town1 and 
which is so extensive that ,i should    
think ten thousand  soldiers at least   
might perform their evolutions there    
with ease4    ,the cold was far too     
terrible to permit me to remain in the  
chamber to  which ,i had been conducted2
 ,i therefore went down to a kind of    
kitchen on  one side of the arched      
passage1 which led under the house to   
the yard and  stables4  ,a tremendous   
withering blast poured through this     
passage1 like  the water through the    
flush of a mill4  ,a large cork tree was
 blazing in  the kitchen beneath a      
spacious chimney2 and around it were    
gathered a  noisy crew of peasants and  
farmers from the neighbourhood1 and     
three or  four ,spanish smugglers from  
the frontier4  ,i with difficulty       
obtained a  place amongst them1 as a    

,portuguese or a ,spaniard will seldom  
make way  for a stranger1 till called   
upon or pushed aside1 but prefers gazing
 upon  him with an expression which     
seems to say1 ,i know what you want1 but
 ,i  prefer remaining where ,i am4    ,i
 now first began to observe an          
alteration in the language spoken2 it   
had  become less sibilant1 and more     
guttural2 and1 when addressing each     
other1  the speakers used the ,spanish  
title of courtesy usted1 or your        
worthiness1 instead of the ,portuguese  
high flowing vossem se1 or your         
lordship4  ,this is the result of       
constant communication with the natives 
of ,spain1 who never condescend to speak
 ,portuguese1 even when in  ,portugal1  
but persist in the use of their own     
beautiful language1 which1  perhaps1 at 
some future period1 the ,portuguese will
 generally adopt4  ,this would greatly  
facilitate the union of the two         
countries1 hitherto  kept asunder by the
 natural waywardness of mankind4    ,i  

had not been seated long before the     
blazing pile1 when a fellow1  mounted on
 a fine spirited horse1 dashed from the 
stables through the  passage into the   
kitchen1 where he commenced displaying  
his horsemanship1  by causing the animal
 to wheel about with the velocity of a  
millstone1 to  the great danger of      
everybody in the apartment4  ,he then   
galloped out  upon the plain1 and after 
half an hour's absence returned1 and    
having  placed his horse once more in   
the stable1 came and seated himself next
 to  me1 to whom he commenced talking in
 a gibberish of which ,i understood     
very little1 but which he intended for  
,french4  ,he was half intoxicated1  and
 soon became three parts so1 by         
swallowing glass after glass of         
aguardiente4  ,finding that ,i made him 
no answer1 he directed his  discourse to
 one of the contrabandistas1 to whom he 
talked in bad  ,spanish4  ,the latter   
either did not or would not understand  
him2 but at  last1 losing patience1     

called him a drunkard1 and told him to  
hold his  tongue4  ,the fellow1 enraged 
at this contempt1 flung the glass out of
  which he was drinking at the          
,spaniard's head1 who sprang up like a  
tiger1  and unsheathing instantly a     
snick and snee knife1 made an upward cut
 at  the fellow's cheek1 and would have 
infallibly laid it open1 had ,i not     
pulled his arm down just in time to     
prevent worse effects than a scratch    
above the lower jawbone1 which1 however1
 drew blood4    ,the smuggler's         
companions interfered1 and with much    
difficulty led him  off to a small      
apartment in the rear of the house1     
where they slept1 and  kept the         
furniture of their mules4  ,the drunkard
 then commenced singing1  or rather     
yelling1 the ,marseillois hymn2 and     
after having annoyed every  one for     
nearly an hour1 was persuaded to mount  
his horse and depart1  accompanied by   
one of his neighbours4  ,he was a pig   
merchant of the  vicinity1 but had      

formerly been a trooper in the army of  
,napoleon1 where1  ,i suppose1 like the 
drunken coachman of ,evora1 he had      
picked up his  ,french and his habits of
 intoxication4    ,from ,estremoz to    
,elvas the distance is six leagues4  ,i 
started at nine  next morning2 the first
 part of the way lay through an enclosed
 country1  but we soon emerged upon wild
 bleak downs1 over which the wind1 which
  still pursued us1 howled most         
mournfully4  ,we met no one on the      
route2  and the scene was desolate in   
the extreme2 the heaven was of a dark   
grey1  through which no glimpse of the  
sun was to be perceived4  ,before us1 at
 a  great distance1 on an elevated      
ground1 rose a tower--the only object   
which  broke the monotony of the waste4 
,in about two hours from the time when  
we first discovered it1 we reached a    
fountain1 at the foot of the hill on    
which it stood2 the water1 which gushed 
into a long stone trough1 was           
beautifully clear and transparent1 and  

we stopped here to water the  animals4  
,having dismounted1 ,i left the guide1  
and proceeded to ascend the hill on     
which the tower stood4  ,though the     
ascent was very gentle ,i did not       
accomplish it without difficulty2 the   
ground was covered with sharp  stones1  
which1 in two or three instances1 cut   
through my boots and  wounded my feet2  
and the distance was much greater than  
,i had expected4  ,i at last arrived at 
the ruin1 for such it was4  ,i found it 
had been one  of those watch towers or  
small fortresses called in ,portuguese  
atalaias2 it was square1 and surrounded 
by a wall1 broken down in many  places4 
,the tower itself had no door1 the lower
 part being of solid  stone work2 but on
 one side were crevices at intervals    
between the  stones1 for the purpose of 
placing the feet1 and up this rude      
staircase ,i  climbed to a small        
apartment1 about five feet square1 from 
which the top  had fallen4  ,it         
commanded an extensive view from all    

sides1 and had  evidently been built for
 the accommodation of those whose       
business it was  to keep watch on the   
frontier1 and at the appearance of an   
enemy to alarm  the country by          
signals--probably by a fire4  ,resolute 
men might have  defended themselves in  
this little fastness against many       
assailants1 who  must have been         
completely exposed to their arrows or   
musketry in the  ascent4    ,being about
 to leave the place1 ,i heard a strange 
cry behind a part of  the wall which ,i 
had not visited1 and hastening thither1 
,i found a  miserable object in rags1   
seated upon a stone4  ,it was a         
maniac--a man  about thirty years of    
age1 and ,i believe deaf and dumb2 there
 he sat1  gibbering and mowing1 and     
distorting his wild features into       
various  dreadful appearances4  ,there  
wanted nothing but this object to render
 the  scene complete2 banditti amongst  
such melancholy desolation would have   
been by no means so much in keeping4    

,but the maniac1 on his stone1 in  the  
rear of the wind-beaten ruin1           
overlooking the blasted heath1 above    
which scowled the leaden heaven1        
presented such a picture of gloom and   
misery as ,i believe neither painter nor
 poet ever conceived in the  saddest of 
their musings4  ,this is not the first  
instance in which it has  been my lot to
 verify the wisdom of the saying1 that  
truth is sometimes  wilder than fiction4
    ,i remounted my mule1 and proceeded 
till1 on the top of another hill1 my    
guide suddenly exclaimed1 8there is     
,elvas40  ,i looked in the direction in 
which he pointed1 and beheld a town     
perched on the top of a lofty hill4  ,on
 the other side of a deep valley towards
 the left rose another hill1  much      
higher1 on the top of which is the      
celebrated fort of ,elvas1  believed to 
be the strongest place in ,portugal4    
,through the opening  between the fort  
and the town1 but in the background and 
far in ,spain1 ,i  discerned the misty  

sides and cloudy head of a stately      
mountain1 which ,i  afterwards learned  
was ,albuquerque1 one of the loftiest of
 ,estremadura4    ,we now got into a    
cultivated country1 and following the   
road1 which wound  amongst hedgerows1 we
 arrived at a place where the ground    
began gradually  to shelve down4  ,here1
 on the right1 was the commencement of  
an aqueduct  by means of which the town 
on the opposite hill was supplied2 it   
was at  this point scarcely two feet in 
altitude1 but1 as we descended1 it      
became  higher and higher1 and its      
proportions more colossal4  ,near the   
bottom of  the valley it took a turn to 
the left1 bestriding the road with one  
of  its arches4  ,i looked up1 after    
passing under it2 the water must have   
been flowing near a hundred feet above  
my head1 and ,i was filled with  wonder 
at the immensity of the structure which 
conveyed it4  ,there was1  however1 one 
feature which was no slight drawback to 
its pretensions to  grandeur and        

magnificence2 the water was supported   
not by gigantic single  arches1 like    
those of the aqueduct of ,lisbon1 which 
stalk over the valley  like legs of     
,titans1 but by three layers of arches1 
which1 like three  distinct aqueducts1  
rise above each other4  ,the expense and
 labour  necessary for the erection of  
such a structure must have been         
enormous2  and1 when we reflect with    
what comparative ease modern art would  
confer  the same advantage1 we cannot   
help congratulating ourselves that we   
live  in times when it is not necessary 
to exhaust the wealth of a province to  
supply a town on a hill with one of the 
first necessaries of existence4         
,,chapter ,,viii                        
,elvas--,extraordinary ,longevity--,the 
,english ,nation--,portuguese           
,ingratitude--,illiberality--,fortificat
ions--,spanish ,beggar--,badajoz--,the  
,custom  ,house4    ,arrived at the gate
 of ,elvas1 an officer came out of a    
kind of guard  house1 and1 having asked 

me some questions1 despatched a soldier 
with me  to the police office1 that my  
passport might be vised1 as upon the    
frontier they are much more particular  
with respect to passports than in  other
 parts4  ,this matter having been       
settled1 ,i entered an hostelry near    
the same gate1 which had been           
recommended to me by my host at ,vendas 
,novas1 and which was kept by a person  
of the name of ,joze ,rosado4  ,it was  
the best in the town1 though1 for       
convenience and accommodation1 inferior 
to a hedge alehouse in ,england4  ,the  
cold still pursued me1 and ,i was  glad 
to take refuge in an inner kitchen1     
which1 when the door was not  open1 was 
only lighted by a fire burning somewhat 
dimly on the hearth4  ,an elderly female
 sat beside it in her chair1 telling her
 beads3 there  was something singular   
and extraordinary in her look1 as well  
as ,i could  discern by the imperfect   
light of the apartment4  ,i put a few   
unimportant  questions to her1 to which 

she replied1 but seemed to be afflicted 
to a  slight degree with deafness4  ,her
 hair was becoming grey1 and ,i said    
that  ,i believed she was older than    
myself1 but that ,i was confident she   
had  less snow on her head4    8,how old
 may you be1 cavalier80 said she1 giving
 me that title which in  ,spain is      
generally used when an extraordinary    
degree of respect is wished  to be      
exhibited4  ,i answered that ,i was near
 thirty4  8,then10 said she1  8you were 
right in supposing that ,i am older than
 yourself2 ,i am older  than your       
mother1 or your mother's mother3 it is  
more than a hundred  years since ,i was 
a girl1 and sported with the daughters  
of the town on  the hillside40  8,in    
that case10 said ,i1 8you doubtless     
remember the  earthquake40  8,yes10 she 
replied1 8if there is any occurrence in 
my life  that ,i remember1 it is that3  
,i was in the church of ,elvas at the   
moment1  hearing the mass of the king1  
and the priest fell on the ground1 and  

let  fall the ,host from his hands4  ,i 
shall never forget how the earth shook2 
it made us all sick2 and the houses and 
walls reeled like drunkards4  ,since    
that happened ,i have seen fourscore    
years pass by me1 yet ,i was  older then
 than you are now40    ,i looked with   
wonder at this surprising female1 and   
could scarcely  believe her words4  ,i  
was1 however1 assured that she was in   
fact upwards  of a hundred and ten years
 of age1 and was considered the oldest  
person  in ,portugal4  ,she still       
retained the use of her faculties in as 
full a  degree as the generality of     
people who have scarcely attained the   
half of  her age4  ,she was related to  
the people of the house4    ,as the     
night advanced1 several persons entered 
for the purpose of  enjoying the comfort
 of the fire and for the sake of        
conversation1 for  the house was a kind 
of news room1 where the principal       
speaker was the  host1 a man of some    
shrewdness and experience1 who had      

served as a  soldier in the ,british    
army4  ,amongst others was the officer  
who  commanded at the gate4  ,after a   
few observations1 this gentleman1 who   
was  a good-looking young man of        
five-and-twenty1 began to burst forth in
  violent declamation against the       
,english nation and government1 who1 he 
said1 had at all times proved themselves
 selfish and deceitful1 but that  their 
present conduct in respect to ,spain was
 particularly infamous1 for  though it  
was in their power to put an end to the 
war at once1 by sending  a large army   
thither1 they preferred sending a       
handful of troops1 in  order that the   
war might be prolonged1 for no other    
reason than that it  was of advantage to
 them4  ,having paid him an ironical    
compliment for his  politeness and      
urbanity1 ,i asked whether he reckoned  
amongst the selfish  actions of the     
,english government and nation1 their   
having expended  hundreds of millions of
 pounds sterling1 and an ocean of       

precious blood1  in fighting the battles
 of ,spain and ,portugal against        
,napoleon4  8,surely10 said ,i1 8the    
fort of ,elvas above our heads1 and     
still more the  castle of ,badajoz over 
the water1 speak volumes respecting     
,english  selfishness1 and must1 every  
time you view them1 confirm you in the  
opinion which you have just expressed4  
,and then1 with respect to the  present 
combat in ,spain1 the gratitude which   
that country evinced to  ,england after 
the ,french1 by means of ,english       
armies1 had been  expelled1--gratitude  
evinced by discouraging the trade of    
,england on all  occasions1 and by      
offering up masses in thanksgiving when 
the ,english  heretics quitted the      
,spanish shores1--ought now to induce   
,england to  exhaust and ruin herself1  
for the sake of hunting ,don ,carlos out
 of his  mountains4  ,in deference to   
your superior judgment10 continued ,i to
 the  officer1 8,i will endeavour to    
believe that it would be for the        

advantage  of ,england were the war     
prolonged for an indefinite period2     
nevertheless1  you would do me a        
particular favour by explaining by what 
process in  chemistry blood shed in     
,spain will find its way into the       
,english treasury  in the shape of      
gold40    ,as he was not ready with his 
answer1 ,i took up a plate of fruit     
which  stood on the table beside me1 and
 said1 8,what do you call these fruits80
  8,pomegranates and bolotas10 he       
replied4  8,right10 said ,i1 8a         
home-bred  ,englishman could not have   
given me that answer2 yet he is as much 
acquainted with pomegranates and bolotas
 as your lordship is with the  line of  
conduct which it is incumbent upon      
,england to pursue in her  foreign and  
domestic policy40    ,this answer of    
mine1 ,i confess1 was not that of a     
,christian1 and proved  to me how much  
of the leaven of the ancient man still  
pervaded me2 yet ,i  must be permitted  
to add1 that ,i believe no other        

provocation would have  elicited from me
 a reply so full of angry feeling3 but  
,i could not  command myself when ,i    
heard my own glorious land traduced in  
this  unmerited manner4  ,by whom8  ,a  
,portuguese6  ,a native of a country    
which  has been twice liberated from    
horrid and detestable thraldom by the   
hands  of ,englishmen4  ,but for        
,wellington and his heroes1 ,portugal   
would have  been ,french at this day2   
but for ,napier and his mariners1       
,miguel would  now be lording it in     
,lisbon4  ,to return1 however1 to the   
officer2 every  one laughed at him1 and 
he presently went away4    ,the next day
 ,i became acquainted with a respectable
 tradesman of the name  of ,almeida1 a  
man of talent1 though rather rough in   
his manners4  ,he  expressed great      
abhorrence of the papal system1 which   
had so long spread  a darkness like that
 of death over his unfortunate country1 
and ,i had no  sooner informed him that 
,i had brought with me a certain        

quantity of  ,testaments1 which it was  
my intention to leave for sale at       
,elvas1 than he  expressed a great      
desire to undertake the charge1 and said
 that he would  do the utmost in his    
power to procure a sale for them amongst
 his  numerous customers4  ,upon showing
 him a copy1 ,i remarked1 your name is  
upon the title page2 the ,portuguese    
version of the ,holy ,scriptures1       
circulated by the ,bible ,society1      
having been executed by a ,protestant of
  the name of ,almeida1 and first       
published in the year #agab2 whereupon  
he  smiled1 and observed that he        
esteemed it an honour to be connected in
  name at least with such a man4  ,he   
scoffed at the idea of receiving any    
remuneration1 and assured me that the   
feeling of being permitted to           
co-operate in so holy and useful a cause
 as the circulation of the  ,scriptures 
was quite a sufficient reward4    ,after
 having accomplished this matter1 ,i    
proceeded to survey the environs  of the

 place1 and strolled up the hill to the 
fort on the north side of  the town4    
,the lower part of the hill is planted  
with azinheiras1 which  give it a       
picturesque appearance1 and at the      
bottom is a small brook1  which ,i      
crossed by means of stepping stones4    
,arrived at the gate of the  fort1 ,i   
was stopped by the sentry1 who1 however1
 civilly told me1 that if  ,i sent in my
 name to the commanding officer he would
 make no objection to  my visiting the  
interior4  ,i accordingly sent in my    
card by a soldier who  was lounging     
about1 and1 sitting down on a stone1    
waited his return4  ,he  presently      
appeared1 and inquired whether ,i was an
 ,englishman2 to which1  having replied 
in the affirmative1 he said1 8,in that  
case1 sir1 you  cannot enter2 indeed1 it
 is not the custom to permit any        
foreigners to  visit the fort40  ,i     
answered that it was perfectly          
indifferent to me  whether ,i visited it
 or not2 and1 having taken a survey of  

,badajoz from  the eastern side of the  
hill1 descended by the way ,i came4     
,this is one of the beneficial results  
of protecting a nation and  squandering 
blood and treasure in its defence4  ,the
 ,english1 who have  never been at war  
with ,portugal1 who have fought for its 
independence on  land and sea1 and      
always with success1 who have forced    
themselves by a  treaty of commerce to  
drink its coarse and filthy wines1 which
 no other  nation cares to taste1 are   
the most unpopular people who visit     
,portugal4  ,the ,french have ravaged   
the country with fire and sword1 and    
shed the  blood of its sons like water2 
the ,french buy not its fruits and      
loathe  its wines1 yet there is no bad  
spirit in ,portugal towards the ,french4
  ,the reason of this is no mystery2 it 
is the nature not of the ,portuguese    
only1 but of corrupt and unregenerate   
man1 to dislike his benefactors1  who1  
by conferring benefits upon him1 mortify
 in the most generous manner  his       

miserable vanity4    ,there is no       
country in which the ,english are so    
popular as in ,france2  but1 though the 
,french have been frequently roughly    
handled by the  ,english1 and have seen 
their capital occupied by an ,english   
army1 they  have never been subjected to
 the supposed ignominy of receiving     
assistance from them4    ,the           
fortifications of ,elvas are models of  
their kind1 and1 at the first  view1 it 
would seem that the town1 if well       
garrisoned1 might bid defiance  to any  
hostile power2 but it has its weak      
point3 the western side is  commanded by
 a hill1 at the distance of half a mile1
 from which an  experienced general     
would cannonade it1 and probably with   
success4  ,it is  the last town in this 
part of ,portugal1 the distance to the  
,spanish  frontier being barely two     
leagues4  ,it was evidently built as a  
rival to  ,badajoz1 upon which it looks 
down from its height across a sandy     
plain  and over the sullen waters of the

 ,guadiana2 but1 though a strong town1  
it  can scarcely be called a defence to 
the frontier1 which is open on all      
sides1 so that there would not be the   
slightest necessity for an invading     
army to approach within a dozen leagues 
of its walls1 should it be  disposed to 
avoid them4  ,its fortifications are so 
extensive that ten  thousand men at     
least would be required to man them1    
who1 in the event of  an invasion1 might
 be far better employed in meeting the  
enemy in the  open field4  ,the ,french1
 during their occupation of ,portugal1  
kept a  small force in this place1 who1 
at the approach of the ,british1        
retreated  to the fort1 where they      
shortly after capitulated4    ,having   
nothing farther to detain me at ,elvas1 
,i proceeded to cross the  frontier into
 ,spain4  ,my idiot guide was on his way
 back to ,aldea  ,gallega2 and1 on the  
fifth of ,january1 ,i mounted a sorry   
mule without  bridle or stirrups1 which 
,i guided by a species of halter1 and   

followed  by a lad who was to attend me 
on another1 ,i spurred down the hill of 
,elvas to the plain1 eager to arrive in 
old chivalrous romantic ,spain4  ,but ,i
 soon found that ,i had no need to      
quicken the beast which bore me1  for   
though covered with sores1 wall-eyed1   
and with a kind of halt in its  gait1 it
 cantered along like the wind4    ,in   
little more than half an hour we arrived
 at a brook1 whose waters ran           
vigorously between steep banks4  ,a man 
who was standing on the side  directed  
me to the ford in the squeaking dialect 
of ,portugal2 but whilst  ,i was yet    
splashing through the water1 a voice    
from the other bank hailed  me1 in the  
magnificent language of ,spain1 in this 
guise3 8,o ,senor  ,caballero1 que me de
 usted una limosna por amor de ,dios1   
una  limosnita para que io me compre un 
traguillo de vino tinto0 7,charity1     
,sir ,cavalier1 for the love of ,god1   
bestow an alms upon me1 that ,i may     
purchase a mouthful of red wine74  ,in a

 moment ,i was on ,spanish ground1  as  
the brook1 which is called ,acaia1 is   
the boundary here of the two  kingdoms1 
and having flung the beggar a small     
piece of silver1 ,i cried in  ecstasy   
8,santiago y cierra ,espana60 and       
scoured on my way with more  speed than 
before1 paying1 as ,gil ,blas says1     
little heed to the torrent  of blessings
 which the mendicant poured forth in my 
rear3 yet never was  charity more       
unwisely bestowed1 for ,i was           
subsequently informed that the  fellow  
was a confirmed drunkard1 who took his  
station every morning at  the ford1     
where he remained the whole day for the 
purpose of extorting  money from the    
passengers1 which he regularly spent    
every night in the  wine-shops of       
,badajoz4  ,to those who gave him money 
he returned  blessings1 and to those who
 refused1 curses2 being equally skilled 
and  fluent in the use of either4       
,badajoz was now in view1 at the        
distance of little more than half a     

league4  ,we soon took a turn to the    
left1 towards a bridge of many arches   
across the ,guadiana1 which1 though so  
famed in song and ballad1 is a very     
unpicturesque stream1 shallow and       
sluggish1 though tolerably wide2 its    
banks were white with linen which the   
washer-women had spread out to dry  in  
the sun1 which was shining brightly2 ,i 
heard their singing at a great          
distance1 and the theme seemed to be the
 praises of the river where they  were  
toiling1 for as ,i approached1 ,i could 
distinguish ,guadiana1  ,guadiana1 which
 reverberated far and wide1 pronounced  
by the clear and  strong voices of many 
a dark-cheeked maid and matron4  ,i     
thought there  was some analogy between 
their employment and my own3 ,i was     
about to tan  my northern complexion by 
exposing myself to the hot sun of       
,spain1 in the  humble hope of being    
able to cleanse some of the foul stains 
of ,popery  from the minds of its       
children1 with whom ,i had little       

acquaintance1  whilst they were bronzing
 themselves on the banks of the river in
 order  to make white the garments of   
strangers3 the words of an eastern poet 
returned forcibly to my mind4           
8,i'll weary myself each night and each 
day1         ,to aid my unfortunate     
brothers2      ,as the laundress tans   
her own face in the ray1         ,to    
cleanse the garments of others40        
,having crossed the bridge1 we arrived  
at the northern gate1 when out  rushed  
from a species of sentry box a fellow   
wearing on his head a  high-peaked      
,andalusian hat1 with his figure wrapped
 up in one of those  immense cloaks so  
well known to those who have travelled  
in ,spain1 and  which none but a        
,spaniard can wear in a becoming manner3
 without saying a  word1 he laid hold of
 the halter of the mule1 and began to   
lead it  through the gate up a dirty    
street1 crowded with long-cloaked people
 like  himself4  ,i asked him what he   
meant1 but he deigned not to return an  

answer1 the boy1 however1 who waited    
upon me said that it was one of the     
gate-keepers1 and that he was conducting
 us to the ,custom ,house or            
,alfandega1 where the baggage would be  
examined4  ,having arrived there1  the  
fellow1 who still maintained a dogged   
silence1 began to pull the  trunks off  
the sumpter mule1 and commenced         
uncording them4  ,i was about  to give  
him a severe reproof for his brutality1 
but before ,i could open  my mouth a    
stout elderly personage appeared at the 
door1 who ,i soon found  was the        
principal officer4  ,he looked at me for
 a moment and then asked  me1 in the    
,english language1 if ,i was an         
,englishman4  ,on my replying in  the   
affirmative1 he demanded of the fellow  
how he dared to have the  insolence to  
touch the baggage1 without orders1 and  
sternly bade him cord  up the trunks    
again and place them on the mule1 which 
he performed  without uttering a word4  
,the gentleman then asked what the      

trunks  contained3 ,i answered clothes  
and linen2 when he begged pardon for the
  insolence of the subordinate1 and     
informed him that ,i was at liberty to  
proceed where ,i thought proper4  ,i    
thanked him for his exceeding           
politeness1 and1 under guidance of the  
boy1 made the best of my way to  the    
,inn of the ,three ,nations1 to which ,i
 had been recommended at ,elvas4        
,,chapter ,,ix      ,badajoz--,antonio  
the ,gypsy--,antonio's ,proposal--,the  
,proposal ,accepted--,gypsy             
,breakfast--,departure from             
,badajoz--,the ,gypsy                   
,donkey--,merida--,the ,ruined          
,wall--,the ,crone--,the ,land of the   
,moor--,the ,black ,men--,life in the   
,desert--,the  ,supper4    ,i was now at
 ,badajoz in ,spain1 a country which for
 the next four years  was destined to be
 the scene of my labour3 but ,i will not
 anticipate4  ,the neighbourhood of     
,badajoz did not prepossess me much in  
favour of the  country which ,i had just

 entered2 it consists chiefly of brown  
moors1  which bear little but a species 
of brushwood1 called in ,spanish        
carrasco2 blue mountains are however    
seen towering up in the far  distance1  
which relieve the scene from the        
monotony which would otherwise  pervade 
it4    ,it was at this town of ,badajoz1
 the capital of ,estremadura1 that ,i   
first  fell in with those singular      
people1 the ,zincali1 ,gitanos1 or      
,spanish  gypsies4  ,it was here ,i met 
with the wild ,paco1 the man with the   
withered  arm1 who wielded the cachas   
7shears7 with his left hand2 his shrewd 
wife1 ,antonia1 skilled in hokkano baro1
 or the great trick2 the fierce  gypsy1 
,antonio ,lopez1 their father-in-law2   
and many other almost equally  singular 
individuals of the ,errate1 or gypsy    
blood4  ,it was here that ,i  first     
preached the gospel to the gypsy people1
 and commenced that  translation of the 
,new ,testament in the ,spanish gypsy   
tongue1 a portion  of which ,i          

subsequently printed at ,madrid4        
,after a stay of three weeks at         
,badajoz1 ,i prepared to depart for     
,madrid3  late one afternoon1 as ,i was 
arranging my scanty baggage1 the gypsy  
,antonio entered my apartment1 dressed  
in his zamarra and high-peaked          
,andalusian hat4    ,antonio4--,good    
evening1 brother2 they tell me that on  
the callicaste  7day after to-morrow7   
you intend to set out for ,madrilati4   
,myself4--,such is my intention2 ,i can 
stay here no longer4    ,antonio4--,the 
way is far to ,madrilati3 there are1    
moreover1 wars in the  land and many    
chories 7thieves7 walk about2 are you   
not afraid to  journey8    ,myself4--,i 
have no fears2 every man must accomplish
 his destiny3 what  befalls my body or  
soul was written in a gabicote 7book7 a 
thousand  years before the foundation of
 the world4    ,antonio4--,i have no    
fears myself1 brother2 the dark night is
 the same to  me as the fair day1 and   
the wild carrascal as the market-place  

or the  chardy 7fair72 ,i have got the  
bar lachi in my bosom1 the precious     
stone  to which sticks the needle4      
,myself4--,you mean the loadstone1 ,i   
suppose4  ,do you believe that a        
lifeless stone can preserve you from the
 dangers which occasionally  threaten   
your life8    ,antonio4--,brother1 ,i am
 fifty years old1 and you see me        
standing before  you in life and        
strength2 how could that be unless the  
bar lachi had  power8  ,i have been     
soldier and contrabandista1 and ,i have 
likewise slain  and robbed the ,busn4   
,the bullets of the ,gabin 7,french7 and
 of the  jara canallis 7revenue         
officers7 have hissed about my ears     
without  injuring me1 for ,i carried the
 bar lachi4  ,i have twenty times done  
that  which by ,busne law should have   
brought me to the filimicha 7gallows71  
yet my neck has never yet been squeezed 
by the cold garrote4  ,brother1 ,i      
trust in the bar lachi1 like the ,calor 
of old3 were ,i in the midst of  the    

gulph of ,bombardo 7,lyons71 without a  
plank to float upon1 ,i should  feel no 
fear2 for if ,i carried the precious    
stone1 it would bring me safe  to shore3
 the bar lachi has power1 brother4      
,myself4--,i shall not dispute the      
matter with you1 more especially as ,i  
am about to depart from ,badajoz3 ,i    
must speedily bid you farewell1 and we  
shall see each other no more4           
,antonio4--,brother1 do you know what   
brings me hither8    ,myself4--,i cannot
 tell1 unless it be to wish me a happy  
journey3 ,i am  not gypsy enough to     
interpret the thoughts of other people4 
,antonio4--,all last night ,i lay awake1
 thinking of the affairs of ,egypt2  and
 when ,i arose in the morning ,i took   
the bar lachi from my bosom1 and        
scraping it with a knife1 swallowed some
 of the dust in aguardiente1 as ,i  am  
in the habit of doing when ,i have made 
up my mind2 and ,i said to  myself1 ,i  
am wanted on the frontiers of ,castumba 
7,castile7 on a certain  matter4  ,the  

strange ,caloro is about to proceed to  
,madrilati2 the journey  is long1 and he
 may fall into evil hands1 peradventure 
into those of his  own blood2 for let me
 tell you1 brother1 the ,cals are       
leaving their  towns and villages1 and  
forming themselves into troops to       
plunder the  ,busn1 for there is now but
 little law in the land1 and now or     
never is  the time for the ,calor to    
become once more what they were in      
former  times2 so ,i said1 the strange  
,caloro may fall into the hands of his  
own  blood and be ill-treated by them1  
which were shame3 ,i will therefore go  
with him through the ,chim del ,manro   
7,estremadura7 as far as the  frontiers 
of ,castumba1 and upon the frontiers of 
,castumba ,i will leave  the ,london    
,caloro to find his own way to          
,madrilati1 for there is less  danger in
 ,castumba than in the ,chim del ,manro1
 and ,i will then betake me  to the     
affairs of ,egypt which call me from    
hence4    ,myself4--,this is a very     

hopeful plan of yours1 my friend2 and in
 what  manner do you propose that we    
shall travel8    ,antonio4--,i will tell
 you1 brother2 ,i have a gras in the    
stall1 even the  one which ,i purchased 
at ,olivenas1 as ,i told you on a former
 occasion2  it is good and fleet1 and   
cost me1 who am a gypsy1 fifty chul     
7dollars72 upon that gras you shall     
ride4  ,as for myself1 ,i will  journey 
upon the macho4    ,myself4--,before ,i 
answer you1 ,i shall wish you to inform 
me what  business it is which renders   
your presence necessary in ,castumba2   
your  son-in-law1 ,paco1 told me that it
 was no longer the custom of the gypsies
  to wander4    ,antonio4--,it is an    
affair of ,egypt1 brother1 and ,i shall 
not acquaint  you with it2 peradventure 
it relates to a horse or an ass1 or     
peradventure it relates to a mule or a  
macho2 it does not relate to  yourself1 
therefore ,i advise you not to inquire  
about it--,dosta  7enough74  ,with      
respect to my offer1 you are free to    

decline it2 there  is a drungruje 7royal
 road7 between here and ,madrilati1 and 
you can  travel it in the birdoche      
7stage-coach7 or with the dromale       
7muleteers72 but ,i tell you1 as a      
brother1 that there are chories upon    
the drun1 and some of them are of the   
,errate4    ,certainly few people in my 
situation would have accepted the offer 
of  this singular gypsy4  ,it was not1  
however1 without its allurements for    
me2 ,i was fond of adventure1 and what  
more ready means of gratifying my  love 
of it than by putting myself under the  
hands of such a guide4  ,there  are many
 who would have been afraid of          
treachery1 but ,i had no fears on  this 
point1 as ,i did not believe that the   
fellow harboured the slightest  ill     
intention towards me2 ,i saw that he was
 fully convinced that ,i was  one of the
 ,errate1 and his affection for his own 
race1 and his hatred for  the ,busn1    
were his strongest characteristics4  ,i 
wished1 moreover1 to  lay hold of every 

opportunity of making myself acquainted 
with the ways  of the ,spanish gypsies1 
and an excellent one here presented     
itself on my  first entrance into       
,spain4  ,in a word1 ,i determined to   
accompany the  gypsy4  8,i will go with 
you10 ,i exclaimed2 8as for my baggage1 
,i will  despatch it to ,madrid by the  
birdoche40  8,do so1 brother10 he       
replied1  8and the gras will go lighter4
  ,baggage1 indeed6--what need of       
baggage  have you8  ,how the ,busn on   
the road would laugh if they saw two    
,cals  with baggage behind them40       
,during my stay at ,badajoz1 ,i had but 
little intercourse with the  ,spaniards1
 my time being chiefly devoted to the   
gypsies1 with whom1 from  long          
intercourse with various sections of    
their race in different parts  of the   
world1 ,i felt myself much more at home 
than with the silent1  reserved men of  
,spain1 with whom a foreigner might     
mingle for half a  century without      
having half a dozen words addressed to  

him1 unless he  himself made the first  
advances to intimacy1 which1 after all1 
might be  rejected with a shrug and a no
 intendo2 for1 among the many deeply    
rooted prejudices of these people1 is   
the strange idea that no foreigner  can 
speak their language2 an idea to which  
they will still cling though  they hear 
him conversing with perfect ease2 for in
 that case the utmost  that they will   
concede to his attainments is1 ,habla   
quatro palabras y  nada mas 7he can     
speak four words1 and no more74         
,early one morning1 before sunrise1 ,i  
found myself at the house of  ,antonio2 
it was a small mean building1 situated  
in a dirty street4  ,the  morning was   
quite dark2 the street1 however1 was    
partially illumined by a  heap of       
lighted straw1 round which two or three 
men were busily engaged1  apparently    
holding an object over the flames4      
,presently the gypsy's door  opened1 and
 ,antonio made his appearance2 and1     
casting his eye in the  direction of the

 light1 exclaimed1 8,the swine have     
killed their brother2  would that every 
,busno was served as yonder hog is4     
,come in1 brother1  and we will eat the 
heart of that hog40  ,i scarcely        
understood his words1  but1 following   
him1 he led me into a low room in which 
was a brasero1 or  small pan full of    
lighted charcoal2 beside it was a rude  
table1 spread  with a coarse linen      
cloth1 upon which was bread and a large 
pipkin full  of a mess which emitted no 
disagreeable savour4  8,the heart of the
  balichow is in that puchera10 said    
,antonio2 8eat1 brother40  ,we both sat 
down and ate1 ,antonio voraciously4     
,when we had concluded he arose3--8,have
  you got your li80 he demanded4  8,here
 it is10 said ,i1 showing him my        
passport4  8,good10 said he1 8you may   
want it2 ,i want none1 my passport is   
the bar lachi4  ,now for a glass of     
repani1 and then for the road40    ,we  
left the room1 the door of which he     
locked1 hiding the key beneath a  loose 

brick in a corner of the passage4  8,go 
into the street1 brother1  whilst ,i    
fetch the caballerias from the stable40 
,i obeyed him4  ,the sun  had not yet   
risen1 and the air was piercingly cold2 
the grey light1  however1 of dawn       
enabled me to distinguish objects with  
tolerable  accuracy2 ,i soon heard the  
clattering of the animals' feet1 and    
,antonio  presently stepped forth       
leading the horse by the bridle2 the    
macho  followed behind4  ,i looked at   
the horse and shrugged my shoulders3 as 
far  as ,i could scan it1 it appeared   
the most uncouth animal ,i had ever     
beheld4  ,it was of a spectral white1   
short in the body1 but with  remarkably 
long legs4  ,i observed that it was     
particularly high in the  cruz or       
withers4  8,you are looking at the      
grasti10 said ,antonio2 8it is  eighteen
 years old1 but it is the very best in  
the ,chim del ,manro2 ,i have  long had 
my eye upon it2 ,i bought it for my own 
use for the affairs of  ,egypt4  ,mount1

 brother1 mount and let us leave the    
foros--the gate is  about being opened40
    ,he locked the door1 and deposited  
the key in his faja4  ,in less than a   
quarter of an hour we had left the town 
behind us4  8,this does not appear  to  
be a very good horse10 said ,i to       
,antonio1 as we proceeded over the      
plain4  8,it is with difficulty that ,i 
can make him move40    8,he is the      
swiftest horse in the ,chim del ,manro1 
brother10 said ,antonio2  8at the gallop
 and at the speedy trot there is no one 
to match him2 but  he is eighteen years 
old1 and his joints are stiff1          
especially of a  morning2 but let him   
once become heated and the genio del    
viejo 7spirit  of the old man7 comes    
upon him and there is no holding him in 
with bit  or bridle4  ,i bought that    
horse for the affairs of ,egypt1        
brother40    ,about noon we arrived at a
 small village in the neighbourhood of a
 high  lumpy hill4  8,there is no ,calo 
house in this place10 said ,antonio2 8we

  will therefore go to the posada of the
 ,busn1 and refresh ourselves1 man  and 
beast40  ,we entered the kitchen and sat
 down at the boards1 calling  for wine  
and bread4  ,there were two ill-looking 
fellows in the kitchen1  smoking cigars2
 ,i said something to ,antonio in the   
,calo language4    8,what is that ,i    
hear80 said one of the fellows1 who was 
distinguished by  an immense pair of    
moustaches4  8,what is that ,i hear8 is 
it in ,calo that  you are speaking      
before me1 and ,i a ,chalan and         
national8  ,accursed gypsy1  how dare   
you enter this posada and speak before  
me in that speech8  ,is it  not         
forbidden by the law of the land in     
which we are1 even as it is  forbidden  
for a gypsy to enter the mercado8  ,i   
tell you what1 friend1 if  ,i hear      
another word of ,calo come from your    
mouth1 ,i will cudgel your  bones and   
send you flying over the house-tops with
 a kick of my foot40    8,you would do  
right10 said his companion2 8the        

insolence of these gypsies  is no longer
 to be borne4  ,when ,i am at ,merida or
 ,badajoz ,i go to the  mercado1 and    
there in a corner stand the accursed    
gypsies jabbering to  each other in a   
speech which ,i understand not4         
#8,gypsy gentleman1' say ,i  to one of  
them1 #8what will you have for that     
donkey8'  #8,i will have ten  dollars   
for it1 ,caballero nacional1' says the  
gypsy2 #8it is the best  donkey in all  
,spain4'  #8,i should like to see its   
paces1' say ,i4  #8,that  you shall1    
most valorous6' says the gypsy1 and     
jumping upon its back1 he  puts it to   
its paces1 first of all whispering      
something into its ears in  ,calo1 and  
truly the paces of the donkey are most  
wonderful1 such as ,i  have never seen  
before4  #8,i think it will just suit   
me1' and after  looking at it awhile1 ,i
 take out the money and pay for it4     
#8,i shall go  to my house1' says the   
gypsy2 and off he runs4  #8,i shall go  
to my  village1' say ,i1 and ,i mount   

the donkey4  #8,vamonos1' say ,i1 but   
the  donkey won't move4  ,i give him a  
switch1 but ,i don't get on the better  
for that4  #8,how is this8' say ,i1 and 
,i fall to spurring him4  ,what  happens
 then1 brother8  ,the wizard no sooner  
feels the prick than he  bucks down1 and
 flings me over his head into the mire4 
,i get up and look  about me2 there     
stands the donkey staring at me1 and    
there stand the  whole gypsy canaille   
squinting at me with their filmy eyes4  
#8,where is  the scamp who has sold me  
this piece of furniture8' ,i shout4     
#8,he is gone  to ,granada1 ,valorous1' 
says one4  #8,he is gone to see his     
kindred among  the ,moors1' says        
another4  #8,i just saw him running over
 the field1 in the  direction of ---1   
with the devil close behind him1' says a
 third4  ,in a  word1 ,i am tricked4  ,i
 wish to dispose of the donkey2 no one1 
however1  will buy him2 he is a ,calo   
donkey1 and every person avoids him4    
,at last  the gypsies offer thirty rials

 for him2 and after much chaffering ,i  
am  glad to get rid of him at two       
dollars4  ,it is all a trick1 however2  
he  returns to his master1 and the      
brotherhood share the spoil amongst     
them4  ,all which villainy would be     
prevented1 in my opinion1 were the ,calo
  language not spoken2 for what but the 
word of ,calo could have induced the    
donkey to behave in such an             
unaccountable manner80    ,both seemed  
perfectly satisfied with the justness of
 this conclusion1 and  continued smoking
 till their cigars were burnt to stumps1
 when they  arose1 twitched their       
whiskers1 looked at us with fierce      
disdain1 and  dashing the tobacco-ends  
to the ground1 strode out of the        
apartment4    8,those people seem no    
friends to the gypsies10 said ,i to     
,antonio1 when  the two bullies had     
departed1 8nor to the ,calo language    
either40    8,may evil glanders seize   
their nostrils10 said ,antonio2 8they   
have been  jonjabadoed by our people4   

,however1 brother1 you did wrong to     
speak to  me in ,calo1 in a posada like 
this2 it is a forbidden language2 for1  
as ,i  have often told you1 the king has
 destroyed the law of the ,cals4  ,let  
us  away1 brother1 or those juntunes    
7sneaking scoundrels7 may set the       
justicia upon us40    ,towards evening  
we drew near to a large town or village4
  8,that is  ,merida10 said ,antonio1   
8formerly1 as the ,busn say1 a mighty   
city of the  ,corahai4  ,we shall stay  
here to-night1 and perhaps for a day or 
two1 for  ,i have some business of      
,egypt to transact in this place4  ,now1
 brother1  step aside with the horse1   
and wait for me beneath yonder wall4  ,i
 must  go before and see in what        
condition matters stand40    ,i         
dismounted from the horse1 and sat down 
on a stone beneath the ruined  wall to  
which ,antonio had motioned me2 the sun 
went down1 and the air was  exceedingly 
keen2 ,i drew close around me an old    
tattered gypsy cloak with  which my     

companion had provided me1 and being    
somewhat fatigued1 fell  into a doze    
which lasted for nearly an hour4    8,is
 your worship the ,london ,caloro80 said
 a strange voice close beside  me4    ,i
 started and beheld the face of a woman 
peering under my hat4  ,notwithstanding 
the dusk1 ,i could see that the features
 were hideously  ugly and almost black2 
they belonged1 in fact1 to a gypsy      
crone1 at least  seventy years of age1  
leaning upon a staff4    8,is your      
worship the ,london ,caloro80 repeated  
she4    8,i am he whom you seek10 said  
,i2 8where is ,antonio80    8,curelando1
 curelando1 baribustres curelos terela10
 #ij said the  crone3 8come with me1    
,caloro of my garlochin1 come with me to
 my little  ker1 he will be there anon40
    ,i followed the crone1 who led the  
way into the town1 which was ruinous    
and seemingly half deserted2 we went up 
the street1 from which she turned  into 
a narrow and dark lane1 and presently   
opened the gate of a large  dilapidated 

house2 8,come in10 said she4    8,and   
the gras80 ,i demanded4    8,bring the  
gras in too1 my chabo1 bring the gras in
 too2 there is room  for the gras in my 
little stable40  ,we entered a large    
court1 across  which we proceeded till  
we came to a wide doorway4  8,go in1 my 
child of  ,egypt10 said the hag2 8go in1
 that is my little stable40    8,the    
place is as dark as pitch10 said ,i1    
8and may be a well for what ,i  know2   
bring a light or ,i will not enter40    
8,give me the solabarri 7bridle710 said 
the hag1 8and ,i will lead your  horse  
in1 my chabo of ,egypt1 yes1 and tether 
him to my little manger40  ,she led the 
horse through the doorway1 and ,i heard 
her busy in the  darkness2 presently the
 horse shook himself3 8,grasti          
terelamos10 said  the hag1 who now made 
her appearance with the bridle in her   
hand2 8the  horse has shaken himself1 he
 is not harmed by his day's journey2 now
 let  us go in1 my ,caloro1 into my     
little room40    ,we entered the house  

and found ourselves in a vast room1     
which would have  been quite dark but   
for a faint glow which appeared at the  
farther end2  it proceeded from a       
brasero1 beside which were squatted two 
dusky  figures4    8,these are          
,callees10 said the hag2 8one is my     
daughter and the other is  her chabi2   
sit down1 my ,london ,caloro1 and let us
 hear you speak40    ,i looked about for
 a chair1 but could see none2 at a short
 distance1  however1 ,i perceived the   
end of a broken pillar lying on the     
floor2 this  ,i rolled to the brasero   
and sat down upon it4    8,this is a    
fine house1 mother of the gypsies10 said
 ,i to the hag1 willing  to gratify the 
desire she had expressed of hearing me  
speak2 8a fine  house is this of yours1 
rather cold and damp1 though2 it appears
 large  enough to be a barrack for      
hundunares40    8,plenty of houses in   
this foros1 plenty of houses in ,merida1
 my ,london  ,caloro1 some of them just 
as they were left by the ,corahanoes2   

ah1 a fine  people are the ,corahanoes2 
,i often wish myself in their chim once 
more40    8,how is this1 mother10 said  
,i1 8have you been in the land of the   
,moors80    8,twice have ,i been in     
their country1 my ,caloro1--twice have  
,i been in the  land of the ,corahai2   
the first time is more than fifty years 
ago1 ,i was  then with the ,sese        
7,spaniards71 for my husband was a      
soldier of the  ,crallis of ,spain1 and 
,oran at that time belonged to ,spain40 
8,you were not then with the real       
,moors10 said ,i1 8but only with the    
,spaniards who occupied part of their   
country40    8,i have been with the real
 ,moors1 my ,london ,caloro4  ,who knows
 more of  the real ,moors than myself8  
,about forty years ago ,i was with my ro
 in  ,ceuta1 for he was still a soldier 
of the king1 and he said to me one day1 
#8,i am tired of this place where there 
is no bread and less water1 ,i will     
escape and turn ,corahano2 this night ,i
 will kill my sergeant and flee to  the 

camp of the ,moor4'  #8,do so1' said ,i1
 #8my chabo1 and as soon as may be  ,i  
will follow you and become a ,corahani4'
  ,that same night he killed his        
sergeant1 who five years before had     
called him ,calo and cursed him1 then   
running to the wall he dropped from it1 
and amidst many shots he escaped  to the
 land of the ,corahai1 as for myself1 ,i
 remained in the presidio of  ,ceuta as 
a suttler1 selling wine and repani to   
the soldiers4  ,two years  passed by and
 ,i neither saw nor heard from my ro2   
one day there came a  strange man to my 
cachimani 7wine-shop71 he was dressed   
like a  ,corahano1 and yet he did not   
look like one1 he looked like more a    
callardo 7black71 and yet he was not a  
callardo either1 though he was  almost  
black1 and as ,i looked upon him ,i     
thought he looked something like  the   
,errate1 and he said to me1 #8,zincali2 
chachip6' and then he whispered  to me  
in queer language1 which ,i could       
scarcely understand1 #8,your ro is      

waiting1 come with me1 my little sister1
 and ,i will take you unto him4'        
#8,where is he8' said ,i1 and he pointed
 to the west1 to the land of the        
,corahai1 and said1 #8,he is yonder     
away2 come with me1 little sister1 the  
ro is waiting4'  ,for a moment ,i was   
afraid1 but ,i bethought me of my       
husband and ,i wished to be amongst the 
,corahai2 so ,i took the little  parn   
7money7 ,i had1 and locking up the      
cachimani went with the strange  man2   
the sentinel challenged us at the gate1 
but ,i gave him repani  7brandy7 and he 
let us pass2 in a moment we were in the 
land of the  ,corahai4  ,about a league 
from the town beneath a hill we found   
four  people1 men and women1 all very   
black like the strange man1 and we      
joined  ourselves with them and they all
 saluted me and called me little sister4
  ,that was all ,i understood of their  
discourse1 which was very crabbed2 and  
they took away my dress and gave me     
other clothes1 and ,i looked like a     

,corahani1 and away we marched for many 
days amidst deserts and small  villages1
 and more than once it seemed to me that
 ,i was amongst the  ,errate1 for their 
ways were the same3 the men would       
hokkawar 7cheat7  with mules and asses1 
and the women told baji1 and after many 
days we  came before a large town1 and  
the black man said1 #8,go in there1     
little  sister1 and there you will find 
your ro2' and ,i went to the gate1 and  
an  armed ,corahano stood within the    
gate1 and ,i looked in his face1 and lo6
  it was my ro4    8,o what a strange   
town it was that ,i found myself in1    
full of people who  had once been       
,candor 7,christians7 but had renegaded 
and become  ,corahai4  ,there were ,sese
 and ,lalor 7,portuguese71 and men of   
other  nations1 and amongst them were   
some of the ,errate from my own country2
  all were now soldiers of the ,crallis 
of the ,corahai and followed him to  his
 wars2 and in that town ,i remained with
 my ro a long time1  occasionally going 

out with him to the wars1 and ,i often  
asked him about  the black men who had  
brought me thither1 and he told me that 
he had had  dealings with them1 and that
 he believed them to be of the ,errate4 
,well1  brother1 to be short1 my ro was 
killed in the wars1 before a town to    
which the king of the ,corahai laid     
siege1 and ,i became a piuli 7widow71   
and ,i returned to the village of the   
renegades1 as it was called1 and        
supported myself as well as ,i could2   
and one day as ,i was sitting  weeping1 
the black man1 whom ,i had never seen   
since the day he brought me  to my ro1  
again stood before me1 and he said1     
#8,come with me1 little  sister1 come   
with me1 the ro is at hand'2 and ,i went
 with him1 and beyond  the gate in the  
desert was the same party of black men  
and women which ,i  had seen before4    
#8,where is my ro8' said ,i4  #8,here he
 is1 little sister1'  said the black    
man1 #8here he is2 from this day ,i am  
the ro and you the  romi2 come1 let us  

go1 for there is business to be done4'  
8,and ,i went with him1 and he was my   
ro1 and we lived amongst the deserts1   
and hokkawar'd and choried and told     
baji2 and ,i said to myself1 this is    
good1 sure ,i am amongst the ,errate in 
a better chim than my own2 and ,i  often
 said that they were of the ,errate1 and
 then they would laugh and  say that it 
might be so1 and that they were not     
,corahai1 but they could  give no       
account of themselves4    8,well1 things
 went on in this way for years1 and ,i  
had three chai by the  black man1 two of
 them died1 but the youngest1 who is the
 ,calli who sits  by the brasero1 was   
spared2 so we roamed about and choried  
and told baji2  and it came to pass that
 once in the winter time our company    
attempted to  pass a wide and deep      
river1 of which there are many in the   
,chim del  ,corahai1 and the boat       
overset with the rapidity of the current
 and all  our people were drowned1 all  
but myself and my chabi1 whom ,i bore in

 my  bosom4  ,i had now no friends      
amongst the ,corahai1 and ,i wandered   
about  the despoblados howling and      
lamenting till ,i became half lili      
7mad71  and in this manner ,i found my  
way to the coast1 where ,i made friends 
with  the captain of a ship and returned
 to this land of ,spain4  ,and now ,i am
  here1 ,i often wish myself back again 
amongst the ,corahai40    ,here she     
commenced laughing loud and long1 and   
when she had ceased1 her  daughter and  
grandchild took up the laugh1 which they
 continued so long  that ,i concluded   
they were all lunatics4    ,hour        
succeeded hour1 and still we sat        
crouching over the brasero1 from  which1
 by this time1 all warmth had departed2 
the glow had long since  disappeared1   
and only a few dying sparks were to be  
distinguished4  ,the  room or hall was  
now involved in utter darkness2 the     
women were  motionless and still2 ,i    
shivered and began to feel uneasy4      
8,will ,antonio  be here to-night80 at  

length ,i demanded4    8,no tenga usted 
cuidao1 my ,london ,caloro10 said the   
,gypsy mother1 in an  unearthly tone2   
8,pepindorio #ic;a has been here some   
time40    ,i was about to rise from my  
seat and attempt to escape from the     
house1  when ,i felt a hand laid upon my
 shoulder1 and in a moment ,i heard the 
voice of ,antonio4    8,be not afraid1  
'tis ,i1 brother2 we will have a light  
anon1 and then  supper40    ,the supper 
was rude enough1 consisting of bread1   
cheese1 and olives4  ,antonio1 however1 
produced a leathern bottle of excellent 
wine2 we  despatched these viands by the
 light of an earthen lamp which was     
placed  upon the floor4    8,now10 said 
,antonio to the youngest female1 8bring 
me the pajandi1 and ,i  will sing a     
gachapla40    ,the girl brought the     
guitar1 which1 with some difficulty1 the
 ,gypsy  tuned1 and then strumming it   
vigorously1 he sang3        8,i stole a 
plump and bonny fowl1         ,but ere  
,i well had dined1      ,the master came

 with scowl and growl1         ,and me  
would captive bind4        8,my hat and 
mantle off ,i threw1         ,and       
scour'd across the lea1      ,then cried
 the beng #ic;b with loud halloo1       
,where does the ,gypsy flee80    ,he    
continued playing and singing for a     
considerable time1 the two younger      
females dancing in the meanwhile with   
unwearied diligence1 whilst the  aged   
mother occasionally snapped her fingers 
or beat time on the ground  with her    
stick4  ,at last ,antonio suddenly laid 
down the instrument3--    8,i see the   
,london ,caloro is weary2 enough1       
enough1 to-morrow more  thereof--we will
 now to the charip 7bed740    8,with all
 my heart10 said ,i2 8where are we to   
sleep80    8,in the stable10 said he1   
8in the manger2 however cold the stable 
may be  we shall be warm enough in the  
bufa40          ,,chapter ,x      ,the  
,gypsy's ,granddaughter--,proposed      
,marriage--,the ,algnazil--,the         
,assault--,speedy ,trot--,arrival at    

,trujillo--,night and ,rain--,the       
,forest--,the  ,bivouac--,mount and     
,away6--,jaraicejo--,the ,national--,the
 ,cavalier  ,balmerson--,among the      
,thickets--,serious ,discourse--,what is
 ,truth8--,unexpected  ,intelligence4   
,we remained three days at the ,gypsies'
 house1 ,antonio departing early  every 
morning1 on his mule1 and returning late
 at night4  ,the house was  large and   
ruinous1 the only habitable part of it1 
with the exception of  the stable1 being
 the hall1 where we had supped1 and     
there the ,gypsy  females slept at      
night1 on some mats and mattresses in a 
corner4    8,a strange house is this10  
said ,i to ,antonio1 one morning as he  
was on  the point of saddling his mule  
and departing1 as ,i supposed1 on the   
affairs of ,egypt2 8a strange house and 
strange people2 that ,gypsy  grandmother
 has all the appearance of a sowanee    
7sorceress740    8,all the appearance of
 one60 said ,antonio2 8and is she not   
really one8  ,she knows more crabbed    

things and crabbed words than all the   
,errate  betwixt here and ,catalonia4   
,she has been amongst the wild ,moors1  
and can  make more drows1 poisons1 and  
philtres than any one alive4  ,she once 
made  a kind of paste1 and persuaded me 
to taste1 and shortly after ,i had done 
so my soul departed from my body1 and   
wandered through horrid forests and     
mountains1 amidst monsters and duendes1 
during one entire night4  ,she  learned 
many things amidst the ,corahai which ,i
 should be glad to know40    8,have you 
been long acquainted with her80 said ,i2
 8you appear to be quite  at home in    
this house40    8,acquainted with her60 
said ,antonio4  8,did not my own brother
 marry the  black ,calli1 her daughter1 
who bore him the chabi1 sixteen years   
ago1  just before he was hanged by the  
,busn80    ,in the afternoon ,i was     
seated with the ,gypsy mother in the    
hall1 the two  ,callees were absent     
telling fortunes about the town and     
neighbourhood1  which was their         

principal occupation4  8,are you        
married1 my ,london  ,caloro80 said the 
old woman to me4  8,are you a ro80      
,myself4--,wherefore do you ask1 ,o ,dai
 de los ,cales8    ,gypsy ,mother4--,it 
is high time that the lacha of the chabi
 were taken  from her1 and that she had 
a ro4  ,you can do no better than take  
her for  romi1 my ,london ,caloro4      
,myself4--,i am a stranger in this land1
 ,o mother of the ,gypsies1 and         
scarcely know how to provide for myself1
 much less for a romi4    ,gypsy        
,mother4--,she wants no one to provide  
for her1 my ,london ,caloro1  she can at
 any time provide for herself and her   
ro4  ,she can hokkawar1  tell baji1 and 
there are few to equal her at stealing a
 pastesas4  ,were  she once at          
,madrilati1 where they tell me you are  
going1 she would make  much treasure2   
therefore take her thither1 for in this 
foros she is nahi  7lost71 as it were1  
for there is nothing to be gained2 but  
in the foros  baro it would be another  

matter2 she would go dressed in lachipi 
and  sonacai 7silk and gold71 whilst you
 would ride about on your  black-tailed 
gra2 and when you had got much treasure1
 you might return  hither and live like 
a ,crallis1 and all the ,errate of the  
,chim del ,manro  should bow down their 
heads to you4  ,what1 say you1 my       
,london ,caloro1  what say you to my    
plan8    ,myself4--,your plan is a      
plausible one1 mother1 or at least some 
people  would think so2 but ,i am1 as   
you are aware1 of another chim1 and have
 no  inclination to pass my life in this
 country4    ,gypsy ,mother4--,then     
return to your own country1 my ,caloro1 
the chabi can  cross the pani4  ,would  
she not do business in ,london with the 
rest of the  ,calor8  ,or why not go to 
the land of the ,corahai8  ,in which    
case ,i would  accompany you2 ,i and my 
daughter1 the mother of the chabi4      
,myself4--,and what should we do in the 
land of the ,corahai8  ,it is a poor    
and wild country1 ,i believe4    ,gypsy 

,mother4--,the ,london ,caloro asks me  
what we could do in the land of  the    
,corahai6  ,aromali6  ,i almost think   
that ,i am speaking to a lilipendi      
7simpleton74  ,are there not horses to  
chore8  ,yes1 ,i trow there are1  and   
better ones than in this land1 and asses
 and mules4  ,in the land of  the       
,corahai you must hokkawar and chore    
even as you must here1 or in your  own  
country1 or else you are no ,caloro4    
,can you not join yourselves with  the  
black people who live in the            
despoblados8  ,yes1 surely2 and glad    
they  would be to have among them the   
,errate from ,spain and ,london4  ,i am 
seventy years of age1 but ,i wish not to
 die in this chim1 but yonder1 far      
away1 where both my roms are sleeping4  
,take the chabi1 therefore1 and go  to  
,madrilati to win the parn1 and when you
 have got it1 return1 and we  will give 
a banquet to all the ,busn in ,merida1  
and in their food ,i will  mix drow1 and
 they shall eat and burst like poisoned 

sheep4 4 4 4 ,and  when they have eaten 
we will leave them1 and away to the land
 of the  ,moor1 my ,london ,caloro4     
,during the whole time that ,i remained 
at ,merida ,i stirred not once from  the
 house2 following the advice of         
,antonio1 who informed me that it would 
not be convenient4  ,my time lay rather 
heavily on my hands1 my only  source of 
amusement consisting in the conversation
 of the women1 and in  that of ,antonio 
when he made his appearance at night4   
,in these tertulias  the grandmother was
 the principal spokeswoman1 and         
astonished my ears  with wonderful tales
 of the ,land of the ,moors1 prison     
escapes1 thievish  feats1 and one or two
 poisoning adventures1 in which she had 
been  engaged1 as she informed me1 in   
her early youth4    ,there was          
occasionally something very wild in her 
gestures and demeanour2  more than once 
,i observed her1 in the midst of much   
declamation1 to stop  short1 stare in   
vacancy1 and thrust out her palms as if 

endeavouring to  push away some         
invisible substance2 she goggled        
frightfully with her  eyes1 and once    
sank back in convulsions1 of which her  
children took no  farther notice than   
observing that she was only lili1 and   
would soon come  to herself4    ,late in
 the afternoon of the third day1 as the 
three women and myself sat  conversing  
as usual over the brasero1 a shabby     
looking fellow in an old  rusty cloak   
walked into the room3 he came straight  
up to the place where  we were sitting1 
produced a paper cigar1 which he lighted
 at a coal1 and  taking a whiff or two1 
looked at me3 8,carracho10 said he1 8who
 is this  companion80    ,i saw at once 
that the fellow was no ,gypsy3 the women
 said nothing1 but ,i  could hear the   
grandmother growling to herself1        
something after the  manner of an old   
grimalkin when disturbed4               
8,carracho10 reiterated the fellow1 8how
 came this companion here80    8,no le  
penela chi min chaboro10 said the black 

,callee to me1 in an  undertone2 8sin un
 balicho de los chineles #ig20 then     
looking up to  the interrogator she said
 aloud1 8he is one of our people from   
,portugal1  come on the smuggling lay1  
and to see his poor sisters here40      
8,then let him give me some tobacco10   
said the fellow1 8,i suppose he has     
brought some with him40    8,he has no  
tobacco10 said the black ,callee1 8he   
has nothing but old iron4  ,this cigar  
is the only tobacco there is in the     
house2 take it1 smoke it1  and go away60
    ,thereupon she produced a cigar from
 out her shoe1 which she presented to   
the alguazil4    8,this will not do10   
said the fellow1 taking the cigar1 8,i  
must have  something better2 it is now  
three months since ,i received anything 
from  you2 the last present was a       
handkerchief1 which was good for        
nothing2  therefore hand me over        
something worth taking1 or ,i will carry
 you all to  the ,carcel40    8,the     
,busno will take us to prison10 said the

 black ,callee1 8ha6 ha6 ha60    8,the  
,chinel will take us to prison10 giggled
 the young girl 8he6 he6 he60    8,the  
,bengui will carry us all to the        
estaripel10 grunted the ,gypsy          
grandmother1 8ho6 ho6 ho60    ,the three
 females arose and walked slowly round  
the fellow1 fixing their  eyes          
steadfastly on his face2 he appeared    
frightened1 and evidently  wished to get
 away4  ,suddenly the two youngest      
seized his hands1 and  whilst he        
struggled to release himself1 the old   
woman exclaimed3 8,you  want tobacco1   
hijo--you come to the ,gypsy house to   
frighten the ,callees  and the strange  
,caloro out of their plako--truly1 hijo1
 we have none for  you1 and right sorry 
,i am2 we have1 however1 plenty of the  
dust a su  servicio40    ,here1         
thrusting her hand into her pocket1 she 
discharged a handful of  some kind of   
dust or snuff into the fellow's eyes2 he
 stamped and roared1  but was for some  
time held fast by the two ,callees2 he  

extricated  himself1 however1 and       
attempted to unsheath a knife which he  
bore at his  girdle2 but the two younger
 females flung themselves upon him like 
furies1 while the old woman increased   
his disorder by thrusting her stick     
into his face2 he was soon glad to give 
up the contest1 and retreated1  leaving 
behind him his hat and cloak1 which the 
chabi gathered up and  flung after him  
into the street4    8,this is a bad     
business10 said ,i1 8the fellow will of 
course bring the  rest of the justicia  
upon us1 and we shall all be cast into  
the  estaripel40    8,ca60 said the     
black ,callee1 biting her thumb nail1   
8he has more reason  to fear us than we 
him1 we could bring him to the          
filimicha2 we have1  moreover1 friends  
in this town1 plenty1 plenty40          
8,yes10 mumbled the grandmother1 8the   
daughters of the baji have friends1  my 
,london ,caloro1 friends among the      
,busnees1 baributre1 baribu 7plenty1    
plenty740    ,nothing farther of any    

account occurred in the ,gypsy house2   
the next day1  ,antonio and myself were 
again in the saddle1 we travelled at    
least  thirteen leagues before we       
reached the ,venta1 where we passed the 
night2  we rose early in the morning1 my
 guide informing me that we had a long  
day's journey to make4  8,where are we  
bound to80 ,i demanded4  8,to           
,trujillo10 he replied4    ,when the sun
 arose1 which it did gloomily and amidst
 threatening  rain-clouds1 we found     
ourselves in the neighbourhood of a     
range of  mountains which lay on our    
left1 and which1 ,antonio informed me1  
were  called the ,sierra of ,san        
,selvan2 our route1 however1 lay over   
wide  plains1 scantily clothed with     
brushwood1 with here and there a        
melancholy  village1 with its old and   
dilapidated church4  ,throughout the    
greater  part of the day1 a drizzling   
rain was falling1 which turned the dust 
of  the roads into mud and mire1        
considerably impeding our progress4     

,towards  evening we reached a moor1 a  
wild place enough1 strewn with enormous 
stones and rocks4  ,before us1 at some  
distance1 rose a strange conical  hill1 
rough and shaggy1 which appeared to be  
neither more nor less than  an immense  
assemblage of the same kind of rocks    
which lay upon the moor4  ,the rain had 
now ceased1 but a strong wind rose and  
howled at our backs4  ,throughout the   
journey1 ,i had experienced considerable
 difficulty in  keeping up with the mule
 of ,antonio2 the walk of the horse was 
slow1 and  ,i could discover no vestige 
of the spirit which the ,gypsy had      
assured me  lurked within him4  ,we were
 now upon a tolerably clear spot of the 
moor3  8,i am about to see10 ,i said1   
8whether this horse has any of the      
quality  which you have described40     
8,do so10 said ,antonio1 and spurred his
 beast  onward1 speedily leaving me far 
behind4  ,i jerked the horse with the   
bit1  endeavouring to arouse his dormant
 spirit1 whereupon he stopped1 reared1  

and refused to proceed4  8,hold the     
bridle loose and touch him with your    
whip10 shouted ,antonio from before4  ,i
 obeyed1 and forthwith the animal  set  
off at a trot1 which gradually increased
 in swiftness till it became  a         
downright furious speedy trot2 his limbs
 were now thoroughly lithy1 and  he     
brandished his fore legs in a manner    
perfectly wondrous2 the mule of         
,antonio1 which was a spirited animal of
 excellent paces1 would fain have       
competed with him1 but was passed in a  
twinkling4  ,this tremendous trot       
endured for about a mile1 when the      
animal1 becoming yet more heated1  broke
 suddenly into a gallop4  ,hurrah6 no   
hare ever ran so wildly or  blindly2 it 
was1 literally1 ventre a terre2 and ,i  
had considerable  difficulty in keeping 
him clear of rocks1 against which he    
would have  rushed in his savage fury1  
and dashed himself and rider to atoms4  
,this race brought me to the foot of the
 hill1 where ,i waited till the  ,gypsy 

rejoined me3 we left the hill1 which    
seemed quite inaccessible1 on  our      
right1 passing through a small and      
wretched village4  ,the sun went  down1 
and dark night presently came upon us2  
we proceeded on1 however1  for nearly   
three hours1 until we heard the barking 
of dogs1 and perceived  a light or two  
in the distance4  8,that is ,trujillo10 
said ,antonio1 who  had not spoken for a
 long time4  8,i am glad of it10 ,i     
replied2 8,i am  thoroughly tired2 ,i   
shall sleep soundly in ,trujillo40      
8,that is as it may  be10 said the      
,gypsy1 and spurred his mule to a       
brisker pace4  ,we soon  entered the    
town1 which appeared dark and gloomy    
enough2 ,i followed close  behind the   
,gypsy1 who led the way ,i knew not     
whither1 through dismal  streets and    
dark places1 where cats were squalling4 
8,here is the house10  said he at last1 
dismounting before a low mean hut2 he   
knocked1 no answer  was returned2--he   
knocked again1 but still there was no   

reply2 he shook  the door and essayed to
 open it1 but it appeared firmly locked 
and  bolted4  8,caramba60 said he1 8they
 are out--,i feared it might be so4     
,now  what are we to do80    8,there can
 be no difficulty10 said ,i1 8with      
respect to what we have to  do2 if your 
friends are gone out1 it is easy enough 
to go to a posada40    8,you know not   
what you say10 replied the ,gypsy1 8,i  
dare not go to the  mesuna1 nor enter   
any house in ,trujillo save this1 and   
this is shut2  well1 there is no remedy1
 we must move on1 and1 between          
ourselves1 the  sooner we leave this    
place the better2 my own planoro        
7brother7 was  garroted at ,trujillo40  
,he lighted a cigar1 by means of a steel
 and yesca1 sprang on his mule1  and    
proceeded through streets and lanes     
equally dismal as those which we  had   
already traversed till we again found   
ourselves out of the1 town4    ,i       
confess ,i did not much like this       
decision of the ,gypsy2 ,i felt very    

slight inclination to leave the town    
behind and to venture into unknown      
places in the dark night3 amidst rain   
and mist1 for the wind had now  dropped1
 and the rain began again to fall       
briskly4  ,i was1 moreover1 much        
fatigued1 and wished for nothing better 
than to deposit myself in some          
comfortable manger1 where ,i might sink 
to sleep1 lulled by the pleasant  sound 
of horses and mules despatching their   
provender4  ,i had1 however1  put myself
 under the direction of the ,gypsy1 and 
,i was too old a  traveller to quarrel  
with my guide under the present         
circumstances4  ,i  therefore followed  
close at his crupper2 our only light    
being the glow  emitted from the        
,gypsy's cigar2 at last he flung it from
 his mouth into a  puddle1 and we were  
then in darkness4    ,we proceeded in   
this manner for a long time2 the ,gypsy 
was silent2 ,i  myself was equally so2  
the rain descended more and more4  ,i   
sometimes  thought ,i heard doleful     

noises1 something like the hooting of   
owls4  8,this is a strange night to be  
wandering abroad in10 ,i at length said 
to  ,antonio4    8,it is1 brother10 said
 he1 8but ,i would sooner be abroad in  
such a night1  and in such places1 than 
in the estaripel of ,trujillo40    ,we  
wandered at least a league farther1 and 
appeared now to be near a  wood1 for ,i 
could occasionally distinguish the      
trunks of immense trees4  ,suddenly     
,antonio stopped his mule2 8,look1      
brother10 said he1 8to the  left1 and   
tell me if you do not see a light2 your 
eyes are sharper than  mine40  ,i did as
 he commanded me4  ,at first ,i could   
see nothing1 but  moving a little       
farther on ,i plainly saw a large light 
at some distance1  seemingly amongst the
 trees4  8,yonder cannot be a lamp or   
candle10 said  ,i2 8it is more like the 
blaze of a fire40  8,very likely10 said 
,antonio4  8,there are no queres        
7houses7 in this place2 it is doubtless 
a fire  made by durotunes 7shepherds72  

let us go and join them1 for1 as you    
say1 it is doleful work wandering about 
at night amidst rain and mire40    ,we  
dismounted and entered what ,i now saw  
was a forest1 leading the  animals      
cautiously amongst the trees and        
brushwood4  ,in about five  minutes we  
reached a small open space1 at the      
farther side of which1 at  the foot of a
 large cork tree1 a fire was burning1   
and by it stood or sat  two or three    
figures2 they had heard our approach1   
and one of them now  exclaimed ,quien   
,vive8  8,i know that voice10 said      
,antonio1 and leaving the  horse with   
me1 rapidly advanced towards the fire3  
presently ,i heard an  ,ola6 and a      
laugh1 and soon the voice of ,antonio   
summoned me to advance4  ,on reaching   
the fire ,i found two dark lads1 and a  
still darker woman of  about forty2 the 
latter seated on what appeared to be    
horse or mule  furniture4  ,i likewise  
saw a horse and two donkeys tethered to 
the  neighbouring trees4  ,it was in    

fact a ,gypsy bivouac4 4 4 4 8,come     
forward1  brother1 and show yourself10  
said ,antonio to me2 8you are amongst   
friends2 these are of the ,errate1 the  
very people whom ,i expected to find  at
 ,trujillo1 and in whose house we should
 have slept40    8,and what10 said ,i1  
8could have induced them to leave their 
house in  ,trujillo and come into this  
dark forest in the midst of wind and    
rain1 to  pass the night80    8,they    
come on business of ,egypt1 brother1    
doubtless10 replied ,antonio2  8and that
 business is none of ours1 ,calla boca6 
,it is lucky we have  found them here1  
else we should have had no supper1 and  
our horses no  corn40    8,my ro is     
prisoner at the village yonder10 said   
the woman1 pointing with  her hand in a 
particular direction2 8he is prisoner   
yonder for choring a  mailla 7stealing a
 donkey72 we are come to see what we can
 do in his  behalf2 and where can we    
lodge better than in this forest1 where 
there is  nothing to pay8  ,it is not   

the first time1 ,i trow1 that ,calor    
have slept  at the root of a tree40     
,one of the striplings now gave us      
barley for our animals in a large bag1  
into which we successively introduced   
their heads1 allowing the famished      
creatures to regale themselves till we  
conceived that they had satisfied  their
 hunger4  ,there was a puchero simmering
 at the fire1 half full of  bacon1      
garbanzos1 and other provisions2 this   
was emptied into a large  wooden        
platter1 and out of this ,antonio and   
myself supped2 the other  ,gypsies      
refused to join us1 giving us to        
understand that they had eaten  before  
our arrival2 they all1 however1 did     
justice to the leathern bottle  of      
,antonio1 which1 before his departure   
from ,merida1 he had the  precaution to 
fill4    ,i was by this time completely 
overcome with fatigue and sleep4        
,antonio  flung me an immense           
horse-cloth1 of which he bore more than 
one beneath  the huge cushion on which  

he rode2 in this ,i wrapped myself1 and 
placing  my head upon a bundle1 and my  
feet as near as possible to the fire1 ,i
 lay  down4    ,antonio and the other   
,gypsies remained seated by the fire    
conversing4  ,i  listened for a moment  
to what they said1 but ,i did not       
perfectly  understand it1 and what ,i   
did understand by no means interested   
me3 the  rain still drizzled1 but ,i    
heeded it not1 and was soon asleep4     
,the sun was just appearing as ,i awoke4
  ,i made several efforts before ,i     
could rise from the ground2 my limbs    
were quite stiff1 and my hair was       
covered with rime2 for the rain had     
ceased and a rather severe frost set    
in4  ,i looked around me1 but could see 
neither ,antonio nor the ,gypsies2  the 
animals of the latter had likewise      
disappeared1 so had the horse  which ,i 
had hitherto rode2 the mule1 however1 of
 ,antonio still remained  fastened to   
the tree6 this latter circumstance      
quieted some apprehensions  which were  

beginning to arise in my mind4  8,they  
are gone on some  business of ,egypt10  
,i said to myself1 8and will return     
anon40  ,i gathered  together the embers
 of the fire1 and heaping upon them     
sticks and  branches1 soon succeeded in 
calling forth a blaze1 beside which ,i  
placed  the puchero1 with what remained 
of the provision of last night4  ,i     
waited  for a considerable time in      
expectation of the return of my         
companions1  but as they did not appear1
 ,i sat down and breakfasted4  ,before  
,i had  well finished ,i heard the noise
 of a horse approaching rapidly1 and    
presently ,antonio made his appearance  
amongst the trees1 with some  agitation 
in his countenance4  ,he sprang from the
 horse1 and instantly  proceeded to     
untie the mule4  8,mount1 brother1      
mount60 said he1 pointing  to the horse2
 8,i went with the ,callee and her chabs
 to the village where  the ro is in     
trouble2 the chinobaro1 however1 seized 
them at once with  their cattle1 and    

would have laid hands also on me1 but ,i
 set spurs to  the grasti1 gave him the 
bridle1 and was soon far away4  ,mount1 
brother1  mount1 or we shall have the   
whole rustic canaille upon us in a      
twinkling40    ,i did as he commanded3  
we were presently in the road which we  
had left  the night before4  ,along this
 we hurried at a great rate1 the horse  
displaying his best speedy trot2 whilst 
the mule1 with its ears pricked  up1    
galloped gallantly at his side4  8,what 
place is that on the hill  yonder80 said
 ,i to ,antonio1 at the expiration of an
 hour1 as we prepared  to descend a deep
 valley4    8,that is ,jaraicejo10 said 
,antonio2 8a bad place it is and a bad  
place it  has ever been for the ,calo   
people40    8,if it is such a bad       
place10 said ,i1 8,i hope we shall not  
have to pass  through it40    8,we must 
pass through it10 said ,antonio1 8for   
more reasons than one3  first1 forasmuch
 is the road lies through ,jaraicejo2   
and second1  forasmuch as it will be    

necessary to purchase provisions there1 
both for  ourselves and horses4  ,on the
 other side of ,jaraicejo there is a    
wild  desert1 a despoblado1 where we    
shall find nothing40    ,we crossed the 
valley1 and ascended the hill1 and as we
 drew near to the  town the ,gypsy said1
 8,brother1 we had best pass through    
that town singly4  ,i will go in        
advance2 follow slowly1 and when there  
purchase bread and  barley2 you have    
nothing to fear4  ,i will await you on  
the despoblado40    ,without waiting for
 my answer he hastened forward1 and was 
speedily out  of sight4    ,i followed  
slowly behind1 and entered the gate of  
the town2 an old  dilapidated place1    
consisting of little more than one      
street4  ,along this  street ,i was     
advancing1 when a man with a dirty      
foraging cap on his head1  and holding a
 gun in his hand1 came running up to me3
 8,who are you80 said  he1 in rather    
rough accents1 8from whence do you      
come80    8,from ,badajoz and           

,trujillo10 ,i replied2 8why do you     
ask80    8,i am one of the national     
guard10 said the man1 8and am placed    
here to  inspect strangers2 ,i am told  
that a ,gypsy fellow just now rode      
through  the town2 it is well for him   
that ,i had stepped into my house4  ,do 
you  come in his company80    8,do ,i   
look a person10 said ,i1 8likely to keep
 company with ,gypsies80    ,the        
national measured me from top to toe1   
and then looked me full in the  face    
with an expression which seemed to say1 
8likely enough40  ,in fact1  my         
appearance was by no means calculated to
 prepossess people in my  favour4  ,upon
 my head ,i wore an old ,andalusian hat1
 which1 from its  condition1 appeared to
 have been trodden under foot2 a rusty  
cloak1 which  had perhaps served half a 
dozen generations1 enwrapped my body4   
,my  nether garments were by no means of
 the finest description2 and as far as  
could be seen were covered with mud1    
with which my face was likewise         

plentifully bespattered1 and upon my    
chin was a beard of a week's growth4    
8,have you a passport80 at length       
demanded the national4    ,i remembered 
having read that the best way to win a  
,spaniard's heart is  to treat him with 
ceremonious civility4  ,i therefore     
dismounted1 and  taking off my hat1 made
 a low bow to the constitutional        
soldier1 saying1  8,seor nacional1 you  
must know that ,i am an ,english        
gentleman1 travelling  in this country  
for my pleasure2 ,i bear a passport1    
which1 on inspecting1  you will find to 
be perfectly regular2 it was given me by
 the great ,lord  ,palmerston1 minister 
of ,england1 whom you of course have    
heard of here2  at the bottom you will  
see his own handwriting2 look at it and 
rejoice2  perhaps you will never have   
another opportunity4  ,as ,i put        
unbounded  confidence in the honour of  
every gentleman1 ,i leave the passport  
in your  hands whilst ,i repair to the  
posada to refresh myself4  ,when you    

have  inspected it1 you will perhaps    
oblige me so far as to bring it to me4  
,cavalier1 ,i kiss your hands40    ,i   
then made him another low bow1 which he 
returned with one still lower1  and     
leaving him now staring at the passport 
and now looking at myself1 ,i  went into
 a posada1 to which ,i was directed by a
 beggar whom ,i met4    ,i fed the      
horse1 and procured some bread and      
barley1 as the ,gypsy had  directed me2 
,i likewise purchased three fine        
partridges of a fowler1 who  was        
drinking wine in the posada4  ,he was   
satisfied with the price ,i gave  him1  
and offered to treat me with a copita1  
to which ,i made no objection4  ,as we  
sat discoursing at the table1 the       
national entered with the  passport in  
his hand1 and sat down by us4           
,national4--,caballero6  ,i return you  
your passport1 it is quite in form2  ,i 
rejoice much to have made your          
acquaintance2 ,i have no doubt that you 
can give me some information respecting 

the present war4    ,myself4--,i shall  
be very happy to afford so polite and   
honourable a  gentleman any information 
in my power4    ,national4--,what is    
,england doing1--is she about to afford 
any assistance  to this country8  ,if   
she pleased she could put down the war  
in three  months4    ,myself4--,be under
 no apprehension1 ,seor nacional2 the   
war will be put  down1 don't doubt4     
,you have heard of the ,english legion1 
which my ,lord  ,palmerston has sent    
over8  ,leave the matter in their hands1
 and you will  soon see the result4     
,national4--,it appears to me that this 
,caballero ,balmerson must be a very    
honest man4    ,myself4--,there can be  
no doubt of it4    ,national4--,i have  
heard that he is a great general4       
,myself4--,there can be no doubt of it4 
,in some things neither ,napoleon  nor  
the sawyer #ajd would stand a chance    
with him for a moment4  ,es  mucho      
hombre4    ,national4--,i am glad to    
hear it4  ,does he intend to head the   

legion  himself8    ,myself4--,i believe
 not2 but he has sent over1 to head the 
fighting men1  a friend of his1 who is  
thought to be nearly as much versed in  
military  matters as himself4           
,national4--,i am rejoiced to hear it4  
,i see that the war will soon be  over4 
,caballero1 ,i thank you for your       
politeness1 and for the  information    
which you have afforded me4  ,i hope you
 will have a pleasant  journey4  ,i     
confess that ,i am surprised to see a   
gentleman of your  country travelling   
alone1 and in this manner1 through such 
regions as  these4  ,the roads are at   
present very bad2 there have of late    
been many  accidents1 and more than two 
deaths in this neighbourhood4  ,the     
despoblado out yonder has a particularly
 evil name2 be on your guard1           
,caballero4  ,i am sorry that ,gypsy was
 permitted to pass2 should you meet  him
 and not like his looks1 shoot him at   
once1 stab him1 or ride him  down4  ,he 
is a well known thief1 contrabandista1  

and murderer1 and has  committed more   
assassinations than he has fingers on   
his hands4  ,caballero1 if you please1  
we will allow you a guard to the other  
side of  the pass4  ,you do not wish it8
  ,then1 farewell4  ,stay1 before ,i go 
,i  should wish to see once more the    
signature of the ,caballero ,balmerson4 
,i showed him the signature1 which he   
looked upon with profound reverence1    
uncovering his head for a moment2 we    
then embraced and parted4    ,i mounted 
the horse and rode from the town1 at    
first proceeding very  slowly2 ,i had no
 sooner1 however1 reached the moor1 than
 ,i put the animal  to his speedy trot1 
and proceeded at a tremendous rate for  
some time1  expecting every moment to   
overtake the ,gypsy4  ,i1 however1 saw  
nothing of  him1 nor did ,i meet with a 
single human being4  ,the road along    
which ,i  sped was narrow and sandy1    
winding amidst thickets of broom and    
brushwood1 with which the despoblado was
 overgrown1 and which in some  places   

were as high as a man's head4  ,across  
the moor1 in the direction  in which ,i 
was proceeding1 rose a lofty eminence1  
naked and bare4  ,the  moor extended for
 at least three leagues2 ,i had nearly  
crossed it1 and  reached the foot of the
 ascent4  ,i was becoming very uneasy1  
conceiving  that ,i might have passed   
the ,gypsy amongst the thickets1 when ,i
 suddenly  heard his well known ,ola6   
and his black savage head and staring   
eyes  suddenly appeared from amidst a   
clump of broom4    8,you have tarried   
long1 brother10 said he2 8,i almost     
thought you had  played me false40      
,he bade me dismount1 and then proceeded
 to lead the horse behind the  thicket1 
where ,i found the mule picqueted to the
 ground4  ,i gave him the  barley and   
provisions1 and then proceeded to relate
 to him my adventure  with the national4
    8,i would ,i had him here10 said the
 ,gypsy1 on hearing the epithets which  
the former had lavished upon him4  8,i  
would ,i had him here1 then should  my  

chulee and his carlo become better      
acquainted40    8,and what are you doing
 here yourself10 ,i demanded1 8in this  
wild place1  amidst these thickets80    
8,i am expecting a messenger down yon   
pass10 said the ,gypsy2 8and till  that 
messenger arrive ,i can neither go      
forward nor return4  ,it is on  business
 of ,egypt1 brother1 that ,i am here40  
,as he invariably used this last        
expression when he wished to evade my   
inquiries1 ,i held my peace1 and said no
 more2 the animals were fed1 and  we    
proceeded to make a frugal repast on    
bread and wine4    8,why do you not cook
 the game which ,i brought80 ,i         
demanded2 8in this  place there is      
plenty of materials for a fire40        
8,the smoke might discover us1 brother10
 said ,antonio1 8,i am desirous of      
lying escondido in this place until the 
arrival of the messenger40    ,it was   
now considerably past noon2 the gypsy   
lay behind the thicket1  raising himself
 up occasionally and looking anxiously  

towards the hill  which lay over against
 us2 at last1 with an exclamation of    
disappointment  and impatience1 he flung
 himself on the ground1 where he lay a  
considerable time1 apparently           
ruminating2 at last he lifted up his    
head  and looked me in the face4        
,antonio4--,brother1 ,i cannot imagine  
what business brought you to this       
country4    ,myself4--,perhaps the same 
which brings you to this moor--business 
of  ,egypt4    ,antonio4--,not so1      
brother2 you speak the language of      
,egypt1 it is true1  but your ways and  
words are neither those of the ,cales   
nor of the ,busn4    ,myself4--,did you 
not hear me speak in the foros about    
,god and ,tebleque8  ,it was to declare 
his glory to the ,cales and ,gentiles   
that ,i came to the  land of ,spain4    
,antonio4--,and who sent you on this    
errand8    ,myself4--,you would scarcely
 understand me were ,i to inform you4   
,know1  however1 that there are many in 
foreign lands who lament the darkness   

which envelops ,spain1 and the scenes of
 cruelty1 robbery1 and murder  which    
deform it4    ,antonio4--,are they      
,calor or ,busn8    ,myself4--,what     
matters it8  ,both ,calor and ,busn are 
sons of the same  ,god4                 
,antonio4--,you lie1 brother1 they are  
not of one father nor of one  ,errate4  
,you speak of robbery1 cruelty1 and     
murder4  ,there are too many  ,busn1    
brother2 if there were no ,busn there   
would be neither robbery nor  murder4   
,the ,calor neither rob nor murder each 
other1 the ,busn do2 nor  are they cruel
 to their animals1 their law forbids    
them4  ,when ,i was a  child ,i was     
beating a burra1 but my father stopped  
my hand1 and chided  me4  8,hurt not the
 animal10 said he2 8for within it is the
 soul of your  own sister60             
,myself4--,and do you believe in this   
wild doctrine1 ,o ,antonio8             
,antonio4--,sometimes ,i do1 sometimes  
,i do not4  ,there are some who  believe
 in nothing2 not even that they live6   

,long since1 ,i knew an old  ,caloro1 he
 was old1 very old1 upwards of a hundred
 years1--and ,i once  heard him say1    
that all we thought we saw was a lie2   
that there was no  world1 no men nor    
women1 no horses nor mules1 no olive    
trees4  ,but  whither are we straying8  
,i asked what induced you to come to    
this  country--you tell me the glory of 
,god and ,tebleque4  ,disparate6 tell   
that  to the ,busn4  ,you have good     
reasons for coming1 no doubt1 else you  
would  not be here4  ,some say you are a
 spy of the ,london1 perhaps you are2 ,i
  care not4  ,rise1 brother1 and tell me
 whether any one is coming down the     
pass4    8,i see a distant object10 ,i  
replied2 8like a speck on the side of   
the  hill40    ,the ,gypsy started up1  
and we both fixed our eyes on the       
object3 the  distance was so great that 
it was at first with difficulty that we 
could  distinguish whether it moved or  
not4  ,a quarter of an hour1 however1   
dispelled all doubts1 for within this   

time it had nearly reached the  bottom  
of the hill1 and we could descry a      
figure seated on an animal of  some     
kind4    8,it is a woman10 said ,i1 at  
length1 8mounted on a grey donkey40     
8,then it is my messenger10 said        
,antonio1 8for it can be no other40     
,the woman and the donkey were now upon 
the plain1 and for some time were       
concealed from us by the copse and      
brushwood which intervened4  ,they were 
not long1 however1 in making their      
appearance at the distance of about a   
hundred yards4  ,the donkey was a       
beautiful creature of a silver grey1 and
  came frisking along1 swinging her     
tail1 and moving her feet so quick that 
they scarcely seemed to touch the       
ground4  ,the animal no sooner perceived
  us than she stopped short1 turned     
round1 and attempted to escape by the   
way she had come2 her rider1 however1   
detained her1 whereupon the donkey      
kicked violently1 and would probably    
have flung the former1 had she not      

sprung nimbly to the ground4  ,the form 
of the woman was entirely  concealed by 
the large wrapping man's cloak which she
 wore4  ,i ran to  assist her1 when she 
turned her face full upon me1 and ,i    
instantly  recognized the sharp clever  
features of ,antonia1 whom ,i had seen  
at  ,badajoz1 the daughter of my guide4 
,she said nothing to me1 but advancing  
to her father1 addressed something to   
him in a low voice1 which ,i did not    
hear4  ,he started back1 and vociferated
 8,all60  8,yes10 said she in a  louder 
tone1 probably repeating the words which
 ,i had not caught before1  8,all are   
captured40    ,the ,gypsy remained for  
some time like one astounded and1       
unwilling to  listen to their discourse1
 which ,i imagined might relate to      
business of  ,egypt1 ,i walked away     
amidst the thickets4  ,i was absent for 
some time1  but could occasionally hear 
passionate expressions and oaths4  ,in  
about  half an hour ,i returned2 they   
had left the road1 but ,i found then    

behind  the broom clump1 where the      
animals stood4  ,both were seated on the
  ground2 the features of the ,gypsy    
were peculiarly dark and grim2 he held  
his unsheathed knife in his hand1 which 
he would occasionally plunge into  the  
earth1 exclaiming1 8,all6 ,all60        
8,brother10 said he at last1 8,i can go 
no farther with you2 the business  which
 carried me to ,castumba is settled2 you
 must now travel by yourself  and trust 
to your baji 7fortune740    8,i trust in
 ,undevel10 ,i replied1 8who wrote my   
fortune long ago4  ,but how  am ,i to   
journey8  ,i have no horse1 for you     
doubtless want your own40    ,the ,gypsy
 appeared to reflect3 8,i want the      
horse1 it is true1 brother10  he said1  
8and likewise the macho2 but you shall  
not go en pindre 7on  foot72 you shall  
purchase the burra of ,antonia1 which ,i
 presented her  when ,i sent her upon   
this expedition40    8,the burra10 ,i   
replied1 8appears both savage and       
vicious40    8,she is both1 brother1 and

 on that account ,i bought her2 a savage
 and  vicious beast has generally four  
excellent legs4  ,you are a ,calo1      
brother1 and can manage her2 you shall  
therefore purchase the savage  burra1   
giving my daugher ,antonia a baria of   
gold4  ,if you think fit1 you  can sell 
the beast at ,talavera or ,madrid1 for  
,estremenian bestis are  highly         
considered in ,castumba40    ,in less   
than an hour ,i was on the other side of
 the pass1 mounted on the  savage burra4
          ,,chapter ,,xi      ,the ,pass
 of ,mirabte--,wolves and               
,shepherds--,female ,subtlety--,death by
  ,wolves--,the ,mystery ,solved--,the  
,mountains--,the ,dark ,hour--,the      
,traveller of  the                      
,night--,abarbenel--,hoarded            
,treasure--,force of ,gold--,the        
,archbishop--,arrival  at ,madrid4    ,i
 proceeded down the pass of ,mirabte1   
occasionally ruminating on the  matter  
which had brought me to ,spain1 and     
occasionally admiring one of  the finest

 prospects in the world2 before me      
outstretched lay immense  plains1       
bounded in the distance by huge         
mountains1 whilst at the foot of  the   
hill which ,i was now descending1 rolled
 the ,tagus1 in a deep narrow  stream1  
between lofty banks2 the whole was      
gilded by the rays of the  setting sun2 
for the day1 though cold and wintry1 was
 bright and clear4  ,in about an hour ,i
 reached the river at a place where     
stood the remains  of what had once been
 a magnificent bridge1 which had1       
however1 been  blown up in the          
,peninsular war and never since         
repaired4    ,i crossed the river in a  
ferry-boat2 the passage was rather      
difficult1  the current very rapid and  
swollen1 owing to the latter rains4     
8,am ,i in ,new ,castile80 ,i demanded  
of the ferryman1 on reaching the        
further bank4  8,the raya is many       
leagues from hence10 replied the        
ferryman2 8you seem a stranger4  ,whence
 do you come80  8,from ,england10 ,i    

replied1 and without waiting for an     
answer1 ,i sprang on the burra1 and     
proceeded on my way4  ,the burra plied  
her feet most nimbly1 and1 shortly      
after nightfall1 brought me to a village
 at about two leagues' distance  from   
the river's bank4    ,i sat down in the 
venta where ,i put up2 there was a huge 
fire1 consisting  of the greater part of
 the trunk of an olive tree2 the company
 was rather  miscellaneous3 a hunter    
with his escopeta2 a brace of shepherds 
with  immense dogs1 of that species for 
which ,estremadura is celebrated2 a     
broken soldier1 just returned from the  
wars2 and a beggar1 who1 after          
demanding charity for the seven wounds  
of ,maria ,santissima1 took a seat      
amidst us1 and made himself quite       
comfortable4  ,the hostess was an active
  bustling woman1 and busied herself in 
cooking my supper1 which consisted  of  
the game which ,i had purchased at      
,jaraicejo1 and which1 on my taking     
leave of the ,gypsy1 he had counselled  

me to take with me4  ,in the  meantime1 
,i sat by the fire listening to the     
conversation of the company4    8,i     
would ,i were a wolf10 said one of the  
shepherds2 8or1 indeed1 anything  rather
 than what ,i am4  ,a pretty life is    
this of ours1 out in the campo1  among  
the carascales1 suffering heat and cold 
for a peseta a day4  ,i  would ,i were a
 wolf2 he fares better and is more      
respected than the  wretch of a         
shepherd40    8,but he frequently fares 
scurvily10 said ,i2 8the shepherd and   
dogs fall  upon him1 and then he pays   
for his temerity with the loss of his   
head40    8,that is not often the case1 
seor traveller10 said the shepherd2 8he 
watches his opportunity1 and seldom runs
 into harm's way4  ,and as to  attacking
 him1 it is no very pleasant task2 he   
has both teeth and claws1  and dog or   
man1 who has once felt them1 likes not  
to venture a second  time within his    
reach4  ,these dogs of mine will seize a
 bear singly with  considerable         

alacrity1 though he is a most powerful  
animal1 but ,i have  seen them run      
howling away from a wolf1 even though   
there were two or  three of us at hand  
to encourage them40    8,a dangerous    
person is the wolf10 said the other     
shepherd1 8and cunning  as dangerous2   
who knows more than he8  ,he knows the  
vulnerable point of  every animal2 see1 
for example1 how he flies at the neck of
 a bullock1  tearing open the veins with
 his grim teeth and claws4  ,but does he
 attack  a horse in this manner8  ,i    
trow not40    8,not he10 said the other 
shepherd1 8he is too good a judge2 but  
he  fastens on the haunches1 and        
hamstrings him in a moment4  ,o the fear
 of  the horse when he comes near the   
dwelling of the wolf4  ,my master was   
the  other day riding in the despoblado1
 above the pass1 on his fine            
,andalusian steed1 which had cost him   
five hundred dollars2 suddenly the      
horse stopped1 and sweated and trembled 
like a woman in the act of  fainting2 my

 master could not conceive the reason1  
but presently he heard  a squealing and 
growling in the bushes1 whereupon he    
fired off his gun  and scared the       
wolves1 who scampered away2 but he tells
 me1 that the  horse has not yet        
recovered from his fright40    8,yet the
 mares know1 occasionally1 how to balk  
him10 replied his  companion2 8there is 
great craft and malice in mares1 as     
there is in all  females2 see them      
feeding in the campo with their young   
cria about them2  presently the alarm is
 given that the wolf is drawing near2   
they start  wildly and run about for a  
moment1 but it is only for a            
moment--amain they  gather together1    
forming themselves into a circle1 in the
 centre of which  they place the foals4 
,onward comes the wolf1 hoping to make  
his dinner  on horse-flesh2 he is       
mistaken1 however1 the mares have balked
 him1 and  are as cunning as himself3   
not a tail is to be seen--not a hinder  
quarter--but there stands the whole     

troop1 their fronts towards him ready   
to receive him1 and as he runs around   
them barking and howling1 they rise     
successively on their hind legs1 ready  
to stamp him to the earth1 should  he   
attempt to hurt their cria or           
themselves40    8,worse than the        
he-wolf10 said the soldier1 8is the     
female1 for as the  seor pastor has well
 observed1 there is more malice in women
 than in  males3 to see one of these    
she-demons with a troop of the males at 
her  heels is truly surprising3 where   
she turns1 they turn1 and what she does 
that do they2 for they appear bewitched1
 and have no power but to imitate  her  
actions4  ,i was once travelling with a 
comrade over the hills of  ,galicia1    
when we heard a howl4  #8,those are     
wolves1' said my companion1  #8let us   
get out of the way2' so we stepped from 
the path and ascended the  side of the  
hill a little way1 to a terrace1 where  
grew vines1 after the  manner of        
,galicia3 presently appeared a large    

grey she-wolf1  deshonesta1 snapping and
 growling at a troop of demons1 who     
followed  close behind1 their tails     
uplifted1 and their eyes like           
fire-brands4  ,what do you think the    
perverse brute did8  ,instead of keeping
 to the  path1 she turned in the very   
direction in which we were2 there was   
now no  remedy1 so we stood still4  ,i  
was the first upon the terrace1 and by  
me  she passed so close that ,i felt her
 hair brush against my legs2 she1       
however1 took no notice of me1 but      
pushed on1 neither looking to the  right
 nor left1 and all the other wolves     
trotted by me without offering  the     
slightest injury or even so much as     
looking at me4  ,would that ,i  could   
say as much for my poor companion1 who  
stood farther on1 and was1 ,i  believe1 
less in the demon's way than ,i was2 she
 had nearly passed him1  when suddenly  
she turned half round and snapped at    
him4  ,i shall never  forget what       
followed3 in a moment a dozen wolves    

were upon him1 tearing  him limb from   
limb1 with howlings like nothing in this
 world2 in a few  moments he was        
devoured2 nothing remained but a skull  
and a few bones2  and then they passed  
on in the same manner as they came4     
,good reason had  ,i to be grateful that
 my lady wolf took less notice of me    
than my poor  comrade40    ,listening to
 this and similar conversation1 ,i fell 
into a doze before the  fire1 in which  
,i continued for a considerable time1   
but was at length  aroused by a voice   
exclaiming in a loud tone1 8,all are    
captured60  ,these  were the exact words
 which1 when spoken by his daughter1    
confounded the  ,gypsy upon the moor4   
,i looked around me1 the company        
consisted of the  same individuals to   
whose conversation ,i had been listening
 before ,i sank  into slumber2 but the  
beggar was now the spokesman1 and he was
 haranguing  with considerable          
vehemence4    8,i beg your pardon1      
,caballero10 said ,i1 8but ,i did not   

hear the  commencement of your          
discourse4  ,who are those who have been
 captured80    8,a band of accursed     
,gitanos1 ,caballero10 replied the      
beggar1 returning  the title of         
courtesy1 which ,i had bestowed upon    
him4  8,during more than  a fortnight   
they have infested the roads on the     
frontier of ,castile1 and  many have    
been the gentleman travellers like      
yourself whom they have  robbed and     
murdered4  ,it would seem that the      
,gypsy canaille must needs  take        
advantage of these troublous times1 and 
form themselves into a  faction4  ,it is
 said that the fellows of whom ,i am    
speaking expected many  more of their   
brethren to join them1 which is likely  
enough1 for all  ,gypsies are thieves3  
but praised be ,god1 they have been put 
down before  they became too formidable4
  ,i saw them myself conveyed to the    
prison at  ---4  ,thanks be to ,god4    
,todos estan presos40    8,the mystery  
is now solved10 said ,i to myself1 and  

proceeded to despatch  my supper1 which 
was now ready4    ,the next day's       
journey brought me to a considerable    
town1 the name of  which ,i have        
forgotten4  ,it is the first in ,new    
,castile1 in this  direction4  ,i passed
 the night as usual in the manger of the
 stable1  close beside the ,caballeria2 
for1 as ,i travelled upon a donkey1 ,i  
deemed  it incumbent upon me to be      
satisfied with a couch in keeping with  
my  manner of journeying1 being averse1 
by any squeamish and over delicate      
airs1 to generate a suspicion amongst   
the people with whom ,i mingled that  ,i
 was aught higher than what my equipage 
and outward appearance might  lead them 
to believe4  ,rising before daylight1 ,i
 again proceeded on my  way1 hoping ere 
night to be able to reach ,talavera1    
which ,i was informed  was ten leagues  
distant4  ,the way lay entirely over an 
unbroken level1  for the most part      
covered with olive trees4  ,on the left1
 however1 at the  distance of a few     

leagues1 rose the mighty mountains which
 ,i have already  mentioned4  ,they run 
eastward in a seemingly interminable    
range1 parallel  with the route which ,i
 was pursuing2 their tops and sides were
 covered  with dazzling snow1 and the   
blasts which came sweeping from them    
across  the wide and melancholy plains  
were of bitter keenness4    8,what      
mountains are those80 ,i inquired of a  
barber-surgeon1 who1 mounted  like      
myself on a grey burra1 joined me about 
noon1 and proceeded in my  company for  
several leagues4  8,they have many      
names1 ,caballero10 replied  the barber2
 8according to the names of the         
neighbouring places so they  are called4
  ,yon portion of them is styled the    
,serrania of ,plasencia2 and  opposite  
to ,madrid they are termed the          
,mountains of ,guadarama1 from a  river 
of that name1 which descends from them2 
they run a vast way1  ,caballero1 and   
separate the two kingdoms1 for on the   
other side is ,old  ,castile4  ,they are

 mighty mountains1 and though they      
generate much cold1  ,i take pleasure in
 looking at them1 which is not to be    
wondered at1  seeing that ,i was born   
amongst them1 though at present1 for my 
sins1 ,i  live in a village of the      
plain4  ,caballero1 there is not another
 such  range in ,spain2 they have their 
secrets too--their mysteries--strange   
tales  are told of those hills1 and of  
what they contain in their deep         
recesses1  for they are a broad chain1  
and you may wander days and days amongst
 them  without coming to any termino4   
,many have lost themselves on those     
hills1  and have never again been heard 
of4  ,strange things are told of them3  
it  is said that in certain places there
 are deep pools and lakes1 in which     
dwell monsters1 huge serpents as long as
 a pine tree1 and horses of the  flood1 
which sometimes come out and commit     
mighty damage4  ,one thing is  certain1 
that yonder1 far away to the west1 in   
the heart of those hills1  there is a   

wonderful valley1 so narrow that only at
 midday is the face of  the sun to be   
descried from it4  ,that valley lay     
undiscovered and unknown  for thousands 
of years2 no person dreamed of its      
existence1 but at last1  a long time    
ago1 certain hunters entered it by      
chance1 and then what do  you think they
 found1 ,caballero8  ,they found a small
 nation or tribe of  unknown people1    
speaking an unknown language1 who1      
perhaps1 had lived  there since the     
creation of the world1 without          
intercourse with the rest  of their     
fellow creatures1 and without knowing   
that other beings besides  themselves   
existed6  ,caballero1 did you never hear
 of the valley of the  ,batuecas8  ,many
 books have been written about that     
valley and those  people4  ,caballero1  
,i am proud of yonder hills2 and were ,i
 independent1  and without wife or      
children1 ,i would purchase a burra like
 that of your  own1 which ,i see is an  
excellent one1 and far superior to mine1

 and  travel amongst them till ,i knew  
all their mysteries1 and had seen all   
the  wondrous things which they         
contain40    ,throughout the day ,i     
pressed the burra forward1 only stopping
 once in  order to feed the animal2 but1
 notwithstanding that she played her    
part  very well1 night came on1 and ,i  
was still about two leagues from        
,talavera4  ,as the sun went down1 the  
cold became intense2 ,i drew the old    
,gypsy cloak1 which ,i still wore1      
closer around me1 but ,i found it quite 
inadequate to protect me from the       
inclemency of the atmosphere4  ,the     
road1 which lay over a plain1 was not   
very distinctly traced1 and became  in  
the dusk rather difficult to find1 more 
especially as cross roads  leading to   
different places were of frequent       
occurrence4  ,i1 however1  proceeded in 
the best manner ,i could1 and when ,i   
became dubious as to the  course which  
,i should take1 ,i invariably allowed   
the animal on which ,i  was mounted to  

decide4  ,at length the moon shone out  
faintly1 when  suddenly by its beams ,i 
beheld a figure moving before me at a   
slight  distance4  ,i quickened the pace
 of the burra1 and was soon close at its
  side4  ,it went on1 neither altering  
its pace nor looking round for a        
moment4  ,it was the figure of a man1   
the tallest and bulkiest that ,i had    
hitherto seen in ,spain1 dressed in a   
manner strange and singular for the     
country4  ,on his head was a hat with a 
low crown and broad brim1 very  much    
resembling that of an ,english waggoner2
 about his body was a long  loose tunic 
or slop1 seemingly of coarse ticken1    
open in front1 so as to  allow the      
interior garments to be occasionally    
seen2 these appeared to  consist of a   
jerkin and short velveteen pantaloons4  
,i have said that the  brim of the hat  
was broad1 but broad as it was1 it was  
insufficient to  cover an immense bush  
of coal-black hair1 which1 thick and    
curly1  projected on either side2 over  

the left shoulder was flung a kind of   
satchel1 and in the right hand was held 
a long staff or pole4    ,there was     
something peculiarly strange about the  
figure1 but what struck  me the most was
 the tranquillity with which it moved   
along1 taking no  heed of me1 though of 
course aware of my proximity1 but       
looking straight  forward along the     
road1 save when it occasionally raised a
 huge face and  large eyes towards the  
moon1 which was now shining forth in the
 eastern  quarter4    8,a cold night10  
said ,i at last4  8,is this the way to  
,talavera80    8,it is the way to       
,talavera1 and the night is cold40      
8,i am going to ,talavera10 said ,i1 8as
 ,i suppose you are yourself40    8,i am
 going thither1 so are you1 ,bueno40    
,the tones of the voice which delivered 
these words were in their way  quite as 
strange and singular as the figure to   
which the voice belonged2  they were not
 exactly the tones of a ,spanish voice1 
and yet there was  something in them    

that could hardly be foreign2 the       
pronunciation also  was correct2 and the
 language1 though singular1 faultless4  
,but ,i was  most struck with the manner
 in which the last word1 bueno1 was     
spoken4  ,i had heard something like it 
before1 but where or when ,i could by no
  means remember4  ,a pause now ensued2 
the figure stalking on as before  with  
the most perfect indifference1 and      
seemingly with no disposition  either to
 seek or avoid conversation4    8,are   
you not afraid10 said ,i at last1 8to   
travel these roads in the dark8  ,it is 
said that there are robbers abroad40    
8,are you not rather afraid10 replied   
the figure1 8to travel these roads  in  
the dark8--you who are ignorant of the  
country1 who are a foreigner1 an        
,englishman60    8,how is it that you   
know me to be an ,englishman80 demanded 
,i1 much  surprised4    8,that is no    
difficult matter10 replied the figure2  
8the sound of your  voice was enough to 
tell me that40    8,you speak of        

voices10 said ,i2 8suppose the tone of  
your own voice were  to tell me who you 
are80    8,that it will not do10 replied
 my companion2 8you know nothing about  
me--you can know nothing about me40     
8,be not sure of that1 my friend2 ,i am 
acquainted with many things of  which   
you have little idea40    8,por         
exemplo10 said the figure4    8,for     
example10 said ,i2 8you speak two       
languages40    ,the figure moved on1    
seemed to consider a moment1 and then   
said slowly  bueno4    8,you have two   
names10 ,i continued2 8one for the house
 and the other for  the street2 both are
 good1 but the one by which you are     
called at home is  the one which you    
like best40    ,the man walked on about 
ten paces1 in the same manner as he had 
previously done2 all of a sudden he     
turned1 and taking the bridle of the    
burra gently in his hand1 stopped her4  
,i had now a full view of his face  and 
figure1 and those huge features and     
,herculean form still occasionally      

revisit me in my dreams4  ,i see him    
standing in the moonshine1 staring me   
in the face with his deep calm eyes4    
,at last he said3    8,are you then one 
of us80                                 
99 99 99 99 99    ,it was late at night 
when we arrived at ,talavera4  ,we went 
to a large  gloomy house1 which my      
companion informed me was the principal 
posada of  the town4  ,we entered the   
kitchen1 at the extremity of which a    
large fire  was blazing4  8,pepita10    
said my companion to a handsome girl1   
who  advanced smiling towards us2 8a    
brasero and a private apartment2 this   
cavalier is a friend of mine1 and we    
shall sup together40  ,we were shown  to
 an apartment in which were two alcoves 
containing beds4  ,after supper1  which 
consisted of the very best1 by the order
 of my companion1 we sat  over the      
brasero and commenced talking4          
,myself4--,of course you have conversed 
with ,englishmen before1 else you  could
 not have recognized me by the tone of  

my voice4    ,abarbenel4--,i was a young
 lad when the war of the ,independence  
broke  out1 and there came to the       
village in which our family lived an    
,english  officer in order to teach     
discipline to the new levies4  ,he was  
quartered  in my father's house1 where  
he conceived a great affection for me4  
,on  his departure1 with the consent of 
my father1 ,i attended him through the  
,castiles1 partly as companion1 partly  
as domestic4  ,i was with him nearly  a 
year1 when he was suddenly summoned to  
return to his own country4  ,he  would  
fain have taken me with him1 but to that
 my father would by no  means consent4  
,it is now five-and-twenty years since  
,i last saw an  ,englishman2 but you    
have seen how ,i recognized you even in 
the dark  night4    ,myself4--,and what 
kind of life do you pursue1 and by what 
means do you  obtain support8           
,abarbenel4--,i experience no           
difficulty4  ,i live much in the same   
way as  ,i believe my forefathers lived2

 certainly as my father did1 for his    
course has been mine4  ,at his death ,i 
took possession of the herencia1  for ,i
 was his only child4  ,it was not       
requisite that ,i should follow any     
business1 for my wealth was great2 yet1 
to avoid remark1 ,i followed that  of my
 father1 who was a longanizero4  ,i have
 occasionally dealt in wool3  but       
lazily1 lazily--as ,i had no stimulus   
for exertion4  ,i was1 however1         
successful in many instances1 strangely 
so2 much more than many others  who     
toiled day and night1 and whose whole   
soul was in the trade4                  
,myself4--,have you any children8  ,are 
you married8    ,abarbenel4--,i have no 
children though ,i am married4  ,i have 
a wife and  an amiga1 or ,i should      
rather say two wives1 for ,i am wedded  
to both4  ,i  however call one my amiga1
 for appearance sake1 for ,i wish to    
live in  quiet1 and am unwilling to     
offend the prejudices of the surrounding
  people4    ,myself4--,you say you are 

wealthy4  ,in what does your wealth     
consist8    ,abarbenel4--,in gold and   
silver1 and stones of price2 for ,i have
  inherited all the hoards of my        
forefathers4  ,the greater part is      
buried  under ground2 indeed1 ,i have   
never examined the tenth part of it4  ,i
 have  coins of silver and gold older   
than the times of ,ferdinand the        
,accursed  and ,jezebel2 ,i have also   
large sums employed in usury4  ,we keep 
ourselves  close1 however1 and pretend  
to be poor1 miserably so2 but on certain
  occasions1 at our festivals1 when our 
gates are barred1 and our savage  dogs  
are let loose in the court1 we eat our  
food off services such as the  ,queen of
 ,spain cannot boast of1 and wash our   
feet in ewers of silver1  fashioned and 
wrought before the ,americas were       
discovered1 though our  garments are at 
all times coarse1 and our food for the  
most part of the  plainest description4 
,myself4--,are there more of you than   
yourself and your two wives8            

,abarbenel4--,there are my two servants1
 who are likewise of us2 the one  is a  
youth1 and is about to leave1 being     
betrothed to one at some  distance2 the 
other is old2 he is now upon the road1  
following me with a  mule and car4      
,myself4--,and whither are you bound at 
present8    ,abarbenel4--,to ,toledo1   
where ,i ply my trade occasionally of   
longanizero4  ,i love to wander about1  
though ,i seldom stray far from home4   
,since ,i  left the ,englishman my feet 
have never once stepped beyond the      
bounds of  ,new ,castile4  ,i love to   
visit ,toledo1 and to think of the times
 which  have long since departed2 ,i    
should establish myself there1 were     
there not  so many accursed ones1 who   
look upon me with an evil eye4          
,myself4--,are you known for what you   
are8  ,do the authorities molest you8   
,abarbenel4--,people of course suspect  
me to be what ,i am2 but as ,i  conform 
outwardly in most respects to their     
ways1 they do not interfere  with me4   

,true it is that sometimes1 when ,i     
enter the church to hear the  mass1 they
 glare at me over the left shoulder1 as 
much as to say--8,what do  you here80   
,and sometimes they cross themselves as 
,i pass by2 but as they  go no further1 
,i do not trouble myself on that        
account4  ,with respect to  the         
authorities1 they are not bad friends of
 mine4  ,many of the higher  class have 
borrowed money from me on usury1 so that
 ,i have them to a  certain extent in my
 power1 and as for the low alguazils and
 corchetes1  they would do any thing to 
oblige me in consideration of a few     
dollars1  which ,i occasionally give    
them2 so that matters upon the whole go 
on  remarkably well4  ,of old1 indeed1  
it was far otherwise2 yet1 ,i know not  
how it was1 though other families       
suffered much1 ours always enjoyed a    
tolerable share of tranquillity4  ,the  
truth is1 that our family has  always   
known how to guide itself wonderfully4  
,i may say there is much of  the wisdom 

of the snake amongst us4  ,we have      
always possessed friends2  and with     
respect to enemies1 it is by no means   
safe to meddle with us2  for it is a    
rule of our house never to forgive an   
injury1 and to spare  neither trouble   
nor expense in bringing ruin and        
destruction upon the  heads of our evil 
doers4    ,myself4--,do the priests     
interfere with you8                     
,abarbenel4--,they let me alone1        
especially in our own neighbourhood4    
,shortly after the death of my father1  
one hot-headed individual  endeavoured  
to do me an evil turn1 but ,i soon      
requited him1 causing him  to be        
imprisoned on a charge of blasphemy1 and
 in prison he remained a  long time1    
till he went mad and died4              
,myself4--,have you a head in ,spain1 in
 whom is rested the chief  authority8   
,abarbenel4--,not exactly4  ,there are1 
however1 certain holy families who      
enjoy much consideration2 my own is one 
of these--the chiefest1 ,i may say4  ,my

 grandsire was a particularly holy man2 
and ,i have heard my father say1  that  
one night an archbishop came to his     
house secretly1 merely to have  the     
satisfaction of kissing his head4       
,myself4--,how can that be2 what        
reverence could an archbishop entertain 
for one like yourself or your grandsire8
    ,abarbenel4--,more than you imagine4
  ,he was one of us1 at least his       
father was1 and he could never forget   
what he had learned with reverence  in  
his infancy4  ,he said he had tried to  
forget it1 but he could not2  that the  
ruah was continually upon him1 and that 
even from his  childhood he had borne   
its terrors with a troubled mind1 till  
at last he  could bear himself no       
longer2 so he went to my grandsire1 with
 whom he  remained one whole night2 he  
then returned to his diocese1 where he  
shortly afterwards died1 in much renown 
for sanctity4    ,myself4--,what you say
 surprises me4  ,have you reason to     
suppose that  many of you are to be     

found amongst the priesthood8           
,abarbenel4--,not to suppose1 but to    
know it4  ,there are many such as ,i    
amongst the priesthood1 and not amongst 
the inferior priesthood either2  some of
 the most learned and famed of them in  
,spain have been of us1 or  of our blood
 at least1 and many of them at this day 
think as ,i do4  ,there  is one         
particular festival of the year at which
 four dignified  ecclesiastics are sure 
to visit me2 and then1 when all is made 
close and  secure1 and the fitting      
ceremonies have been gone through1 they 
sit down  upon the floor and curse4     
,myself4--,are you numerous in the large
 towns8    ,abarbenel4--,by no means2   
our places of abode are seldom the large
 towns2  we prefer the villages1 and    
rarely enter the large towns but on     
business4  ,indeed we are not a numerous
 people1 and there are few provinces of 
,spain  which contain more than twenty  
families4  ,none of us are poor1 and    
those  among us who serve1 do so more   

from choice than necessity1 for by      
serving  each other we acquire different
 trades4  ,not unfrequently the time of 
service is that of courtship also1 and  
the servants eventually marry the       
daughters of the house4    ,we continued
 in discourse the greater part of the   
night2 the next morning  ,i prepared to 
depart4  ,my companion1 however1 advised
 me to remain where  ,i was for that    
day4  8,and if you respect my counsel10 
said he1 8you will  not proceed farther 
in this manner4  ,to-night the diligence
 will arrive  from ,estremadura1 on its 
way to ,madrid4  ,deposit yourself      
therein2 it is  the safest and most     
speedy mode of travelling4  ,as for your
 animal1 ,i  will myself purchase her4  
,my servant is here1 and has informed me
 that  she will be of service to us4    
,let us1 therefore1 pass the day        
together  in communion1 like brothers1  
and then proceed on our separate        
journeys40  ,we did pass the day        
together2 and when the diligence arrived

 ,i deposited  myself within1 and on the
 morning of the second day arrived at   
,madrid4          ,,chapter ,,xii       
,lodging at ,madrid--,my                
,hostess--,british                      
,ambassador--,mendizabal--,baltasar--,du
ties of a ,national--,young ,blood--,the
  ,execution--,population of            
,madrid--,the ,higher ,orders--,the     
,lower ,classes--,the                   
,bull-fighter--,the ,crabbed ,gitno4    
,it was the commencement of ,february   
when ,i reached ,madrid4  ,after staying
  a few days at a posada1 ,i removed to 
a lodging which ,i engaged at ,no4 #c1  
in the ,calle de la ,zarza1 a dark dirty
 street1 which1 however1 was close  to  
the ,puerta del ,sol1 the most central  
point of ,madrid1 into which four  or   
five of the principal streets debouche1 
and which is1 at all times of  the year1
 the great place of assemblage for the  
idlers of the capital1  poor or rich4   
,it was rather a singular house in which
 ,i had taken up my abode4  ,i  occupied

 the front part of the first floor2 my  
apartments consisted of an  immense     
parlour1 and a small chamber on one side
 in which ,i slept2 the  parlour1       
notwithstanding its size1 contained very
 little furniture3 a few  chairs1 a     
table1 and a species of sofa1           
constituted the whole4  ,it was  very   
cold and airy1 owing to the draughts    
which poured in from three  large       
windows1 and from sundry doors4  ,the   
mistress of the house1  attended by her 
two daughters1 ushered me in4  8,did you
 ever see a more  magnificent           
apartment80 demanded the former2 8is it 
not fit for a king's  son8  ,last winter
 it was occupied by the great ,general  
,espartero40    ,the hostess was an     
exceedingly fat woman1 a native of      
,valladolid1 in ,old  ,castile4  8,have 
you any other family10 ,i demanded1     
8besides these  daughters80  8,two      
sons10 she replied2 8one of them an     
officer in the  army1 father of this    
urchin10 pointing to a wicked but clever

 looking boy  of about twelve1 who at   
that moment bounded into the room2 8the 
other is  the most celebrated national  
in ,madrid3 he is a tailor by trade1 and
 his  name is ,baltasar4  ,he has much  
influence with the other nationals1 on  
account of the liberality of his        
opinions1 and a word from him is        
sufficient to bring them all out armed  
and furious to the ,puerta del ,sol4    
,he is1 however1 at present confined to 
his bed1 for he is very dissipated  and 
fond of the company of bull-fighters and
 people still worse40    ,as my         
principal motive for visiting the       
,spanish capital was the hope of        
obtaining permission from the government
 to print the ,new ,testament in  the   
,castilian language1 for circulation in 
,spain1 ,i lost no time1 upon my        
arrival1 in taking what ,i considered to
 be the necessary steps4    ,i was an   
entire stranger at ,madrid1 and bore no 
letters of introduction  to any persons 
of influence1 who might have assisted me

 in this  undertaking1 so that1         
notwithstanding ,i entertained a hope of
 success1  relying on the assistance of 
the ,almighty1 this hope was not at all 
times  very vivid1 but was frequently   
overcast with the clouds of despondency4
    ,mendizabal was at this time prime  
minister of ,spain1 and was considered  
as a man of almost unbounded power1 in  
whose hands were placed the  destinies  
of the country4  ,i therefore considered
 that if ,i could by any  means induce  
him to favour my views1 ,i should have  
no reason to fear  interruption from    
other quarters1 and ,i determined upon  
applying to him4    ,before talking this
 step1 however1 ,i deemed it advisable  
to wait upon ,mr4  ,villiers1 the       
,british ambassador at ,madrid2 and with
 the freedom  permitted to a ,british   
subject1 to ask his advice in this      
affair4  ,i was  received with great    
kindness1 and enjoyed a conversation    
with him on  various subjects before ,i 
introduced the matter which ,i had most 

at  heart4  ,he said that if ,i wished  
for an interview with ,mendizabal1 he   
would endeavour to procure me one1 but1 
at the same time1 told me frankly  that 
he could not hope that any good would   
arise from it1 as he knew him  to be    
violently prejudiced against the        
,british and ,foreign ,bible ,society1  
and was far more likely to              
discountenance than encourage any       
efforts  which they might be disposed to
 make for introducing the ,gospel into  
,spain4  ,i1 however1 remained resolute 
in my desire to make the trial1 and     
before ,i left him1 obtained a letter of
 introduction to ,mendizabal4    ,early 
one morning ,i repaired to the palace1  
in a wing of which was the  office of   
the ,prime ,minister2 it was bitterly   
cold1 and the ,guadarama1 of  which     
there is a noble view from the          
palace-plain1 was covered with snow4    
,for at least three hours ,i remained   
shivering with cold in an ante-room1    
with several other aspirants for an     

interview with the man of power4  ,at   
last his private secretary made his     
appearance1 and after putting various   
questions to the others1 addressed      
himself to me1 asking who ,i was and    
what ,i wanted4  ,i told him that ,i was
 an ,englishman1 and the bearer of a    
letter from the ,british ,minister4     
8,if you have no objection1 ,i will     
myself deliver it to ,his ,excellency10 
said he2 whereupon ,i handed it to  him 
and he withdrew4  ,several individuals  
were admitted before me2 at  last1      
however1 my own turn came1 and ,i was   
ushered into the presence of            
,mendizabal4    ,he stood behind a table
 covered with papers1 on which his eyes 
were  intently fixed4  ,he took not the 
slightest notice when ,i entered1 and ,i
  had leisure enough to survey him3 he  
was a huge athletic man1 somewhat       
taller than myself1 who measure six feet
 two without my shoes2 his  complexion  
was florid1 his features fine and       
regular1 his nose quite  aquiline1 and  

his teeth splendidly white3 though      
scarcely fifty years of  age1 his hair  
was remarkably grey2 he was dressed in a
 rich morning gown1  with a gold chain  
round his neck1 and morocco slippers on 
his feet4    ,his secretary1 a fine     
intellectual looking man1 who1 as ,i was
  subsequently informed1 had acquired a 
name both in ,english and ,spanish      
literature1 stood at one end of the     
table with papers in his hands4         
,after ,i had been standing about a     
quarter of an hour1 ,mendizabal suddenly
  lifted up a pair of sharp eyes1 and   
fixed them upon me with a peculiarly    
scrutinizing glance4    8,i have seen a 
glance very similar to that amongst the 
,beni ,israel10  thought ,i to myself4 4
 4 4                                    
99 99 99 99 99    ,my interview with him
 lasted nearly an hour4  ,some singular 
discourse  passed between us3 ,i found  
him1 as ,i had been informed1 a bitter  
enemy to  the ,bible ,society1 of which 
he spoke in terms of hatred and         

contempt1 and  by no means a friend to  
the ,christian religion1 which ,i could 
easily  account for4  ,i was not        
discouraged1 however1 and pressed upon  
him the  matter which brought me        
thither1 and was eventually so far      
successful1 as  to obtain a promise1    
that at the expiration of a few months1 
when he  hoped the country would be in a
 more tranquil state1 ,i should be      
allowed  to print the ,scriptures4      
,as ,i was going away he said1 8,yours  
is not the first application ,i have    
had2 ever since ,i have held the reins  
of government ,i have been pestered  in 
this manner1 by ,english calling        
themselves ,evangelical ,christians1 who
  have of late come flocking over into  
,spain4  ,only last week a hunchbacked  
fellow found his way into my cabinet    
whilst ,i was engaged in important      
business1 and told me that ,christ was  
coming4 4 4 4 ,and now you have made    
your appearance1 and almost persuaded me
 to embroil myself yet more with  the   

priesthood1 as if they did not abhor me 
enough already4  ,what a  strange       
infatuation is this which drives you    
over lands and waters with  ,bibles in  
your hands4  ,my good sir1 it is not    
,bibles we want1 but rather  guns and   
gunpowder1 to put the rebels down with1 
and above all1 money1  that we may pay  
the troops2 whenever you come with these
 three things you  shall have a hearty  
welcome1 if not1 we really can dispense 
with your  visits1 however great the    
honour40    ,myself4--,there will be no 
end to the troubles of this afflicted   
country  until the gospel have free     
circulation4    ,mendizabal4--,i        
expected that answer1 for ,i have not   
lived thirteen years  in ,england       
without forming some acquaintance with  
the phraseology of you  good folks4     
,now1 now1 pray go2 you see how engaged 
,i am4  ,come again  whenever you       
please1 but let it not be within the    
next three months4    8,don ,jorge10    
said my hostess1 coming into my         

apartment one morning1  whilst ,i sat at
 breakfast with my feet upon the        
brasero1 8here is my son  ,baltasarito1 
the national2 he has risen from his bed1
 and hearing that  there is an          
,englishman in the house1 he has begged 
me to introduce him1  for he loves      
,englishmen on account of the liberality
 of their opinions2  there he is1 what  
do you think of him80    ,i did not     
state to his mother what ,i thought2 it 
appeared to me1 however1  that she was  
quite right calling him ,baltasarito1   
which is the diminutive  of ,baltasar1  
forasmuch as that ancient and sonorous  
name had certainly  never been bestowed 
on a more diminutive personage3 he might
 measure  about five feet one inch1     
though he was rather corpulent for his  
height2  his face looked yellow and     
sickly1 he had1 however1 a kind of      
fanfaronading air1 and his eyes1 which  
were of dark brown1 were both  sharp and
 brilliant4  ,his dress1 or rather his  
undress1 was somewhat  shabby3 he had a 

foraging cap on his head1 and in lieu of
 a morning gown1  he wore a sentinel's  
old great coat4    8,i am glad to make  
your acquaintance1 seor nacional10 said 
,i to him1  after his mother had        
departed1 and ,baltasar had taken his   
seat1 and of  course lighted a paper    
cigar at the brasero4  8,i am glad to   
have made  your acquaintance1 more      
especially as your lady mother has      
informed me  that you have great        
influence with the nationals4  ,i am a  
stranger in  ,spain1 and may want a     
friend2 fortune has been kind to me in  
procuring me  one who is a member of so 
powerful a body40    ,baltasar4--,yes1  
,i have a great deal to say with the    
other nationals2  there is none in      
,madrid better known than ,baltasar1 or 
more dreaded by  the ,carlists4  ,you   
say you may stand in need of a friend2  
there is no  fear of my failing you in  
any emergency4  ,both myself and any of 
the  other nationals will be proud to go
 out with you as padrinos1 should you   

have any affair of honour on your hands4
  ,but why do you not become one  of us8
  ,we would gladly receive you into our 
body4    ,myself4--,is the duty of a    
national particularly hard8             
,baltasar4--,by no means2 we have to do 
duty about once every fifteen  days1 and
 then there is occasionally a review1   
which does not last long4  ,no6 the     
duties of a national are by no means    
onerous1 and the privileges  are great4 
,i have seen three of my brother        
nationals walk up and down  the ,prado  
of a ,sunday1 with sticks in their      
hands1 cudgelling all the  suspicious   
characters1 and it is our common        
practice to scour the streets  at night1
 and then if we meet any person who is  
obnoxious to us1 we fall  upon him1 and 
with a knife or a bayonet generally     
leave him wallowing in  his blood on the
 pavement3 no one but a national would  
be permitted to do  that4               
,myself4--,of course none but persons of
 liberal opinions are to be found       

amongst the nationals8                  
,baltasar4--,would it were so6  ,there  
are some amongst us1 ,don ,jorge1 who   
are no better than they should be2 they 
are few1 however1 and for the  most part
 well known4  ,theirs is no pleasant    
life1 for when they mount  guard with   
the rest they are scouted1 and not      
unfrequently cudgelled4  ,the law       
compels all of a certain age either to  
serve in the army or to  become national
 soldiers on which account some of these
 ,godos are to be  found amongst us4    
,myself4--,are there many in ,madrid of 
the ,carlist opinion8                   
,baltasar4--,not among the young people2
 the greater part of the  ,madrilenian  
,carlists capable of bearing arms       
departed long ago to join  the ranks of 
the factious in the ,basque provinces4  
,those who remain are  for the most part
 grey-beards and priests1 good for      
nothing but to  assemble in private     
coffee-houses1 and to prate treason     
together4  ,let  them prate1 ,don       

,jorge2 let them prate2 the destinies of
 ,spain do not  depend on the wishes of 
ojalateros and pasteleros1 but on the   
hands of  stout gallant nationals like  
myself and friends1 ,don ,jorge4        
,myself4--,i am sorry to learn from your
 lady mother1 that you are  strangely   
dissipated4    ,baltasar4--,ho1 ho1 ,don
 ,jorge1 she has told you that1 has she2
 what would  you have1 ,don ,jorge8  ,i 
am young1 and young blood will have its 
course4  ,i am called ,baltasar the gay 
by all the other nationals1 and it is on
  account of my gaiety and the          
liberality of my opinions that ,i am so 
popular among them4  ,when ,i mount     
guard ,i invariably carry my guitar with
  me1 and then there is sure to be a    
function at the guard-house4  ,we send  
for wine1 ,don ,jorge1 and the nationals
 become wild1 ,don ,jorge1 dancing  and 
drinking through the night1 whilst      
,baltasarito strums the guitar and      
sings them songs of ,germania3          
8,una romi sin pachi      ,le peno  su  

chindomar10 c41 c4    ,that is ,gitano1 
,don ,jorge2 ,i learnt it from the      
toreros of ,andalusia1 who  all speak   
,gitano1 and are mostly of ,gypsy blood4
  ,i learnt it from them2  they are all 
friends of mine1 ,montes ,sevilla and   
,poquito ,pan4  ,i never  miss a        
function of bulls1 ,don ,jorge4         
,baltasar is sure to be there with  his 
amiga4  ,don ,jorge1 there are no       
bull-functions in the winter1 or ,i     
would carry you to one1 but happily     
to-morrow there is an execution1 a      
funcion de la horca2 and there we will  
go1 ,don ,jorge4    ,we did go to see   
this execution1 which ,i shall long     
remember4  ,the  criminals were two     
young men1 brothers2 they suffered for a
 most  atrocious murder1 having in the  
dead of night broke open the house of an
  aged man1 whom they put to death1 and 
whose property they stole4  ,criminals  
in ,spain are not hanged as they are in 
,england1 or guillotined  as in ,france1
 but strangled upon a wooden stage4     

,they sit down on a kind  of chair with 
a post behind1 to which is affixed an   
iron collar with a  screw2 this iron    
collar is made to clasp the neck of the 
prisoner1 and on  a certain signal it is
 drawn tighter and tighter by means of  
the screw1  until life becomes extinct4 
,after we had waited amongst the        
assembled  multitude a considerable     
time1 the first of the culprits         
appeared2 he was  mounted on an ass1    
without saddle or stirrups1 his legs    
being allowed to  dangle nearly to the  
ground4  ,he was dressed in yellow      
sulphur-coloured  robes1 with a         
high-peaked conical red hat on his head1
 which was shaven4  ,between his hands  
he held a parchment1 on which was       
written something1 ,i  believe the      
confession of faith4  ,two priests led  
the animal by the  bridle2 two others   
walked on either side1 chanting         
litanies1 amongst  which ,i             
distinguished the words of heavenly     
peace and tranquillity1 for  the culprit

 had been reconciled to the church1 had 
confessed and received  absolution1 and 
had been promised admission to heaven4  
,he did not  exhibit the least symptom  
of fear1 but dismounted from the animal 
and was  led1 not supported1 up the     
scaffold1 where he was placed on the    
chair1  and the fatal collar put round  
his neck4  ,one of the priests then in a
  loud voice commenced saying the       
,belief1 and the culprit repeated the   
words after him4  ,on a sudden1 the     
executioner1 who stood behind1          
commenced turning the screw1 which was  
of prodigious force1 and the  wretched  
man--was almost instantly a corpse2 but1
 as the screw went round1  the priest   
began to shout1 8pax et misericordia et 
tranquillitas10 and  still as he        
shouted1 his voice became louder and    
louder1 till the lofty  walls of ,madrid
 rang with it3 then stooping down1 he   
placed his mouth  close to the culprit's
 ear1 still shouting1 just as if he     
would pursue  the spirit through its    

course to eternity1 cheering it on its  
way4  ,the  effect was tremendous4  ,i  
myself was so excited that ,i           
involuntarily  shouted 8misericordia10  
and so did many others4  ,god was not   
thought  of2 ,christ was not thought of2
 only the priest was thought of1 for he 
seemed at that moment to be the first   
being in existence1 and to have the     
power of opening and shutting the gates 
of heaven or of hell1 just as he  should
 think proper4  ,a striking instance of 
the successful working of  the ,popish  
system1 whose grand aim has ever been to
 keep people's minds  as far as possible
 from ,god1 and to centre their hopes   
and fears in the  priesthood4  ,the     
execution of the second culprit was     
precisely similar2  he ascended the     
scaffold a few minutes after his brother
 had breathed his  last4    ,i have     
visited most of the principal capitals  
of the world1 but upon the  whole none  
has ever so interested me as this city  
of ,madrid1 in which ,i  now found      

myself4  ,i will not dwell upon its     
streets1 its edifices1 its  public      
squares1 its fountains1 though some of  
these are remarkable  enough3 but       
,petersburg has finer streets1 ,paris   
and ,edinburgh more  stately edifices1  
,london far nobler squares1 whilst      
,shiraz can boast of  more costly       
fountains1 though not cooler waters4    
,but the population6  ,within a mud     
wall1 scarcely one league and a half in 
circuit1 are  contained two hundred     
thousand human beings1 certainly forming
 the most  extraordinary vital mass to  
be found in the entire world2 and be it 
always remembered that this mass is     
strictly ,spanish4  ,the population of  
,constantinople is extraordinary enough1
 but to form it twenty nations  have    
contributed2 ,greeks1 ,armenians1       
,persians1 ,poles1 ,jews1 the latter1   
by the by1 of ,spanish origin1 and      
speaking amongst themselves the old     
,spanish language2 but the huge         
population of ,madrid1 with the         

exception  of a sprinkling of           
foreigners1 chiefly ,french tailors1    
glove-makers and  peruquiers1 is        
strictly ,spanish1 though a considerable
 portion are not  natives of the place4 
,here are no colonies of ,germans1 as at
 ,saint  ,petersburg2 no ,english       
factories1 as at ,lisbon2 no multitudes 
of insolent  ,yankees lounging through  
the streets as at the ,havannah1 with an
 air  which seems to say1 the land is   
our own whenever we choose to take it2  
but a population which1 however strange 
and wild1 and composed of various       
elements1 is ,spanish1 and will remain  
so as long as the city itself shall     
exist4  ,hail1 ye aguadores of ,asturia6
 who1 in your dress of coarse  duffel   
and leathern skull-caps1 are seen seated
 in hundreds by the  fountain sides1    
upon your empty water-casks1 or         
staggering with them  filled to the     
topmost stories of lofty houses4  ,hail1
 ye caleseros of  ,valencia6 who1       
lolling lazily against your vehicles1   

rasp tobacco for  your paper cigars     
whilst waiting for a fare4  ,hail to    
you1 beggars of ,la  ,mancha6 men and   
women1 who1 wrapped in coarse blankets1 
demand charity  indifferently at the    
gate of the palace or the prison4  ,hail
 to you1  valets from the mountains1    
mayordomos and secretaries from ,biscay 
and  ,guipuscoa1 toreros from           
,andalusia1 riposteros from ,galicia1   
shopkeepers  from ,catalonia6  ,hail to 
ye1 ,castilians1 ,estremenians and      
,aragonese1 of  whatever calling6  ,and 
lastly1 genuine sons of the capital1    
rabble of  ,madrid1 ye twenty thousand  
manolos1 whose terrible knifes1 on the  
second  morning of ,may1 worked such    
grim havoc amongst the legions of       
,murat6    ,and the higher orders--the  
ladies and gentlemen1 the cavaliers and 
seoras2 shall ,i pass them by in        
silence8  ,the truth is ,i have little  
to  say about them2 ,i mingled but      
little in their society1 and what ,i saw
 of  them by no means tended to exalt   

them in my imagination4  ,i am not one  
of  those who1 wherever they go1 make it
 a constant practice to disparage the   
higher orders1 and to exalt the populace
 at their expense4  ,there are  many    
capitals in which the high aristocracy1 
the lords and ladies1 the  sons and     
daughters of nobility1 constitute the   
most remarkable and the  most           
interesting part of the population4     
,this is the case at ,vienna1 and  more 
especially at ,london4  ,who can rival  
the ,english aristocrat in lofty        
stature1 in dignified bearing1 in       
strength of hand1 and valour of heart8  
,who rides a nobler horse8  ,who has a  
firmer seat8  ,and who more lovely  than
 his wife1 or sister1 or daughter8  ,but
 with respect to the ,spanish           
aristocracy1 the ladies and gentlemen1  
the cavaliers and seoras1 ,i  believe   
the less that is said of them on the    
points to which ,i have just  alluded   
the better4  ,i confess1 however1 that  
,i know little about them2  they have1  

perhaps1 their admirers1 and to the pens
 of such ,i leave their  panegyric4  ,le
 ,sage has described them as they were  
nearly two centuries  ago4  ,his        
description is anything but captivating1
 and ,i do not think  that they have    
improved since the period of the        
sketches of the immortal  ,frenchman4   
,i would sooner talk of the lower class1
 not only of ,madrid  but of all ,spain4
  ,the ,spaniard of the lower class has 
much more interest  for me1 whether     
manolo1 labourer1 or muleteer4  ,he is  
not a common being2  he is an           
extraordinary man4  ,he has not1 it is  
true1 the amiability and  generosity of 
the ,russian mujik1 who will give his   
only rouble rather  than the stranger   
shall want2 nor his placid courage1     
which renders him  insensible to fear1  
and at the command of his ,tsar1 sends  
him singing to  certain death4 #abg     
,there is more hardness and less        
self-devotion in  the disposition of the
 ,spaniard2 he possesses1 however1 a    

spirit of proud  independence1 which it 
is impossible but to admire4  ,he is    
ignorant1 of  course2 but it is singular
 that ,i have invariably found amongst  
the low  and slightly educated classes  
far more liberality of sentiment than   
amongst the upper4  ,it has long been   
the fashion to talk of the bigotry  of  
the ,spaniards1 and their mean jealousy 
of foreigners4  ,this is true to  a     
certain extent3 but it chiefly holds    
good with respect to the upper  classes4
  ,if foreign valour or talent has never
 received its proper meed  in ,spain1   
the great body of the ,spaniards are    
certainly not in fault4  ,i  have heard 
,wellington calumniated in this proud   
scene of his triumphs1  but never by the
 old soldiers of ,aragon and the        
,asturias1 who assisted to  vanquish the
 ,french at ,salamanca and the          
,pyrenees4  ,i have heard the  manner of
 riding of an ,english jockey           
criticized1 but it was by the  idiotic  
heir of ,medina ,celi1 and not by a     

picador of the ,madrilenian bull  ring4 
,apropos of bull-fighters3--,shortly    
after my arrival1 ,i one day entered a  
low tavern in a neighbourhood notorious 
for robbery and murder1 and in  which   
for the last two hours ,i had been      
wandering on a voyage of  discovery4  ,i
 was fatigued1 and required refreshment4
  ,i found the place  thronged with     
people1 who had all the appearance of   
ruffians4  ,i saluted  them1 upon which 
they made way for me to the bar1 taking 
off their  sombreros with great         
ceremony4  ,i emptied a glass of val de 
peas1 and  was about to pay for it and  
depart1 when a horrible looking fellow1 
dressed in a buff jerkin1 leather       
breeches1 and jackboots1 which came     
half way up his thighs1 and having on   
his head a white hat1 the rims of  which
 were at least a yard and a half in     
circumference1 pushed through  the      
crowd1 and confronting me1 roared3--    
8,otra copita6 vamos ,inglesito3 ,otra  
copita60    8,thank you1 my good sir1   

you are very kind1 you appear to know   
me1 but ,i  have not the honour of      
knowing you40    8,not know me60 replied
 the being4  8,i am ,sevilla1 the       
torero4  ,i know you  well2 you are the 
friend of ,baltasarito1 the national1   
who is a friend of  mine1 and a very    
good subject40    ,then turning to the  
company1 he said in a sonorous tone1    
laying a strong  emphasis on the last   
syllable of every word1 according to the
 custom of  the gente rufianesca        
throughout ,spain3    8,cavaliers1 and  
strong men1 this cavalier is the friend 
of a friend of  mine4  ,es mucho hombre4
  ,there is none like him in ,spain4    
,he speaks  the crabbed ,gitano though  
he is an ,inglesito40    8,we do not    
believe it10 replied several grave      
voices4  8,it is not  possible40    8,it
 is not possible1 say you8  ,i tell you 
it is4  ,come forward1 ,balseiro1  you  
who have been in prison all your life1  
and are always boasting that  you can   
speak the crabbed ,gitano1 though ,i say

 you know nothing of  it--come forward  
and speak to his worship in the crabbed 
,gitano40    ,a low1 slight1 but active 
figure stepped forward4  ,he was in his 
shirt  sleeves1 and wore a montero cap2 
his features were handsome1 but they    
were those of a demon4    ,he spoke a   
few words in the broken ,gypsy slang of 
the prison1 inquiring  of me whether ,i 
had ever been in the condemned cell1 and
 whether ,i knew  what a ,gitana #abh   
was8    8,vamos ,inglesito10 shouted    
,sevilla in a voice of thunder2 8answer 
the  monro in the crabbed ,gitano40     
,i answered the robber1 for such he was1
 and one1 too1 whose name will  live for
 many a year in the ruffian histories of
 ,madrid2 ,i answered him  in a speech  
of some length1 in the dialect of the   
,estremenian ,gypsies4    8,i believe it
 is the crabbed ,gitano10 muttered      
,balseiro4  8,it is either  that or     
,english1 for ,i understand not a word  
of it40    8,did ,i not say to you10    
cried the bull-fighter1 8that you knew  

nothing of  the crabbed ,gitano8  ,but  
this ,inglesito does4  ,i understood all
 he said4  ,vaya1 there is none like him
 for the crabbed ,gitano4  ,he is a good
  ginete1 too2 next to myself1 there is 
none like him1 only he rides with       
stirrup leathers too short4  ,inglesito1
 if you have need of money1 ,i will     
lend you my purse4  ,all ,i have is at  
your service1 and that is not a  little2
 ,i have just gained four thousand chuls
 by the lottery4  ,courage1             
,englishman6  ,another cup4  ,i will pay
 all4  ,i1 ,sevilla60    ,and he clapped
 his hand repeatedly on his breast1     
reiterating 8,i1  ,sevilla6  ,i--0      
,,chapter ,,xiii      ,intrigues at     
,court--,quesada and                    
,galiano--,dissolution of the           
,cortes--,the  ,secretary--,aragonese   
,pertinacity--,the ,council of          
,trent--,the ,asturian--,the  ,three    
,thieves--,benedict ,mol--,the ,men of  
,lucerne--,the ,treasure4    ,mendizabal
 had told me to call upon him again at  

the end of three months1  giving me     
hopes that he would not then oppose     
himself to the publication  of the ,new 
,testament2 before1 however1 the three  
months had elapsed1 he  had fallen into 
disgrace1 and had ceased to be prime    
minister4    ,an intrigue had been      
formed against him1 at the head of which
 were two  quondam friends of his1 and  
fellow-townsmen1 ,gaditanians1 ,isturitz
 and  ,alcala ,galiano2 both of them had
 been egregious liberals in their day1  
and indeed principal members of those   
cortes which1 on the ,angouleme         
invasion1 had hurried ,ferdinand from   
,madrid to ,cadiz1 and kept him         
prisoner there until that impregnable   
town thought proper to surrender1  and  
both of them had been subsequently      
refugees in ,england1 where they  had   
spent a considerable number of years4   
,these gentlemen1 however1 finding      
themselves about this time exceedingly  
poor1 and not seeing any immediate      
prospect of advantage from supporting   

,mendizabal2 considering themselves1    
moreover1 quite as good men as he1  and 
as capable of governing ,spain in the   
present emergency2 determined to  secede
 from the party of their friend1 whom   
they had hitherto supported1  and to set
 up for themselves4    ,they therefore  
formed an opposition to ,mendizabal in  
the cortes2 the  members of this        
opposition assumed the name of          
moderados1 in  contradistinction to     
,mendizabal and his followers1 who were 
ultra  liberals4  ,the moderados were   
encouraged by the ,queen ,regent        
,christina1  who aimed at a little more 
power than the liberals were disposed to
 allow  her1 and who had a personal     
dislike to the minister4  ,they were    
likewise  encouraged by ,cordova1 who at
 that time commanded the army1 and was  
displeased with ,mendizabal1 inasmuch as
 the latter did not supply the          
pecuniary demands of the general with   
sufficient alacrity1 though it is  said 
that the greater part of what was sent  

for the payment of the troops  was not  
devoted to that purpose1 but1 was       
invested in the ,french funds in  the   
name and for the use and behoof of the  
said ,cordova4    ,it is1 however1 by no
 means my intention to write an account 
of the  political events which were     
passing around me at this period2       
suffice it  to say1 that ,mendizabal    
finding himself thwarted in all his     
projects by  the regent and the general1
 the former of whom would adopt no      
measure  which he recommended1 whilst   
the latter remained inactive and refused
 to  engage the enemy1 which by this    
time had recovered from the check caused
  by the death of ,zumalacarregui1 and  
was making considerable progress1       
resigned and left the field for the time
 open to his adversaries1 though  he    
possessed an immense majority in the    
cortes1 and had the voice of the        
nation1 at least the liberal part of it1
 in his favour4    ,thereupon1 ,isturitz
 became head of the cabinet1 ,galiano   

minister of  marine1 and a certain ,duke
 of ,rivas minister of the interior4    
,these were  the heads of the moderado  
government1 but as they were by no means
  popular at ,madrid1 and feared the    
nationals1 they associated with         
themselves one who hated the latter body
 and feared nothing1 a man of the  name 
of ,quesada1 a very stupid individual1  
but a great fighter1 who1 at  one period
 of his life1 had commanded a legion or 
body of men called the  ,army of the    
,faith1 whose exploits both on the      
,french and ,spanish side of  the       
,pyrenees are too well known to require 
recapitulation4  ,this person  was made 
captain general of ,madrid4    ,by far  
the most clever member of this          
government was ,galiano1 whose          
acquaintance ,i had formed shortly after
 my arrival4  ,he was a man of          
considerable literature1 and            
particularly well versed in that of his 
own  country4  ,he was1 moreover1 a     
fluent1 elegant1 and forcible speaker1  

and  was to the moderado party within   
the cortes what ,quesada was without1   
namely1 their horses and chariots4  ,why
 he was made minister of marine is      
difficult to say1 as ,spain did not     
possess any2 perhaps1 however1 from  his
 knowledge of the ,english language1    
which he spoke and wrote nearly as  well
 as his own tongue1 having indeed during
 his sojourn in ,england  chiefly       
supported himself by writing for reviews
 and journals1 an  honourable           
occupation1 but to which few foreign    
exiles in ,england would  be qualified  
to devote themselves4    ,he was a very 
small and irritable man1 and a bitter   
enemy to every person  who stood in the 
way of his advancement4  ,he hated      
,mendizabal with  undisguised rancour1  
and never spoke of him but in terms of  
unmeasured  contempt4  8,i am afraid    
that ,i shall have some difficulty in   
inducing  ,mendizabal to give me        
permission to print the ,testament10    
said ,i to him  one day4  8,mendizabal  

is a jackass10 replied ,galiano4        
8,caligula made his  horse consul1 which
 ,i suppose induced ,lord--to send over 
this huge burro  of the ,stock ,exchange
 to be our minister40    ,it would be   
very ungrateful on my part were ,i not  
to confess my great  obligations to     
,galiano1 who assisted me to the utmost 
of his power in the  business which had 
brought me to ,spain4  ,shortly after   
the ministry was  formed1 ,i went to him
 and said1 8that now or never was the   
time to make  an effort in my behalf40  
8,i will do so10 said he1 in a waspish  
tone2 for  he always spoke waspishly    
whether to friend or foe2 8but you must 
have  patience for a few days1 we are   
very much occupied at present4  ,we have
  been outvoted in the cortes1 and this 
afternoon we intend to dissolve  them4  
,it is believed that the rascals will   
refuse to depart1 but ,quesada  will    
stand at the door ready to turn them    
out1 should they prove  refractory4     
,come along1 and you will perhaps see a 

funcion40    ,after an hour's debate1   
the cortes were dissolved without it    
being  necessary to call in the aid of  
the redoubtable ,quesada1 and ,galiano  
forthwith gave me a letter to his       
colleague the ,duke of ,rivas1 in whose 
department he told me was vested the    
power either of giving or refusing  the 
permission to print the book in         
question4  ,the duke was a very         
handsome young man1 of about thirty1 an 
,andalusian by birth1 like his two      
colleagues4  ,he had published several  
works1 tragedies1 ,i believe1 and       
enjoyed a certain kind of literary      
reputation4  ,he received me with the   
greatest affability2 and having heard   
what ,i had to say1 he replied with  a  
most captivating bow1 and a genuine     
,andalusian grimace3 8,go to my         
secretary2 go to my secretary--el hara  
por usted el gusio40  ,so ,i went  to   
the secretary1 whose name was ,oliban1  
an ,aragonese1 who was not  handsome1   
and whose manners were neither elegant  

nor affable4  8,you want  permission to 
print the ,testament80  8,i do10 said   
,i4  8,and you have come  to ,his       
,excellency about it10 continued        
,oliban4  8,very true10 ,i replied4  8,i
 suppose you intend to print it without 
notes40  8,yes40  8,then ,his           
,excellency cannot give you permission10
 said the ,aragonese secretary3 8it  was
 determined by the ,council of ,trent   
that no part of the ,scripture  should  
be printed in any ,christian country    
without the notes of the  church40      
8,how many years was that ago80 ,i      
demanded4  8,i do not know how  many    
years ago it was10 said ,oliban2 8but   
such was the decree of the  ,council of 
,trent40  8,is ,spain at present        
governed according to the  decrees of   
the ,council of ,trent80 ,i inquired4   
8,in some points she is10  answered the 
,aragonese1 8and this is one4  ,but tell
 me who are you8  ,are  you known to the
 ,british minister80  8,o yes1 and he   
takes a great  interest in the matter40 

8,does he80 said ,oliban2 8that indeed  
alters the  case3 if you can show me    
that ,his ,excellency takes in interest 
in this  business1 ,i certainly shall   
not oppose myself to it40    ,the       
,british minister performed all ,i could
 wish1 and much more than ,i  could     
expect2 he had an interview with the    
,duke of ,rivas1 with whom he  had much 
discourse upon my affair3 the duke was  
all smiles and courtesy4  ,he moreover  
wrote a private letter to the duke1     
which he advised me to  present when ,i 
next paid him a visit1 and1 to crown    
all1 he wrote a  letter directed to     
myself1 in which he did me the honour to
 say that he  had a regard for me1 and  
that nothing would afford him greater   
pleasure  than to hear that ,i had      
obtained the permission which ,i was    
seeking4  ,so  ,i went to the duke1 and 
delivered the letter4  ,he was ten times
 more kind  and affable than before3 he 
read the letter1 smiled most sweetly1   
and  then1 as if seized with sudden     

enthusiasm1 he extended his arms in a   
manner almost theatrical1 exclaiming1   
8,al secretario1 el hara por  usted el  
gusto40  ,away ,i hurried to the        
secretary1 who received me with  all the
 coolness of an icicle3 ,i related to   
him the words of his  principal1 and    
then put into his hand the letter of the
 ,british minister  to myself4  ,the    
secretary read it very deliberately1 and
 then said that  it was evident ,his    
,excellency did take an interest in the 
matter4  ,he  then asked me my name1 and
 taking a sheet of paper1 sat down as if
 for  the purpose of writing the        
permission4  ,i was in ecstasy--all of a
 sudden1  however1 he stopped1 lifted up
 his head1 seemed to consider a moment1 
and  then putting his pen behind his    
ear1 he said1 8,amongst the decrees of  
the  ,council of ,trent is one to the   
effect0 4 4 4    8,oh dear60 said ,i4   
8,a singular person is this ,oliban10   
said ,i to ,galiano2 8you cannot        
imagine what trouble he gives me3 he is 

continually talking about the  ,council 
of ,trent40    8,i wish he was in the   
,trent up to the middle10 said ,galiano1
 who1 as ,i  have observed already1     
spoke excellent ,english2 8,i wish he   
was there for  talking such nonsense4   
,however10 said he1 8we must not offend 
,oliban1 he  is one of us1 and has done 
us much service2 he is1 moreover1 a very
  clever man1 but he is an ,aragonese1  
and when one of that nation once gets   
an idea into his head1 it is the most   
difficult thing in the world to         
dislodge it2 however1 we will go to him2
 he is an old friend of mine1 and  ,i   
have no doubt but that we shall be able 
to make him listen to reason40  ,so the 
next day ,i called upon ,galiano1 at his
 marine or admiralty office  7what shall
 ,i call it871 and from thence we       
proceeded to the bureau of  the         
interior1 a magnificent edifice1 which  
had formerly been the casa of  the      
,inquisition1 where we had an interview 
with ,oliban1 whom ,galiano took  aside 

to the window1 and there held with him a
 long conversation1 which1  as they     
spoke in whispers1 and the room was     
immensely large1 ,i did not  hear4  ,at 
length ,galiano came to me and said1    
8,there is some difficulty  with respect
 to this business of yours1 but ,i have 
told ,oliban that you  are a friend of  
mine1 and he says that that is          
sufficient2 remain with  him now1 and he
 will do anything to oblige you2 your   
affair is  settled--farewell02 whereupon
 he departed and ,i remained with       
,oliban1 who  proceeded forthwith to    
write something1 which having concluded1
 he took  out a box of cigars1 and      
having lighted one and offered me       
another1 which  ,i declined as ,i do not
 smoke1 he placed his feet against the  
table1 and  thus proceeded to address   
me1 speaking in the ,french language4   
8,it is with great pleasure that ,i see 
you in this capital1 and1 ,i may  say1  
upon this business4  ,i consider it a   
disgrace to ,spain that there is  no    

edition of the ,gospel in circulation1  
at least such a one as would be  within 
the reach of all classes of society1 the
 highest or poorest2 one  unencumbered  
with notes and commentaries1 human      
devices1 swelling it to  an unwieldy    
bulk4  ,i have no doubt that such an    
edition as you propose to  print1 would 
have a most beneficial influence on the 
minds of the people1  who1 between      
ourselves1 know nothing of pure         
religion2 how should they8  seeing that 
the ,gospel has always been sedulously  
kept from them1 just as  if civilization
 could exist where the light of the     
,gospel beameth not4  ,the moral        
regeneration of ,spain depends upon the 
free circulation of the  ,scriptures2 to
 which alone ,england1 your own happy   
country1 is indebted  for its high state
 of civilization1 and the unmatched     
prosperity which it  at present enjoys2 
all this ,i admit1 in fact1 reason      
compels me to do so1  but--0    8,now   
for it10 thought ,i4    8,but0--and then

 he began to talk once more of the      
wearisome ,council of  ,trent1 and ,i   
found that his writing in the paper1 the
 offer of the cigar1  and the long and  
prosy harangue were--what shall ,i call 
it8--mere 4    ,by this time the spring 
was far advanced1 the sides though not  
the tops  of the ,guadarama hills had   
long since lost their snows2 the trees  
of the  ,prado had donned their full    
foliage1 and all the ,campina in the    
neighbourhood of ,madrid smiled and was 
happy3 the summer heats had not         
commenced1 and the weather was truly    
delicious4    ,towards the west1 at the 
foot of the hill on which stands        
,madrid1 is a  canal running parallel   
with the ,manzanares for some leagues1  
from which  it is separated by pleasant 
and fertile meadows4  ,the banks of this
  canal1 which was begun by ,carlos     
,tercero1 and has never been completed1 
are planted with beautiful trees1 and   
form the most delightful walk in  the   
neighbourhood of the capital4  ,here ,i 

would loiter for hours looking  at the  
shoals of gold and silver fish which    
basked on the surface of the  green     
sunny waters1 or listening1 not to the  
warbling of birds--for ,spain  is not   
the land of feathered choristers--but to
 the prattle of the  narangero or man   
who sold oranges and water by a little  
deserted watch  tower just opposite the 
wooden bridge that crosses the canal1   
which  situation he had chosen as       
favourable for his trade1 and there had 
placed  his stall4  ,he was an ,asturian
 by birth1 about fifty years of age1 and
  about five feet high4  ,as ,i         
purchased freely of his fruit1 he soon  
conceived a great friendship for me1 and
 told me his history2 it  contained1    
however1 nothing very remarkable1 the   
leading incident being  an adventure    
which had befallen him amidst the       
mountains of ,granada1  where1 falling  
into the hands of certain ,gypsies1 they
 stripped him  naked1 and then dismissed
 him with a sound cudgelling4  8,i have 

wandered  throughout ,spain10 said he1  
8and ,i have come to the conclusion that
 there  are but two places worth living 
in1 ,malaga and ,madrid4  ,at ,malaga   
everything is very cheap1 and there is  
such an abundance of fish1 that ,i  have
 frequently seen them piled in heaps on 
the sea-shore3 and as for  ,madrid1     
money is always stirring at the ,corte1 
and ,i never go supperless  to bed2 my  
only care is to sell my oranges1 and my 
only hope that when ,i  die ,i shall be 
buried yonder40    ,and he pointed      
across the ,manzanares1 where1 on the   
declivity of a gentle  hill1 at about a 
league's distance1 shone brightly in the
 sunshine the  white walls of the ,campo
 ,santo1 or common burying ground of    
,madrid4    ,he was a fellow of infinite
 drollery1 and1 though he could scarcely
 read  or write1 by no means ignorant of
 the ways of the world2 his knowledge of
  individuals was curious and extensive1
 few people passing his stall with      
whose names1 character1 and history he  

was not acquainted4  8,those two        
gentry10 said he1 pointing to a         
magnificently dressed cavalier and lady1
  who had dismounted from a carriage1   
and arm in arm were coming across the   
wooden bridge1 followed by two          
attendants2 8those gentry are the       
,infante  ,francisco ,paulo1 and his    
wife the ,neapolitana1 sister of our    
,christina2  he is a very good subject1 
but as for his wife--vaya--the veriest  
scold in  ,madrid2 she can say carrajo  
with the most ill-conditioned carrier of
 ,la  ,mancha1 giving the true emphasis 
and genuine pronunciation4  ,don't take 
off your hat to her1 amigo--she has     
neither formality nor politeness--,i    
once saluted her1 and she took no more  
notice of me than if ,i had not  been   
what ,i am1 an ,asturian and a          
gentleman1 of better blood than         
herself4  ,good day1 ,seor ,don         
,francisco4  ,que tal 7how goes it78    
very  fine weather this--vaya su merced 
con ,dios4  ,those three fellows who    

just stopped to drink water are great   
thieves1 true sons of the prison2 ,i  am
 always civil to them1 for it would not 
do to be on ill terms2 they pay  me or  
not1 just as they think proper4  ,i have
 been in some trouble on  their account3
 about a year ago they robbed a man a   
little farther on  beyond the second    
bridge4  ,by the way1 ,i counsel you1   
brother1 not to go  there1 as ,i believe
 you often do--it is a dangerous place4 
,they robbed a  gentleman and           
ill-treated him1 but his brother1 who   
was an escribano1 was  soon upon their  
trail1 and had them arrested2 but he    
wanted someone to  identify them1 and it
 chanced that they had stopped to drink 
water at my  stall1 just as they did    
now4  ,this the escribano heard of1 and 
forthwith  had me away to the prison to 
confront me with them4  ,i knew them    
well  enough1 but ,i had learnt in my   
travels when to close my eyes and when  
to  open them2 so ,i told the escribano 
that ,i could not say that ,i had ever  

seen them before4  ,he was in a great   
rage and threatened to imprison me2  ,i 
told him he might and that ,i cared not4
  ,vaya1 ,i was not going to  expose    
myself to the resentment of those three 
and to that of their  friends2 ,i live  
too near the ,hay ,market for that4     
,good day1 my young  masters4--,murcian 
oranges1 as you see2 the genuine        
dragon's blood4  ,water  sweet and cold4
  ,those two boys are the children of   
,gabiria1 comptroller  of the queen's   
household1 and the richest man in       
,madrid2 they are nice  boys1 and buy   
much fruit4  ,it is said their father   
loves them more than  all his           
possessions4  ,the old woman who is     
lying beneath yon tree is the  ,tia     
,lucilla2 she has committed murders1 and
 as she owes me money1 ,i hope  one day 
to see her executed4  ,this man was of  
the ,walloon guard2--,seor  ,don ,benito
 ,mol1 how do you do80    ,this last    
named personage instantly engrossed my  
attention2 he was a  bulky old man1     

somewhat above the middle height1 with  
white hair and  ruddy features2 his eyes
 were large and blue1 and whenever he   
fixed them  on any one's countenance1   
were full of an expression of great     
eagerness1  as if he were expecting the 
communication of some important tidings4
  ,he  was dressed commonly enough1 in a
 jacket and trousers of coarse cloth of 
a russet colour1 on his head was an     
immense sombrero1 the brim of which  had
 been much cut and mutilated1 so as in  
some places to resemble the  jags or    
denticles of a saw4  ,he returned the   
salutation of the  orange-man1 and      
bowing to me1 forthwith produced two    
scented wash-balls  which he offered for
 sale in a rough dissonant jargon1      
intended for  ,spanish1 but which seemed
 more like the ,valencian or ,catalan4  
,upon my asking him who he was1 the     
following conversation ensued between   
us3    8,i am a ,swiss of ,lucerne1     
,benedict ,mol by name1 once a soldier  
in the  ,walloon guard1 and now a       

soap-boiler1 at your service40    8,you 
speak the language of ,spain very       
imperfectly10 said ,i2 8how long  have  
you been in the country80               
8,forty-five years10 replied ,benedict2 
8but when the guard was broken up1  ,i  
went to ,minorca1 where ,i lost the     
,spanish language without acquiring  the
 ,catalan40    8,you have been a soldier
 of the king of ,spain10 said ,i2 8how  
did you like  the service80    8,not so 
well1 but that ,i should have been glad 
to leave it forty years  ago2 the pay   
was bad1 and the treatment worse4  ,i   
will now speak ,swiss to  you1 for1 if  
,i am not much mistaken1 you are a      
,german man1 and understand  the speech 
of ,lucerne2 ,i should soon have        
deserted from the service of  ,spain1 as
 ,i did from that of the ,pope1 whose   
soldier ,i was in my early  youth before
 ,i came here2 but ,i had married a     
woman of ,minorca1 by whom ,i  had two  
children2 it was this that detained me  
in those parts so long2  before1        

however1 ,i left ,minorca1 my wife died1
 and as for my children1  one went east1
 the other west1 and ,i know not what   
became of them2 ,i  intend shortly to   
return to ,lucerne1 and live there like 
a duke40    8,have you1 then1 realized a
 large capital in ,spain80 said ,i1     
glancing at  his hat and the rest of his
 apparel4    8,not a cuart1 not a cuart2
 these two wash-balls are all that ,i   
possess40    8,perhaps you are the son  
of good parents1 and have lands and     
money in  your own country wherewith to 
support yourself40    8,not a heller1   
not a heller2 my father was hangman of  
,lucerne1 and when  he died1 his body   
was seized to pay his debts40    8,then 
doubtless10 said ,i1 8you intend to ply 
your trade of soap-boiling  at ,lucerne2
 you are quite right1 my friend1 ,i know
 of no occupation more  honourable or   
useful40    8,i have no thoughts of     
plying my trade at ,lucerne10 replied   
,bennet2 8and  now1 as ,i see you are a 
,german man1 ,lieber ,herr1 and as ,i   

like your  countenance and your manner  
of speaking1 ,i will tell you in        
confidence  that ,i know very little of 
my trade1 and have already been turned  
out of  several fabriques as an evil    
workman2 the two wash-balls that ,i     
carry in  my pocket are not of my own   
making4  ,in kurtzen1 ,i know little    
more of  soap-boiling than ,i do of     
tailoring1 horse-farriery1 or           
shoe-making1 all  of which ,i have      
practised40    8,then ,i know not how   
you can hope to live like a hertzog in  
your native  canton1 unless you expect  
that the men of ,lucerne1 in            
consideration of  your services to the  
,pope and to the king of ,spain1 will   
maintain you in  splendour at the public
 expense40    8,lieber ,herr10 said     
,benedict1 8the men of ,lucerne are by  
no means fond of  maintaining the       
soldiers of the ,pope and the king of   
,spain at their own  expense2 many of   
the guard who have returned thither beg 
their bread in  the streets1 but when ,i

 go1 it shall be in a coach drawn by six
 mules1  with a treasure1 a mighty      
schatz which lies in the church of      
,saint ,james  of ,compostella1 in      
,galicia40    8,i hope you do not intend
 to rob the church10 said ,i2 8if you   
do1  however1 ,i believe you will be    
disappointed4  ,mendizabal and the      
liberals  have been beforehand with you4
  ,i am informed that at present no     
other  treasure is to be found in the   
cathedrals of ,spain than a few paltry  
ornaments and plated utensils40    8,my 
good ,german ,herr10 said ,benedict1 8it
 is no church schatz1 and no  person    
living1 save myself1 knows of its       
existence3 nearly thirty years  ago1    
amongst the sick soldiers who were      
brought to ,madrid1 was one of my       
comrades of the ,walloon ,guard1 who had
 accompanied the ,french to  ,portugal2 
he was very sick and shortly died4      
,before1 however1 he  breathed his last1
 he sent for me1 and upon his deathbed  
told me that  himself and two other     

soldiers1 both of whom had since been   
killed1 had  buried in a certain church 
at ,compostella a great booty which they
 had  made in ,portugal3 it consisted of
 gold moidores and of a packet of huge  
diamonds from the ,brazils2 the whole   
was contained in a large copper  kettle4
  ,i listened with greedy ears1 and from
 that moment1 ,i may say1 ,i  have known
 no rest1 neither by day nor night1     
thinking of the schatz4  ,it  is very   
easy to find1 for the dying man was so  
exact in his description  of the place  
where it lies1 that were ,i once at     
,compostella1 ,i should  have no        
difficulty in putting my hand upon it2  
several times ,i have been  on the point
 of setting out on the journey1 but     
something has always  happened to stop  
me4  ,when my wife died1 ,i left        
,minorca with a  determination to go to 
,saint ,james1 but on reaching ,madrid1 
,i fell into  the hands of a ,basque    
woman1 who persuaded me to live with    
her1 which ,i  have done for several    

years2 she is a great hax1 #ach and says
 that if ,i  desert her she will breathe
 a spell which shall cling to me for    
ever4  ,dem ,got sey dank1--she is now  
in the hospital1 and daily expected to  
die4  ,this is my history1 ,lieber      
,herr40    ,i have been the more careful
 in relating the above conversation1 as 
,i  shall have frequent occasion to     
mention the ,swiss in the course of     
these  journals2 his subsequent         
adventures were highly extraordinary1   
and the  closing one caused a great     
sensation in ,spain4          ,,chapter 
,,xiv      ,state of                    
,spain--,isturitz--,revolution of the   
,granja--,the ,disturbance--,signs of   
,mischief--,newspaper                   
,reporters--,quesada's ,onslaught--,the 
,closing ,scene--,flight  of the        
,moderados--,the ,coffee ,bowl4    ,in  
the meantime the affairs of the         
moderados did not proceed in a very     
satisfactory manner2 they were unpopular
 at ,madrid1 and still more so in  the  

other large towns of ,spain1 in most of 
which juntas had been formed1  which1   
taking the local administration into    
their own hands1 declared  themselves   
independent of the queen and her        
ministers1 and refused to pay  taxes2 so
 that the government was within a short 
time reduced to great  straits for      
money2 the army was unpaid1 and the war 
languished2 ,i mean on  the part of the 
,christinos1 for the ,carlists were     
pushing it on with  considerable vigour2
 parties of their guerillas scouring the
 country in  all directions1 whilst a   
large division1 under the celebrated    
,gomez1 was  making the entire circuit  
of ,spain4  ,to crown the whole1 an     
insurrection  was daily expected at     
,madrid1 to prevent which the nationals 
were  disarmed1 which measure tended    
greatly to increase their hatred against
  the moderado government1 and          
especially against ,quesada1 with whom  
it was  supposed to have originated4    
,with respect to my own matters1 ,i lost

 no opportunity of pushing forward  my  
application2 the ,aragonese secretary1  
however1 still harped upon the  ,council
 of ,trent1 and succeeded in baffling   
all my efforts4  ,he appeared  to have  
inoculated his principal with his own   
ideas upon the subject1 for  the duke1  
when he beheld me at his levees1 took no
 farther notice of me  than by a        
contemptuous glance2 and once1 when ,i  
stepped up for the  purpose of          
addressing him1 disappeared through a   
side door1 and ,i never  saw him again1 
for ,i was disgusted with the treatment 
which ,i had  received1 and forebore    
paying any more visits at the ,casa de  
la  ,inquisicion4  ,poor ,galiano still 
proved himself my unshaken friend1 but  
candidly informed me that there was no  
hope of my succeeding in the above      
quarter4  8,the duke10 said he1 8says   
that your request cannot be granted2    
and the other day1 when ,i myself       
mentioned it in the council1 began to   
talk of the decision of ,trent1 and     

spoke of yourself as a plaguy  pestilent
 fellow2 whereupon ,i answered him with 
some acrimony1 and there  ensued a bit  
of a function between us1 at which      
,isturitz laughed  heartily4  ,by the   
by10 continued he1 8what need have you  
of a regular  permission1 which it does 
not appear that any one has authority to
 grant4  ,the best thing that you can do
 under all circumstances is to commit   
the  work to the press1 with an         
understanding that you shall not be     
interfered  with when you attempt to    
distribute it4 ,i strongly advise you to
 see  ,isturitz himself upon the matter4
  ,i will prepare him for the interview1
  and will answer that he receives you  
civilly40    ,in fact1 a few days       
afterwards1 ,i had an interview with    
,isturitz at the  palace1 and for the   
sake of brevity ,i shall content myself 
with saying  that ,i found him perfectly
 well disposed to favour my views4  8,i 
have  lived long in ,england10 said he2 
8the ,bible is free there1 and ,i see no

  reason why it should not be free in   
,spain also4  ,i am not prepared to say 
that ,england is indebted for her       
prosperity to the knowledge which all   
her children1 more or less1 possess of  
the sacred writings2 but of one  thing  
,i am sure1 namely1 that the ,bible has 
done no harm in that country1  nor do ,i
 believe that it will effect any in     
,spain2 print it1 therefore1  by all    
means1 and circulate it as extensively  
as possible40  ,i retired1  highly      
satisfied with my interview1 having     
obtained1 if not a written  permission  
to print the sacred volume1 what1 under 
all circumstances1 ,i  considered as    
almost equivalent1 an understanding that
 my biblical  pursuits would be         
tolerated in ,spain2 and ,i had fervent 
hope that  whatever was the fate of the 
present ministry1 no future one1        
particularly a liberal one1 would       
venture to interfere with me1 more      
especially as the ,english ambassador   
was my friend1 and was privy to all  the

 steps ,i had taken throughout the whole
 affair4    ,two or three things        
connected with the above interview with 
,isturitz  struck me as being highly    
remarkable4  ,first of all1 the extreme 
facility  with which ,i obtained        
admission to the presence of the prime  
minister of  ,spain4  ,i had not to     
wait1 or indeed to send in my name1 but 
was  introduced at once by the          
door-keeper4  ,secondly1 the air of     
loneliness  which pervaded the place1 so
 unlike the bustle1 noise1 and activity 
which  ,i observed when ,i waited on    
,mendizabal4  ,in this instance1 there  
were no  eager candidates for an        
interview with the great man2 indeed1 ,i
 did not  behold a single individual1   
with the exception of ,isturitz and the 
official4  ,but that which made the most
 profound impression upon me1 was  the  
manner of the minister himself1 who1    
when ,i entered1 sat upon a sofa1  with 
his arms folded1 and his eyes directed  
to the ground4  ,when he spoke  there   

was extreme depression in the tones of  
his voice1 his dark features  wore an   
air of melancholy1 and he exhibited all 
the appearance of a  person meditating  
to escape from the miseries of this life
 by the most  desperate of all          
acts--suicide4    ,and a few days showed
 that he had1 indeed1 cause for much    
melancholy  meditation3 in less than a  
week occurred the revolution of the     
,granja1 as  it is called4  ,the        
,granja1 or ,grange1 is a royal country 
seat1 situated  amongst pine forests1 on
 the other side of the ,guadarama hills1
 about  twelve leagues distant from     
,madrid4  ,to this place the queen      
regent  ,christina had retired1 in order
 to be aloof from the discontent of the 
capital1 and to enjoy rural air and     
amusements in this celebrated  retreat1 
a monument of the taste and magnificence
 of the first ,bourbon  who ascended the
 throne of ,spain4  ,she was not1       
however1 permitted to  remain long in   
tranquillity2 her own guards were       

disaffected1 and more  inclined to the  
principles of the constitution of #ahbc 
than to those of  absolute monarchy1    
which the moderados were attempting to  
revive again in  the government of      
,spain4  ,early one morning1 a party of 
these soldiers1  headed by a certain    
,sergeant ,garcia1 entered her          
apartment1 and proposed  that she should
 subscribe her hand to this             
constitution1 and swear  solemnly to    
abide by it4  ,christina1 however1 who  
was a woman of  considerable spirit1    
refused to comply with this proposal1   
and ordered  them to withdraw4  ,a scene
 of violence and tumult ensued1 but the 
regent  still continuing firm1 the      
soldiers at length led her down to one  
of the  courts of the palace1 where     
stood her well-known paramour1 ,muos1   
bound  and blindfolded4  8,swear to the 
constitution1 you she-rogue10           
vociferated  the swarthy sergeant4      
8,never60 said the spirited daughter of 
the  ,neapolitan ,bourbons4  8,then your

 cortejo shall die60 replied the        
sergeant4  8,ho6 ho6 my lads2 get ready 
your arms1 and send four bullets        
through the fellow's brain40  ,muos was 
forthwith led to the wall1 and          
compelled to kneel down1 the soldiers   
levelled their muskets and another      
moment would have consigned the         
unfortunate wight to eternity1 when     
,christina1 forgetting everything but   
the feelings of her woman's heart1      
suddenly started forward with a shriek1 
exclaiming3 8,hold1 hold6  ,i sign1  ,i 
sign60    ,the day after this event ,i  
entered the ,puerta del ,sol at about   
noon4  ,there is always a crowd there   
about this hour1 but it is generally a  
very  quiet motionless crowd1 consisting
 of listless idlers calmly smoking      
their cigars1 or listening to or        
retailing the--in general--very dull    
news  of the capital2 but on the day of 
which ,i am speaking the mass was no    
longer inert4  ,there was much          
gesticulation and vociferation1 and     

several  people were running about      
shouting1 8,viva la constitucion60--a   
cry  which1 a few days previously1 would
 have been visited on the utterer with  
death1 the city having for some weeks   
past been subjected to the rigour  of   
martial law4  ,i occasionally heard the 
words1 8,la ,granja6  ,la  ,granja60    
,which words were sure to be succeeded  
by the shout of 8,viva  la              
constitucion60  ,opposite the ,casa de  
,postas were drawn up in a line  about a
 dozen mounted dragoons1 some of whom   
were continually waving  their caps in  
the air and joining the common cry1 in  
which they were  encouraged by their    
commander1 a handsome young officer1 who
 flourished  his sword1 and more than   
once cried out with great glee1 8,long  
live the  constitutional queen6  ,long  
live the constitution60    ,the crowd   
was rapidly increasing1 and several     
nationals made their  appearance in     
their uniforms1 but without their arms1 
of which they had  been deprived1 as ,i 

have already stated4  8,what has become 
of the  moderado government80 said ,i to
 ,baltasar1 whom ,i suddenly observed   
amongst the crowd1 dressed as when ,i   
had first seen him1 in his old          
regimental great coat and foraging cap2 
8have the ministers been deposed  and   
others put in their place80    8,not    
yet1 ,don ,jorge10 said the little      
soldier-tailor2 8not yet2 the           
scoundrels still hold out1 relying on   
the brute bull ,quesada and a few       
infantry1 who still continue true to    
them2 but there is no fear1 ,don        
,jorge2 the queen is ours1 thanks to the
 courage of my friend ,garcia1 and  if  
the brute bull should make his          
appearance--ho6 ho6 ,don ,jorge1 you    
shall  see something--,i am prepared for
 him1 ho6 ho60 and thereupon he half    
opened his great coat1 and showed me a  
small gun1 which he bore beneath  it in 
a sling1 and then moving away with a    
wink and a nod1 disappeared  amongst the
 crowd4    ,presently ,i perceived a    

small body of soldiers advancing up the 
,calle  ,mayor1 or principal street     
which runs from the ,puerta del ,sol in 
the  direction of the palace2 they might
 be about twenty in number1 and an      
officer marched at their head with a    
drawn sword2 the men appeared to  have  
been collected in a hurry1 many of them 
being in fatigue dress1 with  foraging  
caps on their heads4  ,on they came1    
slowly marching2 neither  their officer 
nor themselves paying the slightest     
attention to the cries  of the crowd    
which thronged about them1 shouting     
8,long live the  constitution60 save and
 except by an occasional surly side     
glance3 on  they marched with contracted
 brows and set teeth1 till they came in 
front  of the cavalry1 where they halted
 and drew up in a rank4    8,those men  
mean mischief10 said ,i to my friend    
,d---1 of the ,morning  ,chronicle1 who 
at this moment joined me2 8and depend   
upon it1 that if  they are ordered they 
will commence firing1 caring nothing    

whom they  hit1--but what can those     
cavalry fellows behind them mean1 who   
are  evidently of the other opinion by  
their shouting1 why don't they charge   
at once this handful of foot people and 
overturn them8  ,once down1 the  crowd  
would wrest from them their muskets in a
 moment4  ,you are a  liberal1 which ,i 
am not2 why do you not go to that silly 
young man who  commands the horse and   
give him a word of counsel in time80    
,d--- turned upon me his broad red      
good-humoured ,english countenance1 with
  a peculiarly arch look1 as much as to 
say--7whatever you think most           
applicable1 gentle reader71 then taking 
me by the arm1 8,let us get10 said  he1 
8out of this crowd and mount to some    
window1 where ,i can write down  what is
 about to take place1 for ,i agree with 
you that mischief is  meant40  ,just    
opposite the post office was a large    
house1 in the topmost  story of which we
 beheld a paper displayed1 importing    
that apartments  were to let2 whereupon 

we instantly ascended the common stair1 
and having  agreed with the mistress of 
the tage for the use of the front room  
for  the day1 we bolted the door1 and   
the reporter1 producing his pocket-book 
and pencil1 prepared to take notes of   
the coming events1 which were  already  
casting their shadow before4    ,what   
most extraordinary men are these        
reporters of newspapers in general1  ,i 
mean ,english newspapers2 surely if     
there be any class of individuals  who  
are entitled to the appellation of      
cosmopolites1 it is these2 who  pursue  
their avocation in all countries        
indifferently1 and accommodate          
themselves at will to the manners of all
 classes of society3 their  fluency of  
style as writers is only surpassed by   
their facility of  language in          
conversation1 and their attainments in  
classical and polite  literature only by
 their profound knowledge of the world1 
acquired by an  early introduction into 
its bustling scenes4  ,the activity1    

energy1 and  courage which they         
occasionally display in the pursuit of  
information are  truly remarkable4  ,i  
saw them during the three days at       
,paris1 mingled  with canaille and      
gamins behind the barriers1 whilst the  
mitraille was  flying in all directions1
 and the desperate cuirassiers were     
dashing  their fierce horses against    
these seemingly feeble bulwarks4  ,there
 stood  they1 dotting down their        
observations in their pocket-books as   
unconcernedly as if reporting the       
proceedings of a reform meeting in      
,covent ,garden or ,finsbury ,square2   
whilst in ,spain1 several of them       
accompanied the ,carlist and ,christino 
guerillas in some of their most         
desperate raids and expeditions1        
exposing themselves to the danger of    
hostile bullets1 the inclemency of      
winter1 and the fierce heat of the      
summer sun4    ,we had scarcely been    
five minutes at the window1 when we     
suddenly heard  the clattering of       

horses' feet hastening down the street  
called the ,calle  de ,carretas4  ,the  
house in which we had stationed         
ourselves was1 as ,i  have already      
observed1 just opposite to the post     
office1 at the left of  which this      
street debouches from the north into the
 ,puerta del ,sol3 as  the sounds became
 louder and louder1 the cries of the    
crowd below  diminished1 and a species  
of panic seemed to have fallen upon all3
 once  or twice1 however1 ,i could      
distinguish the words ,quesada6         
,quesada6  ,the  foot soldiers stood    
calm and motionless1 but ,i observed    
that the cavalry1  with the young       
officer who commanded them1 displayed   
both confusion and  fear1 exchanging    
with each other some hurried words2 all 
of a sudden that  part of the crowd     
which stood near the mouth of the ,calle
 de ,carretas  fell back in great       
disorder1 leaving a considerable space  
unoccupied1 and  the next moment        
,quesada1 in complete general's uniform1

 and mounted on a  bright bay thorough  
bred ,english horse1 with a drawn sword 
in his hand1  dashed at full gallop into
 the area1 in much the same manner as ,i
 have  seen a ,manchegan bull rush into 
the amphitheatre when the gates of his  
pen are suddenly flung open4    ,he was 
closely followed by two mounted         
officers1 and at a short distance  by as
 many dragoons4  ,in almost less time   
than is sufficient to relate  it1       
several individuals in the crowd were   
knocked down and lay sprawling  upon the
 ground1 beneath the horses of ,quesada 
and his two friends1 for  as to the     
dragoons1 they halted as soon as they   
had entered the ,puerta  del ,sol4  ,it 
was a fine sight to see three men1 by   
dint of valour and  good horsemanship1  
strike terror into at least as many     
thousands3 ,i saw  ,quesada spur his    
horse repeatedly into the dense masses  
of the crowd1 and  then extricate       
himself in the most masterly manner4    
,the rabble were  completely awed and   

gave way1 retiring by the ,calle del    
,comercio and the  street of ,alcala4   
,all at once1 ,quesada singled out two  
nationals1 who  were attempting to      
escape1 and setting spurs to his horse1 
turned them in  a moment1 and drove them
 in another direction1 striking them in 
a  contemptuous manner with the flat of 
his sabre4  ,he was crying out1 8,long  
live the absolute queen60 when1 just    
beneath me1 amidst a portion of the     
crowd which had still maintained its    
ground1 perhaps from not having the     
means of escaping1 ,i saw a small gun   
glitter for a moment1 then there was  a 
sharp report1 and a bullet had nearly   
sent ,quesada to his long account1      
passing so near to the countenance of   
the general as to graze his hat4  ,i    
had an indistinct view for a moment of a
 well-known foraging cap just  about the
 spot from whence the gun had been      
discharged1 then there was a  rush of   
the crowd1 and the shooter1 whoever he  
was1 escaped discovery  amidst the      

confusion which arose4    ,as for       
,quesada1 he seemed to treat the danger 
from which he had escaped  with the     
utmost contempt4  ,he glared about him  
fiercely for a moment1  then leaving the
 two nationals1 who sneaked away like   
whipped hounds1 he  went up to the young
 officer who commanded the cavalry1 and 
who had been  active in raising the cry 
of the constitution1 and to him he      
addressed a  few words with an air of   
stern menace2 the youth evidently       
quailed before  him1 and probably in    
obedience to his orders1 resigned the   
command of the  party1 and rode slowly  
away with a discomfited air2 whereupon  
,quesada  dismounted and walked slowly  
backwards and forwards before the ,casa 
de  ,postas with a mien which seemed to 
bid defiance to mankind4    ,this was   
the glorious day of ,quesada's          
existence1 his glorious and last  day4  
,i call it the day of his glory1 for he 
certainly never before  appeared under  
such brilliant circumstances1 and he    

never lived to see  another sun set4    
,no action of any conqueror or hero on  
record is to be  compared with this     
closing scene of the life of ,quesada1  
for who1 by his  single desperate       
courage and impetuosity1 ever before    
stopped a  revolution in full course8   
,quesada did3 he stopped the revolution 
at  ,madrid for one entire day1 and     
brought back the uproarious and hostile 
mob of a huge city to perfect order and 
quiet4  ,his burst into the ,puerta  del
 ,sol was the most tremendous and       
successful piece of daring ever         
witnessed4  ,i admired so much the      
spirit of the 8brute bull0 that ,i      
frequently1 during his wild onset1      
shouted 8,viva ,quesada60 for ,i wished 
him well4  ,not that ,i am of any       
political party or system4  ,no1 no6  ,i
  have lived too long with ,rommany     
,chals and ,petulengres #ade to be of   
any  politics save ,gypsy politics2 and 
it is well known that1 during           
elections1 the children of ,roma side   

with both parties so long as the  event 
is doubtful1 promising success to each2 
and then when the fight is  done1 and   
the battle won1 invariably range        
themselves in the ranks of the          
victorious4  ,but ,i repeat that ,i     
wished well to ,quesada1 witnessing1 as 
,i  did1 his stout heart and good       
horsemanship4  ,tranquillity was        
restored to  ,madrid throughout the     
remainder of the day2 the handful of    
infantry  bivouacked in the ,puerta del 
,sol4  ,no more cries of long live the  
constitution were heard2 and the        
revolution in the capital seemed to have
  been effectually put down4  ,it is    
probable1 indeed1 that had the chiefs   
of the moderado party but continued true
 to themselves for forty-eight  hours   
longer1 their cause would have          
triumphed1 and the revolutionary        
soldiers at the ,granja would have been 
glad to restore the ,queen ,regent  to  
liberty1 and to have come to terms1 as  
it was well known that several          

regiments1 who still continued loyal1   
were marching upon ,madrid4  ,the       
moderados1 however1 were not true to    
themselves2 that very night their       
hearts failed them1 and they fled in    
various directions4  ,isturitz and      
,galiano to ,france2 and the ,duke of   
,rivas to ,gibraltar3 the panic of his  
colleagues even infected ,quesada1 who1 
disguised as a civilian1 took to        
flight4  ,he was not1 however1 so       
successful as the rest1 but was         
recognised at a village about three     
leagues from ,madrid1 and cast into     
prison by some friends of the           
constitution4  ,intelligence of his     
capture  was instantly transmitted to   
the capital1 and a vast mob of the      
nationals1 some on foot1 some on        
horseback1 and others in cabriolets1    
instantly set out4  8,the nationals are 
coming10 said a paisano to  ,quesada4   
8,then10 said he1 8,i am lost10 and     
forthwith prepared himself  for death4  
,there is a celebrated coffee-house in  

the ,calle d',alcala at ,madrid1        
capable of holding several hundred      
individuals4  ,on the evening of the    
day in question1 ,i was seated there1   
sipping a cup of the brown beverage1    
when ,i heard a prodigious noise and    
clamour in the street2 it proceeded     
from the nationals1 who were returning  
from their expedition4  ,in a few       
minutes ,i saw a body of them enter the 
coffee-house marching arm in arm1  two  
by two1 stamping on the ground with     
their feet in a kind of measure1  and   
repeating in loud chorus as they walked 
round the spacious apartment1  the      
following grisly stanza3--        8,que 
es lo que abaja      ,por aquel cerro8  
,ta ra ra ra ra4      ,son los huesos de
 ,quesada1      ,que los trae un perro--
      ,ta ra ra ra ra40 #adf    ,a huge 
bowl of coffee was then called for1     
which was placed upon a table1  around  
which gathered the national soldiers3   
there was silence for a  moment1 which  
was interrupted by a voice roaring out1 

8el panuelo60  ,a  blue kerchief was    
forthwith produced1 which appeared to   
contain a  substance of some kind2 it   
was untied1 and a gory hand and three or
 four  dissevered fingers made their    
appearance1 and with these the contents 
of  the bowl were stirred up4  8,cups6  
cups60 cried the nationals4    8,ho1 ho1
 ,don ,jorge10 cried ,baltasarito1      
coming up to me with a cup of  coffee1  
8pray do me the favour to drink upon    
this glorious occasion4  ,this is a     
pleasant day for ,spain1 and for the    
gallant nationals of  ,madrid4  ,i have 
seen many a bull funcion1 but none which
 has given me so  much pleasure as this4
  ,yesterday the brute had it all his   
own way1 but  to-day the toreros have   
prevailed1 as you see1 ,don ,jorge4     
,pray drink2  for ,i must now run home  
to fetch my pajandi to play my brethren 
a tune1  and sing a copla4  ,what shall 
it be8  ,something in ,gitano8          
8,una noche sinava en tucue40    ,you   
shake your head1 ,don ,jorge4  ,ha1 ha2 

,i am young1 and youth is the  time for 
pleasure2 well1 well1 out of compliment 
to you1 who are an  ,englishman and a   
monro1 it shall not be that1 but        
something liberal1  something patriotic1
 the ,hymn of ,riego--,hasta despues1   
,don ,jorge60          ,,chapter ,,xv   
,the ,steamer--,cape ,finisterre--,the  
,storm--,arrival at ,cadiz--,the ,new   
,testament--,seville--,italica--,the    
,amphitheatre--,the ,prisoners--,the    
,encounter--,baron ,taylor--,the ,street
 and ,desert4    ,at the commencement of
 ,november1 ,i again found myself on the
 salt water1  on my way to ,spain4  ,i  
had returned to ,england shortly after  
the events  which have been narrated in 
the last chapter1 for the purpose of    
consulting with my friends1 and for     
planning the opening of a biblical      
campaign in ,spain4  ,it was now        
determined by us to print the ,new      
,testament1 with as little delay as     
possible1 at ,madrid2 and ,i was to be  
entrusted with the somewhat arduous task

 of its distribution4  ,my stay in      
,england was very short1 for time was   
precious1 and ,i was eager to return  to
 the field of action4    ,i embarked in 
the ,thames1 on board the ,m--- steamer4
  ,we had a most  unpleasant passage to 
,falmouth2 the ship was crowded with    
passengers1  most of them poor          
consumptive individuals1 and other      
invalids fleeing  from the cold blasts  
of ,england's winter to the sunny shores
 of ,portugal  and ,madeira4  ,in a more
 uncomfortable vessel1 especially steam 
ship1 it  has never been my fate to make
 a voyage4  ,the berths were small and  
insupportably close1 and of these       
wretched holes mine was amongst the     
worst1 the rest having been bespoken    
before ,i arrived on board2 so that  to 
avoid the suffocation which seemed to   
threaten me should ,i enter it1 ,i  lay 
upon the floor of one of the cabins     
throughout the voyage4  ,we  remained at
 ,falmouth twenty-four hours1 taking in 
coal1 and repairing the  engine1 which  

had sustained considerable damage4      
,on ,monday1 the seventh1 we again      
started1 and made for the ,bay of       
,biscay4  ,the sea was high and the wind
 strong and contrary2 nevertheless1 on  
the  morning of the fourth day1 we were 
in sight of the rocky coast to the      
north of ,cape ,finisterre4  ,i must    
here observe1 that this was the first   
voyage that the captain who commanded   
the vessel had ever made on board  of   
her1 and that he knew little or nothing 
of the coast towards which we  were     
bearing4  ,he was a person picked up in 
a hurry1 the former captain  having     
resigned his command on the ground that 
the ship was not  seaworthy1 and that   
the engines were frequently             
unserviceable4  ,i was not  acquainted  
with these circumstances at the time1 or
 perhaps ,i should have  felt more      
alarmed than ,i did1 when ,i saw the    
vessel approaching nearer  and nearer   
the shore1 till at last we were only a  
few hundred yards  distant4  ,as it was1

 however1 ,i felt very much surprised2  
for having  passed it twice before1 both
 times in steam vessels1 and having seen
 with  what care the captains           
endeavoured to maintain a wide offing1  
,i could not  conceive the reason of our
 being now so near this dangerous       
region4  ,the  wind was blowing hard    
towards the shore1 if that can be called
 a shore  which consists of steep abrupt
 precipices1 on which the surf was      
breaking  with the noise of thunder1    
tossing up clouds of spray and foam to  
the  height of a cathedral4  ,we coasted
 slowly along1 rounding several tall    
forelands1 some of them piled up by the 
hand of nature in the most  fantastic   
shapes4  ,about nightfall ,cape         
,finisterre was not far ahead1--a       
bluff1 brown1 granite mountain1 whose   
frowning head may be seen far away  by  
those who traverse the ocean4  ,the     
stream which poured round its  breast   
was terrific1 and though our engines    
plied with all their force1  we made    

little or no way4    ,by about eight    
o'clock at night the wind had increased 
to a hurricane1  the thunder rolled     
frightfully1 and the only light which we
 had to guide  us on our way was the red
 forked lightning1 which burst at times 
from the  bosom of the big black clouds 
which lowered over our heads4  ,we were 
exerting ourselves to the utmost to     
weather the cape1 which we could  descry
 by the lightning on our lee1 its brow  
being frequently brilliantly  lighted up
 by the flashes which quivered around   
it1 when suddenly1 with a  great crash1 
the engine broke1 and the paddles1 on   
which depended our  lives1 ceased to    
play4    ,i will not attempt to depict  
the scene of horror and confusion which 
ensued2 it may be imagined1 but never   
described4  ,the captain1 to give  him  
his due1 displayed the utmost coolness  
and intrepidity2 he and the  whole crew 
made the greatest exertions to repair   
the engine1 and when  they found their  
labour in vain1 endeavoured1 by hoisting

 the sails1 and  by practising all      
possible manuvres1 to preserve the ship 
from impending  destruction2 but all was
 of no avail1 we were hard on a lee     
shore1 to  which the howling tempest was
 impelling us4  ,about this time ,i was 
standing near the helm1 and ,i asked the
 steersman if there was any hope  of    
saving the vessel1 or our lives4  ,he   
replied1 8,sir1 it is a bad  affair1 no 
boat could live for a minute in this    
sea1 and in less than an  hour the ship 
will have her broadside on ,finisterre1 
where the strongest  man-of-war ever    
built must go to shivers instantly--none
 of us will see  the morning40  ,the    
captain1 likewise1 informed the other   
passengers in  the cabin to the same    
effect1 telling them to prepare         
themselves2 and  having done so1 he     
ordered the door to be fastened1 and    
none to be  permitted to come on deck4  
,i1 however1 kept my station1 though    
almost  drowned with water1 immense     
waves continually breaking over our     

windward  side and flooding the ship4   
,the water casks broke from their       
lashings1  and one of them struck me    
down1 and crushed the foot of the       
unfortunate  man at the helm1 whose     
place was instantly taken by the        
captain4  ,we were  now close to the    
rocks1 when a horrid convulsion of the  
elements took  place4  ,the lightning   
enveloped us as with a mantle1 the      
thunders were  louder than the roar of a
 million cannon1 the dregs of the ocean 
seemed  to be cast up1 and in the midst 
of all this turmoil1 the wind1 without  
the slightest intimation1 veered right  
about1 and pushed us from the  horrible 
coast faster than it had previously     
driven us towards it4    ,the oldest    
sailors on board acknowledged that they 
had never witnessed so  providential an 
escape4  ,i said1 from the bottom of my 
heart1 8,our  ,father--hallowed be thy  
name40    ,the next day we were near    
foundering1 for the sea was exceedingly 
high1  and our vessel1 which was not    

intended for sailing1 laboured terribly1
  and leaked much4  ,the pumps were     
continually working4  ,she likewise took
  fire1 but the flames were             
extinguished4  ,in the evening the      
steam-engine  was partially repaired1   
and we reached ,lisbon on the           
thirteenth1 where in  a few days we     
completed our repairs4    ,i found my   
excellent friend ,w--- in good health4  
,during my absence he  had been doing   
everything in his power to further the  
sale of the sacred  volume in           
,portuguese3 his zeal and devotedness   
were quite admirable4  ,the  distracted 
state of the country1 however1 during   
the last six months1 had  sadly impeded 
his efforts4  ,the minds of the people  
had been so engrossed  with politics1   
that they found scarcely any time to    
think of the welfare  of their souls4   
,the political history of ,portugal had 
of late afforded a  striking parallel to
 that of the neighbouring country4  ,in 
both a  struggle for supremacy had      

arisen between the court and the        
democratic  party2 in both the latter   
had triumphed1 whilst two distinguished 
individuals had fallen a sacrifice to   
the popular fury--,freire in  ,portugal1
 and ,quesada in ,spain4  ,the news     
which reached me at ,lisbon from  the   
latter country was rather startling4    
,the hordes of ,gomez were  ravaging    
,andalusia1 which ,i was about to visit 
on my way to ,madrid2  ,cordova had been
 sacked and abandoned after a three     
days' occupation by  the ,carlists4  ,i 
was told that if ,i persisted in my     
attempt to enter  ,spain in the         
direction which ,i proposed1 ,i should  
probably fall into  their hands at      
,seville4  ,i had1 however1 no fears1   
and had full  confidence that the ,lord 
would open the path before me to        
,madrid4    ,the vessel being repaired1 
we again embarked1 and in two days      
arrived in  safety at ,cadiz4  ,i found 
great confusion reigning there2 numerous
 bands  of the factious were reported to

 be hovering in the neighbourhood4  ,an 
attack was not deemed improbable1 and   
the place had just been declared in  a  
state of siege4  ,i took up my abode at 
the ,french hotel in the ,calle de  la  
,niveria1 and was allotted a species of 
cockloft1 or garret1 to sleep  in1 for  
the house was filled with guests1 being 
a place of much resort1  on account of  
the excellent table d'hote which is kept
 there4  ,i dressed  myself and walked  
about the town4  ,i entered several     
coffee-houses3 the  din of tongues in   
all was deafening4  ,in one no less than
 six orators  were haranguing at the    
same time on the state of the country1  
and the  probability of an intervention 
on the part of ,england and ,france4    
,as ,i  was listening to one of them1 he
 suddenly called upon me for my opinion1
  as ,i was a foreigner1 and seemingly  
just arrived4  ,i replied that ,i could 
not venture to guess what steps the two 
governments would pursue under  the     
present circumstances1 but thought that 

it would be as well if the  ,spaniards  
would exert themselves more and call    
less on ,jupiter4  ,as ,i did  not wish 
to engage in any political conversation1
 ,i instantly quitted the  house1 and   
sought those parts of the town where the
 lower classes  principally reside4     
,i entered into discourse with several  
individuals1 but found them very        
ignorant2 none could read or write1 and 
their ideas respecting religion  were   
anything but satisfactory1--most        
professing a perfect indifference4  ,i  
afterwards went into a bookseller's shop
 and made inquiries respecting  the     
demand for literature1 which1 he        
informed me1 was small4  ,i produced  a 
,london edition of the ,new ,testament  
in ,spanish1 and asked the  bookseller  
whether he thought a book of that       
description would sell in  ,cadiz4  ,he 
said that both the type and paper were  
exceedingly beautiful1  but that it was 
a work not sought after1 and very little
 known4  ,i did  not pursue my inquiries

 in other shops1 for ,i reflected that  
,i was not  likely to receive a very    
favourable opinion from booksellers     
respecting a  publication in which they 
had no interest4  ,i had1 moreover1 but 
two or  three copies of the ,new        
,testament with me1 and could not have  
supplied  them had they even given me an
 order4    ,early on the twenty-fourth1 
,i embarked for ,seville in the small   
,spanish  steamer the ,betis3 the       
morning was wet1 and the aspect of      
nature was  enveloped in a dense mist1  
which prevented my observing surrounding
  objects4  ,after proceeding about six 
leagues1 we reached the  north-eastern  
extremity of the ,bay of ,cadiz1 and    
passed by ,saint ,lucar1  an ancient    
town near to the spot where the         
,guadalquivir disembogues  itself4  ,the
 mist suddenly disappeared1 and the sun 
of ,spain burst forth  in full          
brilliancy1 enlivening all around1 and  
particularly myself1 who  had till then 
been lying on the deck in a dull        

melancholy stupor4  ,we  entered the    
mouth of 8,the ,great ,river10 for that 
is the ,english  translation of ,oued al
 ,kiber1 as the ,moors designated the   
ancient ,betis4  ,we came to anchor for 
a few minutes at a little village called
 ,bonana1  at the extremity of the first
 reach of the river1 where we received  
several passengers1 and again proceeded4
  ,there is not much in the  appearance 
of the ,guadalquivir to interest the    
traveller3 the banks are  low and       
destitute of trees1 the adjacent country
 is flat1 and only in the  distance is  
seen a range of tall blue sierras4  ,the
 water is turbid and  muddy1 and in     
colour closely resembling the contents  
of a duck-pool2 the  average width of   
the stream is from a hundred and fifty  
to two hundred  yards1 but it is        
impossible to move along this river     
without remembering  that it has borne  
the ,roman1 the ,vandal1 and the ,arab1 
and has been the  witness of deeds which
 have resounded through the world and   

been the  themes of immortal songs4  ,i 
repeated ,latin verses and fragments of 
old  ,spanish ballads till we reached   
,seville1 at about nine o'clock of a    
lovely moonlight night4    ,seville     
contains ninety thousand inhabitants1   
and is situated on the  eastern bank of 
the ,guadalquivir1 about eighteen       
leagues from its mouth2  it is          
surrounded with high ,moorish walls1 in 
a good state of  preservation1 and built
 of such durable materials that it is   
probable  they will for many centuries  
still bid defiance to the encroachments 
of  time4  ,the most remarkable edifices
 are the cathedral and ,alcazar1 or     
palace of the ,moorish kings2 the tower 
of the former1 called ,la ,giralda1     
belongs to the period of the ,moors1 and
 formed part of the grand mosque  of    
,seville3 it is computed to be one      
hundred ells in height1 and is  ascended
 not by stairs or ladders but by a      
vaulted pathway1 in the manner  of an   
inclined plane3 this path is by no means

 steep1 so that a cavalier  might ride  
up to the top1 a feat which ,ferdinand  
the ,seventh is said to  have           
accomplished4  ,the view from the summit
 is very extensive1 and on a  fine clear
 day the mountain ridge1 called the     
,sierra de ,ronda1 may be  discovered1  
though upwards of twenty leagues        
distant4  ,the cathedral  itself is a   
noble ,gothic structure1 reputed the    
finest of the kind in  ,spain4  ,in the 
chapels allotted to the various saints  
are some of the  most magnificent       
paintings which ,spanish art has        
produced2 indeed the  ,cathedral of     
,seville is at the present time far more
 rich in splendid  paintings than at any
 former period2 possessing many very    
recently  removed from some of the      
suppressed convents1 particularly from  
the  ,capuchin and ,san ,francisco4     
,no one should visit ,seville without   
paying particular attention to the      
,alcazar1 that splendid specimen of     
,moorish architecture4  ,it contains    

many magnificent halls1 particularly    
that of the ambassadors1 so called1     
which is in every respect more          
magnificent than the one of the same    
name  within the ,alhambra of ,granada4 
,this palace was a favourite residence  
of  ,peter the ,cruel1 who carefully    
repaired it without altering its        
,moorish  character and appearance4  ,it
 probably remains in much the same state
 as  at the time of his death4    ,on   
the right side of the river is a large  
suburb1 called ,triana1  communicating  
with ,seville by means of a bridge of   
boats2 for there is no  permanent bridge
 across the ,guadalquivir1 owing to the 
violent  inundations to which it is     
subject4  ,this suburb is inhabited by  
the  dregs of the populace1 and abounds 
with ,gitanos or ,gypsies4  ,about a    
league and a half to the north-west     
stands the village of ,santo ,ponce3 at 
the foot and on the side of some        
elevated ground higher up are to be seen
  vestiges of ruined walls and edifices1

 which once formed part of ,italica1    
the birth-place of ,silius ,italicus and
 ,trajan1 from which latter  personage  
,triana derives its name4    ,one fine  
morning ,i walked thither1 and having   
ascended the hill1 ,i  directed my      
course northward4  ,i soon reached what 
had once been bagnios1  and a little    
farther on1 in a kind of valley between 
two gentle  declivities1 the            
amphitheatre4  ,this latter object is by
 far the most  considerable relic of    
ancient ,italica2 it is oval in its     
form1 with two  gateways fronting the   
east and west4    ,on all sides are to  
be seen the time-worn broken granite    
benches1 from  whence myriads of human  
beings once gazed down on the area      
below1 where  the gladiator shouted1 and
 the lion and the leopard yelled3 all   
around1  beneath these flights of       
benches1 are vaulted excavations from   
whence the  combatants1 part human part 
bestial1 darted forth by their several  
doors4  ,i spent many hours in this     

singular place1 forcing my way through  
the  wild fennel and brushwood into the 
caverns1 now the haunts of adders and   
other reptiles1 whose hissings ,i heard4
  ,having sated my curiosity1 ,i  left  
the ruins1 and returning by another way1
 reached a place where lay  the carcass 
of a horse half devoured2 upon it1 with 
lustrous eyes1 stood  an enormous       
vulture1 who1 as ,i approached1 slowly  
soared aloft till he  alighted on the   
eastern gate of the amphitheatre1 from  
whence he uttered  a hoarse cry1 as if  
in anger that ,i had disturbed him from 
his feast of  carrion4    ,gomez had not
 hitherto paid a visit to ,seville3 when
 ,i arrived he was  said to be in the   
neighbourhood of ,ronda4  ,the city was 
under watch and  ward3 several gates had
 been blocked up with masonry1 trenches 
dug1 and  redoubts erected1 but ,i am   
convinced that the place would not have 
held  out six hours against a resolute  
attack4  ,gomez had proved himself to be
  a most extraordinary man1 and with his

 small army of ,aragonese and  ,basques 
had1 within the last four months1 made  
the tour of ,spain4  ,he had  very      
frequently been hemmed in by forces     
three times the number of his  own1 in  
places whence escape appeared           
impossible1 but he had always  battled  
his enemies1 whom he seemed to laugh at4
  ,the most absurd  accounts of         
victories gained over him were          
continually issuing from the  press at  
,seville2 amongst others1 it was stated 
that his army had been  utterly         
defeated1 himself killed1 and that      
twelve hundred prisoners were  on their 
way to ,saville4  ,i saw these          
prisoners3 instead of twelve  hundred   
desperadoes1 they consisted of about    
twenty poor lame ragged  wretches1 many 
of them boys from fourteen to sixteen   
years of age4  ,they  were evidently    
camp followers1 who1 unable to keep up  
with the army1 had  been picked up      
straggling in the plains and amongst the
 hills4    ,it subsequently appeared    

that no battle had occurred1 and that   
the death  of ,gomez was a fiction4     
,the grand defect of ,gomez consisted in
 not  knowing how to take advantage of  
circumstances3 after defeating ,lopez1  
he  might have marched to ,madrid and   
proclaimed ,don ,carlos there1 and after
  sacking ,cordova he might have        
captured ,seville4    ,there were       
several booksellers' shops at ,seville1 
in two of which ,i found  copies of the 
,new ,testament in ,spanish1 which had  
been obtained from  ,gibraltar about two
 years before1 since which time six     
copies had been  sold in one shop and   
four in the other4  ,the person who     
generally  accompanied me in my walks   
about the town and the neighbourhood1   
was an  elderly ,genoese1 who officiated
 as a kind of valet de place in the     
,posada  del ,turco1 where ,i had taken 
up my residence4  ,on learning from me  
that  it was my intention to bring out  
an edition of the ,new ,testament at    
,madrid1 he observed that copies of the 

work might be extensively  circulated in
 ,andalusia4  8,i have been accustomed  
to bookselling10 he  continued1 8and at 
one time possessed a small shop of my   
own in this  place4  ,once having       
occasion to go to ,gibraltar1 ,i        
procured several  copies of the         
,scriptures2 some1 it is true1 were     
seized by the officers  of the customs1 
but the rest ,i sold at a high price1   
and with  considerable profit to        
myself40    ,i had returned from a walk 
in the country1 on a glorious sunshiny  
morning  of the ,andalusian winter1 and 
was directing my steps towards my       
lodging3  as ,i was passing by the      
portal of a large gloomy house near the 
gate of  ,xeres1 two individuals dressed
 in zamarras emerged from the archway1  
and  were about to cross my path1 when  
one1 looking in my face1 suddenly       
started back1 exclaiming in the purest  
and most melodious ,french3 8,what  do  
,i see8  ,if my eyes do not deceive     
me--it is himself4  ,yes1 the very  same

 as ,i saw him first at ,bayonne2 then  
long subsequently beneath the  brick    
wall at ,novogorod2 then beside the     
,bosphorus2 and last at--at--,oh1 my    
respectable and cherished friend1 where 
was it that ,i had last the  felicity of
 seeing your well-remembered and most   
remarkable physiognomy80                
,myself4--,it was in the south of       
,ireland1 if ,i mistake not4  ,was it   
not  there that ,i introduced you to the
 sorcerer who tamed the savage horses   
by a single whisper into their ear8     
,but tell me what brings you to ,spain  
and ,andalusia1 the last place where ,i 
should have expected to find you8       
,baron ,taylor4--,and wherefore1 my most
 respectable ,b---8  ,is not ,spain  the
 land of the arts2 and is not ,andalusia
 of all ,spain that portion  which has  
produced the noblest monuments of       
artistic excellence and  inspiration8   
,surely you know enough of me to be     
aware that the arts are  my passion2    
that ,i am incapable of imagining a more

 exalted enjoyment  than to gaze in     
adoration on a noble picture4  ,o come  
with me6 for you  too have a soul       
capable of appreciating what is lovely  
and exalted2 a  soul delicate and       
sensitive4  ,come with me1 and ,i will  
show you a  ,murillo1 such as ---4  ,but
 first allow me to introduce you to your
  compatriot4  ,my dear ,monsieur ,w41  
turning to his companion 7an ,english   
gentleman from whom and from his family 
,i subsequently experienced  unbounded  
kindness and hospitality on various     
occasions1 and at different  periods at 
,seville71 allow me to introduce to you 
my most cherished and  respectable      
friend1 one who is better acquainted    
with ,gypsy ways than the  ,chef des    
,bohmiens  ,triana1 one who is an expert
 whisperer and  horse-sorcerer1 and who1
 to his honour ,i say it1 can wield     
hammer and  tongs1 and handle a         
horse-shoe with the best of the smiths  
amongst the  ,alpujarras of ,granada4   
,in the course of my travels ,i have    

formed various friendships and          
acquaintances1 but no one has more      
interested me than ,baron ,taylor1 and  
there is no one for whom ,i entertain a 
greater esteem and regard4  ,to         
personal and mental accomplishments of  
the highest order he unites a  kindness 
of heart rarely to be met with1 and     
which is continually  inducing him to   
seek for opportunities of doing good to 
his fellow  creatures1 and of           
contributing to their happiness2 perhaps
 no person in  existence has seen more  
of the world and life in its various    
phases than  himself4  ,his manners are 
naturally to the highest degree courtly1
 yet he  nevertheless possesses a       
disposition so pliable that he finds no 
difficulty in accommodating himself to  
all kinds of company1 in  consequence of
 which he is a universal favourite4     
,there is a mystery  about him1 which1  
wherever he goes1 serves not a little to
 increase the  sensation naturally      
created by his appearance and manner4   

,who he is1 no  one pretends to assert  
with downright positiveness3 it is      
whispered1  however1 that he is a scion 
of royalty2 and who can gaze for a      
moment  upon that most graceful figure1 
that most intelligent but singularly    
moulded countenance1 and those large and
 expressive eyes1 without feeling  as   
equally convinced that he is of no      
common lineage1 as that he is no  common
 man4  ,though possessed of talents and 
eloquence which would  speedily have    
enabled him to attain to an illustrious 
position in the  state1 he has hitherto1
 and perhaps wisely1 contented himself  
with  comparative obscurity1 chiefly    
devoting himself to the study of the    
arts  and of literature1 of both of     
which he is a most bounteous patron4    
,he has1 notwithstanding1 been employed 
by the illustrious house to which  he is
 said to be related in more than one    
delicate and important mission1  both in
 the ,east and the ,west1 in which his  
efforts have uniformly been  crowned    

with complete success4  ,he was now     
collecting masterpieces of the  ,spanish
 school of painting1 which were destined
 to adorn the saloons of  the           
,tuileries4    ,he has visited most     
portions of the earth1 and it is        
remarkable enough  that we are          
continually encountering each other in  
strange places and  under singular      
circumstances4  ,whenever he descries   
me1 whether in the  street or the       
desert1 the brilliant hall or amongst   
,bedouin haimas1 at  ,novogorod or      
,stambul1 he flings up his arms and     
exclaims1 8,o ciel6  ,i  have again the 
felicity of seeing my cherished and most
 respectable  ,b---40          ,,chapter
 ,,xvi      ,departure for              
,cordova--,carmona--,german             
,colonies--,language--,the ,sluggish    
,horse--,nocturnal ,welcome--,carlist   
,landlord--,good ,advice--,gomez--,the  
,old  ,genoese--,the ,two ,opinions4    
,after a sojourn of about fourteen days 
at ,seville1 ,i departed for  ,cordova4 

,the diligence had for some time past   
ceased running1 owing to  the disturbed 
state of the province4  ,i had therefore
 no resource but to  proceed thither on 
horseback4  ,i hired a couple of horses1
 and engaged  the old ,genoese1 of whom 
,i have already had occasion to speak1  
to attend  me as far as ,cordova1 and to
 bring them back4  ,notwithstanding we  
were  now in the depths of winter1 the  
weather was beautiful1 the days sunny   
and brilliant1 though the nights were   
rather keen4  ,we passed by the  little 
town of ,alcala1 celebrated for the     
ruins of an immense ,moorish  castle1   
which stand on a rocky hill1 overhanging
 a picturesque river4  ,the first night 
we slept at ,carmona1 another ,moorish  
town1 distant about  seven leagues from 
,seville4  ,early in the morning we     
again mounted and  departed4  ,perhaps  
in the whole of ,spain there is scarcely
 a finer  ,moorish monument of antiquity
 than the eastern side of this town of  
,carmona1 which occupies the brow of a  

lofty hill1 and frowns over an          
extensive vega or plain1 which extends  
for leagues unplanted and  uncultivated1
 producing nothing but brushwood and    
carasco4  ,here rise  tall and dusky    
walls1 with square towers at short      
distances1 of so  massive a structure   
that they would seem to bid defiance    
alike to the  tooth of time and the hand
 of man4  ,this town1 in the time of the
 ,moors1  was considered the key to     
,seville1 and did not submit to the     
,christian  arms till after a long and  
desperate siege3 the capture of ,seville
  followed speedily after4  ,the vega   
upon which we now entered forms a part  
of the grand despoblado or desert of    
,andalusia1 once a smiling garden1  but 
which became what it now is on the      
expulsion of the ,moors from ,spain1    
when it was drained almost entirely of  
its population4  ,the towns and         
villages from hence to the ,sierra      
,morena1 which divides ,andalusia from  
,la  ,mancha1 are few and far between1  

and even of these several date from the 
middle of the last century1 when an     
attempt was made by a ,spanish  minister
 to people this wilderness with the     
children of a foreign land4    ,at about
 midday we arrived at a place called    
,moncloa1 which consisted of  a venta1  
and a desolate-looking edifice which had
 something of the  appearance of a      
chateau3 a solitary palm tree raised its
 head over the  outer wall4  ,we entered
 the venta1 tied our horses to the      
manger1 and  having ordered barley for  
them1 we sat down before a large fire1  
which  burned in the middle of the      
venta4  ,the host and hostess also came 
and  sat down beside us4  8,they are    
evil people10 said the old ,genoese to  
me  in ,italian1 8and this is an evil   
house2 it is a harbouring place for     
thieves1 and murders have been committed
 here1 if all tales be true40  ,i       
looked at these two people attentively2 
they were both young1 the man           
apparently about twenty-five years of   

age4  ,he was a short thick-made  churl1
 evidently of prodigious strength2 his  
features were rather  handsome1 but with
 a gloomy expression1 and his eyes were 
full of sullen  fire4  ,his wife        
somewhat resembled him1 but had a       
countenance more open  and better       
tempered2 but what struck me as most    
singular in connexion  with these       
people1 was the colour of their hair and
 complexion2 the  latter was fair and   
ruddy1 and the former of a bright       
auburn1 both in  striking contrast to   
the black hair and swarthy visages which
 in general  distinguish the natives of 
this province4  8,are you an            
,andalusian80 said  ,i to the hostess4  
8,i should almost conclude you to be a  
,german40    ,hostess4--,and your       
worship would not be very wrong4  ,it is
 true that ,i  am a ,spaniard1 being    
born in ,spain1 but it is equally true  
that ,i am of  ,german blood1 for my    
grandparents came from ,germany1 even   
like those of  this gentleman1 my lord  

and husband4    ,myself4--,and what     
chance brought your grandparents into   
this country8    ,hostess4--,did your   
worship never hear of the ,german       
colonies8  ,there are  many of them in  
these parts4  ,in old times the land was
 nearly deserted1  and it was very      
dangerous for travellers to journey     
along the waste1  owing to the robbers4 
,so along time ago1 nearly a hundred    
years1 as ,i am  told1 some potent lord 
sent messengers to ,germany1 to tell the
 people  there what a goodly land there 
was in these parts uncultivated for want
  of hands1 and to promise every        
labourer who would consent to come and  
till it1 a house and a yoke of oxen1    
with food and provision for one  year4  
,and in consequence of this invitation a
 great many poor families  left the     
,german land and came hither1 and       
settled down in certain towns  and      
villages which had been prepared for    
them1 which places were called  ,german 
colonies1 and this name they still      

retain4    ,myself4--,and how many of   
these colonies may there be8            
,hostess4--,there are several1 both on  
this side of ,cordova and the other4    
,the nearest is ,luisiana1 about two    
leagues from hence1 from which place    
both my husband and myself come2 the    
next is ,carlota1 which is some ten     
leagues distant1 and these are the only 
colonies of our people which ,i  have   
seen2 but there are others farther on1  
and some1 as ,i have heard  say1 in the 
very heart of the ,sierra ,morena4      
,myself4--,and do the colonists still   
retain the language of their            
forefathers8    ,hostess4--,we speak    
,spanish1 or rather ,andalusian1 and no 
other language4  ,a few1 indeed1 amongst
 the very old people1 retain a few words
 of ,german1  which they acquired from  
their fathers1 who were born in the     
other  country3 but the last person     
amongst the colonists who could         
understand a  conversation in ,german1  
was the aunt of my mother1 who came over

 when a  girl4  ,when ,i was a child ,i 
remember her conversing with a foreign  
traveller1 a countryman of hers1 in a   
language which ,i was told was  ,german1
 and they understood each other1 though 
the old woman confessed  that she had   
lost many words3 she has now been dead  
several years4    ,myself4--,of what    
religion are the colonists8             
,hostess4--,they are ,christians1 like  
the ,spaniards1 and so were their       
fathers before them4  ,indeed1 ,i have  
heard that they came from a part of     
,germany where the ,christian religion  
is as much practised as in ,spain       
itself4    ,myself4--,the ,germans are  
the most honest people in the world3    
being  their legitimate descendants you 
have of course no thieves amongst you4  
,the hostess glanced at me for a moment1
 then looked at her husband and  smiled3
 the latter1 who had hitherto been      
smoking without uttering a  word1 though
 with a peculiarly surly and            
dissatisfied countenance1 now  flung the

 remainder of his cigar amongst the     
embers1 then springing up he  muttered  
8,disparate60 and 8,conversacion60 and  
went abroad4    8,you touched them in   
the sore place1 ,signor10 said the      
,genoese1 after we  had left ,moncloa   
some way behind us4  8,were they honest 
people they would  not keep that venta2 
and as for the colonists1 ,i know not   
what kind of  people they might be when 
they first came over1 but at present    
their ways  are not a bit better than   
those of the ,andalusians1 but rather   
worse1 if  there is any difference at   
all40    ,a short time before sunset of 
the third day after our departure from  
,seville1 we found ourselves at the     
,cuesta del ,espinal1 or hill of the    
thorn tree1 at about two leagues from   
,cordova2--we could just descry the     
walls of the city1 upon which the last  
beams of the descending luminary  were  
resting4  ,as the neighbourhood in which
 we were was1 according to  the account 
of my guide1 generally infested with    

robbers1 we used our  best endeavours to
 reach the town before the night should 
have entirely  closed in4  ,we did not  
succeed1 however1 and before we had     
proceeded half  the distance1 pitchy    
darkness overtook us4  ,throughout the  
journey we had  been considerably       
delayed by the badness of our horses1   
especially that  of my attendant1 which 
appeared to pay no regard to whip or    
spur2 his  rider also was no horseman1  
it being thirty years1 as he at length  
confessed to me1 since he last mounted  
in a saddle4  ,horses soon become  aware
 of the powers of their riders1 and the 
brute in question was  disposed to take 
great advantage of the fears and        
weakness of the old  man4  ,there is a  
remedy1 however1 for most things in this
 world4  ,i  became so wearied at last  
at the snail's pace at which we were    
proceeding1 that ,i fastened the bridle 
of the sluggish horse to the  crupper of
 mine1 then sparing neither spur nor    
cudgel1 ,i soon forced my  own horse    

into a kind of trot1 which compelled the
 other to make some use  of his legs4   
,he twice attempted to fling himself    
down1 to the great  terror of his aged  
rider1 who frequently entreated me to   
stop and permit  him to dismount4  ,i1  
however1 took no notice of what he said1
 but  continued spurring and cudgelling 
with unabated activity1 and with such   
success1 that in less than half an hour 
we saw lights close before us1  and     
presently came to a river and a bridge1 
which crossing1 we found  ourselves at  
the gate of ,cordova1 without having    
broken either our  horses' knees or our 
own necks4    ,we passed through the    
entire length of the town ere we reached
 the  posada2 the streets were dark and 
almost entirely deserted4  ,the posada  
was a large building1 the windows of    
which were well fenced with rejas1  or  
iron grating3 no light gleamed from     
them1 and the silence of death not  only
 seemed to pervade the house1 but the   
street in which it was  situated4  ,we  

knocked for a long time at the gate     
without receiving any  answer2 we then  
raised our voices and shouted4  ,at last
 some one from  within inquired what we 
wanted4  8,open the door and you will   
see10 we  replied4  8,i shall do no such
 thing10 answered the individual from   
within1 8until ,i know who you are40    
8,we are travellers10 said ,i1 8from    
,seville40  8,travellers1 are you10 said
 the voice2 8why did you not tell  me so
 before8  ,i am not porter at this house
 to keep out travellers4  ,jesus ,maria 
knows we have not so many of them that  
we need repulse any4  ,enter1 cavalier1 
and welcome1 you and your company40     
,he opened the gate and admitted us into
 a spacious courtyard1 and then         
forthwith again secured the gate with   
various bolts and bars4  8,are you      
afraid that the ,carlists should pay you
 a visit10 ,i demanded1 8that you  take 
so much precaution80  8,it is not the   
,carlists we are afraid of10  replied   
the porter2 8they have been here        

already1 and did us no damage  whatever4
  ,it is certain scoundrels of this town
 that we are afraid of1  who have a     
spite against the master of the house1  
and would murder both  him and his      
family1 could they but find an          
opportunity40    ,i was about to inquire
 the cause of this enmity1 when a thick 
bulky man1  bearing a light in his hand1
 came running down a stone staircase1   
which  led into the interior of the     
building4  ,two or three females1 also  
bearing lights1 followed him4  ,he      
stopped on the lowest stair4  8,whom    
have we here80 he exclaimed2 then       
advancing the lamp which he bore1 the   
light fell full upon my face4  8,ola60  
he exclaimed2 8,is it you8  ,only       
think10 said he1 turning to the female  
who stood next him1 a  dark-featured    
person1 stout as himself1 and about his 
own age1 which  might border upon fifty2
 8,only think1 my dear1 that at the very
 moment we  were wishing for a guest an 
,englishman should be standing before   

our  doors2 for ,i should know an       
,englishman at a mile's distance1 even  
in the  dark4  ,juanito10 cried he to   
the porter1 8open not the gate any more 
to-night1 whoever may ask for admission4
  ,should the nationals come to  make   
any disturbance1 tell them that the son 
of ,belington 7,wellington7  is in the  
house ready to attack them sword in hand
 unless they retire2  and should other  
travellers arrive1 which is not likely1 
inasmuch as we  have seen none for a    
month past1 say that we have no room1   
all our  apartments being occupied by an
 ,english gentleman and his company40   
,i soon found that my friend the        
posadero was a most egregious ,carlist4 
,before ,i had finished supper--during  
which both himself and all his family   
were present1 surrounding the little    
table at which ,i sat1 and observing  my
 every motion1 particularly the manner  
in which ,i handled my knife and  fork  
and conveyed the food to my mouth--he   
commenced talking politics3 8,i  am of  

no particular opinion1 ,don ,jorge10    
said he1 for he had inquired my  name in
 order that he might address me in a    
suitable manner2 8,i am of no           
particular opinion1 and ,i hold neither 
for ,king ,carlos nor for the ,chica    
,isabel3 nevertheless1 ,i lead the life 
of a dog in this accursed ,christino    
town1 which ,i would have left long ago1
 had it not been the place of my  birth1
 and did ,i but know whither to betake  
myself4  ,ever since the  troubles have 
commenced1 ,i have been afraid to stir  
into the street1 for  no sooner do the  
canaille of the town see me turning     
round a corner1 than  they forthwith    
exclaim1 #8,halloo1 the ,carlist6' and  
then there is a run  and a rush1 and    
stones and cudgels are in great         
requisition3 so that  unless ,i can     
escape home1 which is no easy matter1   
seeing that ,i weigh  eighteen stone1 my
 life is poured out in the street1 which
 is neither  decent nor convenient1 as  
,i think you will acknowledge1 ,don     

,jorge6  ,you  see that young man10 he  
continued1 pointing to a tall swarthy   
youth who  stood behind my chair1       
officiating as waiter2 8he is my fourth 
son1 is  married1 and does not live in  
the house1 but about a hundred yards    
down  the street4  ,he was summoned in a
 hurry to wait upon your worship1 as is 
his duty3 know1 however1 that he has    
come at the peril of his life3  before  
he leaves this house he must peep into  
the street to see if the  coast is      
clear1 and then he must run like a      
partridge to his own door4  ,carlists6  
why should they call my family and      
myself ,carlists8  ,it is true  that my 
eldest son was a friar1 and when the    
convents were suppressed  betook himself
 to the royal ranks1 in which he has    
been fighting upwards  of three years2  
could ,i help that8  ,nor was it my     
fault1 ,i trow1 that my  second son     
enlisted the other day with ,gomez and  
the royalists when they  entered        
,cordova4  ,god prosper him1 ,i say2 but

 ,i did not bid him go6  ,so  far from  
being a ,carlist1 it was ,i who         
persuaded this very lad who is  present 
to remain here1 though he would fain    
have gone with his brother1  for he is a
 brave lad and a true ,christian4  ,stay
 at home1 said ,i1 for  what can ,i do  
without you8  ,who is to wait upon the  
guests when it  pleases ,god to send    
them4  ,stay at home1 at least till your
 brother1 my  third son1 comes back1    
for1 to my shame be it spoken1 ,don     
,jorge1 ,i have a  son a soldier and a  
sergeant in the ,christino armies1      
sorely against his  own inclination1    
poor fellow1 for he likes not the       
military life1 and ,i  have been        
soliciting his discharge for years2     
indeed1 ,i have counselled  him to maim 
himself1 in order that he might procure 
his liberty  forthwith2 so ,i said to   
this lad1 ,stay at home1 my child1 till 
your  brother comes to take your place  
and prevent our bread being eaten by    
strangers1 who would perhaps sell me and

 betray me2 so my son staid at  home as 
you see1 ,don ,jorge1 at my request1 and
 yet they call me a  ,carlist80         
8,gomez and his bands have lately been  
in ,cordova10 said ,i2 8of course you   
were present at all that occurred3 how  
did they comport themselves80           
8,bravely well10 replied the innkeeper1 
8bravely well1 and ,i wish they  were   
here still4  ,i hold with neither side1 
as ,i told you before1 ,don  ,jorge1 but
 ,i confess ,i never felt greater       
pleasure in my life than when  they     
entered the gate2 and then to see the   
dogs of nationals flying  through the   
streets to save their lives--that was a 
sight1 ,don ,jorge--those  who met me   
then at the corner forgot to shout      
#8,halloo1 ,carlista6' and ,i  heard not
 a word about cudgelling2 some jumped   
from the wall and ran no  one knows     
where1 whilst the rest retired to the   
house of the ,inquisition1  which they  
had fortified1 and there they shut      
themselves up4  ,now you  must know1    

,don ,jorge1 that all the ,carlist      
chiefs lodged at my house1  ,gomez1     
,cabrera1 and the ,sawyer2 and it       
chanced that ,i was talking to my  ,lord
 ,gomez in this very room in which we   
are now1 when in came ,cabrera in  a    
mighty fury--he is a small man1 ,don    
,jorge1 but he is as active as a wild   
cat and as fierce4  #8,the canaille1'   
said he1 #8in the ,casa of the          
,inquisition refuse to surrender2 give  
but the order1 ,general1 and ,i will    
scale the walls with my men and put them
 all to the sword'2 but ,gomez  said1   
#8,no1 we must not spill blood if we can
 avoid it2 order a few  muskets to be   
fired at them1 that will be sufficient6'
  ,and so it proved1  ,don ,jorge1 for  
after a few discharges their hearts     
failed them1 and they  surrendered at   
discretion3 whereupon their arms were   
taken from them and  they were permitted
 to return to their own houses2 but as  
soon as ever  the ,carlists departed1   
these fellows became as bold as ever1   

and it is  now once more1 #8,halloo1    
,carlista6' when they see me turning the
 corner1  and it is for fear of them    
that my son must run like a partridge to
 his  own home1 now that he has done    
waiting on your worship1 lest they meet 
him in the street and kill him with     
their knives60    8,you tell me that you
 were acquainted with ,gomez3 what kind 
of man might  he be80    8,a            
middle-sized man10 replied the          
innkeeper2 8grave and dark4  ,but the   
most remarkable personage in appearance 
of them all was the ,sawyer3 he is  a   
kind of giant1 so tall1 that when he    
entered the doorway he invariably       
struck his head against the lintel4     
,the one ,i liked least of all was one  
,palillos1 who is a gloomy savage       
ruffian whom ,i knew when he was a      
postillion4  ,many is the time that he  
has been at my house of old2 he is  now 
captain of the ,manchegan thieves1 for  
though he calls himself a  royalist1 he 
is neither more nor less than a thief3  

it is a disgrace to  the cause that such
 as he should be permitted to mix with  
honourable and  brave men2 ,i hate that 
fellow1 ,don ,jorge3 it is owing to him 
that ,i have  so few customers4         
,travellers are1 at present1 afraid to  
pass through ,la  ,mancha1 lest they    
fall into his hands4  ,i wish he were   
hanged1 ,don ,jorge1  and whether by    
,christinos or ,royalists1 ,i care not40
    8,you recognized me at once for an  
,englishman10 said ,i1 8do many of my   
countrymen visit ,cordova80    8,toma60 
said the landlord1 8they are my best    
customers2 ,i have had  ,englishmen in  
this house of all grades1 from the son  
of ,belington to a  young medico1 who   
cured my daughter1 the chica here1 of   
the ear-ache4  ,how should ,i not know  
an ,englishman8  ,there were two with   
,gomez1 serving  as volunteers4  ,vaya  
que gente2 what noble horses they rode1 
and how  they scattered their gold      
about2 they brought with them a         
,portuguese1 who  was much of a         

gentleman but very poor2 it was said    
that he was one of ,don  ,miguel's      
people1 and that these ,englishmen      
supported him for the love  they bore to
 royalty2 he was continually singing    
#8,el ,rey chegou--,el ,rey chegou1     
,e en ,belem desembarcou6' #afc         
,those were merry days1 ,don ,jorge4    
,by the by1 ,i forgot to ask your       
worship of what opinion you are80       
,the next morning1 whilst ,i was        
dressing1 the old ,genoese entered my   
room3  8,signore10 said he1 8,i am come 
to bid you farewell4  ,i am about to    
return  to ,seville forthwith with the  
horses40    8,wherefore in such a       
hurry10 ,i replied2 8assuredly you had  
better tarry  till to-morrow2 both the  
animals and yourself require rest2      
repose  yourselves to-day and ,i will   
defray the expense40    8,thank you1    
,signore1 but we will depart forthwith1 
for there is no  tarrying in this       
house40    8,what is the matter with the
 house80 ,i inquired4    8,i find no    

fault with the house10 replied the      
,genoese1 8it is the people  who keep it
 of whom ,i complain4  ,about an hour   
since1 ,i went down to get  my          
breakfast1 and there1 in the kitchen1 ,i
 found the master and all his  family3  
well1 ,i sat down and called for        
chocolate1 which they brought me1  but  
ere ,i could dispatch it1 the master    
fell to talking politics4  ,he          
commenced by telling me that he held    
with neither side1 but he is as rank  a 
,carlist as ,carlos ,quinto3 for no     
sooner did he find that ,i was of the   
other opinion1 than he glared at me like
 a wild beast4  ,you must know1         
,signore1 that in the time of the old   
constitution ,i kept a coffee-house  at 
,seville1 which was frequented by all   
the principal liberals1 and was1        
indeed1 the cause of my ruin3 for as ,i 
admired their opinions1 ,i gave my      
customers whatever credit they required1
 both with regard to coffee and         
liqueurs1 so that by the time the       

constitution was put down and despotism 
re-established1 ,i had trusted them with
 all ,i had4  ,it is possible that  many
 of them would have paid me1 for ,i     
believe they harboured no evil          
intention2 but the persecution came1 the
 liberals took to flight1 and1 as  was  
natural enough1 thought more of         
providing for their own safety than  of 
paying me for my coffee and liqueurs2   
nevertheless1 ,i am a friend to  their  
system1 and never hesitate to say so4   
,so the landlord1 as ,i told  your      
worship before1 when he found that ,i   
was of this opinion1 glared at  me like 
a wild beast3 #8,get out of my house1'  
said he1 #8for ,i will have no  spies   
here1' and thereupon he spoke           
disrespectfully of the young ,queen     
,isabel and of ,christina1 who1         
notwithstanding she is a ,neapolitan1 ,i
  consider as my countrywoman4  ,hearing
 this1 your worship1 ,i confess that  ,i
 lost my temper and returned the        
compliment1 by saying that ,carlos was a

  knave and the ,princess of ,beira no  
better than she should be4  ,i then     
prepared to swallow the chocolate1 but  
ere ,i could bring it to my lips1  the  
woman of the house1 who is a still      
ranker ,carlist than her husband1  if   
that be possible1 coming up to me struck
 the cup into the air as high  as the   
ceiling1 exclaiming1 #8,begone1 dog of a
 negro1 you shall taste  nothing more in
 my house2 may you be hanged even as a  
swine is hanged4'  ,so your worship sees
 that it is impossible for me to remain 
here any  longer4  ,i forgot to say that
 the knave of a landlord told me that   
you  had confessed yourself to be of the
 same politics as himself1 or he would  
not have harboured you40    8,my good   
man10 said ,i1 8,i am invariably of the 
politics of the people at  whose table  
,i sit1 or beneath whose roof ,i sleep1 
at least ,i never say  anything which   
can lead them to suspect the contrary2  
by pursuing which  system ,i have more  
than once escaped a bloody pillow1 and  

having the wine  ,i drank spiced with   
sublimate40          ,,chapter ,,xvii   
,cordova--,moors of ,barbary--,the      
,english--,an ,old ,priest--,the ,roman 
,breviary--,the  ,dovecote--,the ,holy  
,office--,judaism--,desecration of      
,dovecotes--,the ,innkeeper's           
,proposal4    ,little can be said with  
respect to the town of ,cordova1 which  
is a mean  dark gloomy place1 full of   
narrow streets and alleys1 without      
squares or  public buildings worthy of  
attention1 save and except its far-famed
  cathedral2 its situation1 however1 is 
beautiful and picturesque4  ,before  it 
runs the ,guadalquivir1 which1 though in
 this part shallow and full of          
sandbanks1 is still a delightful stream2
 whilst behind it rise the steep  sides 
of the ,sierra ,morena1 planted up to   
the top with olive groves4  ,the  town  
or city is surrounded on all sides by   
lofty ,moorish walls1 which may  measure
 about three quarters of a league in    
circumference2 unlike  ,seville1 and    

most other towns in ,spain1 it has no   
suburbs4    ,i have said that ,cordova  
has no remarkable edifices1 save its    
cathedral2  yet this is perhaps the most
 extraordinary place of worship in the  
world4  ,it was originally1 as is well  
known1 a mosque1 built in the brightest 
days of ,arabian dominion in ,spain2 in 
shape it was quadrangular1 with a  low  
roof1 supported by an infinity of small 
and delicately rounded marble  pillars1 
many of which still remain1 and present 
at first sight the  appearance of a     
marble grove2 the greater part1 however1
 were removed  when the ,christians1    
after the expulsion of the ,moslems1    
essayed to  convert the mosque into a   
cathedral1 which they effected in part  
by the  erection of a dome1 and by      
clearing an open space for a choir4  ,as
 it at  present exists1 the temple      
appears to belong partly to ,mahomet1   
and  partly to the ,nazarene2 and though
 this jumbling together of massive      
,gothic architecture with the light and 

delicate style of the ,arabians         
produces an effect somewhat bizarre1 it 
still remains a magnificent and         
glorious edifice1 and well calculated to
 excite feelings of awe and  veneration 
within the bosoms of those who enter it4
    ,the ,moors of ,barbary seem to care
 but little for the exploits of their   
ancestors3 their minds are centred in   
the things of the present day1 and  only
 so far as those things regard          
themselves individually4  ,disinterested
 enthusiasm1 that truly distinguishing  
mark of a noble mind1  and admiration   
for what is great1 good1 and grand1 they
 appear to be  totally incapable of     
feeling4  ,it is astonishing with what  
indifference  they stray amongst the    
relics of ancient ,moorish grandeur in  
,spain4  ,no  feelings of exultation    
seem to be excited by the proof of what 
the ,moor  once was1 nor of regret at   
the consciousness of what he now is4    
,more  interesting to them are their    
perfumes1 their papouches1 their dates1 

and  their silks of ,fez and ,maraks1 to
 dispose of which they visit ,andalusia2
  and yet the generality of these men   
are far from being ignorant1 and have   
both heard and read of what was passing 
in ,spain in the old time4  ,i was  once
 conversing with a ,moor at ,madrid1    
with whom ,i was very intimate1  about  
the ,alhambra of ,granada1 which he had 
visited4  8,did you not weep10  said ,i1
 8when you passed through the courts1   
and thought of the1  ,abencerrages80    
8,no10 said he1 8,i did not weep2       
wherefore should ,i weep80  8,and why   
did you visit the ,alhambra80 ,i        
demanded4  8,i visited it10 he  replied1
 8because being at ,granada on my own   
affairs1 one of your  countrymen        
requested me to accompany him thither1  
that ,i might explain  some of the      
inscriptions4  ,i should certainly not  
have gone of my own  accord1 for the    
hill on which it stands is steep40  ,and
 yet this man  could compose verses1 and
 was by no means a contemptible poet4   

,once at  ,cordova1 whilst ,i was in the
 cathedral1 three ,moors entered it1 and
  proceeded slowly across its floor in  
the direction of a gate1 which stood  at
 the opposite side2 they took no farther
 notice of what was around them  than by
 slightly glancing once or twice at the 
pillars1 one of them  exclaiming1       
8,huaije del ,mselmeen1 huaije del      
,mselmeen0 7things of the  ,moors1      
things of the ,moors72 and showed no    
other respect for the place  where      
,abderrahman the ,magnificent prostrated
 himself of old1 than facing  about on  
arriving at the farther door and making 
their egress backwards2  yet these men  
were hajis and talebs1 men likewise of  
much gold and  silver1 men who had read1
 who had travelled1 who had seen ,mecca1
 and the  great city of ,negroland4     
,i remained in ,cordova much longer than
 ,i had originally intended1 owing  to  
the accounts which ,i was continually   
hearing of the unsafe state of  the     
roads to ,madrid4  ,i soon ransacked    

every nook and cranny of this  ancient  
town1 formed various acquaintances      
amongst the populace1 which is  my      
general practice on arriving at a       
strange place4  ,i more than once       
ascended the side of the ,sierra        
,morena1 in which excursions ,i was     
accompanied by the son of my host1--the 
tall lad of whom ,i have already        
spoken4  ,the people of the house1 who  
had imbibed the idea that ,i was of  the
 same way of thinking as themselves1    
were exceedingly courteous2 it is  true1
 that in return ,i was compelled to     
listen to a vast deal of ,carlism1  in  
other words1 high treason against the   
ruling powers in ,spain1 to  which1     
however1 ,i submitted with patience4    
8,don ,jorgito10 said the  landlord to  
me one day1 8,i love the ,english2 they 
are my best customers4  ,it is a pity   
that there is not greater union between 
,spain and ,england1  and that more     
,english do not visit us4  ,why should  
there not be a  marriage8  ,the king    

will speedily be at ,madrid4  ,why      
should there not be  bodas between the  
son of ,don ,carlos and the heiress of  
,england80    8,it would certainly tend 
to bring a considerable number of       
,english to  ,spain10 said ,i1 8and it  
would not be the first time that the son
 of a  ,carlos has married a ,princess  
of ,england40    ,the host mused for a  
moment1 and then exclaimed1 8,carracho1 
,don ,jorgito1  if this marriage could  
be brought about1 both the king and     
myself should  have cause to fling our  
caps in the air40    ,the house or      
posada in which ,i had taken up my abode
 was exceedingly  spacious1 containing  
an infinity of apartments1 both large   
and small1 the  greater part of which   
were1 however1 unfurnished4  ,the       
chamber in which ,i  was lodged stood at
 the end of an immensely long corridor1 
of the kind so  admirably described in  
the wondrous tale of ,udolfo4  ,for a   
day or two  after my arrival ,i believed
 myself to be the only lodger in the    

house4  ,one morning1 however1 ,i beheld
 a strange-looking old man seated in the
  corridor1 by one of the windows1      
reading intently in a small thick       
volume4  ,he was clad in garments of    
coarse blue cloth1 and wore a loose     
spencer over a waistcoat adorned with   
various rows of small buttons of  mother
 of pearl2 he had spectacles upon his   
nose4  ,i could perceive1               
notwithstanding he was seated1 that his 
stature bordered upon the  gigantic4    
8,who is that person80 said ,i to the   
landlord1 whom ,i presently  met2 8is he
 also a guest of yours80  8,not exactly1
 ,don ,jorge de mi alma10  replied he1  
8,i can scarcely call him a guest1      
inasmuch as ,i gain nothing  by him1    
though he is staying at my house4  ,you 
must know1 ,don ,jorge1 that  he is one 
of two priests who officiate at a large 
village at some slight  distance from   
this place4  ,so it came to pass1 that  
when the soldiers of  ,gomez entered the
 village1 his reverence went to meet    

them1 dressed in  full canonicals1 with 
a book in his hand1 and he1 at their    
bidding1  proclaimed ,carlos ,quinto in 
the market-place4  ,the other priest1   
however1  was a desperate liberal1 a    
downright negro1 and upon him the       
royalists  laid their hands1 and were   
proceeding to hang him4  ,his reverence1
  however1 interfered1 and obtained     
mercy for his colleague1 on condition   
that he should cry ,viva ,carlos        
,quinto6 which the latter did in order  
to  save his life4  ,well2 no sooner had
 the royalists departed from these      
parts than the black priest mounts his  
mule1 comes to ,cordova1 and  informs   
against his reverence1 notwithstanding  
that he had saved his  life4  ,so his   
reverence was seized and brought hither 
to ,cordova1 and  would assuredly have  
been thrown into the common prison as a 
,carlist1 had  ,i not stepped forward   
and offered to be surety that he should 
not quit  the place1 but should come    
forward at any time to answer whatever  

charge  might be brought against him2   
and he is now in my house1 though guest 
,i  cannot call him1 for he is not of   
the slightest advantage to me1 as his   
very food is daily brought from the     
country1 and that consists only of a    
few eggs and a little milk and bread4   
,as for his money1 ,i have never  seen  
the colour of it1 notwithstanding they  
tell me that he has buenas  pesetas4    
,however1 he is a holy man1 is          
continually reading and praying  and is1
 moreover1 of the right opinion4  ,i    
therefore keep him in my  house1 and    
would be bail for him were he twenty    
times more of a skinflint  than he seems
 to be40    ,the next day1 as ,i was    
again passing through the corridor1 ,i  
observed the  old man in the same place1
 and saluted him4  ,he returned my      
salutation  with much courtesy1 and     
closing the book1 placed it upon his    
knee as if  willing to enter into       
conversation4  ,after exchanging a word 
or two1 ,i  took up the book for the    

purpose of inspecting it4    8,you will 
hardly derive much instruction from that
 book1 ,don ,jorge10 said  the old man2 
8you cannot understand it1 for it is not
 written in  ,english40    8,nor in     
,spanish10 ,i replied4  8,but with      
respect to understanding the  book1 ,i  
cannot see what difficulty there can be 
in a thing so simple2 it  is only the   
,roman breviary written in the ,latin   
tongue40    8,do the ,english understand
 ,latin80 exclaimed he4  8,vaya6  ,who  
would have  thought that it was possible
 for ,lutherans to understand the       
language of  the church8  ,vaya6 the    
longer one lives the more one learns40  
8,how old may your reverence be80 ,i    
inquired4    8,i am eighty years1 ,don  
,jorge2 eighty years1 and somewhat      
more40    ,such was the first           
conversation which passed between his   
reverence and  myself4  ,he soon        
conceived no inconsiderable liking for  
me1 and favoured  me with no little of  
his company4  ,unlike our friend the    

landlord1 ,i  found him by no means     
inclined to talk politics1 which the    
more surprised  me1 knowing1 as ,i did1 
the decided and hazardous part which he 
had taken  on the late ,carlist         
irruption into the neighbourhood4  ,he  
took1 however1  great delight in        
discoursing on ecclesiastical subjects  
and the writings  of the fathers4    8,i
 have got a small library at home1 ,don 
,jorge1 which consists of all the       
volumes of the fathers which ,i have    
been able to pick up1 and ,i find the   
perusal of them a source of great       
amusement and comfort4  ,should these   
dark days pass by1 ,don ,jorge1 and you 
should be in these parts1 ,i hope  you  
will look in upon me1 and ,i will show  
you my little library of the  fathers1  
and likewise my dovecote1 where ,i rear 
numerous broods of  pigeons1 which are  
also a source of much solace and at the 
same time of  profit40    8,i suppose by
 your dovecote10 said ,i1 8you mean your
 parish1 and by  rearing broods of      

pigeons1 you allude to the care you take
 of the souls  of your people1          
instilling therein the fear of ,god1 and
 obedience to his  revealed law1 which  
occupation must of course afford you    
much solace and  spiritual profit40     
8,i was not speaking metaphorically1    
,don ,jorge10 replied my companion2     
8and by rearing doves1 ,i mean neither  
more nor less than that ,i supply  the  
market of ,cordova with pigeons1 and    
occasionally that of ,seville2 for  my  
birds are very celebrated1 and plumper  
or fatter flesh than theirs ,i  believe 
cannot be found in the whole kingdom4   
,should you come into my  village1 you  
will doubtless taste them1 ,don ,jorge1 
at the venta where you  will put up1 for
 ,i suffer no dovecotes but my own      
within my district4  ,with respect to   
the souls of my parishioners1 ,i trust  
,i do my duty--,i  trust ,i do1 as far  
as in my power lies4  ,i always took    
great pleasure in  these spiritual      
matters1 and it was on that account that

 ,i attached  myself to the ,santa ,casa
 of ,cordova1 the duties of which ,i    
assisted to  perform for a long period40
    8,your reverence has been an        
inquisitor80 ,i exclaimed1 somewhat     
startled4    8,from my thirtieth year   
until the time of the suppression of the
 holy  office in these afflicted        
kingdoms40    8,you both surprise and   
delight me10 ,i exclaimed4  8,nothing   
could have  afforded me greater pleasure
 than to find myself conversing with a  
father  formerly attached to the holy   
house of ,cordova40    ,the old man     
looked at me steadfastly2 8,i understand
 you1 ,don ,jorge4  ,i  have long seen  
that you are one of us4  ,you are a     
learned and holy man2  and though you   
think fit to call yourself a ,lutheran  
and an ,englishman1 ,i  have dived into 
your real condition4  ,no ,lutheran     
would take the interest  in church      
matters which you do1 and with respect  
to your being an  ,englishman1 none of  
that nation can speak ,castilian1 much  

less ,latin4  ,i  believe you to be one 
of us--a missionary priest1 and ,i am   
especially  confirmed in that idea by   
your frequent conversations and         
interviews with  the ,gitanos2 you      
appear to be labouring among them4  ,be1
 however1 on your  guard1 ,don ,jorge1  
trust not to ,egyptian faith2 they are  
evil penitents1  whom ,i like not4  ,i  
would not advise you to trust them40    
8,i do not intend10 ,i replied2         
8especially with money4  ,but to return 
to  more important matters3--of what    
crimes did this holy house of ,cordova  
take cognizance80    8,you are of course
 aware of the matters on which the holy 
office  exercises its functions4  ,i    
need scarcely mention sorcery1 ,judaism1
 and  certain carnal misdemeanours40    
8,with respect to sorcery10 said ,i1    
8what is your opinion of it8  ,is there 
in reality such a crime80    8,que se io
 #agj80 said the old man1 shrugging up  
his shoulders4  8,how  should ,i know8  
,the church has power1 ,don ,jorge1 or  

at least it had  power1 to punish for   
anything1 real or unreal2 and as it was 
necessary to  punish in order to prove  
that it had the power of punishing1 of  
what  consequence whether it punished   
for sorcery or any other crime40        
8,did many cases of sorcery occur within
 your own sphere of knowledge80    8,one
 or two1 ,don ,jorge2 they were by no   
means frequent4  ,the last that ,i      
remember was a case which occurred in a 
convent at ,seville3 a certain nun  was 
in the habit of flying through the      
windows and about the garden over  the  
tops of the orange trees2 declarations  
of various witnesses were  taken1 and   
the process was arranged with much      
formality2 the fact1 ,i  believe1 was   
satisfactorily proved3 of one thing ,i  
am certain1 that the  nun was punished40
    8,were you troubled with much       
,judaism in these parts80    8,wooh6    
,nothing gave so much trouble to the    
,santa ,casa as this same  ,judaism4    
,its shoots and ramifications are       

numerous1 not only in these  parts1 but 
in all ,spain2 and it is singular       
enough1 that even among the  priesthood1
 instances of ,judaism of both kinds    
were continually coming to  our         
knowledge1 which it was of course our   
duty to punish40    8,is there more than
 one species of ,judaism80 ,i demanded4 
8,i have always arranged ,judaism under 
two heads10 said the old man1 8the      
black and the white3 by the black1 ,i   
mean the observance of the law of       
,moses in preference to the precepts of 
the church2 then there is the  white    
,judaism1 which includes all kinds of   
heresy1 such as ,lutheranism1           
freemasonry1 and the like40    8,i can  
easily conceive10 said ,i1 8that many of
 the priesthood favoured  the principles
 of the reformation1 and that the minds 
of not a few had  been led astray by the
 deceitful lights of modern philosophy1 
but it is  almost inconceivable to me   
that there should be ,jews amongst the  
priesthood who follow in secret the     

rites and observances of the old law1   
though ,i confess that ,i have been     
assured of the fact ere now40           
8,plenty of ,judaism amongst the        
priesthood1 whether of the black or     
white  species2 no lack of it1 ,i assure
 you1 ,don ,jorge2 ,i remember once     
searching the house of an ecclesiastic  
who was accused of the black  ,judaism1 
and after much investigation1 we        
discovered beneath the floor a  wooden  
chest1 in which was a small shrine of   
silver1 inclosing three  books in black 
hogskin1 which1 on being opened1 were   
found to be books of  ,jewish devotion1 
written in ,hebrew characters1 and of   
great antiquity2  and on being          
questioned1 the culprit made no secret  
of his guilt1 but  rather gloried in it1
 saying that there was no ,god but one1 
and  denouncing the adoration of ,maria 
,santissima as rank idolatry40    8,and 
between ourselves1 what is your own     
opinion of the adoration of this  same  
,maria ,santissima80    8,what is my    

opinion6  ,que se io80 said the old man1
 shrugging up his  shoulders still      
higher than on the former occasion2 8but
 ,i will tell you2  ,i think1 on        
consideration1 that it is quite right   
and proper2 why not8  ,let any one pay a
 visit to my church1 and look at her as 
she stands  there1 tan bonita1 tan      
guapita--so well dressed and so         
genteel--with  such pretty colours1 such
 red and white1 and he would scarcely   
ask me why  ,maria ,santissima should   
not be adored4  ,moreover1 ,don ,jorgito
 mio1 this  is a church matter and forms
 an important part of the church        
system40    8,and now1 with respect to  
carnal misdemeanours4  ,did you take    
much  cognizance of them80    8,amongst 
the laity1 not much2 we1 however1 kept a
 vigilant eye upon our  own body1 but1  
upon the whole1 were rather tolerant in 
these matters1  knowing that the        
infirmities of human nature are very    
great indeed3 we  rarely punished1 save 
in cases where the glory of the church  

and loyalty  to ,maria ,santissima made 
punishment absolutely imperative40      
8,and what cases might those be80 ,i    
demanded4    8,i allude to the          
desecration of dovecotes1 ,don ,jorge1  
and the  introduction therein of strange
 flesh1 for purposes neither seemly nor 
convenient40    8,your reverence will   
excuse me for not yet perfectly         
understanding40    8,i mean1 ,don       
,jorge1 certain acts of flagitiousness  
practised by the  clergy in lone and    
remote palomares 7dovecotes7 in olive   
grounds and  gardens2 actions denounced1
 ,i believe1 by the holy ,pablo in his  
first  letter to ,pope ,sixtus4 #aga    
,you understand me now1 ,don ,jorge1 for
 you  are learned in church matters40   
8,i think ,i understand you10 ,i        
replied4    ,after remaining several    
days more at ,cordova1 ,i determined to 
proceed on  my journey to ,madrid1      
though the roads were still said to be  
highly  insecure4  ,i1 however1 saw but 
little utility in tarrying and awaiting 

a  more tranquil state of affairs1 which
 might never arrive4  ,i therefore      
consulted with the landlord respecting  
the best means of making the  journey4  
8,don ,jorgito10 he replied1 8,i think  
,i can tell you4  ,you say  you are     
anxious to depart1 and ,i never wish to 
keep guests in my house  longer than is 
agreeable to them2 to do so1 would not  
become a ,christian  innkeeper3 ,i leave
 such conduct to ,moors1 ,christinos1   
and ,negroes4  ,i  will further you on  
your journey1 ,don ,jorge3 ,i have a    
plan in my head1  which ,i had resolved 
to propose to you before you questioned 
me4  ,there  is my wife's brother1 who  
has two horses which he occasionally    
lets out  for hire2 you shall hire them1
 ,don ,jorge1 and he himself shall      
attend you  to take care of you1 and to 
comfort you1 and to talk to you1 and you
  shall pay him forty dollars for the   
journey4  ,moreover1 as there are       
thieves upon the route1 and malos       
sujetos1 such as ,palillos and his      

family1 you shall make an engagement and
 a covenant1 ,don ,jorge1 that  provided
 you are robbed and stripped on the     
route1 and the horses of my  wife's     
brother are taken from him by the       
thieves1 you shall1 on arriving  at     
,madrid1 make good any losses to which  
my wife's brother may be subject  in    
following you4  ,this is my plan1 ,don  
,jorge1 which no doubt will meet  with  
your worship's approbation1 as it is    
devised solely for your  benefit1 and   
not with any view of lucre or interest  
either to me or mine4  ,you will find my
 wife's brother pleasant company on the 
route3 he is a  very respectable man1   
and one of the right opinion1 and has   
likewise  travelled much2 for between   
ourselves1 ,don ,jorge1 he is something 
of a  ,contrabandista and frequently    
smuggles diamonds and precious stones   
from  ,portugal1 which he disposes of   
sometimes in ,cordova and sometimes at  
,madrid4  ,he is acquainted with all the
 short cuts1 all the atajos1 ,don       

,jorge1 and is much respected in all the
 ventas and posadas on the way2 so  now 
give me your hand upon the bargain1 and 
,i will forthwith repair to my  wife's  
brother to tell him to get ready to set 
out with your worship the  day after    
to-morrow40          ,,chapter ,,xviii  
,departure from ,cordova--,the          
,contrabandista--,jewish                
,cunning--,arrival at  ,madrid4    ,one 
fine morning1 ,i departed from ,cordova1
 in company with the  ,contrabandista2  
the latter was mounted on a handsome    
animal1 something  between a horse and a
 pony1 which he called a jaca1 of that  
breed for  which ,cordova is celebrated4
  ,it was of a bright bay colour1 with a
 star  in its forehead1 with strong but 
elegant limbs1 and a long black tail1   
which swept the ground4  ,the other     
animal1 which was destined to carry me  
to ,madrid1 was not quite so            
prepossessing in its appearance3 in more
 than  one respect it closely resembled 
a hog1 particularly in the curving of   

its back1 the shortness of its neck1 and
 the manner in which it kept its  head  
nearly in contact with the ground3 it   
had also the tail of a hog1  and        
meandered over the ground much like one4
  ,its coat more resembled  coarse      
bristles than hair1 and with respect to 
size1 ,i have seen many a  ,westphalian 
hog quite as tall4  ,i was not          
altogether satisfied with the  idea of  
exhibiting myself on the back of this   
most extraordinary  quadruped1 and      
looked wistfully on the respectable     
animal on which my  guide had thought   
proper to place himself2 he interpreted 
my glances1 and  gave me to understand  
that as he was destined to carry the    
baggage1 he  was entitled to the best   
horse2 a plea too well grounded on      
reason for me  to make any objection to 
it4    ,i found the ,contrabandista by  
no means such pleasant company on the   
road  as ,i had been led to suppose he  
would prove from the representation of  
my  host of ,cordova4  ,throughout the  

day he sat sullen and silent1 and rarely
  replied to my questions1 save by a    
monosyllable2 at night1 however1 after  
having eaten well and drank             
proportionably at my expense1 he would  
occasionally become more sociable and   
communicative4  8,i have given up       
smuggling10 said he1 on one of these    
occasions1 8owing to a trick which  was 
played upon me the last time that ,i was
 at ,lisbon3 a ,jew whom ,i had  been   
long acquainted with palmed upon me a   
false brilliant for a real  stone4  ,he 
effected it in the most extraordinary   
manner1 for ,i am not  such a novice as 
not to know a true diamond when ,i see  
one2 but the ,jew  appears to have had  
two1 with which he played most adroitly1
 keeping the  valuable one for which ,i 
bargained1 and substituting therefor    
another  which1 though an excellent     
imitation1 was not worth four dollars4  
,i did  not discover the trick until ,i 
was across the border1 and upon my      
hurrying back1 the culprit was not to be

 found2 his priest1 however1 told  me   
that he was just dead and buried1 which 
was of course false1 as ,i saw  him     
laughing in the corners of his eyes4  ,i
 renounced the contraband  trade from   
that moment40    ,it is not my intention
 to describe minutely the various       
incidents of this  journey4  ,leaving at
 our right the mountains of ,jaen1 we   
passed through  ,andujar and ,bailen1   
and on the third day reached ,carolina1 
a small but  beautiful town on the      
skirts of the ,sierra ,morena1 inhabited
 by the  descendants of ,german         
colonists4  ,two leagues from this      
place1 we entered  the defile of ,despea
 ,perros1 which1 even in quiet times1   
has an evil  name1 on account of the    
robberies which are continually being   
perpetrated  within its recesses1 but at
 the period of which ,i am speaking1 it 
was  said to be swarming with banditti4 
,we of course expected to be robbed1    
perhaps stripped and otherwise          
ill-treated2 but ,providence here       

manifested itself4  ,it appeared that1  
the day before our arrival1 the         
banditti of the pass had committed a    
dreadful robbery and murder1 by  which  
they gained forty thousand rials4  ,this
 booty probably contented  them for a   
time2 certain it is that we were not    
interrupted3 we did not  even see a     
single individual in the pass1 though we
 occasionally heard  whistles and loud  
cries4  ,we entered ,la ,mancha1 where  
,i expected to fall  into the hands of  
,palillos and ,orejita4  ,providence    
again showed itself4  ,it had been      
delicious weather1 suddenly the ,lord   
breathed forth a frozen  blast1 the     
severity of which was almost            
intolerable2 no human beings but        
ourselves ventured forth4  ,we traversed
 snow-covered plains1 and passed        
through villages and towns to all       
appearance deserted4  ,the robbers kept 
close in their caves and hovels1 but the
 cold nearly killed us4  ,we  reached   
,aranjuez late on ,christmas ,day1 and  

,i got into the house of an             
,englishman1 where ,i swallowed nearly a
 pint of brandy2 it affected me no  more
 than warm water4    ,on the following  
day we arrived at ,madrid1 where we had 
the good fortune  to find everything    
tranquil and quiet4  ,the               
,contrabandista continued with  me for  
two days1 at the end of which time he   
returned to ,cordova upon the  uncouth  
animal on which ,i had ridden throughout
 the journey4  ,i had  myself purchased 
the jaca1 whose capabilities ,i had seen
 on the route1  and which ,i imagined   
might prove useful in future journeys4  
,the  ,contrabandista was so satisfied  
with the price which ,i gave him for his
  beast1 and the general treatment which
 he had experienced at my hands  during 
the time of his attendance upon me1 that
 he would fain have  persuaded me to    
retain him as a servant1 assuring me    
that1 in the event  of my compliance1 he
 would forget his wife and children and 
follow me  through the world4  ,i       

declined1 however1 to accede to his     
request1 though  ,i was in need of a    
domestic2 ,i therefore sent him back to 
,cordova1 where1  as ,i subsequently    
learned1 he died suddenly1 about a week 
after his  return4    ,the manner of his
 death was singular3 one day he took out
 his purse1 and1  after counting his    
money1 said to his wife1 8,i have made  
ninety-five  dollars by this journey    
with the ,englishman and by the sale of 
the jaca2  this ,i could easily double  
by one successful venture in the        
smuggling  lay4  ,to-morrow ,i will     
depart for ,lisbon to buy diamonds4  ,i 
wonder if  the beast requires to be     
shod80  ,he then started up and made for
 the  door1 with the intention of going 
to the stable2 ere1 however1 his foot   
had crossed the threshold1 he fell dead 
on the floor4  ,such is the course  of  
the world4  ,well said the wise king3   
,let no one boast of the morrow4        
,,chapter ,,xix      ,arrival at        
,madrid--,maria ,diaz--,printing of the 

,testament--,my  ,project--,andalusian  
,steed--,servant ,wanted--,an           
,application--,antonio                  
,buchini--,general ,cordova--,principles
 of ,honour4    ,on my arrival at       
,madrid ,i did not repair to my former  
lodgings in the  ,calle de la ,zarza1   
but took others in the ,calle de        
,santiago1 in the  vicinity of the      
palace4  ,the name of the hostess 7for  
there was1 properly  speaking1 no host7 
was ,maria ,diaz1 of whom ,i shall take 
the present  opportunity of saying      
something in particular4    ,she was a  
woman of about thirty-five years of age1
 rather good-looking1  and with a       
physiognomy every lineament of which    
bespoke intelligence of  no common      
order4  ,her eyes were keen and         
penetrating1 though occasionally        
clouded with a somewhat melancholy      
expression4  ,there was a particular    
calmness and quiet in her general       
demeanour1 beneath which1 however1      
slumbered a firmness of spirit and an   

energy of action which were  instantly  
displayed whenever necessary4  ,a       
,spaniard and1 of course1 a  ,catholic1 
she was possessed of a spirit of        
toleration and liberality  which would  
have done honour to individuals much her
 superior in station4  ,in this woman1  
during the remainder of my sojourn in   
,spain1 ,i found a  firm and constant   
friend1 and occasionally a most discreet
 adviser3 she  entered into all my      
plans1 ,i will not say with enthusiasm1 
which1 indeed1  formed no part of her   
character1 but with cordiality and      
sincerity1  forwarding them to the      
utmost of her ability4  ,she never      
shrank from me  in the hour of danger   
and persecution1 but stood my friend1   
notwithstanding the many inducements    
which were held out to her by my        
enemies to desert or betray me4  ,her   
motives were of the noblest kind1       
friendship and a proper feeling of the  
duties of hospitality2 no  prospect1 no 
hope of self-interest1 however remote1  

influenced this  admirable woman in her 
conduct towards me4  ,honour to ,maria  
,diaz1 the  quiet1 dauntless1 clever    
,castilian female4  ,i were an ingrate  
not to  speak well of her1 for richly   
has she deserved an eulogy in the humble
  pages of ,the ,bible in ,spain4       
,she was a native of ,villa ,seca1 a    
hamlet of ,new ,castile1 situated in    
what  is called the ,sagra1 at about    
three leagues' distance from ,toledo3   
her  father was an architect of some    
celebrity1 particularly skilled in      
erecting bridges4  ,at a very early age 
she married a respectable yeoman  of    
,villa ,seca1 ,lopez by name1 by whom   
she had three sons4  ,on the death  of  
her father1 which occurred about five   
years previous to the time of  which ,i 
am speaking1 she removed to ,madrid1    
partly for the purpose of  educating her
 children1 and partly in the hope of    
obtaining from the  government a        
considerable sum of money for which it  
stood indebted to her  father1 at the   

time of his decease1 for various useful 
and ornamental  works1 principally in   
the neighbourhood of ,aranjuez4  ,the   
justness of her  claim was at once      
acknowledged2 but1 alas6 no money was   
forthcoming1 the  royal treasury being  
empty4  ,her hopes of earthly happiness 
were now  concentrated in her children4 
,the two youngest were still of a very  
tender age2 but the eldest1 ,juan ,jos  
,lopez1 a lad of about sixteen1 was     
bidding fair to realize the warmest     
hopes of his affectionate mother2 he    
had devoted himself to the arts1 in     
which he made such progress that he  had
 already become the favourite pupil of  
his celebrated namesake ,lopez1  the    
best painter of modern ,spain4  ,such   
was ,maria ,diaz1 who1 according to  a  
custom formerly universal in ,spain1 and
 still very prevalent1 retained  the    
name of her maidenhood though married4  
,such was ,maria ,diaz and her  family4 
,one of my first cares was to wait on   
,mr4 ,villiers1 who received me with    

his usual kindness4  ,i asked him       
whether he considered that ,i might     
venture to commence printing the        
,scriptures without any more            
applications  to government4  ,his reply
 was satisfactory3 8,you obtained the   
permission  of the government of        
,isturitz10 said he1 8which was a much  
less liberal  one than the present4  ,i 
am a witness to the promise made to you 
by the  former ministers1 which ,i      
consider sufficient4  ,you had best     
commence and  complete the work as soon 
as possible1 without any fresh          
application2 and  should any one attempt
 to interrupt you1 you have only to come
 to me1  whom you may command at any    
time40  ,so ,i went away with a light   
heart1  and forthwith made preparation  
for the execution of the object which   
had  brought me to ,spain4    ,i shall  
not enter here into unnecessary details1
 which could possess but  little        
interest for the reader2 suffice it to  
say that1 within three  months from this

 time1 an edition of the ,new           
,testament1 consisting of  five thousand
 copies1 was published at ,madrid4  ,the
 work was printed at  the establishment 
of ,mr4 ,borrego1 a well-known writer on
 political  economy1 and proprietor and 
editor of an influential newspaper      
called ,el  ,espaol4  ,to this gentleman
 ,i had been recommended by ,isturitz   
himself1  on the day of my interview    
with him4  ,that unfortunate minister   
had1  indeed1 the highest esteem for    
,borrego1 and had intended raising him  
to  the station of minister of finance1 
when the revolution of the ,granja      
occurring1 of course rendered abortive  
this project1 with perhaps many  others 
of a similar kind which he might have   
formed4    ,the ,spanish version of the 
,new ,testament which was thus          
published1 had  been made many years    
before by a certain ,padre ,filipe      
,scio1 confessor of  ,ferdinand the     
,seventh1 and had even been printed1 but
 so encumbered by  notes and            

commentaries as to be unfitted for      
general circulation1 for  which1 indeed1
 it was never intended4  ,in the present
 edition1 the notes  were of course     
omitted1 and the inspired word1 and that
 alone1 offered to  the public4  ,it was
 brought out in a handsome octavo       
volume1 and  presented1 upon the whole1 
a rather favourable specimen of ,spanish
  typography4    ,the mere printing1    
however1 of the ,new ,testament at      
,madrid could be  attended with no      
utility whatever1 unless measures1 and  
energetic ones1  were taken for the     
circulation of the sacred volume4    ,in
 the case of the ,new ,testament1 it    
would not do to follow the usual  plan  
of publication in ,spain1 namely1 to    
entrust the work to the  booksellers of 
the capital1 and rest content with the  
sale which they and  their agents in the
 provincial towns might be able to      
obtain for it1 in  the common routine of
 business2 the result generally being1  
the  circulation of a few dozen copies  

in the course of the year2 as the       
demand for literature of every kind in  
,spain was miserably small4    ,the     
,christians of ,england had already made
 considerable sacrifices in the  hope of
 disseminating the word of ,god largely 
amongst the ,spaniards1 and  it was now 
necessary to spare no exertion to       
prevent that hope becoming  abortive4   
,before the book was ready1 ,i had begun
 to make preparations  for putting a    
plan into execution1 which had occupied 
my thoughts  occasionally during my     
former visit to ,spain1 and which ,i had
 never  subsequently abandoned4  ,i had 
mused on it when off ,cape ,finisterre  
in  the tempest2 in the cut-throat      
passes of the ,morena2 and on the plains
 of  ,la ,mancha1 as ,i jogged along a  
little way ahead of the ,contrabandista4
    ,i had determined1 after depositing 
a certain number of copies in the  shops
 of the booksellers of ,madrid1 to ride 
forth1 ,testament in hand1 and          
endeavour to circulate the word of ,god 

amongst the ,spaniards1 not only of  the
 towns but of the villages2 amongst the 
children not only of the  plains but of 
the hills and mountains4  ,i intended to
 visit ,old ,castile1  and to traverse  
the whole of ,galicia and the           
,asturias1--to establish  ,scripture    
dpots in the principal towns1 and to    
visit the people in  secret and secluded
 spots1--to talk to them of ,christ1 to 
explain to them  the nature of his book1
 and to place that book in the hands of 
those whom  ,i should deem capable of   
deriving benefit from it4  ,i was aware 
that such  a journey would be attended  
with considerable danger1 and very      
possibly  the fate of ,st4 ,stephen     
might overtake me2 but does the man     
deserve the  name of a follower of      
,christ who would shrink from danger of 
any kind in  the cause of ,him whom he  
calls his ,master8  8,he who loses his  
life for my  sake1 shall find it10 are  
words which the ,lord himself uttered4  
,these  words were fraught with         

consolation to me1 as they doubtless are
 to every  one engaged in propagating   
the gospel in sincerity of heart1 in    
savage  and barbarian lands4    ,i now  
purchased another horse2 for these      
animals1 at the time of which ,i  am    
speaking1 were exceedingly cheap4  ,a   
royal requisition was about to be       
issued for five thousand1 the           
consequence being1 that an immense      
number  were for sale1 for1 by virtue of
 this requisition1 the horses of any    
person not a foreigner could be seized  
for the benefit of the service4  ,it was
 probable that1 when the number was made
 up1 the price of horses  would be      
treble what it then was1 which          
consideration induced me to  purchase   
this animal before ,i exactly wanted    
him4  ,he was a black  ,andalusian      
stallion of great power and strength1   
and capable of  performing a journey of 
a hundred leagues in a week's time1 but 
he was  unbroke1 savage1 and furious4   
,a cargo of ,bibles1 however1 which ,i  

hoped  occasionally to put on his back1 
would1 ,i had no doubt1 thoroughly tame 
him1 especially when labouring up the   
flinty hills of the north of ,spain4  ,i
 wished to have purchased a mule1 but1  
though ,i offered thirty pounds  for a  
sorry one1 ,i could not obtain her2     
whereas the cost of both the  horses1   
tall powerful stately animals1 scarcely 
amounted to that sum4    ,the state of  
the surrounding country at this time was
 not very favourable  for venturing     
forth3 ,cabrera was within nine leagues 
of ,madrid1 with an  army nearly ten    
thousand strong2 he had beaten several  
small detachments  of the queen's       
troops1 and had ravaged ,la ,mancha with
 fire and sword1  burning several towns2
 bands of affrighted fugitives were     
arriving every  hour1 bringing tidings  
of woe and disaster1 and ,i was only    
surprised that  the enemy did not       
appear1 and by taking ,madrid1 which was
 almost at his  mercy1 put an end to the
 war at once4  ,but the truth is1 that  

the ,carlist  generals did not wish the 
war to cease1 for as long as the country
 was  involved in bloodshed and anarchy1
 they could plunder and exercise that   
lawless authority so dear to men of     
fierce and brutal passions4  ,cabrera1  
moreover1 was a dastardly wretch1 whose 
limited mind was incapable of           
harbouring a single conception          
approaching to grandeur2 whose heroic   
deeds were confined to cutting down     
defenceless men1 and to forcing and     
disembowelling unhappy women2 and yet ,i
 have seen this wretched fellow  termed 
by ,french journals 7,carlist of course7
 the young1 the heroic  general4        
,infamy on the cowardly assassin6  ,the 
shabbiest corporal of  ,napoleon would  
have laughed at his generalship1 and    
half a battalion of  ,austrian          
grenadiers would have driven him and his
 rabble army headlong  into the ,ebro4  
,i now made preparations for my journey 
into the north4  ,i was already         
provided with horses well calculated to 

support the fatigues of the road  and   
the burdens which ,i might deem         
necessary to impose upon them4  ,one    
thing1 however1 was still lacking1      
indispensable to a person about to      
engage on an expedition of this         
description2 ,i mean a servant to attend
  me4  ,perhaps there is no place in the
 world where servants more abound  than 
at ,madrid1 or at least fellows eager to
 proffer their services in  the         
expectation of receiving food and wages1
 though1 with respect to the  actual    
service which they are capable of       
performing1 not much can be  said2 but  
,i was in want of a servant of no common
 description1 a shrewd  active fellow1  
of whose advice1 in cases of emergency1 
,i could  occasionally avail myself2    
courageous withal1 for it certainly     
required  some degree of courage to     
follow a master bent on exploring the   
greater  part of ,spain1 and who        
intended to travel1 not under the       
protection of  muleteers and carmen1 but

 on his own cabalgaduras4  ,such a      
servant1  perhaps1 ,i might have sought 
for years without finding2 chance1      
however1  brought one to my hand at the 
very time ,i wanted him1 without it     
being  necessary for me to make any     
laborious perquisitions4  ,i was one day
  mentioning the subject to ,mr4        
,borrego1 at whose establishment ,i had 
printed the ,new ,testament1 and        
inquiring whether he thought that such  
an  individual was to be found in       
,madrid1 adding that ,i was particularly
  anxious to obtain a servant who1      
besides ,spanish1 could speak some other
  language1 that occasionally we might  
discourse without being understood  by  
those who might overhear us4  8,the very
 description of person10 he  replied1   
8that you appear to be in need of1      
quitted me about half an hour  ago1 and1
 it is singular enough1 came to me in   
the hope that ,i might be  able to      
recommend him to a master4  ,he has been
 twice in my service3 for  his talent   

and courage ,i will answer2 and ,i      
believe him to be  trustworthy1 at least
 to masters who may chime in with his   
humour1 for ,i  must inform you that he 
is a most extraordinary fellow1 full of 
strange  likes and antipathies1 which he
 will gratify at any expense1 either to 
himself or others4  ,perhaps he will    
attach himself to you1 in which case    
you will find him highly valuable2 for  
if he please he can turn his hand  to   
any thing1 and is not only acquainted   
with two but half a dozen  languages40  
8,is he a ,spaniard80 ,i inquired4      
8,i will send him to you to-morrow10    
said ,borrego1 8you will best learn     
from his own mouth who and what he is40 
,the next day1 as ,i had just sat down  
to my 8sopa10 my hostess informed me    
that a man wished to speak to me4       
8,admit him10 said ,i1 and he almost    
instantly made his appearance4  ,he was 
dressed respectably in the ,french      
fashion1 and had rather a juvenile look1
 though ,i subsequently learned  that he

 was considerably above forty4  ,he was 
somewhat above the middle  stature1 and 
might have been called well made1 had it
 not been for his  meagreness1 which was
 rather remarkable4  ,his arms were long
 and bony1  and his whole form conveyed 
an idea of great activity united with no
  slight degree of strength3 his hair   
was wiry1 but of jetty blackness2 his   
forehead low2 his eyes small and grey1  
expressive of much subtlety and no  less
 malice1 strangely relieved by a strong 
dash of humour2 the nose was  handsome1 
but the mouth was immensely wide1 and   
his under jaw projected  considerably4  
,a more singular physiognomy ,i had     
never seen1 and ,i  continued staring at
 him for some time in silence4  8,who   
are you80 ,i at  last demanded4         
8,domestic in search of a master10      
answered the man in good ,french1 but in
  a strange accent4  8,i come           
recommended to you1 my ,lor1 by         
,monsieur ,b40    ,myself4--,of what    
nation may you be8  ,are you ,french or 

,spanish8    ,man4--,god forbid that ,i 
should be either1 mi ,lor1 j'ai         
l'honneur d'etre  de la nation ,grecque1
 my name is ,antonio ,buchini1 native of
 ,pera the  ,belle near to              
,constantinople4    ,myself4--,and what 
brought you to ,spain8    ,buchini4--,mi
 ,lor1 je vais vous raconter mon        
histoire du commencement  jusqu'ici3--my
 father was a native of ,sceira in      
,greece1 from whence at an  early age he
 repaired to ,pera1 where he served as  
janitor in the hotels  of various       
ambassadors1 by whom he was much        
respected for his fidelity4  ,amongst   
others of these gentlemen1 he served him
 of your own nation3 this  occurred at  
the time that there was war between     
,england and the ,porte4  #aha          
,monsieur the ,ambassador had to escape 
for his life1 leaving the  greater part 
of his valuables to the care of my      
father1 who concealed  them at his own  
great risk1 and when the dispute was    
settled1 restored  them to ,monsieur1   

even to the most inconsiderable trinket4
  ,i mention  this circumstance to show 
you that ,i am of a family which        
cherishes  principles of honour1 and in 
which confidence may be placed4  ,my    
father  married a daughter of ,pera1 et 
moi je suis l'unique fruit de ce        
mariage4  ,of my mother ,i know nothing1
 as she died shortly after my  birth4   
,a family of wealthy ,jews took pity on 
my forlorn condition and  offered to    
bring me up1 to which my father gladly  
consented2 and with  them ,i continued  
several years1 until ,i was a beau      
garcon2 they were  very fond of me1 and 
at last offered to adopt me1 and at     
their death to  bequeath me all they    
had1 on condition of my becoming a ,jew4
  ,mais la  circoncision n'etoit guere a
 mon gout2 especially that of the ,jews1
 for  ,i am a ,greek1 am proud1 and have
 principles of honour4  ,i quitted them1
  therefore1 saying that if ever ,i     
allowed myself to be converted1 it      
should be to the faith of the ,turks1   

for they are men1 are proud1 and  have  
principles of honour like myself4  ,i   
then returned to my father1 who         
procured me various situations1 none of 
which were to my liking1 until ,i  was  
placed in the house of ,monsieur ,zea4  
,myself4--,you mean1 ,i suppose1 ,zea   
,bermudez1 who chanced to be at         
,constantinople4    ,buchini4--,just so1
 mi ,lor1 and with him ,i continued     
during his stay4  ,he  put great        
confidence in me1 more especially as ,i 
spoke the pure ,spanish  language1 which
 ,i acquired amongst the ,jews1 who1 as 
,i have heard  ,monsieur ,zea say1 speak
 it better than the present natives of  
,spain4    ,i shall not follow the      
,greek step by step throughout his      
history1 which  was rather lengthy3     
suffice it to say1 that he was brought  
by ,zea  ,bermudez from ,constantinople 
to ,spain1 where he continued in his    
service  for many years1 and from whose 
house he was expelled for marrying a    
,guipuscoan damsel1 who was fille de    

chambre to ,madame ,zea2 since which    
time it appeared that he had served an  
infinity of masters2 sometimes as       
valet1 sometimes as cook1 but generally 
in the last capacity4  ,he  confessed1  
however1 that he had seldom continued   
more than three days in  the same       
service1 on account of the disputes     
which were sure to arise in  the house  
almost immediately after his admission1 
and for which he could  assign no other 
reason than his being a ,greek1 and     
having principles of  honour4  ,amongst 
other persons whom he had served was    
,general ,cordova1  who he said was a   
bad paymaster1 and was in the habit of  
maltreating his  domestics4  8,but he   
found his match in me10 said ,antonio1  
8for ,i was  prepared for him2 and once1
 when he drew his sword against me1 ,i  
pulled  out a pistol and pointed it in  
his face4  ,he grew pale as death1 and  
from  that hour treated me with all     
kinds of condescension4  ,it was only   
pretence1 however1 for the affair       

rankled in his mind2 he had determined  
upon revenge1 and on being appointed to 
the command of the army1 he was         
particularly anxious that ,i should     
attend him to the camp4  ,mais je lui   
ris au nez1 made the sign of the        
cortamanga--asked for my wages1 and left
  him2 and well it was that ,i did so1  
for the very domestic whom he took  with
 him he caused to be shot upon a charge 
of mutiny40    8,i am afraid10 said ,i1 
8that you are of a turbulent            
disposition1 and that  the disputes to  
which you have alluded are solely to be 
attributed to the  badness of your      
temper40    8,what would you have1      
,monsieur8  ,moi je suis ,grec1 je suis 
fier et  j'ai des principes d'honneur4  
,i expect to be treated with a certain  
consideration1 though ,i confess that my
 temper is none of the best1 and  that  
at times ,i am tempted to quarrel with  
the pots and pans in the  kitchen4  ,i  
think1 upon the whole1 that it will be  
for your advantage to  engage me1 and ,i

 promise you to be on my guard4  ,there 
is one thing that  pleases me relating  
to you1 you are unmarried4  ,now1 ,i    
would rather serve  a young unmarried   
man for love and friendship1 than a     
,benedict for fifty  dollars per month4 
,madame is sure to hate me1 and so is   
her waiting  woman2 and more            
particularly the latter1 because ,i am a
 married man4  ,i  see that mi ,lor is  
willing to engage me40    8,but you say 
you are a married man10 ,i replied2 8how
 can you desert your  wife1 for ,i am   
about to leave ,madrid1 and to travel   
into the remote and  mountainous parts  
of ,spain40    8,my wife will receive   
the moiety of my wages1 while ,i am     
absent1 mi ,lor1  and therefore will    
have no reason to complain of being     
deserted4  ,complain6 did ,i say2 my    
wife is at present too well instructed  
to  complain4  ,she never speaks nor    
sits in my presence unless ,i give her  
permission4  ,am ,i not a ,greek1 and do
 ,i not know how to govern my own       

house8  ,engage me1 mi ,lor1 ,i am a man
 of many capacities3 a discreet  valet1 
an excellent cook1 a good groom and     
light rider2 in a word1 ,i am  4  ,what 
would you more80    ,i asked him his    
terms1 which were extravagant1          
notwithstanding his  principes          
d'honneur4  ,i found1 however1 that he  
was willing to take one  half4    ,i had
 no sooner engaged him1 than seizing the
 tureen of soup1 which had  by this time
 become quite cold1 he placed it on the 
top of his  forefinger1 or rather on the
 nail thereof1 causing it to make       
various  circumvolutions over his head1 
to my great astonishment1 without       
spilling  a drop1 then springing with it
 to the door1 he vanished1 and in       
another  moment made his appearance with
 the puchera1 which1 after a similar    
bound  and flourish1 he deposited on the
 table2 then suffering his hands to sink
  before him1 he put one over the other 
and stood at his ease with  half-shut   
eyes1 for all the world as if he had    

been in my service twenty  years4       
,and in this manner ,antonio ,buchini   
entered upon his duties4  ,many was the 
wild spot to which he subsequently      
accompanied me2 many the wild  adventure
 of which he was the sharer4  ,his      
behaviour was frequently in  the highest
 degree extraordinary1 but he served me 
courageously and  faithfully3 such a    
valet1 take him for all in all1         
8,his like ,i ne'er expect to see       
again40        ,kosko bakh ,anton4      
,,chapter ,,xx      ,illness--,nocturnal
 ,visit--,a ,master ,mind--,the         
,whisper--,salamanca--,irish            
,hospitality--,spanish ,soldiers--,the  
,scriptures advertised4    ,but ,i am   
anxious to enter upon the narrative of  
my journey1 and shall  therefore abstain
 from relating to my readers a great    
many circumstances  which occurred      
previously to my leaving ,madrid on this
 expedition4  ,about  the middle of ,may
 ,i had got everything in readiness1 and
 ,i bade farewell  to my friends4       

,salamanca was the first place which ,i 
intended to visit4    ,some days        
previous to my departure ,i was very    
much indisposed1 owing to  the state of 
the weather1 for violent and biting     
winds had long  prevailed4  ,i had been 
attacked with a severe cold1 which      
terminated in a  disagreeable cough1    
which the many remedies ,i successively 
tried seemed  unable to subdue4  ,i had 
made preparations for departing on a    
particular  day1 but1 owing to the state
 of my health1 ,i was apprehensive that 
,i  should be compelled to defer my     
journey for a time4  ,the last day of my
  stay in ,madrid1 finding myself       
scarcely able to stand1 ,i was fain to  
submit to a somewhat desperate          
experiment1 and by the advice of the    
barber-surgeon who visited me1 ,i       
determined to be bled4  ,late on the    
night of that same day he took from me  
sixteen ounces of blood1 and  having    
received his fee left me1 wishing me a  
pleasant journey1 and  assuring me1 upon

 his reputation1 that by noon the next  
day ,i should be  perfectly recovered4  
,a few minutes after his departure1     
whilst ,i was sitting alone1 meditating 
on the journey which ,i was about to    
undertake1 and on the ricketty state  of
 my health1 ,i heard a loud knock at the
 street door of the house1 on  the third
 floor of which ,i was lodged4  ,in     
another minute ,mr4 ,s--- of the        
,british ,embassy entered my apartment4 
,after a little conversation1 he        
informed me that ,mr4 ,villiers had     
desired him to wait upon me to          
communicate a resolution which he had   
come to4  ,being apprehensive that1     
alone and unassisted1 ,i should         
experience great difficulty in          
propagating  the gospel of ,god to any  
considerable extent in ,spain1 he was   
bent upon  exerting to the utmost his   
own credit and influence to further my  
views1  which he himself considered1 if 
carried into proper effect1 extremely   
well calculated to operate beneficially 

on the political and moral state  of the
 country4  ,to this end it was his      
intention to purchase a very            
considerable number of copies of the    
,new ,testament1 and to dispatch them   
forthwith to the various ,british       
consuls established in different parts  
of ,spain1 with strict and positive     
orders to employ all the means which    
their official situation should afford  
them to circulate the books in  question
 and to assure their being noticed4     
,they were1 moreover1 to be  charged to 
afford me1 whenever ,i should appear in 
their respective  districts1 all the    
protection1 encouragement1 and          
assistance which ,i  should stand in    
need of4    ,i was of course much       
rejoiced on receiving this information1 
for though ,i  had long been aware that 
,mr4 ,villiers was at all times willing 
to assist  me1 he having frequently     
given me sufficient proof1 ,i could     
never expect  that he would come forward
 in so noble1 and1 to say the least of  

it1  considering his high diplomatic    
situation1 so bold and decided a manner4
  ,i believe that this was the first    
instance of a ,british ambassador having
  made the cause of the ,bible ,society 
a national one1 or indeed of having     
favoured it directly or indirectly4     
,what renders the case of ,mr4          
,villiers more remarkable is1 that on my
 first arrival at ,madrid ,i found  him 
by no means well disposed towards the   
,society4  ,the ,holy ,spirit had       
probably illumined his mind on this     
point4  ,i hoped that by his means our  
institution would shortly possess many  
agents in ,spain1 who1 with far  more   
power and better opportunities than ,i  
myself could ever expect to  possess1   
would scatter abroad the seed of the    
gospel1 and make of a  barren and       
thirsty wilderness a green and smiling  
corn-field4    ,a word or two about the 
gentleman who paid me this nocturnal    
visit4  ,though he has probably long    
since forgotten the humble circulator of

 the  ,bible in ,spain1 ,i still bear in
 mind numerous acts of kindness which ,i
  experienced at his hands4  ,endowed   
with an intellect of the highest  order1
 master of the lore of all ,europe1     
profoundly versed in the ancient        
tongues1 and speaking most of the modern
 dialects with remarkable               
facility1--possessed1 moreover1 of a    
thorough knowledge of mankind1--he      
brought with him into the diplomatic    
career advantages such as few1 even  the
 most highly gifted1 can boast of4      
,during his sojourn in ,spain he        
performed many eminent services for the 
government which employed him2  services
 which1 ,i believe1 it had sufficient   
discernment to see1 and  gratitude to   
reward4  ,he had to encounter1 however1 
the full brunt of the  low and stupid   
malignity of the party who1 shortly     
after the time of  which ,i am speaking1
 usurped the management of the affairs  
of ,spain4  ,this party1 whose foolish  
manuvres he was continually             

discomfiting1  feared and hated him as  
its evil genius1 taking every           
opportunity of  showering on his head   
calumnies the most improbable and       
absurd4  ,amongst  other things1 he was 
accused of having acted as an agent to  
the ,english  government in the affair  
of the ,granja1 bringing about that     
revolution by  bribing the mutinous     
soldiers1 and more particularly the     
notorious  ,sergeant ,garcia4  ,such an 
accusation will of course merely extract
 a  smile from those who are at all     
acquainted with the ,english character1 
and the general line of conduct pursued 
by the ,english government4  ,it  was a 
charge1 however1 universally believed in
 ,spain1 and was even  preferred in     
print by a certain journal1 the official
 organ of the silly  ,duke of ,frias1   
one of the many prime ministers of the  
moderado party who  followed each other 
in rapid succession towards the latter  
period of the  ,carlist and ,christino  
struggle4  ,but when did a calumnious   

report ever  fall to the ground in      
,spain by the weight of its own         
absurdity8  ,unhappy  land1 not until   
the pure light of the ,gospel has       
illumined thee wilt thou  learn that the
 greatest of all gifts is charity4      
,the next day verified the prediction of
 the ,spanish surgeon2 ,i had to a      
considerable degree lost my cough and   
fever1 though1 owing to the loss of     
blood1 ,i was somewhat feeble4          
,precisely at twelve o'clock the horses 
were led forth before the door of my    
lodging in the ,calle de ,santiago1  and
 ,i prepared to mount3 but my black     
entero of ,andalusia would not  permit  
me to approach his side1 and whenever ,i
 made the attempt1  commenced wheeling  
round with great rapidity4    8,c'est un
 mauvais signe1 mon maitre10 said       
,antonio1 who1 dressed in a  green      
jerkin1 a ,montero cap1 booted and      
spurred1 stood ready to attend  me1     
holding by the bridle the horse which ,i
 had purchased from the  contrabandista4

  8,it is a bad sign1 and in my country 
they would defer  the journey till      
to-morrow40    8,are there whisperers in
 your country80 ,i demanded2 and taking 
the horse  by the mane1 ,i performed the
 ceremony after the most approved       
fashion3  the animal stood still1 and ,i
 mounted the saddle1 exclaiming--       
8,the ,rommany ,chal to his horse did   
cry1      ,as he placed the bit in his  
horse's jaw2      ,kosko gry6 ,rommany  
gry6      ,muk man kistur tute knaw40   
,we then rode forth from ,madrid by the 
gate of ,san ,vincente1 directing our   
course to the lofty mountains which     
separate ,old from ,new ,castile4  ,that
  night we rested at ,guadarama1 a large
 village at their foot1 distant from    
,madrid about seven leagues4  ,rising   
early on the following morning1 we      
ascended the pass and entered into ,old 
,castile4    ,after crossing the        
mountains1 the route to ,salamanca lies 
almost entirely  over sandy and arid    
plains1 interspersed here and there with

 thin and  scanty groves of pine4  ,no  
adventure worth relating occurred during
 this  journey4  ,we sold a few         
,testaments in the villages through     
which we  passed1 more especially at    
,pearanda4  ,about noon of the third    
day1 on  reaching the brow of a hillock1
 we saw a huge dome before us1 upon     
which  the fierce rays of the sun       
striking1 produced the appearance of    
burnished  gold4  ,it belonged to the   
cathedral of ,salamanca1 and we         
flattered  ourselves that we were       
already at our journey's end2 we were   
deceived1  however1 being still four    
leagues distant from the town1 whose    
churches  and convents1 towering up in  
gigantic masses1 can be distinguished at
 an  immense distance1 flattering the   
traveller with an idea of propinquity   
which does not in reality exist4  ,it   
was not till long after nightfall  that 
we arrived at the city gate1 which we   
found closed and guarded1 in            
apprehension of a ,carlist attack2 and  

having obtained admission with some     
difficulty1 we led our horses along     
dark1 silent1 and deserted streets1     
till we found an individual who directed
 us to a large1 gloomy1 and  comfortless
 posada1 that of the ,bull1 which we1   
however1 subsequently  found was the    
best which the town afforded4    ,a     
melancholy town is ,salamanca2 the days 
of its collegiate glory are long  since 
past by1 never more to return3 a        
circumstance1 however1 which is  little 
to be regretted2 for what benefit did   
the world ever derive from  scholastic  
philosophy8  ,and for that alone was    
,salamanca ever famous4  ,its halls are 
now almost silent1 and grass is growing 
in its courts1  which were once daily   
thronged by at least eight thousand     
students2 a  number to which1 at the    
present day1 the entire population of   
the city  does not amount4  ,yet1 with  
all its melancholy1 what an interesting1
 nay1  what a magnificent place is      
,salamanca6  ,how glorious are its      

churches1  how stupendous are its       
deserted convents1 and with what sublime
 but  sullen grandeur do its huge and   
crumbling walls1 which crown the        
precipitous bank of the ,tormes1 look   
down upon the lovely river and its      
venerable bridge4    ,what a pity that1 
of the many rivers in ,spain1 scarcely  
one is navigable4  ,the beautiful but   
shallow ,tormes1 instead of proving a   
source of blessing  and wealth to this  
part of ,castile1 is of no further      
utility than to turn  the wheels of     
various small water mills1 standing upon
 weirs of stone1  which at certain      
distances traverse the river4    ,my    
sojourn at ,salamanca was rendered      
particularly pleasant by the kind       
attentions and continual acts of        
hospitality which ,i experienced from   
the  inmates of the ,irish ,college1 to 
the rector of which ,i bore a letter of 
recommendation from my kind and         
excellent friend ,mr4 ,o',shea1 the     
celebrated banker of ,madrid4  ,it will 

be long before ,i forget these  ,irish1 
more especially their head1 ,dr4        
,gartland1 a genuine scion of the  good 
,hibernian tree1 an accomplished        
scholar1 and a courteous and            
high-minded gentleman4  ,though fully   
aware who ,i was1 he held out the  hand 
of friendship to the wandering heretic  
missionary1 although by so  doing he    
exposed himself to the rancorous remarks
 of the narrow-minded  native clergy1   
who1 in their ugly shovel hats and long 
cloaks1 glared at  me askance as ,i     
passed by their whispering groups       
beneath the piazzas of  the ,plaza4     
,but when did the fear of consequences  
cause an ,irishman to  shrink from the  
exercise of the duties of hospitality8  
,however attached  to his religion--and 
who is so attached to the ,romish creed 
as the  ,irishman8--,i am convinced that
 not all the authority of the ,pope or  
the  ,cardinals would induce him to     
close his doors on ,luther himself1 were
  that respectable personage at present 

alive and in need of food and  refuge4  
,honour to ,ireland and her 8hundred    
thousand welcomes60  ,her fields have   
long been the greenest in the world2 her
 daughters the fairest2 her sons  the   
bravest and most eloquent4  ,may they   
never cease to be so4    ,the posada    
where ,i had put up was a good specimen 
of the old ,spanish inn1  being much the
 same as those described in the time of 
,philip the ,third or  ,fourth4  ,the   
rooms were many and large1 floored with 
either brick or  stone1 generally with  
an alcove at the end1 in which stood a  
wretched  flock bed4  ,behind the house 
was a court1 and in the rear of this a  
stable1 full of horses1 ponies1 mules1  
machos1 and donkeys1 for there was  no  
lack of guests1 who1 however1 for the   
most part slept in the stable  with     
their caballerias1 being either arrieros
 or small peddling merchants  who       
travelled the country with coarse cloth 
or linen4  ,opposite to my  room in the 
corridor lodged a wounded officer1 who  

had just arrived from  ,san ,sebastian  
on a galled broken-kneed pony2 he was an
 ,estrimenian1 and  was returning to his
 own village to be cured4  ,he was      
attended by three  broken soldiers1 lame
 or maimed1 and unfit for service3 they 
told me that  they were of the same     
village as his worship1 and on that     
account he  permitted them to travel    
with him4  ,they slept amongst the      
litter1 and  throughout the day lounged 
about the house smoking paper cigars4   
,i never  saw them eating1 though they  
frequently went to a dark cool corner1  
where  stood a bota or kind of water    
pitcher1 which they held about six      
inches  from their black filmy lips1    
permitting the liquid to trickle down   
their  throats4  ,they said they had no 
pay1 and were quite destitute of money1 
that su merced the officer occasionally 
gave them a piece of bread1 but  that he
 himself was poor and had only a few    
dollars4  ,brave guests for an  inn1    
thought ,i2 yet1 to the honour of ,spain

 be it spoken1 it is one of  the few    
countries in ,europe where poverty is   
never insulted nor looked  upon with    
contempt4  ,even at an inn1 the poor man
 is never spurned from  the door1 and if
 not harboured1 is at least dismissed   
with fair words1  and consigned to the  
mercies of ,god and his mother4  ,this  
is as it should  be4  ,i laugh at the   
bigotry and prejudices of ,spain2 ,i    
abhor the cruelty  and ferocity which   
have cast a stain of eternal infamy on  
her history2  but ,i will say for the   
,spaniards1 that in their social        
intercourse no  people in the world     
exhibit a juster feeling of what is due 
to the  dignity of human nature1 or     
better understand the behaviour which it
  behoves a man to adopt towards his    
fellow beings4  ,i have said that it is 
one of the few countries in ,europe     
where poverty is not treated with       
contempt1 and ,i may add1 where the     
wealthy are not blindly idolized4  ,in  
,spain the very beggar does not feel    

himself a degraded being1 for he  kisses
 no one's feet1 and knows not what it is
 to be cuffed or spitten  upon2 and in  
,spain the duke or the marquis can      
scarcely entertain a very  overweening  
opinion of his own consequence1 as he   
finds no one1 with  perhaps the         
exception of his ,french valet1 to fawn 
upon or flatter him4    ,during my stay 
at ,salamanca1 ,i took measures that the
 word of ,god might  become generally   
known in this celebrated city4  ,the    
principal bookseller  of the town1      
,blanco1 a man of great wealth and      
respectability1 consented  to become my 
agent here1 and ,i in consequence       
deposited in his shop a  certain number 
of ,new ,testaments4  ,he was the       
proprietor of a small  printing press1  
where the official bulletin of the place
 was published4  ,for this bulletin ,i  
prepared an advertisement of the work1  
in which1  amongst other things1 ,i said
 that the ,new ,testament was the only  
guide to  salvation2 ,i also spoke of   

the ,bible ,society1 and the great      
pecuniary  sacrifices which it was      
making with the view of proclaiming     
,christ  crucified1 and of making his   
doctrine known4  ,this step will perhaps
 be  considered by some as too bold1 but
 ,i was not aware that ,i could take any
  more calculated to arouse the         
attention of the people--a considerable 
point4  ,i also ordered numbers of the  
same advertisement to be struck off  in 
the shape of bills1 which ,i caused to  
be stuck up in various parts of  the    
town4  ,i had great hope that by means  
of these a considerable number  of ,new 
,testaments would be sold4  ,i intended 
to repeat this experiment in            
,valladolid1 ,leon1 ,st4 ,jago1 and all 
the principal towns which ,i visited1   
and to distribute them likewise as ,i   
rode along3 the children of ,spain      
would thus be brought to know that such 
a work as the ,new ,testament is in     
existence1 a fact of which not five in  
one hundred were then aware1            

notwithstanding their so                
frequently-repeated boasts of their     
,catholicity  and ,christianity4        
,,chapter ,,xxi      ,departure from    
,salamanca--,reception at               
,pitiegua--,the ,dilemma--,sudden       
,inspiration--,the ,good                
,presbyter--,combat of                  
,quadrupeds--,irish                     
,christians--,plains of ,spain--,the    
,catalans--,the ,fatal                  
,pool--,valladolid--,circulation of the 
,scriptures--,philippine                
,missions--,english  ,college--,a       
,conversation--,the ,gaoleress4    ,on  
,saturday1 the tenth of ,june1 ,i left  
,salamanca for ,valladolid4  ,as the    
village where we intended to rest was   
only five leagues distant1 we did  not  
sally forth till midday was past4       
,there was a haze in the heavens  which 
overcast the sun1 nearly hiding his     
countenance from our view4  ,my  friend1
 ,mr4 ,patrick ,cantwell1 of the ,irish 
,college1 was kind enough to  ride with 

me part of the way4  ,he was mounted on 
a most sorry-looking  hired mule1 which1
 ,i expected would be unable to keep    
pace with the  spirited horses of myself
 and man1 for he seemed to be twin      
brother of  the mule of ,gil ,perez1 on 
which his nephew made his celebrated    
journey  from ,oviedo to ,peaflor4  ,i  
was1 however1 very much mistaken4  ,the 
creature on being mounted instantly set 
off at that rapid walk which ,i  have so
 often admired in ,spanish mules1 and   
which no horse can emulate4  ,our more  
stately animals were speedily left in   
the rear1 and we were  continually      
obliged to break into a trot to follow  
the singular  quadruped1 who1 ever and  
anon1 would lift his head high in the   
air1 curl  up his lip1 and show his     
yellow teeth1 as if he were laughing at 
us1 as  perhaps he was4  ,it chanced    
that none of us was well acquainted with
 the  road2 indeed1 ,i could see nothing
 which was fairly entitled to that      
appellation4  ,the way from ,salamanca  

to ,valladolid is amongst a medley of   
bridle-paths and drift-ways1 where      
discrimination is very difficult4  ,it  
was not long before we were bewildered1 
and travelled over more ground  than was
 strictly necessary4  ,however1 as men  
and women frequently passed  on donkeys 
and little ponies1 we were not too proud
 to be set right by  them1 and by dint  
of diligent inquiry we at length arrived
 at ,pitiegua1  four leagues from       
,salamanca1 a small village1 containing 
about fifty  families1 consisting of mud
 huts1 and situated in the midst of     
dusty  plains1 where corn was growing in
 abundance4  ,we asked for the house of 
the cura1 an old man whom ,i had seen   
the day before at the ,irish ,college1  
and who1 on being informed that ,i was  
about to depart for ,valladolid1 had    
exacted from me a promise that ,i would 
not pass through his village  without   
paying him a visit and partaking of his 
hospitality4    ,a woman directed us to 
a cottage somewhat superior in          

appearance to those  contiguous4  ,it   
had a small portico1 which1 if ,i       
remember well1 was  overgrown with a    
vine4  ,we knocked loud and long at the 
door1 but  received no answer2 the voice
 of man was silent1 and not even a dog  
barked4  ,the truth was1 that the old   
curate was taking his siesta1 and so    
were his whole family1 which consisted  
of one ancient female and a cat4  ,the  
good man was at last disturbed by our   
noise and vociferation1 for we  were    
hungry1 and consequently impatient4     
,leaping from his couch1 he came        
running to the door in great hurry and  
confusion1 and perceiving us1 he  made  
many apologies for being asleep at a    
period when1 he said1 he ought  to have 
been on the lookout for his invited     
guest4  ,he embraced me very            
affectionately and conducted me into his
 parlour1 an apartment of  tolerable    
size1 hung round with shelves1 which    
were crowded with books4  ,at one end   
there was a kind of table or desk       

covered with black leather1  with a     
large easy chair1 into which he pushed  
me1 as ,i1 with the true  eagerness of a
 bibliomaniac1 was about to inspect his 
shelves2 saying1  with considerable     
vehemence1 that there was nothing there 
worthy of the  attention of an          
,englishman1 for that his whole stock   
consisted of  breviaries and dry        
,catholic treatises on divinity4    ,his
 care now was to furnish us with        
refreshments4  ,in a twinkling1 with    
the assistance of his old attendant1 he 
placed on the table several  plates of  
cakes and confectionery1 and a number of
 large uncouth glass  bottles1 which ,i 
thought bore a strong resemblance to    
those of ,schiedam1  and indeed they    
were the very same4  8,there10 said he1 
rubbing his hands2  8,i thank ,god that 
it is in my power to treat you in a way 
which will be  agreeable to you4  ,in   
those bottles there is ,hollands thirty 
years old02  and producing two large    
tumblers1 he continued1 8fill1 my       

friends1 and  drink1 drink it every drop
 if you please1 for it is of little use 
to  myself1 who seldom drink aught but  
water4  ,i know that you islanders love 
it1 and cannot live without it2         
therefore1 since it does you good1 ,i am
  only sorry that there is no more40    
,observing that we contented ourselves  
with merely tasting it1 he looked  at us
 with astonishment1 and inquired the    
reason of our not drinking4  ,we  told  
him that we seldom drank ardent spirits2
 and ,i added1 that as for  myself1 ,i  
seldom tasted even wine1 but like       
himself1 was content with the  use of   
water4  ,he appeared somewhat           
incredulous1 but told us to do  exactly 
what we pleased1 and to ask for what was
 agreeable to us4  ,we  told him that we
 had not dined1 and should be glad of   
some substantial  refreshment4  8,i am  
afraid10 said he1 8that ,i have nothing 
in the house  which will suit you2      
however1 we will go and see40           
,thereupon he led us through a small    

yard at the back part of his house1     
which might have been called a garden1  
or orchard1 if it had displayed  either 
trees or flowers2 but it produced       
nothing but grass1 which was  growing in
 luxuriance4  ,at one end was a large   
pigeon-house1 which we all  entered3    
8for10 said the curate1 8if we could    
find some nice delicate  pigeons they   
would afford you an excellent dinner40  
,we were1 however1  disappointed2 for   
after rummaging the nests1 we only found
 very young  ones1 unfitted for our     
purpose4  ,the good man became very     
melancholy1 and  said he had some       
misgivings that we should have to depart
 dinnerless4  ,leaving the pigeon-house1
 he conducted us to a place where there 
were  several skeps of bees1 round which
 multitudes of the busy insects were    
hovering1 filling the air with their    
music4  8,next to my fellow  creatures10
 said he1 8there is nothing which ,i    
love so dearly as these  bees2 it is one
 of my delights to sit watching them1   

and listening to  their murmur40  ,we   
next went to several unfurnished rooms1 
fronting the  yard1 in one of which were
 hanging several flitches of bacon1     
beneath  which he stopped1 and looking  
up1 gazed intently upon them4  ,we told 
him  that if he had nothing better to   
offer1 we should be very glad to eat    
some slices of this bacon1 especially if
 some eggs were added4  8,to tell  the  
truth10 said he1 8,i have nothing       
better1 and if you can content          
yourselves with such fare ,i shall be   
very happy2 as for eggs you can have  as
 many as you wish1 and perfectly fresh1 
for my hens lay every day40    ,so1     
after every thing was prepared and      
arranged to our satisfaction1 we  sat   
down to dine on the bacon and eggs1 in a
 small room1 not the one to  which he   
had ushered us at first1 but on the     
other side of the doorway4  ,the good   
curate1 though he ate nothing1 having   
taken his meal long  before1 sat at the 
head of the table1 and the repast was   

enlivened by his  chat4  8,there1 my    
friends10 said he1 8where you are now   
seated1 once sat  ,wellington and       
,crawford1 after they had beat the      
,french at ,arapiles1 and  rescued us   
from the thraldom of those wicked       
people4  ,i never respected  my house so
 much as ,i have done since they        
honoured it with their  presence4  ,they
 were heroes1 and one was a demigod40   
,he then burst into  a most eloquent    
panegyric of ,el ,gran ,lord1 as he     
termed him1 which ,i  should be very    
happy to translate1 were my pen capable 
of rendering into  ,english the robust  
thundering sentences of his powerful    
,castilian4  ,i had  till then          
considered him a plain uninformed old   
man1 almost simple1 and  as incapable of
 much emotion as a tortoise within its  
shell2 but he had  become at once       
inspired3 his eyes were replete with a  
bright fire1 and  every muscle of his   
face was quivering4  ,the little silk   
skull-cap which  he wore1 according to  

the custom of the ,catholic clergy1     
moved up and  down with his agitation1  
and ,i soon saw that ,i was in the      
presence of one  of those remarkable men
 who so frequently spring up in the     
bosom of the  ,romish church1 and who to
 a child-like simplicity unite immense  
energy  and power of mind1--equally     
adapted to guide a scanty flock of      
ignorant  rustics in some obscure       
village in ,italy or ,spain1 as to      
convert millions  of heathens on the    
shores of ,japan1 ,china1 and ,paraguay4
    ,he was a thin spare man1 of about  
sixty-five1 and was dressed in a black  
cloak of very coarse materials1 nor were
 his other garments of superior         
quality4  ,this plainness1 however1 in  
the appearance of his outward man  was  
by no means the result of poverty2 quite
 the contrary4  ,the benefice  was a    
very plentiful one1 and placed at his   
disposal annually a sum of at  least    
eight hundred dollars1 of which the     
eighth part was more than  sufficient to

 defray the expenses of his house and   
himself2 the rest was  devoted entirely 
to the purest acts of charity4  ,he fed 
the hungry  wanderer1 and dispatched him
 singing on his way1 with meat in his   
wallet  and a peseta in his purse1 and  
his parishioners1 when in need of money1
  had only to repair to his study and   
were sure of an immediate supply4  ,he  
was1 indeed1 the banker of the village1 
and what he lent he neither  expected   
nor wished to be returned4  ,though     
under the necessity of making  frequent 
journeys to ,salamanca1 he kept no mule1
 but contented himself  with an ass1    
borrowed from the neighbouring miller4  
8,i once kept a  mule10 said he1 8but   
some years since it was removed without 
my  permission by a traveller whom ,i   
had housed for the night3 for in that   
alcove ,i keep two clean beds for the   
use of the wayfaring1 and ,i shall be   
very much pleased if yourself and friend
 will occupy them1 and tarry with  me   
till the morning40    ,but ,i was eager 

to continue my journey1 and my friend   
was no less anxious  to return to       
,salamanca4  ,upon taking leave of the  
hospitable curate1 ,i  presented him    
with a copy of the ,new ,testament4  ,he
 received it without  uttering a single 
word1 and placed it on one of the       
shelves of his study2  but ,i observed  
him nodding significantly to the ,irish 
student1 perhaps as  much as to say1    
8,your friend loses no opportunity of   
propagating his  book02 for he was well 
aware who ,i was4  ,i shall not speedily
 forget the  truly good presbyter1      
,anthonio ,garcia de ,aguilar1 ,cura of 
,pitiegua4    ,we reached ,pedroso      
shortly before nightfall4  ,it was a    
small village  containing about thirty  
houses1 and intersected by a rivulet1 or
 as it is  called a regata4  ,on its    
banks women and maidens were washing    
their linen  and singing couplets2 the  
church stood lone and solitary on the   
farther  side4  ,we inquired for the    
posada1 and were shown a cottage        

differing  nothing from the rest in     
general appearance4  ,we called at the  
door in  vain1 as it is not the custom  
of ,castile for the people of these     
halting  places to go out to welcome    
their visitors3 at last we dismounted   
and  entered the house1 demanding of a  
sullen-looking woman where we were to   
place the horses4  ,she said there was a
 stable within the house1 but we  could 
not put the animals there as it         
contained malos machos 7savage  mules7  
belonging to two travellers who would   
certainly fight with our  horses1 and   
then there would be a funcion1 which    
would tear the house  down4  ,she then  
pointed to an outhouse across the way1  
saying that we  could stable them there4
  ,we entered this place1 which we found
 full of  filth and swine1 with a door  
without a lock4  ,i thought of the fate 
of  the cura's mule1 and was unwilling  
to trust the horses in such a place1    
abandoning them to the mercy of any     
robber in the neighbourhood4  ,i        

therefore entered the house1 and said   
resolutely1 that ,i was determined  to  
place them in the stable4  ,two men were
 squatted on the ground1 with  an       
immense bowl of stewed hare before them1
 on which they were supping2  these were
 the travelling merchants1 the masters  
of the mutes4  ,i passed  on to the     
stable1 one of the men saying softly1   
8,yes1 yes1 go in and see  what will    
befall40  ,i had no sooner entered the  
stable than ,i heard a  horrid          
discordant cry1 something between a bray
 and a yell1 and the  largest of the    
machos1 tearing his head from the manger
 to which he was  fastened1 his eyes    
shooting flames1 and breathing a        
whirlwind from his  nostrils1 flung     
himself on my stallion4  ,the horse1 as 
savage as himself1  reared on his hind  
legs1 and after the fashion of an       
,english pugilist1  repaid the other    
with a pat on the forehead1 which nearly
 felled him4  ,a  combat instantly      
ensued1 and ,i thought that the words of

 the sullen woman  would be verified by 
the house being torn to pieces4  ,it    
ended by my  seizing the mute by the    
halter1 at the risk of my limbs1 and    
hanging upon  him with all my weight1   
whilst ,antonio1 with much difficulty1  
removed the  horse4  ,the man who had   
been standing at the entrance now came  
forward1  saying1 8,this would not have 
happened if you had taken good advice40 
,upon my stating to him the             
unreasonableness of expecting that ,i   
would  risk horses in a place where they
 would probably be stolen before the    
morning1 he replied1 8,true1 true1 you  
have perhaps done right40  ,he then     
refastened his macho1 adding for        
additional security a piece of whipcord1
  which he said rendered escape         
impossible4    ,after supper ,i roamed  
about the village4  ,i addressed two or 
three  labourers whom ,i found standing 
at their doors2 they appeared1 however1 
exceedingly reserved1 and with a gruff  
8buenas noches0 turned into  their      

houses without inviting me to enter4  ,i
 at last found my way to the  church    
porch1 where ,i continued some time in  
meditation4  ,at last ,i  bethought     
myself of retiring to rest2 before      
departing1 however1 ,i took  out and    
affixed to the porch of the church an   
advertisement to the effect  that the   
,new ,testament was to be purchased at  
,salamanca4  ,on returning to  the      
house1 ,i found the two travelling      
merchants enjoying profound slumber  on 
various mantas or mule-cloths stretched 
on the floor4  8,you are a  ,french     
merchant1 ,i suppose1 ,caballero10 said 
a man1 who it seemed was the  master of 
the house1 and whom ,i had not before   
seen4  8,you are a ,french  merchant1 ,i
 suppose1 and are on the way to the fair
 of ,medina40  8,i am  neither          
,frenchman nor merchant10 ,i replied1   
8and though ,i purpose passing  through 
,medina1 it is not with the view of     
attending the fair40  8,then  you are   
one of the ,irish ,christians from      

,salamanca1 ,caballero10 said the  man2 
8,i hear you come from that town40      
8,why do you call them ,irish           
,christians80 ,i replied4  8,are there  
pagans in their country80  8,we call    
them ,christians10 said the man1 8to    
distinguish them from the ,irish        
,english1 who are worse than pagans1 who
 are ,jews and heretics40  ,i made  no  
answer1 but passed on to the room which 
had been prepared for me1 and  from     
which1 the door being ajar1 ,i heard the
 following conversation  passing between
 the innkeeper and his wife3--          
,innkeeper4--,muger1 it appears to me   
that we have evil guests in the  house4 
,wife4--,you mean the last comers1 the  
,caballero and his servant4  ,yes1 ,i   
never saw worse countenances in my life4
    ,innkeeper4--,i do not like the     
servant1 and still less the master4  ,he
  has neither formality nor politeness3 
he tells me that he is not ,french1  and
 when ,i spoke to him of the ,irish     
,christians1 he did not seem to  belong 

to them4  ,i more than suspect that he  
is a heretic or a ,jew at  least4       
,wife4--,perhaps they are both4  ,maria 
,santissima6 what shall we do to  purify
 the house when they are gone8          
,innkeeper4--,o1 as for that matter1 we 
must of course charge it in the  cuenta4
    ,i slept soundly1 and rather late in
 the morning arose and breakfasted1  and
 paid the bill1 in which1 by its        
extravagance1 ,i found the  purification
 had not been forgotten4  ,the          
travelling merchants had  departed at   
daybreak4  ,we now led forth the horses1
 and mounted2 there  were several people
 at the door staring at us4  8,what is  
the meaning of  this80 said ,i to       
,antonio4    8,it is whispered that we  
are no ,christians10 said ,antonio2     
8they have  come to cross themselves at 
our departure40    ,in effect1 the      
moment that we rode forward a dozen     
hands at least were  busied in this     
evil-averting ceremony4  ,antonio       
instantly turned and  crossed himself in

 the ,greek fashion1--much more complex 
and difficult  than the ,catholic4      
8,mirad que ,santiguo6 que ,santiguo de 
los demonios60 #aif exclaimed  many     
voices1 whilst for fear of consequences 
we hastened away4    ,the day was       
exceedingly hot1 and we wended our way  
slowly along the  plains of ,old        
,castile4  ,with all that pertains to   
,spain1 vastness and  sublimity are     
associated3 grand are its mountains1 and
 no less grand are  its plains1 which   
seem of boundless extent1 but which are 
not tame  unbroken flats1 like the      
steppes of ,russia4  ,rough and uneven  
ground is  continually occurring3 here a
 deep ravine and gully worn by the      
wintry  torrent2 yonder an eminence not 
unfrequently craggy and savage1 at whose
  top appears the lone solitary village4
  ,there is little that is  blithesome  
and cheerful1 but much that is          
melancholy4  ,a few solitary  rustics   
are occasionally seen toiling in the    
fields--fields without limit  or        

boundary1 where the green oak1 the elm  
or the ash are unknown2 where  only the 
sad and desolate pine displays its      
pyramid-like form1 and where  no grass  
is to be found4  ,and who are the       
travellers of these districts8  ,for the
 most part arrieros1 with their long    
trains of mules hung with  monotonous   
tinkling bells4  ,behold them with their
 brown faces1 brown  dresses1 and broad 
slouched hats2--the arrieros1 the true  
lords of the  roads of ,spain1 and to   
whom more respect is paid in these dusty
 ways than  to dukes and condes2--the   
arrieros1 sullen1 proud1 and rarely     
courteous1  whose deep voices may be    
sometimes heard at the distance of a    
mile1  either cheering the sluggish     
animals1 or shortening the dreary way   
with  savage and dissonant songs4       
,late in the afternoon1 we reached      
,medina del ,campo1 formerly one of the 
principal cities of ,spain1 though at   
present an inconsiderable place4        
,immense ruins surround it in every     

direction1 attesting the former         
grandeur of this 8city of the plain40   
,the great square or market-place  is a 
remarkable spot1 surrounded by a heavy  
massive piazza1 over which  rise black  
buildings of great antiquity4  ,we found
 the town crowded with  people awaiting 
the fair1 which was to be held in a day 
or two4  ,we  experienced some          
difficulty in obtaining admission into  
the posada1 which  was chiefly occupied 
by ,catalans from ,valladolid4  ,these  
people not only  brought with them their
 merchandise but their wives and        
children4  ,some  of them appeared to be
 people of the worst description3 there 
was one in  particular1 a burly         
savage-looking fellow1 of about forty1  
whose conduct  was atrocious2 he sat    
with his wife1 or perhaps concubine1 at 
the door of  a room which opened upon   
the court3 he was continually venting   
horrible  and obscene oaths1 both in    
,spanish and ,catalan4  ,the woman was  
remarkably  handsome1 but robust and    

seemingly as savage as himself2 her     
conversation  likewise was as frightful 
as his own4  ,both seemed to be under   
the  influence of an incomprehensible   
fury4  ,at last1 upon some observation  
from the woman1 he started up1 and      
drawing a long knife from his girdle1   
stabbed at her naked bosom2 she1        
however1 interposed the palm of her     
hand1 which was much cut4  ,he stood for
 a moment viewing the blood  trickling  
upon the ground1 whilst she held up her 
wounded hand1 then with  an astounding  
oath he hurried up the court to the     
,plaza4  ,i went up to  the woman and   
said1 8,what is the cause of this8  ,i  
hope the ruffian has  not seriously     
injured you40  ,she turned her          
countenance upon me with the  glance of 
a demon1 and at last with a sneer of    
contempt exclaimed1  8,carals1 que es   
eso8  ,cannot a ,catalan gentleman be   
conversing with  his lady upon their own
 private affairs without being          
interrupted by  you80  ,she then bound  

up her hand with a handkerchief1 and    
going into the  room brought a small    
table to the door1 on which she placed  
several  things as if for the evening's 
repast1 and then sat down on a stool3   
presently returned the ,catalan1 and    
without a word took his seat on the     
threshold2 then1 as if nothing had      
occurred1 the extraordinary couple      
commenced eating and drinking1          
interlarding their meal with oaths and  
jests4    ,we spent the night at        
,medina1 and departing early next       
morning1 passed  through much the same  
country as the day before1 until about  
noon we  reached a small venta1 distant 
half a league from the ,duero2 here we  
reposed ourselves during the heat of the
 day1 and then remounting1  crossed the 
river by a handsome stone bridge1 and   
directed our course to  ,valladolid4    
,the banks of the ,duero in this place  
have much beauty3 they  abound with     
trees and brushwood1 amongst which1 as  
we passed along1  various birds were    

singing melodiously4  ,a delicious      
coolness proceeded  from the water1     
which in some parts brawled over stones 
or rippled  fleetly over white sand1 and
 in others glided softly over blue pools
 of  considerable depth4  ,by the side  
of one of these last1 sat a woman of    
about thirty1 neatly dressed as a       
peasant2 she was gazing upon the water  
into which she occasionally flung       
flowers and twigs of trees4  ,i stopped 
for a moment to ask a question2 she1    
however1 neither looked up nor          
answered1 but continued gazing at the   
water as if lost to consciousness  of   
all beside4  8,who is that woman80 said 
,i to a shepherd1 whom ,i met the       
moment after4  8,she is mad1 la         
pobrecita10 said he2 8she lost her child
  about a month ago in that pool1 and   
she has been mad ever since2 they are   
going to send her to ,valladolid1 to the
 ,casa de los ,locos4  ,there are  many 
who perish every year in the eddies of  
the ,duero2 it is a bad river2  vaya    

usted con la ,virgen1 ,caballero40  ,so 
,i rode on through the  pinares1 or thin
 scanty pine forests1 which skirt the   
way to ,valladolid  in this direction4  
,valladolid is seated in the midst of an
 immense valley1 or rather hollow  which
 seems to have been scooped by some     
mighty convulsion out of the  plain     
ground of ,castile4  ,the eminences     
which appear in the neighbourhood  are  
not properly high grounds1 but are      
rather the sides of this hollow4  ,they 
are jagged and precipitous1 and exhibit 
a strange and uncouth  appearance4      
,volcanic force seems at some distant   
period to have been  busy in these      
districts4  ,valladolid abounds with    
convents1 at present  deserted1 which   
afford some of the finest specimens of  
architecture in  ,spain4  ,the principal
 church1 though rather ancient1 is      
unfinished3 it  was intended to be a    
building of vast size1 but the means of 
the founders  were insufficient to carry
 out their plan3 it is built of rough   

granite4  ,valladolid is a manufacturing
 town1 but the commerce is chiefly in   
the  hands of the ,catalans1 of whom    
there is a colony of nearly three       
hundred  established here4  ,it         
possesses a beautiful alameda1 or public
 walk1  through which flows the river   
,escurva4  ,the population is said to   
amount  to sixty thousand souls4    ,we 
put up at the ,posada de las            
,diligencias1 a very magnificent        
edifice3  this posada1 however1 we were 
glad to quit on the second day after our
  arrival1 the accommodation being of   
the most wretched description1 and  the 
incivility of the people great2 the     
master of the house1 an immense  tall   
fellow1 with huge moustaches and an     
assumed military air1 being far  too    
high a cavalier to attend to the wants  
of his guests1 with whom1 it  is true1  
he did not appear to be overburdened1 as
 ,i saw no one but  ,antonio and myself4
  ,he was a leading man amongst the     
national guards of  ,valladolid1 and    

delighted in parading about the city on 
a clumsy steed1  which he kept in a     
subterranean stable4    ,our next       
quarters were at the ,trojan ,horse1 an 
ancient posada1 kept by a  native of the
 ,basque provinces1 who at least was not
 above his business4  ,we found         
everything in confusion at ,valladolid1 
a visit from the factious  being        
speedily expected4  ,all the gates were 
blockaded1 and various forts  had been  
built to cover the approaches to the    
city4  ,shortly after our  departure the
 ,carlists actually did arrive1 under   
the command of the  ,biscayan chief1    
,zariategui4  ,they experienced no      
opposition2 the  staunchest nationals   
retiring to the principal fort1 which   
they1 however1  speedily surrendered1   
not a gun being fired throughout the    
affair4  ,as  for my friend the hero of 
the inn1 on the first rumour of the     
approach of  the enemy1 he mounted his  
horse and rode off1 and was never       
subsequently  heard of4  ,on our return 

to ,valladolid1 we found the inn in     
other and  better hands1 those of a     
,frenchman from ,bayonne1 from whom we  
received as  much civility as we had    
experienced rudeness from his           
predecessor4    ,in a few days ,i formed
 the acquaintance of the bookseller of  
the place1 a  kind-hearted simple man1  
who willingly undertook the charge of   
vending  the ,testaments which ,i       
brought4    ,i found literature of every
 description at the lowest ebb at       
,valladolid4  ,my newly-acquired friend 
merely carried on bookselling in        
connexion with  other business2 it      
being1 as he assured me1 in itself quite
 insufficient  to afford him a          
livelihood4  ,during the week1 however1 
that ,i continued  in this city1 a      
considerable number of copies were      
disposed of1 and a  fair prospect opened
 that many more would be demanded4  ,to 
call attention  to my books1 ,i had     
recourse to the same plan which ,i had  
adopted at  ,salamanca1 the affixing of 

advertisements to the walls4  ,before   
leaving  the city1 ,i gave orders that  
these should be renewed every week2 from
  pursuing which course ,i expected that
 much manifold good would accrue1 as    
the people would have continual         
opportunities of learning that a book   
which contains the living word was in   
existence1 and within their reach1      
which might induce them to secure it and
 consult it even unto salvation4        
99 99 99 99 99    ,in ,valladolid ,i    
found both an ,english and ,scotch      
,college4  ,from my  obliging friends1  
the ,irish at ,salamanca1 ,i bore a     
letter of introduction  to the rector of
 the latter4  ,i found this college an  
old gloomy edifice1  situated in a      
retired street4  ,the rector was dressed
 in the habiliments  of a ,spanish      
ecclesiastic1 a character which he was  
evidently ambitious  of assuming4       
,there was something dry and cold in his
 manner1 and nothing  of that generous  
warmth and eager hospitality which had  

so captivated me  in the fine ,irish    
rector of ,salamanca2 he was1 however1  
civil and polite1  and offered to show  
me the curiosities of the place4  ,he   
evidently knew  who ,i was1 and on that 
account was1 perhaps1 more reserved than
 he  otherwise would have been3 not a   
word passed between us on religious     
matters1 which we seemed to avoid by    
common consent4  ,under the auspices  of
 this gentleman1 ,i visited the college 
of the ,philippine ,missions1  which    
stands beyond the gate of the city1     
where ,i was introduced to the          
superior1 a fine old man of seventy1    
very stout1 in the habiliments of a     
friar4  ,there was an air of placid     
benignity on his countenance which      
highly interested me3 his words were few
 and simple1 and he seemed to  have bid 
adieu to all worldly passions4  ,one    
little weakness was1  however1 still    
clinging to him4    ,myself4--,this is a
 noble edifice in which you dwell1      
,father2 ,i should  think it would      

contain at least two hundred students4  
,rector4--,more1 my son2 it is intended 
for more hundreds than it now  contains 
single individuals4    ,myself4--,i     
observe that some rude attempts have    
been made to fortify it2  the walls are 
pierced with loopholes in every         
direction4    ,rector4--,the nationals  
of ,valladolid visited us a few days    
ago1 and  committed much useless damage2
 they were rather rude1 and threatened  
me  with their clubs3 poor men1 poor    
men4    ,myself4--,i suppose that even  
these missions1 which are certainly     
intended for a noble end1 experience the
 sad effects of the present  convulsed  
state of ,spain8    ,rector4--,but too  
true3 we at present receive no          
assistance from the  government1 and are
 left to the ,lord and ourselves4       
,myself4--,how many aspirants for the   
mission are you at present  instructing8
    ,rector4--,not one1 my son2 not one4
  ,they are all fled4  ,the flock is    
scattered and the shepherd left alone4  

,myself4--,your reverence has doubtless 
taken an active part in the  mission    
abroad8    ,rector4--,i was forty years 
in the ,philippines1 my son1 forty years
  amongst the ,indians4  ,ah me6 how ,i 
love those ,indians of the ,philippines4
    ,myself4--,can your reverence       
discourse in the language of the        
,indians8    ,rector4--,no1 my son4  ,we
 teach the ,indians ,castilian4  ,there 
is no  better language1 ,i believe4  ,we
 teach them ,castilian1 and the         
adoration  of the ,virgin4  ,what more  
need they know8    ,myself4--,and what  
did your reverence think of the         
,philippines as a  country8             
,rector4--,i was forty years in the     
,philippines1 but ,i know little of the 
country4  ,i do not like the country4   
,i love the ,indians4  ,the country is  
not very bad2 it is1 however1 not worth 
,castile4    ,myself4--,is your         
reverence a ,castilian8    ,rector4--,i 
am an ,old ,castilian1 my son4    ,from 
the house of the ,philippine ,missions  

my friend conducted me to the  ,english 
college2 this establishment seemed in   
every respect to be on a  more          
magnificent scale than its ,scottish    
sister4  ,in the latter there  were few 
pupils1 scarcely six or seven1 ,i       
believe1 whilst in the ,english         
seminary ,i was informed that between   
thirty and forty were receiving  their  
education4  ,it is a beautiful building1
 with a small but splendid  church1 and 
a handsome library4  ,the situation is  
light and airy3 it  stands by itself in 
an unfrequented part of the city1 and1  
with genuine  ,english exclusiveness1 is
 surrounded by a high wall1 which       
encloses a  delicious garden4  ,this is 
by far the most remarkable establishment
 of  the kind in the ,peninsula1 and ,i 
believe the most prosperous4  ,from the 
cursory view which ,i enjoyed of its    
interior1 ,i of course cannot be        
expected to know much of its economy4   
,i could not1 however1 fail to be       
struck with the order1 neatness1 and    

system which pervaded it4  ,there  was1 
however1 an air of severe monastic      
discipline1 though ,i am far from       
asserting that such actually existed4   
,we were attended throughout by the     
sub-rector1 the principal being absent4 
,of all the curiosities of this         
college1 the most remarkable is the     
picture gallery1 which contains  neither
 more nor less than the portraits of a  
variety of scholars of this  house who  
eventually suffered martyrdom in        
,england1 in the exercise of  their     
vocation in the angry times of the      
,sixth ,edward and fierce  ,elizabeth4  
,yes1 in this very house were many of   
those pale smiling  half-foreign priests
 educated1 who1 like stealthy           
grimalkins1 traversed  green ,england in
 all directions2 crept into old halls   
beneath umbrageous  rookeries1 fanning  
the dying embers of ,popery1 with no    
other hope nor  perhaps wish than to    
perish disembowelled by the bloody hands
 of the  executioner1 amongst the yells 

of a rabble as bigoted as themselves3   
priests like ,bedingfield and ,garnet1  
and many others who have left a name  in
 ,english story4  ,doubtless many a     
history1 only the more wonderful for    
being true1 could be wrought out of the 
archives of the ,english ,popish        
seminary at ,valladolid4    ,there was  
no lack of guests at the ,trojan ,horse1
 where we had taken up  our abode at    
,valladolid4  ,amongst others who       
arrived during my sojourn  was a robust 
buxom dame1 exceedingly well dressed in 
black silk1 with a  costly mantilla4    
,she was accompanied by a very handsome1
 but sullen and  malicious-looking      
urchin of about fifteen1 who appeared to
 be her son4  ,she came from ,toro1 a   
place about a day's journey from        
,valladolid1 and  celebrated for its    
wine4  ,one night1 as we were seated in 
the court of  the inn enjoying the      
fresco1 the following conversation      
ensued between  us4    ,lady4--,vaya1   
vaya1 what a tiresome place is          

,valladolid6  ,how different  from      
,toro4    ,myself4--,i should have      
thought that it is at least as agreeable
 as ,toro1  which is not a third part so
 large4    ,lady4--,as agreeable as     
,toro6  ,vaya1 vaya6  ,were you ever in 
the prison  of ,toro1 ,sir ,cavalier8   
,myself4--,i have never had that honour2
 the prison is generally the last  place
 which ,i think of visiting4            
,lady4--,see the difference of tastes3  
,i have been to see the prison of       
,valladolid1 and it seems as tiresome as
 the town4    ,myself4--,of course1 if  
grief and tediousness exist anywhere1   
you will  find them in the prison4      
,lady4--,not in that of ,toro4          
,myself4--,what does that of ,toro      
possess to distinguish it from all      
others8    ,lady4--,what does it        
possess8  ,vaya6  ,am ,i not the        
carcelera8  ,is not my  husband the     
alcayde8  ,is not that son of mine a    
child of the prison8    ,myself4--,i beg
 your pardon1 ,i was not aware of that  

circumstance2 it of  course makes much  
difference4    ,lady4--,i believe you4  
,i am a daughter of that prison1 my     
father was  alcayde1 and my son might   
hope to be so1 were he not a fool4      
,myself4--,his countenance then belies  
him strangely3 ,i should be loth to     
purchase that youngster for a fool4     
,gaoleress4--,you would have a fine     
bargain if you did2 he has more         
picardias than any ,calabozero in ,toro4
  ,what ,i mean is1 that he does not    
take to the prison as he ought to do1   
considering what his fathers were       
before him4  ,he has too much pride--too
 many fancies2 and he has at length     
persuaded me to bring him to            
,valladolid1 where ,i have arranged with
 a  merchant who lives in the ,plaza to 
take him on trial4  ,i wish he may not  
find his way to the prison3 if he do1 he
 will find that being a prisoner  is a  
very different thing from being a son of
 the prison4    ,myself4--,as there is  
so much merriment at ,toro1 you of      

course attend to  the comfort of your   
prisoners4    ,gaoleress4--,yes1 we are 
very kind to them2 ,i mean to those who 
are  caballeros2 but as for those with  
vermin and miseria1 what can we do8  ,it
  is a merry prison that of ,toro2 we   
allow as much wine to enter as the      
prisoners can purchase and pay duty for4
  ,this of ,valladolid is not half  so  
gay3 there is no prison like ,toro4  ,i 
learned there to play on the  guitar4   
,an ,andalusian cavalier taught me to   
touch the guitar and to sing   la       
,gitana4  ,poor fellow1 he was my first 
novio4  ,juanito1 bring me the  guitar1 
that ,i may play this gentleman a tune  
of ,andalusia4    ,the carcelera had a  
fine voice1 and touched the favourite   
instrument of  the ,spaniards in a truly
 masterly manner4  ,i remained listening
 to her  performance for nearly an hour1
 when ,i retired to my apartment and my 
repose4  ,i believe that she continued  
playing and singing during the  greater 
part of the night1 for as ,i            

occasionally awoke ,i could still hear  
her2 and1 even in my slumbers1 the      
strings were ringing in my ears4        
,,chapter ,,xxii      ,dueas--,children 
of ,egypt--,jockeyism--,the ,baggage    
,pony--,the  ,fall--,palencia--,carlist 
,priests--,the ,lookout--,priestly      
,sincerity--,leon--,antonio             
alarmed--,heat and ,dust4    ,after a   
sojourn of about ten days at            
,valladolid1 we directed our course     
towards ,leon4  ,we arrived about noon  
at ,dueas1 a town at the distance of    
six short leagues from ,valladolid4  ,it
 is in every respect a singular  place3 
it stands on a rising ground1 and       
directly above it towers a steep        
conical mountain of calcareous earth1   
crowned by a ruined castle4  ,around    
,dueas are seen a multitude of caves    
scooped in the high banks and  secured  
with strong doors4  ,these are cellars1 
in which is deposited the  wine1 of     
which abundance is grown in the         
neighbourhood1 and which is  chiefly    

sold to the ,navarrese and the          
mountaineers of ,santander1 who  arrive 
in cars drawn by oxen1 and convey it    
away in large quantities4  ,we  put up  
at a mean posada in the suburb for the  
purpose of refreshing our  horses4      
,several cavalry soldiers were quartered
 there1 who instantly  came forth1 and  
began1 with the eyes of connoisseurs1 to
 inspect my  ,andalusian entero4  8,a   
capital horse that would be for our     
troop10 said  the corporal2 8what a     
chest he has4  ,by what right do you    
travel with  that horse1 ,seor1 when so 
many are wanted for the ,queen's        
service8  ,he  belongs to the requiso40 
8,i travel with him by right of         
purchase1 and  being an ,englishman10 ,i
 replied4  8,oh1 your worship is an     
,englishman10  answered the corporal2   
8that1 indeed1 alters the matter2 the   
,english in  ,spain are allowed to do   
what they please with their own1 which  
is more  than the ,spaniards are4       
,cavalier1 ,i have seen your countrymen 

in the  ,basque provinces2 ,vaya1 what  
riders6 what horses6  ,they do not fight
  badly either4  ,but their chief skill 
is in riding3 ,i have seen them dash    
over barrancos to get at the factious1  
who thought themselves quite  secure1   
and then they would fall upon them on a 
sudden and kill them to a  man4  ,in    
truth1 your worship1 this is a fine     
horse1 ,i must look at his  teeth40     
,i looked at the corporal--his nose and 
eyes were in the horse's mouth3 the     
rest of the party1 who might amount to  
six or seven1 were not less busily      
engaged4  ,one was examining his        
forefeet1 another his hind2 one fellow  
was pulling at his tail with all his    
might1 while another pinched the        
windpipe1 for the purpose of discovering
 whether the animal was at all  touched 
there4  ,at last perceiving that the    
corporal was about to remove  the saddle
 that he might examine the back of the  
animal1 ,i exclaimed3--    8,stay1 ye   
chabs of ,egypt1 ye forget that ye are  

hundunares1 and are no  longer paruguing
 grastes in the chardy40    ,the        
corporal at these words turned his face 
full upon me1 and so did all  the rest4 
,yes1 sure enough1 there were the       
countenances of ,egypt1 and  the fixed  
filmy stare of eye4  ,we continued      
looking at each other for a  minute at  
least1 when the corporal1 a             
villainous-looking fellow1 at last      
said1 in the richest gypsy whine        
imaginable1 8the erray know us1 the poor
  ,calor6  ,and he an ,englishman6      
,bullati6  ,i should not have thought   
that  there was e'er a ,busno would know
 us in these parts1 where ,gitanos are  
never seen4  ,yes1 your worship is      
right2 we are all here of the blood of  
the ,calor2 we are from ,melegrana      
7,granada71 your worship2 they took us  
from thence and sent us to the wars4    
,your worship is right1 the sight of    
that horse made us believe we were at   
home again in the mercado of  ,granada2 
he is a countryman of ours1 a real      

,andalou4  ,por dios1 your  worship1    
sell us that horse2 we are poor ,calor1 
but we can buy him40    8,you forget    
that you are soldiers10 said ,i4  8,how 
should you buy my  horse80    8,we are  
soldiers1 your worship10 said the       
corporal1 8but we are still  ,calor2 we 
buy and sell bestis2 the captain of our 
troop is in league  with us4  ,we have  
been to the wars1 but not to fight2 we  
left that to the  ,busn4  ,we have kept 
together1 and like true ,calor1 have    
stood back to  back4  ,we have made     
money in the wars1 your worship4  ,no   
tenga usted  cuidao 7be under no        
apprehension74  ,we can buy your horse40
    ,here he pulled out a purse1 which  
contained at least ten ounces of gold4  
8,if ,i were willing to sell10 ,i       
replied1 8what would you give me for    
that  horse80    8,then your worship    
wishes to sell your horse--that alters  
the matter4  ,we  will give ten dollars 
for your worship's horse4  ,he is good  
for nothing40    8,how is this80 said   

,i4  8,you this moment told me he was a 
fine horse--an  ,andalusian1 and a      
countryman of yours40    8,no1 ,seor6 we
 did not say that he was an ,andalou4   
,we said he was an  ,estremou1 and the  
worst of his kind4  ,he is eighteen     
years old1 your  worship1 short-winded  
and galled40    8,i do not wish to sell 
my horse10 said ,i2 8quite the contrary2
 ,i had  rather buy than sell40         
8,your worship does not wish to sell    
your horse10 said the ,gypsy4  8,stay1  
your worship1 we will give sixty dollars
 for your worship's horse40    8,i would
 not sell him for two hundred and sixty4
  ,meclis6 ,meclis6 say no  more4  ,i   
know your ,gypsy tricks4  ,i will have  
no dealings with you40    8,did ,i not  
hear your worship say that you wished to
 buy a horse80 said  the ,gypsy4    8,i 
do not want to buy a horse10 said ,i2   
8if ,i need any thing1 it is a  pony to 
carry our baggage2 but it is getting    
late4  ,antonio1 pay the  reckoning40   
8,stay1 your worship1 do not be in a    

hurry10 said the ,gypsy3 8,i have got   
the very pony which will suit you40     
,without waiting for my answer1 he      
hurried into the stable1 from whence he 
presently returned1 leading an animal by
 a halter4  ,it was a pony of  about    
thirteen hands high1 of a dark red      
colour2 it was very much galled  all    
over1 the marks of ropes and thongs     
being visible on its hide4  ,the        
figure1 however1 was good1 and there was
 an extraordinary brightness in  its    
eye4    8,there1 your worship10 said the
 ,gypsy2 8there is the best pony in all 
,spain40    8,what do you mean by       
showing me this wretched creature80 said
 ,i4    8,this wretched creature10 said 
the ,gypsy1 8is a better horse than your
  ,andalou60    8,perhaps you would not 
exchange10 said ,i1 smiling4    8,seor1 
what ,i say is1 that he shall run with  
your ,andalou1 and beat  him60    8,he  
looks feeble10 said ,i2 8his work is    
well nigh done40    8,feeble as he is1  
,seor1 you could not manage him2 no1 nor

 any ,englishman  in ,spain40    ,i     
looked at the creature again1 and was   
still more struck with its  figure4  ,i 
was in need of a pony to relieve        
occasionally the horse of  ,antonio in  
carrying the baggage which we had       
brought from ,madrid1 and  though the   
condition of this was wretched1 ,i      
thought that by kind  treatment ,i might
 possibly soon bring him round4    8,may
 ,i mount this animal80 ,i demanded4    
8,he is a baggage pony1 ,seor1 and is   
ill to mount4  ,he will suffer none  but
 myself to mount him1 who am his master4
  ,when he once commences  running1     
nothing will stop him but the sea4  ,he 
springs over hills and  mountains1 and  
leaves them behind in a moment4  ,if you
 will mount him1  ,seor1 suffer me to   
fetch a bridle1 for you can never hold  
him in with  the halter40    8,this is  
nonsense10 said ,i4  8,you pretend that 
he is spirited in order to  enhance the 
price4  ,i tell you his work is done40  
,i took the halter in my hand and       

mounted4  ,i was no sooner on his back  
than the creature1 who had before stood 
stone still1 without displaying  the    
slightest inclination to move1 and who  
in fact gave no farther  indication of  
existence than occasionally rolling his 
eyes and pricking  up an ear1 sprang    
forward like a racehorse1 at a most     
desperate gallop4  ,i had expected that 
he might kick or fling himself down on  
the ground1 in  order to get rid of his 
burden1 but for this escapade ,i was    
quite  unprepared4  ,i had no           
difficulty1 however1 in keeping on his  
back1 having  been accustomed from my   
childhood to ride without a saddle4  ,to
 stop him1  however1 baffled all my     
endeavours1 and ,i almost began to pay  
credit to  the words of the ,gypsy1 who 
had said that he would run on until he  
reached the sea4  ,i had1 however1 a    
strong arm1 and ,i tugged at the  halter
 until ,i compelled him to turn slightly
 his neck1 which from its  stiffness    
might almost have been of wood2 he1     

however1 did not abate his  speed for a 
moment4  ,on the left side of the road  
down which he was  dashing was a deep   
trench1 just where the road took a turn 
towards the  right1 and over this he    
sprang in a sideward direction2 the     
halter broke  with the effort1 the pony 
shot forward like an arrow1 whilst ,i   
fell back  into the dust4    8,seor60   
said the ,gypsy1 coming up with the most
 serious countenance in  the world1 8,i 
told you not to mount that animal unless
 well bridled and  bitted4  ,he is a    
baggage pony1 and will suffer none to   
mount his back1  with the exception of  
myself who feed him40  7,here he        
whistled1 and the  animal1 who was      
scurring over the field1 and            
occasionally kicking up his  heels1     
instantly returned with a gentle neigh47
  8,now1 your worship1 see  how gentle  
he is4  ,he is a capital baggage pony1  
and will carry all you  have over the   
hills of ,galicia40    8,what do you ask
 for him80 said ,i4    8,seor1 as your  

worship is an ,englishman1 and a good   
ginete1 and1  moreover1 understands the 
ways of the ,calor1 and their tricks and
 their  language also1 ,i will sell him 
to you a bargain4  ,i will take two     
hundred  and sixty dollars for him and  
no less40    8,that is a large sum10    
said ,i4    8,no1 ,seor1 not at all1    
considering that he is a baggage pony1  
and  belongs to the troop1 and is not   
mine to sell40    ,two hours' ride      
brought us to ,palencia1 a fine old     
town1 beautifully  situated on the      
,carrion1 and famous for its trade in   
wool4  ,we put up at  the best posada   
which the place afforded1 and ,i        
forthwith proceeded to  visit one of the
 principal merchants of the town1 to    
whom ,i was  recommended by my banker in
 ,madrid4  ,i was told1 however1 that he
 was  taking his siesta4  8,then ,i had 
better take my own10 said ,i1 and       
returned  to the posada4  ,in the       
evening ,i went again1 when ,i saw him4 
,he was a  short bulky man about thirty1

 and received me at first with some     
degree  of bluntness2 his manner1       
however1 presently became more kind1 and
 at  last he scarcely appeared to know  
how to show me sufficient civility4     
,his brother had just arrived from      
,santander1 and to him he introduced me4
  ,this last was a highly-intelligent   
person1 and had passed many years of    
his life in ,england4  ,they both       
insisted upon showing me the town1 and1 
indeed1 led me all over it1 and about   
the neighbourhood4  ,i particularly     
admired the cathedral1 a light1 elegant1
 but ancient ,gothic edifice4  ,whilst  
we walked about the aisles1 the evening 
sun1 pouring its mellow  rays through   
the arched windows1 illumined some      
beautiful paintings of  ,murillo1 with  
which the sacred edifice is adorned4    
,from the church my  friends conducted  
me to a fulling mill in the             
neighbourhood1 by a  picturesque walk4  
,there was no lack either of trees or   
water1 and ,i  remarked1 that the       

environs of ,palencia were amongst the  
most pleasant  places that ,i had ever  
seen4    ,tired at last with rambling1  
we repaired to a coffee-house1 where    
they  regaled me with chocolate and     
sweet-meats4  ,such was their           
hospitality2  and of hospitality of this
 simple and agreeable kind there is much
 in  ,spain4    ,on the next day we     
pursued our journey1 a dreary one1 for  
the most part1  over bleak and barren   
plains1 interspersed with silent and    
cheerless  towns and villages1 which    
stood at the distance of two or three   
leagues  from each other4  ,about midday
 we obtained a dim and distant view of  
an  immense range of mountains1 which   
are in fact those which bound ,castile  
on the north4  ,the day1 however1 became
 dim and obscure1 and we speedily  lost 
sight of them4  ,a hollow wind now arose
 and blew over these desolate  plains   
with violence1 wafting clouds of dust   
into our faces2 the rays of  the sun    
were few1 and those red and angry4  ,i  

was tired of my journey1  and when about
 four we reached ---1 a large village1  
half way between  ,palencia and ,leon1  
,i declared my intention of stopping for
 the night4  ,i  scarcely ever saw a    
more desolate place than this same town 
or village of  ---4  ,the houses were   
for the most part large1 but the walls  
were of mud1  like those of barns4  ,we 
saw no person in the long winding street
 to  direct us to the venta1 or posada1 
till at last1 at the farther end of  the
 place1 we descried two black figures   
standing at a door1 of whom1 on  making 
inquiry1 we learned that the door at    
which they stood was that of  the house 
we were in quest of4  ,there was        
something strange in the  appearance of 
these two beings1 who seemed the genii  
of the place4  ,one  was a small slim   
man1 about fifty1 with sharp1           
ill-natured features4  ,he  was dressed 
in coarse black worsted stockings1 black
 breeches1 and an  ample black coat with
 long trailing skirts4  ,i should at    

once have taken  him for an             
ecclesiastic1 but for his hat1 which had
 nothing clerical  about it1 being a    
pinched diminutive beaver4  ,his        
companion was of low  stature1 and a    
much younger man4  ,he was dressed in   
similar fashion1 save  that he wore a   
dark blue cloak4  ,both carried walking 
sticks in their  hands1 and kept        
hovering about the door1 now within and 
now without1  occasionally looking up   
the road1 as if they expected some one4 
8,trust me1 mon matre10 said ,antonio to
 me1 in ,french1 8those two fellows  are
 ,carlist priests1 and are awaiting the 
arrival of the ,pretender4  ,les        
imbeciles60    ,we conducted our horses 
to the stable1 to which we were shown by
 the  woman of the house4  8,who are    
those men80 said ,i to her4    8,the    
eldest is head curate to our pueblo10   
said she2 8the other is  brother to my  
husband4  ,pobrecito6 he was a friar in 
our convent before  it was shut up and  
the brethren driven forth40    ,we      

returned to the door4  8,i suppose1     
gentlemen10 said the curate1 8that  you 
are ,catalans4  ,do you bring any news  
from that kingdom80    8,why do you     
suppose we are ,catalans80 ,i demanded4 
8,because ,i heard you this moment      
conversing in that language40    8,i    
bring no news from ,catalonia10 said ,i4
  8,i believe1 however1 that the        
greater part of that principality is in 
the hands of the ,carlists40    8,ahem1 
brother ,pedro6  ,this gentleman says   
that the greater part of  ,catalonia is 
in the hands of the royalists4  ,pray1  
sir1 where may ,don  ,carlos be at      
present with his army80    8,he may be  
coming down the road this moment10 said 
,i1 8for what ,i know20  and1 stepping  
out1 ,i looked up the way4    ,the two  
figures were at my side in a moment2    
,antonio followed1 and we all  four     
looked intently up the road4    8,do you
 see anything80 said ,i at last to      
,antonio4    8,non1 mon maitre40    8,do
 you see anything1 sir80 said ,i to the 

curate4    8,i see nothing10 said the   
curate1 stretching out his neck4    8,i 
see nothing10 said ,pedro1 the ex-friar2
 8,i see nothing but the dust1  which is
 becoming every moment more blinding40  
8,i shall go in1 then10 said ,i4        
8,indeed1 it is scarcely prudent to be  
standing here looking out for the       
,pretender3 should the nationals of the 
town hear of it1 they might perhaps     
shoot us40    8,ahem10 said the curate1 
following me2 8there are no nationals in
 this  place3 ,i would fain see what    
inhabitant would dare become a national4
  ,when the inhabitants of this place   
were ordered to take up arms as         
nationals1 they refused to a man1 and on
 that account we had to pay a  mulet2   
therefore1 friend1 you may speak out if 
you have anything to  communicate2 we   
are all of your opinion here40    8,i am
 of no opinion at all10 said ,i1 8save  
that ,i want my supper4  ,i am  neither 
for ,rey nor ,roque4  ,you say that ,i  
am a ,catalan1 and you know  that       

,catalans think only of their own       
affairs40    ,in the evening ,i strolled
 by myself about the village1 which ,i  
found  still more forlorn and melancholy
 than it at first appeared2 perhaps1    
however1 it had been a place of         
consequence in its time4  ,in one corner
  of it ,i found the ruins of a large   
clumsy castle1 chiefly built of flint   
stones3 into these ruins ,i attempted to
 penetrate1 but the entrance was        
secured by a gate4  ,from the castle ,i 
found my way to the convent1 a sad      
desolate place1 formerly the residence  
of mendicant brothers of the order  of  
,st4 ,francis4  ,i was about to return  
to the inn1 when ,i heard a loud  buzz  
of voices1 and1 following the sound1    
presently reached a kind of  meadow1    
where1 upon a small knoll1 sat a priest 
in full canonicals1  reading in a loud  
voice a newspaper1 while around him1    
either erect or  seated on the grass1   
were assembled about fifty vecinos1 for 
the most  part dressed in long cloaks1  

amongst whom ,i discovered my two       
friends the  curate and friar4  ,a fine 
knot of ,carlist quid-nuncs1 said ,i to 
myself1  and turned away to another part
 of the meadow1 where the cattle of the 
village were grazing4  ,the curate1 on  
observing me1 detached himself          
instantly from the group1 and followed4 
8,i am told you want a pony10  said he2 
8there now is mine feeding amongst those
 horses1 the best in all  the kingdom of
 ,leon40  ,he then began with all the   
volubility of a chalan  to descant on   
the points of the animal4  ,presently   
the friar joined us1  who1 observing his
 opportunity1 pulled me by the sleeve   
and whispered1  8,have nothing to do    
with the curate1 master1 he is the      
greatest thief in  the neighbourhood2 if
 you want a pony1 my brother has a much 
better1  which he will dispose of       
cheaper40  8,i shall wait till ,i arrive
 at ,leon10  ,i exclaimed1 and walked   
away1 musing on priestly friendship and 
sincerity4    ,from --- to ,leon1 a     

distance of eight leagues1 the country  
rapidly  improved3 we passed over       
several small streams1 and occasionally 
found  ourselves amongst meadows in     
which grass was growing in the richest  
luxuriance4  ,the sun shone out         
brightly1 and ,i hailed his             
re-appearance  with joy1 though the heat
 of his beams was oppressive4  ,on      
arriving  within two leagues of ,leon1  
we passed numerous cars and waggons1 and
  bands of people with horses and mules1
 all hastening to the celebrated  fair  
which is held in the city on ,st4       
,john's or ,mid-summer day1 and which   
took place within three days after our  
arrival4  ,this fair1 though            
principally intended for the sale of    
horses1 is frequented by merchants  from
 many parts of ,spain1 who attend with  
goods of various kinds1 and  amongst    
them ,i remarked many of the ,catalans  
whom ,i had previously seen  at ,medina 
and ,valladolid4    ,there is nothing   
remarkable in ,leon1 which is an old    

gloomy town1 with  the exception of its 
cathedral1 in many respects a           
counterpart of the  church of ,palencia1
 exhibiting the same light and elegant  
architecture1  but1 unlike its beautiful
 sister1 unadorned with splendid        
paintings4  ,the  situation of ,leon is 
highly pleasant1 in the midst of a      
blooming country1  abounding with trees1
 and watered by many streams1 which have
 their  source in the mighty mountains  
in the neighbourhood4  ,it is1 however1 
by  no means a healthy place1 especially
 in summer1 when the heats raise        
noxious exhalations from the waters1    
generating many kinds of disorders1     
especially fevers4    ,i had scarcely   
been at ,leon three days when ,i was    
seized with a fever1  against which ,i  
thought the strength even of my         
constitution would have  yielded1 for it
 wore me almost to a skeleton1 and when 
it departed1 at  the end of about a     
week1 left me in such a deplorable state
 of weakness  that ,i was scarcely able 

to make the slightest exertion4  ,i had1
 however1  previously persuaded a       
bookseller to undertake the charge of   
vending the  ,testaments1 and had       
published my advertisements as usual1   
though without  very sanguine hope of   
success1 as ,leon is a place where the  
inhabitants1  with very few exceptions1 
are furious ,carlists1 and ignorant and 
blinded  followers of the old papal     
church4  ,it is1 moreover1 a bishop's   
see1  which was once enjoyed by the     
prime counsellor of ,don ,carlos1 whose 
fierce and bigoted spirit still seems to
 pervade the place4  ,scarcely had  the 
advertisements appeared1 when the clergy
 were in motion4  ,they went  from house
 to house1 banning and cursing1 and     
denouncing misery to  whomsoever should 
either purchase or read 8the accursed   
books10 which had  been sent into the   
country by heretics for the purpose of  
perverting the  innocent minds of the   
population4  ,they did more2 they       
commenced a  process against the        

bookseller in the ecclesiastical court4 
,fortunately  this court is not at      
present in the possession of much       
authority2 and the  bookseller1 a bold  
and determined man1 set them at         
defiance1 and went so  far as to affix  
an advertisement to the gate of the very
 cathedral4  ,notwithstanding the cry   
raised against the book1 several copies 
were sold  at ,leon3 two were purchased 
by ex-friars1 and the same number by    
parochial priests from neighbouring     
villages4  ,i believe the whole number  
disposed of during my stay amounted to  
fifteen2 so that my visit to this  dark 
corner was not altogether in vain1 as   
the seed of the gospel has  been sown1  
though sparingly4  ,but the palpable    
darkness which envelops  ,leon is truly 
lamentable1 and the ignorance of the    
people is so great1  that printed charms
 and incantations against ,satan and his
 host1 and  against every kind of       
misfortune1 are publicly sold in the    
shops1 and are  in great demand4  ,such 

are the results of ,popery1 a delusion  
which1 more  than any other1 has tended 
to debase and brutalize the human mind4 
,i had scarcely risen from my bed where 
the fever had cast me1 when ,i  found   
that ,antonio had become alarmed4  ,he  
informed me that he had seen  several   
soldiers in the uniform of ,don ,carlos 
lurking at the door of the  posada1 and 
that they had been making inquiries     
concerning me4    ,it was indeed a      
singular fact connected with ,leon1 that
 upwards of fifty  of these fellows1 who
 had on various accounts left the ranks 
of the  ,pretender1 were walking about  
the streets dressed in his livery1 and  
with  all the confidence which the      
certainty of protection from the local  
authorities could afford them should any
 one be disposed to interrupt  them4    
,i learned moreover from ,antonio1 that 
the person in whose house we were       
living was a notorious 8alcahuete10 or  
spy to the robbers in the               
neighbourhood1 and that unless we took  

our departure speedily and              
unexpectedly1 we should to a certainty  
be plundered on the road4  ,i did  not  
pay much attention to these hints1 but  
my desire to quit ,leon was  great1 as  
,i was convinced that as long as ,i     
continued there ,i should be  unable to 
regain my health and vigour4            
,accordingly1 at three in the morning1  
we departed for ,galicia4  ,we had      
scarcely proceeded half a league when we
 were overtaken by a  thunder-storm of  
tremendous violence4  ,we were at that  
time in the midst  of a wood which      
extends to some distance in the         
direction in which we  were going4  ,the
 trees were bowed almost to the ground  
by the wind or  torn up by the roots1   
whilst the earth was ploughed up by the 
lightning1  which burst all around and  
nearly blinded us4  ,the spirited       
,andalusian on  which ,i rode became    
furious1 and bounded into the air as if 
possessed4  ,owing to my state of       
weakness1 ,i had the greatest difficulty

 in  maintaining my seat1 and avoiding a
 fall which might have been fatal4  ,a  
tremendous discharge of rain followed   
the storm1 which swelled the brooks  and
 streams and flooded the surrounding    
country1 causing much damage  amongst   
the corn4  ,after riding about five     
leagues1 we began to enter the          
mountainous district which surrounds    
,astorga3 the heat now became almost    
suffocating2 swarms of flies began to   
make their appearance1 and settling     
down upon the horses1 stung them almost 
to madness1 whilst the road was  very   
flinty and trying4  ,it was with great  
difficulty that we reached  ,astorga1   
covered with mud and dust1 our tongues  
cleaving to our palates  with thirst4   
,,chapter ,,xxiii      ,astorga--,the   
,inn--,the ,maragatos--,the ,habits of  
the ,maragatos--,the ,statue4    ,we    
went to a posada in the suburbs1 the    
only one1 indeed1 which the place       
afforded4  ,the courtyard was full of   
arrieros and carriers1 brawling  loudly2

 the master of the house was fighting   
with two of his customers1  and         
universal confusion reigned around4  ,as
 ,i dismounted ,i received the  contents
 of a wineglass in my face1 of which    
greeting1 as it was probably  intended  
for another1 ,i took no notice4         
,antonio1 however1 was not so  patient1 
for on being struck with a cudgel1 he   
instantly returned the  salute with his 
whip1 scarifying the countenance of a   
carman4  ,in my  endeavours to separate 
these two antagonists1 my horse broke   
loose1 and  rushing amongst the         
promiscuous crowd1 overturned several   
individuals and  committed no little    
damage4  ,it was a long time before     
peace was  restored3 at last we were    
shown to a tolerably decent chamber4    
,we had1  however1 no sooner taken      
possession of it1 than the waggon from  
,madrid  arrived on its way to ,corua1  
filled with dusty travellers1 consisting
 of  women1 children1 invalid officers  
and the like4  ,we were now forthwith   

dislodged1 and our baggage flung into   
the yard4  ,on our complaining of  this 
treatment1 we were told that we were two
 vagabonds whom nobody knew2  who had   
come without an arriero1 and had already
 set the whole house in  confusion4  ,as
 a great favour1 however1 we were at    
length permitted to  take up our abode  
in a ruinous building down the yard1    
adjoining the  stable1 and filled with  
rats and vermin4  ,here there was an old
 bed with  a tester1 and with this      
wretched accommodation we were glad to  
content  ourselves1 for ,i could proceed
 no farther1 and was burnt with fever4  
,the  heat of the place was intolerable1
 and ,i sat on the staircase with my    
head between my hands1 gasping for      
breath3 soon appeared ,antonio with     
vinegar and water1 which ,i drank and   
felt relieved4    ,we continued in this 
suburb three days1 during the greatest  
part of which  time ,i was stretched on 
the tester bed4  ,i once or twice       
contrived to  make my way into the town1

 but found no bookseller1 nor any person
  willing to undertake the charge of    
disposing of my ,testaments4  ,the      
people were brutal1 stupid1 and uncivil1
 and ,i returned to my tester bed       
fatigued and dispirited4  ,here ,i lay  
listening from time to time to the      
sweet chimes which rang from the clock  
of the old cathedral4  ,the master  of  
the house never came near me1 nor       
indeed1 once inquired about me4         
,beneath the care of ,antonio1 however1 
,i speedily waxed stronger4  8,mon      
matre10 said he to me one evening1 8,i  
see you are better2 let us quit  this   
bad town and worse posada to-morrow     
morning4  ,allons1 mon  maitre6  ,il est
 temps de nous mettre en chemin pour    
,lugo et ,galice40    ,before           
proceeding1 however1 to narrate what    
befell us in this journey to  ,lugo and 
,galicia1 it will perhaps not be amiss  
to say a few words  concerning ,astorga 
and its vicinity4  ,it is a walled town1
 containing  about five or six thousand 

inhabitants1 with a cathedral and       
college1  which last is1 however1 at    
present deserted4  ,it is situated on   
the  confines1 and may be called the    
capital of a tract of land called the   
country of the ,maragatos1 which        
occupies about three square leagues1 and
  has for its north-western boundary a  
mountain called ,telleno1 the  loftiest 
of a chain of hills which have their    
origin near the mouth of  the river     
,minho1 and are connected with the      
immense range which  constitutes the    
frontier of the ,asturias and           
,guipuscoa4    ,the land is ungrateful  
and barren1 and niggardly repays the    
toil of the  cultivator1 being for the  
most part rocky1 with a slight          
sprinkling of  red brick earth4    ,the 
,maragatos are perhaps the most singular
 caste to be found amongst the          
chequered population of ,spain4  ,they  
have their own peculiar customs and     
dress1 and never intermarry with the    
,spaniards4  ,their name is a clue to   

their origin1 as it signifies1 8,moorish
 ,goths10 and at the present day  their 
garb differs but little from that of the
 ,moors of ,barbary1 as it  consists of 
a long tight jacket1 secured at the     
waist by a broad girdle1  loose short   
trousers which terminate at the knee1   
and boots and gaiters4  ,their heads are
 shaven1 a slight fringe of hair being  
only left at the  lower part4  ,if they 
wore the turban or barret1 they could   
scarcely be  distinguished from the     
,moors in dress1 but in lieu thereof    
they wear the  sombrero1 or broad       
slouching hat of ,spain4  ,there can be 
little doubt  that they are a remnant of
 those ,goths who sided with the ,moors 
on their  invasion of ,spain1 and who   
adopted their religion1 customs1 and    
manner of  dress1 which1 with the       
exception of the first1 are still to a  
considerable degree retained by them4   
,it is1 however1 evident that their     
blood has at no time mingled with that  
of the wild children of the  desert1 for

 scarcely amongst the hills of ,norway  
would you find figures  and faces more  
essentially ,gothic than those of the   
,maragatos4  ,they are  strong athletic 
men1 but loutish and heavy1 and their   
features1 though  for the most part well
 formed1 are vacant and devoid of       
expression4  ,they  are slow and plain  
of speech1 and those eloquent and       
imaginative sallies  so common in the   
conversation of other ,spaniards1 seldom
 or never escape  them2 they have1      
moreover1 a coarse thick pronunciation1 
and when you  hear them speak1 you      
almost imagine that it is some ,german  
or ,english  peasant attempting to      
express himself in the language of the  
,peninsula4  ,they are constitutionally 
phlegmatic1 and it is very difficult to 
arouse  their anger2 but they are       
dangerous and desperate when once       
incensed2 and  a person who knew them   
well1 told me that he would rather face 
ten  ,valencians1 people infamous for   
their ferocity and blood-thirstiness1   

than confront one angry ,maragato1      
sluggish and stupid though he be on     
other occasions4    ,the men scarcely   
ever occupy themselves in husbandry1    
which they abandon  to the women1 who   
plough the flinty fields and gather in  
the scanty  harvests4  ,their husbands  
and sons are far differently employed3  
for they  are a nation of arrieros or   
carriers1 and almost esteem it a        
disgrace to  follow any other           
profession4  ,on every road of ,spain1  
particularly those  north of the        
mountains which divide the two          
,castiles1 may be seen gangs  of fives  
and sixes of these people lolling or    
sleeping beneath the  broiling sun1 on  
gigantic and heavily laden mutes and    
mules4  ,in a word1  almost the entire  
commerce of nearly one half of ,spain   
passes through the  hands of the        
,maragatos1 whose fidelity to their     
trust is such1 that no  one accustomed  
to employ them would hesitate to confide
 to them the  transport of a ton of     

treasure from the sea of ,biscay to     
,madrid2 knowing  well that it would not
 be their fault were it not delivered   
safe and  undiminished1 even of a grain1
 and that bold must be the thieves who  
would seek to wrest it from the far     
feared ,maragatos1 who would cling to   
it whilst they could stand1 and would   
cover it with their bodies when  they   
fell in the act of loading or           
discharging their long carbines4    ,but
 they are far from being disinterested1 
and if they are the most  trustworthy of
 all the arrieros of ,spain1 they in    
general demand for the  transport of    
articles a sum at least double to what  
others of the trade  would esteem a     
reasonable recompense3 by this means    
they accumulate large  sums of money1   
notwithstanding that they indulge       
themselves in far  superior fare to that
 which contents in general the          
parsimonious  ,spaniard2--another       
argument in favour of their pure ,gothic
 descent2 for  the ,maragatos1 like true

 men of the north1 delight in swilling  
liquors  and battening upon gross and   
luscious meats1 which help to swell out 
their tall and goodly figures4  ,many of
 them have died possessed of            
considerable riches1 part of which they 
have not unfrequently bequeathed  to the
 erection or embellishment of religious 
houses4    ,on the east end of the      
cathedral of ,astorga1 which towers over
 the lofty  and precipitous wall1 a     
colossal figure of lead may be seen on  
the roof4  ,it is the statue of a       
,maragato carrier who endowed the       
cathedral with a  large sum4  ,he is in 
his national dress1 but his head is     
averted from the  lands of his fathers1 
and whilst he waves in his hand a       
species of flag1  he seems to be        
summoning his race from their unfruitful
 region to other  climes1 where a richer
 field is open to their industry and    
enterprise4    ,i spoke to several of   
these men respecting the all-important  
subject of  religion2 but ,i found      

8their hearts gross1 and their ears dull
 of  hearing1 and their eyes closed40   
,there was one in particular to whom ,i 
showed the ,new ,testament1 and whom ,i 
addressed for a considerable time4  ,he 
listened or seemed to listen patiently1 
taking occasionally copious  draughts   
from an immense jug of whitish wine     
which stood between his  knees4  ,after 
,i had concluded he said1 8,to-morrow ,i
 set out for ,lugo1  whither1 ,i am     
told1 yourself are going4  ,if you wish 
to send your chest1  ,i have no         
objection to take it at so much 7naming 
an extravagant price74  ,as for what you
 have told me1 ,i understand little of  
it1 and believe not  a word of it2 but  
in respect to the books which you have  
shown me1 ,i will  take three or four4  
,i shall not read them1 it is true1 but 
,i have no  doubt that ,i can sell them 
at a higher price than you demand40     
,so much for the ,maragatos4            
,,chapter ,,xxiv      ,departure from   
,astorga--,the ,venta--,the             

,by-path--,narrow ,escape--,the ,cup of 
,water--,sun and                        
,shade--,bembibre--,convent of the      
,rocks--,sunset--,cacabelos--,midnight  
,adventure--,villafrancs4    ,it was    
four o'clock of a beautiful morning when
 we sallied from ,astorga1  or rather   
from its suburbs1 in which we had been  
lodged3 we directed our  course to the  
north1 in the direction of ,galicia4    
,leaving the mountain  ,telleno on our  
left1 we passed along the eastern skirts
 of the land of  the ,maragatos1 over   
broken uneven ground1 enlivened here and
 there by  small green valleys and      
runnels of water4  ,several of the      
,maragatan  women1 mounted on donkeys1  
passed us on their way to ,astorga1     
whither  they were carrying vegetables4 
,we saw others in the fields handling   
their rude ploughs1 drawn by lean oxen4 
,we likewise passed through a  small    
village1 in which we1 however1 saw no   
living soul4  ,near this  village we    
entered the high road which leads direct

 from ,madrid to  ,corua1 and at last1  
having travelled near four leagues1 we  
came to a  species of pass1 formed on   
our left by a huge lumpish hill 7one of 
those  which descend from the great     
mountain ,telleno71 and on our right by 
one  of much less altitude4  ,in the    
middle of this pass1 which was of       
considerable breadth1 a noble view      
opened itself to us4  ,before us1 at    
the distance of about a league and a    
half1 rose the mighty frontier  chain1  
of which ,i have spoken before2 its blue
 sides and broken and  picturesque peaks
 still wearing a thin veil of the       
morning mist1 which  the fierce rays of 
the sun were fast dispelling4  ,it      
seemed an enormous  barrier1 threatening
 to oppose our farther progress1 and it 
reminded me  of the fables respecting   
the children of ,magog1 who are said to 
reside in  remotest ,tartary1 behind a  
gigantic wall of rocks1 which can only  
be  passed by a gate of steel a thousand
 cubits in height4    ,we shortly after 

arrived at ,manzanal1 a village         
consisting of wretched  huts1 and       
exhibiting every sign of poverty and    
misery4  ,it was now time  to refresh   
ourselves and horses1 and we accordingly
 put up at a venta1  the last habitation
 in the village1 where1 though we found 
barley for the  animals1 we had much    
difficulty in procuring anything for    
ourselves4  ,i  was at length fortunate 
enough to obtain a large jug of milk1   
for there  were plenty of cows in the   
neighbourhood1 feeding in a picturesque 
valley  which we had passed by1 where   
was abundance of grass1 and trees1 and a
  rivulet broken by tiny cascades4  ,the
 jug might contain about half a  gallon1
 but ,i emptied it in a few minutes1 for
 the thirst of fever was  still burning 
within me1 though ,i was destitute of   
appetite4  ,the venta  had something the
 appearance of a ,german baiting-house4 
,it consisted of  an immense stable1    
from which was partitioned a kind of    
kitchen and a  place where the family   

slept4  ,the master1 a robust young man1
 lolled on  a large solid stone bench1  
which stood within the door4  ,he was   
very  inquisitive respecting news1 but  
,i could afford him none2 whereupon he  
became communicative1 and gave me the   
history of his life1 the sum of  which  
was1 that he had been a courier in the  
,basque provinces1 but about  a year    
since had been dispatched to this       
village1 where he kept the  post-house4 
,he was an enthusiastic liberal1 and    
spoke in bitter terms of  the           
surrounding population1 who1 he said1   
were all ,carlists and friends  of the  
friars4  ,i paid little attention to his
 discourse1 for ,i was  looking at a    
,maragato lad of about fourteen1 who    
served in the house as a  kind of       
ostler4  ,i asked the master if we were 
still in the land of the  ,maragatos2   
but he told me that we had left it      
behind nearly a league1 and  that the   
lad was an orphan and was serving until 
he could rake up a  sufficient capital  

to become an arriero4  ,i addressed     
several questions  to the boy1 but the  
urchin looked sullenly in my face1 and  
either  answered by monosyllables or was
 doggedly silent4  ,i asked him if he   
could read4  8,yes10 said he1 8as much  
as that brute of yours who is  tearing  
down the manger40    ,quitting          
,manzanal1 we continued our course4  ,we
 soon arrived at the verge  of a deep   
valley amongst mountains1 not those of  
the chain which we had  seen before us1 
and which we now left to the right1 but 
those of the  ,telleno range1 just      
before they unite with that chain4      
,round the sides  of this valley1 which 
exhibited something of the appearance of
 a  horse-shoe1 wound the road in a     
circuitous manner2 just before us1      
however1 and diverging from the road1   
lay a footpath which seemed1 by a       
gradual descent1 to lead across the     
valley1 and to rejoin the road on the   
other side1 at the distance of about a  
furlong2 and into this we struck  in    

order to avoid the circuit4    ,we had  
not gone far before we met two          
,galicians1 on their way to cut the     
harvests of ,castile4  ,one of them     
shouted1 8,cavalier1 turn back3 in a    
moment you will be amongst precipices1  
where your horses will break their      
necks1 for we ourselves could scarcely  
climb them on foot40  ,the other  cried1
 8,cavalier1 proceed1 but be careful1   
and your horses1 if  sure-footed1 will  
run no great danger3 my comrade is a    
fool40  ,a violent  dispute instantly   
ensued between the two mountaineers1    
each supporting  his opinion with loud  
oaths and curses2 but without stopping  
to see the  result1 ,i passed on1 but   
the path was now filled with stones and 
huge  slaty rocks1 on which my horse was
 continually slipping4  ,i likewise     
heard the sound of water in a deep      
gorge1 which ,i had hitherto not        
perceived1 and ,i soon saw that it would
 be worse than madness to proceed4  ,i  
turned my horse1 and was hastening to   

regain the path which ,i had left1  when
 ,antonio1 my faithful ,greek1 pointed  
out to me a meadow by which1 he  said1  
we might regain the high road much lower
 down than if we returned  on our steps4
  ,the meadow was brilliant with short  
green grass1 and in  the middle there   
was a small rivulet of water4  ,i       
spurred my horse on1  expecting to be in
 the high road in a moment2 the horse1  
however1 snorted  and stared wildly1 and
 was evidently unwilling to cross the   
seemingly  inviting spot4  ,i thought   
that the scent of a wolf1 or some other 
wild  animal might have disturbed him1  
but was soon undeceived by his sinking  
up to the knees in a bog4  ,the animal  
uttered a shrill sharp neigh1 and       
exhibited every sign of the greatest    
terror1 making at the same time  great  
efforts to extricate himself1 and       
plunging forward1 but every  moment     
sinking deeper4  ,at last he arrived    
where a small vein of rock  showed      
itself3 on this he placed his fore feet1

 and with one tremendous  exertion freed
 himself1 from the deceitful soil1      
springing over the  rivulet and         
alighting on comparatively firm ground1 
where he stood  panting1 his heaving    
sides covered with a foamy sweat4       
,antonio1 who had  observed the whole   
scene1 afraid to venture forward1       
returned by the path  by which we came1 
and shortly afterwards rejoined me4     
,this adventure  brought to my          
recollection the meadow with its        
footpath which tempted  ,christian from 
the straight road to heaven1 and finally
 conducted him to  the dominions of the 
giant ,despair4    ,we now began to     
descend the valley by a broad and       
excellent carretera or  carriage road1  
which was cut out of the steep side of  
the mountain on our  right4  ,on our    
left was the gorge1 down which tumbled  
the runnel of water  which ,i have      
before mentioned4  ,the road was        
tortuous1 and at every turn  the scene  
became more picturesque4  ,the gorge    

gradually widened1 and the  brook at its
 bottom1 fed by a multitude of springs1 
increased in volume  and in sound1 but  
it was soon far beneath us1 pursuing its
 headlong  course till it reached level 
ground1 where it flowed in the midst of 
a  beautiful but confined prairie4      
,there was something sylvan and savage  
in  the mountains on the farther side1  
clad from foot to pinnacle with trees1  
so closely growing that the eye was     
unable to obtain a glimpse of the  hill 
sides1 which were uneven with ravines   
and gulleys1 the haunts of the  wolf1   
the wild boar1 and the corso1 or        
mountain-stag2 the latter of  which1 as 
,i was informed by a peasant who was    
driving a car of oxen1  frequently      
descended to feed in the prairie1 and   
were there shot for the  sake of their  
skins1 for their flesh1 being strong and
 disagreeable1 is  held in no account4  
,but notwithstanding the wildness of    
these regions1 the handiworks of man    
were visible4  ,the sides of the gorge1 

though precipitous1 were yellow  with   
little fields of barley1 and we saw a   
hamlet and church down in the  prairie  
below1 whilst merry songs ascended to   
our ears from where the  mowers were    
toiling with their scythes1 cutting the 
luxuriant and  abundant grass4  ,i could
 scarcely believe that ,i was in ,spain1
 in general  so brown1 so arid and      
cheerless1 and ,i almost fancied myself 
in ,greece1  in that land of ancient    
glory1 whose mountain and forest scenery
  ,theocritus has so well described4    
,at the bottom of the valley we entered 
a small village1 washed by the  brook1  
which had now swelled almost to a       
stream4  ,a more romantic  situation ,i 
had never witnessed4  ,it was           
surrounded1 and almost overhung  by     
mountains1 and embowered in trees of    
various kinds2 waters sounded1          
nightingales sang1 and the cuckoo's full
 note boomed from the distant  branches1
 but the village was miserable4  ,the   
huts were built of slate  stones1 of    

which the neighbouring hills seemed to  
be principally  composed1 and roofed    
with the same1 but not in the neat tidy 
manner of  ,english houses1 for the     
slates were of all sizes1 and seemed to 
be flung  on in confusion4  ,we were    
spent with heat and thirst1 and sitting 
down on  a stone bench1 ,i entreated a  
woman to give me a little water4  ,the  
woman  said she would1 but added that   
she expected to be paid for it4         
,antonio1  on hearing this1 became      
highly incensed1 and speaking ,greek1   
,turkish1 and  ,spanish1 invoked the    
vengeance of the ,panhagia on the       
heartless woman1  saying1 8,if ,i were  
to offer a ,mahometan gold for a draught
 of water he  would dash it in my face2 
and you are a ,catholic1 with the stream
 running  at your door40  ,i told him to
 be silent1 and giving the woman two    
cuartos1 repeated my request1 whereupon 
she took a pitcher1 and going to  the   
stream filled it with water4  ,it tasted
 muddy and disagreeable1 but  it drowned

 the fever which was devouring me4      
,we again remounted and proceeded on our
 way1 which1 for a considerable         
distance1 lay along the margin of the   
stream1 which now fell in small         
cataracts1 now brawled over stones1 and 
at other times ran dark and  silent     
through deep pools overhung with tall   
willows1--pools which seemed  to abound 
with the finny tribe1 for large trout   
frequently sprang from  the water1      
catching the brilliant fly which skimmed
 along its deceitful  surface4  ,the    
scene was delightful4  ,the sun was     
rolling high in the  firmament1 casting 
from its orb of fire the most glorious  
rays1 so that  the atmosphere was       
flickering with their splendour1 but    
their fierceness  was either warded off 
by the shadow of the trees or rendered  
innocuous by  the refreshing coolness   
which rose from the waters1 or by the   
gentle  breezes which murmured at       
intervals over the meadows1 8fanning the
 cheek  or raising the hair0 of the     

wanderer4  ,the hills gradually receded1
 till  at last we entered a plain where 
tall grass was waving1 and mighty       
chestnut trees1 in full blossom1 spread 
out their giant and umbrageous  boughs4 
,beneath many stood cars1 the tired oxen
 prostrate on the ground1  the crossbar 
of the poll which they support pressing 
heavily on their  heads1 whilst their   
drivers were either employed in cooking1
 or were  enjoying a delicious siesta in
 the grass and shade4  ,i went up to one
 of  the largest of these groups and    
demanded of the individuals whether they
  were in need of the ,testament of     
,jesus ,christ4  ,they stared at one    
another1 and then at me1 till at last a 
young man1 who was dangling a  long gun 
in his hands as he reclined1 demanded of
 me what it was1 at the  same time      
inquiring whether ,i was a ,catalan1    
8for you speak hoarse10 said  he1 8and  
are tall and fair like that family40  ,i
 sat down amongst them  and said that ,i
 was no ,catalan1 but that ,i came from 

a spot in the  ,western ,sea1 many      
leagues distant1 to sell that book at   
half the price it  cost2 and that their 
souls' welfare depended on their being  
acquainted  with it4  ,i then explained 
to them the nature of the ,new          
,testament1 and  read to them the       
parable of the ,sower4  ,they stared at 
each other again1  but said that they   
were poor1 and could not buy books4  ,i 
rose1 mounted1  and was going away1     
saying to them3 8,peace bide with you40 
,whereupon the  young man with the gun  
rose1 and saying1 8,caspita6 this is    
odd10  snatched the book from my hand   
and gave me the price ,i had demanded4  
,perhaps the whole world might be       
searched in vain for a spot whose       
natural charms could rival those of this
 plain or valley of ,bembibre1 as  it is
 called1 with its wall of mighty        
mountains1 its spreading chestnut       
trees1 and its groves of oaks and       
willows1 which clothe the banks of its  
stream1 a tributary to the ,minho4      

,true it is1 that when ,i passed through
  it1 the candle of heaven was blazing  
in full splendour1 and everything       
lighted by its rays looked gay1 glad1   
and blessed4  ,whether it would have    
filled me with the same feelings of     
admiration if viewed beneath another    
sky1 ,i will not pretend to determine2  
but it certainly possesses  advantages  
which at no time could fail to delight1 
for it exhibits all  the peaceful       
beauties of an ,english landscape       
blended with something wild  and grand1 
and ,i thought within myself that he    
must be a restless  dissatisfied man1   
who1 born amongst those scenes1 would   
wish to quit  them4  ,at the time ,i    
would have desired no better fate than  
that of a  shepherd on the prairies1 or 
a hunter in the hills of ,bembibre4     
,three hours passed away and we were in 
another situation4  ,we had halted  and 
refreshed ourselves and horses at       
,bembibre1 a village of mud and  slate1 
and which possessed little to attract   

attention3 we were now  ascending1 for  
the road was over one of the extreme    
ledges of those  frontier hills which ,i
 have before so often mentioned2 but the
 aspect of  heaven had blackened1 clouds
 were rolling rapidly from the west over
 the  mountains1 and a cold wind was    
moaning dismally4  8,there is a storm   
travelling through the air10 said a     
peasant1 whom we overtook1 mounted on  a
 wretched mule2 8and the ,asturians had 
better be on the lookout1 for it  is    
speeding in their direction40  ,he had  
scarce spoken1 when a light1 so  vivid  
and dazzling that it seemed as if the   
whole lustre of the fiery  element were 
concentrated in it1 broke around us1    
filling the whole  atmosphere1 and      
covering rock1 tree and mountain with a 
glare not to be  described4  ,the mule  
of the peasant tumbled prostrate1 while 
the horse ,i  rode reared himself       
perpendicularly1 and turning round1     
dashed down the  hill at headlong speed1
 which for some time it was impossible  

to cheek4  ,the lightning was followed  
by a peal almost as terrible1 but       
distant1 for  it sounded hollow and     
deep2 the hills1 however1 caught up its 
voice1  seemingly repeating it from     
summit to summit1 till it was lost in   
interminable space4  ,other flashes and 
peals succeeded1 but slight in          
comparison1 and a few drops of rain     
descended4  ,the body of the tempest    
seemed to be over another region4  8,a  
hundred families are weeping where  that
 bolt fell10 said the peasant when ,i   
rejoined him1 8for its blaze has        
blinded my mule at six leagues'         
distance40  ,he was leading the animal  
by  the bridle1 as its sight was        
evidently affected4  8,were the friars  
still  in their nest above there10 he   
continued1 8,i should say that this was 
their doing1 for they are the cause of  
all the miseries of the land40    ,i    
raised my eyes in the direction in which
 he pointed4  ,half way up the          
mountain1 over whose foot we were       

wending1 jutted forth a black frightful 
crag1 which at an immense altitude      
overhung the road1 and seemed to        
threaten destruction4  ,it resembled one
 of those ledges of the rocky  mountains
 in the picture of the ,deluge1 up to   
which the terrified  fugitives have     
scrambled from the eager pursuit of the 
savage and  tremendous billows1 and from
 whence they gaze down in horror1 whilst
  above them rise still higher and      
giddier heights1 to which they seem     
unable to climb4  ,built on the very    
edge of this crag1 stood an edifice1    
seemingly devoted to the purposes of    
religion1 as ,i could discern the  spire
 of a church rearing itself high over   
wall and roof4  8,that is the  house of 
the ,virgin of the ,rocks10 said the    
peasant1 8and it was lately  full of    
friars1 but they have been thrust out1  
and the only inmates now  are owls and  
ravens40  ,i replied1 that their life in
 such a bleak exposed  abode could not  
have been very enviable1 as in winter   

they must have  incurred great risk of  
perishing with cold4  8,by no means10   
said he2  8they had the best of wood for
 their braseros and chimneys1 and the   
best  of wine to warm them at their     
meals1 which were not the most sparing4 
,moreover1 they had another convent down
 in the vale yonder1 to which they      
could retire at their pleasure40  ,on my
 asking him the reason of his  antipathy
 to the friars1 he replied1 that he had 
been their vassal1 and  that they had   
deprived him every year of the flower of
 what he possessed4  ,discoursing in    
this manner1 we reached a village just  
below the convent1  where he left me1   
having first pointed out to me a house  
of stone1 with  an image over the door1 
which1 he said1 once also belonged to   
the canalla  7rabble7 above4    ,the sun
 was setting fast1 and eager to reach   
,villafranca1 where ,i had  determined  
on resting1 and which was still distant 
three leagues and a  half1 ,i made no   
halt at this place4  ,the road was now  

down a rapid and  crooked descent1 which
 terminated in a valley1 at the bottom  
of which was  a long and narrow bridge2 
beneath it rolled a river1 descending   
from a  wide pass between two mountains1
 for the chain was here cleft1 probably 
by some convulsion of nature4  ,i looked
 up the pass1 and on the hills on  both 
sides4  ,far above1 on my right1 but    
standing forth bold and clear1  and     
catching the last rays of the sun1 was  
the ,convent of the ,precipices1  whilst
 directly over against it1 on the       
farther side of the valley1 rose  the   
perpendicular side of the rival hill1   
which1 to a considerable extent         
intercepting the light1 flung its black 
shadow over the upper end of the  pass1 
involving it in mysterious darkness4    
,emerging from the centre of  this      
gloom1 with thundering sound1 dashed a  
river1 white with foam1 and  bearing    
along with it huge stones and branches  
of trees1 for it was the  wild ,sil     
hurrying to the ocean from its cradle in

 the heart of the  ,asturian hills1 and 
probably swollen by the recent rains4   
,hours again passed away4  ,it was now  
night1 and we were in the midst of      
woodlands1 feeling our way1 for the     
darkness was so great that ,i could     
scarcely see the length of a yard before
 my horse's head4  ,the animal  seemed  
uneasy1 and would frequently stop short1
 prick up his ears1 and  utter a low    
mournful whine4  ,flashes of sheet      
lightning frequently  illumined the     
black sky1 and flung a momentary glare  
over our path4  ,no  sound interrupted  
the stillness of the night1 except the  
slow tramp of  the horses' hoofs1 and   
occasionally the croaking of frogs from 
some pool  or morass4  ,i now bethought 
me that ,i was in ,spain1 the chosen    
land of  the two fiends1 assassination  
and plunder1 and how easily two tired   
and  unarmed wanderers might become     
their victims4    ,we at last cleared   
the woodlands1 and after proceeding a   
short distance1  the horse gave a joyous

 neigh1 and broke into a smart trot4  ,a
 barking of  dogs speedily reached my   
ears1 and we seemed to be approaching   
some town  or village4  ,in effect we   
were close to ,cacabelos1 a town about  
five  miles distant from ,villafranca4  
,it was near eleven at night1 and ,i    
reflected that it would be far more     
expedient to tarry in this place till   
the morning than to attempt at  present 
to reach ,villafranca1 exposing         
ourselves to all the horrors of         
darkness in a lonely and unknown road4  
,my mind was soon made up on this       
point2 but ,i reckoned without my host1 
for at the first posada which ,i        
attempted to enter1 ,i was told that we 
could not be accommodated1 and  still   
less our horses1 as the stable was full 
of water4  ,at the second1  and there   
were but two1 ,i was answered from the  
window by a gruff voice1  nearly in the 
words of the ,scripture3 8,trouble me   
not2 the door is now  shut1 and my      
children are with me in bed2 ,i cannot  

arise to let you in40  ,indeed1 we had  
no particular desire to enter1 as it    
appeared a wretched  hovel1 though the  
poor horses pawed piteously against the 
door1 and  seemed to crave admittance4  
,we had now no choice but to resume our 
doleful way to ,villafranca1 which1  we 
were told1 was a short league distant1  
though it proved a league and a  half4  
,we found it no easy matter to quit the 
town1 for we were  bewildered amongst   
its labyrinths1 and could not find the  
outlet4  ,a lad  about eighteen was1    
however1 persuaded1 by the promise of a 
peseta1 to  guide us3 whereupon he led  
us by many turnings to a bridge1 which  
he told  us to cross1 and to follow the 
road1 which was that of ,villafranca2 he
  then1 having received his fee1        
hastened from us4    ,we followed his   
directions1 not1 however1 without a     
suspicion that he  might be deceiving   
us4  ,the night had settled darker down 
upon us1 so  that it was impossible to  
distinguish any object1 however nigh4   

,the  lightning had become more faint   
and rare4  ,we heard the rustling of    
trees1 and occasionally the barking of  
dogs1 which last sound1 however1  soon  
ceased1 and we were in the midst of     
night and silence4  ,my horse1  either  
from weariness1 or the badness of the   
road1 frequently stumbled2  whereupon ,i
 dismounted1 and leading him by the     
bridle1 soon left ,antonio  far in the  
rear4    ,i had proceeded in this manner
 a considerable way1 when a circumstance
  occurred of a character well suited to
 the time and place4    ,i was again    
amidst trees and bushes1 when the horse 
stopping short1  nearly pulled me back4 
,i know not how it was1 but fear        
suddenly came  over me1 which1 though in
 darkness and in solitude1 ,i had not   
felt  before4  ,i was about to urge the 
animal forward1 when ,i heard a noise at
  my right hand1 and listened           
attentively4  ,it seemed to be that of a
  person or persons forcing their way   
through branches and brushwood4  ,it    

soon ceased1 and ,i heard feet on the   
road4  ,it was the short staggering     
kind of tread of people carrying a very 
heavy substance1 nearly too much  for   
their strength1 and ,i thought ,i heard 
the hurried breathing of men            
over-fatigued4  ,there was a short      
pause1 during which ,i conceived they   
were resting in the middle of the road2 
then the stamping recommenced1  until it
 reached the other side1 when ,i again  
heard a similar rustling  amidst        
branches2 it continued for some time and
 died gradually away4    ,i continued my
 road1 musing on what had just occurred1
 and forming  conjectures as to the     
cause4  ,the lightning resumed its      
flashing1 and ,i  saw that ,i was       
approaching tall black mountains4       
,this nocturnal journey endured so long 
that ,i almost lost all hope of         
reaching the town1 and had closed my    
eyes in a doze1 though ,i still  trudged
 on mechanically1 leading the horse4    
,suddenly a voice at a slight  distance 

before me roared out1 8,quien vive80 for
 ,i had at last found my  way to        
,villafranca4  ,it proceeded from the   
sentry in the suburb1 one of  those     
singular half soldiers half guerillas1  
called ,miguelets1 who are in  general  
employed by the ,spanish government to  
clear the roads of robbers4  ,i gave the
 usual answer1 8,espana10 and went up to
 the place where he  stood4  ,after a   
little conversation1 ,i sat down on a   
stone1 awaiting the  arrival of         
,antonio1 who was long in making his    
appearance4  ,on his  arrival1 ,i asked 
if any one had passed him on the road1  
but he replied  that he had seen        
nothing4  ,the night1 or rather the     
morning1 was still  very dark1 though a 
small corner of the moon was            
occasionally visible4  ,on our inquiring
 the way to the gate1 the ,miguelet     
directed us down a  street to the left1 
which we followed4  ,the street was     
steep1 we could  see no gate1 and our   
progress was soon stopped by houses and 

wall4  ,we  knocked at the gates of two 
or three of these houses 7in the upper  
stories of which lights were burning71  
for the purpose of being set  right1 but
 we were either disregarded or not      
heard4  ,a horrid squalling  of cats1   
from the tops of the houses and dark    
corners1 saluted our ears1  and ,i      
thought of the night arrival of ,don    
,quixote and his squire at  ,toboso1 and
 their vain search amongst the deserted 
streets for the palace  of ,dulcinea4   
,at length we saw light and heard voices
 in a cottage at the  other side of a   
kind of ditch4  ,leading the horses     
over1 we called at the  door1 which was 
opened by an aged man1 who appeared by  
his dress to be a  baker1 as indeed he  
proved1 which accounted for his being up
 at so late  an hour4  ,on begging him  
to show us the way into the town1 he led
 us up a  very narrow alley at the end  
of his cottage1 saying that he would    
likewise conduct us to the posada4      
,the alley led directly to what appeared

 to be the market-place1 at a  corner   
house of which our guide stopped and    
knocked4  ,after a long pause  an upper 
window was opened1 and a female voice   
demanded who we were4  ,the  old man    
replied1 that two travellers had arrived
 who were in need of  lodging4  8,i     
cannot be disturbed at this time of     
night10 said the woman2  8they will be  
wanting supper1 and there is nothing in 
the house2 they  must go elsewhere40    
,she was going to shut the window1 but  
,i cried that  we wanted no supper1 but 
merely resting place for ourselves and  
horses--that we had come that day from  
,astorga1 and were dying with  fatigue4 
8,who is that speaking80 cried the      
woman4  8,surely that is the  voice of  
,gil1 the ,german clock-maker from      
,pontevedra4  ,welcome1 old  companion2 
you are come at the right time1 for my  
own is out of order4  ,i  am sorry ,i   
have kept you waiting1 but ,i will admit
 you in a moment40    ,the window was   
slammed to1 presently a light shone     

through the crevices  of the door1 a key
 turned in the lock1 and we were        
admitted4          ,,chapter ,,xxv      
,villafranca--,the ,pass--,gallegan     
,simplicity--,the ,frontier ,guard--,the
  ,horse-shoe--,gallegan                
,peculiarities--,a ,word on             
,language--,the ,courier--,wretched     
,cabins--,host and                      
,guests--,andalusians4    8,ave ,maria10
 said the woman2 8whom have we here8    
,this is not ,gil the  clock-maker40    
8,whether it be ,gil or ,juan10 said ,i1
 8we are in need of  your hospitality1  
and can pay for it40  ,our first care   
was to stable the  horses1 who were much
 exhausted4  ,we then went in search of 
some  accommodation for ourselves4  ,the
 house was large and commodious1 and    
having tasted a little water1 ,i        
stretched myself on the floor of one of 
the rooms on some mattresses which the  
woman produced1 and in less than a      
minute was sound asleep4    ,the sun was
 shining bright when ,i awoke4  ,i      

walked forth into the  market-place1    
which was crowded with people1 ,i looked
 up1 and could see  the peaks of tall   
black mountains peeping over the tops of
 the houses4  ,the town lay in a deep   
hollow1 and appeared to be surrounded by
 hills on  almost every side4  8,quel   
pays barbare60 said ,antonio1 who now   
joined  me2 8the farther we go1 my      
master1 the wilder everything looks4  ,i
 am  half afraid to venture into        
,galicia2 they tell me that to get to it
 we  must clamber up those hills3 the   
horses will founder40  ,leaving the     
market-place ,i ascended the wall of the
 town1 and endeavoured to discover  the 
gate by which we should have entered the
 preceding night2 but ,i was  not more  
successful in the bright sunshine than  
in the darkness4  ,the  town in the     
direction of ,astorga appeared to be    
hermetically sealed4    ,i was eager to 
enter ,galicia1 and finding that the    
horses were to a  certain extent        
recovered from the fatigue of the       

journey of the preceding  day1 we again 
mounted and proceeded on our way4       
,crossing a bridge1 we  presently found 
ourselves in a deep gorge amongst the   
mountains1 down  which rushed an        
impetuous rivulet1 overhung by the high 
road which leads  into ,galicia4  ,we   
were in the far-famed pass of           
,fuencebadon4    ,it is impossible to   
describe this pass or the circumjacent  
region1 which  contains some of the most
 extraordinary scenery in all ,spain2 a 
feeble  and imperfect outline is all    
that ,i can hope to effect4  ,the       
traveller  who ascends it follows for   
nearly a league the course of the       
torrent1  whose banks are in some places
 precipitous1 and in others slope down  
to  the waters1 and are covered with    
lofty trees1 oaks1 poplars1 and         
chestnuts4  ,small villages are at first
 continually seen1 with low walls1  and 
roofs formed of immense slates1 the     
eaves nearly touching the ground2  these
 hamlets1 however1 gradually become less

 frequent as the path grows  more steep 
and narrow1 until they finally cease at 
a short distance  before the spot is    
attained where the rivulet is abandoned1
 and is no  more seen1 though its       
tributaries may yet be heard in many a  
gully1 or  descried in tiny rills       
dashing down the steeps4  ,everything   
here is wild1  strange1 and beautiful3  
the hill up which winds the path towers 
above on  the right1 whilst on the      
farther side of a profound ravine rises 
an  immense mountain1 to whose extreme  
altitudes the eye is scarcely able to   
attain2 but the most singular feature of
 this pass are the hanging fields  or   
meadows which cover its sides4  ,in     
these1 as ,i passed1 the grass was      
growing luxuriantly1 and in many the    
mowers were plying their scythes1       
though it seemed scarcely possible that 
their feet could find support on  ground
 so precipitous3 above and below were   
drift-ways1 so small as to  seem threads
 along the mountain side4  ,a car1 drawn

 by oxen1 is creeping  round yon airy   
eminence2 the nearer wheel is actually  
hanging over the  horrid descent2       
giddiness seizes the brain1 and the eye 
is rapidly  withdrawn4  ,a cloud        
intervenes1 and when again you turn to  
watch their  progress1 the objects of   
your anxiety have disappeared4  ,still  
more  narrow becomes the path along     
which you yourself are toiling1 and its 
turns more frequent4  ,you have already 
come a distance of two leagues1  and    
still one-third of the ascent remains   
unsurmounted4  ,you are not yet  in     
,galicia2 and you still hear ,castilian1
 coarse and unpolished1 it is  true1    
spoken in the miserable cabins placed in
 the sequestered nooks  which you pass  
by in your route4    ,shortly before we 
reached the summit of the pass thick    
mists began to  envelop the tops of the 
hills1 and a drizzling rain descended4  
8,these  mists10 said ,antonio1 8are    
what the ,gallegans call bretima2 and it
 is  said there is never any lack of    

them in their country40  8,have you ever
  visited the country before80 ,i       
demanded4  8,non1 mon matre2 but ,i have
  frequently lived in houses where the  
domestics were in part ,gallegans1 on   
which account ,i know not a little of   
their ways1 and even something of  their
 language40  8,is the opinion which you 
have formed of them at all in  their    
favour80 ,i inquired4  8,by no means1   
mon matre2 the men in general  seem     
clownish and simple1 yet they are       
capable of deceiving the most  clever   
filou of ,paris2 and as for the women1  
it is impossible to live in  the same   
house with them1 more especially if they
 are ,camareras1 and wait  upon the     
,seora2 they are continually breeding   
dissensions and disputes  in the house1 
and telling tales of the other          
domestics4  ,i have already  lost two or
 three excellent situations in ,madrid1 
solely owing to these  ,gallegan        
chambermaids4  ,we have now come to the 
frontier1 mon matre1 for  such ,i       

conceive this village to be40    ,we    
entered the village1 which stood on the 
summit of the mountain1 and as  our     
horses and ourselves were by this time  
much fatigued1 we looked round  for a   
place in which to obtain refreshment4   
,close by the gate stood a  building    
which1 from the circumstance of a mule  
or two and a wretched  pony standing    
before it1 we concluded was the posada1 
as in effect it  proved to be4  ,we     
entered3 several soldiers were lolling  
on heaps of  coarse hay1 with which the 
place1 which much resembled a stable1   
was half  filled4  ,all were exceedingly
 ill-looking fellows1 and very dirty4   
,they  were conversing with each other  
in a strange-sounding dialect1 which ,i 
supposed to be ,gallegan4  ,scarcely did
 they perceive us when two or three  of 
them1 starting from their couch1 ran up 
to ,antonio1 whom they welcomed  with   
much affection1 calling him companheiro4
  8,how came you to know  these men80 ,i
 demanded in ,french4  8,ces messieurs  

sont presque tous de  ma connoissance10 
he replied1 8et1 entre nous1 ce sont des
  veritables vauriens2 they are almost  
all robbers and assassins4  ,that       
fellow1 with one eye1 who is the        
corporal1 escaped a little time ago from
  ,madrid1 more than suspected of being 
concerned in an affair of poisoning2    
but he is safe enough here in his own   
country1 and is placed to guard the     
frontier1 as you see2 but we must treat 
them civilly1 mon matre2 we must  give  
them wine1 or they will be offended4  ,i
 know them1 mon matre--,i know  them4   
,here1 hostess1 bring an azumbre of     
wine40    ,whilst ,antonio was engaged  
in treating his friends1 ,i led the     
horses to  the stable2 this was through 
the house1 inn1 or whatever it might be 
called4  ,the stable was a wretched     
shed1 in which the horses sank to  their
 fetlocks in mud and puddle4  ,on       
inquiring for barley1 ,i was told  that 
,i was now in ,galicia1 where barley was
 not used for provender1 and  was very  

rare4  ,i was offered in lieu of it     
,indian corn1 which1 however1  the      
horses ate without hesitation4  ,there  
was no straw to be had2 coarse  hay1    
half green1 being the substitute4  ,by  
trampling about in the mud of  the      
stable my horse soon lost a shoe1 for   
which ,i searched in vain4  8,is  there 
a blacksmith in the village80 ,i        
demanded of a shock-headed fellow  who  
officiated as ostler4    ,ostler4--,si1 
,senhor2 but ,i suppose you have brought
 horse-shoes with  you1 or that large   
beast of yours cannot be shod in this   
village4    ,myself4--,what do you mean8
  ,is the blacksmith unequal to his     
trade8  ,cannot he put on a horse-shoe8 
,ostler4--,si1 ,senhor2 he can put on a 
horse-shoe if you give it him2 but      
there are no horse-shoes in ,galicia1 at
 least in these parts4    ,myself4--,is 
it not customary then to shoe the horses
 in ,galicia8    ,ostler4--,senhor1     
there are no horses in ,galicia1 there  
are only ponies2  and those who bring   

horses to ,galicia1 and none but madmen 
ever do1 must  bring shoes to fit them2 
only shoes of ponies are to be found    
here4    ,myself4--,what do you mean by 
saying that only madmen bring horses to 
,galicia8    ,ostler4--,senhor1 no horse
 can stand the food of ,galicia and the 
mountains of ,galicia long1 without     
falling sick2 and then if he does not   
die at once1 he will cost you in        
farriers more than he is worth2 besides1
  a horse is of no use here1 and cannot 
perform amongst the broken ground  the  
tenth part of the service which a little
 pony mare can4  ,by the by1  ,senhor1  
,i perceive that yours is an entire     
horse2 now out of twenty  ponies that   
you see on the roads of ,galicia1       
nineteen are mares2 the  males are sent 
down into ,castile to be sold4  ,senhor1
 your horse will  become heated on our  
roads1 and will catch the bad glanders1 
for which  there is no remedy4  ,senhor1
 a man must be mad to bring any horse to
  ,galicia1 but twice mad to bring an   

entero1 as you have done4    8,a strange
 country this of ,galicia10 said ,i1 and
 went to consult with  ,antonio4    ,it 
appeared that the information of the    
ostler was literally true with  regard  
to the horse-shoe2 at least the         
blacksmith of the village1 to whom  we  
conducted the animal1 confessed his     
inability to shoe him1 having none  that
 would fit his hoof3 he said it was very
 probable that we should be  obliged to 
lead the animal to ,lugo1 which1 being a
 cavalry station1 we  might perhaps find
 there what we wanted4  ,he added1      
however1 that the  greatest part of the 
cavalry soldiers were mounted on the    
ponies of the  country1 the mortality   
amongst the horses brought from the     
level ground  into ,galicia being       
frightful4  ,lugo was ten leagues       
distant3 there  seemed1 however1 to be  
no remedy at hand but patience1 and1    
having  refreshed ourselves1 we         
proceeded1 leading our horses by the    
bridle4    ,we were now on level ground1

 being upon the very top of one of the  
highest mountains in ,galicia4  ,this   
level continued for about a league1     
when we began to descend4  ,before we   
had crossed the plain1 which was        
overgrown with furze and brushwood1 we  
came suddenly upon half a dozen  fellows
 armed with muskets and wearing a       
tattered uniform4  ,we at first         
supposed them to be banditti3 they were1
 however1 only a party of  soldiers who 
had been detached from the station we   
had just quitted to  escort one of the  
provincial posts or couriers4  ,they    
were clamorous for  cigars1 but offered 
us no farther incivility4  ,having no   
cigars to  bestow1 ,i gave them in lieu 
thereof a small piece of silver4  ,two  
of the  worst looking were very eager to
 be permitted to escort us to ,nogales1 
the village where we proposed to spend  
the night4  8,by no means permit  them1 
mon matre10 said ,antonio1 8they are two
 famous assassins of my  acquaintance2  
,i have known them at ,madrid3 in the   

first ravine they will  shoot and       
plunder us40  ,i therefore civilly      
declined their offer and  departed4     
8,you seem to be acquainted with all the
 cut-throats in  ,galicia10 said ,i to  
,antonio1 as we descended the hill4     
8,with respect to those two fellows10 he
 replied1 8,i knew them when ,i  lived  
as cook in the family of ,general ,q---1
 who is a ,gallegan3 they were  sworn   
friends of the repostero4  ,all the     
,gallegans in ,madrid know each  other1 
whether high or low makes no difference2
 there1 at least1 they are  all good    
friends1 and assist each other on all   
imaginable occasions2 and  if there be a
 ,gallegan domestic in a house1 the     
kitchen is sure to be  filled with his  
countrymen1 as the cook frequently knows
 to his cost1 for  they generally       
contrive to eat up any little           
perquisites which he may  have reserved 
for himself and family40    ,somewhat   
less than half way down the mountain we 
reached a small village4  ,on observing 

a blacksmith's shop1 we stopped1 in the 
faint hope of  finding a shoe for the   
horse1 who1 for want of one1 was rapidly
 becoming  lame4  ,to our great joy we  
found that the smith was in possession  
of one  single horse-shoe1 which some   
time previously he had found upon the   
way4  ,this1 after undergoing much      
hammering and alteration1 was pronounced
 by  the ,gallegan vulcan to be capable 
of serving in lieu of a better2         
whereupon we again mounted1 and slowly  
continued our descent4    ,shortly ere  
sunset we arrived at ,nogales1 a hamlet 
situate in a narrow  valley at the foot 
of the mountain1 in traversing which we 
had spent the  day4  ,nothing could be  
more picturesque than the appearance of 
this spot3  steep hills1 thickly clad   
with groves and forests of chestnuts1   
surrounded it on every side2 the village
 itself was almost embowered in  trees1 
and close beside it ran a purling brook4
  ,here we found a  tolerably large and 
commodious posada4    ,i was languid and

 fatigued1 but felt little desire to    
sleep4  ,antonio  cooked our supper1 or 
rather his own1 for ,i had no appetite4 
,i sat by  the door1 gazing on the      
wood-covered heights above me1 or on the
 waters  of the rivulet1 occasionally   
listening to the people who lounged     
about  the house1 conversing in the     
country dialect4  ,what a strange tongue
 is  the ,gallegan1 with its half       
singing half whining accent1 and with   
its  confused jumble of words from many 
languages1 but chiefly from the         
,spanish and ,portuguese4  8,can you    
understand this conversation80 ,i       
demanded of ,antonio1 who had by this   
time rejoined me4  8,i cannot1 mon      
matre10 he replied2 8,i have acquired at
 various times a great many words       
amongst the ,gallegan domestics in the  
kitchens where ,i have officiated as    
cook1 but am quite unable to understand 
any long conversation4  ,i have  heard  
the ,gallegans say that in no two       
villages is it spoken in one and  the   

same manner1 and that very frequently   
they do not understand each  other4     
,the worst of this language is1 that    
everybody on first hearing it  thinks   
that nothing is more easy than to       
understand it1 as words are  continually
 occurring which he has heard before3   
but these merely serve  to bewilder and 
puzzle him1 causing him to misunderstand
 everything that  is said2 whereas1 if  
he were totally ignorant of the tongue1 
he would  occasionally give a shrewd    
guess at what was meant1 as ,i myself   
frequently do when ,i hear ,basque      
spoken1 though the only word which ,i   
know of that language is jaunguicoa40   
,as the night closed in ,i retired to   
bed1 where ,i remained four or five     
hours1 restless and tossing about2 the  
fever of ,leon still clinging to my     
system4  ,it was considerably past      
midnight when1 just as ,i was sinking   
into a slumber1 ,i was aroused by a     
confused noise in the village1 and the  
glare of lights through the lattice of  

the window of the room where ,i  lay2   
presently entered ,antonio1 half        
dressed4  8,mon matre10 said he1  8the  
grand post from ,madrid to ,corua has   
just arrived in the village1  attended  
by a considerable escort1 and an immense
 number of travellers4  ,the road they  
say1 between here and ,lugo1 is infested
 with robbers and  ,carlists1 who are   
committing all kinds of atrocities2 let 
us1 therefore1  avail ourselves of the  
opportunity1 and by midday to-morrow we 
shall find  ourselves safe in ,lugo40   
,on hearing these words1 ,i instantly   
sprang out  of bed and dressed myself1  
telling ,antonio to prepare the horses  
with all  speed4    ,we were soon       
mounted and in the street1 amidst a     
confused throng of men  and quadrupeds4 
,the light of a couple of flambeaux1    
which were borne  before the courier1   
shone on the arms of several soldiers1  
seemingly  drawn up on either side of   
the road2 the darkness1 however1        
prevented me  from distinguishing       

objects very clearly4  ,the courier     
himself was  mounted on a little shaggy 
pony2 before and behind him were two    
immense  portmanteaux1 or leather sacks1
 the ends of which nearly touched the   
ground4  ,for about a quarter of an hour
 there was much hubbub1 shouting1  and  
trampling1 at the end of which period   
the order was given to proceed4         
,scarcely had we left the village when  
the flambeaux were extinguished1  and we
 were left in almost total darkness2 for
 some time we were amongst  woods and   
trees1 as was evident from the rustling 
of leaves on every  side4  ,my horse was
 very uneasy and neighed fearfully1     
occasionally  raising himself bolt      
upright4  8,if your horse is not more   
quiet1  cavalier1 we shall be obliged to
 shoot him10 said a voice in an         
,andalusian accent2 8he disturbs the    
whole cavalcade40  8,that would be a    
pity1 sergeant10 ,i replied1 8for he is 
a ,cordovese by the four sides2 he  is  
not used to the ways of this barbarous  

country40  8,oh1 he is a  ,cordovese10  
said the voice1 8vaya1 ,i did not know  
that2 ,i am from ,cordova  myself4      
,pobrecito6 let me pat him--yes1 ,i know
 by his coat that he is my              
countryman--shoot him1 indeed6 vaya1 ,i 
would fain see the ,gallegan devil  who 
would dare to harm him4  ,barbarous     
country1 io lo creo3 neither oil  nor   
olives1 bread nor barley4  ,you have    
been at ,cordova4  ,vaya2 oblige  me1   
cavalier1 by taking this cigar40    ,in 
this manner we proceeded for several    
hours1 up hill and down dale1 but       
generally at a very slow pace4 ,the     
soldiers who escorted us from time to   
time sang patriotic songs1 breathing    
love and attachment to the young  ,queen
 ,isabel1 and detestation of the grim   
tyrant ,carlos4  ,one of the  stanzas   
which reached my ears1 ran something in 
the following style3--        8,don     
,carlos is a hoary churl1         ,of   
cruel heart and cold2      ,but         
,isabel's a harmless girl1         ,of  

only six years old40    ,at last the day
 began to break1 and ,i found myself    
amidst a train of two  or three hundred 
people1 some on foot1 but the greater   
part mounted1  either on mules or the   
pony mares3 ,i could not distinguish a  
single horse  except my own and         
,antonio's4  ,a few soldiers were thinly
 scattered along  the road4  ,the       
country was hilly1 but less mountainous 
and picturesque  than the one which we  
had traversed the preceding day2 it was 
for the  most part partitioned into     
small fields1 which were planted with   
maize4  ,at the distance of every two or
 three leagues we changed our escort1 at
  some village where was stationed a    
detachment4  ,the villages were mostly  
an assemblage of wretched cabins2 the   
roofs were thatched1 dank1 and  moist1  
and not unfrequently covered with rank  
vegetation4  ,there were  dunghills     
before the doors1 and no lack of pools  
and puddles4  ,immense  swine were      
stalking about1 intermingled with naked 

children4  ,the  interior of the cabins 
corresponded with their external        
appearance3 they  were filled with filth
 and misery4    ,we reached ,lugo about 
two hours past noon3 during the last two
 or three  leagues1 ,i became so        
overpowered with weariness1 the result  
of want of  sleep and my late illness1  
that ,i was continually dozing in my    
saddle1 so  that ,i took but little     
notice of what was passing4  ,we put up 
at a large  posada without the wall of  
the town1 built upon a steep bank1 and  
commanding an extensive view of the     
country towards the east4  ,shortly     
after our arrival1 the rain began to    
descend in torrents1 and continued      
without intermission during the next two
 days1 which was1 however1 to me  but a 
slight source of regret1 as ,i passed   
the entire time in bed1 and ,i  may     
almost say in slumber4  ,on the evening 
of the third day ,i arose4    ,there was
 much bustle in the house1 caused by the
 arrival of a family  from ,corua2 they 

came in a large jaunting car1 escorted  
by four  carabineers4  ,the family was  
rather numerous1 consisting of a father1
  son1 and eleven daughters1 the eldest 
of whom might be about eighteen4  ,a    
shabby-looking fellow1 dressed in a     
jerkin and wearing a high-crowned  hat1 
attended as domestic4  ,they arrived    
very wet and shivering1 and all  seemed 
very disconsolate1 especially the       
father1 who was a well-looking          
middle-aged man4  8,can we be           
accommodated80 he demanded in a gentle  
voice  of the man of the house2 8can we 
be accommodated in this fonda80         
8,certainly1 your worship10 replied the 
other2 8our house is large4  ,how  many 
apartments does your worship require for
 your family80    8,one will be         
sufficient10 replied the stranger4      
,the host1 who was a gouty personage and
 leaned upon a stick1 looked for a      
moment at the traveller1 then at every  
member of his family1 not  forgetting   
the domestic1 and1 without any farther  

comment than a slight  shrug1 led the   
way to the door of an apartment         
containing two or three  flock beds1 and
 which on my arrival ,i had objected to 
as being small1  dark1 and incommodious2
 this he flung open1 and demanded       
whether it would  serve4    8,it is     
rather small10 replied the gentleman2   
8,i think1 however1 that it  will do40  
8,i am glad of it10 replied the host4   
8,shall we make any preparations for    
the supper of your worship and family80 
8,no1 ,i thank you10 replied the        
stranger1 8my own domestic will prepare 
the slight refreshment we are in need   
of40    ,the key was delivered to the   
domestic1 and the whole family ensconced
  themselves in their apartment3 before1
 however1 this was effected1 the  escort
 were dismissed1 the principal          
carabineer being presented with a       
peseta4  ,the man stood surveying the   
gratuity for about half a minute1 as  it
 glittered in the palm of his hand2 then
 with an abrupt ,vamos6 he  turned upon 

his heel1 and without a word of         
salutation to any person1  departed with
 the men under his command4    8,who can
 these strangers be80 said ,i to the    
host1 as we sat together in a  large    
corridor open on one side1 and which    
occupied the entire front of  the house4
    8,i know not10 he replied1 8but by  
their escort ,i suppose they are people 
holding some official situation4  ,they 
are not of this province1 however1  and 
,i more than suspect them to be         
,andalusians40    ,in a few minutes the 
door of the apartment occupied by the   
strangers was  opened1 and the domestic 
appeared bearing a cruse in his hand4   
8,pray1  ,seor ,patron10 demanded he1   
8where can ,i buy some oil80    8,there 
is oil in the house10 replied the host1 
8if you want to purchase  any2 but if1  
as is probable1 you suppose that we     
shall gain a cuarto by  selling it1 you 
will find some over the way4  ,it is as 
,i suspected10  continued the host1 when
 the man had departed on his errand1    

8they are  ,andalusians1 and are about  
to make what they call gaspacho1 on     
which they  will all sup4  ,oh1 the     
meanness of these ,andalusians6 they are
 come here  to suck the vitals of       
,galicia1 and yet envy the poor         
innkeeper the gain  of a cuarto in the  
oil which they require for their        
gaspacho4  ,i tell you  one thing1      
master1 when that fellow returns1 and   
demands bread and garlic  to mix with   
the oil1 ,i will tell him there is none 
in the house3 as he  has bought the oil 
abroad1 so he may the bread and garlic2 
aye1 and the  water too for that        
matter40          ,,chapter ,,xxvi      
,lugo--,the ,baths--,a ,family          
,history--,miguelets--,the ,three       
,heads--,a  ,farrier--,english          
,squadron--,sale of                     
,testaments--,coruna--,the              
,recognition--,luigi  ,piozzi--,the     
,speculation--,a ,blank ,prospect--,john
 ,moore4    ,at ,lugo ,i found a wealthy
 bookseller1 to whom ,i brought a letter

 of  recommendation from ,madrid4  ,he  
willingly undertook the sale of my      
books4  ,the ,lord deigned to favour my 
feeble exertions in his cause at ,lugo4 
,i  brought thither thirty ,testaments1 
all of which were disposed of in one    
day2 the bishop of the place1 for ,lugo 
is an episcopal see1 purchasing  two    
copies for himself1 whilst several      
priests and ex-friars1 instead of       
following the example of their brethren 
at ,leon1 by persecuting the work1      
spoke well of it and recommended its    
perusal4  ,i was much grieved that my   
stock of these holy books was exhausted1
 there being a great demand2 and  had ,i
 been able to supply them1 quadruple the
 quantity might have been  sold during  
the few days that ,i continued at ,lugo4
    ,lugo contains about six thousand   
inhabitants4  ,it is situated on lofty  
ground1 and is defended by ancient      
walls4  ,it possesses no very           
remarkable edifice1 and the cathedral   
church itself is a small mean  building4

  ,in the centre of the town is the     
principal square1 a light  cheerful     
place1 not surrounded by those heavy    
cumbrous buildings with  which the      
,spaniards both in ancient and modern   
times have encircled their  plazas4  ,it
 is singular enough that ,lugo1 at      
present a place of very  little         
importance1 should at one period have   
been the capital of ,spain3  yet such it
 was in the time of the ,romans1 who1 as
 they were a people not  much guided by 
caprice1 had doubtless very excellent   
reasons for the  preference which they  
gave to the locality4    ,there are many
 ,roman remains in the vicinity of this 
place1 the most  remarkable of which are
 the ruins of the ancient medicinal     
baths1 which  stand on the southern side
 of the river ,minho1 which creeps      
through the  valley beneath the town4   
,the ,minho in this place is a dark and 
sullen  stream1 with high1 precipitous1 
and thickly wooded banks4    ,one       
evening ,i visited the baths1           

accompanied by my friend the bookseller4
  ,they had been built over warm springs
 which flow into the river4             
,notwithstanding their ruinous          
condition1 they were crowded with sick1 
hoping to derive benefit from the       
waters1 which are still famed for their 
sanative power4  ,these patients        
exhibited a strange spectacle as1       
wrapped  in flannel gowns much          
resembling shrouds1 they lay immersed in
 the tepid  waters amongst disjointed   
stones1 and overhung with steam and     
reek4    ,three or four days after my   
arrival ,i was seated in the corridor   
which1  as ,i have already observed1    
occupied the entire front of the house4 
,the  sky was unclouded1 and the sun    
shone most gloriously1 enlivening every 
object around4  ,presently the door of  
the apartment in which the  strangers   
were lodged opened1 and forth walked the
 whole family1 with the  exception of   
the father1 who1 ,i presumed1 was absent
 on business4  ,the  shabby domestic    

brought up the rear1 and on leaving the 
apartment1  carefully locked the door1  
and secured the key in his pocket4  ,the
 one  son and the eleven daughters were 
all dressed remarkably well3 the boy    
something after the ,english fashion1 in
 jacket and trousers1 the young  ladies 
in spotless white3 they were1 upon the  
whole1 a very good-looking  family1 with
 dark eyes and olive complexions1 but   
the eldest daughter was  remarkably     
handsome4  ,they arranged themselves    
upon the benches of the  corridor1 the  
shabby domestic sitting down amongst    
them without any  ceremony whatever4    
,they continued for some time in        
silence1 gazing with  disconsolate looks
 upon the houses of the suburb and the  
dark walls of  the town1 until the      
eldest daughter1 or seorita as she was  
called1 broke  silence with an 8,ay     
,dios mio60    ,domestic4--,ay ,dios    
mio6 we have found our way to a pretty  
country4    ,myself4--,i really can see 
nothing so very bad in the country1     

which is  by nature the richest in all  
,spain1 and the most abundant4  ,true it
 is  that the generality of the         
inhabitants are wretchedly poor1 but    
they  themselves are to blame1 and not  
the country4    ,domestic4--,cavalier1  
the country is a horrible one1 say      
nothing to the  contrary4  ,we are all  
frightened1 the young ladies1 the young 
gentleman1  and myself2 even his worship
 is frightened1 and says that we are    
come to  this country for our sins4  ,it
 rains every day1 and this is almost the
  first time that we have seen the sun  
since our arrival1 it rains             
continually1 and one cannot step out    
without being up to the ankles in       
fango2 and then1 again1 there is not a  
house to be found4    ,myself4--,i      
scarcely understand you4  ,there appears
 to be no lack of  houses in this       
neighbourhood4    ,domestic4--,excuse   
me1 sir4  ,his worship hired yesterday a
 house1 for  which he engaged to pay    
fourteen pence daily2 but when the      

seorita saw  it1 she wept1 and said it  
was no house1 but a hog-sty1 so his     
worship  paid one day's rent and        
renounced his bargain4  ,fourteen pence 
a day6  why1 in our country1 we can have
 a palace for that money4               
,myself4--,from what country do you     
come8    ,domestic4--,cavalier1 you     
appear to be a decent gentleman1 and ,i 
will  tell you our history4  ,we are    
from ,andalusia1 and his worship was    
last  year receiver-general for         
,granada3 his salary was fourteen       
thousand  rials1 with which we contrived
 to live very commodiously--attending   
the  bull funcions regularly1 or if     
there were no bulls1 we went to see the 
novillos1 and now and then to the opera4
  ,in a word1 sir1 we had our           
diversions and felt at our ease2 so much
 so1 that his worship was  actually     
thinking of purchasing a pony for the   
young gentleman1 who is  fourteen1 and  
must learn to ride now or never4        
,cavalier1 the ministry  was changed1   

and the new comers1 who were no friends 
to his worship1  deprived him of his    
situation4  ,cavalier1 they removed us  
from that  blessed country of ,granada1 
where our salary was fourteen thousand  
rials1  and sent us to ,galicia1 to this
 fatal town of ,lugo1 where his worship 
is  compelled to serve for ten thousand1
 which is quite insufficient to         
maintain us in our former comforts4     
,good-bye1 ,i trow1 to bull funcions1   
and novillos1 and the opera4  ,good-bye 
to the hope of a horse for the  young   
gentleman4  ,cavalier1 ,i grow          
desperate3 hold your tongue1 for ,god's 
sake6 for ,i can talk no more4    ,on   
hearing this history ,i no longer       
wondered that the receiver-general  was 
eager to save a cuarto in the purchase  
of the oil for the gaspacho of  himself 
and family of eleven daughters1 one son1
 and a domestic4    ,we staid one week  
at ,lugo1 and then directed our steps to
 ,corua1 about  twelve leagues distant4 
,we arose before daybreak in order to   

avail  ourselves of the escort of the   
general post1 in whose company we       
travelled upwards of six leagues4       
,there was much talk of robbers1 and    
flying parties of the factious1 on which
 account our escort was  considerable4  
,at the distance of five or six leagues 
from ,lugo1 our  guard1 in lieu of      
regular soldiers1 consisted of a body of
 about fifty  ,miguelets4  ,they had all
 the appearance of banditti1 but a finer
 body of  ferocious fellows ,i never    
saw4  ,they were all men in the prime of
 life1  mostly of tall stature1 and of  
,herculean brawn and limbs4  ,they wore 
huge  whiskers1 and walked with a       
fanfaronading air1 as if they courted   
danger1  and despised it4  ,in every    
respect they stood in contrast to the   
soldiers  who had hitherto escorted us1 
who were mere feeble boys from sixteen  
to  eighteen years of age1 and possessed
 of neither energy nor activity4  ,the  
proper dress of the ,miguelet1 if it    
resembles anything military1 is         

something akin to that anciently used by
 the ,english marines4  ,they wear  a   
peculiar kind of hat1 and generally     
leggings1 or gaiters1 and their  arms   
are the gun and bayonet4  ,the colour of
 their dress is mostly dark  brown4     
,they observe little or no discipline   
whether on a march or in the  field of  
action4  ,they are excellent irregular  
troops1 and when on actual  service are 
particularly useful as skirmishers4     
,their proper duty1  however1 is to     
officiate as a species of police1 and to
 clear the roads  of robbers1 for which 
duty they are in one respect admirably  
calculated1  having been generally      
robbers themselves at one period of     
their lives4  ,why these people are     
called ,miguelets it is not easy to say1
 but it is  probable that they have     
derived this appellation from the name  
of their  original leader4  ,i regret   
that the paucity of my own information  
will  not allow me to enter into farther
 particulars with respect to this       

corps1 concerning which ,i have little  
doubt that many remarkable things  might
 be said4    ,becoming weary of the slow
 travelling of the post1 ,i determined  
to brave  all risk1 and to push forward4
  ,in this1 however1 ,i was guilty of no
  slight imprudence1 as by so doing ,i  
was near falling into the hands of      
robbers4  ,two fellows suddenly         
confronted me with presented carbines1  
which they probably intended to         
discharge into my body1 but they took   
fright at the noise of ,antonio's horse1
 who was following a little way  behind4
  ,the affair occurred at the bridge of 
,castellanos1 a spot  notorious for     
robbery and murder1 and well adapted for
 both1 for it  stands at the bottom of a
 deep dell surrounded by wild desolate  
hills4  ,only a quarter of an hour      
previous ,i had passed three ghastly    
heads stuck  on poles standing by the   
wayside2 they were those of a captain of
  banditti and two of his accomplices1  
who had been seized and executed  about 

two months before4  ,their principal    
haunt was the vicinity of the  bridge1  
and it was their practice to cast the   
bodies of the murdered into  the deep   
black water which runs rapidly beneath4 
,those three heads will  always live in 
my remembrance1 particularly that of the
 captain1 which  stood on a higher pole 
than the other two3 the long hair was   
waving in  the wind1 and the blackened1 
distorted features were grinning in the 
sun4  ,the fellows whom ,i met were the 
relics of the band4    ,we arrived at   
,betanzos late in the afternoon4  ,this 
town stands on a  creek at some distance
 from the sea1 and about three leagues  
from ,corua4  ,it is surrounded on three
 sides by lofty hills4  ,the weather    
during the  greater part of the day had 
been dull and lowering1 and we found the
  atmosphere of ,betanzos insupportably 
close and heavy4  ,sour and             
disagreeable odours assailed our        
olfactory organs from all sides4  ,the  
streets were filthy--so were the houses1

 and especially the posada4  ,we        
entered the stable2 it was strewed with 
rotten sea-weeds and other  rubbish1 in 
which pigs were wallowing2 huge and     
loathsome flies were  buzzing around4   
8,what a pest-house60 ,i exclaimed4     
,but we could find no  other stable1 and
 were therefore obliged to tether the   
unhappy animals to  the filthy mangers4 
,the only provender that could be       
obtained was ,indian  corn4  ,at        
nightfall ,i led them to drink at a     
small river which passes  through       
,betanzos4  ,my entero swallowed the    
water greedily2 but as we  returned     
towards the inn1 ,i observed that he was
 sad1 and that his head  drooped4  ,he  
had scarcely reached the stall1 when a  
deep hoarse cough  assailed him4  ,i    
remembered the words of the ostler in   
the mountains1  8the man must be mad who
 brings a horse to ,galicia1 and doubly 
so he who  brings an entero40  ,during  
the greater part of the day the animal  
had  been much heated1 walking amidst a 

throng of at least a hundred pony       
mares4  ,he now began to shiver         
violently4  ,i procured a quart of anise
  brandy1 with which1 assisted by       
,antonio1 ,i rubbed his body for nearly 
an  hour1 till his coat was covered with
 a white foam2 but his cough  increased 
perceptibly1 his eyes were becoming     
fixed1 and his members  rigid4  8,there 
is no remedy but bleeding10 said ,i4    
8,run for a farrier40  ,the farrier     
came4  8,you must bleed the horse10 ,i  
shouted2 8take from him  an azumbre of  
blood40  ,the farrier looked at the     
animal1 and made for the  door4  8,where
 are you going80 ,i demanded4  8,home10 
he replied4  8,but we  want you here40  
8,i know you do10 was his answer2 8and  
on that account ,i  am going40  8,but   
you must bleed the horse1 or he will    
die40  8,i know he  will10 said the     
farrier1 8but ,i will not bleed him40   
8,why80 ,i demanded4  8,i will not bleed
 him1 but under one condition40  8,what 
is that80  8,what  is it6--that you pay 

me an ounce of gold40  8,run for the red
 morocco  case10 said ,i to ,antonio4   
,it was brought2 ,i took out a large    
fleam1 and  with the assistance of a    
stone1 drove it into the principal      
artery  horse's leg4  ,the blood at     
first refused to flow2 with much        
rubbing1 it  began to trickle1 and then 
to stream2 it continued so for half an  
hour4  8,the horse is fainting1 mon     
matre10 said ,antonio4  8,hold him up10 
said  ,i1 8and in another ten minutes we
 will stop the vein40    ,i closed the  
vein1 and whilst doing so ,i looked up  
into the farrier's  face1 arching my    
eyebrows4    8,carracho6 what an evil   
wizard10 muttered the farrier1 as he    
walked away4  8,if ,i had my knife here 
,i would stick him40  ,we bled the horse
 again1  during the night1 which second 
bleeding ,i believe saved him4  ,towards
  morning he began to eat his food4     
,the next day we departed for ,corua1   
leading our horses by the bridle3  the  
day was magnificent1 and our walk       

delightful4  ,we passed along  beneath  
tall umbrageous trees1 which skirted the
 road from ,betanzos to  within a short 
distance of ,corua4  ,nothing could be  
more smiling and  cheerful than the     
appearance of the country around4       
,vines were growing  in abundance in the
 vicinity of the villages through which 
we passed1  whilst millions of maize    
plants upreared their tall stalks and   
displayed  their broad green leaves in  
the fields4  ,after walking about three 
hours1  we obtained a view of the bay of
 ,corua1 in which1 even at the distance 
of a league1 we could distinguish three 
or four immense ships riding at  anchor4
  8,can these vessels belong to ,spain80
  ,i demanded of myself4  ,in  the very 
next village1 however1 we were informed 
that the preceding  evening an ,english 
squadron had arrived1 for what reason   
nobody could  say4  8,however10         
continued our informant1 8they have     
doubtless some  design upon ,galicia4   
,these foreigners are the ruin of       

,spain40    ,we put up in what is called
 the ,calle ,real1 in an excellent      
fonda1 or  posada1 kept by a short1     
thick1 comical-looking person1 a        
,genoese by  birth4  ,he was married to 
a tall1 ugly1 but good-tempered ,basque 
woman1  by whom he had been blessed with
 a son and daughter4  ,his wife1        
however1  had it seems of late summoned 
all her female relations from           
,guipuscoa1  who now filled the house to
 the number of nine1 officiating as     
chambermaids1 cooks1 and scullions3 they
 were all very ugly1 but  good-natured1 
and of immense volubility of tongue4    
,throughout the whole  day the house    
resounded with their excellent ,basque  
and very bad  ,castilian4  ,the         
,genoese1 on the contrary1 spoke little1
 for which he  might have assigned a    
good reason2 he had lived thirty years  
in ,spain1  and had forgotten his own   
language without acquiring ,spanish1    
which he  spoke very imperfectly4    ,we
 found ,corua full of bustle and life1  

owing to the arrival of the  ,english   
squadron4  ,on the following day1       
however1 it departed1 being  bound for  
the ,mediterranean on a short cruise1   
whereupon matters  instantly returned to
 their usual course4    ,i had a dpot of
 five hundred ,testaments at ,corua1    
from which it was my  intention to      
supply the principal towns of ,galicia4 
,immediately on my  arrival ,i published
 advertisements1 according to my usual  
practice1 and  the book obtained a      
tolerable sale--seven or eight copies   
per day on the  average4  ,some people1 
perhaps1 on perusing these details1 will
 be  tempted to exclaim1 8,these are    
small matters1 and scarcely worthy of   
being mentioned40  ,but let such bethink
 them1 that till within a few  months   
previous to the time of which ,i am     
speaking1 the very existence of  the    
gospel was almost unknown in ,spain1 and
 that it must necessarily be a          
difficult task to induce a people like  
the ,spaniards1 who read very  little1  

to purchase a work like the ,new        
,testament1 which1 though of  paramount 
importance to the soul1 affords but     
slight prospect of  amusement to the    
frivolous and carnally minded4  ,i hoped
 that the present  was the dawning of   
better and more enlightened times1 and  
rejoiced in the  idea that ,testaments1 
though but few in number1 were being    
sold in  unfortunate benighted ,spain1  
from ,madrid to the furthermost parts of
  ,galicia1 a distance of nearly four   
hundred miles4    ,corua stands on a    
peninsula1 having on one side the sea1  
and on the  other the celebrated bay1   
generally called the ,groyne4  ,it is   
divided  into the old and new town1 the 
latter of which was at one time probably
 a  mere suburb4  ,the old town is a    
desolate ruinous place1 separated from  
the new by a wide moat4  ,the modern    
town is a much more agreeable spot1  and
 contains one magnificent street1 the   
,calle ,real1 where the principal       
merchants reside4  ,one singular feature

 of this street is1 that it is  laid    
entirely with flags of marble1 along    
which troop ponies and cars as  if it   
were a common pavement4    ,it is a     
saying amongst the inhabitants of       
,corua1 that in their town  there is a  
street so clean1 that puchera may be    
eaten off it without the  slightest     
inconvenience4  ,this may certainly be  
the fact after one of  those rains which
 so frequently drench ,galicia1 when the
 appearance of  the pavement of the     
street is particularly brilliant4       
,corua was at one  time a place of      
considerable commerce1 the greater part 
of which has  latterly departed to      
,santander1 a town which stands a       
considerable  distance down the ,bay of 
,biscay4    8,are you going to ,saint   
,james1 ,giorgio8  ,if so1 you will     
perhaps convey a  message to my poor    
countryman10 said a voice to me one     
morning in broken  ,english1 as ,i was  
standing at the door of my posada1 in   
the royal street  of ,corua4    ,i      

looked round and perceived a man        
standing near me at the door of a shop  
contiguous to the inn4  ,he appeared to 
be about sixty-five1 with a pale  face  
and remarkably red nose4  ,he was       
dressed in a loose green great  coat1 in
 his mouth was a long clay pipe1 in his 
hand a long painted  stick4    8,who are
 you1 and who is your countryman80 ,i   
demanded2 8,i do not know  you40    8,i 
know you1 however10 replied the man2    
8you purchased the first knife  that ,i 
ever sold in the market-place of ,n---40
    ,myself4--,ah1 ,i remember you now1 
,luigi ,piozzi2 and well do ,i remember 
also1 how1 when a boy1 twenty years ago1
 ,i used to repair to your stall1  and  
listen to you and your countrymen       
discoursing in ,milanese4               
,luigi4--,ah1 those were happy times to 
me4  ,oh1 how they rushed back on  my   
remembrance when ,i saw you ride up to  
the door of the posada4  ,i  instantly  
went in1 closed my shop1 lay down upon  
my bed and wept4    ,myself4--,i see no 

reason why you should so much regret    
those times4  ,i  knew you formerly in  
,england as an itinerant pedlar1 and    
occasionally as  master of a stall in   
the market-place of a country town4  ,i 
now find you  in a seaport of ,spain1   
the proprietor1 seemingly1 of a         
considerable shop4  ,i cannot see why   
you should regret the difference4       
,luigi 7dashing his pipe on the         
ground74--,regret the difference6  ,do  
you  know one thing8  ,england is the   
heaven of the ,piedmontese and          
,milanese1  and especially those of     
,como4  ,we never lie down to rest but  
we dream of  it1 whether we are in our  
own country or in a foreign land1 as ,i 
am now4  ,regret the difference1        
,giorgio6  ,do ,i hear such words from  
your lips1 and  you an ,englishman8  ,i 
would rather be the poorest tramper on  
the roads of  ,england1 than lord of all
 within ten leagues of the shore of the 
lake of  ,como1 and much the same say   
all my countrymen who have visited      

,england1  wherever they now be4        
,regret the difference6  ,i have ten    
letters1 from  as many countrymen in    
,america1 who say they are rich and     
thriving1 and  principal men and        
merchants2 but every night1 when their  
heads are  reposing on their pillows1   
their souls auslandra1 hurrying away to 
,england1 and its green lanes and       
farm-yards4  ,and there they are with   
their boxes on the ground1 displaying   
their looking-glasses and other  goods  
to the honest rustics and their dames   
and their daughters1 and  selling away  
and chaffering and laughing just as of  
old4  ,and there they  are again at     
nightfall in the hedge alehouses1 eating
 their toasted  cheese and their bread1 
and drinking the ,suffolk ale1 and      
listening to  the roaring song and merry
 jest of the labourers4  ,now1 if they  
regret  ,england so who are in ,america1
 which they own to be a happy country1  
and  good for those of ,piedmont and of 
,como1 how much more must ,i regret it1 

when1 after the lapse of so many years1 
,i find myself in ,spain1 in this       
frightful town of ,corua1 driving a     
ruinous trade1 and where months pass  by
 without my seeing a single ,english    
face1 or hearing a word of the  blessed 
,english tongue4    ,myself4--,with such
 a predilection for ,england1 what could
 have induced  you to leave it and come 
to ,spain8    ,luigi4--,i will tell you3
 about sixteen years ago a universal    
desire  seized our people in ,england to
 become something more than they had    
hitherto been1 pedlars and trampers2    
they wished1 moreover1 for mankind  are 
never satisfied1 to see other countries3
 so the greater part forsook  ,england4 
,where formerly there had been ten1 at  
present scarcely lingers  one4  ,almost 
all went to ,america1 which1 as ,i told 
you before1 is a happy  country1 and    
specially good for us men of ,como4     
,well1 all my comrades  and relations   
passed over the sea to the ,west4  ,i1  
too1 was bent on  travelling2 but       

whither8  ,instead of going towards the 
,west with the  rest1 to a country where
 they have all thriven1 ,i must needs   
come by  myself to this land of ,spain2 
a country in which no foreigner settles 
without dying of a broken heart sooner  
or later4  ,i had an idea in my  head   
that ,i could make a fortune at once1 by
 bringing a cargo of common  ,english   
goods1 like those which ,i had been in  
the habit of selling  amongst the       
villagers of ,england4  ,so ,i freighted
 half a ship with such  goods1 for ,i   
had been successful in ,england in my   
little speculations1  and ,i arrived at 
,corua4  ,here at once my vexations     
began3 disappointment  followed         
disappointment4  ,it was with the utmost
 difficulty that ,i could  obtain       
permission to land my goods1 and this   
only at a considerable  sacrifice in    
bribes and the like2 and when ,i had    
established myself here1  ,i found that 
the place was one of no trade1 and that 
my goods went off  very slowly1 and     

scarcely at prime cost4  ,i wished to   
remove to another  place1 but was       
informed that1 in that case1 ,i must    
leave my goods behind1  unless ,i       
offered fresh bribes1 which would have  
ruined me2 and in this  way ,i have gone
 on for fourteen years1 selling scarcely
 enough to pay for  my shop and to      
support myself4  ,and so ,i shall       
doubtless continue till ,i  die1 or my  
goods are exhausted4  ,in an evil day ,i
 left ,england and came  to ,spain4     
,myself4--,did you not say that you had 
a countryman at ,st4 ,james8            
,luigi4--,yes1 a poor honest fellow1    
who1 like myself1 by some strange       
chance found his way to ,galicia4  ,i   
sometimes contrive to send him a few    
goods1 which he sells at ,st4 ,james at 
a greater profit than ,i can here4  ,he 
is a happy fellow1 for he has never been
 in ,england1 and knows not the         
difference between the two countries4   
,oh1 the green ,english hedgerows6  and 
the alehouses6 and1 what is much more1  

the fair dealing and security4  ,i have 
travelled all over ,england and never   
met with ill usage1 except  once down in
 the north amongst the ,papists1 upon my
 telling them to leave  all their       
mummeries and go to the parish church as
 ,i did1 and as all my  countrymen in   
,england did2 for know one thing1       
,signor ,giorgio1 not one of  us who    
have lived in ,england1 whether         
,piedmontese or men of ,como1 but       
wished well to the ,protestant religion1
 if he had not actually become a  member
 of it4    ,myself4--,what do you       
propose to do at present1 ,luigi8  ,what
 are your  prospects8    ,luigi4--,my   
prospects are a blank1 ,giorgio2 my     
prospects are a blank4  ,i  propose     
nothing but to die in ,corua1 perhaps in
 the hospital1 if they  will admit me4  
,years ago ,i thought of fleeing1 even  
if ,i left all behind  me1 and either   
returning to ,england1 or betaking      
myself to ,america2 but  it is too late 
now1 ,giorgio1 it is too late4  ,when ,i

 first lost all hope1  ,i took to       
drinking1 to which ,i was never before  
inclined1 and ,i am now  what ,i suppose
 you see4    8,there is hope in the     
,gospel10 said ,i1 8even for you4  ,i   
will send you  one40    ,there is a     
small battery of the old town which     
fronts the east1 and whose  wall is     
washed by the waters of the bay4  ,it is
 a sweet spot1 and the  prospect which  
opens from it is extensive4  ,the       
battery itself may be  about eighty     
yards square2 some young trees are      
springing up about it1  and it is rather
 a favourite resort of the people of    
,corua4    ,in the centre of this       
battery stands the tomb of ,moore1 built
 by the  chivalrous ,french1 in         
commemoration of the fall of their      
heroic  antagonist4  ,it is oblong and  
surmounted by a slab1 and on either side
  bears one of the simple and sublime   
epitaphs for which our rivals are       
celebrated1 and which stand in such     
powerful contrast with the bloated  and 

bombastic inscriptions which deform the 
walls of ,westminster ,abbey3           
8,,john ,,moore1                        
,,leader ,,of ,,the ,,english ,,armies1 
,,slain ,,in ,,battle1                  
#ahji40    ,the tomb itself is of       
marble1 and around it is a quadrangular 
wall1  breast high1 of rough ,gallegan  
granite2 close to each corner rises from
  the earth the breech of an immense    
brass cannon1 intended to keep the  wall
 compact and close4  ,these outer       
erections are1 however1 not the work  of
 the ,french1 but of the ,english       
government4    ,yes1 there lies the     
hero1 almost within sight of the        
glorious hill where  he turned upon his 
pursuers like a lion at bay and         
terminated his career4  ,many acquire   
immortality without seeking it1 and die 
before its first ray  has gilded their  
name2 of these was ,moore4  ,the        
harassed general1 flying  through       
,castile with his dispirited troops     
before a fierce and terrible  enemy1    

little dreamed that he was on the point 
of attaining that for  which many a     
better1 greater1 though certainly not   
braver man1 had sighed  in vain4  ,his  
very misfortunes were the means which   
secured him immortal  fame2 his         
disastrous route1 bloody death1 and     
finally his tomb on a  foreign strand1  
far from kin and friends4  ,there is    
scarcely a ,spaniard  but has heard of  
this tomb1 and speaks of it with a      
strange kind of awe4  ,immense treasures
 are said to have been buried with the  
heretic general1  though for what       
purpose no one pretends to guess4  ,the 
demons of the  clouds1 if we may trust  
the ,gallegans1 followed the ,english in
 their  flight1 and assailed them with  
water-spouts as they toiled up the steep
  winding paths of ,fuencebadon2 whilst 
legends the most wild are related of    
the manner in which the stout soldier   
fell4  ,yes1 even in ,spain1            
immortality has already crowned the head
 of ,moore2--,spain1 the land of        

oblivion1 where the ,guadalete #bde     
flows4          ,,chapter ,,xxvii       
,compostella--,rey ,romero--,the        
,treasure-seeker--,hopeful              
,project--,the ,church of               
,refuge--,hidden ,riches--,the          
,canon--,spirit of ,localism--,the      
,leper--,bones of ,st4  ,james4    ,at  
the commencement of ,august1 ,i found   
myself at ,st4 ,james of  ,compostella4 
,to this place ,i travelled from ,corua 
with the courier or  weekly post1 who   
was escorted by a strong party of       
soldiers1 in  consequence of the        
distracted state of the country1 which  
was overrun  with banditti4  ,from      
,corua to ,st4 ,james1 the distance is  
but ten  leagues2 the journey1 however1 
endured for a day and a half4  ,it was a
  pleasant one1 through a most beautiful
 country1 with a rich variety of  hill  
and dale2 the road was in many places   
shaded with various kinds of  trees clad
 in most luxuriant foliage4  ,hundreds  
of travellers1 both on  foot and on     

horseback1 availed themselves of the    
security which the  escort afforded3 the
 dread of banditti was strong4  ,during 
the journey  two or three alarms were   
given2 we1 however1 reached ,saint      
,james without  having been attacked4   
,saint ,james stands on a pleasant level
 amidst mountains3 the most             
extraordinary of these is a conical     
hill1 called the ,pico ,sacro1 or       
,sacred ,peak1 connected with which are 
many wonderful legends4  ,a  beautiful  
old town is ,saint ,james1 containing   
about twenty thousand  inhabitants4     
,time has been when1 with the single    
exception of ,rome1 it  was the most    
celebrated resort of pilgrims in the    
world2 its cathedral  being said to     
contain the bones of ,saint ,james the  
elder1 the child of  the thunder1 who1  
according to the legend of the ,romish  
church1 first  preached the ,gospel in  
,spain4  ,its glory1 however1 as a place
 of  pilgrimage is rapidly passing away4
    ,the cathedral1 though a work of    

various periods1 and exhibiting various 
styles of architecture1 is a majestic   
venerable pile1 in every respect        
calculated to excite awe and admiration2
 indeed1 it is almost impossible  to    
walk its long dusky aisles1 and hear the
 solemn music and the noble  chanting1  
and inhale the incense of the mighty    
censers1 which are at  times swung so   
high by machinery as to smite the       
vaulted roof1 whilst  gigantic tapers   
glitter here and there amongst the      
gloom1 from the shrine  of many a saint1
 before which the worshippers are       
kneeling1 breathing  forth their prayers
 and petitions for help1 love1 and      
mercy1 and  entertain a doubt that we   
are treading the floor of a house where 
,god  delighteth to dwell4  ,yet the    
,lord is distant from that house2 he    
hears  not1 he sees not1 or if he do1 it
 is with anger4  ,what availeth that    
solemn music1 that noble chanting1 that 
incense of sweet savour8  ,what         
availeth kneeling before that grand     

altar of silver1 surmounted by that     
figure with its silver hat and          
breast-plate1 the emblem of one who1    
though an apostle and confessor1 was at 
best an unprofitable servant8  ,what    
availeth hoping for remission of sin by 
trusting in the merits of  one who      
possessed none1 or by paying homage to  
others who were born and  nurtured in   
sin1 and who alone1 by the exercise of a
 lively faith granted  from above1 could
 hope to preserve themselves from the   
wrath of the  ,almighty8    ,rise from  
your knees1 ye children of ,compostella1
 or if ye bend1 let it  be to the       
,almighty alone1 and no longer on the   
eve of your patron's day  address him in
 the following strain1 however sublime  
it may sound3        8,thou shield of   
that faith which in ,spain we revere1   
,thou scourge of each foeman who dares  
to draw near2      ,whom the ,son of    
that ,god who the elements tames1       
,called child of the thunder1 immortal  
,saint ,james6        8,from the blessed

 asylum of glory intense1      ,upon us 
thy sovereign influence dispense2       
,and list to the praises our gratitude  
aims      ,to offer up worthily1 mighty 
,saint ,james4        8,to thee fervent 
thanks ,spain shall ever outpour2       
,in thy name though she glory1 she      
glories yet more      ,in thy           
thrice-hallowed corse1 which the        
sanctuary claims      ,of high          
,compostella1 ,o1 blessed ,saint ,james4
        8,when heathen impiety1         
loathsome and dread1      ,with a chaos 
of darkness our ,spain overspread1      
,thou wast the first light which        
dispell'd with its flames      ,the     
hell-born obscurity1 glorious ,saint    
,james6        8,and when terrible wars 
had nigh wasted our force1      ,all    
bright 'midst the battle we saw thee on 
horse1      ,fierce scattering the      
hosts1 whom their fury proclaims        
,to be warriors of ,islam1 victorious   
,saint ,james4        8,beneath thy     
direction1 stretch'd prone at thy feet1 

,with hearts low and humble1 this day we
 intreat      ,thou wilt strengthen the 
hope which enlivens our frames1         
,the hope of thy favour and presence1   
,saint ,james4        8,then praise to  
the ,son and the ,father above1         
,and to that ,holy ,spirit which springs
 from their love2      ,to that bright  
emanation whose vividness shames        
,the sun's burst of splendour1 and      
praise to ,saint ,james40    ,at ,saint 
,james ,i met with a kind and cordial   
coadjutor in my biblical  labours in the
 bookseller of the place1 ,rey ,romero1 
a man of about sixty4  ,this excellent  
individual1 who was both wealthy and    
respected1 took up  the matter with an  
enthusiasm which doubtless emanated from
 on high1  losing no opportunity of     
recommending my book to those who       
entered his  shop1 which was in the     
,azabacheria1 and was a very splendid   
and  commodious establishment4  ,in many
 instances1 when the peasants of the    
neighbourhood came with an intention of 

purchasing some of the foolish  popular 
story-books of ,spain1 he persuaded them
 to carry home ,testaments  instead1    
assuring them that the sacred volume was
 a better1 more  instructive1 and even  
far more entertaining book than those   
they came in  quest of4  ,he speedily   
conceived a great fancy for me1 and     
regularly came  to visit me every       
evening at my posada1 and accompanied me
 in my walks  about the town and the    
environs4  ,he was a man of considerable
  information1 and though of much       
simplicity1 possessed a kind of         
good-natured humour which was frequently
 highly diverting4    ,i was walking    
late one night alone in the ,alameda of 
,saint ,james1  considering in what     
direction ,i should next bend my course1
 for ,i had  been already ten days in   
this place2 the moon was shining        
gloriously1 and  illumined every object 
around to a considerable distance4  ,the
 ,alameda  was quite deserted2          
everybody1 with the exception of myself1

 having for  some time retired4  ,i sat 
down on a bench and continued my        
reflections1  which were suddenly       
interrupted by a heavy stumping sound4  
,turning my  eyes in the direction from 
which it proceeded1 ,i perceived what at
 first  appeared a shapeless bulk slowly
 advancing3 nearer and nearer it drew1  
and ,i could now distinguish the outline
 of a man dressed in coarse brown       
garments1 a kind of ,andalusian hat1 and
 using as a staff the long peeled       
branch of a tree4  ,he had now arrived  
opposite the bench where ,i was  seated1
 when1 stopping1 he took off his hat and
 demanded charity in  uncouth tones and 
in a strange jargon1 which had some     
resemblance to the  ,catalan4  ,the moon
 shone on grey locks and on a ruddy     
weather-beaten  countenance which ,i at 
once recognized3 8,benedict ,mol10 said 
,i1 8is it  possible that ,i see you at 
,compostella80    8,och1 mein ,gott1 es 
ist der ,herr60 replied ,benedict4      
8,och1 what good  fortune1 that the     

,herr is the first person ,i meet at    
,compostella40    ,myself4--,i can      
scarcely believe my eyes4  ,do you mean 
to say that you  have just arrived at   
this place8    ,benedict4--,ow yes1 ,i  
am this moment arrived4  ,i have walked 
all the long  way from ,madrid4         
,myself4--,what motive could possibly   
bring you such a distance8              
,benedict4--,ow1 ,i am come for the     
schatz--the treasure4  ,i told you at   
,madrid that ,i was coming2 and now ,i  
have met you here1 ,i have no doubt     
that ,i shall find it1 the schatz4      
,myself4--,in what manner did you       
support yourself by the way8            
,benedict4--,ow1 ,i begged1 ,i bettled1 
and so contrived to pick up some        
cuartos2 and when ,i reached ,toro1 ,i  
worked at my trade of soap-making for  a
 time1 till the people said ,i knew     
nothing about it1 and drove me out of   
the town4  ,so ,i went on and begged and
 bettled till ,i arrived at ,orense1    
which is in this country of ,galicia4   

,ow1 ,i do not like this country of     
,galicia at all4    ,myself4--,why not8 
,benedict4--,why6 because here they all 
beg and bettle1 and have scarce         
anything for themselves1 much less for  
me whom they know to be a foreign  man4 
,o the misery of ,galicia4  ,when ,i    
arrive at night at one of their         
pigsties1 which they call posadas1 and  
ask for bread to eat in the name  of    
,god1 and straw to lie down in1 they    
curse me1 and say there is neither      
bread nor straw in ,galicia2 and sure   
enough1 since ,i have been here ,i  have
 seen neither1 only something that they 
call broa1 and a kind of  reedy rubbish 
with which they litter the horses3 all  
my bones are sore  since ,i entered     
,galicia4    ,myself4--,and yet you have
 come to this country1 which you call so
  miserable1 in search of treasure8     
,benedict4--,ow yaw1 but the schatz is  
buried2 it is not above ground2  there  
is no money above ground in ,galicia4   
,i must dig it up2 and when ,i  have dug

 it up ,i will purchase a coach with six
 mules1 and ride out of  ,galicia to    
,lucerne2 and if the ,herr pleases to go
 with me1 he shall be  welcome to go    
with me and the schatz4    ,myself4--,i 
am afraid that you have come on a       
desperate errand4  ,what do  you propose
 to do8  ,have you any money8           
,benedict4--,not a cuart2 but ,i do not 
care now ,i have arrived at ,saint      
,james4  ,the schatz is nigh2 and ,i    
have1 moreover1 seen you1 which is a    
good sign2 it tells me that the schatz  
is still here4  ,i shall go to the  best
 posada in the place1 and live like a   
duke till ,i have an opportunity  of    
digging up the schatz1 when ,i will pay 
all scores4    8,do nothing of the      
kind10 ,i replied2 8find out some place 
in which to  sleep1 and endeavour to    
seek some employment4  ,in the mean     
time1 here is  a trifle with which to   
support yourself2 but as for the        
treasure which  you have come to seek1  
,i believe it only exists in your own   

imagination40  ,i gave him a dollar and 
departed4    ,i have never enjoyed more 
charming walks than in the neighbourhood
 of  ,saint ,james4  ,in these ,i was   
almost invariably accompanied by my     
friend  the good old bookseller4  ,the  
streams are numerous1 and along their   
wooded banks we were in the habit of    
straying and enjoying the delicious     
summer evenings of this part of ,spain4 
,religion generally formed the  topic of
 our conversation1 but we not           
unfrequently talked of the foreign      
lands which ,i had visited1 and at other
 times of matters which related         
particularly to my companion4  8,we     
booksellers of ,spain10 said he1 8are   
all liberals2 we are no friends to the  
monkish system4  ,how indeed should  we 
be friends to it8  ,it fosters darkness1
 whilst we live by  disseminating light4
  ,we love our profession1 and have all 
more or less  suffered for it2 many of  
us1 in the times of terror1 were hanged 
for  selling an innocent translation    

from the ,french or ,english4  ,shortly 
after the ,constitution was put down by 
,angouleme and the ,french bayonets1  ,i
 was obliged to flee from ,saint ,james 
and take refuge in the wildest  part of 
,galicia1 near ,corcuvion4  ,had ,i not 
possessed good friends1 ,i  should not  
have been alive now2 as it was1 it cost 
me a considerable sum  of money to      
arrange matters4  ,whilst ,i was away1  
my shop was in charge of  the           
ecclesiastical officers4  ,they         
frequently told my wife that ,i ought   
to be burnt for the books which ,i had  
sold4  ,thanks be to ,god1 those  times 
are past1 and ,i hope they will never   
return40    ,once1 as we were walking   
through the streets of ,saint ,james1 he
 stopped  before a church and looked at 
it attentively4  ,as there was nothing  
remarkable in the appearance of this    
edifice1 ,i asked him what motive he    
had for taking such notice of it4  8,in 
the days of the friars10 said he1  8this
 church was one of refuge1 to which if  

the worst criminals escaped1  they were 
safe4  ,all were protected there save   
the negros1 as they called  us          
liberals40  8,even murderers1 ,i        
suppose80 said ,i4  8,murderers60 he    
answered1 8far worse criminals than     
they4  ,by the by1 ,i have heard that   
you ,english entertain the utmost       
abhorrence of murder4  ,do you in       
reality  consider it a crime of very    
great magnitude80  8,how should we not10
 ,i  replied2 8for every other crime    
some reparation can be made2 but if we  
take away life1 we take away all4  ,a   
ray of hope with respect to this  world 
may occasionally enliven the bosom of   
any other criminal1 but how  can the    
murderer hope80  8,the friars were of   
another way of thinking10  replied the  
old man2 8they always looked upon murder
 as a friolera2 but  not so the crime of
 marrying your first cousin without     
dispensation1 for  which1 if we believe 
them1 there is scarcely any atonement   
either in this  world or the next40     

,two or three days after this1 as we    
were seated in my apartment in the      
posada1 engaged in conversation1 the    
door was opened by ,antonio1 who1  with 
a smile on his countenance1 said that   
there was a foreign  gentleman below1   
who desired to speak with me4  8,show   
him up10 ,i  replied2 whereupon almost  
instantly appeared ,benedict ,mol4      
8,this is a most extraordinary person10 
said ,i to the bookseller4  8,you       
,galicians1 in general1 leave your      
country in quest of money2 he1 on the   
contrary1 is come hither to find some40 
,rey ,romero4--,and he is right4        
,galicia is by nature the richest       
province  in ,spain1 but the inhabitants
 are very stupid1 and know not how to   
turn  the blessings which surround them 
to any account2 but as a proof of what  
may be made out of ,galicia1 see how    
rich the ,catalans become who have      
settled down here and formed            
establishments4  ,there are riches all  
around  us1 upon the earth and in the   

earth4    ,benedict4--,ow yaw1 in the   
earth1 that is what ,i say4  ,there is  
much more  treasure below the earth than
 above it4    ,myself4--,since ,i last  
saw you1 have you discovered the place  
in which  you say the treasure is       
deposited8    ,benedict4--,o yes1 ,i    
know all about it now4  ,it is buried   
'neath the  sacristy in the church of   
,san ,roque4    ,myself4--,how have you 
been able to make that discovery8       
,benedict4--,i will tell you3 the day   
after my arrival ,i walked about all    
the city in quest of the church1 but    
could find none which at all  answered  
to the signs which my comrade who died  
in the hospital gave me4  ,i entered    
several1 and looked about1 but all in   
vain2 ,i could not find  the place which
 ,i had in my mind's eye4  ,at last the 
people with whom ,i  lodge1 and to whom 
,i told my business1 advised me to send 
for a meiga4    ,myself4--,a meiga6     
,what is that8    ,benedict4--,ow6 a    
haxweib1 a witch2 the ,gallegos call    

them so in their  jargon1 of which ,i   
can scarcely understand a word4  ,so ,i 
consented1 and  they sent for the meiga4
  ,och6 what a weib is that meiga6  ,i  
never saw  such a woman2 she is as large
 as myself1 and has a face as round and 
red  as the sun4  ,she asked me a great 
many questions in her ,gallegan1 and    
when ,i had told her all she wanted to  
know1 she pulled out a pack of  cards   
and laid them on the table in a         
particular manner1 and then she  said   
that the treasure was in the church of  
,san ,roque2 and sure enough1  when ,i  
went to that church1 it answered in     
every respect to the signs of  my       
comrade who died in the hospital4  ,o   
she is a powerful hax1 that  meiga2 she 
is well known in the neighbourhood1 and 
has done much harm to  the cattle4  ,i  
gave her half the dollar ,i had from you
 for her trouble4    ,myself4--,then you
 acted like a simpleton2 she has grossly
 deceived you4  ,but even suppose that  
the treasure is really deposited in the 

church you  mention1 it is not probable 
that you will be permitted to remove the
  floor of the sacristy to search for   
it4    ,benedict4--,ow1 the matter is   
already well advanced4  ,yesterday ,i   
went to  one of the canons to confess   
myself and to receive absolution and    
benediction2 not that ,i regard these   
things much1 but ,i thought this  would 
be the best means of broaching the      
matter1 so ,i confessed myself1  and    
then ,i spoke of my travels to the      
canon1 and at last ,i told him of  the  
treasure1 and proposed that if he       
assisted me we should share it  between 
us4  ,ow1 ,i wish you had seen him2 he  
entered at once into the  affair1 and   
said that it might turn out a very      
profitable speculation3  and he shook me
 by the hand1 and said that ,i was an   
honest ,swiss and a  good ,catholic4    
,and ,i then proposed that he should    
take me into his house  and keep me     
there till we had an opportunity of     
digging up the treasure  together4      

,this he refused to do4    ,rey         
,romero4--,of that ,i have no doubt3    
trust one of our canons for not         
committing himself so far until he sees 
very good reason4  ,these tales of      
treasure are at present rather too      
stale3 we have heard of them ever  since
 the time of the ,moors4                
,benedict4--,he advised me to go to the 
,captain ,general and obtain  permission
 to make excavations1 in which case he  
promised to assist me to  the utmost of 
his power4    ,thereupon the ,swiss     
departed1 and ,i neither saw nor heard  
anything  farther of him during the time
 that ,i continued at ,saint ,james4    
,the bookseller was never weary of      
showing me about his native town1 of    
which he was enthusiastically fond4     
,indeed1 ,i have never seen the spirit  
of localism1 which is so prevalent      
throughout ,spain1 more strong than at  
,saint ,james4  ,if their town did but  
flourish1 the ,santiagians seemed to    
care but little if all others in        

,galicia perished4  ,their antipathy to 
the town of ,corua was unbounded1 and   
this feeling had of late been not a     
little increased from the circumstance  
that the seat of the provincial         
government had been removed from ,saint 
,james to ,corua4  ,whether this  change
 was advisable or not1 it is not for me1
 who am a foreigner1 to  say2 my private
 opinion1 however1 is by no means       
favourable to the  alteration4  ,saint  
,james is one of the most central towns 
in ,galicia1  with large and populous   
communities on every side of it1 whereas
 ,corua  stands in a corner1 at a       
considerable distance from the rest4    
8,it is a  pity that the vecinos of     
,corua cannot contrive to steal away    
from us our  cathedral1 even as they    
have done our government10 said a       
,santiagian2  8then1 indeed1 they would 
be able to cut some figure4  ,as it is1 
they  have not a church fit to say mass 
in40  8,a great pity1 too1 that they    
cannot remove our hospital10 would      

another exclaim2 8as it is1 they are    
obliged to send us their sick1 poor     
wretches4  ,i always think that the     
sick of ,corua have more ill-favoured   
countenances than those from other      
places2 but what good can come from     
,corua80    ,accompanied by the         
bookseller1 ,i visited this hospital1 in
 which1  however1 ,i did not remain     
long2 the wretchedness and uncleanliness
 which  ,i observed speedily driving me 
away4  ,saint ,james1 indeed1 is the    
grand  lazar-house for all the rest of  
,galicia1 which accounts for the        
prodigious number of horrible objects to
 be seen in its streets1 who have  for  
the most part arrived in the hope of    
procuring medical assistance1  which1   
from what ,i could learn1 is very       
scantily and inefficiently              
administered4  ,amongst these unhappy   
wretches ,i occasionally observed the   
terrible leper1 and instantly fled from 
him with a 8,god help thee10 as if  ,i  
had been a ,jew of old4  ,galicia is the

 only province of ,spain where  cases of
 leprosy are still frequent2 a          
convincing proof this1 that the  disease
 is the result of foul feeding1 and an  
inattention to cleanliness1  as the     
,gallegans1 with regard to the comforts 
of life and civilized  habits1 are      
confessedly far behind all the other    
natives of ,spain4    8,besides a       
general hospital we have likewise a     
leper-house10 said the  bookseller4     
8,shall ,i show it you8  ,we have       
everything at ,saint ,james4  ,there is 
nothing lacking2 the very leper finds an
 inn here40  8,i have no  objection to  
your showing me the house10 ,i replied1 
8but it must be at a  distance1 for     
enter it ,i will not40  ,thereupon he   
conducted me down the  road which leads 
towards ,padron and ,vigo1 and pointing 
to two or three  huts1 exclaimed 8,that 
is our leper-house40  8,it appears a    
miserable  place10 ,i replied3 8what    
accommodation may there be for the      
patients1 and  who attends to their     

wants80  8,they are left to themselves10
 answered the  bookseller1 8and probably
 sometimes perish from neglect3 the     
place at one  time was endowed and had  
rents which were appropriated to its    
support1  but even these have been      
sequestered during the late troubles4   
,at  present1 the least unclean of the  
lepers generally takes his station by   
the road side1 and begs for the rest4   
,see there he is now40    ,and sure     
enough the leper in his shining scales1 
and half naked1 was  seated beneath a   
ruined wall4  ,we dropped money into the
 hat of the  unhappy being1 and passed  
on4    8,a bad disorder that10 said my  
friend4  8,i confess that ,i1 who have  
seen  so many of them1 am by no means   
fond of the company of lepers4  ,indeed1
 ,i  wish that they would never enter my
 shop1 as they occasionally do to beg4  
,nothing is more infectious1 as ,i have 
heard1 than leprosy3 there is one  very 
virulent species1 however1 which is     
particularly dreaded here1 the          

elephantine3 those who die of it should1
 according to law1 be burnt1 and  their 
ashes scattered to the winds3 for if the
 body of such a leper be  interred in   
the field of the dead1 the disorder is  
forthwith communicated  to all the      
corses even below the earth4  ,such1 at 
least1 is our idea in  these parts4     
,lawsuits are at present pending from   
the circumstance of  elephantides having
 been buried with the other dead4  ,sad 
is leprosy in  all its forms1 but most  
so when elephantine40    8,talking of   
corses10 said ,i1 8do you believe that  
the bones of ,st4 ,james  are veritably 
interred at ,compostella80    8,what can
 ,i say10 replied the old man2 8you know
 as much of the matter as  myself4      
,beneath the high altar is a large stone
 slab or lid1 which is  said to cover   
the mouth of a profound well1 at the    
bottom of which it is  believed that the
 bones of the saint are interred2 though
 why they should  be placed at the      
bottom of a well1 is a mystery which ,i 

cannot fathom4  ,one of the officers of 
the church told me that at one time he  
and another  kept watch in the church   
during the night1 one of the chapels    
having  shortly before been broken open 
and a sacrilege committed4  ,at the dead
  of night1 finding the time hang heavy 
on their hands1 they took a crowbar  and
 removed the slab and looked down into  
the abyss below2 it was dark as  the    
grave2 whereupon they affixed a weight  
to the end of a long rope and  lowered  
it down4  ,at a very great depth it     
seemed to strike against  something dull
 and solid like lead3 they supposed it  
might be a coffin2  perhaps it was1 but 
whose is the question40                 
,,chapter ,,xxviii      ,skippers of    
,padron--,caldas de los                 
,reyes--,pontevedra--,the ,notary       
,public--,insane ,barber--,an           
,introduction--,gallegan                
,language--,afternoon                   
,ride--,vigo--,the ,stranger--,jews of  
the ,desert--,bay of ,vigo--,sudden     

,interruption--,the ,governor4    ,after
 a stay of about a fortnight at ,saint  
,james1 we again mounted our  horses and
 proceeded in the direction of ,vigo4   
,as we did not leave ,saint  ,james till
 late in the afternoon1 we travelled    
that day no farther than  ,padron1 a    
distance of only three leagues4  ,this  
place is a small port1  situate at the  
extremity of a firth which communicates 
with the sea4  ,it  is called for       
brevity's sake1 ,padron1 but its proper 
appellation is ,villa  del ,padron1 or  
the town of the patron saint2 it having 
been1 according to  the legend1 the     
principal residence of ,saint ,james    
during his stay in  ,galicia4  ,by the  
,romans it was termed ,iria ,flavia4    
,it is a flourishing  little town1 and  
carries on rather an extensive commerce1
 some of its  tiny barks occasionally   
finding their way across the ,bay of    
,biscay1 and  even so far as the ,thames
 and ,london4    ,there is a curious    
anecdote connected with the skippers of 

,padron1 which  can scarcely be         
considered as out of place here1 as it  
relates to the  circulation of the      
,scriptures4  ,i was one day in the shop
 of my friend  the bookseller at ,saint 
,james1 when a stout                    
good-humoured-looking priest  entered4  
,he took up one of my ,testaments1 and  
forthwith burst into a  violent fit of  
laughter4  8,what is the matter80       
demanded the bookseller4  8,the sight of
 this book reminds me of a              
circumstance03 replied the other1       
8about twenty years ago1 when the       
,english first took it into their heads 
to be very zealous in converting us     
,spaniards to their own way of          
thinking1 they distributed a great      
number of books of this kind amongst    
the ,spaniards who chanced to be in     
,london2 some of them fell into the     
hands of certain skippers of ,padron1   
and these good folks1 on their  return  
to ,galicia1 were observed to have      
become on a sudden exceedingly          

opinionated and fond of dispute4  ,it   
was scarcely possible to make an        
assertion in their hearing without      
receiving a flat contradiction1         
especially when religious subjects were 
brought on the carpet4  #8,it is        
false1' they would say2 #8,saint ,paul1 
in such a chapter and in such a  verse1 
says exactly the contrary4'  #8,what can
 you know concerning what  ,saint ,paul 
or any other saint has written8' the    
priests would ask them4  #8,much more   
than you think1' they replied2 #8we are 
no longer to be kept in  darkness and   
ignorance respecting these matters3' and
 then they would  produce their books   
and read paragraphs1 making such        
comments that every  person was         
scandalized2 they cared nothing about   
the ,pope1 and even spoke  with         
irreverence of the bones of ,saint      
,james4  ,however1 the matter was  soon 
bruited about1 and a commission was     
dispatched from our see to  collect the 
books and burn them4  ,this was         

effected1 and the skippers  were either 
punished or reprimanded1 since which ,i 
have heard nothing  more of them4  ,i   
could not forbear laughing when ,i saw  
these books2 they  instantly brought to 
my mind the skippers of ,padron and     
their religious  disputations40    ,our 
next day's journey brought us to        
,pontevedra4  ,as there was no talk of  
robbers in these parts1 we travelled    
without any escort and alone4  ,the     
road was beautiful and picturesque1     
though somewhat solitary1 especially    
after we had left behind us the small   
town of ,caldas4  ,there is more than   
one place of this name in ,spain2 the   
one of which ,i am speaking is          
distinguished from the rest by being    
called ,caldas de los ,reyes1 or the    
warm baths of the kings4  ,it will not  
be amiss to observe that the  ,spanish  
,caldas is synonymous with the ,moorish 
,alhama1 a word of  frequent occurrence 
both in ,spanish and ,african           
topography4  ,caldas  seemed by no means

 undeserving of its name3 it stands on a
 confluence of  springs1 and the place  
when we arrived was crowded with people 
who had  come to enjoy the benefit of   
the waters4  ,in the course of my       
travels ,i  have observed that wherever 
warm springs are found1 vestiges of     
volcanoes  are sure to be nigh2 the     
smooth black precipice1 the divided     
mountain1 or  huge rocks standing by    
themselves on the plain or on the hill  
side1 as if  ,titans had been playing at
 bowls4  ,this last feature occurs near 
,caldas  de los ,reyes1 the side of the 
mountain which overhangs it in the      
direction of the south being covered    
with immense granite stones1  apparently
 at some ancient period eructed from the
 bowels of the earth4  ,from ,caldas to 
,pontevedra the route was hilly and     
fatiguing1 the heat was  intense1 and   
those clouds of flies1 which constitute 
one of the pests of  ,galicia1 annoyed  
our horses to such a degree that we were
 obliged to cut  down branches from the 

trees to protect their heads and necks  
from the  tormenting stings of these    
bloodthirsty insects4  ,whilst          
travelling in  ,galicia at this period  
of the year on horseback1 it is always  
advisable  to carry a fine net for the  
protection of the animal1 a sure and    
commodious means of defence1 which      
appears1 however1 to be utterly  unknown
 in ,galicia1 where1 perhaps1 it is more
 wanted than in any other  part of the  
world4    ,pontevedra1 upon the whole1  
is certainly entitled to the appellation
 of a  magnificent town1 some of its    
public edifices1 especially the         
convents1  being such as are nowhere to 
be found but in ,spain and ,italy4  ,it 
is  surrounded by a wall of hewn stone1 
and stands at the end of a creek into   
which the river ,levroz disembogues4    
,it is said to have been founded by a   
colony of ,greeks1 whose captain was no 
less a personage than ,teucer the       
,telemonian4  ,it was in former times a 
place of considerable commerce2 and     

near its port are to be seen the ruins  
of a farol1 or lighthouse1 said to  be  
of great antiquity4  ,the port1 however1
 is at a considerable distance  from the
 town1 and is shallow and incommodious4 
,the whole country in the  neighbourhood
 of ,pontevedra is inconceivably        
delicious1 abounding with  fruits of    
every description1 especially grapes1   
which in the proper  season are seen    
hanging from the 8parras0 in luscious   
luxuriance4  ,an old  ,andalusian author
 has said that it produces as many      
oranges and citron  trees as the        
neighbourhood of ,cordova4  ,its oranges
 are1 however1 by no  means good1 and   
cannot compete with those of ,andalusia4
  ,the  ,pontevedrians boast that their 
land produces two crops every year1 and 
that whilst they are gathering in one   
they may be seen ploughing and  sowing  
another4  ,they may well be proud of    
their country1 which is  certainly a    
highly favoured spot4    ,the town      
itself is in a state of great decay1 and

 notwithstanding the  magnificence of   
its public edifices1 we found more than 
the usual amount  of ,galician filth and
 misery4  ,the posada was one of the    
most wretched  description1 and to mend 
the matter1 the hostess was a most      
intolerable  scold and shrew4  ,antonio 
having found fault with the quality of  
some  provision which she produced1 she 
cursed him most immoderately in the     
country language1 which was the only one
 she spoke1 and threatened1 if he       
attempted to breed any disturbance in   
her house1 to turn the horses1  himself1
 and his master forthwith out of doors4 
,socrates himself1  however1 could not  
have conducted himself on this occasion 
with greater  forbearance than ,antonio1
 who shrugged his shoulders1 muttered   
something  in ,greek1 and then was      
silent4    8,where does the notary      
public live80 ,i demanded4  ,now the    
notary public  vended books1 and to this
 personage ,i was recommended by my     
friend at  ,saint ,james4  ,a boy       

conducted me to the house of ,seor      
,garcia1 for such  was his name4  ,i    
found him a brisk1 active1 talkative    
little man of  forty4  ,he undertook    
with great alacrity the sale of my      
,testaments1 and  in a twinkling sold   
two to a client who was waiting in the  
office1 and  appeared to be from the    
country4  ,he was an enthusiastic       
patriot1 but of  course in a local      
sense1 for he cared for no other country
 than  ,pontevedra4    8,those fellows  
of ,vigo10 said he1 8say their town is a
 better one than  ours1 and that it is  
more deserving to be the capital of this
 part of  ,galicia4  ,did you ever hear 
such folly8  ,i tell you what1 friend1  
,i  should not care if ,vigo were burnt1
 and all the fools and rascals within   
it4  ,would you ever think of comparing 
,vigo with ,pontevedra80    8,i don't   
know10 ,i replied2 8,i have never been  
at ,vigo1 but ,i have heard  say that   
the bay of ,vigo is the finest in the   
world40    8,bay6 my good sir4  ,bay6   

yes1 the rascals have a bay1 and it is  
that bay  of theirs which has robbed us 
all our commerce4  ,but what needs the  
capital of a district with a bay8  ,it  
is public edifices that it wants1  where
 the provincial deputies can meet to    
transact their business2 now1  so far   
from there being a commodious public    
edifice1 there is not a  decent house in
 all ,vigo4  ,bay6 yes1 they have a bay1
 but have they water  fit to drink8     
,have they a fountain8  ,yes1 they have1
 and the water is so  brackish that it  
would burst the stomach of a horse4  ,i 
hope1 my dear  sir1 that you have not   
come all this distance to take the part 
of such a  gang of pirates as those of  
,vigo40    8,i am not come to take their
 part10 ,i replied2 8indeed1 ,i was not 
aware  that they wanted my assistance in
 this dispute4  ,i am merely carrying to
  them the ,new ,testament1 of which    
they evidently stand in much need1 if   
they are such knaves and scoundrels as  
you represent them40    8,represent     

them1 my dear sir4  ,does not the matter
 speak for itself8  ,do  they not say   
that their town is better than ours1    
more fit to be the  capital of a        
district1 que disparate6 que briboneria6
 7what folly6  what rascality670    8,is
 there a bookseller's shop at ,vigo80 ,i
 inquired4    8,there was one10 he      
replied1 8kept by an insane barber4  ,i 
am glad1 for  your sake1 that it is     
broken up1 and the fellow vanished2 he  
would have  played you one of two       
tricks2 he would either have cut your   
throat with  his razor1 under pretence  
of shaving you1 or have taken your books
 and  never have accounted to you for   
the proceeds4  ,bay6 ,i never could see 
what right such an owl's nest as ,vigo  
has to a bay40    ,no person could      
exhibit greater kindness to another1    
than did the notary  public to myself1  
as soon as ,i had convinced him that ,i 
had no intention  of siding with the men
 of ,vigo against ,pontevedra4  ,it was 
now six  o'clock in the evening1 and he 

forthwith conducted me to a             
confectioner's  shop1 where he treated  
me with an iced cream and a small cup of
  chocolate4  ,from hence we walked     
about the city1 the notary showing the  
various edifices1 especially1 the       
,convent of the ,jesuits3 8,see that    
front10 said he1 8what do you think of  
it80    ,i expressed to him the         
admiration which ,i really felt1 and by 
so doing  entirely won the good notary's
 heart3 8,i suppose there is nothing    
like  that at ,vigo80 said ,i4  ,he     
looked at me for a moment1 winked1 gave 
a  short triumphant chuckle1 and then   
proceeded on his way1 walking at a      
tremendous rate4  ,the ,seor ,garcia was
 dressed in all respects as an  ,english
 notary might be3 he wore a white hat1  
brown frock coat1 drab  breeches        
buttoned at the knees1 white stockings1 
and well blacked shoes4  ,but ,i never  
saw an ,english notary walk so fast3 it 
could scarcely be  called walking3 it   
seemed more like a succession of        

galvanic leaps and  bounds4  ,i found it
 impossible to keep up with him3 8,where
 are you  conducting me80 ,i at last    
demanded1 quite breathless4    8,to the 
house of the cleverest man in ,spain10  
he replied1 8to whom ,i  intend to      
introduce you2 for you must not think   
that ,pontevedra has  nothing to boast  
of but its splendid edifices and its    
beautiful country2  it produces more    
illustrious minds than any other town in
 ,spain4  ,did you  ever hear of the    
grand ,tamerlane80    8,oh1 yes10 said  
,i1 8but he did not come from           
,pontevedra or its  neighbourhood3 he   
came from the steppes of ,tartary1 near 
the river ,oxus40    8,i know he did10  
replied the notary1 8but what ,i mean to
 say is1 that  when ,enrique the ,third 
wanted an ambassador to send to that    
,african1 the  only man he could find   
suited to the enterprise was a knight of
  ,pontevedra1 ,don --- by name4  ,let  
the men of ,vigo contradict that fact if
  they can40    ,we entered a large     

portal and ascended a splendid          
staircase1 at the top  of which the     
notary knocked at a small door3 8,who is
 the gentleman to  whom you are about to
 introduce me80 demanded ,i4    8,it is 
the advocate ---10 replied ,garcia2 8he 
is the cleverest man in  ,spain1 and    
understands all languages and sciences40
    ,we were admitted by a              
respectable-looking female1 to all      
appearance a  housekeeper1 who1 on being
 questioned1 informed us that the       
,advocate was  at home1 and forthwith   
conducted us to an immense room1 or     
rather  library1 the walls being covered
 with books1 except in two or three     
places1 where hung some fine pictures of
 the ancient ,spanish school4  ,there   
was a rich mellow light in the          
apartment1 streaming through a  window  
of stained glass1 which looked to the   
west4  ,behind the table sat  the       
,advocate1 on whom ,i looked with no    
little interest3 his forehead was  high 
and wrinkled1 and there was much gravity

 on his features1 which were  quite     
,spanish4  ,he was dressed in a long    
robe1 and might be about sixty2  he sat 
reading behind a large table1 and on our
 entrance half raised  himself and bowed
 slightly4    ,the notary public saluted
 him most profoundly1 and1 in an under  
voice1  hoped that he might be permitted
 to introduce a friend of his1 an       
,english  gentleman1 who was travelling 
through ,galicia4    8,i am very glad to
 see him10 said the ,advocate1 8but ,i  
hope he speaks  ,castilian1 else we can 
have but little communication2 for1     
although ,i can  read both ,french and  
,latin1 ,i cannot speak them40    8,he  
speaks1 sir1 almost as good ,spanish10  
said the notary1 8as a native  of       
,pontevedra40    8,the natives of       
,pontevedra10 ,i replied1 8appear to be 
better versed in  ,gallegan than in     
,castilian1 for the greater part of the 
conversation  which ,i hear in the      
streets is carried on in the former     
dialect40    8,the last gentleman which 

my friend ,garcia introduced to me10    
said the  ,advocate1 8was a ,portuguese1
 who spoke little or no ,spanish4  ,it  
is said  that the ,gallegan and         
,portuguese are very similar1 but when  
we attempted  to converse in the two    
languages1 we found it impossible4  ,i  
understood  little of what he said1     
whilst my ,gallegan was quite           
unintelligible to  him4  ,can you       
understand our country dialect80 he     
continued4    8,very little of it10 ,i  
replied2 8which ,i believe chiefly      
proceeds from  the peculiar accent and  
uncouth enunciation of the ,gallegans1  
for their  language is certainly almost 
entirely composed of ,spanish and       
,portuguese  words40    8,so you are an 
,englishman10 said the ,advocate4       
8,your countrymen have  committed much  
damage in times past in these regions1  
if we may trust our  histories40        
8,yes10 said ,i1 8they sank your        
galleons and burnt your finest          
men-of-war  in ,vigo ,bay1 and1 under   

old ,cobham1 levied a contribution of   
forty  thousand pounds sterling on this 
very town of ,pontevedra40    8,any     
foreign power10 interrupted the notary  
public1 8has a clear right to  attack   
,vigo1 but ,i cannot conceive what plea 
your countrymen could urge  for         
distressing ,pontevedra1 which is a     
respectable town1 and could never  have 
offended them40    8,seor ,cavalier10   
said the ,advocate1 8,i will show you my
 library4  ,here  is a curious work1 a  
collection of poems1 written mostly in  
,gallegan1 by  the curate of ,fruime4   
,he is our national poet1 and we are    
very proud of  him40    ,we stopped     
upwards of an hour with the ,advocate1  
whose conversation1 if  it did not      
convince me that he was the cleverest   
man in ,spain1 was1 upon  the whole1    
highly interesting1 and who certainly   
possessed an extensive  store of general
 information1 though he was by no means 
the profound  philologist which the     
notary had represented him to be4       

,when ,i was about to depart from       
,pontevedra in the afternoon of the next
  day1 the ,seor ,garcia stood by the   
side of my horse1 and having embraced   
me1 thrust a small pamphlet into my     
hand3 8,this book10 said he1 8contains  
a description of ,pontevedra4  ,wherever
 you go1 speak well of ,pontevedra40  ,i
 nodded4  8,stay10 said he1 8my dear    
friend1 ,i have heard of your  society1 
and will do my best to further its      
views4  ,i am quite  disinterested1 but 
if at any future time you should have an
 opportunity  of speaking in print of   
,seor ,garcia1 the notary public of     
,pontevedra1--you understand me1--,i    
wish you would do so40    8,i will10    
said ,i4    ,it was a pleasant          
afternoon's ride from ,pontevedra to    
,vigo1 the distance  being only four    
leagues4  ,as we approached the latter  
town1 the country  became exceedingly   
mountainous1 though scarcely anything   
could exceed the  beauty of the         
surrounding scenery4  ,the sides of the 

hills were for the  most part clothed   
with luxuriant forests1 even to the very
 summits1  though occasionally a flinty 
and naked peak would present itself1    
rising  to the clouds4  ,as the evening 
came on1 the route along which we       
advanced  became very gloomy1 the hills 
and forests enwrapping it in deep shade4
  ,it appeared1 however1 to be well     
frequented3 numerous cars were creaking 
along it1 and both horsemen and         
pedestrians were continually passing us4
  ,the villages were frequent4  ,vines1 
supported on parras1 were growing1 if   
possible1 in still greater abundance    
than in the neighbourhood of            
,pontevedra4  ,life and activity seemed 
to pervade everything4  ,the hum of     
insects1 the cheerful bark of dogs1 the 
rude songs of ,galicia1 were  blended   
together in pleasant symphony4  ,so     
delicious was my ride1 that ,i  almost  
regretted when we entered the gate of   
,vigo4    ,the town occupies the lower  
part of a lofty hill1 which1 as it      

ascends1  becomes extremely steep and   
precipitous1 and the top of which is    
crowned  with a strong fort or castle4  
,it is a small compact place1 surrounded
  with low walls1 the streets are       
narrow1 steep1 and winding1 and in the  
middle of the town is a small square4   
,there is rather an extensive faubourg  
extending along the shore of the  bay4  
,we found an excellent posada1 kept by a
 man and woman from the  ,basque        
provinces1 who were both civil and      
intelligent4  ,the town seemed  to be   
crowded1 and resounded with noise and   
merriment4  ,the people were  making a  
wretched attempt at an illumination1 in 
consequence of some  victory lately     
gained1 or pretended to have been       
gained1 over the forces  of the         
,pretender4  ,military uniforms were    
glancing about in every  direction4  ,to
 increase the bustle1 a troop of        
,portuguese players had  lately arrived 
from ,oporto1 and their first           
representation was to take  place this  

evening4  8,is the play to be performed 
in ,spanish80 ,i  demanded4  8,no10 was 
the reply2 8and on that account every   
person is so  eager to go2 which would  
not be the case if it were in a language
 which  they could understand40    ,on  
the morning of the next day ,i was      
seated at breakfast in a large          
apartment which looked out upon the     
,plaza ,mayor1 or great square of the   
good town of ,vigo4  ,the sun was       
shining very brilliantly1 and all around
  looked lively and gay4  ,presently a  
stranger entered1 and bowing            
profoundly1 stationed himself at the    
window1 where he remained a             
considerable time in silence4  ,he was a
 man of very remarkable  appearance1 of 
about thirty-five4  ,his features were  
of perfect symmetry1  and ,i may almost 
say1 of perfect beauty4  ,his hair was  
the darkest ,i had  ever seen1 glossy   
and shining2 his eyes large1 black1 and 
melancholy2 but  that which most struck 
me was his complexion4  ,it might be    

called olive1  it is true1 but it was a 
livid olive4  ,he was dressed in the    
very first  style of ,french fashion4   
,around his neck was a massive gold     
chain1 while  upon his fingers were     
large rings1 in one of which was set a  
magnificent  ruby4  ,who can that man   
be8 thought ,i2--,spaniard or           
,portuguese1 perhaps a  ,creole4  ,i    
asked him an indifferent question in    
,spanish1 to which he  forthwith replied
 in that language1 but his accent       
convinced me that he  was neither       
,spaniard nor ,portuguese4    8,i       
presume ,i am speaking to an            
,englishman1 sir80 said he1 in as good  
,english as it was possible for one not 
an ,englishman to speak4                
,myself4--,you know me to be an         
,englishman2 but ,i should find some    
difficulty in guessing to what country  
you belong4    ,stranger4--,may ,i take 
a seat8    ,myself4--,a singular        
question4  ,have you not as much right  
to sit in the  public apartment of an   

inn as myself8    ,stranger4--,i am not 
certain of that4  ,the people here are  
not in general  very gratified at seeing
 me seated by their side4               
,myself4--,perhaps owing to your        
political opinions1 or to some crime    
which it may have been your misfortune  
to commit8    ,stranger4--,i have no    
political opinions1 and ,i am not aware 
that ,i ever  committed any particular  
crime1--,i am hated for my country and  
my  religion4    ,myself4--,perhaps ,i  
am speaking to a ,protestant1 like      
myself8    ,stranger4--,i am no         
,protestant4  ,if ,i were1 they would be
 cautious here  of showing their        
dislike1 for ,i should then have a      
government and a  consul to protect me4 
,i am a ,jew--a ,barbary ,jew1 a subject
 of  ,abderrahman4    ,myself4--,if that
 be the case1 you can scarcely complain 
of being looked  upon with dislike in   
this country1 since in ,barbary the     
,jews are slaves4    ,stranger4--,in    
most parts1 ,i grant you1 but not where 

,i was born1 which  was far up the      
country1 near the deserts4  ,there the  
,jews are free1 and  are feared1 and are
 as valiant men as the ,moslems         
themselves2 as able to  tame the steed1 
or to fire the gun4  ,the ,jews of our  
tribe are not  slaves1 and ,i like not  
to be treated as a slave either by      
,christian or  ,moor4    ,myself4--,your
 history must be a curious one1 ,i would
 fain hear it4    ,stranger4--,my       
history ,i shall tell to no one4  ,i    
have travelled much1 ,i  have been in   
commerce and have thriven4  ,i am at    
present established in  ,portugal1 but  
,i love not the people of ,catholic     
countries1 and least of  all these of   
,spain4  ,i have lately experienced the 
most shameful  injustice in the ,aduana 
of this town1 and when ,i complained1   
they laughed  at me and called me ,jew4 
,wherever he turns1 the ,jew is reviled1
 save in  your country1 and on that     
account my blood always warms when ,i   
see an  ,englishman4  ,you are a        

stranger here4  ,can ,i do aught for    
you8  ,you may  command me4             
,myself4--,i thank you heartily1 but ,i 
am in need of no assistance4            
,stranger4--,have you any bills1 ,i will
 accept them if you have8               
,myself4--,i have no need of assistance2
 but you may do me a favour by          
accepting of a book4    ,stranger4--,i  
will receive it with thanks4  ,i know   
what it is4  ,what a  singular people8  
,the same dress1 the same look1 the same
 book4  ,pelham  gave me one in ,egypt4 
,farewell6  ,your ,jesus was a good man1
 perhaps a  prophet2 but 4 4 4 farewell6
    ,well may the people of ,pontevedra 
envy the natives of ,vigo their bay1    
with which1 in many respects1 none other
 in the world can compare4  ,on  every  
side it is defended by steep and sublime
 hills1 save on the part of  the west1  
where is the outlet to the ,atlantic2   
but in the midst of this  outlet1 up    
towers a huge rocky wall1 or island1    
which breaks the swell1  and prevents   

the billows of the western sea from     
pouring through in full  violence4  ,on 
either side of this island is a passage1
 so broad1 that  navies might pass      
through at all times in safety4  ,the   
bay itself is  oblong1 running far into 
the land1 and so capacious1 that a      
thousand sail  of the line might ride in
 it uncrowded4  ,the waters are dark1   
still1 and  deep1 without quicksands or 
shallows1 so that the proudest          
man-of-war  might lie within a stone's  
throw of the town ramparts without any  
fear of  injuring her keel4    ,of many 
a strange event1 and of many a mighty   
preparation has this bay  been the      
scene4  ,it was here that the bulky     
dragons of the grand armada  were       
mustered1 and it was from hence that1   
fraught with the pomp1 power1  and      
terror of old ,spain1 the monster fleet1
 spreading its enormous sails  to the   
wind1 and bent on the ruin of the       
,lutheran isle1 proudly  steered2--that 
fleet1 to build and man which half the  

forests of ,galicia  had been felled1   
and all the mariners impressed from the 
thousand bays  and creeks of the stern  
,cantabrian shore4  ,it was here that   
the united  flags of ,holland and       
,england triumphed over the pride of    
,spain and  ,france2 when the burning   
timbers of exploded war-ships soared    
above the  tops of the ,gallegan hills1 
and blazing galleons sank with their    
treasure  chests whilst drifting in the 
direction of ,sampayo4  ,it was on the  
shores  of this bay that the ,english   
guards first emptied ,spanish bodegas1  
whilst  the bombs of ,cobham were       
crushing the roofs of the castle of     
,castro1 and  the vecinos of ,pontevedra
 buried their doubloons in cellars1 and 
flying  posts were conveying to ,lugo   
and ,orensee the news of the heretic    
invasion  and the disaster of ,vigo4    
,all these events occurred to my mind as
 ,i  stood far up the hill1 at a short  
distance from the fort1 surveying the   
bay4    8,what are you doing there1     

,cavalier80 roared several voices4      
8,stay1  ,carracho6 if you attempt to   
run we will shoot you60  ,i looked round
 and  saw three or four fellows in dirty
 uniforms1 to all appearance soldiers1  
just above me1 on a winding path1 which 
led up the hill4  ,their muskets  were  
pointed at me4  8,what am ,i doing8     
,nothing1 as you see10 said ,i1  8save  
looking at the bay2 and as for running1 
this is by no means ground  for a       
course40  8,you are our prisoner10 said 
they1 8and you must come  with us to the
 fort40  8,i was just thinking of going 
there10 ,i replied1  8before you thus   
kindly invited me4  ,the fort is the    
very spot ,i was  desirous of seeing40  
,i thereupon climbed up to the place    
where they  stood1 when they instantly  
surrounded me1 and with this escort ,i  
was  marched into the fort1 which might 
have been a strong place in its time1   
but was now rather ruinous4  8,you are  
suspected of being a spy10 said the     
corporal1 who walked in front4          

8,indeed10 said ,i4  8,yes10 replied the
  corporal1 8and several spies have     
lately been taken and shot40    ,upon   
one of the parapets of the fort stood a 
young man1 dressed as a  subaltern      
officer1 and to this personage ,i was   
introduced4  8,we have been  watching   
you this half hour10 said he1 8as you   
were taking observations40  8,then you  
gave yourselves much useless trouble10  
said ,i4  8,i am an  ,englishman1 and   
was merely looking at the bay4  ,have   
the kindness now to  show me the fort40 
4 4 4    ,after some conversation1 he   
said1 8,i wish to be civil to people of 
your  nation1 you may therefore consider
 yourself at liberty40  ,i bowed1 made  
my exit1 and proceeded down the hill4   
,just before ,i entered the town1       
however1 the corporal1 who had followed 
me unperceived1 tapped me on the        
shoulder4  8,you must go with me to the 
governor10 said he4  8,with all my      
heart10 ,i replied4  ,the governor was  
shaving1 when we were shown up to  him4 

,he was in his shirt sleeves1 and held a
 razor in his hand4  ,he  looked very   
ill-natured1 which was perhaps owing to 
his being thus  interrupted in his      
toilet4  ,he asked me two or three      
questions1 and on  learning that ,i had 
a passport1 and was the bearer of a     
letter to the  ,english consul1 he told 
me that ,i was at liberty to depart4    
,so ,i bowed  to the governor of the    
town1 as ,i had done to the governor of 
the fort1  and making my exit proceeded 
to my inn4    ,at ,vigo ,i accomplished 
but little in the way of distribution1  
and after a  sojourn of a few days1 ,i  
returned in the direction of ,saint     
,james4          ,,chapter ,,xxix       
,arrival at ,padron--,projected         
,enterprise--,the ,alquilador--,breach  
of  ,promise--,an ,odd ,companion--,a   
,plain ,story--,rugged ,paths--,the     
,desertion--,the  ,pony--,a             
,dialogue--,unpleasant ,situation--,the 
,estadea--,benighted--,the ,hut--,the   
,traveller's ,pillow4    ,i arrived at  

,padron late in the evening1 on my      
return from ,pontevedra and  ,vigo4  ,it
 was my intention at this place to send 
my servant and horses  forward to       
,santiago1 and to hire a guide to ,cape 
,finisterra4  ,it would be  difficult to
 assign any plausible reason for the    
ardent desire which ,i  entertained to  
visit this place2 but ,i remembered that
 last year ,i had  escaped almost by a  
miracle from shipwreck and death on the 
rocky sides  of this extreme point of   
the ,old ,world1 and ,i thought that to 
convey the  ,gospel to a place so wild  
and remote1 might perhaps be considered 
an  acceptable pilgrimage in the eyes of
 my ,maker4  ,true it is that but one   
copy remained of those which ,i had     
brought with me on this last journey1   
but this reflection1 far from           
discouraging me in my projected         
enterprise1  produced the contrary      
effect1 as ,i called to mind that ever  
since the  ,lord revealed himself to    
man1 it has seemed good to him to       

accomplish the  greatest ends by        
apparently the most insufficient means2 
and ,i reflected  that this one copy    
might serve as an instrument of more    
good than the  four thousand nine       
hundred and ninety-nine copies of the   
edition of  ,madrid4    ,i was aware    
that my own horses were quite           
incompetent to reach  ,finisterra1 as   
the roads or paths lie through stony    
ravines1 and over  rough and shaggy     
hills1 and therefore determined to leave
 them behind  with ,antonio1 whom ,i was
 unwilling to expose to the fatigues of 
such a  journey4  ,i lost no time in    
sending for an alquilador1 or person who
 lets  out horses1 and informing him of 
my intention4  ,he said he had an       
excellent mountain pony at my disposal1 
and that he himself would  accompany me1
 but at the same time observed1 that it 
was a terrible  journey for man and     
horse1 and that he expected to be paid  
accordingly4  ,i consented to give him  
what he demanded1 but on the express    

condition  that he would perform his    
promise of attending me himself1 as ,i  
was  unwilling to trust myself four or  
five days amongst the hills with any    
low fellow of the town whom he might    
select1 and who it was very possible    
might play me some evil turn4  ,he      
replied by the term invariably used by  
the ,spaniards when they see doubt or   
distrust exhibited4  8,no tenga  usted  
cuidao10 ,i will go myself4  ,having    
thus arranged the matter  perfectly     
satisfactorily1 as ,i thought1 ,i       
partook of a slight supper1 and  shortly
 afterwards retired to repose4    ,i had
 requested the alquilador to call me the
 next morning at three  o'clock2 he     
however did not make his appearance till
 five1 having1 ,i  suppose1 overslept   
himself1 which was indeed my own case4  
,i arose in a  hurry1 dressed1 put a few
 things in a bag1 not forgetting the    
,testament  which ,i had resolved to    
present to the inhabitants of           
,finisterra4  ,i then  sallied forth and

 saw my friend the alquilador1 who was  
holding by the  bridle the pony or jaco 
which was destined to carry me in my    
expedition4  ,it was a beautiful little 
animal1 apparently strong and full of   
life1  without one single white hair in 
its whole body1 which was black as the  
plumage of the crow4    ,behind it stood
 a strange-looking figure of the biped  
species1 to whom1  however1 at the      
moment1 ,i paid little attention1 but of
 whom ,i shall have  plenty to say in   
the sequel4    ,having asked the        
horse-lender whether he was ready to    
proceed1 and being  answered in the     
affirmative1 ,i bade adieu to ,antonio1 
and putting the  pony in motion1 we     
hastened out of the town1 taking at     
first the road  which leads towards     
,santiago4  ,observing that the figure  
which ,i have  previously alluded to was
 following close at our heels1 ,i asked 
the  alquilador who it was1 and the     
reason of its following us2 to which he 
replied that it was a servant of his1   

who would proceed a little way with  us 
and then return4  ,so on we went at a   
rapid rate1 till we were within a       
quarter of a mile of the ,convent of the
 ,esclavitud1 a little beyond which  he 
had informed me that we should have to  
turn off from the high road2  but here  
he suddenly stopped short1 and in a     
moment we were all at a  standstill4  ,i
 questioned the guide as to the reason  
of this1 but  received no answer4  ,the 
fellow's eyes were directed to the      
ground1 and  he seemed to be counting   
with the most intense solicitude the    
prints of  the hoofs of the oxen1 mules1
 and horses in the dust of the road4  ,i
  repeated my demand in a louder voice2 
when1 after a considerable pause1  he   
somewhat elevated his eyes1 without     
however looking me in the face1  and    
said that he believed that ,i           
entertained the idea that he himself was
  to guide me to ,finisterra1 which if  
,i did1 he was very sorry for1 the      
thing being quite impossible1 as he was 

perfectly ignorant of the way1  and1    
moreover1 incapable of performing such a
 journey over rough and  difficult      
ground1 as he was no longer the man he  
had been1 and over and  above all that1 
he was engaged that day to accompany a  
gentleman to  ,pontevedra1 who was at   
that moment expecting him4  8,but10     
continued he1  8as ,i am always desirous
 of behaving like a caballero to        
everybody1 ,i  have taken measures to   
prevent your being disappointed4  ,this 
person10  pointing to the figure1 8,i   
have engaged to accompany you4  ,he is a
 most  trustworthy person1 and is well  
acquainted with the route to            
,finisterra1  having been thither       
several times with this very jaco on    
which you are  mounted4  ,he will1      
besides1 be an agreeable companion to   
you on the way1  as he speaks ,french   
and ,english very well1 and has been all
 over the  world40  ,the fellow ceased  
speaking at last2 and ,i was so struck  
with his  craft1 impudence1 and         

villainy1 that some time elapsed before 
,i could  find an answer4  ,i then      
reproached him in the bitterest terms   
for his  breach of promise1 and said    
that ,i was much tempted to return to   
the town  instantly1 complain of him to 
the alcalde1 and have him punished at   
any  expense4  ,to which he replied1    
8,sir ,cavalier1 by so doing you will be
  nothing nearer ,finisterra1 to which  
you seem so eager to get4  ,take my     
advice1 spur on the jaco1 for you see it
 is getting late1 and it is  twelve long
 leagues from hence to ,corcuvion1 where
 you must pass the  night2 and from     
thence to ,finisterra is no trifle4  ,as
 for the man1 no  tenga usted cuidao1 he
 is the best guide in all ,galicia1     
speaks ,english  and ,french1 and will  
bear you pleasant company40    ,by this 
time ,i had reflected that by returning 
to ,padron ,i should indeed  be only    
wasting time1 and that by endeavouring  
to have the fellow  punished1 no benefit
 would accrue to me2 moreover1 as he    

seemed to be a  scoundrel in every sense
 of the word1 ,i might as well proceed  
in the  company of any person as in his4
  ,i therefore signified my intention of
  proceeding1 and told him to go back in
 the ,lord's name1 and repent of his    
sins4  ,but having gained one point1 he 
thought he had best attempt  another2 so
 placing himself about a yard before the
 jaco1 he said that  the price which ,i 
had agreed to pay him for the loan of   
his horse 7which  by the by was the full
 sum he had demanded7 was by no means   
sufficient1  and that before ,i         
proceeded ,i must promise him two       
dollars more1 adding  that he was either
 drunk or mad when he had made such a   
bargain4  ,i was  now thoroughly        
incensed1 and without a moment's        
reflection1 spurred the  jaco1 which    
flung him down in the dust1 and passed  
over him4  ,looking  back at the        
distance of a hundred yards1 ,i saw him 
standing in the same  place1 his hat on 
the ground1 gazing after us1 and        

crossing himself most  devoutly4  ,his  
servant1 or whatever he was1 far from   
offering any  assistance to his         
principal1 no sooner saw the jaco in    
motion than he ran  on by its side1     
without word or comment1 farther than   
striking himself  lustily on the thigh  
with his right palm4  ,we soon passed   
the ,esclavitud1  and presently         
afterwards turned to the left into a    
stony broken path  leading to fields of 
maize4  ,we passed by several           
farm-houses1 and at  last arrived at a  
dingle1 the sides of which were         
plentifully overgrown  with dwarf oaks1 
and which slanted down to a small dark  
river shaded with  trees1 which we      
crossed by a rude bridge4  ,by this time
 ,i had had  sufficient time to scan my 
odd companion from head to foot4  ,his  
utmost  height1 had he made the most of 
himself1 might perhaps have amounted to 
five feet one inch2 but he seemed       
somewhat inclined to stoop4  ,nature had
  gifted him with an immense head and   

placed it clean upon his shoulders1  for
 amongst the items of his composition it
 did not appear that a neck  had been   
included4  ,arms long and brawny swung  
at his sides1 and the  whole of his     
frame was as strong built and powerful  
as a wrestler's2 his  body was supported
 by a pair of short but very nimble     
legs4  ,his face was  very long1 and    
would have borne some slight resemblance
 to a human  countenance1 had the nose  
been more visible1 for its place seemed 
to have  been entirely occupied by a wry
 mouth and large staring eyes4  ,his    
dress  consisted of three articles3 an  
old and tattered hat of the ,portuguese 
kind1 broad at the crown and narrow at  
the eaves1 something which  appeared to 
be a shirt1 and dirty canvas trousers4  
,willing to enter into  conversation    
with him1 and remembering that the      
alquilador had informed  me that he     
spoke languages1 ,i asked him1 in       
,english1 if he had always  acted in the
 capacity of guide8  ,whereupon he      

turned his eyes with a  singular        
expression upon my face1 gave a loud    
laugh1 a long leap1 and  clapped his    
hands thrice above his head4            
,perceiving that he did not  understand 
me1 ,i repeated my demand in ,french1   
and was again answered by  the laugh1   
leap1 and clapping4  ,at last he said in
 broken ,spanish1  8,master mine1 speak 
,spanish in ,god's name1 and ,i can     
understand you1 and  still better if you
 speak ,gallegan1 but ,i can promise no 
more4  ,i heard  what the alquilador    
told you1 but he is the greatest        
embustero in the  whole land1 and       
deceived you then as he did when he     
promised to accompany  you4  ,i serve   
him for my sins2 but it was an evil hour
 when ,i left the  deep sea and turned  
guide40  ,he then informed me that he   
was a native of  ,padron1 and a mariner 
by profession1 having spent the greater 
part of his  life in the ,spanish navy1 
in which service he had visited ,cuba   
and many  parts of the ,spanish         

,americas1 adding1 8when my master told 
you that ,i  should bear you pleasant   
company by the way1 it was the only word
 of  truth that has come from his mouth 
for a month2 and long before you reach  
,finisterra you will have rejoiced that 
the servant1 and not the master1  went  
with you3 he is dull and heavy1 but ,i  
am what you see40  ,he then  gave two or
 three first-rate summersets1 again     
laughed loudly1 and  clapped his hands4 
8,you would scarcely think10 he         
continued1 8that ,i  drove that little  
pony yesterday heavily laden all the way
 from ,corua4  ,we arrived at ,padron at
 two o'clock this morning2 but we are   
nevertheless  both willing and able to  
undertake a fresh journey4  ,no tenga   
usted  cuidao1 as my master said1 no one
 ever complains of that pony or of me40 
,in this kind of discourse we proceeded 
a considerable way through a very       
picturesque country1 until we reached a 
beautiful village at the skirt of  a    
mountain4  8,this village10 said my     

guide1 8is called ,los ,angeles1        
because its church was built long since 
by the angels2 they placed a beam  of   
gold beneath it1 which they brought down
 from heaven1 and which was  once a     
rafter of ,god's own house4  ,it runs   
all the way under the ground  from hence
 to the cathedral of ,compostella40     
,passing through the village1 which he  
likewise informed me possessed  baths1  
and was much visited by the people of   
,santiago1 we shaped our  course to the 
north-west1 and by so doing doubled a   
mountain which rose  majestically over  
our heads1 its top crowned with bare and
 broken rocks1  whilst on our right1 on 
the other side of a spacious valley1 was
 a high  range1 connected with the      
mountains to the northward of ,saint    
,james4  ,on  the summit of this range  
rose high embattled towers1 which my    
guide  informed me were those of        
,altamira1 an ancient and ruined castle1
  formerly the principal residence in   
this province of the counts of that     

name4  ,turning now due west1 we were   
soon at the bottom of a steep and       
rugged pass1 which led to more elevated 
regions4  ,the ascent cost us  nearly   
half an hour1 and the difficulties of   
the ground were such1 that ,i  more than
 once congratulated myself on having    
left my own horses behind1  and being   
mounted on the gallant little pony      
which1 accustomed to such  paths1       
scrambled bravely forward1 and          
eventually brought us in safety to  the 
top of the ascent4    ,here we entered a
 ,gallegan cabin1 or choza1 for the     
purpose of refreshing  the animal and   
ourselves4  ,the quadruped ate some     
maize1 whilst we two  bipeds regaled    
ourselves on some broa and aguardiente1 
which a woman whom  we found in the hut 
placed before us4  ,i walked out for a  
few minutes to  observe the aspect of   
the country1 and on my return found my  
guide fast  asleep on the bench where ,i
 had left him4  ,he sat bolt upright1   
his back  supported against the wall1   

and his legs pendulous1 within three    
inches  of the ground1 being too short  
to reach it4  ,i remained gazing upon   
him  for at least five minutes1 whilst  
he enjoyed slumbers seemingly as quiet  
and profound as those of death itself4  
,his face brought powerfully to my  mind
 some of those uncouth visages of saints
 and abbots which are  occasionally seen
 in the niches of the walls of ruined   
convents4  ,there  was not the slightest
 gleam of vitality in his countenance1  
which for  colour and rigidity might    
have been of stone1 and which was as    
rude and  battered as one of the stone  
heads at ,icolmkill1 which have braved  
the  winds of twelve hundred years4  ,i 
continued gazing on his face till ,i    
became almost alarmed1 concluding that  
life might have departed from its       
harassed and fatigued tenement4  ,on my 
shaking him rather roughly by the       
shoulder he slowly awoke1 opening his   
eyes with a stare and then closing  them
 again4  ,for a few moments he was      

evidently unconscious of where he  was4 
,on my shouting to him1 however1 and    
inquiring whether he intended  to sleep 
all day instead of conducting me to     
,finisterra1 he dropped upon  his legs1 
snatched up his hat1 which lay on the   
table1 and instantly ran  out of the    
door1 exclaiming1 8,yes1 yes1 ,i        
remember--follow me1 captain1  and ,i   
will lead you to ,finisterra in no      
time40  ,i looked after him1 and        
perceived that he was hurrying at a     
considerable pace in the direction in   
which we had hitherto been proceeding4  
8,stop10 said ,i1 8stop6 will you  leave
 me here with the pony8  ,stop1 we have 
not paid the reckoning4  ,stop60  ,he1  
however1 never turned his head for a    
moment1 and in less than  a minute was  
out of sight4  ,the pony1 which was tied
 to a crib at one end  of the cabin1    
began now to neigh terrifically1 to     
plunge1 and to erect  its tail and mane 
in a most singular manner4  ,it tore and
 strained at the  halter till ,i was    

apprehensive that strangulation would   
ensue4  8,woman10  ,i exclaimed1 8where 
are you1 and what is the meaning of all 
this80  ,but  the hostess had likewise  
disappeared1 and though ,i ran about the
 choza1  shouting myself hoarse1 no     
answer was returned4  ,the pony still   
continued  to scream and to strain at   
the halter more violently than ever4    
8,am ,i  beset with lunatics80 ,i cried1
 and flinging down a peseta on the      
table1  unloosed the halter1 and        
attempted to introduce the bit into the 
mouth of  the animal4  ,this1 however1  
,i found impossible to effect4          
,released from  the halter1 the pony    
made at once for the door1 in spite of  
all the  efforts which ,i could make to 
detain it4  8,if you abandon me10 said  
,i1 8,i  am in a pretty situation2 but  
there is a remedy for everything60 with 
which words ,i sprang into the saddle1  
and in a moment more the creature  was  
bearing me at a rapid gallop in the     
direction1 as ,i supposed1 of           

,finisterra4  ,my position1 however     
diverting to the reader1 was rather     
critical to myself4  ,i was on the back 
of a spirited animal1 over which ,i  had
 no control1 dashing along a dangerous  
and unknown path4  ,i could not         
discover the slightest vestige of my    
guide1 nor did ,i pass anyone from  whom
 ,i could derive any information4       
,indeed1 the speed of the animal was  so
 great1 that even in the event of my    
meeting or overtaking a passenger1  ,i  
could scarcely have hoped to exchange a 
word with him4  8,is the pony  trained  
to this work80 said ,i mentally4  8,is  
he carrying me to some den  of banditti1
 where my throat will be cut1 or does he
 follow his master by  instinct80  ,both
 of these suspicions ,i however soon    
abandoned2 the pony's  speed relaxed1 he
 appeared to have lost the road4  ,he   
looked about  uneasily3 at last1 coming 
to a sandy spot1 he put his nostrils to 
the  ground1 and then suddenly flung    
himself down1 and wallowed in true pony 

fashion4  ,i was not hurt1 and instantly
 made use of this opportunity to  slip  
the bit into his mouth1 which previously
 had been dangling beneath  his neck2 ,i
 then remounted in quest of the road4   
,this ,i soon found1 and continued my   
way for a considerable time4  ,the  path
 lay over a moor1 patched heath and     
furze1 and here and there strewn  with  
large stones1 or rather rocks4  ,the sun
 had risen high in the  firmament1 and  
burned fiercely4  ,i passed several     
people1 men and women1  who gazed at me 
with surprise1 wondering1 probably1 what
 a person of my  appearance could be    
about without a guide in so strange a   
place4  ,i  inquired of two females whom
 ,i met whether they had seen my guide2 
but  they either did not or would not   
understand me1 and exchanging a few     
words with each other1 in one of the    
hundred dialects of the ,gallegan1      
passed on4  ,having crossed the moor1 ,i
 came rather abruptly upon a  convent1  
overhanging a deep ravine1 at the bottom

 of which brawled a  rapid stream4      
,it was a beautiful and picturesque     
spot3 the sides of the ravine were      
thickly clothed with wood1 and on the   
other side a tall1 black hill  uplifted 
itself4  ,the edifice was large1 and    
apparently deserted4  ,passing by it1 ,i
 presently reached a small village1 as  
deserted1 to all  appearance1 as the    
convent1 for ,i saw not a single        
individual1 nor so  much as a dog to    
welcome me with his bark4  ,i proceeded1
 however1 until ,i  reached a fountain1 
the waters of which gushed from a stone 
pillar into a  trough4  ,seated upon    
this last1 his arms folded1 and his eyes
 fixed upon  the neighbouring mountain1 
,i beheld a figure which still          
frequently  recurs to my thoughts1      
especially when asleep and oppressed by 
the  nightmare4  ,this figure was my    
runaway guide4    ,myself4--,good day to
 you1 my gentleman4  ,the weather is    
hot1 and yonder  water appears          
delicious4  ,i am almost tempted to     

dismount and regale  myself with a      
slight draught4    ,guide4--,your       
worship can do no better4  ,the day is1 
as you say1 hot2 you  can do no better  
than drink a little of this water4  ,i  
have myself just  drunk4  ,i would not1 
however1 advise you to give that pony   
any1 it  appears heated and blown4      
,myself4--,it may well be so4  ,i have  
been galloping at least two leagues  in 
pursuit of a fellow who engaged to guide
 me to ,finisterra1 but who  deserted me
 in a most singular manner1 so much so1 
that ,i almost believe  him to be a     
thief1 and no true man4  ,you do not    
happen to have seen him8                
,guide4--,what kind of a man might he   
be8    ,myself4--,a short1 thick fellow1
 very much like yourself1 with a hump   
upon his back1 and1 excuse me1 of a very
 ill-favoured countenance4              
,guide4--,ha1 ha6  ,i know him4  ,he ran
 with me to this fountain1 where he  has
 just left me4  ,that man1 ,sir         
,cavalier1 is no thief4  ,if he is any  

thing at all1 he is a ,nuveiro1--a      
fellow who rides upon the clouds1 and is
  occasionally whisked away by a gust of
 wind4  ,should you ever travel with    
that man again1 never allow him more    
than one glass of anise at a time1  or  
he will infallibly mount into the clouds
 and leave you1 and then he  will ride  
and run till he comes to a water brook1 
or knocks his head  against a           
fountain--then one draught1 and he is   
himself again4  ,so you are  going to   
,finisterra1 ,sir ,cavalier4  ,now it is
 singular enough1 that a  cavalier much 
of your appearance engaged me to conduct
 him there this  morning4  ,i however   
lost him on the way4  ,so it appears to 
me our best  plan to travel together    
until you find your own guide and ,i    
find my own  master4    ,it might be    
about two o'clock in the afternoon1 that
 we reached a long  and ruinous bridge1 
seemingly of great antiquity1 and which1
 as ,i was  informed by my guide1 was   
called the bridge of ,don ,alonzo4  ,it 

crossed a  species of creek1 or rather  
frith1 for the sea was at no            
considerable  distance1 and the small   
town of ,noyo lay at our right4  8,when 
we have  crossed that bridge1 captain10 
said my guide1 8we shall be in an       
unknown  country1 for ,i have never been
 farther than ,noyo1 and as for         
,finisterra1  so far from having been   
there1 ,i never heard of such a place2  
and though  ,i have inquired of two or  
three people since we have been upon    
this  expedition1 they know as little   
about it as ,i do4  ,taking all things1 
however1 into consideration1 it appears 
to me that the best thing we can  do is 
to push forward to ,corcuvion1 which is 
five mad leagues from hence1  and which 
we may perhaps reach ere nightfall1 if  
we can find the way or  get any one to  
direct us2 for1 as ,i told you before1  
,i know nothing about  it40  8,to fine  
hands have ,i confided myself10 said ,i3
 8however1 we had  best1 as you say1    
push forward to ,corcuvion1 where1      

peradventure1 we may  hear something of 
,finisterra1 and find a guide to conduct
 us40  ,whereupon1 with a hop1 skip1 and
 a jump1 he again set forward at a rapid
  pace1 stopping occasionally at a      
choza1 for the purpose1 ,i suppose1 of  
making inquiries1 though ,i understood  
scarcely anything of the jargon in      
which he addressed the people1 and in   
which they answered him4    ,we were    
soon in an extremely wild and hilly     
country1 scrambling up and  down        
ravines1 wading brooks1 and scratching  
our hands and faces with  brambles1 on  
which grew a plentiful crop of wild     
mulberries1 to gather  some of which we 
occasionally made a stop4  ,owing to the
 roughness of the  way we made no great 
progress4  ,the pony followed close at  
the back of  the guide1 so near1 indeed1
 that its nose almost touched his       
shoulder4  ,the country grew wilder and 
wilder1 and since we had passed a water 
mill1  we had lost all trace of human   
habitation4  ,the mill stood at the     

bottom  of a valley shaded by large     
trees1 and its wheels were turning with 
a  dismal and monotonous noise4  8,do   
you think we shall reach ,corcuvion     
to-night80 said ,i to the guide1 as we  
emerged from this valley to a  savage   
moor1 which appeared of almost boundless
 extent4    ,guide4--,i do not1 ,i do   
not4  ,we shall in no manner reach      
,corcuvion  to-night1 and ,i by no means
 like the appearance of this moor4  ,the
 sun is  rapidly sinking1 and then1 if  
there come on a haze1 we shall meet the 
,estada4    ,myself4--,what do you mean 
by the ,estada8    ,guide4--,what do ,i 
mean by the ,estada8  ,my master asks me
 what ,i mean by  the ,estadinha4 #bgd  
,i have met the ,estadinha but once1 and
 it was upon  a moor something like     
this4  ,i was in company with several   
women1 and a  thick haze came on1 and   
suddenly a thousand lights shone above  
our heads  in the haze1 and there was a 
wild cry1 and the women fell to the     
ground  screaming ,estada6  ,estada6 and

 ,i myself fell to the ground crying out
  ,estadinha6  ,the ,estada are the     
spirits of the dead which ride upon the 
haze1 bearing candles in their hands4   
,i tell you frankly1 my master1  that if
 we meet the assembly of the souls1 ,i  
shall leave you at once1 and  then ,i   
shall run and run till ,i drown myself  
in the sea1 somewhere about  ,muros4    
,we shall not reach ,corcuvion this     
night2 my only hope is that we  may find
 some choza upon these moors1 where we  
may hide our heads from  the ,estadinha4
    ,the night overtook us ere we had   
traversed the moor2 there was1 however1 
no haze1 to the great joy of my guide1  
and a corner of the moon partially      
illumined our steps4  ,our situation1   
however1 was dreary enough3 we were     
upon the wildest heath of the wildest   
province of ,spain1 ignorant of our     
way1 and directing our course we        
scarcely knew whither1 for my guide     
repeatedly declared to me1 that he did  
not believe that such a place as        

,finisterra existed1 or if it did exist1
 it was some bleak mountain  pointed out
 in a map4  ,when ,i reflected on the   
character of this guide1 ,i  derived but
 little comfort or encouragement3 he was
 at best evidently  half witted1 and was
 by his own confession occasionally     
seized with  paroxysms which differed   
from madness in no essential respect2   
his wild  escapade in the morning of    
nearly three leagues1 without any       
apparent  cause1 and lastly his         
superstitious and frantic fears of      
meeting the  souls of the dead upon this
 heath1 in which event he intended1 as  
he  himself said1 to desert me and make 
for the sea1 operated rather  powerfully
 upon my nerves4  ,i likewise considered
 that it was quite  possible that we    
might be in the route neither of        
,finisterra nor  ,corcuvion1 and ,i     
therefore determined to enter the first 
cabin at which  we should arrive1 in    
preference to running the risk of       
breaking our necks  by tumbling down    

some pit or precipice4  ,no cabin1      
however1 appeared in  sight3 the moor   
seemed interminable1 and we wandered on 
until the moon  disappeared1 and we were
 left in almost total darkness4    ,at  
length we arrived at the foot of a steep
 ascent1 up which a rough and  broken   
pathway appeared to lead4    8,can this 
be our way80 said ,i to the guide4      
8,there appears to be no other for us1  
captain10 replied the man2 8let us      
ascend it by all means1 and when we are 
at the top1 if the sea be in the        
neighbourhood we shall see it40    ,i   
then dismounted1 for to ride up such a  
pass in such darkness would have  been  
madness4  ,we clambered up in a line1   
first the guide1 next the pony1  with   
his nose as usual on his master's       
shoulder1 of whom he seemed             
passionately fond1 and ,i bringing up   
the rear1 with my left hand grasping    
the animal's tail4  ,we had many a      
stumble1 and more than one fall3 once1  
indeed1 we were all rolling down the    

side of the hill together4  ,in about   
twenty minutes we reached the summit1   
and looked around us1 but no sea  was   
visible3 a black moor1 indistinctly     
seen1 seemed to spread on every  side4  
8,we shall have to take up our quarters 
here till morning10 said ,i4            
,suddenly my guide seized me by the     
hand3 8,there is lume1 ,senhor10 said   
he1 8there is lume40  ,i looked in the  
direction in which he pointed1 and1     
after straining my eyes for some time1  
imagined that ,i perceived1 far  below  
and at some distance1 a faint glow4     
8,that is lume10 shouted the  guide1    
8and it proceeds from the chimney of a  
choza40    ,on descending the eminence1 
we roamed about for a considerable time1
  until we at last found ourselves in   
the midst of about six or eight black   
huts4  8,knock at the door of one of    
these10 said ,i to the guide1 8and      
inquire of the people whether they can  
shelter us for the night40  ,he did  so1
 and a man presently made his           

appearance1 bearing in his hand a       
lighted firebrand4    8,can you shelter 
a ,cavalheiro from the night and the    
,estada80 said my  guide4    8,from     
both1 ,i thank ,god10 said the man1 who 
was an athletic figure1  without shoes  
and stockings1 and who1 upon the whole1 
put me much in mind  of a ,munster      
peasant from the bogs4  8,pray enter1   
gentlemen1 we can  accommodate you both 
and your cavalgadura besides40    ,we   
entered the choza1 which consisted of   
three compartments2 in the first  we    
found straw1 in the second cattle and   
ponies1 and in the third the  family1   
consisting of the father and mother of  
the man who admitted us1  and his wife  
and children4    8,you are a ,catalan1  
sir ,cavalier1 and are going to your    
countryman at  ,corcuvion10 said the man
 in tolerable ,spanish4  8,ah1 you are  
brave  people1 you ,catalans1 and fine  
establishments you have on the ,gallegan
  shores2 pity that you take all the    
money out of the country40    ,now1     

under all circumstances1 ,i had not the 
slightest objection to pass  for a      
,catalan2 and ,i rather rejoiced that   
these wild people should  suppose that  
,i had powerful friends and countrymen  
in the neighbourhood  who were1 perhaps1
 expecting me4  ,i therefore favoured   
their mistake1 and  began with a harsh  
,catalan accent to talk of the fish of  
,galicia1 and the  high duties on salt4 
,the eye of my guide was upon me for an 
instant1  with a singular expression1   
half serious1 half droll2 he however    
said  nothing1 but slapped his thigh as 
usual1 and with a spring nearly touched 
the roof of the cabin with his grotesque
 head4  ,upon inquiry1 ,i  discovered   
that we were still two long leagues     
distant from ,corcuvion1  and that the  
road lay over moor and hill1 and was    
hard to find4  ,our host  now demanded  
whether we were hungry1 and upon being  
answered in the  affirmative1 produced  
about a dozen eggs and some bacon4      
,whilst our  supper was cooking1 a long 

conversation ensued between my guide and
 the  family1 but as it was carried on  
in ,gallegan1 ,i tried in vain to       
understand it4  ,i believe1 however1    
that it principally related to  witches 
and witchcraft1 as the ,estada was      
frequently mentioned4  ,after  supper ,i
 demanded where ,i could rest3 whereupon
 the host pointed to a  trap-door in the
 roof1 saying that above there was a    
loft where ,i could  sleep by myself1   
and have clean straw4  ,for curiosity's 
sake1 ,i asked  whether there was such a
 thing as a bed in the cabin4    8,no10 
replied the man2 8nor nearer than       
,corcuvion4  ,i never entered one  in my
 life1 nor any one of my family3 we     
sleep around the hearth1 or  among the  
straw with the cattle40    ,i was too   
old a traveller to complain1 but        
forthwith ascended by a ladder  into a  
species of loft1 tolerably large and    
nearly empty1 where ,i placed  my cloak 
beneath my head1 and lay down on the    
boards1 which ,i preferred  to the      

straw1 for more reasons than one4  ,i   
heard the people below  talking in      
,gallegan for a considerable time1 and  
could see the gleams of  the fire       
through the interstices of the floor4   
,the voices1 however1  gradually died   
away1 the fire sank low and could no    
longer be  distinguished4  ,i dozed1    
started1 dozed again1 and dropped       
finally into a  profound sleep1 from    
which ,i was only roused by the crowing 
of the second  cock4          ,,chapter 
,,xxx      ,autumnal ,morning--,the     
,world's ,end--,corcuvion--,duyo--,the  
,cape--,a ,whale--,the  ,outer          
,bay--,the ,arrest--,the                
,fisher-,magistrate--,calros ,rey--,hard
 of  ,belief--,where is your            
,passport8--,the ,beach--,a ,mighty     
,liberal--,the  ,handmaid--,the ,grand  
,baintham--,eccentric                   
,book--,hospitality4    ,it was a       
beautiful autumnal morning when we left 
the choza and pursued  our way to       
,corcuvion4  ,i satisfied our host by   

presenting him with a  couple of        
pesetas1 and he requested as a favour1  
that if on our return we  passed that   
way1 and were overtaken by the night1 we
 would again take up  our abode beneath 
his roof4  ,this ,i promised1 at the    
same time  determining to do my best to 
guard against the contingency2 as       
sleeping  in the loft of a ,gallegan    
hut1 though preferable to passing the   
night on  a moor or mountain1 is        
anything but desirable4    ,so we again 
started at a rapid pace along rough     
bridle-ways and  footpaths1 amidst furze
 and brushwood4  ,in about an hour we   
obtained a  view of the sea1 and        
directed by a lad1 whom we found on the 
moor  employed in tending a few         
miserable sheep1 we bent our course to  
the  north-west1 and at length reached  
the brow of an eminence1 where we       
stopped for some time to survey the     
prospect which opened before us4    ,it 
was not without reason that the ,latins 
gave the name of ,finnisterr to  this   

district4  ,we had arrived exactly at   
such a place as in my boyhood ,i  had   
pictured to myself as the termination of
 the world1 beyond which  there was a   
wild sea1 or abyss1 or chaos4  ,i now   
saw far before me an  immense ocean1 and
 below me a long and irregular line of  
lofty and  precipitous coast4           
,certainly in the whole world there is  
no bolder coast  than the ,gallegan     
shore1 from the debouchement of the     
,minho to ,cape  ,finisterra4  ,it      
consists of a granite wall of savage    
mountains1 for the  most part serrated  
at the top1 and occasionally broken1    
where bays and  firths like those of    
,vigo and ,pontevedra intervene1 running
 deep into the  land4  ,these bays and  
firths are invariably of an immense     
depth1 and  sufficiently capacious to   
shelter the navies of the proudest      
maritime  nations4    ,there is an air  
of stern and savage grandeur in         
everything around1 which  strongly      
captivates the imagination4  ,this      

savage coast is the first  glimpse of   
,spain which the voyager from the north 
catches1 or he who has  ploughed his way
 across the wide ,atlantic3 and well    
does it seem to  realize all his visions
 of this strange land4  8,yes10 he      
exclaims1 8this  is indeed ,spain--stern
 flinty ,spain--land emblematic of those
 spirits to  which she has given birth4 
,from what land but that before me could
 have  proceeded those portentous       
beings1 who astounded the ,old ,world   
and filled  the ,new with horror and    
blood3 ,alba and ,philip1 ,cortez and   
,pizarro3 stern  colossal spectres      
looming through the gloom of bygone     
years1 like yonder  granite mountains   
through the haze1 upon the eye of the   
mariner4  ,yes1  yonder is indeed       
,spain2 flinty1 indomitable ,spain2 land
 emblematic of its  sons60    ,as for   
myself1 when ,i viewed that wide ocean  
and its savage shore1 ,i  cried1 8,such 
is the grave1 and such are its terrific 
sides2 those moors  and wilds1 over     

which ,i have passed1 are the rough and 
dreary journey of  life4  ,cheered with 
hope1 we struggle along through all the 
difficulties  of moor1 bog1 and         
mountain1 to arrive at--what8  ,the     
grave and its dreary  sides4  ,oh1 may  
hope not desert us in the last hour3    
hope in the ,redeemer  and in ,god60    
,we descended from the eminence1 and    
again lost sight of the sea amidst      
ravines and dingles1 amongst which      
patches of pine were occasionally  seen4
  ,continuing to descend1 we at last    
came1 not to the sea1 but to the        
extremity of a long narrow firth1 where 
stood a village or hamlet2 whilst  at a 
small distance1 on the ,western side of 
the firth1 appeared one  considerably   
larger1 which was indeed almost entitled
 to the appellation  of town4  ,this    
last was ,corcuvion2 the first1 if ,i   
forget not1 was called  ,ria de ,silla4 
,we hastened on to ,corcuvion1 where ,i 
bade my guide make  inquiries respecting
 ,finisterra4  ,he entered the door of a

 wine-house1  from which proceeded much 
noise and vociferation1 and presently   
returned1  informing me that the village
 of ,finisterra was distant about a     
league  and a half4  ,a man1 evidently  
in a state of intoxication1 followed him
 to  the door3 8,are you bound for      
,finisterra1 ,cavalheiros80 he shouted4 
8,yes1 my friend10 ,i replied1 8we are  
going thither40    8,then you are going 
amongst a flock of drunkards 7fato de   
barrachos710  he answered4  8,take care 
that they do not play you a trick40     
,we passed on1 and striking across a    
sandy peninsula at the back of the      
town1 soon reached the shore of an      
immense bay1 the north-westernmost end  
of which was formed by the far-famed    
cape of ,finisterra1 which we now saw   
before us stretching far into the sea4  
,along a beach of dazzling white sand1  
we advanced towards the cape1 the       
bourne of our journey4  ,the sun was    
shining brightly1 and every object  was 
illumined by his beams4  ,the sea lay   

before us like a vast mirror1  and the  
waves which broke upon the shore were so
 tiny as scarcely to  produce a murmur4 
,on we sped along the deep winding bay1 
overhung by  gigantic hills and         
mountains4  ,strange recollections began
 to throng upon  my mind4  ,it was upon 
this beach that1 according to the       
tradition of all  ancient ,christendom1 
,saint ,james1 the patron saint of      
,spain1 preached the  ,gospel to the    
heathen ,spaniards4  ,upon this beach   
had once stood an  immense commercial   
city1 the proudest in all ,spain4  ,this
 now desolate  bay had once resounded   
with the voices of myriads1 when the    
keels and  commerce of all the then     
known world were wafted to ,duyo4       
8,what is the name of this village80    
said ,i to a woman1 as we passed by     
five or six ruinous houses at the bend  
of the bay1 ere we entered upon  the    
peninsula of ,finisterra4    8,this is  
no village10 said the ,gallegan1 8this  
is no village1 ,sir  ,cavalier1 this is 

a city1 this is ,duyo40    ,so much for 
the glory of the world6  ,these huts    
were all that the roaring  sea and the  
tooth of time had left of ,duyo1 the    
great city6  ,onward now  to            
,finisterra4    ,it was midday when we  
reached the village of ,finisterra1     
consisting of  about one hundred houses1
 and built on the southern side of the  
peninsula1 just before it rises into the
 huge bluff head which is called  the   
,cape4  ,we sought in vain for an inn or
 venta1 where we might stable  our      
beast2 at one moment we thought that we 
had found one1 and had even  tied the   
animal to the manger4  ,upon our going  
out1 however1 he was  instantly untied  
and driven forth into the street4  ,the 
few people whom  we saw appeared to gaze
 upon us in a singular manner4  ,we1    
however1 took  little notice of these   
circumstances1 and proceeded along the  
straggling  street until we found       
shelter in the house of a ,castilian    
shopkeeper1  whom some chance had       

brought to this corner of               
,galicia1--this end of the  world4  ,our
 first care was to feed the animal1 who 
now began to exhibit  considerable      
symptoms of fatigue4  ,we then requested
 some refreshment for  ourselves2 and in
 about an hour a tolerably savoury fish1
 weighing about  three pounds1 and fresh
 from the bay1 was prepared for us by an
 old woman  who appeared to officiate as
 housekeeper4  ,having finished our     
meal1 ,i  and my uncouth companion went 
forth and prepared to ascend the        
mountain4    ,we stopped to examine a   
small dismantled fort or battery facing 
the bay2  and whilst engaged in this    
examination1 it more than once occurred 
to me  that we were ourselves the       
objects of scrutiny and investigation3  
indeed  ,i caught a glimpse of more than
 one countenance peering upon us through
  the holes and chasms of the walls4    
,we now commenced ascending             
,finisterra2 and making numerous and    
long detours1 we wound our way up its   

flinty sides4  ,the sun had reached the 
top of heaven1 whence he showered  upon 
us perpendicularly his brightest and    
fiercest rays4  ,my boots were  torn1 my
 feet cut1 and the perspiration streamed
 from my brow4  ,to my  guide1 however1 
the ascent appeared to be neither       
toilsome nor difficult4  ,the heat of   
the day for him had no terrors1 no      
moisture was wrung from  his tanned     
countenance2 he drew not one short      
breath2 and hopped upon the  stones and 
rocks with all the provoking agility of 
a mountain goat4  ,before we had        
accomplished one half of the ascent1 ,i 
felt myself quite  exhausted4  ,i reeled
 and staggered4  8,cheer up1 master     
mine1 be of good  cheer1 and have no    
care10 said the guide4  8,yonder ,i see 
a wall of  stones2 lie down beneath it  
in the shade40  ,he put his long and    
strong  arm round my waist1 and though  
his stature compared with mine was that 
of  a dwarf1 he supported me1 as if ,i  
had been a child1 to a rude wall which  

seemed to traverse the greatest part of 
the hill1 and served probably as  a kind
 of boundary4  ,it was difficult to find
 a shady spot3 at last he  perceived a  
small chasm1 perhaps scooped by some    
shepherd as a couch1 in  which to enjoy 
his siesta4  ,in this he laid me gently 
down1 and taking  off his enormous hat1 
commenced fanning me with great         
assiduity4  ,by  degrees ,i revived1 and
 after having rested for a considerable 
time1 ,i  again attempted the ascent1   
which1 with the assistance of my guide1 
,i at  length accomplished4    ,we were 
now standing at a great altitude between
 two bays3 the wilderness  of waters    
before us4  ,of all the ten thousand    
barks which annually plough  those seas 
in sight of that old cape1 not one was  
to be descried4  ,it was  a blue shiny  
waste1 broken by no object save the     
black head of a  spermaceti whale1 which
 would occasionally show itself at the  
top1  casting up thin jets of brine4    
,the principal bay1 that of ,finisterra1

 as  far as the entrance1 was           
beautifully variegated by an immense    
shoal of  sardinhas1 on whose extreme   
skirts the monster was probably         
feasting4  ,from the northern side of   
the cape we looked down upon a smaller  
bay1 the  shore of which was overhung by
 rocks of various and grotesque shapes2 
this is called the outer bay1 or1 in the
 language of the country1 ,praia  do mar
 de fora3 a fearful place in seasons of 
wind and tempest1 when the  long swell  
of the ,atlantic pouring in1 is broken  
into surf and foam by  the sunken rocks 
with which it abounds4  ,even in the    
calmest day there is  a rumbling and a  
hollow roar in that bay which fill the  
heart with uneasy  sensations4    ,on   
all sides there was grandeur and        
sublimity4  ,after gazing from the      
summit of the ,cape for nearly an hour  
we descended4    ,on reaching the house 
where we had taken up our temporary     
habitation1 we  perceived that the      
portal was occupied by several men1 some

 of whom were  reclining on the floor   
drinking wine out of small earthen pans1
 which are  much used in this part of   
,galicia4  ,with a civil salutation ,i  
passed on1  and ascended the staircase  
to the room in which we had taken our   
repast4  ,here there was a rude and     
dirty bed1 on which ,i flung myself1    
exhausted  with fatigue4  ,i determined 
to take a little repose1 and in the     
evening  to call the people of the place
 together1 to read a few chapters of the
  ,scripture1 and then to address them  
with a little ,christian exhortation4   
,i was soon asleep1 but my slumbers were
 by no means tranquil4  ,i thought  ,i  
was surrounded with difficulties of     
various kinds amongst rocks and         
ravines1 vainly endeavouring to         
extricate myself2 uncouth visages showed
  themselves amidst the trees and in the
 hollows1 thrusting out cloven  tongues 
and uttering angry cries4  ,i looked    
around for my guide1 but  could not find
 him2 methought1 however1 that ,i heard 

his voice down a  deep dingle4  ,he     
appeared to be talking of me4  ,how long
 ,i might have  continued in these wild 
dreams ,i know not4  ,i was suddenly1   
however1  seized roughly by the shoulder
 and nearly dragged from the bed4  ,i   
looked  up in amazement1 and by the     
light of the descending sun ,i beheld   
hanging  over me a wild and uncouth     
figure2 it was that of an elderly man1  
built  as strong as a giant1 with much  
beard and whiskers1 and huge bushy      
eyebrows1 dressed in the habiliments of 
a fisherman2 in his hand was a  rusty   
musket4    ,myself4--,who are you and   
what do you want8    ,figure4--,who ,i  
am matters but little4  ,get up and     
follow me2 it is you ,i  want4          
,myself4--,by what authority do you thus
 presume to interfere with me8          
,figure4--,by the authority of the      
justicia of ,finisterra4  ,follow me    
peaceably1 ,calros1 or it will be the   
worse for you4    8,calros10 said ,i1   
8what does the person mean80  ,i thought

 it1 however1  most prudent to obey his 
command1 and followed him down the      
staircase4  ,the shop and the portal    
were now thronged with the inhabitants  
of  ,finisterra1 men1 women1 and        
children2 the latter for the most part  
in a  state of nudity1 and with bodies  
wet and dripping1 having been probably  
summoned in haste from their gambols in 
the brine4  ,through this crowd  the    
figure whom ,i have attempted to        
describe pushed his way with an air  of 
authority4    ,on arriving in the       
street1 he laid his heavy hand upon my  
arm1 not  roughly however4  8,it is     
,calros6 it is ,calros60 said a hundred 
voices2  8he has come to ,finisterra at 
last1 and the justicia have now got hold
 of  him40  ,wondering what all this    
could mean1 ,i attended my strange      
conductor down the street4  ,as we      
proceeded1 the crowd increased every    
moment1 following and vociferating4     
,even the sick were brought to the  door
 to obtain a view of what was going     

forward and a glance at the  redoubtable
 ,calros4  ,i was particularly struck by
 the eagerness displayed  by one man1 a 
cripple1 who1 in spite of the entreaties
 of his wife1 mixed  with the crowd1 and
 having lost his crutch1 hopped forward 
on one leg1  exclaiming1--8,carracho6   
tambien voy yo60    ,we at last reached 
a house of rather larger size than the  
rest2 my guide  having led me into a    
long low room1 placed me in the middle  
of the floor1  and then hurrying to the 
door1 he endeavoured to repulse the     
crowd who  strove to enter with us4     
,this he effected1 though not without   
considerable difficulty1 being once or  
twice compelled to have recourse  to the
 butt of his musket1 to drive back      
unauthorized intruders4  ,i now  looked 
round the room4  ,it was rather scantily
 furnished3 ,i could see  nothing but   
some tubs and barrels1 the mast of a    
boat1 and a sail or two4  ,seated upon  
the tubs were three or four men coarsely
 dressed1 like  fishermen or            

shipwrights4  ,the principal personage  
was a surly  ill-tempered-looking fellow
 of about thirty-five1 whom eventually  
,i  discovered to be the alcalde of     
,finisterra1 and lord of the house in   
which we now were4  ,in a corner ,i     
caught a glimpse of my guide1 who was   
evidently in durance1 two stout         
fishermen standing before him1 one with 
a  musket and the other with a          
boat-hook4  ,after ,i had looked about  
me for a  minute1 the alcalde1 giving   
his whiskers a twist1 thus addressed    
me3--    8,who are you1 where is your   
passport1 and what brings you to        
,finisterra80    ,myself4--,i am an     
,englishman4  ,here is my passport1 and 
,i came to see  ,finisterra4    ,this   
reply seemed to discomfit them for a    
moment4  ,they looked at each  other1   
then at my passport4  ,at length the    
alcalde1 striking it with his  finger1  
bellowed forth3    8,this is no ,spanish
 passport2 it appears to be written in  
,french40    ,myself4--,i have already  

told you that ,i am a foreigner4  ,i of 
course  carry a foreign passport4       
,alcalde4--,then you mean to assert that
 you are not ,calros ,rey4              
,myself4--,i never heard before of such 
a king1 nor indeed of such a name4      
,alcalde4--,hark to the fellow3 he has  
the audacity to say that he has  never  
heard of ,calros the pretender1 who     
calls himself king4    ,myself4--,if you
 mean by ,calros1 the pretender ,don    
,carlos1 all ,i can  reply is1 that you 
can scarcely be serious4  ,you might as 
well assert  that yonder poor fellow1 my
 guide1 whom ,i see you have made       
prisoner1 is  his nephew1 the infante   
,don ,sebastian4    ,alcalde4--,see1 you
 have betrayed yourself2 that is the    
very person we  suppose him to be4      
,myself4--,it is true that they are both
 hunchbacks4  ,but how can ,i be  like  
,don ,carlos8  ,i have nothing the      
appearance of a ,spaniard1 and am       
nearly a foot taller than the pretender4
    ,alcalde4--,that makes no           

difference2 you of course carry many    
waistcoats  about you1 by means of which
 you disguise yourself1 and appear tall 
or  low according to your pleasure4     
,this last was so conclusive an argument
 that ,i had of course nothing to  reply
 to it4  ,the alcalde looked around him 
in triumph1 as if he had made  some     
notable discovery4  8,yes1 it is        
,calros2 it is ,calros10 said the  crowd
 at the door4  8,it will be as well to  
have these men shot  instantly10        
continued the alcalde2 8if they are not 
the two pretenders1  they are at any    
rate two of the factious40    8,i am by 
no means certain that they are either   
one or the other10 said a  gruff voice4 
,the justicia of ,finisterra turned     
their eyes in the direction from which  
these words proceeded1 and so did ,i4   
,our glances rested upon the figure  who
 held watch at the door4  ,he had       
planted the barrel of his musket on  the
 floor1 and was now leaning his chin    
against the butt4    8,i am by no means 

certain that they are either one or the 
other10  repeated he1 advancing forward4
  8,i have been examining this man10    
pointing to myself1 8and listening      
whilst he spoke1 and it appears to me   
that after all he may prove an          
,englishman2 he has their very look and 
voice4  ,who knows the ,english better  
than ,antonio de la ,trava1 and who  has
 a better right8  ,has he not sailed in 
their ships2 has he not eaten  their    
biscuit2 and did he not stand by ,nelson
 when he was shot dead80    ,here the   
alcalde became violently incensed4  8,he
 is no more an ,englishman  than        
yourself10 he exclaimed2 8if he were an 
,englishman would he have  come in this 
manner1 skulking across the land8  ,not 
so ,i trow4  ,he would  have come in a  
ship1 recommended to some of us1 or to  
the ,catalans4  ,he  would have come to 
trade1 to buy2 but nobody knows him in  
,finisterra1 nor  does he know anybody3 
and the first thing1 moreover1 that he  
does when he  reaches this place is to  

inspect the fort1 and to ascend the     
mountain  where1 no doubt1 he has been  
marking out a camp4  ,what brings him to
  ,finisterra if he is neither ,calros  
nor a bribon of a faccioso80    ,i felt 
that there was a good deal of justice in
 some of these remarks1  and ,i was     
aware1 for the first time1 that ,i had1 
indeed1 committed a  great imprudence in
 coming to this wild place1 and among   
these barbarous  people1 without being  
able to assign any motive which could   
appear at all  valid in their eyes4  ,i 
endeavoured to convince the alcalde that
 ,i had  come across the country for the
 purpose of making myself acquainted    
with  the many remarkable objects which 
it contained1 and of obtaining          
information respecting the character and
 condition of the inhabitants4  ,he     
could understand no such motives4       
8,what did you ascend the mountain      
for80  8,to see prospects40             
8,disparate6 ,i have lived at           
,finisterra forty  years and never      

ascended that mountain4  ,i would not do
 it in a day like  this for two ounces  
of gold4  ,you went to take altitudes1  
and to mark out  a camp40  ,i had1      
however1 a staunch friend in old        
,antonio1 who insisted1  from his       
knowledge of the ,english1 that all ,i  
had said might very  possibly be true4  
8,the ,english10 said he1 8have more    
money than they  know what to do with1  
and on that account they wander all over
 the world1  paying dearly for what no  
other people care a groat for40  ,he    
then  proceeded1 notwithstanding the    
frowns of the alcalde1 to examine me in 
the ,english language4  ,his own entire 
knowledge of this tongue was  confined  
to two words--knife and fork1 which     
words ,i rendered into  ,spanish by     
their equivalents1 and was forthwith    
pronounced an ,englishman  by the old   
fellow1 who1 brandishing his musket1    
exclaimed3--    8,this man is not       
,calros2 he is what he declares himself 
to be1 an  ,englishman1 and whosoever   

seeks to injure him1 shall have to do   
with  ,antonio de la ,trava el valiente 
de ,finisterra40  ,no person sought to  
impugn this verdict1 and it was at      
length determined that ,i should be     
sent to ,corcuvion1 to be examined by   
the alcalde mayor of the district4      
8,but10 said the alcalde of ,finisterra1
 8what is to be done with the other     
fellow8  ,he at least is no ,englishman4
  ,bring him forward1 and let us  hear  
what he has to say for himself4  ,now1  
fellow1 who are you1 and what  is your  
master80    ,guide4--,i am              
,sebastianillo1 a poor broken mariner of
 ,padron1 and my  master for the present
 is the gentleman whom you see1 the most
 valiant  and wealthy of all the        
,english4  ,he has two ships at ,vigo   
laden with  riches4  ,i told you so when
 you first seized me up there in our    
posada4    ,alcalde4--,where is your    
passport8    ,guide4--,i have no        
passport4  ,who would think of bringing 
a passport to  such a place as this1    

where ,i don't suppose there are two    
individuals who  can read8  ,i have no  
passport2 my master's passport of course
 includes  me4    ,alcalde4--,it does   
not4  ,and since you have no passport1  
and have  confessed that your name is   
,sebastian1 you shall be shot4  ,antonio
 de la  ,trava1 do you and the          
musketeers lead this ,sebastianillo     
forth1 and shoot  him before the door4  
,antonio de la ,trava4--,with much      
pleasure1 ,seor ,alcalde1 since you     
order  it4  ,with respect to this       
fellow1 ,i shall not trouble myself to  
interfere4  ,he at least is no          
,englishman4  ,he has more the look of a
  wizard or nuveiro2 one of those devils
 who raise storms and sink  launches4   
,moreover1 he says he is from ,padron1  
and those of that place  are all thieves
 and drunkards4  ,they once played me a 
trick1 and ,i would  gladly be at the   
shooting of the whole pueblo4    ,i now 
interfered1 and said that if they shot  
the guide they must shoot me  too2      

expatiating at the same time on the     
cruelty and barbarity of taking  away   
the life of a poor unfortunate fellow   
who1 as might be seen at the  first     
glance1 was only half witted2 adding1   
moreover1 that if any person  was guilty
 in this case it was myself1 as the     
other could only be  considered in the  
light of a servant acting under my      
orders4    8,the safest plan after all10
 said the alcalde1 8appears to be1 to   
send  you both prisoners to ,corcuvion1 
where the head alcalde can dispose of   
you as he thinks proper4  ,you must1    
however1 pay for your escort2 for it  is
 not to be supposed that the            
housekeepers of ,finisterra have nothing
  else to do than to ramble about the   
country with every chance fellow who    
finds his way to this town40  8,as for  
that matter10 said ,antonio1 8,i will   
take charge of them both4  ,i am the    
valiente of ,finisterra1 and fear no    
two men living4  ,moreover1 ,i am sure  
that the captain here will make it      

worth my while1 else he is no           
,englishman4  ,therefore let us be quick
 and  set out for ,corcuvion at once1 as
 it is getting late4  ,first of all1    
however1 captain1 ,i must search you and
 your baggage4  ,you have no arms1  of  
course8  ,but it is best to make all    
sure40    ,long ere it was dark ,i found
 myself again on the pony1 in company   
with my  guide1 wending our way along   
the beach in the direction of           
,corcuvion4  ,antonio de la ,trava      
tramped heavily on before1 his musket on
 his  shoulder4    ,myself4--,are you   
not afraid1 ,antonio1 to be thus alone  
with two  prisoners1 one of whom is on  
horseback8  ,if we were to try1 ,i think
 we  could overpower you4    ,antonio de
 la ,trava4--,i am the valiente de      
,finisterra1 and ,i fear no  odds4      
,myself4--,why do you call yourself the 
valiente of ,finisterra8    ,antonio de 
la ,trava4--,the whole district call me 
so4  ,when the ,french  came to         
,finisterra1 and demolished the fort1   

three perished by my hand4  ,i stood on 
the mountain1 up where ,i saw you       
scrambling to-day4  ,i  continued firing
 at the enemy1 until three detached     
themselves in pursuit  of me4  ,the     
fools6 two perished amongst the rocks by
 the fire of this  musket1 and as for   
the third1 ,i beat his head to pieces   
with the stock4  ,it is on that account 
that they call me the valiente of       
,finisterra4    ,myself4--,how came you 
to serve with the ,english fleet8  ,i   
think ,i heard  you say that you were   
present when ,nelson fell4    ,antonio  
de la ,trava4--,i was captured by your  
countrymen1 captain2 and as  ,i had been
 a sailor from my childhood1 they were  
glad of my services4  ,i  was nine      
months with them1 and assisted at       
,trafalgar4  ,i saw the ,english        
admiral die4  ,you have something of his
 face1 and your voice1 when you  spoke1 
sounded in my ears like his own4  ,i    
love the ,english1 and on that  account 
,i saved you4  ,think not that ,i would 

toil along these sands with  you if you 
were one of my own countrymen4  ,here we
 are at ,duyo1 captain4  ,shall we      
refresh8    ,we did refresh1 or rather  
,antonio de la ,trava refreshed1        
swallowing pan  after pan of wine1 with 
a thirst which seemed unquenchable4     
8,that man  was a greater wizard than   
myself10 whispered ,sebastian1 my guide1
 8who  told us that the drunkards of    
,finisterra would play us a trick40  ,at
  length the old hero of the ,cape      
slowly rose1 saying1 that we must hasten
  on to ,corcuvion1 or the night would  
overtake us by the way4    8,what kind  
of person is the alcalde to whom you are
 conducting me80 said  ,i4    8,oh1 very
 different from him of ,finisterra10    
replied ,antonio4  8,this is a  young   
,seorito1 lately arrived from ,madrid4  
,he is not even a ,gallegan4  ,he is a  
mighty liberal1 and it is owing chiefly 
to his orders that we  have lately been 
so much on the alert4  ,it is said that 
the ,carlists are  meditating a descent 

on these parts of ,galicia4  ,let them  
only come to  ,finisterra1 we are       
liberals there to a man1 and the old    
valiente is ready  to play the same part
 as in the time of the ,french4  ,but1  
as ,i was  telling you before1 the      
alcalde to whom ,i am conducting you is 
a young  man1 and very learned1 and if  
he thinks proper1 he can speak ,english 
to  you1 even better than myself1       
notwithstanding ,i was a friend of      
,nelson1  and fought by his side at     
,trafalgar40    ,it was dark night      
before we reached ,corcuvion4  ,antonio 
again stopped to  refresh at a          
wine-shop1 after which he conducted us  
to the house of the  alcalde4  ,his     
steps were by this time not particularly
 steady1 and on  arriving at the gate of
 the house1 he stumbled over the        
threshold and  fell4  ,he got up with an
 oath1 and instantly commenced          
thundering at the  door with the stock  
of his musket4  8,who is it80 at length 
demanded a  soft female voice in        

,gallegan4  8,the valiente of           
,finisterra10 replied  ,antonio2        
whereupon the gate was unlocked1 and we 
beheld before us a very  pretty female  
with a candle in her hand4  8,what      
brings you here so late1  ,antonio80 she
 inquired4  8,i bring two prisoners1 mi 
pulida10 replied  ,antonio4  8,ave      
,maria60 she exclaimed1 8,i hope they   
will do no harm40  8,i  will answer for 
one10 replied the old man2 8but1 as for 
the other1 he is  a nuveiro1 and has    
sunk more ships than all his brethren in
 ,galicia4  ,but  be not afraid1 my     
beauty10 he continued1 as the female    
made the sign of  the cross3 8first lock
 the gate1 and then show me the way to  
the alcalde4  ,i have much to tell him40
  ,the gate was locked1 and bidding us  
stay below  in the courtyard1 ,antonio  
followed the young woman up a stone     
stair1  whilst we remained in darkness  
below4    ,after the lapse of about a   
quarter of an hour we again saw the     
candle  gleam upon the staircase1 and   

the young female appeared4  ,coming up  
to  me1 she advanced the candle to my   
features1 on which she gazed very       
intently4  ,after a long scrutiny she   
went to my guide1 and having  surveyed  
him still more fixedly1 she turned to   
me1 and said1 in her best  ,spanish1    
8,senhor ,cavalier1 ,i congratulate you 
on your servant4  ,he is the            
best-looking mozo in all ,galicia4      
,vaya6 if he had but a coat to his      
back1 and did not go barefoot1 ,i would 
accept him at once as a novio2 but  ,i  
have unfortunately made a vow never to  
marry a poor man1 but only one  who has 
got a heavy purse and can buy me fine   
clothes4  ,so you are a  ,carlist1 ,i   
suppose8  ,vaya6 ,i do not like you the 
worse for that4  ,but1  being so1 how   
went you to ,finisterra1 where they are 
all ,christinos and  negros8  ,why did  
you not go to my village8  ,none would  
have meddled with  you there4  ,those of
 my village are of a different stamp to 
the drunkards  of ,finisterra4  ,those  

of my village never interfere with      
honest people4  ,vaya6 how ,i hate that 
drunkard of ,finisterra who brought you1
 he is so  old and ugly2 were it not for
 the love which ,i bear to the ,senhor  
,alcalde1 ,i would at once unlock the   
gate and bid you go forth1 you and  your
 servant1 the buen mozo40    ,antonio   
now descended4  8,follow me10 said he2  
8his worship the alcalde  will be ready 
to receive you in a moment40  ,sebastian
 and myself followed  him upstairs to a 
room where1 seated behind a table1 we   
beheld a young  man of low stature but  
handsome features and very fashionably  
dressed4  ,he appeared to be inditing a 
letter1 which1 when he had concluded1 he
  delivered to a secretary to be        
transcribed4  ,he then looked at me for 
a  moment fixedly1 and the following    
conversation ensued between us3--       
,alcalde4--,i see that you are an       
,englishman1 and my friend ,antonio here
  informs me that you have been arrested
 at ,finisterra4    ,myself4--,he tells 

you true2 and but for him ,i believe    
that ,i should have  fallen by the hands
 of those savage fishermen4             
,alcalde4--,the inhabitants of          
,finisterra are brave1 and are all      
liberals4  ,allow me to look at your    
passport8  ,yes1 all in form4  ,truly it
 was very  ridiculous that they should  
have arrested you as a ,carlist4        
,myself4--,not only as a ,carlist1 but  
as ,don ,carlos himself4                
,alcalde4--,oh6 most ridiculous2 mistake
 a countryman of the grand  ,baintham   
for such a ,goth6    ,myself4--,excuse  
me1 ,sir1 you speak of the grand        
somebody4    ,alcalde4--,the grand      
,baintham4  ,he who has invented laws   
for all the  world4  ,i hope shortly to 
see them adopted in this unhappy country
 of  ours4    ,myself4--,oh6 you mean   
,jeremy ,bentham4  ,yes6 a very         
remarkable man in his  way4             
,alcalde4--,in his way6  ,in all ways4  
,the most universal genius which the    
world ever produced3--a ,solon1 a       

,plato1 and a ,lope de ,vega4           
,myself4--,i have never read his        
writings4  ,i have no doubt that he was 
a  ,solon2 and as you say1 a ,plato4  ,i
 should scarcely have thought1 however1 
that he could be ranked as a poet with  
,lope de ,vega4    ,alcalde4--,how      
surprising6  ,i see1 indeed1 that you   
know nothing of his  writings1 though an
 ,englishman4  ,now1 here am ,i1 a      
simple alcalde of  ,galicia1 yet ,i     
possess all the writings of ,baintham on
 that shelf1 and ,i  study them day and 
night4    ,myself4--,you doubtless1     
,sir1 possess the ,english ,language4   
,alcalde4--,i do4  ,i mean that part of 
it which is contained in the  writings  
of ,baintham4  ,i am most truly glad to 
see a countryman of his in  these       
,gothic wildernesses4  ,i understand and
 appreciate your motives for  visiting  
them3 excuse the incivility and rudeness
 which you have  experienced4  ,but we  
will endeavour to make you reparation4  
,you are this  moment free3 but it is   

late2 ,i must find you a lodging for the
 night4  ,i  know one close by which    
will just suit you4  ,let us repair     
thither this  moment4  ,stay1 ,i think  
,i see a book in your hand4             
,myself4--,the ,new ,testament4         
,alcalde4--,what book is that8          
,myself4--,a portion of the sacred      
writings1 the ,bible4    ,alcalde4--,why
 do you carry such a book with you8     
,myself4--,one of my principal motives  
in visiting ,finisterra was to carry    
this book to that wild place4           
,alcalde4--,ha1 ha6 how very singular4  
,yes1 ,i remember4  ,i have heard  that 
the ,english highly prize this eccentric
 book4  ,how very singular  that the    
countrymen of the grand ,baintham should
 set any value upon that  old monkish   
book4    ,it was now late at night1 and 
my new friend attended me to the lodging
  which he had destined for me1 and     
which was at the house of a respectable 
old female1 where ,i found a clean and  
comfortable room4  ,on the way ,i       

slipped a gratuity into the hand of     
,antonio1 and on my arrival1 formally1  
and in the presence of the alcalde1     
presented him with the ,testament1      
which ,i requested he would carry back  
to ,finisterra1 and keep in  remembrance
 of the ,englishman in whose behalf he  
had so effectually  interposed4         
,antonio4--,i will do so1 your worship2 
and when the winds blow from the        
north-west1 preventing our launches from
 putting to sea1 ,i will read your      
present4  ,farewell1 my captain1 and    
when you next come to ,finisterra ,i    
hope it will be in a valiant ,english   
bark1 with plenty of contrabando on     
board1 and not across the country on a  
pony1 in company with nuveiros and  men 
of ,padron4    ,presently arrived the   
handmaid of the alcalde with a basket1  
which she  took into the kitchen1 where 
she prepared an excellent supper for her
  master's friend4  ,on its being served
 up the alcalde bade me farewell1       
having first demanded whether he could  

in any way forward my plans4    8,i     
return to ,saint ,james to-morrow10 ,i  
replied1 8and ,i sincerely hope  that   
some occasion will occur which will     
enable me to acquaint the world  with   
the hospitality which ,i have           
experienced from so accomplished a      
scholar as the ,alcalde of ,corcuvion40 
,,chapter ,,xxxi      ,coruna--,crossing
 the ,bay--,ferrol--,the                
,dockyard--,where are we now8--,greek   
,ambassador--,lantern-light--,the       
,ravine--,viveiro--,evening--,marsh and 
,quagmire--,fair ,words and ,fair       
,money--,the ,leathern ,girth--,eyes of 
,lynx--,the  ,knavish ,guide4    ,from  
,corcuvion ,i returned to ,saint ,james 
and ,corua1 and now began to  make      
preparation for directing my course to  
the ,asturias4  ,in the first  place ,i 
parted with my ,andalusian horse1 which 
,i considered unfit for the  long and   
mountainous journey ,i was about to     
undertake2 his constitution  having     
become much debilitated from his        

,gallegan travels4  ,owing to  horses   
being exceedingly scarce at ,corua1 ,i  
had no difficulty in  disposing of him  
at a far higher price than he originally
 cost me4  ,a  young and wealthy        
merchant of ,corua1 who was a national  
guardsman1  became enamoured of his     
glossy skin and long mane and tail4     
,for my own  part1 ,i was glad to part  
with him for more reasons than one2 he  
was both  vicious and savage1 and was   
continually getting me into scrapes in  
the  stables of the posadas where we    
slept or baited4  ,an old ,castilian    
peasant1 whose pony he had maltreated1  
once said to me1 8,sir ,cavalier1 if    
you have any love or respect for        
yourself1 get rid ,i beseech you of that
  beast1 who is capable of proving the  
ruin of a kingdom40  ,so ,i left him    
behind at ,corua1 where ,i subsequently 
learned that he became glandered  and   
died4  ,peace to his memory6    ,from   
,corua ,i crossed the bay to ,ferrol1   
whilst ,antonio with our  remaining     

horse followed by land1 a rather        
toilsome and circuitous  journey1       
although the distance by water is       
scarcely three leagues4  ,i was  very   
sea-sick during the passage1 and lay    
almost senseless at the bottom  of the  
small launch in which ,i had embarked1  
and which was crowded with  people4     
,the wind was adverse1 and the water    
rough4  ,we could make no  sail1 but    
were impelled along by the oars of five 
or six stout mariners1  who sang all the
 while ,gallegan ditties4  ,suddenly the
 sea appeared to  have become quite     
smooth1 and my sickness at once deserted
 me4  ,i rose  upon my feet and looked  
around4  ,we were in one of the         
strangest places  imaginable4  ,a long  
and narrow passage overhung on either   
side by a  stupendous barrier of black  
and threatening rocks4  ,the line of the
 coast  was here divided by a natural   
cleft1 yet so straight and regular that 
it  seemed not the work of chance but   
design4  ,the water was dark and sullen1

  and of immense depth4  ,this passage1 
which is about a mile in length1 is  the
 entrance to a broad basin1 at whose    
farther extremity stands the town  of   
,ferrol4    ,sadness came upon me as    
soon as ,i entered this place4  ,grass  
was growing  in the streets1 and misery 
and distress stared me in the face on   
every  side4  ,ferrol is the grand naval
 arsenal of ,spain1 and has shared in   
the  ruin of the once splendid ,spanish 
navy3 it is no longer thronged with     
those thousand shipwrights who prepared 
for sea the tremendous  three-deckers   
and long frigates1 the greater part of  
which were destroyed  at ,trafalgar4    
,only a few ill-paid and half-starved   
workmen still linger  about1 scarcely   
sufficient to repair any guarda costa   
which may put in  dismantled by the fire
 of some ,english smuggling schooner    
from ,gibraltar4  ,half the inhabitants 
of ,ferrol beg their bread2 and amongst 
these1 as it  is said1 are not          
unfrequently found retired naval        

officers1 many of them  maimed or       
otherwise wounded1 who are left to pine 
in indigence2 their  pensions or        
salaries having been allowed to run     
three or four years in  arrear1 owing to
 the exigencies of the times4  ,a crowd 
of importunate  beggars followed me to  
the posada1 and even attempted to       
penetrate to the  apartment to which ,i 
was conducted4  8,who are you80 said ,i 
to a woman who  flung herself at my     
feet1 and who bore in her countenance   
evident marks  of former gentility4  8,a
 widow1 sir10 she replied1 in very good 
,french2  8a widow of a brave officer1  
once admiral of this port40  ,the misery
 and  degradation of modern ,spain are  
nowhere so strikingly manifested as at  
,ferrol4    ,yet even here there is     
still much to admire4  ,notwithstanding 
its present  state of desolation1 it    
contains some good streets1 and abounds 
with  handsome houses4  ,the alameda is 
planted with nearly a thousand elms1 of 
which almost all are magnificent trees1 

and the poor ,ferrolese1 with the       
genuine spirit of localism so prevalent 
in ,spain1 boast that their town        
contains a better public walk than      
,madrid1 of whose prado1 when they      
compare the two1 they speak in terms of 
unmitigated contempt4  ,at one end  of  
this alameda stands the church1 the only
 one in ,ferrol4  ,to this  church ,i   
repaired the day after my arrival1 which
 was ,sunday4  ,i found it  quite       
insufficient to contain the number of   
worshippers who1 chiefly from  the      
country1 not only crowded the interior1 
but1 bare-headed1 were upon  their knees
 before the door to a considerable      
distance down the walk4    ,parallel    
with the alameda extends the wall of the
 naval arsenal and dock4  ,i spent      
several hours in walking about these    
places1 to visit which it is  necessary 
to procure a written permission from the
 captain-general of  ,ferrol4  ,they    
filled me with astonishment4  ,i have   
seen the royal  dockyards of ,russia and

 ,england1 but for grandeur of design   
and  costliness of execution1 they      
cannot for a moment compare with these  
wonderful monuments of the bygone naval 
pomp of ,spain4  ,i shall not  attempt  
to describe them1 but content myself    
with observing1 that the  oblong basin1 
which is surrounded with a granite mole1
 is capacious  enough to permit a       
hundred first-rates to lie conveniently 
in ordinary3  but instead of such a     
force1 ,i saw only a sixty-gun frigate  
and two brigs  lying in this basin1 and 
to this inconsiderable number of vessels
 is the  present war marine of ,spain   
reduced4    ,i waited for the arrival of
 ,antonio two or three days at ,ferrol1 
and  still he came not3 late one        
evening1 however1 as ,i was looking down
 the  street1 ,i perceived him          
advancing1 leading our only horse by the
 bridle4  ,he informed me that1 at about
 three leagues from ,corua1 the heat of 
the  weather and the flies had so       
distressed the animal that it had fallen

  down in a kind of fit1 from which it  
had been only relieved by copious       
bleeding1 on which account he had been  
compelled to halt for a day upon  the   
road4  ,the horse was evidently in a    
very feeble state2 and had a  strange   
rattling in its throat1 which alarmed me
 at first4  ,i however  administered    
some remedies1 and in a few days deemed 
him sufficiently  recovered to proceed4 
,we accordingly started from ,ferrol2   
having first hired a pony for myself1   
and a guide who was to attend us as far 
as ,rivadeo1 twenty leagues from        
,ferrol1 and on the confines of the     
,asturias4  ,the day at first was fine1 
but ere we reached ,novales1 a distance 
of three leagues1 the sky became        
overcast1 and a mist descended1         
accompanied by a drizzling rain4  ,the  
country through which we passed was very
 picturesque4  ,at about two in  the    
afternoon we could descry through the   
mist the small fishing town of  ,santa  
,marta on our left1 with its beautiful  

bay4  ,travelling along the  summit of a
 line of hills1 we presently entered a  
chestnut forest1 which  appeared to be  
without limit3 the rain still descended1
 and kept up a  ceaseless pattering     
among the broad green leaves4  8,this is
 the  commencement of the autumnal      
rains10 said the guide4  8,many is the  
wetting that you will get1 my masters1  
before you reach ,oviedo40  8,have  you 
ever been as far as ,oviedo80 ,i        
demanded4  8,no10 he replied1 8and once 
only to ,rivadeo1 the place to which ,i 
am now conducting you1 and ,i tell  you 
frankly that we shall soon be in        
wildernesses where the way is hard  to  
find1 especially at night1 and amidst   
rain and waters4  ,i wish ,i were       
fairly back to ,ferrol1 for ,i like not 
this route1 which is the worst in       
,galicia1 in more respects than one2 but
 where my master's pony goes1  there    
must ,i go too2 such is the life of us  
guides40  ,i shrugged my  shoulders at  
this intelligence1 which was by no means

 cheering1 but made  no answer4  ,at    
length1 about nightfall1 we emerged from
 the forest1 and  presently descended   
into a deep valley at the foot of lofty 
hills4    8,where are we now80 ,i       
demanded of the guide1 as we crossed a  
rude bridge  at the bottom of the       
valley1 down which a rivulet swollen by 
the rain  foamed and roared4  8,in the  
valley of ,coisa doiro10 he replied2    
8and it  is my advice that we stay here 
for the night1 and do not venture among 
those hills1 through which lies the path
 to ,viveiro2 for as soon as we  get    
there1 adios6  ,i shall be bewildered1  
which will prove the  destruction of us 
all40  8,is there a village nigh80      
8,yes1 the village is  right before us1 
and we shall be there in a moment40  ,we
 soon reached the  village1 which stood 
amongst some tall trees at the entrance 
of a pass  which led up amongst the     
hills4  ,antonio dismounted and entered 
two or  three of the cabins1 but        
presently came to me1 saying1 8,we      

cannot stay  here1 mon matre1 without   
being devoured by vermin2 we had better 
be  amongst the hills than in this      
place2 there is neither fire nor light  
in  these cabins1 and the rain is       
streaming through the roofs40  ,the     
guide1  however1 refused to proceed3 8,i
 could scarcely find my way amongst     
those  hills by daylight10 he cried1    
surlily1 8much less at night1 midst     
storm  and bretima40  ,we procured some 
wine and maize bread from one of the    
cottages4  ,whilst we were partaking of 
these1 ,antonio said1 8,mon matre1  the 
best thing we can do in our present     
situation1 is to hire some fellow  of   
this village to conduct us through the  
hills to ,viveiro4  ,there are no  beds 
in this place1 and if we lie down in the
 litter in our damp clothes  we shall   
catch a tertian of ,galicia4  ,our      
present guide is of no service1  we must
 therefore find another to do his duty40
  ,without waiting for a  reply1 he     
flung down the crust of broa which he   

was munching and  disappeared4  ,i      
subsequently learned that he went to the
 cottage of the  alcalde1 and demanded1 
in the ,queen's name1 a guide for the   
,greek  ambassador1 who was benighted on
 his way to the ,asturias4  ,in about   
ten  minutes ,i again saw him1 attended 
by the local functionary1 who1 to my    
surprise1 made me a profound bow1 and   
stood bare-headed in the rain4  8,his   
excellency10 shouted ,antonio1 8is in   
need of a guide to ,viveiro4  ,people of
 our description are not compelled to   
pay for any service which  they may     
require2 however1 as his excellency has 
bowels of compassion1 he  is willing to 
give three pesetas to any competent     
person who will  accompany him to       
,viveiro1 and as much bread and wine as 
he can eat and  drink on his arrival40  
8,his excellency shall be served10 said 
the  alcalde2 8however1 as the way is   
long and the path is bad1 and there is  
much bretima amongst the hills1 it      
appears to me that1 besides the bread   

and wine1 his excellency can do no less 
than offer four pesetas to the  guide   
who may be willing to accompany him to  
,viveiro2 and ,i know no one  better    
than my own son-in-law1 ,juanito40      
8,content1 seor alcalde10 ,i  replied2  
8produce the guide1 and the extra peseta
 shall be forthcoming in  due season40  
,soon appeared ,juanito with a lantern  
in his hand4  ,we instantly set         
forward4  ,the two guides began         
conversing in ,gallegan4  8,mon matre10 
said ,antonio1 8this new scoundrel is   
asking the old one what he thinks we    
have got in our portmanteaus40  ,then1  
without awaiting my answer1 he  shouted1
 8,pistols1 ye barbarians6  ,pistols1 as
 ye shall learn to your  cost1 if you do
 not cease speaking in that gibberish   
and converse in  ,castilian40  ,the     
,gallegans were silent1 and presently   
the first guide  dropped behind1 whilst 
the other with the lantern moved before4
  8,keep in  the rear10 said ,antonio to
 the former1 8and at a distance3 know   

one thing  moreover1 that ,i can see    
behind as well as before4  ,mon matre10 
said he  to me1 8,i don't suppose these 
fellows will attempt to do us any harm1 
more especially as they do not know each
 other2 it is well1 however1 to         
separate them1 for this is a time and   
place which might tempt any one to      
commit robbery and murder too40    ,the 
rain still continued to fall            
uninterruptedly1 the path was rugged and
  precipitous1 and the night was so dark
 that we could only see  indistinctly   
the hills which surrounded us4  ,once or
 twice our guide  seemed to have lost   
his way3 he stopped1 muttered to        
himself1 raised his  lantern on high1   
and would then walk slowly and          
hesitatingly forward4  ,in  this manner 
we proceeded for three or four hours1   
when ,i asked the guide  how far we were
 from ,viveiro4  8,i do not know exactly
 where we are1 your  worship10 he       
replied1 8though ,i believe we are in   
the route4  ,we can  scarcely1 however1 

be less than two mad leagues from       
,viveiro40  8,then we  shall not arrive 
there before morning10 interrupted      
,antonio1 8for a mad  league of ,galicia
 means at least two of ,castile2 and    
perhaps we are  doomed never to arrive  
there1 if the way thither leads down    
this  precipice40  ,as he spoke1 the    
guide seemed to descend into the bowels 
of  the earth4  8,stop10 said ,i1 8where
 are you going80  8,to ,viveiro1        
,senhor10  replied the fellow2 8this is 
the way to ,viveiro1 there is no other2 
,i now  know where we are40  ,the light 
of the lantern shone upon the dark red  
features of the guide1 who had turned   
round to reply1 as he stood some  yards 
down the side of a dingle or ravine     
overgrown with thick trees1  beneath    
whose leafy branches a frightfully steep
 path descended4  ,i  dismounted from   
the pony1 and delivering the bridle to  
the other guide1  said1 8,here is your  
master's horse1 if you please you may   
lead him down  that abyss1 but as for   

myself ,i wash my hands of the matter40 
,the  fellow1 without a word of reply1  
vaulted into the saddle1 and with a     
vamos1 ,perico6 to the pony1 impelled   
the creature to the descent4  8,come1   
,senhor10 said he with the lantern1     
8there is no time to be lost1  my light 
will be presently extinguished1 and this
 is the worst bit in the  whole road40  
,i thought it very probable that he was 
about to lead us to  some den of        
cut-throats1 where we might be          
sacrificed2 but taking  courage1 ,i     
seized our own horse by the bridle1 and 
followed the fellow  down the ravine    
amidst rocks and brambles4  ,the descent
 lasted nearly ten  minutes1 and ere we 
had entirely accomplished it1 the light 
in the  lantern went out1 and we        
remained in nearly total darkness4      
,encouraged1 however1 by the guide1 who 
assured us there was no danger1 we  at  
length reached the bottom of the ravine2
 here we encountered a rill of  water1  
through which we were compelled to wade 

as high as the knee4  ,in  the midst of 
the water ,i looked up and caught a     
glimpse of the heavens  through the     
branches of the trees1 which all around 
clothed the shelving  sides of the      
ravine and completely embowered the     
channel of the stream3  to a place more 
strange and replete with gloom and      
horror no benighted  traveller ever     
found his way4  ,after a short pause we 
commenced scaling  the opposite bank1   
which we did not find so steep as the   
other1 and a few  minutes' exertion     
brought us to the top4    ,shortly      
afterwards the rain abated1 and the moon
 arising cast a dim light  through the  
watery mists2 the way had become less   
precipitous1 and in  about two hours we 
descended to the shore of an extensive  
creek1 along  which we proceeded till we
 reached a spot where many boats and    
barges lay  with their keels upward upon
 the sand4  ,presently we beheld before 
us the  walls of ,viveiro1 upon which   
the moon was shedding its sickly lustre4

  ,we  entered by a lofty and seemingly 
ruinous archway1 and the guide conducted
  us at once to the posada4    ,every   
person in ,viveiro appeared to be buried
 in profound slumber2 not so  much as a 
dog saluted us with his bark4  ,after   
much knocking we were  admitted into the
 posada1 a large and dilapidated        
edifice4  ,we had  scarcely housed      
ourselves and horses when the rain began
 to fall with yet  more violence than   
before1 attended with much thunder and  
lightning4  ,antonio and ,i1 exhausted  
with fatigue1 betook ourselves to flock 
beds in  a ruinous chamber1 into which  
the rain penetrated through many a      
cranny1  whilst the guides ate bread and
 drank wine till the morning4    ,when  
,i arose ,i was gladdened by the sight  
of a fine day4  ,antonio  forthwith     
prepared a savoury breakfast of stewed  
fowl1 of which we stood  in much need   
after the ten league journey of the     
preceding day over the  ways which ,i   
have attempted to describe4  ,i then    

walked out to view the  town1 which     
consists of little more than one long   
street1 on the side of  a steep mountain
 thickly clad with forests and fruit    
trees4  ,at about ten  we continued our 
journey1 accompanied by our first guide1
 the other  having returned to ,coisa   
doiro some hours previously4    ,our    
route throughout this day was almost    
constantly within sight of the  shores  
of the ,cantabrian sea1 whose windings  
we followed4  ,the country  was barren1 
and in many parts covered with huge     
stones3 cultivated spots1  however1 were
 to be seen1 where vines were growing4  
,we met with but few  human habitations4
  ,we however journeyed on cheerfully1  
for the sun was  once more shining in   
full brightness1 gilding the wild moors1
 and shining  upon the waters of the    
distant sea1 which lay in unruffled     
calmness4    ,at evening fall we were in
 the neighbourhood of the shore1 with a 
range  of wood-covered hills on our     
right4  ,our guide led us towards a     

creek  bordered by a marsh1 but he soon 
stopped and declared that he did not    
know whither he was conducting us4      
8,mon matre10 said ,antonio1 8let us be 
our own guides2 it is1 as you see1  of  
no use to depend upon this fellow1 whose
 whole science consists in  leading     
people into quagmires40    ,we therefore
 turned aside and proceeded along the   
marsh for a  considerable distance1 till
 we reached a narrow path which led us  
into a  thick wood1 where we soon became
 completely bewildered4  ,on a sudden1  
after wandering about a considerable    
time1 we heard the noise of water1  and 
presently the clack of a wheel4         
,following the sound1 we arrived at a   
low stone mill1 built over a brook2 here
 we stopped and shouted1 but no  answer 
was returned4  8,the place is deserted10
 said ,antonio2 8here1  however1 is a   
path1 which1 if we follow it1 will      
doubtless lead us to  some human        
habitation40  ,so we went along the     
path1 which1 in about ten  minutes1     

brought us to the door of a cabin1 in   
which we saw lights4  ,antonio          
dismounted and opened the door3 8,is    
there any one here who can  conduct us  
to ,rivadeo80 he demanded4    8,senhor10
 answered a voice1 8,rivadeo is more    
than five leagues from here1  and1      
moreover1 there is a river to cross60   
8,then to the next village10 continued  
,antonio4    8,i am a vecino of the next
 village1 which is on the way to        
,rivadeo10 said  another voice1 8and ,i 
will lead you thither1 if you will give 
me fair  words1 and1 what is better1    
fair money40    ,a man now came forth1  
holding in his hand a large stick4  ,he 
strode  sturdily before us1 and in less 
than half an hour led us out of the     
wood4  ,in another half hour he brought 
us to a group of cabins situated near   
the  sea2 he pointed to one of these1   
and having received a peseta1 bade us   
farewell4    ,the people of the cottage 
willingly consented to receive us for   
the  night3 it was much more cleanly and

 commodious than the wretched huts of   
the ,gallegan peasantry in general4     
,the ground floor consisted of a        
keeping room and stable1 whilst above   
was a long loft1 in which were some     
neat and comfortable flock beds4  ,i    
observed several masts and sails of     
boats4  ,the family consisted of two    
brothers with their wives and  families2
 one was a fisherman1 but the other1 who
 appeared to be the  principal person1  
informed me that he had resided for many
 years in  service at ,madrid1 and      
having amassed a small sum1 he had at   
length  returned to his native village1 
where he had purchased some land which  
he  farmed4  ,all the family used the   
,castilian language in their common     
discourse1 and on inquiry ,i learned    
that the ,gallegan was not much spoken  
in that neighbourhood4  ,i have         
forgotten the name of this village1     
which  is situated on the estuary of the
 ,foz1 which rolls down from ,mondonedo4
  ,in the morning we crossed this       

estuary in a large boat with our horses1
  and about noon arrived at ,rivadeo4   
8,now1 your worship10 said the guide who
 had accompanied us from ,ferrol1  8,i  
have brought you as far as ,i bargained1
 and a hard journey it has  been2 ,i    
therefore hope you will suffer ,perico  
and myself to remain here  to-night at  
your expense1 and to-morrow we will go  
back2 at present we  are both sorely    
tired40    8,i never mounted a better   
pony than ,perico10 said ,i1 8and never 
met with  a worse guide than yourself4  
,you appear to be perfectly ignorant of 
the  country1 and have done nothing but 
bring us into difficulties4  ,you may1  
however1 stay here for the night1 as you
 say you are tired1 and to-morrow  you  
may return to ,ferrol1 where ,i counsel 
you to adopt some other trade40  ,this  
was said at the door of the posada of   
,rivadeo4    8,shall ,i lead the horses 
to a stable80 said the fellow4    8,as  
you please10 said ,i4    ,antonio looked
 after him for a moment1 as he was      

leading the animals  away1 and then     
shaking his head followed slowly after4 
,in about a  quarter of an hour he      
returned1 laden with the furniture of   
our own  horse1 and with a smile upon   
his countenance3 8,mon matre10 said he1 
8,i  have throughout the journey had a  
bad opinion of this fellow1 and now ,i  
have detected him3 his motive in        
requesting permission to stay1 was a    
desire to purloin something from us4    
,he was very officious in the stable    
about our horse1 and ,i now miss the new
 leathern girth which secured the       
saddle1 and which ,i observed him       
looking at frequently on the road4  ,he 
has by this time doubtless hid it       
somewhere2 we are quite secure of him1  
however1 for he has not yet received the
 hire for the pony1 nor the  gratuity   
for himself40    ,the guide returned    
just as he had concluded speaking4      
,dishonesty is  always suspicious4  ,the
 fellow cast a glance upon us1 and      
probably  beholding in our countenances 

something which he did not like1 he     
suddenly said1 8,give me the horse-hire 
and my own propina1 for ,perico and  ,i 
wish to be off instantly40    8,how is  
this80 said ,i2 8,i thought you and     
,perico were both fatigued1 and  wished 
to rest here for the night2 you have    
soon recovered from your  weariness40   
8,i have thought over the matter10 said 
the fellow1 8and my master will be      
angry if ,i loiter here3 pay us1        
therefore1 and let us go40              
8,certainly10 said ,i1 8if you wish it4 
,is the horse furniture all right80     
8,quite so10 said he2 8,i delivered it  
all to your servant40    8,it is all    
here10 said ,antonio1 8with the         
exception of the leathern  girth40      
8,i have not got it10 said the guide4   
8,of course not10 said ,i4  8,let us    
proceed to the stable1 we shall perhaps 
find it there40    ,to the stable we    
went1 which we searched through3 no     
girth1 however1 was  forthcoming4  8,he 
has got it buckled round his middle     

beneath his  pantaloons1 mon matre10    
said ,antonio1 whose eyes were moving   
about like  those of a lynx2 8,i saw the
 protuberance as he stooped down4       
,however1  let us take no notice3 he is 
here surrounded by his countrymen1 who1 
if  we were to seize him1 might perhaps 
take his part4  ,as ,i said before1 he  
is in our power1 as we have not paid    
him40    ,the fellow now began to talk  
in ,gallegan to the by-standers 7several
  persons having collected71 wishing the
 ,denho to take him if he knew  anything
 of the missing property4  ,nobody1     
however1 seemed inclined to  take his   
part2 and those who listened1 only      
shrugged their shoulders4  ,we  returned
 to the portal of the posada1 the fellow
 following us1 clamouring  for the      
horse-hire and propina4  ,we made him no
 answer1 and at length he  went away1   
threatening to apply to the justicia2 in
 about ten minutes1  however1 he came   
running back with the girth in his hand3
 8,i have just  found it10 said he1 8in 

the street3 your servant dropped it40   
,i took the leather and proceeded very  
deliberately to count out the sum  to   
which the horse-hire amounted1 and      
having delivered it to him in the       
presence of witnesses1 ,i said1 8,during
 the whole journey you have been of  no 
service to us whatever2 nevertheless1   
you have fared like ourselves1  and have
 had all you could desire to eat and    
drink4  ,i intended1 on your  leaving   
us1 to present you1 moreover1 with a    
propina of two dollars2 but  since1     
notwithstanding our kind treatment1 you 
endeavoured to pillage us1  ,i will not 
give you a cuarto3 go1 therefore1 about 
your business40    ,all the audience    
expressed their satisfaction at this    
sentence1 and told  him that he had been
 rightly served1 and that he was a      
disgrace to  ,galicia4  ,two or three   
women crossed themselves1 and asked him 
if he was  not afraid that the ,denho1  
whom he had invoked1 would take him     
away4  ,at  last1 a respectable-looking 

man said to him3 8,are you not ashamed  
to have  attempted to rob two innocent  
strangers80    8,strangers60 roared the 
fellow1 who was by this time foaming    
with rage2  8,innocent strangers1       
carracho6 they know more of ,spain and  
,galicia too  than the whole of us4     
,oh1 ,denho1 that servant is no man but 
a wizard1 a  nuveiro4--,where is        
,perico80    ,he mounted ,perico1 and   
proceeded forthwith to another posada4  
,the tale1  however1 of his dishonesty  
had gone before him1 and no person would
 house  him2 whereupon he returned on   
his steps1 and seeing me looking out of 
the  window of the house1 he gave a     
savage shout1 and shaking his fist at   
me1  galloped out of the town1 the      
people pursuing him with hootings and   
revilings4          ,,chapter ,,xxxii   
,martin of ,rivadeo--,the ,factious     
,mare--,asturians--,luarca--,the ,seven 
,bellotas--,hermits--,the ,asturian's   
,tale--,strange ,guests--,the ,big      
,servant--,batuschca4    8,what may your

 business be80 said ,i to a short1      
thick1 merry-faced fellow  in a         
velveteen jerkin and canvas pantaloons1 
who made his way into my  apartment1 in 
the dusk of the evening4    8,i am      
,martin of ,rivadeo1 your worship10     
replied the man1 8an alquilador  by     
profession2 ,i am told that you want a  
horse for your journey into the         
,asturias to-morrow1 and of course a    
guide3 now1 if that be the case1 ,i     
counsel you to hire myself and mare40   
8,i am become tired of guides10 ,i      
replied2 8so much so that ,i was        
thinking  of purchasing a pony1 and     
proceeding without any guide at all4    
,the last  which we had was an infamous 
character40    8,so ,i have been told1  
your worship1 and it was well for the   
bribon that ,i  was not in ,rivadeo when
 the affair to which you allude         
occurred4  ,but he  was gone with the   
pony ,perico before ,i came back1 or ,i 
would have bled  the fellow to a        
certainty with my knife4  ,he is a      

disgrace to the  profession1 which is   
one of the most honourable and ancient  
in the world4  ,perico himself must have
 been ashamed of him1 for ,perico1      
though a pony1  is a gentleman1 one of  
many capacities1 and well known upon the
 roads4  ,he is only inferior to my     
mare40    8,are you well acquainted with
 the road to ,oviedo80 ,i demanded4     
8,i am not1 your worship2 that is1 no   
farther than ,luarca1 which is the      
first day's journey4  ,i do not wish to 
deceive you1 therefore let me go  with  
you no farther than that place2 though  
perhaps ,i might serve for the  whole   
journey1 for though ,i am unacquainted  
with the country1 ,i have a  tongue in  
my head1 and nimble feet to run and ask 
questions4  ,i will1  however1 answer   
for myself no farther than ,luarca1     
where you can please  yourselves4  ,your
 being strangers is what makes me wish  
to accompany you1  for ,i like the      
conversation of strangers1 from whom ,i 
am sure to gain  information both       

entertaining and profitable4  ,i wish1  
moreover1 to  convince you that we      
guides of ,galicia are not all thieves1 
which ,i am  sure you will not suppose  
if you only permit me to accompany you  
as far  as ,luarca40    ,i was so much  
struck with the fellow's good humour and
 frankness1 and  more especially by the 
originality of character displayed in   
almost every  sentence which he uttered1
 that ,i readily engaged him to guide us
 to  ,luarca2 whereupon he left me1     
promising to be ready with his mare at  
eight next morning4    ,rivadeo is one  
of the principal seaports of ,galicia1  
and is admirably  situated for commerce1
 on a deep firth1 into which the river  
,mirando  debouches4  ,it contains many 
magnificent buildings1 and an extensive 
square or plaza1 which is planted with  
trees4  ,i observed several vessels  in 
the harbour2 and the population1 which  
is rather numerous1 exhibited  none of  
those marks of misery and dejection     
which ,i had lately observed  among the 

,ferrolese4    ,on the morrow ,martin of
 ,rivadeo made his appearance at the    
appointed hour  with his mare4  ,it was 
a lean haggard animal1 not much larger  
than a  pony2 it had good points1       
however1 and was very clean in its      
hinder legs1  and ,martin insisted that 
it was the best animal of its kind in   
all ,spain4  8,it is a factious mare10  
said he1 8and ,i believe an ,alavese4   
,when the  ,carlists came here it fell  
lame1 and they left it behind1 and ,i   
purchased  it for a dollar4  ,it is not 
lame now1 however1 as you shall soon    
see40    ,we had now reached the firth  
which divides ,galicia from the         
,asturias4  ,a  kind of barge was lying 
about two yards from the side of the    
quay1  waiting to take us over4         
,towards this ,martin led his mare1 and 
giving an  encouraging shout1 the       
creature without any hesitation sprang  
over the  intervening space into the    
barge4  8,i told you she was a          
facciosa10 said  ,martin2 8none but a   

factious animal would have taken such a 
leap40    ,we all embarked in the barge 
and crossed over the firth1 which is in 
this  place nearly a mile broad1 to     
,castro ,pol1 the first town in the     
,asturias4  ,i now mounted the factious 
mare1 whilst ,antonio followed on my own
 horse4  ,martin led the way1 exchanging
 jests with every person whom he met on 
the  road1 and occasionally enlivening  
the way with an extemporaneous song4    
,we were now in the ,asturias1 and about
 noon we reached ,navias1 a small       
fishing town1 situate on a ria or firth2
 in the neighbourhood are ragged        
mountains1 called the ,sierra de ,buron1
 which stand in the shape of a          
semi-circle4  ,we saw a small vessel in 
the harbour1 which we subsequently      
learned was from the ,basque provinces1 
come for a cargo of cider or  sagadua1  
the beverage so dearly loved by the     
,basques4  ,as we passed along  the     
narrow street1 ,antonio was hailed with 
an 8,ola0 from a species of  shop in    

which three men1 apparently shoemakers1 
were seated4  ,he stopped  for some time
 to converse with them1 and when he     
joined us at the posada  where we       
halted1 ,i asked him who they were3     
8,mon matre10 said he1 8ce  sont des    
messieurs de ma connoissance4  ,i have  
been fellow servant at  different times 
with all three2 and ,i tell you         
beforehand1 that we shall  scarcely pass
 through a village in this country where
 ,i shall not find an  acquaintance4    
,all the ,asturians1 at some period of  
their lives1 make a  journey to ,madrid1
 where1 if they can obtain a situation1 
they remain  until they have scraped up 
sufficient to turn to advantage in their
 own  country2 and as ,i have served in 
all the great houses in ,madrid1 ,i am  
acquainted with the greatest part of    
them4  ,i have nothing to say against   
the ,asturians1 save that they are close
 and penurious whilst at service2  but  
they are not thieves1 neither at home   
nor abroad1 and though we must  have our

 wits about us in their country1 ,i have
 heard we may travel from  one end of it
 to the other without the slightest fear
 of being either  robbed or ill treated1
 which is not the case in ,galicia1     
where we were  always in danger of      
having our throats cut40    ,leaving    
,navias1 we proceeded through a wild    
desolate country1 till we  reached the  
pass of ,baralla1 which lies up the side
 of a huge wall of  rocks1 which at a   
distance appear of a light green colour1
 though  perfectly bare of herbage or   
plants of any description4    8,this    
pass10 said ,martin of ,rivadeo1 8bears 
a very evil reputation1 and ,i  should  
not like to travel it after sunset4  ,it
 is not infested by  robbers1 but by    
things much worse1 the duendes of two   
friars of ,saint  ,francis4  ,it is said
 that in the old time1 long before the  
convents were  suppressed1 two friars of
 the order of ,saint ,francis left their
 convent  to beg2 it chanced that they  
were very successful1 but as they were  

returning at nightfall1 by this pass1   
they had a quarrel about what they  had 
collected1 each insisting that he had   
done his duty better than the  other2 at
 last1 from high words they fell to     
abuse1 and from abuse to  blows4  ,what 
do you think these demons of friars did8
  ,they took off  their cloaks1 and at  
the end of each they made a knot1 in    
which they  placed a large stone1 and   
with these they thrashed and belaboured 
each  other till both fell dead4        
,master1 ,i know not which are the worst
  plagues1 friars1 curates1 or sparrows3
        8,may the ,lord ,god preserve us
 from evil birds three3      ,from all  
friars and curates and sparrows that be2
      ,for the sparrows eat up all the  
corn that we sow1      ,the friars drink
 down all the wine that we grow1        
,whilst the curates have all the fair   
dames at their nod3      ,from these    
three evil curses preserve us1 ,lord    
,god40    ,in about two hours from this 
time we reached ,luarca1 the situation  

of  which is most singular4  ,it stands 
in a deep hollow1 whose sides are so    
precipitous that it is impossible to    
descry the town until you stand just    
above it4  ,at the northern extremity of
 this hollow is a small harbour1  the   
sea entering it by a narrow cleft4  ,we 
found a large and comfortable  posada1  
and by the advice of ,martin1 made      
inquiry for a fresh guide and  horse2 we
 were informed1 however1 that all the   
horses of the place were  absent1 and   
that if we waited for their return1 we  
must tarry for two  days4  8,i had a    
presentiment10 said ,martin1 8when we   
entered ,luarca1 that  we were not      
doomed to part at present4  ,you must   
now hire my mare and me  as far as      
,giyon1 from whence there is a          
conveyance to ,oviedo4  ,to tell  you   
the truth1 ,i am by no means sorry that 
the guides are absent1 for ,i  am       
pleased with your company1 as ,i make no
 doubt you are with mine4  ,i  will now 
go and write a letter to my wife at     

,rivadeo1 informing her that  she must  
not expect to see me back for several   
days40  ,he then went out  of the room  
singing the following stanza3        8,a
 handless man a letter did write1       
,a dumb dictated it word for word3      
,the person who read it had lost his    
sight1      ,and deaf was he who        
listened and heard40    ,early the next 
morning we emerged from the hollow of   
,luarca2 about an  hour's riding brought
 us to ,caneiro1 a deep and romantic    
valley of rocks1  shaded by tall        
chestnut trees4  ,through the midst of  
this valley rushes a  rapid stream1     
which we crossed in a boat4  8,there is 
not such a stream  for trout in all the 
,asturias10 said the ferryman2 8look    
down into the  waters and observe the   
large stones over which it flows2 now in
 the  proper season and in fine weather1
 you cannot see those stones for the    
multitude of fish which cover them40    
,leaving the valley behind us1 we       
entered into a wild and dreary country1 

stony and mountainous4  ,the day was    
dull and gloomy1 and all around  looked 
sad and melancholy4  8,are we in the way
 for ,giyon and ,oviedo80  demanded     
,martin of an ancient female1 who stood 
at the door of a cottage4    8,for      
,giyon and ,oviedo60 replied the crone2 
8many is the weary step you  will have  
to make before you reach ,giyon and     
,oviedo4  ,you must first of  all crack 
the bellotas3 you are just below them40 
8,what does she mean by cracking the    
bellotas80 demanded ,i of ,martin of    
,rivadeo4    8,did your worship never   
hear of the seven bellotas80 replied our
 guide4  8,i can scarcely tell you what 
they are1 as ,i have never seen them2 ,i
  believe they are seven hills which we 
have to cross1 and are called  bellotas 
from some resemblance to acorns which it
 is fancied they bear4  ,i have often   
heard of these acorns1 and am not sorry 
that ,i have now an  opportunity of     
seeing them1 though it is said that they
 are rather hard  things for horses to  

digest40    ,the ,asturian mountains in 
this part rise to a considerable        
altitude4  ,they consist for the most   
part of dark granite1 covered here and  
there  with a thin layer of earth4      
,they approach very near to the sea1 to 
which  they slope down in broken ridges1
 between which are deep and precipitous 
defiles1 each with its rivulet1 the     
tribute of the hills to the salt  flood4
  ,the road traverses these defiles4    
,there are seven of them1 which  are    
called1 in the language of the country1 
,las siete bellotas4  ,of all  these1   
the most terrible is the midmost1 down  
which rolls an impetuous  torrent4  ,at 
the upper end of it rises a precipitous 
wall of rock1 black  as soot1 to the    
height of several hundred yards2 its    
top1 as we passed1  was enveloped with a
 veil of bretima4  ,from this gorge     
branch off1 on  either side1 small      
dingles or glens1 some of them so       
overgrown with trees  and copse-wood1   
that the eye is unable to penetrate the 

obscurity beyond  a few yards4    8,fine
 places would some of these dingles     
prove for hermitages10 said ,i to       
,martin of ,rivadeo4  8,holy men might  
lead a happy life there on roots and    
water1 and pass many years absorbed in  
heavenly contemplation1 without  ever   
being disturbed by the noise and turmoil
 of the world40    8,true1 your         
worship10 replied ,martin2 8and perhaps 
on that very account  there are no      
hermitages in the barrancos of the seven
 bellotas4  ,our  hermits had little    
inclination for roots and water1 and had
 no kind of  objection to be            
occasionally disturbed in their         
meditations4  ,vaya6 ,i  never yet saw a
 hermitage that was not hard by some    
rich town or village1  or was not a     
regular resort for all the idle people  
in the neighbourhood4  ,hermits are not 
fond of living in dingles1 amongst      
wolves and foxes2 for  how in that case 
could they dispose of their poultry8  ,a
 hermit of my  acquaintance left1 when  

he died1 a fortune of seven hundred     
dollars to  his niece1 the greatest part
 of which he scraped up by fattening    
turkeys40    ,at the top of this bellota
 we found a wretched venta1 where we    
refreshed  ourselves1 and then continued
 our journey4  ,late in the afternoon we
  cleared the last of these difficult   
passes4  ,the wind began now to rise1   
bearing on its wings a drizzling rain4  
,we passed by ,soto ,luino1 and  shaping
 our course through a wild but          
picturesque country1 we found  ourselves
 about nightfall at the foot of a steep 
hill1 up which led a  narrow bridle-way1
 amidst a grove of lofty trees4  ,long  
before we had  reached the top it had   
become quite dark1 and the rain had     
increased  considerably4  ,we stumbled  
along in the obscurity1 leading our     
horses1  which were occasionally down on
 their knees1 owing to the slipperiness 
of  the path4  ,at last we accomplished 
the ascent in safety1 and pushing       
briskly forward1 we found ourselves1 in 

about half an hour1 at the  entrance of 
,muros1 a large village situated just on
 the declivity of the  farther side of  
the hill4    ,a blazing fire in the     
posada soon dried our wet garments1 and 
in some  degree recompensed us for the  
fatigues which we had undergone in      
scrambling up the bellotas4  ,a rather  
singular place was this same posada  of 
,muros4  ,it was a large rambling house1
 with a spacious kitchen1 or  common    
room1 on the ground floor4  ,above      
stairs was a large  dining-apartment1   
with an immense oak table1 and furnished
 with cumbrous  leathern chairs with    
high backs1 apparently three centuries  
old at least4  ,communicating with this 
apartment was a wooden gallery1 open to 
the air1  which led to a small chamber1 
in which ,i was destined to sleep1 and  
which  contained an old-fashioned       
tester-bed with curtains4  ,it was just 
one of  those inns which romance writers
 are so fond of introducing in their    
descriptions1 especially when the scene 

of adventure lies in ,spain4  ,the  host
 was a talkative ,asturian4    ,the wind
 still howled1 and the rain descended in
 torrents4  ,i sat before  the fire in a
 very drowsy state1 from which ,i was   
presently aroused by  the conversation  
of the host4  8,seor10 said he1 8it is  
now three years  since ,i beheld        
foreigners in my house4  ,i remember it 
was about this time  of the year1 and   
just such a night as this1 that two men 
on horseback  arrived here4  ,what was  
singular1 they came without any guide4  
,two more  strange-looking individuals  
,i never yet beheld with eye-sight4  ,i 
shall  never forget them4  ,the one was 
as tall as a giant1 with much tawny     
moustache1 like the coat of a badger1   
growing about his mouth4  ,he had a     
huge ruddy face1 and looked dull and    
stupid1 as he no doubt was1 for when  ,i
 spoke to him1 he did not seem to       
understand1 and answered in a jabber1   
valgame ,dios6 so wild and strange1 that
 ,i remained staring at him with  mouth 

and eyes open4  ,the other was neither  
tall nor red-faced1 nor had  he hair    
about his mouth1 and1 indeed1 he had    
very little upon his head4  ,he was very
 diminutive1 and looked like a jorobado 
7hunchback72 but1  valgame ,dios6 such  
eyes1 like wild cats'1 so sharp and full
 of malice4  ,he spoke as good ,spanish 
as ,i myself do1 and yet he was no      
,spaniard4  ,a  ,spaniard never looked  
like that man4  ,he was dressed in a    
zamarra1 with  much silver and          
embroidery1 and wore an ,andalusian hat1
 and ,i soon found  that he was master1 
and that the other was servant4         
8,valgame ,dios6 what an evil           
disposition had that same foreign       
jorobado1  and yet he had much grace1   
much humour1 and said occasionally to me
 such  comical things1 that ,i was fit  
to die of laughter4  ,so he sat down to 
supper in the room above1 and ,i may as 
well tell you here1 that he slept  in   
the same chamber where your worship will
 sleep to-night1 and his  servant waited

 behind his chair4  ,well1 ,i had       
curiosity1 so ,i sat myself  down at the
 table too1 without asking leave4  ,why 
should ,i8  ,i was in my  own house1 and
 an ,asturian is fit company for a king1
 and is often of  better blood4  ,oh1   
what a strange supper was that4  ,if the
 servant made  the slightest mistake in 
helping him1 up would start the         
jorobado1 jump  upon his chair1 and     
seizing the big giant by the hair1 would
 cuff him on  both sides of the face1   
till ,i was afraid his teeth would have 
fallen  out4  ,the giant1 however1 did  
not seem to care about it much4  ,he was
  used to it1 ,i suppose4  ,valgame     
,dios6 if he had been a ,spaniard1 he   
would  not have submitted to it so      
patiently4  ,but what surprised me most 
was1  that after beating his servant1   
the master would sit down1 and the next 
moment would begin conversing and       
laughing with him as if nothing had     
happened1 and the giant also would laugh
 and converse with his master1  for all 

the world as if he had not been beaten4 
8,you may well suppose1 ,seor1 that ,i  
understood nothing of their  discourse1 
for it was all in that strange          
unchristian tongue in which the  giant  
answered me when ,i spoke to him2 the   
sound of it is still ringing  in my     
ears4  ,it was nothing like other       
languages4  ,not like ,bascuen1 not     
like the language in which your worship 
speaks to my namesake ,signor  ,antonio 
here4  ,valgame ,dios6  ,i can compare  
it to nothing but the sound a  person   
makes when he rinses his mouth with     
water4  ,there is one word  which ,i    
think ,i still remember1 for it was     
continually proceeding from  the giant's
 lips1 but his master never used it4    
8,but the strangest part of the story is
 yet to be told4  ,the supper was       
ended1 and the night was rather         
advanced1 the rain still beat against   
the  windows1 even as it does at this   
moment4  ,suddenly the jorobado pulled  
out his watch4  ,valgame ,dios6 such a  

watch6  ,i will tell you one thing1     
,seor1 that ,i could purchase all the   
,asturias1 and ,muros besides1 with  the
 brilliants which shone about the sides 
of that same watch3 the room  wanted no 
lamp1 ,i trow1 so great was the         
splendour which they cast4  ,so  the    
jorobado looked at his watch1 and then  
said to me1 ,i shall go to  rest4  ,he  
then took the lamp and went through the 
gallery to his room1  followed by his   
big servant4  ,well1 ,seor1 ,i cleared  
away the things1 and  then waited below 
for the servant1 for whom ,i had        
prepared a comfortable  bed1 close by my
 own4  ,seor1 ,i waited patiently for an
 hour1 till at  last my patience was    
exhausted1 and ,i ascended to the supper
 apartment1  and passed through the     
gallery till ,i came to the door of the 
strange  guest4  ,seor1 what do you     
think ,i saw at the door80    8,how     
should ,i know80 ,i replied4  8,his     
riding boots perhaps40    8,no1 ,seor1  
,i did not see his riding boots2 but1   

stretched on the floor  with his head   
against the door1 so that it was        
impossible to open it  without          
disturbing him1 lay the big servant fast
 asleep1 his immense legs  reaching     
nearly the whole length of the gallery4 
,i crossed myself1 as  well ,i might1   
for the wind was howling even as it is  
now1 and the rain  was rushing down into
 the gallery in torrents2 yet there lay 
the big  servant fast asleep1 without   
any covering1 without any pillow1 not   
even a  log1 stretched out before his   
master's door4    8,seor1 ,i got little 
rest that night1 for ,i said to myself1 
,i have evil  wizards in my house1 folks
 who are not human4  ,once or twice ,i  
went up  and peeped into the gallery1   
but there still lay the big servant fast
  asleep1 so ,i crossed myself and      
returned to my bed again40    8,well10  
said ,i1 8and what occurred next day80  
8,nothing particular occurred next day3 
the jorobado came down and said  comical
 things to me in good ,spanish1 and the 

big servant came down1 but  whatever he 
said1 and he did not say much1 ,i       
understood not1 for it was  in that     
disastrous jabber4  ,they stayed with me
 throughout the day till  after         
supper-time1 and then the jorobado gave 
me a gold ounce1 and  mounting their    
horses1 they both departed as strangely 
as they had come1  in the dark night1 ,i
 know not whither40    8,is that all80  
,i demanded4    8,no1 ,seor1 it is not  
all2 for ,i was right in supposing them 
evil brujos3  the very next day an      
express arrived and a great search was  
made after  them1 and ,i was arrested   
for having harboured them4  ,this       
occurred just  after the present wars   
had commenced4  ,it was said they were  
spies and  emissaries of ,i don't know  
what nation1 and that they had been in  
all  parts of the ,asturias1 holding    
conferences with some of the            
disaffected4  ,they escaped1 however1   
and were never heard of more1 though the
 animals  which they rode were found    

without their riders1 wandering amongst 
the  hills2 they were common ponies1 and
 were of no value4  ,as for the brujos1 
it is believed that they embarked in    
some small vessel which was lying       
concealed in one of the rias of the     
coast40    ,myself4--,what was the word 
which you continually heard proceeding  
from  the lips of the big servant1 and  
which you think you can remember8       
,host4--,seor1 it is now three years    
since ,i heard it1 and at times ,i can  
remember it and at others not2 sometimes
 ,i have started up in my sleep         
repeating it4  ,stay1 ,seor1 ,i have it 
now at the point of my tongue3 it  was  
,patusca4    ,myself4--,batuschca1 you  
mean2 the men were ,russians4           
,,chapter ,,xxxiii      ,oviedo--,the   
,ten ,gentlemen--,the ,swiss            
again--,modest ,request--,the           
,robbers--,episcopal ,benevolence--,the 
,cathedral--,portrait of ,feijoo4    ,i 
must now take a considerable stride in  
my journey1 no less than from  ,muros to

 ,oviedo1 contenting myself with        
observing1 that we proceeded from       
,muros to ,velez1 and from thence to    
,giyon1 where our guide ,martin bade us 
farewell1 and returned with his mare to 
,rivadeo4  ,the honest fellow did  not  
part without many expressions of regret1
 indeed he even expressed a  desire that
 ,i should take him and his mare into my
 service2 8for10 said  he1 8,i have a   
great desire to run through all ,spain1 
and even the world2  and ,i am sure ,i  
shall never have a better opportunity   
than by attaching  myself to your       
worship's skirts40  ,on my reminding    
him1 however1 of his  wife and family1  
for he had both1 he said1 8,true1 true1 
,i had forgotten  them3 happy the guide 
whose only wife and family are a mare   
and foal40    ,oviedo is about three    
leagues from ,giyon4  ,antonio rode the 
horse1 whilst  ,i proceeded thither in a
 kind of diligence which runs daily     
between the  two towns4  ,the road is   
good1 but mountainous4  ,i arrived      

safely at the  capital of the ,asturias1
 although at a rather unpropitious      
season1 for  the din of war was at the  
gate1 and there was the cry of the      
captains and  the shouting4  ,castile1  
at the time of which ,i am writing1 was 
in the  hands of the ,carlists1 who had 
captured and plundered ,valladolid in   
much  the same manner as they had       
,segovia some time before4  ,they were  
every  day expected to march on ,oviedo1
 in which case they might perhaps have  
experienced some resistance1 a          
considerable body of troops being       
stationed there1 who had erected some   
redoubts1 and strongly fortified        
several of the convents1 especially that
 of ,santa ,clara de la ,vega4  ,all    
minds were in a state of feverish       
anxiety and suspense1 more especially   
as no intelligence arrived from ,madrid1
 which by the last accounts was  said to
 be occupied by the bands of ,cabrera   
and ,palillos4    ,so it came to pass   
that one night ,i found myself in the   

ancient town of  ,oviedo1 in a very     
large1 scantily-furnished1 and remote   
room in an  ancient posada1 formerly a  
palace of the counts of ,santa ,cruz4   
,it was  past ten1 and the rain was     
descending in torrents4  ,i was writing1
 but  suddenly ceased on hearing        
numerous footsteps ascending the        
creaking  stairs which led to my        
apartment4  ,the door was flung open1   
and in walked  nine men of tall stature1
 marshalled by a little hunchbacked     
personage4  ,they were all muffled in   
the long cloaks of ,spain1 but ,i       
instantly knew  by their demeanour that 
they were caballeros1 or gentlemen4     
,they placed  themselves in a rank      
before the table where ,i was sitting4  
,suddenly and  simultaneously they all  
flung back their cloaks1 and ,i         
perceived that  every one bore a book in
 his hand2 a book which ,i knew full    
well4  ,after  a pause1 which ,i was    
unable to break1 for ,i sat lost in     
astonishment1 and  almost conceived     

myself to be visited by apparitions1 the
 hunchback1  advancing somewhat before  
the rest1 said in soft silvery tones1   
8,seor  ,cavalier1 was it you who       
brought this book to the ,asturias80  ,i
 now  supposed that they were the civil 
authorities of the place come to take   
me into custody1 and1 rising from my    
seat1 ,i exclaimed1 8,it certainly was  
,i1 and it is my glory to have done so2 
the book is the ,new ,testament of      
,god3 ,i wish it was in my power to     
bring a million40  8,i heartily wish so 
too10 said the little personage with a  
sigh4  8,be under no apprehension1  ,sir
 ,cavalier1 these gentlemen are my      
friends2 we have just purchased  these  
books in the shop where you placed them 
for sale1 and have taken  the liberty of
 calling upon you1 in order to return   
you our thanks for  the treasure you    
have brought us4  ,i hope you can       
furnish us with the ,old  ,testament    
also40  ,i replied that ,i was sorry to 
inform him that at  present it was      

entirely out of my power to comply with 
his wish1 as ,i had  no ,old ,testaments
 in my possession1 but did not despair  
of procuring some  speedily from        
,england4  ,he then asked me a great    
many questions  concerning my biblical  
travels in ,spain1 and my success1 and  
the views  entertained by the ,society1 
with respect to ,spain1 adding that he  
hoped  we should pay particular         
attention to the ,asturias1 which he    
assured me  was the best ground in the  
,peninsula for our labour4  ,after about
 half an  hour's conversation1 he       
suddenly said1 in the ,english language1
 8,good  night1 ,sir10 wrapped his cloak
 around him1 and walked out as he had   
come4  ,his companions1 who had hitherto
 not uttered a word1 all repeated 8,good
  night1 ,sir10 and1 adjusting their    
cloaks1 followed him4    ,in order to   
explain this strange scene1 ,i must     
state that in the morning  ,i had       
visited the petty bookseller of the     
place1 ,longoria1 and having  arranged  

preliminaries with him1 ,i sent him in  
the evening a package of  forty         
,testaments1 all ,i possessed1 with some
 advertisements4  ,at the time  he      
assured me that1 though he was willing  
to undertake the sale1 there  was1      
nevertheless1 not a prospect of success1
 as a whole month had  elapsed since he 
had sold a book of any description1 on  
account of the  uncertainty of the      
times1 and the poverty which pervaded   
the land2 ,i  therefore felt much       
dispirited4  ,this incident1 however1   
admonished me  not to be cast down when 
things look gloomiest1 as the hand of   
the ,lord  is generally then most busy2 
that men may learn to perceive1 that    
whatever good is accomplished is not    
their work but his4    ,two or three    
days after this adventure1 ,i was once  
more seated in my  large                
scantily-furnished room2 it was about   
ten1 of a dark melancholy  morning1 and 
the autumnal rain was again falling4  ,i
 had just  breakfasted1 and was about to

 sit down to my journal1 when the door  
was  flung open and in bounded ,antonio4
    8,mon matre10 said he1 quite        
breathless1 8who do you think has       
arrived80    8,the pretender1 ,i        
suppose10 said ,i1 in some trepidation2 
8if so1 we are  prisoners40    8,bah1   
bah60 said ,antonio1 8it is not the     
pretender1 but one worth twenty  of him2
 it is the ,swiss of ,saint ,james40    
8,benedict ,mol1 the ,swiss60 said ,i1  
8,what6 has he found the treasure8  ,but
  how did he come8  ,how is he dressed80
    8,mon matre10 said ,antonio1 8he    
came on foot if we may judge by his     
shoes1 through which his toes are       
sticking2 and as for his dress1 he is   
in most villainous apparel40    8,there 
must be some mystery in this10 said ,i2 
8where is he at present80    8,below1   
mon matre10 replied ,antonio2 8he came  
in quest of us4  ,but ,i no  sooner saw 
him1 than ,i hurried away to let you    
know40    ,in a few minutes ,benedict   
,mol found his way up stairs2 he was1 as

 ,antonio  had remarked1 in most        
villainous apparel1 and nearly          
barefooted2 his old  ,andalusian hat was
 dripping with rain4    8,och1 lieber   
herr10 said ,benedict1 8how rejoiced ,i 
am to see you again4  ,oh1 the sight of 
your countenance almost repays me for   
all the miseries ,i  have undergone     
since ,i parted with you at ,saint      
,james40    ,myself4--,i can scarcely   
believe that ,i really see you here at  
,oviedo4  ,what motive can have induced 
you to come to such an out-of-the-way   
place  from such an immense distance8   
,benedict4--,lieber herr1 ,i will sit   
down and tell you all that has  befallen
 me4  ,some few days after ,i saw you   
last1 the canonigo persuaded  me to go  
to the captain-general to apply for     
permission to disinter the  schatz1 and 
also to crave assistance4  ,so ,i saw   
the captain-general1 who  at first      
received me very kindly1 asked me       
several questions1 and told me  to come 
again4  ,so ,i continued visiting him   

till he would see me no  longer1 and do 
what ,i might ,i could not obtain a     
glance of him4  ,the  canon now became  
impatient1 more especially as he had    
given me a few  pesetas out of the      
charities of the church4  ,he frequently
 called me a  bribon and impostor4  ,at 
last1 one morning ,i went to him1 and   
said that ,i  had proposed to return to 
,madrid1 in order to lay the matter     
before the  government1 and requested   
that he would give me a certificate to  
the  effect that ,i had performed a     
pilgrimage to ,saint ,james1 which ,i   
imagined  would be of assistance to me  
upon the way1 as it would enable me to  
beg  with some colour of authority4  ,he
 no sooner heard this request1 than1    
without saying a word or allowing me a  
moment to put myself on my  defence1 he 
sprang upon me like a tiger1 grasping my
 throat so hard that  ,i thought he     
would have strangled me4  ,i am a       
,swiss1 however1 and a man  of ,lucerne1
 and when ,i had recovered myself a     

little1 ,i had no difficulty  in        
flinging him off2 ,i then threatened him
 with my staff and went away4  ,he      
followed me to the gate with the most   
horrid curses1 saying that if ,i        
presumed to return again1 he would have 
me thrown at once into prison as  a     
thief and a heretic4  ,so ,i went in    
quest of yourself1 lieber herr1 but     
they told me that you were departed for 
,corua2 ,i then set out for ,corua      
after you4    ,myself4--,and what befell
 you on the road8    ,benedict4--,i will
 tell you3 about half-way between ,saint
 ,james and  ,corua1 as ,i was walking  
along1 thinking of the schatz1 ,i heard 
a loud  galloping1 and looking around me
 ,i saw two men on horseback coming     
across  the field with the swiftness of 
the wind1 and making directly for me4   
,lieber ,gott1 said ,i1 these are       
thieves1 these are factious2 and so they
  were4  ,they came up to me in a moment
 and bade me stand1 so ,i flung down  my
 staff1 took off my hat and saluted     

them4  8,good day1 caballeros10 said  ,i
 to them4  8,good day1 countryman10 said
 they to me1 and then we stood  staring 
at each other for more than a minute4   
,lieber himmel1 ,i never saw  such      
robbers2 so finely dressed1 so well     
armed1 and mounted so bravely on  two   
fiery little hakkas1 that looked as if  
they could have taken wing and  flown up
 into the clouds6  ,so we continued     
staring at each other1 till at  last one
 asked me who ,i was1 whence ,i came1   
and where ,i was going4  8,gentlemen10  
said ,i1 8,i am a ,swiss1 ,i have been  
to ,saint ,james to perform  a religious
 vow1 and am now returning to my own    
country40  ,i said not a  word about the
 treasure1 for ,i was afraid that they  
would have shot me at  once1 conceiving 
that ,i carried part of it about me4    
8,have you any  money80 they demanded4  
8,gentlemen10 ,i replied1 8you see how  
,i travel on  foot1 with my shoes torn  
to pieces2 ,i should not do so if ,i had
 money4  ,i  will not deceive you1      

however1 ,i have a peseta and a few     
cuartos10 and  thereupon ,i took out    
what ,i had and offered it to them4     
8,fellow10 said  they1 8we are          
caballeros of ,galicia1 and do not take 
pesetas1 much less  cuartos4  ,of what  
opinion are you8  ,are you for the      
queen80  8,no1  gentlemen10 said ,i1 8,i
 am not for the queen1 but1 at the same 
time1 allow  me to tell you that ,i am  
not for the king either2 ,i know nothing
 about  the matter2 ,i am a ,swiss1 and 
fight neither for nor against anybody   
unless ,i am paid40  ,this made them    
laugh1 and then they questioned me      
about ,saint ,james1 and the troops     
there1 and the captain-general2 and not 
to disoblige them1 ,i told them all ,i  
knew and much more4  ,then one of  them1
 who looked the fiercest and most       
determined1 took his trombone in  his   
hand1 and pointing it at me1 said1 8,had
 you been a ,spaniard1 we would  have   
blown your head to shivers1 for we      
should have thought you a spy1  but we  

see you are a foreigner1 and believe    
what you have said2 take1  therefore1   
this peseta and go your way1 but beware 
that you tell nobody  any thing about   
us1 for if you do1 carracho60  ,he then 
discharged his  trombone just over my   
head1 so that for a moment ,i thought   
myself shot1  and then with an awful    
shout1 they both galloped away1 their   
horses  leaping over the barrancos1 as  
if possessed with many devils4          
,myself4--,and what happened to you on  
your arrival at ,corua8                 
,benedict4--,when ,i arrived at ,corua1 
,i inquired after yourself1 lieber      
herr1 and they informed me that1 only   
the day before my arrival1 you had      
departed for ,oviedo3 and when ,i heard 
that1 my heart died within me1 for  ,i  
was now at the far end of ,galicia1     
without a friend to help me4  ,for a    
day or two ,i knew not what to do2 at   
last ,i determined to make for the      
frontier of ,france1 passing through    
,oviedo in the way1 where ,i hoped to   

see you and ask counsel of you4  ,so ,i 
begged and bettled among the  ,germans  
of ,corua4  ,i1 however1 got very little
 from them1 only a few  cuarts1 less    
than the thieves had given me on the    
road from ,saint ,james1  and with these
 ,i departed for the ,asturias by the   
way of ,mondonedo4  ,och1  what a town  
is that1 full of canons1 priests1 and   
pfaffen1 all of them  more ,carlist than
 ,carlos himself4    ,one day ,i went to
 the bishop's palace and spoke to him1  
telling him ,i was  a pilgrim from      
,saint ,james1 and requesting           
assistance4  ,he told me1  however1 that
 he could not relieve me1 and as for my 
being a pilgrim from  ,saint ,james1 he 
was glad of it1 and hoped that it would 
be of service to  my soul4  ,so ,i left 
,mondonedo1 and got amongst the wild    
mountains1  begging and bettling at the 
door of every choza that ,i passed1     
telling  all ,i saw that ,i was a       
pilgrim from ,saint ,james1 and showing 
my passport  in proof that ,i had been  

there4  ,lieber herr1 no person gave me 
a cuart1  nor even a piece of broa1 and 
both ,gallegans and ,asturians laughed  
at  ,saint ,james1 and told me that his 
name was no longer a passport in ,spain4
  ,i should have starved if ,i had not  
sometimes plucked an ear or two out of  
the maize fields2 ,i likewise gathered  
grapes from the parras and berries  from
 the brambles1 and in this manner ,i    
subsisted till ,i arrived at the        
bellotas1 where ,i slaughtered a stray  
kid which ,i met1 and devoured part  of 
the flesh raw1 so great was my hunger4  
,it made me1 however1 very ill1  and for
 two days ,i lay in a barranco half dead
 and unable to help myself2  it was a   
mercy that ,i was not devoured by the   
wolves4  ,i then struck  across the     
country for ,oviedo3 how ,i reached it  
,i do not know2 ,i was like  one walking
 in a dream4  ,last night ,i slept in an
 empty hog-sty about two  leagues from  
here1 and ere ,i left it1 ,i fell down  
on my knees and prayed  to ,god that ,i 

might find you1 lieber herr1 for you    
were my last hope4    ,myself4--,and    
what do you propose to do at present8   
,benedict4--,what can ,i say1 lieber    
herr8  ,i know not what to do4  ,i will 
be guided in everything by your counsel4
    ,myself4--,i shall remain at ,oviedo
 a few days longer1 during which time   
you can lodge at this posada1 and       
endeavour to recover from the fatigue   
of your disastrous journeys2 perhaps    
before ,i depart1 we may hit on some    
plan to extricate you from your present 
difficulties4    ,oviedo contains about 
fifteen thousand inhabitants4  ,it is   
picturesquely  situated between two     
mountains1 ,morcin and ,naranco2 the    
former is very  high and rugged1 and    
during the greater part of the year is  
covered with  snow2 the sides of the    
latter are cultivated and planted with  
vines4  ,the  principal ornament of the 
town is the cathedral1 the tower of     
which is  exceedingly lofty1 and is     
perhaps one of the purest specimens of  

,gothic  architecture at present in     
existence4  ,the interior of the        
cathedral is  neat and appropriate1 but 
simple and unadorned4  ,i observed but  
one  picture1 the ,conversion of ,saint 
,paul4  ,one of the chapels is a        
cemetery1  in which rest the bones of   
eleven ,gothic kings2 to whose souls be 
peace4    ,i bore a letter of           
recommendation from ,corua to a merchant
 of ,oviedo4  ,this person received me  
very courteously1 and generally devoted 
some  portion of every day to showing me
 the remarkable things of ,oviedo4      
,one morning he thus addressed me3 8,you
 have doubtless heard of ,feijoo1  the  
celebrated philosophic monk of the order
 of ,saint ,benedict1 whose  writings   
have so much tended to remove the       
popular fallacies and  superstitions so 
long cherished in ,spain2 he is buried  
in one of our  convents1 where he passed
 a considerable portion of his life4    
,come with  me and ,i will show you his 
portrait4  ,carlos ,tercero1 our great  

king1  sent his own painter from ,madrid
 to execute it4  ,it is now in the      
possession of a friend of mine1 ,don    
,ramon ,valdez1 an advocate40           
,thereupon he led me to the house of    
,don ,ramon ,valdez1 who very politely  
exhibited the portrait of ,feijoo4  ,it 
was circular in shape1 about a foot  in 
diameter1 and was surrounded by a little
 brass frame1 something like  the rim of
 a barber's basin4  ,the countenance was
 large and massive but  fine1 the       
eyebrows knit1 the eyes sharp and       
penetrating1 nose aquiline4  ,on the    
head was a silken skull-cap2 the collar 
of the coat or vest was  just           
perceptible4  ,the painting was         
decidedly good1 and struck me as  being 
one of the very best specimens of modern
 ,spanish art which ,i had  hitherto    
seen4    ,a day or two after this ,i    
said to ,benedict ,mol1 8to-morrow ,i   
start from  hence for ,santander4  ,it  
is therefore high time that you decide  
upon some  course1 whether to return to 

,madrid or to make the best of your way 
to  ,france1 and from thence proceed to 
your own country40    8,lieber herr10   
said ,benedict1 8,i will follow you to  
,santander by short  journeys1 for ,i am
 unable to make long ones amongst these 
hills2 and when  ,i am there1           
peradventure ,i may find some means of  
passing into ,france4  ,it is a great   
comfort1 in my horrible journeys1 to    
think that ,i am  travelling over the   
ground which yourself have trodden1 and 
to hope that  ,i am proceeding to rejoin
 you once more4  ,this hope kept me     
alive in the  bellotas1 and without it  
,i should never have reached ,oviedo4   
,i will quit  ,spain as soon as         
possible1 and betake me to ,lucerne1    
though it is a hard  thing to leave the 
schatz behind me in the land of the     
,gallegans40    ,thereupon ,i presented 
him with a few dollars4    8,a strange  
man is this ,benedict10 said ,antonio to
 me next morning1 as1  accompanied by a 
guide1 we sallied forth from ,oviedo2 8a

 strange man1 mon  matre1 is this same  
,benedict4  ,a strange life has he led1 
and a strange  death he will die1--it is
 written on his countenance4  ,that he  
will leave  ,spain ,i do not believe1 or
 if he leave it1 it will be only to     
return1 for  he is bewitched about this 
treasure4  ,last night he sent for a    
sorciere1  whom he consulted in my      
presence2 and she told him that he was  
doomed to  possess it1 but that first of
 all he must cross water4  ,she         
cautioned him  likewise against an      
enemy1 which he supposes must be the    
canon of ,saint  ,james4  ,i have often 
heard people speak of the avidity of the
 ,swiss for  money1 and here is a proof 
of it4  ,i would not undergo what       
,benedict has  suffered in these last   
journeys of his1 to possess all the     
treasures in  ,spain40                  
,,chapter ,,xxxiv      ,departure from  
,oviedo--,villa ,viciosa--,the ,young   
,man of the ,inn--,antonio's            
,tale--,the ,general and his            

,family--,woful ,tidings--,to-morrow we 
,die--,san  ,vincente--,santander--,an  
,harangue--,flinter the ,irishman4      
,so we left ,oviedo and directed our    
course towards ,santander4  ,the man who
  accompanied us as guide1 and from whom
 ,i hired the pony on which ,i rode1    
had been recommended to me by my friend 
the merchant of ,oviedo4  ,he  proved1  
however1 a lazy indolent fellow2 he was 
generally loitering two  or three       
hundred yards in our rear1 and instead  
of enlivening the way  with song and    
tale1 like our late guide1 ,martin of   
,rivadeo1 he scarcely  ever opened his  
lips1 save to tell us not to go so fast1
 or that ,i should  burst his pony if ,i
 spurred him so4  ,he was thievish      
withal1 and though  he had engaged to   
make the journey seco1 that is1 to      
defray the charges  of himself and      
beast1 he contrived throughout to keep  
both at our  expense4  ,when journeying 
in ,spain1 it is invariably the cheapest
 plan to  agree to maintain the guide   

and his horse or mule1 for by so doing  
the  hire is diminished at least one    
third1 and the bills upon the road are  
seldom increased3 whereas1 in the other 
case1 he pockets the difference1  and   
yet goes shot free1 and at the expense  
of the traveller1 through the           
connivance of the innkeepers1 who have a
 kind of fellow feeling with the        
guides4    ,late in the afternoon we    
reached ,villa ,viciosa1 a small dirty  
town1 at  the distance of eight leagues 
from ,oviedo3 it stands beside a creek  
which  communicates with the ,bay of    
,biscay4  ,it is sometimes called ,la   
,capital  de las ,avellanas1 or the     
capital of the ,filberts1 from the      
immense  quantity of this fruit which is
 grown in the neighbourhood2 and the    
greatest part of which is exported to   
,england4  ,as we drew nigh we  overtook
 numerous cars laden with avellanas     
proceeding in the direction  of the     
town4  ,i was informed that several     
small ,english vessels were  lying in   

the harbour4  ,singular as it may seem1 
however1 notwithstanding  we were in the
 capital of the ,avellanas1 it was with 
the utmost  difficulty that ,i procured 
a scanty handful for my dessert1 and of 
these  more than one half were decayed4 
,the people of the house informed me    
that the nuts were intended for         
exportation1 and that they never dreamt 
either of partaking of them themselves  
or of offering them to their  guests4   
,at an early hour on the following day  
we reached ,colunga1 a beautiful        
village on a rising ground1 thickly     
planted with chestnut trees4  ,it is    
celebrated1 at least in the ,asturias1  
as being the birth-place of  ,arguelles1
 the father of the ,spanish             
constitution4    ,as we dismounted at   
the door of the posada1 where we        
intended to refresh  ourselves1 a person
 who was leaning out of an upper window 
uttered an  exclamation and disappeared4
  ,we were yet at the door1 when the    
same  individual came running forth and 

cast himself on the neck of ,antonio4   
,he was a good-looking young man1       
apparently about five and twenty1       
genteelly dressed1 with a ,montero cap  
on his head4  ,antonio looked at him    
for a moment1 and then with a ,ah1      
,monsieur1 est ce bien vous8 shook  him 
affectionately by the hand4  ,the       
stranger then motioned him to follow    
him1 and they forthwith proceeded to the
 room above4    ,wondering what this    
could mean1 ,i sat down to my morning   
repast4  ,nearly  an hour elapsed1 and  
still ,antonio did not make his         
appearance2 through  the boards1        
however1 which composed the ceiling of  
the kitchen where ,i  sat1 ,i could hear
 the voices of himself and his          
acquaintance1 and thought  that ,i could
 occasionally distinguish the sound of  
broken sobs and  groans2 at last there  
was a long pause4  ,i became impatient1 
and was  about to summon ,antonio1 when 
he made his appearance1 but             
unaccompanied  by the stranger4  8,what1

 in the name of all that is singular10  
,i  demanded1 8have you been about8     
,who is that man80  8,mon matre10 said  
,antonio1 8c'est un monsieur de ma      
connoissance4  ,with your permission ,i 
will now take a mouthful1 and as we     
journey along ,i will tell you all  that
 ,i know of him40    8,monsieur10 said  
,antonio1 as we rode out of ,colunga1   
8you are anxious to  know the history of
 the gentleman whom you saw embrace me  
at the inn4  ,know1 mon matre1 that     
these ,carlist and ,christino wars have 
been the  cause of much misery and      
misfortune in this country1 but a being 
so  thoroughly unfortunate as that poor 
young gentleman of the inn1 ,i do not   
believe is to be found in ,spain1 and   
his misfortunes proceed entirely  from  
the spirit of party and faction which   
for some time past has been so          
prevalent4    8,mon matre1 as ,i have   
often told you1 ,i have lived in many   
houses and  served many masters1 and it 
chanced that about ten years ago ,i     

served the  father of this gentleman1   
who was then a mere boy4  ,it was a very
 high  family1 for monsieur the father  
was a general in the army1 and a man of 
large possessions4  ,the family         
consisted of the general1 his lady1 and 
two sons2 the youngest of whom is the   
person you have just seen1 the  other   
was several years older4  ,pardieu6 ,i  
felt myself very comfortable  in that   
house1 and every individual of the      
family had all kind of  complaisance for
 me4  ,it is singular enough1 that      
though ,i have been  turned out of so   
many families1 ,i was never turned out  
of that2 and  though ,i left it thrice1 
it was of my own free will4  ,i became  
dissatisfied with the other servants or 
with the dog or the cat4  ,the  last    
time ,i left was on account of the quail
 which was hung out of the  window of   
madame1 and which waked me in the       
morning with its call4  ,eh  bien1 mon  
maitre1 things went on in this way      
during the three years  that ,i         

continued in the family1 out and in2 at 
the end of which time it  was determined
 that the young gentleman should travel1
 and it was  proposed that ,i should    
attend him as valet2 this ,i wished very
 much to  do4  ,however1 par malheur1 ,i
 was at this time very much dissatisfied
 with  madame his mother about the      
quail1 and ,i insisted that before ,i   
accompanied him the bird should be      
slaughtered for the kitchen4  ,to this  
madame would by no means consent2 and   
even the young gentleman1 who had       
always taken my part on other occasions1
 said that ,i was unreasonable3 so  ,i  
left the house in a huff1 and never     
entered it again4    8,eh bien1 mon     
maitre1 the young gentleman went upon   
his travels1 and  continued abroad      
several years2 and from the time of his 
departure until  we met him at ,colunga1
 ,i have not set eyes upon1 nor indeed  
heard of him4  ,i have heard enough1    
however1 of his family2 of monsieur the 
father1 of  madame1 and of the brother1 

who was an officer of cavalry4  ,a short
 time  before the troubles1 ,i mean     
before the death of ,ferdinand1 monsieur
 the  father was appointed              
captain-general of ,corua4  ,now        
monsieur1 though a  good master1 was    
rather a proud man1 and fond of         
discipline and all that  kind of thing1 
and of obedience4  ,he was1 moreover1 no
 friend to the  populace1 to the        
canaille1 and he had a particular       
aversion to the  nationals4  ,so when   
,ferdinand died1 it was whispered about 
at ,corua1  that the general was no     
liberal1 and that he was a better friend
 to  ,carlos than to ,christina4  ,eh   
bien1 it chanced that there was a grand 
fete1 or festival at ,corua1 on the     
water2 and the nationals were there1    
and the soldiers4  ,and ,i know not how 
it befell1 but there was an emeute1  and
 the nationals laid hands on monsieur   
the general1 and tying a rope  round his
 neck1 flung him overboard from the     
barge in which he was1 and  then dragged

 him astern about the harbour until he  
was drowned4  ,they  then went to his   
house and pillaged it1 and so           
ill-treated madame1 who at  that time   
happened to be enceinte1 that in a few  
hours she expired4    8,i tell you what1
 mon matre1 when ,i heard of the        
misfortune of madame  and the general1  
you would scarcely believe it1 but ,i   
actually shed  tears1 and was sorry that
 ,i had parted with them in unkindness  
on account  of that pernicious quail4   
8,eh bien1 mon maitre1 nous poursuivrons
 notre histoire4  ,the eldest  son1 as  
,i told you before1 was a cavalry       
officer and a man of resolution1  and   
when he heard of the death of his father
 and mother1 he vowed  revenge4  ,poor  
fellow6 but what does he do but desert1 
with two or three  discontented spirits 
of his troop1 and going to the frontier 
of ,galicia1  he raised a small faction1
 and proclaimed ,don ,carlos4  ,for some
 little  time he did considerable damage
 to the liberals1 burning and destroying

  their possessions1 and putting to     
death several nationals that fell into  
his hands4  ,however1 this did not last 
long1 his faction was soon  dispersed1  
and he himself taken and hanged1 and his
 head stuck on a pole4    8,nous sommes 
deja presque au bout4  ,when we arrived 
at the inn1 the  young man took me      
above1 as you saw1 and there for some   
time he could do  nothing but weep and  
sob4  ,his story is soon told3--he      
returned from his  travels1 and the     
first intelligence which awaited him on 
his arrival in  ,spain was1 that his    
father was drowned1 his mother dead1 and
 his brother  hanged1 and1 moreover1 all
 the possessions of his family          
confiscated4  ,this was not all3        
wherever he went1 he found himself      
considered in the  light of a factious  
and discontented person1 and was        
frequently assailed  by the nationals   
with blows of sabres and cudgels4  ,he  
applied to his  relations1 and some of  
these1 who were of the ,carlist         

persuasion1 advised  him to betake      
himself to the army of ,don ,carlos1 and
 the ,pretender  himself1 who was a     
friend of his father1 and remembered the
 services of  his brother1 offered to   
give him a command in his army4  ,but1  
mon matre1  as ,i told you before1 he   
was a pacific young gentleman1 and as   
mild as a  lamb1 and hated the idea of  
shedding blood4  ,he was1 moreover1 not 
of the  ,carlist opinion1 for during his
 studies he had read books written a    
long  time ago by countrymen of mine1   
all about republics and liberties1 and  
the rights of man1 so that he was much  
more inclined to the liberal than  the  
,carlist system2 he therefore declined  
the offer of ,don ,carlos1  whereupon   
all his relations deserted him1 whilst  
the liberals hunted him  from one place 
to another like a wild beast4  ,at last1
 he sold some  little property which    
still remained to him1 and with the     
proceeds he  came to this remote place  
of ,colunga1 where no one knew him1 and 

where he  has been residing for several 
months1 in a most melancholy manner1    
with  no other amusement than that which
 he derives from a book or two1 or      
occasionally hunting a leveret with his 
spaniel4    8,he asked me for counsel1  
but ,i had none to give him1 and could  
only weep  with him4  ,at last he said1 
#8,dear ,antonio1 ,i see there is no    
remedy4  ,you  say your master is below1
 beg him1 ,i pray1 to stay till         
to-morrow1 and we  will send for the    
maidens of the neighbourhood1 and for a 
violin and a  bagpipe1 and we will dance
 and cast away care for a moment4'  ,and
 then he  said something in old ,greek1 
which ,i scarcely understood1 but which 
,i  think was equivalent to1 #8,let us  
eat1 drink1 and be merry1 for to-morrow 
we die6'    8,eh bien1 mon maitre1 ,i   
told him that you were a serious        
gentleman  who never took any amusement1
 and that you were in a hurry4          
,whereupon he  wept again1 and embraced 
me and bade me farewell4  ,and now1 mon 

matre1 ,i  have told you the history of 
the young man of the inn40    ,we slept 
at ,ribida de ,sela1 and the next day1  
at noon1 arrived at ,llanes4  ,our route
 lay between the coast and an immense   
range of mountains1 which  rose up like 
huge ramparts at about a league's       
distance from the sea4  ,the ground over
 which we passed was tolerably level1   
and seemingly well  cultivated4  ,there 
was no lack of vines and trees1 whilst  
at short  intervals rose the cortijos of
 the proprietors1--square stone         
buildings  surrounded with an outer     
wall4  ,llanes is an old town1 formerly 
of  considerable strength4  ,in its     
neighbourhood is the convent of ,san    
,cilorio1 one of the largest monastic   
edifices in all ,spain4  ,it is now     
deserted1 and stands lone and desolate  
upon one of the peninsulas of the       
,cantabrian shore4  ,leaving ,llanes1 we
 soon entered one of the most dreary    
and barren regions imaginable1 a region 
of rock and stone1 where neither  grass 

nor trees were to be seen4  ,night      
overtook us in these places4  ,we       
wandered on1 however1 until we reached a
 small village1 termed ,santo  ,colombo4
  ,here we passed the night1 in the     
house of a carabineer of the  revenue1 a
 tall athletic figure who met us at the 
gate armed with a gun4  ,he was a       
,castilian1 and with all that           
ceremonious formality and grave         
politeness for which his countrymen were
 at one time so celebrated4  ,he  chid  
his wife for conversing with her        
handmaid about the concerns of the      
house before us4  8,barbara10 said he1  
8this is not conversation  calculated to
 interest the strange cavaliers2 hold   
your peace1 or go  aside with the       
muchacha40  ,in the morning he refused  
any remuneration for  his hospitality4  
8,i am a caballero10 said he1 8even as  
yourselves4  ,it  is not my custom to   
admit people into my house for the sake 
of lucre4  ,i  received you because you 
were benighted and the posada distant40 

,rising early in the morning1 we pursued
 our way through a country equally      
stony and dreary as that which we had   
entered upon the preceding day4  ,in    
about four hours we reached ,san        
,vincente1 a large dilapidated town1    
chiefly inhabited by miserable          
fishermen4  ,it retains1 however1 many  
remarkable relics of former             
magnificence3 the bridge1 which         
bestrides the  broad and deep firth1 on 
which stands the town1 has no less than 
thirty-two arches1 and is built of grey 
granite4  ,it is very ancient1 and  in  
some part in so ruinous a condition as  
to be dangerous4    ,leaving ,san       
,vincente behind us1 we travelled for   
some leagues on the  sea-shore1 crossing
 occasionally a narrow inlet or firth4  
,the country at  last began to improve1 
and in the neighbourhood of ,santillana 
was both  beautiful and fertile4  ,about
 a league before we reached the country 
of  ,gil ,blas1 we passed through an    
extensive wood1 in which were rocks and 

precipices2 it was exactly such a place 
as that in which the cave of  ,rolando  
was situated1 as described in the novel4
  ,this wood has an evil  name1 and our 
guide informed us that robberies were   
occasionally  committed in it4  ,no     
adventure1 however1 befell us1 and we   
reached  ,santillana at about six in the
 evening4    ,we did not enter the town1
 but halted at a large venta or posada  
at the  entrance1 before which stood an 
immense ash tree4  ,we had scarcely     
housed  ourselves when a tremendous     
storm of rain and wind commenced1       
accompanied  with thunder and lightning1
 which continued without much           
interruption for  several hours1 and the
 effects of which were visible in our   
journey of  the following day1 the      
streams over which we passed being much 
swollen1  and several trees lying uptorn
 by the wayside4  ,santillana contains  
four  thousand inhabitants1 and is six  
short leagues' distance from ,santander1
  where we arrived early the next day4  

,nothing could exhibit a stronger       
contrast to the desolate tracts and the 
half ruined towns through which we had  
lately passed1 than the bustle and      
activity of ,santander1 which1 though it
 stands on the confines of the  ,basque 
provinces1 the stronghold of the        
,pretender1 is almost the only  city in 
,spain which has not suffered by the    
,carlist wars4  ,till the close  of the 
last century it was little better than  
an obscure fishing town1  but it has of 
late years almost entirely engrossed the
 commerce of the  ,spanish transatlantic
 possessions1 especially of the         
,havannah4  ,the  consequence of which  
has been1 that whilst ,santander has    
rapidly  increased in wealth and        
magnificence1 both ,corua and ,cadiz    
have been as  rapidly hastening to      
decay4  ,at present it possesses a noble
 quay1 on  which stands a line of       
stately edifices1 far exceeding in      
splendour the  palaces of the           
aristocracy at ,madrid4  ,these are     

built in the ,french  style1 and are    
chiefly occupied by the merchants4  ,the
 population of  ,santander is estimated 
at sixty thousand souls4    ,on the day 
of my arrival ,i dined at the table     
d'hote of the principal  inn1 kept by a 
,genoese4  ,the company was very        
miscellaneous1 ,french1  ,germans1 and  
,spaniards1 all speaking in their       
respective languages1  whilst at the    
ends of the table1 confronting each     
other1 sat two ,catalan  merchants1 one 
of whom weighed nearly twenty stone1    
grunting across the  board in their     
harsh dialect4  ,long1 however1 before  
dinner was  concluded1 the conversation 
was entirely engrossed and the attention
 of  all present directed to an         
individual who sat on one side of the   
bulky  ,catalan4  ,he was a thin man of 
about the middle height1 with a         
remarkably  red face1 and something in  
his eyes which1 if not a squint1 bore a 
striking resemblance to it4  ,he was    
dressed in a blue military frock1 and   

seemed to take much more pleasure in    
haranguing than in the fare which  was  
set before him4  ,he spoke perfectly    
good ,spanish1 yet his voice  betrayed  
something of a foreign accent4  ,for a  
long time he descanted  with immense    
volubility on war and all its           
circumstances1 freely  criticising the  
conduct of the generals1 both ,carlists 
and ,christinos1 in  the present        
struggle1 till at last he exclaimed1    
8,had ,i but twenty  thousand men       
allowed me by the government1 ,i would  
bring the war to a  conclusion in six   
months40    8,pardon me1 ,sir10 said a  
,spaniard who sat at the table1 8the    
curiosity  which induces me to request  
the favour of your distinguished name40 
8,i am ,flinter10 replied the individual
 in the military frock1 8a name  which  
is in the mouth of every man1 woman1 and
 child in ,spain4  ,i am  ,flinter the  
,irishman1 just escaped from the ,basque
 provinces and the  claws of ,don       
,carlos4  ,on the decease of ,ferdinand 

,i declared for  ,isabella1 esteeming it
 the duty of every good cavalier and    
,irishman in  the ,spanish service to do
 so4  ,you have all heard of my         
exploits1 and  permit me to tell you    
they would have been yet more glorious  
had not  jealousy been at work and      
cramped my means4  ,two years ago ,i was
  despatched to ,estremadura1 to        
organize the militias4  ,the bands of   
,gomez  and ,cabrera entered the        
province and spread devastation around4 
,they  found me1 however1 at my post2   
and had ,i been properly seconded by    
those  under my command1 the two rebels 
would never have returned to their      
master to boast of their success4  ,i   
stood behind my intrenchments4  ,a  man 
advanced and summoned us to surrender4  
#8,who are you8' ,i demanded4  #8,i am  
,cabrera1' he replied2 #8and ,i am      
,flinter1' ,i retorted1 flourishing  my 
sabre2 #8retire to your battalions or   
you will forthwith die the  death4'  ,he
 was awed and did as ,i commanded4  ,in 

an hour we surrendered4  ,i was led a   
prisoner to the ,basque provinces2 and  
the ,carlists rejoiced  in the capture  
they had made1 for the name of ,flinter 
had long sounded  amongst the ,carlist  
ranks4  ,i was flung into a loathsome   
dungeon1 where ,i  remained twenty      
months4  ,i was cold2 ,i was naked2 but 
,i did not on that  account despond1 my 
spirit was too indomitable for such     
weakness4  ,my  keeper at last pitied my
 misfortunes4  ,he said that #8it       
grieved him to  see so valiant a man    
perish in inglorious confinement4'  ,we 
laid a plan  to escape together2        
disguises were provided1 and we made the
 attempt4  ,we  passed unobserved till  
we arrived at the ,carlist lines above  
,bilbao2  there we were stopped4  ,my   
presence of mind1 however1 did not      
desert me4  ,i was disguised as a       
carman1 as a ,catalan1 and the coolness 
of my answers  deceived my              
interrogators4  ,we were permitted to   
pass1 and soon were safe  within the    

walls of ,bilbao4  ,there was an        
illumination that night in the  town1   
for the lion had burst his toils1       
,flinter had escaped1 and was once  more
 returned to re-animate a drooping      
cause4  ,i have just arrived at         
,santander on my way to ,madrid1 where  
,i intend to ask of the government a    
command1 with twenty thousand men40     
,poor ,flinter6 a braver heart and a    
more gasconading mouth were surely      
never united in the same body4  ,he     
proceeded to ,madrid1 and through the   
influence of the ,british ambassador1   
who was his friend1 he obtained the     
command of a small division1 with which 
he contrived to surprise and  defeat1 in
 the neighbourhood of ,toledo1 a body of
 the ,carlists1 commanded  by ,orejita1 
whose numbers more than trebled his own4
  ,in reward for this  exploit he was   
persecuted by the government1 which1 at 
that time1 was the  moderado or juste   
milieu1 with the most relentless        
animosity2 the prime  minister1 ,ofalia1

 supporting with all his influence      
numerous and  ridiculous accusations of 
plunder and robbery brought against the 
too-successful general by the ,carlist  
canons of ,toledo4  ,he was likewise    
charged with a dereliction of duty1 in  
having permitted1 after the battle  of  
,valdepeas1 which he likewise won in the
 most gallant manner1 the  ,carlist     
force to take possession of the mines of
 ,almaden1 although the  government1 who
 were bent on his ruin1 had done all in 
their power to  prevent him from        
following up his successes by denying   
him the slightest  supplies and         
reinforcements4  ,the fruits of victory 
thus wrested from  him1 his hopes       
blighted1 a morbid melancholy seized    
upon the ,irishman2 he  resigned his    
command1 and in less than ten months    
from the period when ,i  saw him at     
,santander1 afforded his dastardly and  
malignant enemies a  triumph which      
satisfied even them1 by cutting his own 
throat with a  razor4    ,ardent spirits

 of foreign climes1 who hope to         
distinguish yourselves in  the service  
of ,spain1 and to earn honours and      
rewards1 remember the fate  of          
,columbus1 and of another as brave and  
as ardent--,flinter6          ,,chapter 
,,xxxv      ,departure from             
,santander--,the ,night ,alarm--,the    
,black ,pass4    ,i had ordered two     
hundred ,testaments to be sent to       
,santander from ,madrid3  ,i found1     
however1 to my great sorrow1 that they  
had not arrived1 and ,i  supposed that  
they had either been seized on the way  
by the ,carlists1 or  that my letter had
 miscarried4  ,i then thought of        
applying to ,england for  a supply1 but 
,i abandoned the idea for two reasons4  
,in the first place1  ,i should have to 
remain idly loitering1 at least a month1
 before ,i could  receive them1 at a    
place where every article was           
excessively dear2 and1  secondly1 ,i was
 very unwell1 and unable to procure     
medical advice at  ,santander4  ,ever   

since ,i left ,corua1 ,i had been       
afflicted with a  terrible dysentery1   
and latterly with an ophthalmia1 the    
result of the  other malady4  ,i        
therefore determined on returning to    
,madrid4  ,to effect  this1 however1    
seemed no very easy task4  ,parties of  
the army of ,don  ,carlos1 which1 in a  
partial degree1 had been routed in      
,castile1 were  hovering about the      
country through which ,i should have to 
pass1 more  especially in that part     
called 8,the ,mountains10 so that all   
communication  had ceased between       
,santander and the southern districts4  
,nevertheless1 ,i  determined to trust  
as usual in the ,almighty and to risk   
the danger4  ,i  purchased1 therefore1 a
 small horse1 and sallied forth with    
,antonio4    ,before departing1 however1
 ,i entered into conference with the    
booksellers  as to what they should do  
in the event of my finding an           
opportunity of  sending them a stock of 
,testaments from ,madrid2 and1 having   

arranged  matters to my satisfaction1 ,i
 committed myself to ,providence4  ,i   
will not  dwell long on this journey of 
three hundred miles4  ,we were in the   
midst  of the fire1 yet1 strange to say1
 escaped without a hair of our heads    
being singed4  ,robberies1 murders1 and 
all kinds of atrocities were            
perpetrated before1 behind1 and on both 
sides of us1 but not so much as a  dog  
barked at us1 though in one instance a  
plan had been laid to  intercept us4    
,about four leagues from ,santander1    
whilst we were baiting  our horses at a 
village hostelry1 ,i saw a fellow run   
off after having  held a whispering     
conversation with a boy who was dealing 
out barley to  us4  ,i instantly        
inquired of the latter what the man had 
said to him1 but  only obtained an      
evasive answer4  ,it appeared afterwards
 that the  conversation was about       
ourselves4  ,two or three leagues       
farther there was  an inn and village   
where we had proposed staying1 and      

indeed had  expressed our intention of  
doing so2 but on arriving there1 finding
 that  the sun was still far from its   
bourne1 ,i determined to proceed        
farther1  expecting to meet with a      
resting-place at the distance of a      
league2  though ,i was mistaken1 as we  
found none until we reached ,montaneda1 
nine  leagues and a half from           
,santander1 where was stationed a small 
detachment  of soldiers4  ,at the dead  
of night we were aroused from our sleep 
by a  cry that the factious were not far
 off4  ,a messenger had arrived from the
  alcalde of the village where we had   
previously intended staying1 who  stated
 that a party of ,carlists had just     
surprised that place1 and were          
searching for an ,english spy1 whom they
 supposed to be at the inn4  ,the       
officer commanding the soldiers upon    
hearing this1 not deeming his own       
situation a safe one1 instantly drew off
 his men1 falling back on a  stronger   
party stationed in a fortified village  

near at hand4  ,as for  ourselves1 we   
saddled our horses and continued our way
 in the dark4  ,had  the ,carlists      
succeeded in apprehending me1 ,i should 
instantly have been  shot1 and my body  
cast on the rocks to feed the vultures  
and wolves4  ,but  8it was not so       
written10 said ,antonio1 who1 like many 
of his countrymen1  was a fatalist4     
,the next night we had another singular 
escape3 we had  arrived near the        
entrance of a horrible pass called 8,el 
puerto de la  puente de las tablas10 or 
the pass of the bridge of planks1 which 
wound  through a black and frightful    
mountain1 on the farther side of which  
was  the town of ,oas1 where we meant to
 tarry for the night4  ,the sun had set 
about a quarter of an hour4  ,suddenly a
 man1 with his face covered with  blood1
 rushed out of the pass4  8,turn back1  
sir10 he said1 8in the name  of ,god2   
there are murderers in that pass2 they  
have just robbed me of my  mule and all 
,i possess1 and ,i have hardly escaped  

with life from their  hands40  ,i       
scarcely know why1 but ,i made him no   
answer and proceeded2  indeed ,i was so 
weary and unwell that ,i cared not what 
became of me4  ,we  entered2 the rocks  
rose perpendicularly1 right and left1   
entirely  intercepting the scanty       
twilight1 so that the darkness of the   
grave1 or  rather the blackness of the  
valley of the shadow of death reigned   
around  us1 and we knew not where we    
went1 but trusted to the instinct of the
  horses1 who moved on with their heads 
close to the ground4  ,the only  sound  
which we heard was the plash of a       
stream1 which tumbled down the  pass4   
,i expected every moment to feel a knife
 at my throat1 but 8it was  not so      
written40  ,we threaded the pass without
 meeting a human being1  and within     
three quarters of an hour after the time
 we entered it1 we  found ourselves     
within the posada of the town of ,oas1  
which was filled  with troops and armed 
peasants expecting an attack from the   

grand ,carlist  army1 which was near at 
hand4    ,well1 we reached ,burgos in   
safety2 we reached ,valladolid in       
safety2 we  passed the ,guadarama in    
safety2 and were at length safely housed
 in  ,madrid4  ,people said we had been 
very lucky2 ,antonio said1 8,it was so  
written02 but ,i say1 ,glory be to the  
,lord for his mercies vouchsafed to  us4
          ,,chapter ,,xxxvi      ,state 
of ,affairs at ,madrid--,the ,new       
,ministry--,pope of ,rome--,the         
,bookseller  of ,toledo--,sword         
,blades--,houses of ,toledo--,the       
,forlorn ,gypsy--,proceedings at        
,madrid--,another ,servant4    ,during  
my journey in the northern provinces of 
,spain1 which occupied a  considerable  
portion of the year #ahcg1 ,i had       
accomplished but a slight  portion of   
what ,i proposed to myself to effect in 
the outset4  ,insignificant are the     
results of man's labours compared with  
the swelling  ideas of his presumption2 
something1 however1 had been effected by

 the  journey1 which ,i had just        
concluded4  ,the ,new ,testament of     
,christ was now  enjoying a quiet sale  
in the principal towns of the north1 and
 ,i had  secured the friendly interest  
and co-operation of the booksellers of  
those parts1 particularly of him the    
most considerable of them all1 old  ,rey
 of ,compostella4  ,i had1 moreover1    
disposed of a considerable number  of   
,testaments with my own hands1 to       
private individuals1 entirely of the    
lower class1 namely1 muleteers1 carmen1 
contrabandistas1 etc41 so that  upon the
 whole ,i had abundant cause for        
gratitude and thanksgiving4    ,i did   
not find our affairs in a very          
prosperous state at ,madrid1 few  copies
 having been sold in the booksellers'   
shops1 yet what could be  rationally    
expected during these latter times8     
,don ,carlos1 with a large  army1 had   
been at the gates2 plunder and massacre 
had been expected2 so  that people were 
too much occupied in forming plans to   

secure their lives  and property1 to    
give much attention to reading of any   
description4    ,the enemy1 however1 had
 now retired to his strongholds in      
,alava and  ,guipuscoa4  ,i hoped that  
brighter days were dawning1 and that the
 work1  under my own superintendence1   
would1 with ,god's blessing1 prosper in 
the  capital of ,spain4  ,how far the   
result corresponded with my expectations
  will be seen in the sequel4  ,during  
my absence in the north1 a total  change
 of ministers had occurred4  ,the       
liberal party had been ousted from  the 
cabinet1 and in their place had entered 
individuals attached to the  moderado or
 court party3 unfortunately1 however1   
for my prospects1 they  consisted of    
persons with whom ,i had no acquaintance
 whatever1 and with  whom my former     
friends1 ,galiano and ,isturitz1 had    
little or no influence4  ,these         
gentlemen were now regularly laid on the
 shelf1 and their political  career     
appeared to be terminated for ever4     

,from the present ministry ,i could     
expect but little2 they consisted of    
men1 the greater part of whom had been  
either courtiers or employs of  the     
deceased ,king ,ferdinand1 who were     
friends to absolutism1 and by no  means 
inclined to do or to favour anything    
calculated to give offence to  the court
 of ,rome1 which they were anxious to   
conciliate1 hoping that  eventually it  
might be induced to recognize the young 
queen1 not as the  constitutional but as
 the absolute ,queen ,isabella the      
,second4    ,such was the party which   
continued in power throughout the       
remainder of  my sojourn in ,spain1 and 
which persecuted me less from rancour   
and malice  than from policy4  ,it was  
not until the conclusion of the war of  
the  succession that it lost the        
ascendancy1 when it sank to the ground  
with  its patroness the queen-mother1   
before the dictatorship of ,espartero4  
,the first step which ,i took after my  
return to ,madrid1 towards  circulating 

the ,scriptures1 was a very bold one4   
,it was neither more nor  less than the 
establishment of a shop for the sale of 
,testaments4  ,this  shop was situated  
in the ,calle del ,principe1 a          
respectable and  well-frequented street 
in the neighbourhood of the ,square of  
,cervantes4  ,i furnished it handsomely 
with glass cases and chandeliers1 and   
procured  an acute ,gallegan of the name
 of ,pepe ,calzado1 to superintend the  
business1 who gave me weekly a faithful 
account of the copies sold4    8,how    
strangely times alter10 said ,i1 the    
second day subsequent to the  opening of
 my establishment1 as ,i stood on the   
opposite side of the  street1 leaning   
against the wall with folded arms1      
surveying my shop1 on  the windows of   
which were painted in large yellow      
characters1 ,despacho  de la ,sociedad  
,biblica y ,estrangera2 8how strangely  
times alter2 here  have ,i been during  
the last eight months running about old 
,popish ,spain1  distributing           

,testaments1 as agent of what the       
,papists call an heretical  society1 and
 have neither been stoned nor burnt2 and
 here am ,i now in the  capital1 doing  
that which one would think were enough  
to cause all the  dead inquisitors and  
officials buried within the circuit of  
the walls to  rise from their graves and
 cry abomination2 and yet no one        
interferes  with me4  ,pope of ,rome6   
,pope of ,rome6 look to thyself4  ,that 
shop may be  closed2 but oh6 what a sign
 of the times1 that it has been         
permitted to  exist for one day4  ,it   
appears to me1 my ,father1 that the days
 of your  sway are numbered in ,spain2  
that you will not be permitted much     
longer to  plunder her1 to scoff at her1
 and to scourge her with scorpions1 as  
in  bygone periods4  ,see ,i not the    
hand on the wall8  ,see ,i not in yonder
  letters a #8,mene1 mene1 ,tekel1      
,upharsin'8  ,look to thyself1          
,batuschca40    ,and ,i remained for two
 hours1 leaning against the wall1       

staring at the  shop4    ,a short time  
after the establishment of the despacho 
at ,madrid1 ,i once  more mounted the   
saddle1 and1 attended by ,antonio1 rode 
over to ,toledo1  for the purpose of    
circulating the ,scriptures1 sending    
beforehand by a  muleteer a cargo of one
 hundred ,testaments4  ,i instantly     
addressed myself  to the principal      
bookseller of the place1 whom from the  
circumstance of  his living in a town so
 abounding with canons1 priests1 and    
ex-friars as  ,toledo1 ,i expected to   
find a ,carlist1 or a servile at least4 
,i was  never more mistaken in my life2 
on entering the shop1 which was very    
large and commodious1 ,i beheld a stout 
athletic man1 dressed in a kind of      
cavalry uniform1 with a helmet on his   
head1 and an immense sabre in his  hand3
 this was the bookseller himself1 who ,i
 soon found was an officer in  the      
national cavalry4  ,upon learning who ,i
 was1 he shook me heartily by  the hand1
 and said that nothing would give him   

greater pleasure than  taking charge of 
the books1 which he would endeavour to  
circulate to the  utmost of his ability4
    8,will not your doing so bring you  
into odium with the clergy80    8,ca60  
said he2 8who cares8  ,i am rich1 and so
 was my father before me4  ,i  do not   
depend on them1 they cannot hate me more
 than they do already1 for  ,i make no  
secret of my opinions4  ,i have just    
returned from an  expedition10 said he2 
8my brother nationals and myself have1  
for the last  three days1 been occupied 
in hunting down the factious and thieves
 of the  neighbourhood2 we have killed  
three and brought in several prisoners4 
,who cares for the cowardly priests8  ,i
 am a liberal1 ,don ,jorge1 and a       
friend of your countryman1 ,flinter4    
,many is the ,carlist guerilla-curate   
and robber-friar whom ,i have assisted  
him to catch4  ,i am rejoiced to  hear  
that he has just been appointed         
captain-general of ,toledo2 there  will 
be fine doings here when he arrives1    

,don ,jorge4  ,we will make the  clergy 
shake between us1 ,i assure you40       
,toledo was formerly the capital of     
,spain4  ,its population at present is  
barely fifteen thousand souls1 though1  
in the time of the ,romans1 and  also   
during the ,middle ,ages1 it is said to 
have amounted to between two  and three 
hundred thousand4  ,it is situated about
 twelve leagues 7forty  miles7 westward 
of ,madrid1 and is built upon a steep   
rocky hill1 round  which flows the      
,tagus1 on all sides but the north4  ,it
 still possesses a  great many          
remarkable edifices1 notwithstanding    
that it has long since  fallen into     
decay4  ,its cathedral is the most      
magnificent of ,spain1 and  is the see  
of the primate4  ,in the tower of this  
cathedral is the famous  bell of        
,toledo1 the largest in the world with  
the exception of the  monster bell of   
,moscow1 which ,i have also seen4  ,it  
weighs #a1edc arrobes1  or #cg1jcb      
pounds4  ,it has1 however1 a            

disagreeable sound1 owing to a  cleft in
 its side4  ,toledo could once boast the
 finest pictures in ,spain1  but many   
were stolen or destroyed by the ,french 
during the ,peninsular  war1 and still  
more have lately been removed by order  
of the government4  ,perhaps the most   
remarkable one still remains2 ,i allude 
to that which  represents the burial of 
the ,count of ,orgaz1 the masterpiece of
 ,domenico1  the ,greek1 a most         
extraordinary genius1 some of whose     
productions possess  merit of a very    
high order4  ,the picture in question is
 in the little  parish church of ,san   
,tome1 at the bottom of the aisle1 on   
the left side  of the altar4  ,could it 
be purchased1 ,i should say it would be 
cheap at  five thousand pounds4         
,amongst the many remarkable things     
which meet the eye of the curious       
observer at ,toledo1 is the manufactory 
of arms1 where are wrought the  swords1 
spears1 and other weapons intended for  
the army1 with the  exception of        

fire-arms1 which mostly come from       
abroad4    ,in old times1 as is well    
known1 the sword-blades of ,toledo were 
held in  great estimation1 and were     
transmitted as merchandise throughout   
,christendom4  ,the present manufactory1
 or fabrica1 as it is called1 is a      
handsome modern edifice1 situated       
without the wall of the city1 on a      
plain contiguous to the river1 with     
which it communicates by a small  canal4
  ,it is said that the water and the    
sand of the ,tagus are essential  for   
the proper tempering of the swords4  ,i 
asked some of the principal  workmen    
whether1 at the present day1 they could 
manufacture weapons of  equal value to  
those of former days1 and whether the   
secret had been  lost4    8,ca60 said   
they1 8the swords of ,toledo were never 
so good as those which  we are daily    
making4  ,it is ridiculous enough to see
 strangers coming  here to purchase old 
swords1 the greater part of which are   
mere rubbish1  and never made at        

,toledo1 yet for such they will give a  
large price1  whilst they would grudge  
two dollars for this jewel1 which was   
made but  yesterday02 thereupon putting 
into my hand a middle-sized rapier4     
8,your  worship10 said they1 8seems to  
have a strong arm1 prove its temper     
against the stone wall2--thrust boldly  
and fear not40    ,i have a strong arm  
and dashed the point with my utmost     
force against  the solid granite3 my arm
 was numbed to the shoulder from the    
violence of  the concussion1 and        
continued so for nearly a week1 but the 
sword  appeared not to be at all        
blunted1 or to have suffered in any     
respect4    8,a better sword than that10
 said an ancient workman1 a native of   
,old  ,castile1 8never transfixed ,moor 
out yonder on the sagra40    ,during my 
stay at ,toledo1 ,i lodged at the       
,posada de los ,caballeros1 which       
signifies the inn of the gentlemen1     
which name1 in some respects1 is        
certainly well deserved1 for there are  

many palaces far less magnificent  than 
this inn of ,toledo4  ,by magnificence  
it must not be supposed1  however1 that 
,i allude to costliness of furniture1 or
 any kind of luxury  which pervaded the 
culinary department4  ,the rooms were as
 empty as those  of ,spanish inns       
generally are1 and the fare1 though good
 in its kind1 was  plain and homely2 but
 ,i have seldom seen a more imposing    
edifice4  ,it was  of immense size1     
consisting of several stories1 and was  
built something  in the ,moorish taste1 
with a quadrangular court in the centre1
 beneath  which was an immense algibe or
 tank1 serving as a reservoir for       
rain-water4  ,all the houses in ,toledo 
are supplied with tanks of this         
description1 into which the waters in   
the rainy season flow from the  roofs   
through pipes4  ,no other water is used 
for drinking2 that of the  ,tagus1 not  
being considered salubrious1 is only    
used for purposes of  cleanliness1 being
 conveyed up the steep narrow streets on

 donkeys in  large stone jars4  ,the    
city1 standing on a rocky mountain1 has 
no wells4  ,as for the rain-water1 it   
deposits a sediment in the tank1 and    
becomes  very sweet and potable3 these  
tanks are cleaned out twice every year4 
,during the summer1 at which time the   
heat in this part of ,spain is  intense1
 the families spend the greater part of 
the day in the courts1  which are       
overhung with a linen awning1 the heat  
of the atmosphere being  tempered by the
 coolness arising from the tank below1  
which answers the  same purpose as the  
fountain in the southern provinces of   
,spain4    ,i spent about a week at     
,toledo1 during which time several      
copies of the  ,testament were disposed 
of in the shop of my friend the         
bookseller4  ,several priests took it up
 from the mostrador on which it lay1    
examined  it1 but made no remarks2 none 
of them purchased it4  ,my friend showed
 me  through his house1 almost every    
apartment of which was lined from roof  

to  floor with books1 many of which were
 highly valuable4  ,he told me that he  
possessed the best collection in ,spain 
of the ancient literature of the        
country4  ,he was1 however1 less proud  
of his library than his stud2  finding  
that ,i had some acquaintance with      
horses1 his liking for me and  also his 
respect considerably increased4  8,all  
,i have10 said he1 8is at  your service2
 ,i see you are a man after my own      
heart4  ,when you are  disposed to ride 
out upon the sagra1 you have only to    
apply to my groom1  who will forthwith  
saddle you my famed ,cordovese entero2  
,i purchased him  from the stables at   
,aranjuez1 when the royal stud was      
broken up4  ,there  is but one other man
 to whom ,i would lend him1 and that man
 is ,flinter40    ,at ,toledo ,i met    
with a forlorn ,gypsy woman and her son1
 a lad of about  fourteen years of age2 
she was not a native of the place1 but  
had come  from ,la ,mancha1 her husband 
having been cast into the prison of     

,toledo on  a charge of mule-stealing3  
the crime had been proved against him1  
and in  a few days he was to depart for 
,malaga1 with the chain of galley       
slaves4  ,he was quite destitute of     
money1 and his wife was now in ,toledo1 
earning  a few cuartos by telling       
fortunes about the streets1 to support  
him in  prison4  ,she told me that it   
was her intention to follow him to      
,malaga1  where she hoped to be able to 
effect his escape4  ,what an instance of
  conjugal affection2 and yet the       
affection here was all on one side1 as  
is  too frequently the case4  ,her      
husband was a worthless scoundrel1 who  
had  previously abandoned her and       
betaken himself to ,madrid1 where he had
 long  lived in concubinage with the    
notorious she-thug ,aurora1 at whose    
instigation he had committed the robbery
 for which he was now held in  durance4 
8,should your husband escape from       
,malaga1 in what direction will  he     
fly80 ,i demanded4    8,to the chim of  

the ,corahai1 my son2 to the land of the
 ,moors1 to be a  soldier of the        
,moorish king40    8,and what will      
become of yourself80  ,i inquired2      
8think you that he will  take you with  
him80    8,he will leave me on the      
shore1 my son1 and as soon as he has    
crossed the  black pawnee1 he will      
forget me and never think of me more40  
8,and knowing his ingratitude1 why      
should you give yourself so much        
trouble about him80    8,am ,i not his  
romi1 my son1 and am ,i not bound by the
 law of the ,cales to  assist him to the
 last8  ,should he return from the land 
of the ,corahai at  the end of a hundred
 years1 and should find me alive1 and   
should say1 ,i  am hungry1 little wife1 
go forth and steal or tell bahi1 ,i must
 do it1  for he is the rom and ,i the   
romi40    ,on my return to ,madrid1 ,i  
found the despacho still open3 various  
,testaments had been sold1 though the   
number was by no means considerable3    
the work had to labour under great      

disadvantage1 from the ignorance of  the
 people at large with respect to its    
tenor and contents4  ,it was no  wonder1
 then1 that little interest was felt    
respecting it4  ,to call1  however1     
public attention to the despacho1 ,i    
printed three thousand  advertisements  
on paper1 yellow1 blue1 and crimson1    
with which ,i almost  covered the sides 
of the streets1 and besides this1       
inserted an account  of it in all the   
journals and periodicals2 the           
consequence was1 that in a  short time  
almost every person in ,madrid was aware
 of its existence4  ,such exertions in  
,london or ,paris would probably have   
ensured the sale of  the entire edition 
of the ,new ,testament within a few     
days4  ,in ,madrid1  however1 the result
 was not quite so flattering2 for after 
the  establishment had been open an     
entire month1 the copies disposed of    
barely amounted to one hundred4         
,these proceedings of mine did not fail 
to cause a great sensation3 the  priests

 and their partisans were teeming with  
malice and fury1 which1 for  some time1 
however1 they thought proper to exhibit 
only in words2 it  being their opinion  
that ,i was favoured by the ambassador  
and by the  ,british government2 but    
there was no attempt1 however atrocious1
 that  might not be expected from their 
malignity2 and were it right and seemly 
for me1 the most insignificant of worms1
 to make such a comparison1 ,i  might   
say1 like ,paul at ,ephesus1 ,i was     
fighting with wild beasts4    ,on the   
last day of the year #ahcg1 my servant  
,antonio thus addressed me3  8,mon      
matre1 it is necessary that ,i leave you
 for a time4  ,ever since we  have      
returned from our journeys1 ,i have     
become unsettled and dissatisfied  with 
the house1 the furniture1 and with      
,donna ,marequita4  ,i have  therefore  
engaged myself as cook in the house of  
the ,count of ---1 where  ,i am to      
receive four dollars per month less than
 what your worship gives  me4  ,i am    

fond of change1 though it be for the    
worse4  ,adieu1 mon matre1  may you be  
as well served as you deserve2 should   
you chance1 however1 to  have any       
pressing need de mes soins1 send for me 
without hesitation1  and ,i will at once
 give my new master warning1 if ,i am   
still with him1  and come to you40      
,thus was ,i deprived for a time of the 
services of ,antonio4  ,i continued  for
 a few days without a domestic1 at the  
end of which time ,i hired a  certain   
,cantabrian or ,basque1 a native of the 
village of ,hernani1 in  ,guipuscoa1 who
 was strongly recommended to me4        
,,chapter ,,xxxvii                      
,euscarra--,basque not ,irish--,sanskrit
 and ,tartar ,dialects--,a ,vowel       
,language--,popular ,poetry--,the       
,basques--,their ,persons--,basque      
,women4    ,i now entered upon the year 
#ahch1 perhaps the most eventful of all 
those  which ,i passed in ,spain4  ,the 
despacho still continued open1 with a   
somewhat increasing sale4  ,having at   

this time little of particular  moment  
with which to occupy myself1 ,i         
committed to the press two works1  which
 for some time past had been in the     
course of preparation4  ,these  were the
 ,gospel of ,st4 ,luke in the ,spanish  
,gypsy and the ,euscarra  languages4    
,with respect to the ,gypsy ,gospel ,i  
have little to say1 having already      
spoken of it in a former work 7,the     
,zincali73 it was translated by  myself1
 together with the greater part of the  
,new ,testament1 during my  long        
intercourse with the ,spanish ,gypsies4 
,concerning the ,luke in  ,euscarra1    
however1 it will be as well to be more  
particular1 and to avail  myself of the 
present opportunity to say a few words  
concerning the  language in which it was
 written1 and the people for whom it was
  intended4    ,the ,euscarra1 then1 is 
the proper term for a certain speech or 
language1  supposed to have been at one 
time prevalent throughout ,spain1 but   
which  is at present confined to certain

 districts1 both on the ,french and     
,spanish side of the ,pyrenees1 which   
are laved by the waters of the          
,cantabrian ,gulf or ,bay of ,biscay4   
,this language is commonly known as the 
,basque or ,biscayan1 which words are   
mere modifications of the word          
,euscarra1 the consonant ,b having been 
prefixed for the sake of euphony4  ,much
 that is vague1 erroneous1 and          
hypothetical1 has been said and  written
 concerning this tongue4  ,the ,basques 
assert that it was not only  the        
original language of ,spain1 but also of
 the world1 and that from it  all other 
languages are derived2 but the ,basques 
are a very ignorant  people1 and know   
nothing of the philosophy of language4  
,very little  importance1 therefore1    
need be attached to any opinion of      
theirs on such  a subject4  ,a few      
amongst them1 however1 who affect some  
degree of  learning1 contend1 that it is
 neither more nor less than a dialect of
 the  ,phoenician1 and1 that the        

,basques are the descendants of a       
,phoenician  colony1 established at the 
foot of the ,pyrenees at a very remote  
period4  ,of this theory1 or rather     
conjecture1 as it is unsubstantiated by 
the  slightest proof1 it is needless to 
take further notice than to observe     
that1 provided the ,phoenician language1
 as many of the truly learned  have     
supposed and almost proved1 was a       
dialect of the ,hebrew1 or closely      
allied to it1 it were as unreasonable to
 suppose that the ,basque is  derived   
from it1 as that the ,kamschatdale and  
,cherokee are dialects of  the ,greek or
 ,latin4    ,there is1 however1 another 
opinion with respect to the ,basque     
which  deserves more especial notice1   
from the circumstance of its being      
extensively entertained amongst the     
literati of various countries of        
,europe1 more especially ,england4  ,i  
allude to the ,celtic origin of this    
tongue1 and its close connexion with the
 most cultivated of all the  ,celtic    

dialects1 the ,irish4  ,people who      
pretend to be well conversant  with the 
subject1 have even gone so far as to    
assert1 that so little  difference      
exists between the ,basque and ,irish   
tongues1 that individuals  of the two   
nations1 when they meet together1 find  
no difficulty in  understanding each    
other1 with no other means of           
communication than their  respective    
languages2 in a word1 that there is     
scarcely a greater  difference between  
the two than between the ,french and the
 ,spanish  ,basque4  ,such similarity1  
however1 though so strongly insisted    
upon1 by  no means exists in fact1 and  
perhaps in the whole of ,europe it would
 be  difficult to discover two languages
 which exhibit fewer points of mutual   
resemblance than the ,basque and ,irish4
    ,the ,irish1 like most other        
,european languages1 is a dialect of the
  ,sanskrit1 a remote one1 as may well  
be supposed4  ,the corner of the        
western world in which it is still      

preserved being1 of all countries in    
,europe1 the most distant from the      
proper home of the parent tongue4  ,it  
is still1 however1 a dialect of that    
venerable and most original speech1  not
 so closely resembling it1 it is true1  
as the ,english1 ,danish1 and  those    
which belong to what is called the      
,gothic family1 and far less than  those
 of the ,sclavonian2 for1 the nearer we 
approach to the ,east1 in  equal degree 
the assimilation of languages to this   
parent stock becomes  more clear and    
distinct2 but still a dialect1 agreeing 
with the ,sanskrit  in structure1 in the
 arrangement of words1 and in many      
instances in the  words themselves1     
which1 however modified1 may still be   
recognized as  ,sanskrit4  ,but what is 
the ,basque1 and to what family does it 
properly  pertain8    ,to two great     
,asiatic languages1 all the dialects    
spoken at present in  ,europe may be    
traced4  ,these two1 if not now spoken1 
still exist in  books1 and are1         

moreover1 the languages of two of the   
principal religions  of the ,east4  ,i  
allude to the ,tibetian and             
,sanskrit--the sacred languages  of the 
followers of ,buddh and ,bramah4  ,these
 tongues1 though they possess  many     
words in common1 which is easily to be  
accounted for by their close  proximity1
 are properly distinct1 being widely    
different in structure4  ,in what this  
difference consists1 ,i have neither    
time nor inclination to  state2 suffice 
it to say that the ,celtic1 ,gothic1 and
 ,sclavonian dialects  in ,europe belong
 to the ,sanskrit family1 even as in the
 ,east the ,persian1  and to a less     
degree the ,arabic1 ,hebrew1 etc42      
whilst to the ,tibetian or  ,tartar     
family in ,asia pertain the ,mandchou   
and ,mongolian1 the ,calmuc and  the    
,turkish of the ,caspian ,sea2 and in   
,europe1 the ,hungarian and the  ,basque
 partially4    ,indeed this latter      
language is a strange anomaly1 so that  
upon the whole  it is less difficult to 

say what it is not1 than what it is4    
,it abounds  with ,sanskrit words to    
such a degree that its surface seems    
strewn with  them4  ,yet would it be    
wrong to term it a ,sanskrit dialect1   
for in the  collocation of these words  
the ,tartar form is most decidedly      
observable4  ,a considerable proportion 
of ,tartar words is likewise to be found
 in this  language1 though perhaps not  
in equal number to the terms derived    
from  the ,sanskrit4  ,of these ,tartar 
etymons ,i shall at present content     
myself  with citing one1 though1 if     
necessary1 it were easy to adduce       
hundreds4  ,this word is ,jauna1 or as  
it is pronounced1 ,khauna1 a word in    
constant use amongst the ,basques1 and  
which is the ,khan of the ,mongols  and 
,mandchous1 and of the same             
signification--,lord4    ,having closely
 examined the subject in all its various
 bearings1 and  having weighed what is  
to be said on one side against what is  
to be  advanced on the other1 ,i am     

inclined to rank the ,basque rather     
amongst  the ,tartar than the ,sanskrit 
dialects4  ,whoever should have an      
opportunity of comparing the enunciation
 of the ,basques and ,tartars  would1   
from that alone1 even if he understood  
them not1 come to the  conclusion that  
their respective languages were formed  
on the same  principles4  ,in both occur
 periods seemingly interminable1 during 
which  the voice gradually ascends to a 
climax1 and then gradually sinks down4  
,i have spoken of the surprising number 
of ,sanskrit words contained in the     
,basque language1 specimens of some of  
which will be found below4  ,it is      
remarkable enough1 that in the greater  
part of the derivatives from the        
,sanskrit the ,basque has dropped the   
initial consonant1 so that the word     
commences with a vowel4  ,the ,basque1  
indeed1 may be said to be almost a      
vowel language2 the number of consonants
 employed being comparatively  few3     
perhaps eight words out of ten commence 

and terminate with a vowel1  owing to   
which it is a language to the highest   
degree soft and melodious1  far         
excelling in this respect any other     
language in ,europe1 not even  excepting
 the ,italian4    ,here follow a few    
specimens of ,basque words with the     
,sanskrit roots in  juxtaposition3--    
,,basque4          ,,sanskrit4  ,ardoa  
,sandhna        ,wine4  ,arratsa        
,ratri           ,night4  ,beguia       
,akshi           ,eye4  ,choria         
,chiria          ,bird4  ,chacurra      
,cucura          ,dog4  ,erreguia       
,rani            ,queen4  ,icusi        
,iksha           ,to see4  ,iru         
,treya           ,three4  ,jan 7,khan7  
,khana           ,to eat4  ,uria        
,puri            ,city4  ,urruti        
,dura            ,far4    ,such is the  
tongue in which ,i brought out ,saint   
,luke's ,gospel at ,madrid4  ,the       
translation ,i procured originally from 
a ,basque physician of the name  of     
,oteiza4  ,previous to being sent to the

 press1 the version had lain  nearly two
 years in my possession1 during which   
time1 and particularly  during my       
travels1 ,i lost no opportunity of      
submitting it to the  inspection of     
those who were considered competent     
scholars in the  ,euscarra4  ,it did not
 entirely please me2 but it was in vain 
to seek for  a better translation4      
,in my early youth ,i had obtained a    
slight acquaintance with the ,euscarra1 
as it exists in books4  ,this           
acquaintance ,i considerably increased  
during  my stay in ,spain2 and by       
occasionally mingling with ,basques1 was
 enabled  to understand the spoken      
language to a certain extent1 and even  
to speak  it1 but always with           
considerable hesitation2 for to speak   
,basque1 even  tolerably1 it is         
necessary to have lived in the country  
from a very early  period4  ,so great   
are the difficulties attending it1 and  
so strange are  its peculiarities1 that 
it is very rare to find a foreigner     

possessed of  any considerable skill in 
the oral language1 and the ,spaniards   
consider  the obstacles so formidable   
that they have a proverb to the effect  
that  ,satan once lived seven years in  
,biscay1 and then departed1 finding     
himself unable either to understand or  
to make himself understood4    ,there   
are few inducements to the study of this
 language4  ,in the first  place1 the   
acquisition of it is by no means        
necessary even to those who  reside in  
the countries where it is spoken2 the   
,spanish being generally  understood    
throughout the ,basque provinces        
pertaining to ,spain1 and the  ,french  
in those pertaining to ,france4    ,in  
the second place1 neither dialect is in 
possession of any peculiar  literature  
capable of repaying the toil of the     
student4  ,there are  various books     
extant both in ,french and ,spanish     
,basque1 but these consist  entirely of 
,popish devotion1 and are for the most  
part translations4    ,it will1 perhaps1

 here be asked whether the ,basques do  
not possess  popular poetry1 like most  
other nations1 however small and        
inconsiderable4  ,they have certainly no
 lack of songs1 ballads1 and  stanzas1  
but of a character by no means entitled 
to the appellation of  poetry4  ,i have 
noted down from recitation a            
considerable portion of what  they call 
their poetry1 but the only tolerable    
specimen of verse which ,i  ever        
discovered amongst them was the         
following stanza1 which1 after all1  is 
not entitled to very high praise3--     
8,ichasoa urac aundi1      ,estu ondoric
 agueri--      ,pasaco ninsaqueni andic 
,maitea icustea gatic40    i4e4 8,the   
waters of the sea are vast1 and their   
bottom cannot be seen3  but over them ,i
 will pass1 that ,i may behold my love40
    ,the ,basques are a singing rather  
than a poetical people4                 
,notwithstanding  the facility with     
which their tongue lends itself to the  
composition of  verse1 they have never  

produced among them a poet with the     
slightest  pretensions to reputation2   
but their voices are singularly sweet1  
and  they are known to excel in musical 
composition4  ,it is the opinion of a   
certain author1 the ,abb ,d',ilharce1   
who has written about them1 that they   
derived the name ,cantabri1 by which    
they were known to the ,romans1 from    
,khantor-ber1 signifying sweet singers4 
,they possess much music of  their own1 
some of which is said to be exceedingly 
ancient4  ,of this  music specimens were
 published at ,donostian 7,san          
,sebastian7 in the year  #ahbf1 edited  
by a certain ,juan ,ignacio ,iztueta4   
,these consist of wild  and thrilling   
marches1 to the sound of which it is    
believed that the  ancient ,basques were
 in the habit of descending from their  
mountains to  combat with the ,romans1  
and subsequently with the ,moors4       
,whilst  listening to them it is easy to
 suppose oneself in the close vicinity  
of  some desperate encounter4  ,we seem 

to hear the charge of cavalry on the    
sounding plain1 the clash of swords1 and
 the rushing of men down the  gorges of 
hills4  ,this music is accompanied with 
words1 but such words6  ,nothing can be 
imagined more stupid1 commonplace1 and  
uninteresting4  ,so  far from being     
martial1 they relate to everyday        
incidents and appear to  have no        
connexion whatever with the music4      
,they are evidently of modern  date4    
,in person the ,basques are of the      
middle size1 and are active and         
athletic4  ,they are in general of fair 
complexions and handsome features1  and 
in appearance bear no slight resemblance
 to certain ,tartar tribes of  the      
,caucasus4  ,their bravery is           
unquestionable1 and they are considered 
as the best soldiery belonging to the   
,spanish crown3 a fact highly           
corroborative of the supposition that   
they are of ,tartar origin1 the         
,tartars being of all races the most    
warlike1 and amongst whom the most      

remarkable conquerors have been         
produced4  ,they are faithful and       
honest1  and capable of much            
disinterested attachment2 kind and      
hospitable to  strangers2 all of which  
points are far from being at variance   
with the  ,tartar character4  ,but they 
are somewhat dull1 and their capacities 
are  by no means of a high order1 and in
 these respects they again resemble  the
 ,tartars4    ,no people on earth are   
prouder than the ,basques1 but theirs is
 a kind of  republican pride4  ,they    
have no nobility amongst them1 and no   
one will  acknowledge a superior4  ,the 
poorest carman is as proud as the       
governor  of ,tolosa4  8,he is more     
powerful than ,i10 he will say1 8but ,i 
am of as  good blood2 perhaps hereafter 
,i may become a governor myself40  ,they
  abhor servitude1 at least out of their
 own country2 and though  circumstances 
frequently oblige them to seek masters1 
it is very rare to  find them filling   
the places of common domestics2 they are

 stewards1  secretaries1 accountants1   
etc4  ,true it is1 that it was my own   
fortune to  obtain a ,basque domestic2  
but then he always treated me more as an
 equal  than a master1 would sit down in
 my presence1 give me his advice        
unasked1  and enter into conversation   
with me at all times and occasions4     
,did ,i  check him6  ,certainly not6    
,for in that case he would have left me1
 and a  more faithful creature ,i never 
knew4  ,his fate was a mournful one1 as 
will appear in the sequel4    ,i have   
said that the ,basques abhor servitude1 
and are rarely to be found  serving as  
domestics amongst the ,spaniards4  ,i   
allude1 however1 merely to  the males4  
,the females1 on the contrary1 have no  
objection whatever to  enter houses as  
servants4  ,women1 indeed1 amongst the  
,basques are not  looked upon with all  
the esteem which they deserve1 and are  
considered as  fitted for little else   
than to perform menial offices1 even as 
in the  ,east1 where they are viewed in 

the light of servants and slaves4  ,the 
,basque females differ widely in        
character from the men2 they are quick  
and vivacious1 and have in general much 
more talent4  ,they are famous for      
their skill as cooks1 and in most       
respectable houses of ,madrid a         
,biscayan  female may be found in the   
kitchen1 queen supreme of the culinary  
department4          ,,chapter ,,xxxviii
      ,the ,prohibition--,gospel        
,persecuted--,charge of                 
,sorcery--,ofalia4    ,about the middle 
of ,january a swoop was made upon me by 
my enemies1 in  the shape of a          
peremptory prohibition from the         
political governor of  ,madrid to sell  
any more ,new ,testaments4  ,this       
measure by no means took me  by         
surprise1 as ,i had for some time       
previously been expecting something  of 
the kind1 on account of the political   
sentiments of the ministers then  in    
power4  ,i forthwith paid a visit to    
,sir ,george ,villiers1 informing him   

of what had occurred4  ,he promised to  
do all he could to cause the            
prohibition to be withdrawn4            
,unfortunately at this time he had not  
much  influence1 having opposed with all
 his might the entrance of the moderado 
ministry to power1 and the nomination of
 ,ofalia to the presidency of the       
cabinet4  ,i1 however1 never lost       
confidence in the ,almighty1 in whose   
cause ,i was engaged4    ,matters were  
going on very well before this check4   
,the demand for  ,testaments was        
becoming considerable1 so much so1 that 
the clergy were  alarmed1 and this step 
was the consequence4  ,but they had     
previously  recourse to another1 well   
worthy of them1 they attempted to act   
upon my  fears4  ,one of the ruffians of
 ,madrid1 called ,manolos1 came up to me
 one  night1 in a dark street1 and told 
me that unless ,i discontinued selling  
my 8,jewish books10 ,i should have a    
knife 8nailed in my heart02 but ,i  told
 him to go home1 say his prayers1 and   

tell his employers that ,i  pitied them2
 whereupon he turned away with an oath4 
,a few days after1 ,i  received an order
 to send two copies of the ,testament to
 the office of  the political governor1 
with which ,i complied1 and in less than
  twenty-four hours an alguazil arrived 
at the shop with a notice  prohibiting  
the further sale of the work4    ,one   
circumstance rejoiced me4  ,singular as 
it may appear1 the authorities  took no 
measures to cause my little despacho to 
be closed1 and ,i received  no          
prohibition respecting the sale of any  
work but the ,new ,testament1 and  as   
the ,gospel of ,saint ,luke1 in ,romany 
and ,basque1 would within a short  time 
be ready for delivery1 ,i hoped to carry
 on matters in a small way  till better 
times should arrive4    ,i was advised  
to erase from the shop windows the words
 8,despacho of the  ,british and        
,foreign ,bible ,society40  ,this1      
however1 ,i refused to do4  ,those words
 had tended very much to call attention1

 which was my grand  object4  ,had ,i   
attempted to conduct things in an       
underhand manner1 ,i  should1 at the    
time of which ,i am speaking1 scarcely  
have sold thirty  copies in ,madrid1    
instead of nearly three hundred4        
,people who know me  not1 may be        
disposed to call me rash2 but ,i am far 
from being so1 as ,i  never adopt a     
venturous course when any other is open 
to me4  ,i am not1  however1 a person to
 be terrified by any danger1 when ,i see
 that braving  it is the only way to    
achieve an object4    ,the booksellers  
were unwilling to sell my work2 ,i was  
compelled to  establish a shop of my    
own4  ,every shop in ,madrid has a name4
  ,what name  could ,i give it but the  
true one8  ,i was not ashamed of my     
cause or my  colours4  ,i hoisted them1 
and fought beneath them not without     
success4    ,the priestly party in      
,madrid1 in the meantime1 spared no     
effort to vilify  me4  ,they started a  
publication called ,the ,friend of the  

,christian  ,religion1 in which a stupid
 but furious attack upon me appeared1   
which  ,i1 however1 treated with the    
contempt it deserved4  ,but not         
satisfied  with this1 they endeavoured  
to incite the populace against me1 by   
telling  them that ,i was a sorcerer1   
and a companion of ,gypsies and witches1
 and  their agents even called me so in 
the streets4  ,that ,i was an associate 
of ,gypsies and fortune-tellers ,i do   
not deny4  ,why should ,i be ashamed of 
their company when my ,master mingled   
with publicans and thieves8  ,many of   
the ,gypsy race came frequently to visit
 me2 received instruction1 and  heard   
parts of the ,gospel read to them in    
their own language1 and when  they were 
hungry and faint1 ,i gave them to eat   
and drink4  ,this might be  deemed      
sorcery in ,spain1 but ,i am not without
 hope that it will be  otherwise        
estimated in ,england1 and had ,i       
perished at this period1 ,i  think there
 are some who would have been disposed  

to acknowledge that ,i  had not lived   
altogether in vain 7always as an        
instrument of the 8,most  ,highest071   
having been permitted to turn one of the
 most valuable books  of ,god into the  
speech of the most degraded of his      
creatures4    ,in the meantime ,i       
endeavoured to enter into negotiations  
with the  ministry1 for the purpose of  
obtaining permission to sell the ,new   
,testament in ,madrid1 and the          
nullification of the prohibition4  ,i   
experienced1 however1 great opposition1 
which ,i was unable to surmount4        
,several of the ultra-popish bishops1   
then resident in ,madrid1 had  denounced
 the ,bible1 the ,bible ,society1 and   
myself4  ,nevertheless1  notwithstanding
 their powerful and united efforts1 they
 were unable to  effect their principal 
object1 namely1 my expulsion from       
,madrid and  ,spain4  ,the ,count       
,ofalia1 notwithstanding he had         
permitted himself to be  made the       
instrument1 to a certain extent1 of     

these people1 would not  consent to be  
pushed to such a length4  ,throughout   
this affair1 ,i cannot  find words      
sufficiently strong to do justice to the
 zeal and interest  which ,sir ,george  
,villiers displayed in the cause of the 
,testament4  ,he  had various interviews
 with ,ofalia on the subject1 and in    
these he  expressed to him his sense of 
the injustice and tyranny which had been
  practised in this instance towards his
 countryman4    ,ofalia had been moved  
by these remonstrances1 and more than   
once promised  to do all in his power to
 oblige ,sir ,george2 but then the      
bishops again  beset him1 and playing   
upon his political if not religious     
fears1  prevented him from acting a     
just1 honest1 and honourable part4  ,at 
the  desire of ,sir ,george ,villiers1  
,i drew up a brief account of the ,bible
  ,society1 and an exposition of its    
views1 especially in respect to ,spain1 
which he presented with his own hands to
 the ,count4  ,i shall not trouble  the 

reader by inserting this memorial1 but  
content myself with observing1  that ,i 
made no attempts to flatter and cajole1 
but expressed myself  honestly and      
frankly1 as a ,christian ought4         
,ofalia1 on reading it1 said1  8,what a 
pity that this is a ,protestant society1
 and that all its members  are not      
,catholics40    ,a few days             
subsequently1 to my great astonishment1 
he sent a message to  me by a friend1   
requesting that ,i would send him a copy
 of my ,gypsy  ,gospel4  ,i may as well 
here state1 that the fame of this work1 
though not  yet published1 had already  
spread like wildfire through ,madrid1   
and every  person was passionately eager
 to possess a copy2 indeed1 several     
grandees  of ,spain sent messages with  
similar requests1 all of which ,i       
however  denied4  ,i instantly resolved 
to take advantage of this overture on   
the  part of ,count ,ofalia1 and to call
 on him myself4  ,i therefore caused a  
copy of the ,gospel to be handsomely    

bound1 and proceeding to the palace1    
was instantly admitted to him4  ,he was 
a dusky1 diminutive person1  between    
fifty and sixty years of age1 with false
 hair and teeth1 but  exceedingly       
gentlemanly manners4  ,he received me   
with great affability1  and thanked me  
for my present2 but on my proceeding to 
speak of the ,new  ,testament1 he told  
me that the subject was surrounded with 
difficulties1  and that the great body  
of the clergy had taken up the matter   
against me2  he conjured me1 however1 to
 be patient and peaceable1 in which case
 he  said he would endeavour to devise  
some plan to satisfy me4  ,amongst other
  things1 he observed that the bishops  
hated a sectarian more than an          
,atheist4  ,whereupon ,i replied1 that1 
like the ,pharisees of old1 they  cared 
more for the gold of the temple than the
 temple itself4  ,throughout  the whole 
of our interview he evidently laboured  
under great fear1 and  was continually  
looking behind and around him1 seemingly

 in dread of  being overheard1 which    
brought to my mind an expression of a   
friend of  mine1 that if there be any   
truth in metempsychosis1 the soul of    
,count  ,ofalia must have originally    
belonged to a mouse4  ,we parted in     
kindness1  and ,i went away1 wondering  
by what strange chance this poor man had
  become prime minister of a country    
like ,spain4          ,,chapter ,,xxxix 
,the ,two ,gospels--,the ,alguazil--,the
 ,warrant--,the ,good ,maria--,the      
,arrest--,sent  to                      
,prison--,reflections--,the             
,reception--,the ,prison ,room--,redress
 ,demanded4    ,at length the ,gospel of
 ,saint ,luke in the ,gypsy language was
 in a state  of readiness4  ,i therefore
 deposited a certain number of copies in
 the  despacho1 and announced them for  
sale4  ,the ,basque1 which was by this  
time also printed1 was likewise         
advertised4  ,for this last work there  
was  little demand4  ,not so1 however1  
for the ,gypsy ,luke1 of which ,i could 

have easily disposed of the whole       
edition in less than a fortnight4       
,long1 however1 before this period had  
expired1 the clergy were up in  arms4   
8,sorcery60 said one bishop4  8,there is
 more in this than we can  dive into10  
exclaimed a second4  8,he will convert  
all ,spain by means of  the ,gypsy      
language10 cried a third4  ,and then    
came the usual chorus on  such          
occasions1 of ,que infamia6  ,que       
picardia6  ,at last1 having  consulted  
together1 away they hurried to their    
tool the corregidor1 or1  according to  
the modern term1 the gefe politico of   
,madrid4  ,i have  forgotten the name of
 this worthy1 of whom ,i had myself no  
personal  knowledge whatever4  ,judging 
from his actions1 however1 and from     
common  report1 ,i should say that he   
was a stupid wrong-headed creature1     
savage  withal--a melange of borrico1   
mule1 and wolf4  ,having an inveterate  
antipathy to all foreigners1 he lent a  
willing ear to the complaint of my      

accusers1 and forthwith gave orders to  
make a seizure of all the copies  of the
 ,gypsy ,gospel which could be found in 
the despacho4  ,the  consequence was1   
that a numerous body of alguazils       
directed their steps  to the ,calle del 
principe2 some thirty copies of the book
 in question  were pounced upon1 and    
about the same number of ,saint ,luke in
 ,basque4  ,with this spoil these       
satellites returned in triumph to the   
gefatura  politica1 where they divided  
the copies of the ,gypsy volume amongst 
themselves1 selling subsequently the    
greater number at a large price1 the    
book being in the greatest demand1 and  
thus becoming unintentionally  agents of
 an heretical society4  ,but every one  
must live by his trade1  say these      
people1 and they lose no opportunity of 
making their words  good1 by disposing  
to the best advantage of any booty which
 falls into  their hands4  ,as no person
 cared about the ,basque ,gospel1 it was
 safely  stowed away1 with other        

unmarketable captures1 in the warehouses
 of the  office4    ,the ,gypsy ,gospels
 had now been seized1 at least as many  
as were exposed  for sale in the        
despacho4  ,the corregidor and his      
friends1 however1 were  of opinion that 
many more might be obtained by means of 
a little  management4  ,fellows1        
therefore1 hangers-on of the police     
office1 were  daily dispatched to the   
shop in all kinds of disguises1         
inquiring1 with  great seeming anxiety1 
for 8,gypsy books10 and offering high   
prices for  copies4  ,they1 however1    
returned to their employers             
empty-handed4  ,my  ,gallegan was on his
 guard1 informing all who made          
inquiries1 that books  of no description
 would be sold at the establishment for 
the present4  ,which was in truth the   
case1 as ,i had given him particular    
orders to sell  no more under any       
pretence whatever4    ,i got no credit1 
however1 for my frank dealing4  ,the    
corregidor and his  confederates could  

not persuade themselves but that by some
 means  mysterious and unknown to them1 
,i was daily selling hundreds of these  
,gypsy books1 which were to             
revolutionize the country1 and          
annihilate the  power of the ,father of 
,rome4  ,a plan was therefore resolved  
upon1 by  means of which they hoped to  
have an opportunity of placing me in a  
position which would incapacitate me for
 some time from taking any active       
measures to circulate the ,scriptures1  
either in ,gypsy or in any other        
language4    ,it was on the morning of  
the first of ,may1 if ,i forget not1    
that an  unknown individual made his    
appearance in my apartment as ,i was    
seated at  breakfast2 he was a          
mean-looking fellow1 about the middle   
stature1 with a  countenance on which   
knave was written in legible characters4
  ,the  hostess ushered him in1 and then
 withdrew4  ,i did not like the         
appearance  of my visitor1 but assuming 
some degree of courtesy1 ,i requested   

him to  sit down1 and demanded his      
business4  8,i come from his excellency 
the  political chief of ,madrid10 he    
replied1 8and my business is to inform  
you  that his excellency is perfectly   
aware of your proceedings1 and is at any
  time able to prove that you are still 
disposing of in secret those evil  books
 which you have been forbidden to sell40
  8,is he so10 ,i replied2  8pray let   
him do so forthwith1 but what need of   
giving me information80  8,perhaps10    
continued the fellow1 8you think his    
worship has no witnesses2  know1        
however1 that he has many1 and          
respectable ones too40  8,doubtless10   
,i replied1 8and from the respectability
 of your own appearance1 you are        
perhaps one of them4  ,but you are      
occupying my time unprofitably2 begone1 
therefore1 and tell whoever sent you1   
that ,i have by no means a high  opinion
 of his wisdom40  8,i shall go when ,i  
please10 retorted the fellow2  8do you  
know to whom you are speaking8  ,are you

 aware that if ,i think fit  ,i can     
search your apartment1 yes1 even below  
your bed8  ,what have we  here10 he     
continued2 and commenced with his stick 
poking a heap of papers  which lay upon 
a chair2 8what have we here2 are these  
also papers of the  ,gypsies80  ,i      
instantly determined upon submitting no 
longer to this  behaviour1 and taking   
the fellow by the arm1 led him out of   
the  apartment1 and then still holding  
him1 conducted him downstairs from the  
third floor in which ,i lived1 into the 
street1 looking him steadfastly in  the 
face the whole while4    ,the fellow had
 left his sombrero on the table1 which  
,i dispatched to him  by the landlady1  
who delivered it into his hand as he    
stood in the street  staring with       
distended eyes at the balcony of my     
apartment4    8,a trampa has been laid  
for you1 ,don ,jorge10 said ,maria      
,diaz1 when she  had reascended from the
 street2 8that corchete came here with  
no other  intention than to have a      

dispute with you2 out of every word you 
have  said he will make a long history1 
as is the custom with these people3     
indeed he said1 as ,i handed him his    
hat1 that ere twenty-four hours were    
over1 you should see the inside of the  
prison of ,madrid40    ,in effect1      
during the course of the morning1 ,i was
 told that a warrant  had been issued   
for my apprehension4  ,the prospect of  
incarceration1  however1 did not fill me
 with much dismay2 an adventurous life  
and  inveterate habits of wandering     
having long familiarized me to          
situations  of every kind1 so much so as
 to feel myself quite as comfortable in 
a  prison as in the gilded chamber of   
palaces2 indeed more so1 as in the      
former place ,i can always add to my    
store of useful information1 whereas  in
 the latter1 ennui frequently assails   
me4  ,i had1 moreover1 been  thinking   
for some time past of paying a visit to 
the prison1 partly in  the hope of being
 able to say a few words of ,christian  

instruction to the  criminals1 and      
partly with the view of making certain  
investigations in  the robber language  
of ,spain1 a subject about which ,i had 
long felt much  curiosity2 indeed1 ,i   
had already made application for        
admittance into the  ,carcel de la      
,corte1 but had found the matter        
surrounded with  difficulties1 as my    
friend ,ofalia would have said4  ,i     
rather rejoiced  then in the opportunity
 which was now about to present itself  
of entering  the prison1 not in the     
character of a visitor for an hour1 but 
as a  martyr1 and as one suffering in   
the holy cause of religion4  ,i was     
determined1 however1 to disappoint my   
enemies for that day at least1 and  to  
render null the threat of the alguazil1 
that ,i should be imprisoned  within    
twenty-four hours4  ,i therefore took up
 my abode for the rest of  the day in a 
celebrated ,french tavern in the ,calle 
del ,caballero de  ,gracia1 which1 as it
 was one of the most fashionable and    

public places in  ,madrid1 ,i naturally 
concluded was one of the last where the 
corregidor  would think of seeking me4  
,about ten at night1 ,maria ,diaz1 to   
whom ,i had communicated the place of   
my retreat1 arrived with her son1 ,juan 
,lopez4  8,o seor10 said she on  seeing 
me1 8they are already in quest of you2  
the alcalde of the barrio1  with a large
 comitiva of alguazils and such like    
people1 have just been  at our house    
with a warrant for your imprisonment    
from the corregidor4  ,they searched the
 whole house1 and were much disappointed
 at not finding  you4  ,wo is me1 what  
will they do when they catch you80  8,be
 under no  apprehensions1 good ,maria10 
said ,i2 8you forget that ,i am an      
,englishman1  and so it seems does the  
corregidor4  ,whenever he catches me1   
depend upon  it he will be glad enough  
to let me go4  ,for the present1        
however1 we  will permit him to follow  
his own course1 for the spirit of folly 
seems  to have seized him40    ,i slept 

at the tavern1 and in the forenoon of   
the following day repaired  to the      
embassy1 where ,i had an interview with 
,sir ,george1 to whom ,i  related every 
circumstance of the affair4  ,he said   
that he could scarcely  believe that the
 corregidor entertained any serious     
intentions of  imprisoning me3 in the   
first place1 because ,i had committed no
 offence2  and in the second1 because ,i
 was not under the jurisdiction of that 
functionary1 but under that of the      
captain-general1 who was alone          
empowered to decide upon matters which  
relate to foreigners1 and before  whom  
,i must be brought in the presence of   
the consul of my nation4  8,however10   
said he1 8there is no knowing to what   
length these jacks in  office may go4   
,i therefore advise you1 if you are     
under any  apprehension1 to remain as my
 guest at the embassy for a few days1   
for  here you will be quite safe40  ,i  
assured him that ,i was under no        
apprehension whatever1 having long been 

accustomed to adventures of this  kind4 
,from the apartment of ,sir ,george1 ,i 
proceeded to that of the first          
secretary of embassy1 ,mr4 ,southern1   
with whom ,i entered into  conversation4
  ,i had scarcely been there a minute   
when my servant  ,francisco rushed in1  
much out of breath1 and in violent      
agitation1  exclaiming in ,basque1      
8,niri jauna 7master mine71 the         
alguaziloac and  the corchetoac1 and all
 the other lapurrac 7thieves7 are again 
at the  house4  ,they seem half mad1 and
 not being able to find you1 are        
searching  your papers1 thinking1 ,i    
suppose1 that you are hid among them40  
,mr4  ,southern here interrupting him1  
inquired of me what all this meant4     
,whereupon ,i told him1 saying at the   
same time1 that it was my intention  to 
proceed at once to my lodgings4  8,but  
perhaps these fellows will  arrest you10
 said ,mr4 ,s41 8before we can          
interfere40  8,i must take my  chance as
 to that10 ,i replied1 and presently    

afterwards departed4    ,ere1 however1  
,i had reached the middle of the street 
of ,alcala1 two  fellows came up to me1 
and telling me that ,i was their        
prisoner1  commanded me to follow them  
to the office of the corregidor4  ,they 
were  in fact alguazils1 who1 suspecting
 that ,i might enter or come out of the 
embassy1 had stationed themselves in the
 neighbourhood4  ,i instantly  turned   
round to ,francisco1 and told him in    
,basque to return to the  embassy and to
 relate there to the secretary what had 
just occurred4  ,the  poor fellow set   
off like lightning1 turning half round1 
however1 to shake  his fist1 and to vent
 a ,basque execration at the two        
lapurrac1 as he  called the alguazils4  
,they conducted me to the gefatura or   
office of the corregidor1 where they    
ushered me into a large room1 and       
motioned me to sit down on a wooden     
bench4  ,they then stationed themselves 
on each side of me3 there were at  least
 twenty people in the apartment beside  

ourselves1 evidently from  their        
appearance officials of the             
establishment4  ,they were all well     
dressed1 for the most part in the       
,french fashion1 in round hats1 coats1  
and pantaloons1 and yet they looked what
 in reality they were1 ,spanish         
alguazils1 spies1 and informers1 and    
,gil ,blas1 could he have waked from    
his sleep of two centuries1 would1      
notwithstanding the change of fashion1  
have had no difficulty in recognizing   
them4  ,they glanced at me as they      
stood lounging about the room2 they     
gathered themselves together in a       
circle and began conversing in whispers4
  ,i heard one of them say1 8he         
understands the seven ,gypsy jargons40  
,then presently another1 evidently  from
 his language an ,andalusian1 said1 8,es
 muy diestro 7he is very  skilful71 and 
can ride a horse and dart a knife full  
as well as if he  came from my own      
country40  ,thereupon they all turned   
round and regarded  me with a species of

 interest1 evidently mingled with       
respect1 which most  assuredly they     
would not have exhibited had they       
conceived that ,i was  merely an honest 
man bearing witness in a righteous      
cause4    ,i waited patiently on the    
bench at least one hour1 expecting every
 moment  to be summoned before my lord  
the corregidor4  ,i suppose1 however1   
that ,i  was not deemed worthy of being 
permitted to see so exalted a personage1
  for at the end of that time1 an       
elderly man1 one however evidently of   
the  alguazil genus1 came into the room 
and advanced directly towards me4       
8,stand up10 said he4  ,i obeyed4       
8,what is your name80 he demanded4  ,i  
told him4  8,then10 he replied1         
exhibiting a paper which he held in his 
hand1 8,seor1 it is the will of his     
excellency the corregidor that you be   
forthwith sent to prison40    ,he looked
 at me steadfastly as he spoke1 perhaps 
expecting that ,i should  sink into the 
earth at the formidable name of prison2 

,i however only  smiled4  ,he then      
delivered the paper1 which ,i suppose   
was the warrant for  my committal1 into 
the hand of one of my two captors1 and  
obeying a sign  which they made1 ,i     
followed them4    ,i subsequently       
learned that the secretary of legation1 
,mr4 ,southern1 had  been dispatched by 
,sir ,george1 as soon as the latter had 
obtained  information of my arrest1 and 
had been waiting at the office during   
the  greater part of the time that ,i   
was there4  ,he had demanded an audience
  of the corregidor1 in which he had    
intended to have remonstrated with  him1
 and pointed out to him the danger to   
which he was subjecting himself  by the 
rash step which he was taking4  ,the    
sullen functionary1 however1  had       
refused to see him1 thinking1 perhaps1  
that to listen to reason would  be a    
dereliction of dignity3 by this conduct1
 however1 he most  effectually served   
me1 as no person1 after such a specimen 
of  uncalled-for insolence1 felt        

disposed to question the violence and   
injustice which had been practised      
towards me4    ,the alguazils conducted 
me across the ,plaza ,mayor to the      
,carcel de la  ,corte1 or prison of the 
court1 as it is called4  ,whilst going  
across the  square1 ,i remembered that  
this was the place where1 in 8the good  
old  times10 the ,inquisition of ,spain 
was in the habit of holding its solemn  
,autos da fe1 and ,i cast my eye to the 
balcony of the city hall1 where  at the 
most solemn of them all1 the last of the
 ,austrian line in ,spain  sat1 and     
after some thirty heretics1 of both     
sexes1 had been burnt by  fours and by  
fives1 wiped his face1 perspiring with  
heat1 and black with  smoke1 and calmly 
inquired1 8,no hay mas80 for which      
exemplary proof of  patience he was much
 applauded by his priests and           
confessors1 who  subsequently poisoned  
him4  8,and here am ,i10 thought ,i1    
8who have done  more to wound ,popery1  
than all the poor ,christian martyrs    

that ever  suffered in this accursed    
square1 merely sent to prison1 from     
which ,i am  sure to be liberated in a  
few days1 with credit and applause4     
,pope of  ,rome6 ,i believe you to be as
 malicious as ever1 but you are sadly   
deficient in power4  ,you are become    
paralytic1 ,batuschca1 and your club    
has degenerated to a crutch40    ,we    
arrived at the prison1 which stands in a
 narrow street not far from  the great  
square4  ,we entered a dusky passage1 at
 the end of which was a  wicket door4   
,my conductors knocked1 a fierce visage 
peered through the  wicket2 there was an
 exchange of words1 and in a few moments
 ,i found  myself within the prison of  
,madrid1 in a kind of corridor which    
overlooked at a considerable altitude   
what appeared to be a court1 from  which
 arose a hubbub of voices1 and          
occasionally wild shouts and cries4     
,within the corridor which served as a  
kind of office1 were several  people2   
one of them sat behind a desk1 and to   

him the alguazils went up1  and after   
discoursing with him some time in low   
tones1 delivered the  warrant into his  
hands4  ,he perused it with attention1  
then rising he  advanced to me4  ,what a
 figure6  ,he was about forty years of  
age1 and his  height might have amounted
 to some six feet two inches1 had he not
 been  curved much after the fashion of 
the letter ,s4  ,no weazel ever appeared
  lanker1 and he looked as if a breath  
of air would have been sufficient to    
blow him away2 his face might certainly 
have been called handsome1 had it  not  
been for its extraordinary and          
portentous meagreness2 his nose was     
like an eagle's bill1 his teeth white as
 ivory1 his eyes black 7,oh how  black67
 and fraught with a strange expression1 
his skin was dark1 and the  hair of his 
head like the plumage of the raven4  ,a 
deep quiet smile dwelt  continually on  
his features2 but with all the quiet it 
was a cruel smile1  such a one as would 
have graced the countenance of a ,nero4 

8,mais en  revanche personne n'etoit    
plus honnete40  8,caballero10 said he1  
8allow  me to introduce myself to you as
 the alcayde of this prison4  ,i        
perceive  by this paper that ,i am to   
have the honour of your company for a   
time1 a  short time doubtless1 beneath  
this roof2 ,i hope you will banish every
  apprehension from your mind4  ,i am   
charged to treat you with all the       
respect which is due to the illustrious 
nation to which you belong1 and  which a
 cavalier of such exalted category as   
yourself is entitled to  expect4  ,a    
needless charge1 it is true1 as ,i      
should only have been too  happy of my  
own accord to have afforded you every   
comfort and attention4  ,caballero1 you 
will rather consider yourself here as a 
guest than a  prisoner2 you will be     
permitted to roam over every part of    
this house  whenever you think proper4  
,you will find matters here not         
altogether  below the attention of a    
philosophic mind6  ,pray1 issue whatever

 commands  you may think fit to the     
turnkeys and officials1 even as if they 
were  your own servants4  ,i will now   
have the honour of conducting you to    
your  apartment--the only one at present
 unoccupied4  ,we invariably reserve it 
for cavaliers of distinction4  ,i am    
happy to say that my orders are again   
in consonance with my inclination4  ,no 
charge whatever will be made for  it to 
you1 though the daily hire of it is not 
unfrequently an ounce of  gold4  ,i     
entreat you1 therefore1 to follow me1   
cavalier1 who am at all  times and      
seasons the most obedient and devoted of
 your servants40  ,here  he took off his
 hat and bowed profoundly4    ,such was 
the speech of the alcayde of the prison 
of ,madrid2 a speech  delivered in pure 
sonorous ,castilian1 with calmness1     
gravity1 and almost  with dignity2 a    
speech which would have done honour to a
 gentleman of  high birth1 to ,monsieur 
,basompierre1 of the ,old ,bastile1     
receiving an  ,italian prince1 or the   

high constable of the ,tower an ,english
 duke  attainted of high treason4  ,now1
 who in the name of wonder was this     
alcayde8    ,one of the greatest rascals
 in all ,spain4  ,a fellow who had more 
than  once by his grasping cupidity1 and
 by his curtailment of the miserable    
rations of the prisoners1 caused an     
insurrection in the court below only  to
 be repressed by bloodshed1 and by      
summoning military aid2 a fellow of  low
 birth1 who1 only five years previous1  
had been drummer to a band of  royalist 
volunteers6    ,but ,spain is the land  
of extraordinary characters4    ,i      
followed the alcayde to the end of the  
corridor1 where was a massive  grated   
door1 on each side of which sat a grim  
fellow of a turnkey4  ,the  door was    
opened1 and turning to the right we     
proceeded down another  corridor1 in    
which were many people walking about1   
whom ,i subsequently  discovered to be  
prisoners like myself1 but for political
 offences4  ,at  the end of this        

corridor1 which extended the whole      
length of the patio1  we turned into    
another1 and the first apartment in this
 was the one  destined for myself4  ,it 
was large and lofty1 but totally        
destitute of  every species of          
furniture1 with the exception of a huge 
wooden pitcher1  intended to hold my    
daily allowance of water4  8,caballero10
 said the  alcayde1 8the apartment is   
without furniture1 as you see4  ,it is  
already  the third hour of the tarde1 ,i
 therefore advise you to lose no time in
  sending to your lodgings for a bed and
 whatever you may stand in need of1  the
 llavero here shall do your bidding4    
,caballero1 adieu till ,i see you       
again40    ,i followed his advice1 and  
writing a note in pencil to ,maria      
,diaz1 ,i  dispatched it by the llavero1
 and then sitting down on the wooden    
pitcher1 ,i fell into a reverie1 which  
continued for a considerable time4      
,night arrived1 and so did ,maria ,diaz1
 attended by two porters and            

,francisco1 all loaded with furniture4  
,a lamp was lighted1 charcoal was       
kindled in the brasero1 and the prison  
gloom was to a certain degree           
dispelled4    ,i now left my seat on the
 pitcher1 and sitting down on a chair1  
proceeded  to dispatch some wine and    
viands1 which my good hostess had not   
forgotten  to bring with her4  ,suddenly
 ,mr4 ,southern entered4  ,he laughed   
heartily  at finding me engaged in the  
manner ,i have described4  8,b---10 said
 he1  8you are the man to get through   
the world1 for you appear to take all   
things coolly1 and as matters of course4
  ,that1 however1 which most  surprises 
me with respect to you is1 your having  
so many friends2 here  you are in       
prison1 surrounded by people ministering
 to your comforts4  ,your very servant  
is your friend1 instead of being your   
worst enemy1 as  is usually the case4   
,that ,basque of yours is a noble       
fellow4  ,i shall  never forget how he  
spoke for you1 when he came running to  

the embassy to  inform us of your       
arrest4  ,he interested both ,sir       
,george and myself in  the highest      
degree3 should you ever wish to part    
with him1 ,i hope you  will give me the 
refusal of his services4  ,but now to   
other matters40  ,he  then informed me  
that ,sir ,george had already sent in an
 official note to  ,ofalia1 demanding   
redress for such a wanton outrage on the
 person of a  ,british subject4  8,you  
must remain in prison10 said he1        
8to-night1 but  depend upon it that     
to-morrow1 if you are disposed1 you may 
quit in  triumph40  8,i am by no means  
disposed for any such thing10 ,i        
replied4  8,they have put me in prison  
for their pleasure1 and ,i intend to    
remain  here for my own40  8,if the     
confinement is not irksome to you10 said
 ,mr4  ,southern1 8,i think1 indeed1 it 
will be your wisest plan2 the government
  have committed themselves sadly with  
regard to you2 and1 to speak  plainly1  
we are by no means sorry for it4  ,they 

have on more than one  occasion treated 
ourselves very cavalierly1 and we have  
now1 if you  continue firm1 an excellent
 opportunity of humbling their          
insolence4  ,i  will instantly acquaint 
,sir ,george with your determination1   
and you shall  hear from us early on the
 morrow40  ,he then bade me farewell2   
and  flinging myself on my bed1 ,i was  
soon asleep in the prison of ,madrid4   
,,chapter ,,xl      ,ofalia--,the       
,juez--,carcel de la ,corte--,sunday in 
,prison--,robber ,dress--,father  and   
,son--,characteristic ,behaviour--,the  
,frenchman--,prison ,allowance--,valley 
of  the ,shadow--,pure                  
,castilian--,balseiro--,the             
,cave--,robber ,glory4    ,ofalia       
quickly perceived that the imprisonment 
of a ,british subject in a  manner so   
illegal as that which had attended my   
own1 was likely to be  followed by      
rather serious consequences4  ,whether  
he himself had at all  encouraged the   
corregidor in his behaviour towards me1 

it is impossible  to say2 the           
probability is that he had not3 the     
latter1 however1 was an  officer of his 
own appointing1 for whose actions       
himself and the  government were to a   
certain extent responsible4  ,sir       
,george had already  made a very strong 
remonstrance upon the subject1 and had  
even gone so  far as to state in an     
official note that he should desist from
 all  farther communication with the    
,spanish government until full and ample
  reparation had been afforded me for   
the violence to which ,i had been       
subjected4  ,ofalia's reply was1 that   
immediate measures should be taken  for 
my liberation1 and that it would be my  
own fault if ,i remained in  prison4    
,he forthwith ordered a juez de la      
primera instancia1 a kind of            
solicitor-general1 to wait upon me1 who 
was instructed to hear my account  of   
the affair1 and then to dismiss me with 
an admonition to be cautious  for the   
future4  ,my friends of the embassy1    

however1 had advised me how  to act in  
such a case4  ,accordingly1 when the    
juez on the second night of  my         
imprisonment made his appearance at the 
prison1 and summoned me before  him1 ,i 
went1 but on his proceeding to question 
me1 ,i absolutely refused  to answer4   
8,i deny your right to put any questions
 to me10 said ,i2 8,i  entertain1       
however1 no feelings of disrespect to   
the government or to  yourself1         
,caballero ,juez2 but ,i have been      
illegally imprisoned4  ,so  accomplished
 a jurist as yourself cannot fail to be 
aware that1 according  to the laws of   
,spain1 ,i1 as a foreigner1 could not be
 committed to prison  for the offence   
with which ,i had been charged1 without 
previously being  conducted before the  
captain-general of this royal city1     
whose duty it is  to protect foreigners1
 and see that the laws of hospitality   
are not  violated in their persons40    
,juez4--,come1 come1 ,don ,jorge1 ,i see
 what you are aiming at2 but listen  to 

reason3 ,i will not now speak to you as 
a juez but as a friend who  wishes you  
well1 and who entertains a profound     
reverence for the ,british  nation4     
,this is a foolish affair altogether2 ,i
 will not deny that the  political chief
 acted somewhat hastily on the          
information of a person not  perhaps    
altogether worthy of credit4  ,no great 
damage1 however1 has been  done to you1 
and to a man of the world like yourself1
 a little adventure  of this kind is    
rather calculated to afford amusement   
than anything else4  ,now be advised1   
forget what has happened2 you know that 
it is the part  and duty of a ,christian
 to forgive2 so1 ,don ,jorge1 ,i advise 
you to leave  this place forthwith4  ,i 
dare say you are getting tired of it4   
,you are  this moment free to depart2   
repair at once to your lodgings1 where1 
,i  promise you1 that no one shall be   
permitted to interrupt you for the      
future4  ,it is getting late1 and the   
prison doors will speedily be closed    

for the night4  ,vamos1 ,don ,jorge1 a  
la casa1 a la posada6    ,myself4--8,but
 ,paul said unto them1 they have beaten 
us openly  uncondemned1 being ,romans1  
and have cast us into prison2 and now do
 they  thrust us out privily8  ,nay1    
verily3 but let them come themselves and
  fetch us out40    ,i then bowed to the
 juez1 who shrugged his shoulders and   
took snuff4  ,on  leaving the apartment 
,i turned to the alcayde1 who stood at  
the door3  8,take notice10 said ,i1     
8that ,i will not quit this prison till 
,i have  received full satisfaction for 
being sent hither uncondemned4  ,you may
  expel me if you please1 but any       
attempt to do so shall be resisted with 
all the bodily strength of which ,i am  
possessed40    8,your worship is right10
 said the alcayde with a bow1 but in a  
low voice4    ,sir ,george1 on hearing  
of this affair1 sent me a letter in     
which he  highly commended my resolution
 not to leave the prison for the        
present1  at the same time begging me to

 let him know if there were anything    
that  he could send me from the embassy 
to render my situation more tolerable4  
,i will now leave for the present my own
 immediate affairs1 and proceed to  give
 some account of the prison of ,madrid  
and its inmates4    ,the ,carcel de la  
,corte1 where ,i now was1 though the    
principal prison of  ,madrid1 is one    
which certainly in no respect does      
credit to the capital  of ,spain4       
,whether it was originally intended for 
the purpose to which it  is at present  
applied1 ,i have no opportunity of      
knowing4  ,the chances1  however1 are1  
that it was not2 indeed it was not till 
of late years that  the practice of     
building edifices expressly intended and
 suited for the  incarceration of       
culprits came at all into vogue4        
,castles1 convents1 and  deserted       
palaces1 have in all countries1 at      
different times1 been  converted into   
prisons1 which practice still holds good
 upon the greater  part of the          

continent1 and more particularly in     
,spain and ,italy1 which  accounts1 to a
 certain extent1 for the insecurity of  
the prisons1 and the  misery1 want of   
cleanliness1 and unhealthiness which in 
general pervade  them4    ,i shall not  
attempt to enter into a particular      
description of the prison  of ,madrid1  
indeed it would be quite impossible to  
describe so irregular  and rambling an  
edifice4  ,its principal features       
consisted of two courts1  the one behind
 the other1 intended for the great body 
of the prisoners to  take air and       
recreation in4  ,three large vaulted    
dungeons or calabozos  occupied three   
sides of this court1 immediately below  
the corridors of  which ,i have already 
spoken4  ,these dungeons were roomy     
enough to contain  respectively from one
 hundred to one hundred and fifty       
prisoners1 who  were at night secured   
therein with lock and bar1 but during   
the day were  permitted to roam about   
the courts as they thought fit4  ,the   

second court  was considerably larger   
than the first1 though it contained but 
two  dungeons1 horribly filthy and      
disgusting places2 this second court    
being  used for the reception of the    
lower grades of thieves4  ,of the two   
dungeons one was1 if possible1 yet more 
horrible than the other2 it was  called 
the gallineria1 or chicken coop1 and    
within it every night were  pent up the 
young fry of the prison1 wretched boys  
from seven to fifteen  years of age1 the
 greater part almost in a state of      
nudity4  ,the common  bed of all the    
inmates of these dungeons was the       
ground1 between which  and their bodies 
nothing intervened1 save occasionally a 
manta or  horse-cloth1 or perhaps a     
small mattress2 this latter luxury was1 
however1 of exceedingly rare occurrence4
    ,besides the calabozos connected    
with the courts1 were other dungeons in 
various parts of the prison2 some of    
them quite dark1 intended for the       
reception of those whom it might be     

deemed expedient to treat with  peculiar
 severity4  ,there was likewise a ward  
set apart for females4  ,connected with 
the principal corridor were many small  
apartments1 where  resided prisoners    
confined for debt or for political      
offences4  ,and1  lastly1 there was a   
small capilla or chapel1 in which       
prisoners cast for  death passed the    
last three days of their existence in   
company of their  ghostly advisers4     
,i shall not soon forget my first       
,sunday in prison4  ,sunday is the gala 
day of the prison1 at least of that of  
,madrid1 and whatever robber finery  is 
to be found within it1 is sure to be    
exhibited on that day of  holiness4     
,there is not a set of people in the    
world more vain than  robbers in        
general1 more fond of cutting a figure  
whenever they have an  opportunity1 and 
of attracting the eyes of their fellow  
creatures by the  gallantry of their    
appearance4  ,the famous ,sheppard of   
olden times  delighted in sporting a    

suit of ,genoese velvet1 and when he    
appeared in  public generally wore a    
silver-hilted sword at his side2 whilst 
,vaux and  ,hayward1 heroes of a later  
day1 were the best dressed men on the   
pav of  ,london4  ,many of the ,italian 
bandits go splendidly decorated1 and the
  very ,gypsy robber has a feeling for  
the charms of dress2 the cap alone of   
the ,haram ,pasha1 or leader of the     
cannibal ,gypsy band which infested     
,hungary towards the conclusion of the  
last century1 was adorned with gold  and
 jewels to the value of four thousand   
guilders4  ,observe1 ye vain and        
frivolous1 how vanity and crime         
harmonize4  ,the ,spanish robbers are as
  fond of this species of display as    
their brethren of other lands1 and1     
whether in prison or out of it1 are     
never so happy as when1 decked out in  a
 profusion of white linen1 they can loll
 in the sun1 or walk jauntily up  and   
down4    ,snow-white linen1 indeed1     
constitutes the principal feature in the

 robber  foppery of ,spain4  ,neither   
coat nor jacket is worn over the shirt1 
the  sleeves of which are wide and      
flowing1 only a waistcoat of green or   
blue  silk1 with an abundance of silver 
buttons1 which are intended more for    
show than use1 as the vest is seldom    
buttoned4  ,then there are wide         
trousers1 something after the ,turkish  
fashion2 around the waist is a  crimson 
faja or girdle1 and about the head is   
tied a gaudily coloured  handkerchief   
from the loom of ,barcelona2 light pumps
 and silk stockings  complete the       
robber's array4  ,this dress is         
picturesque enough1 and well  adapted to
 the fine sunshiny weather of the       
,peninsula2 there is a dash of          
effeminacy about it1 however1 hardly in 
keeping with the robber's  desperate    
trade4  ,it must not1 however1 be       
supposed that it is every  robber who   
can indulge in all this luxury2 there   
are various grades of  thieves1 some    
poor enough1 with scarcely a rag to     

cover them4  ,perhaps in  the crowded   
prison of ,madrid1 there were not more  
than twenty who  exhibited the dress    
which ,i have attempted to describe     
above2 these were  jente de reputacion1 
tip-top thieves1 mostly young fellows1  
who1 though  they had no money of their 
own1 were supported in prison by their  
majas  and amigas1 females of a certain 
class1 who form friendships with        
robbers1 and whose glory and delight it 
is to administer to the vanity of  these
 fellows with the wages of their own    
shame and abasement4  ,these  females   
supplied their cortejos with the snowy  
linen1 washed1 perhaps1 by  their own   
hands in the waters of the ,manzanares1 
for the display of the  ,sunday1 when   
they would themselves make their        
appearance dressed  la  maja1 and from  
the corridors would gaze with admiring  
eyes upon the  robbers vapouring about  
in the court below4    ,amongst those of
 the snowy linen who most particularly  
attracted my  attention1 were a father  

and son2 the former was a tall athletic 
figure  of about thirty1 by profession a
 housebreaker1 and celebrated throughout
  ,madrid for the peculiar dexterity    
which he exhibited in his calling4  ,he 
was now in prison for a rather atrocious
 murder committed in the dead of  night1
 in a house at ,caramanchel1 in which   
his only accomplice was his  son1 a     
child under seven years of age4  8,the  
apple10 as the ,danes say1  8had not    
fallen far from the tree02 the imp was  
in every respect the  counterpart of the
 father1 though in miniature4  ,he1 too1
 wore the robber  shirt sleeves1 the    
robber waistcoat with the silver        
buttons1 the robber  kerchief round his 
brow1 and1 ridiculous enough1 a long    
,manchegan knife  in the crimson faja4  
,he was evidently the pride of the      
ruffian father1  who took all imaginable
 care of this chick of the gallows1     
would dandle  him on his knee1 and would
 occasionally take the cigar from his   
own  moustached lips and insert it in   

the urchin's mouth4  ,the boy was the   
pet  of the court1 for the father was   
one of the valientes of the prison1 and 
those who feared his prowess1 and wished
 to pay their court to him1 were  always
 fondling the child4  ,what an enigma is
 this world of ours6  ,how  dark and    
mysterious are the sources of what is   
called crime and virtue6  ,if that      
infant wretch become eventually a       
murderer like his father1 is he  to     
blame8  ,fondled by robbers1 already    
dressed as a robber1 born of a  robber1 
whose own history was perhaps similar4  
,is it right8 4 4 4    ,o1 man1 man1    
seek not to dive into the mystery of    
moral good and evil2  confess thyself a 
worm1 cast thyself on the earth1 and    
murmur with thy  lips in the dust1      
,jesus1 ,jesus6    ,what most surprised 
me with respect to the prisoners1 was   
their good  behaviour2 ,i call it good  
when all things are taken into          
consideration1  and when ,i compare it  
with that of the general class of       

prisoners in  foreign lands4  ,they had 
their occasional bursts of wild gaiety1 
their  occasional quarrels1 which they  
were in the habit of settling in a      
corner  of the inferior court with their
 long knives2 the result not            
unfrequently  being death1 or a dreadful
 gash in the face or the abdomen2 but1  
upon the  whole1 their conduct was      
infinitely superior to what might have  
been  expected from the inmates of such 
a place4  ,yet this was not the result  
of coercion1 or any particular care     
which was exercised over them2 for      
perhaps in no part of the world are     
prisoners so left to themselves and  so 
utterly neglected as in ,spain3 the     
authorities having no farther  anxiety  
about them1 than to prevent their       
escape2 not the slightest  attention    
being paid to their moral conduct and   
not a thought bestowed  upon their      
health1 comfort or mental improvement1  
whilst within the  walls4  ,yet in this 
prison of ,madrid1 and ,i may say in    

,spanish prisons in  general1 for ,i    
have been an inmate of more than one1   
the ears of the  visitor are never      
shocked with horrid blasphemy and       
obscenity1 as in  those of some other   
countries1 and more particularly in     
civilized ,france2  nor are his eyes    
outraged and himself insulted1 as he    
would assuredly be1  were he to look    
down upon the courts from the galleries 
of the ,bicetre4  ,and yet in this      
prison of ,madrid were some of the most 
desperate  characters in ,spain3        
ruffians who had committed acts of      
cruelly and  atrocity sufficient to make
 the flesh shudder4  ,but gravity and   
sedateness are the leading              
characteristics of the ,spaniards1 and  
the very  robber1 except in those       
moments when he is engaged in his       
occupation1 and  then no one is more    
sanguinary1 pitiless1 and wolfishly     
eager for booty1  is a being who can be 
courteous and affable1 and who takes    
pleasure in  conducting himself with    

sobriety and decorum4    ,happily1      
perhaps1 for me1 that my acquaintance   
with the ruffians of ,spain  commenced  
and ended in the towns about which ,i   
wandered1 and in the  prisons into which
 ,i was cast for the ,gospel's sake1 and
 that1  notwithstanding my long and     
frequent journeys1 ,i never came in     
contact  with them on the road or in the
 despoblado4    ,the most               
ill-conditioned being in the prison was 
a ,frenchman1 though  probably the most 
remarkable4  ,he was about sixty years  
of age1 of the  middle stature1 but thin
 and meagre1 like most of his           
countrymen2 he had  a                   
villainously-formed head1 according to  
all the rules of craniology1 and  his   
features were full of evil expression4  
,he wore no hat1 and his  clothes1      
though in appearance nearly new1 were of
 the coarsest  description4  ,he        
generally kept aloof from the rest1 and 
would stand for  hours together leaning 
against the walls with his arms folded1 

glaring  sullenly on what was passing   
before him4  ,he was not one of the     
professed  valientes1 for his age       
prevented his assuming so distinguished 
a  character1 and yet all the rest      
appeared to hold him in a certain awe3  
perhaps they feared his tongue1 which he
 occasionally exerted in pouring  forth 
withering curses on those who incurred  
his displeasure4  ,he spoke  perfectly  
good ,spanish1 and to my great surprise 
excellent ,basque1 in  which he was in  
the habit of conversing with ,francisco1
 who1 lolling from  the window of my    
apartment1 would exchange jests and     
witticisms with the  prisoners in the   
court below1 with whom he was a great   
favourite4    ,one day when ,i was in   
the patio1 to which ,i had free         
admission whenever ,i  pleased1 by      
permission of the alcayde1 ,i went up to
 the ,frenchman1 who  stood in his usual
 posture1 leaning against the wall1 and 
offered him a  cigar4  ,i do not smoke  
myself1 but it will never do to mix     

among the  lower classes of ,spain      
unless you have a cigar to present      
occasionally4  ,the man glared at me    
ferociously for a moment1 and appeared  
to be on the  point of refusing my offer
 with perhaps a hideous execration4  ,i 
repeated  it1 however1 pressing my hand 
against my heart1 whereupon suddenly the
  grim features relaxed1 and with a     
genuine ,french grimace1 and a low bow1 
he accepted the cigar1 exclaiming1 8,ah1
 ,monsieur1 pardon1 mais  c'est faire   
trop d'honneur a un pauvre diable comme 
moi40    8,not at all10 said ,i1 8we are
 both fellow prisoners in a foreign     
land1  and being so we ought to         
countenance each other4  ,i hope that   
whenever ,i  have need of your          
co-operation in this prison you will    
afford it me40    8,ah1 ,monsieur10     
exclaimed the ,frenchman in rapture1    
8vous avez bien  raison2 il faut que les
 trangers se donnent la main dans ce 4 4
 4 pays  de barbares4  ,tenez10 he      
added1 in a whisper1 8if you have any   

plan  for escaping1 and require my      
assistance1 ,i have an arm and a knife  
at  your service3 you may trust me1 and 
that is more than you could any of      
these sacres gens ici10 glancing        
fiercely round at his fellow  prisoners4
    8,you appear to be no friend to     
,spain and the ,spaniards10 said ,i4    
8,i  conclude that you have experienced 
injustice at their hands4  ,for what    
have they immured you in this place80   
8,pour rien du tout1 c'est a dire pour  
une bagatelle2 but what can you  expect 
from such animals8  ,for what are you   
imprisoned8  ,did ,i not hear  say for  
,gypsyism and sorcery80    8,perhaps you
 are here for your opinions80    8,ah1  
mon ,dieu1 non2 je ne suis pas homme a  
semblable betise4  ,i  have no opinions4
  ,je faisois 4 4 4 mais ce n'importe2  
je me trouve  ici1 ou je creve de faim40
    8,i am sorry to see a brave man in  
such a distressed condition10 said ,i2  
8have you nothing to subsist upon beyond
 the prison allowance8  ,have you  no   

friends80    8,friends in this country1 
you mock me2 here one has no friends1   
unless  one buy them4  ,i am bursting   
with hunger2 since ,i have been here ,i 
have  sold the clothes off my back1 that
 ,i might eat1 for the prison allowance 
will not support nature1 and of half of 
that we are robbed by the ,batu1  as    
they call the barbarian of a governor4  
,les haillons which now cover  me were  
given by two or three devotees who      
sometimes visit here4  ,i would  sell   
them if they would fetch aught4  ,i have
 not a sou1 and for want of a  few      
crowns ,i shall be garroted within a    
month unless ,i can escape1  though1 as 
,i told you before1 ,i have done        
nothing1 a mere bagatelle2 but  the     
worst crimes in ,spain are poverty and  
misery40    8,i have heard you speak    
,basque1 are you from ,french ,biscay80 
8,i am from ,bordeaux1 ,monsieur2 but ,i
 have lived much on the ,landes and in  
,biscay1 travaillant a mon metier4  ,i  
see by your look that you wish to  know 

my history4  ,i shall not tell it you4  
,it contains nothing that is            
remarkable4  ,see1 ,i have smoked out   
your cigar2 you may give me another1    
and add a dollar if you please1 nous    
sommes creves ici de faim4  ,i  would   
not say as much to a ,spaniard1 but ,i  
have a respect for your  countrymen2 ,i 
know much of them2 ,i have met them at  
,maida and the other  place40 #cei      
8,nothing remarkable in his history60   
,why1 or ,i greatly err1 one chapter  of
 his life1 had it been written1 would   
have unfolded more of the wild  and     
wonderful than fifty volumes of what are
 in general called adventures  and      
hairbreadth escapes by land and sea4  ,a
 soldier6 what a tale could  that man   
have told of marches and retreats1 of   
battles lost and won1  towns sacked1    
convents plundered2 perhaps he had seen 
the flames of  ,moscow ascending to the 
clouds1 and had 8tried his strength with
 nature  in the wintry desert10 pelted  
by the snow-storm1 and bitten by the    

tremendous cold of ,russia3 and what    
could he mean by plying his trade in    
,biscay and the ,landes1 but that he had
 been a robber in those wild  regions1  
of which the latter is more infamous for
 brigandage and crime  than any other   
part of the ,french territory4  ,nothing
 remarkable in his  history6 then what  
history in the world contains aught that
 is  remarkable8    ,i gave him the     
cigar and dollar3 he received them1 and 
then once more  folding his arms1 leaned
 back against the wall and appeared to  
sink  gradually into one of his         
reveries4  ,i looked him in the face and
 spoke  to him1 but he did not seem     
either to hear or see me4  ,his mind was
  perhaps wandering in that dreadful    
valley of the shadow1 into which the    
children of earth1 whilst living1       
occasionally find their way2 that       
dreadful region where there is no water1
 where hope dwelleth not1 where  nothing
 lives but the undying worm4  ,this     
valley is the facsimile of  hell1 and he

 who has entered it1 has experienced    
here on earth for a time  what the      
spirits of the condemned are doomed to  
suffer through ages  without end4    ,he
 was executed about a month from this   
time4  ,the bagatelle for which he  was 
confined was robbery and murder by the  
following strange device4  ,in  concert 
with two others1 he hired a large house 
in an unfrequented part  of the town1 to
 which place he would order tradesmen to
 convey valuable  articles1 which were  
to be paid for on delivery2 those who   
attended paid  for their credulity with 
the loss of their lives and property4   
,two or  three had fallen into the      
snare4  ,i wished much to have had some 
private  conversation with this         
desperate man1 and in consequence begged
 of the  alcayde to allow him to dine   
with me in my own apartment2 whereupon  
,monsieur ,basompierre1 for so ,i will  
take the liberty of calling the         
governor1 his real name having escaped  
my memory1 took off his hat1 and1  with 

his usual smile and bow1 replied in     
purest ,castilian1 8,english  ,cavalier1
 and ,i hope ,i may add friend1 pardon  
me1 that it is quite out of  my power to
 gratify your request1 founded1 ,i have 
no doubt1 on the most  admirable        
sentiments of philosophy4  ,any of the  
other gentlemen beneath  my care shall1 
at any time you desire it1 be permitted 
to wait upon you  in your apartment4  ,i
 will even go so far as to cause their  
irons1 if  irons they wear1 to be       
knocked off in order that they may      
partake of your  refection with that    
comfort which is seemly and convenient3 
but to the  gentleman in question ,i    
must object2 he is the most evil        
disposed of the  whole of this family1  
and would most assuredly breed a funcion
 either in  your apartment or in the    
corridor1 by an attempt to escape4      
,cavalier1  me pesa1 but ,i cannot      
accede to your request4  ,but with      
respect to any  other gentleman1 ,i     
shall be most happy1 even ,balseiro1    

who1 though  strange things are told of 
him1 still knows how to comport himself1
 and  in whose behaviour there is       
something both of formality and         
politeness1  shall this day share your  
hospitality if you desire it1           
,cavalier40    ,of ,balseiro ,i have    
already had occasion to speak in the    
former part of  this narrative4  ,he was
 now confined in an upper story of the  
prison1 in  a strong room1 with several 
other malefactors4  ,he had been found  
guilty  of aiding and assisting one     
,pepe ,candelas1 a thief of no          
inconsiderable  renown1 in a desperate  
robbery perpetrated in open daylight    
upon no less  a personage than the      
queen's milliner1 a ,frenchwoman1 whom  
they bound in  her own shop1 from which 
they took goods and money to the amount 
of five  or six thousand dollars4       
,candelas had already expiated his crime
 on the  scaffold1 but ,balseiro1 who   
was said to be by far the worst ruffian 
of  the two1 had by dint of money1 an   

ally which his comrade did not possess1 
contrived to save his own life2 the     
punishment of death1 to which he was    
originally sentenced1 having been       
commuted to twenty years' hard labour   
in the presidio of ,malaga4  ,i visited 
this worthy and conversed with him  for 
some time through the wicket of the     
dungeon4  ,he recognized me1 and        
reminded me of the victory which ,i had 
once obtained over him1 in the  trial of
 our respective skill in the crabbed    
,gitano1 at which ,sevilla the          
bull-fighter was umpire4    ,upon my    
telling him that ,i was sorry to see him
 in such a situation1 he  replied that  
it was an affair of no manner of        
consequence1 as within six  weeks he    
should be conducted to the presidio1    
from which1 with the  assistance of a   
few ounces distributed among the guards1
 he could at any  time escape4  8,but   
whither would you flee80 ,i demanded4   
8,can ,i not flee  to the land of the   
,moors10 replied ,balseiro1 8or to the  

,english in the  camp of ,gibraltar2 or1
 if ,i prefer it1 cannot ,i return to   
this foro  7city71 and live as ,i have  
hitherto done1 choring the gachos       
7robbing  the natives72 what is to      
hinder me8  ,madrid is large1 and       
,balseiro has  plenty of friends1       
especially among the lumias 7women710 he
 added with  a smile4  ,i spoke to him  
of his ill-fated accomplice ,candelas2  
whereupon  his face assumed a horrible  
expression4  8,i hope he is in torment10
  exclaimed the robber4  ,the friendship
 of the unrighteous is never of long    
duration2 the two worthies had it seems 
quarrelled in prison2 ,candelas  having 
accused the other of bad faith and an   
undue appropriation to his  own use of  
the corpus delicti in various robberies 
which they had  committed in company4   
,i cannot refrain from relating the     
subsequent history of this ,balseiro4   
,shortly after my own liberation1 too   
impatient to wait until the presidio    
should afford him a chance of regaining 

his liberty1 he in company with  some   
other convicts broke through the roof of
 the prison and escaped4  ,he  instantly
 resumed his former habits1 committing  
several daring robberies1  both within  
and without the walls of ,madrid4  ,i   
now come to his last1 ,i  may call it   
his master crime1 a singular piece of   
atrocious villainy4  ,dissatisfied with 
the proceeds of street robbery and      
house-breaking1 he  determined upon a   
bold stroke1 by which he hoped to       
acquire money  sufficient to support him
 in some foreign land in luxury and     
splendour4    ,there was a certain      
comptroller of the queen's household1 by
 name  ,gabiria1 a ,basque by birth1 and
 a man of immense possessions3 this     
individual had two sons1 handsome boys1 
between twelve and fourteen years  of   
age1 whom ,i had frequently seen1 and   
indeed conversed with1 in my  walks on  
the bank of the ,manzanares1 which was  
their favourite promenade4  ,these      
children1 at the time of which ,i am    

speaking1 were receiving their          
education at a certain seminary in      
,madrid4  ,balseiro1 being well         
acquainted with the father's affection  
for his children1 determined to  make it
 subservient to his own rapacity4  ,he  
formed a plan which was  neither more   
nor less than to steal the children1 and
 not to restore them  to their parent   
until he had received an enormous       
ransom4  ,this plan was  partly carried 
into execution3 two associates of       
,balseiro well dressed  drove up to the 
door of the seminary1 where the children
 were1 and1 by  means of a forged       
letter1 purporting to be written by the 
father1 induced  the schoolmaster to    
permit the boys to accompany them for a 
country  jaunt1 as they pretended4      
,about five leagues from ,madrid1       
,balseiro had a  cave in a wild         
unfrequented spot between the ,escurial 
and a village  called ,torre ,lodones3  
to this cave the children were          
conducted1 where  they remained in      

durance under the custody of the two    
accomplices2  ,balseiro in the meantime 
remaining in ,madrid for the purpose of 
conducting negotiations with the father4
  ,the father1 however1 was a man  of   
considerable energy1 and instead of     
acceding to the terms of the  ruffian1  
communicated in a letter1 instantly took
 the most vigorous  measures for the    
recovery of his children4  ,horse and   
foot were sent out  to scour the        
country1 and in less than a week the    
children were found  near the cave1     
having been abandoned by their keepers1 
who had taken  fright on hearing of the 
decided measures which had been resorted
 to2  they were1 however1 speedily      
arrested and identified by the boys as  
their  ravishers4  ,balseiro perceiving 
that ,madrid was becoming too hot to    
hold  him1 attempted to escape1 but     
whether to the camp of ,gibraltar or to 
the  land of the ,moor1 ,i know not2 he 
was recognized1 however1 at a village in
  the neighbourhood of ,madrid1 and     

being apprehended1 was forthwith        
conducted to the capital1 where he      
shortly after terminated his existence  
on the scaffold1 with his two           
associates2 ,gabiria and his children   
being  present at the ghastly scene1    
which they surveyed from a chariot at   
their  ease4    ,such was the end of    
,balseiro1 of whom ,i should certainly  
not have said so  much1 but for the     
affair of the crabbed ,gitano4  ,poor   
wretch6 he acquired  that species of    
immortality which is the object of the  
aspirations of  many a ,spanish thief1  
whilst vapouring about in the patio1    
dressed in the  snowy linen2 the rape of
 the children of ,gabiria made him at   
once the pet  of the fraternity4  ,a    
celebrated robber1 with whom ,i was     
subsequently  imprisoned at ,seville1   
spoke his eulogy in the following       
manner4--    8,balseiro was a very good 
subject1 and an honest man4  ,he was the
 head of  our family1 ,don ,jorge2 we   
shall never see his like again2 pity    

that he  did not sack the parn 7money71 
and escape to the camp of the ,moor1    
,don  ,jorge40          ,,chapter ,,xli 
,maria ,diaz--,priestly                 
,vituperation--,antonio's               
,visit--,antonio at ,service--,a        
,scene--,benedict ,mol--,wandering in   
,spain--,the ,four ,evangiles4          
8,well10 said ,i to ,maria ,diaz on the 
third morning after my imprisonment1    
8what do the people of ,madrid say to   
this affair of mine80    8,i do not know
 what the people of ,madrid in general  
say about it1  probably they do not take
 much interest in it2 indeed1           
imprisonments at  the present time are  
such common matters that people seem to 
be quite  indifferent to them2 the      
priests1 however1 are in no slight      
commotion1  and confess that they have  
committed an imprudent thing in causing 
you to  be arrested by their friend the 
corregidor of ,madrid40    8,how is     
that80 ,i inquired4  8,are they afraid  
that their friend will be  punished80   

8,not so1 ,seor10 replied ,maria2       
8slight grief indeed would it cause     
them1  however great the trouble in     
which he had involved himself on their  
account2 for this description of people 
have no affection1 and would not  care  
if all their friends were hanged1       
provided they themselves escaped4  ,but 
they say that they have acted           
imprudently in sending you to prison1   
inasmuch as by so doing they have given 
you an opportunity of carrying a  plan  
of yours into execution4  #8,this fellow
 is a bribon1' say they1 #8and  has     
commenced tampering with the prisoners2 
they have taught him their  language1   
which he already speaks as well as if he
 were a son of the  prison4  ,as soon as
 he comes out he will publish a thieves'
 gospel1 which  will still be a more    
dangerous affair than the ,gypsy one1   
for the ,gypsies  are few1 but the      
thieves6 woe is us2 we shall all be     
,lutheranized4  ,what  infamy1 what     
rascality6  ,it was a trick of his own4 

,he was always eager  to get into       
prison1 and now in evil hour we have    
sent him there1 el  bribonazo2 there    
will be no safety for ,spain until he is
 hanged2 he  ought to be sent to the    
four hells1 where at his leisure he     
might  translate his fatal gospels into 
the language of the demons4'0    8,i but
 said three words to the alcayde of the 
prison10 said ,i1 8relative  to the     
jargon used by the children of the      
prison40    8,three words6  ,don ,jorge2
 and what may not be made out of three  
words8  ,you have lived amongst us to   
little purpose if you think we require  
more  than three words to build a system
 with3 those three words about the      
thieves and their tongue were quite     
sufficient to cause it to be reported   
throughout ,madrid that you had tampered
 with the thieves1 had learnt  their    
language1 and had written a book which  
was to overturn ,spain1 open  to the    
,english the gates of ,cadiz1 give      
,mendizabal all the church plate  and   

jewels1 and to ,don ,martin ,luther the 
archiepiscopal palace of  ,toledo40     
,late in the afternoon of a rather      
gloomy day1 as ,i was sitting in the    
apartment which the alcayde had allotted
 me1 ,i heard a rap at the door4  8,who 
is that80 ,i exclaimed4  8,c'est moi1   
mon maitre10 cried a  well-known voice1 
and presently in walked ,antonio        
,buchini1 dressed in the  same style as 
when ,i first introduced him to the     
reader1 namely1 in a  handsome but      
rather faded ,french surtout1 vest and  
pantaloons1 with a  diminutive hat in   
one hand1 and holding in the other a    
long and slender  cane4    8,bon jour1  
mon maitre10 said the ,greek2 then      
glancing around the  apartment1 he      
continued1 8,i am glad to find you so   
well lodged4  ,if ,i  remember right1   
mon matre1 we have slept in worse places
 during our  wanderings in ,galicia and 
,castile40    8,you are quite right1    
,antonio10 ,i replied2 8,i am very      
comfortable4  ,well1  this is kind of   

you to visit your ancient master1 more  
especially now he  is in the toils2 ,i  
hope1 however1 that by so doing you will
 not offend  your present employer4     
,his dinner hour must be at hand2 why   
are not you  in the kitchen80    8,of   
what employer are you speaking1 mon     
matre80 demanded ,antonio4    8,of whom 
should ,i speak but ,count ---1 to serve
 whom you abandoned me1  being tempted  
by an offer of a monthly salary less by 
four dollars than  that which ,i was    
giving you40    8,your worship brings an
 affair to my remembrance which ,i had  
long since  forgotten4  ,i have at      
present no other master than yourself1  
,monsieur  ,georges1 for ,i shall always
 consider you as my master1 though ,i   
may not  enjoy the felicity of waiting  
upon you40    8,you have left the       
,count1 then10 said ,i1 8after remaining
 three days in  the house1 according to 
your usual practice40    8,not three    
hours1 mon matre10 replied ,antonio2    
8but ,i will tell you the               

circumstances4  ,soon after ,i left you 
,i repaired to the house of ,monsieur   
le ,comte2 ,i entered the kitchen1 and  
looked about me4  ,i cannot say that  ,i
 had much reason to be dissatisfied with
 what ,i saw2 the kitchen was  large and
 commodious1 and every thing appeared   
neat and in its proper  place1 and the  
domestics civil and courteous2 yet ,i   
know not how it was1  the idea at once  
rushed into my mind that the house was  
by no means  suited to me1 and that ,i  
was not destined to stay there long2 so 
hanging  my haversac upon a nail1 and   
sitting down on the dresser1 ,i         
commenced  singing a ,greek song1 as ,i 
am in the habit of doing when           
dissatisfied4  ,the domestics came about
 me asking questions2 ,i made them no   
answer1  however1 and continued singing 
till the hour for preparing the dinner  
drew nigh1 when ,i suddenly sprang on   
the floor and was not long in  thrusting
 them all out of the kitchen1 telling   
them that they had no  business there at

 such a season2 ,i then at once entered 
upon my  functions4  ,i exerted myself1 
mon matre1 ,i exerted myself1 and was   
preparing a repast which would have done
 me honour2 there was1 indeed1  some    
company expected that day1 and ,i       
therefore determined to show my         
employer that nothing was beyond the    
capacity of his ,greek cook4  ,eh  bien1
 mon matre1 all was going on remarkably 
well1 and ,i felt almost  reconciled to 
my new situation1 when who should rush  
into the kitchen but  le fils de la     
maison1 my young master1 an ugly urchin 
of thirteen years  or thereabouts2 he   
bore in his hand a manchet of bread1    
which1 after  prying about for a moment1
 he proceeded to dip in the pan where   
some  delicate woodcocks were in the    
course of preparation4  ,you know1 mon  
matre1 how sensitive ,i am on certain   
points1 for ,i am no ,spaniard but a    
,greek1 and have principles of honour4  
,without a moment's hesitation ,i  took 
my young master by the shoulders1 and   

hurrying him to the door1  dismissed him
 in the manner which he deserved2       
squalling loudly1 he  hurried away to   
the upper part of the house4  ,i        
continued my labours1 but  ere three    
minutes had elapsed1 ,i heard a dreadful
 confusion above stairs1  on faisoit une
 horrible tintamarre1 and ,i could      
occasionally  distinguish oaths and     
execrations3 presently doors were flung 
open1 and  there was an awful rushing   
downstairs1 a gallopade4  ,it was my    
lord the  count1 his lady1 and my young 
master1 followed by a regular bevy of   
women  and filles de chambre4  ,far in  
advance of all1 however1 was my lord    
with  a drawn sword in his hand1        
shouting1 #8,where is the wretch who has
  dishonoured my son1 where is he8  ,he 
shall die forthwith4'  ,i know not  how 
it was1 mon matre1 but ,i just then     
chanced to spill a large bowl of        
garbanzos1 which were intended for the  
puchera of the following day4  ,they    
were uncooked1 and were as hard as      

marbles2 these ,i dashed upon the       
floor1 and the greater part of them fell
 just about the doorway4  ,eh  bien1 mon
 matre1 in another moment in bounded the
 count1 his eyes  sparkling like coals1 
and1 as ,i have already said1 with a    
rapier in his  hand4  #8,tenez1 gueux   
enrage1' he screamed1 making a desperate
 lunge  at me1 but ere the words were   
out of his mouth1 his foot slipping on  
the  pease1 he fell forward with great  
violence at his full length1 and his    
weapon flew out of his hand1 comme une  
fleche4  ,you should have heard  the    
outcry which ensued--there was a        
terrible confusion3 the count lay  upon 
the floor to all appearance stunned2 ,i 
took no notice1 however1  continuing    
busily employed4  ,they at last raised  
him up1 and assisted him  till he came  
to himself1 though very pale and much   
shaken4  ,he asked for  his sword3 all  
eyes were now turned upon me1 and ,i saw
 that a general  attack was meditated4  
,suddenly ,i took a large caserolle from

 the fire in  which various eggs were   
frying2 this ,i held out at arm's length
 peering  at it along my arm as if ,i   
were curiously inspecting it2 my right  
foot  advanced and the other thrown back
 as far as possible4  ,all stood still1 
imagining1 doubtless1 that ,i was about 
to perform some grand operation1  and so
 ,i was2 for suddenly the sinister leg  
advancing1 with one rapid  coup de pied1
 ,i sent the caserolle and its contents 
flying over my  head1 so that they      
struck the wall far behind me4  ,this   
was to let them  know that ,i had broken
 my staff and had shaken the dust off my
 feet2 so  casting upon the count the   
peculiar glance of the ,sceirote cooks  
when  they feel themselves insulted1 and
 extending my mouth on either side      
nearly as far as the ears1 ,i took down 
my haversac and departed1 singing  as ,i
 went the song of the ancient ,demos1   
who1 when dying1 asked for his  supper1 
and water wherewith to lave his hands3  
1    4      1  1 '     ' 4    ,and in   

this manner1 mon matre1 ,i left the     
house of the ,count of ---40            
,myself4--,and a fine account you have  
given of yourself2 by your own          
confession1 your behaviour was most     
atrocious4  ,were it not for the many   
marks of courage and fidelity which you 
have exhibited in my service1 ,i  would 
from this moment hold no farther        
communication with you4                 
,antonio4--,mais qu'est ce que vous     
voudriez1 mon maitre8  ,am ,i not a     
,greek1 full of honour and sensibility8 
,would you have the cooks of  ,sceira   
and ,stambul submit to be insulted here 
in ,spain by the sons of  counts rushing
 into the temple with manchets of bread4
  ,non1 non1 mon  matre1 you are too    
noble to require that1 and what is more1
 too just4  ,but we will talk of other  
things4  ,mon matre1 ,i came not alone2 
there is  one now waiting in the        
corridor anxious to speak to you4       
,myself4--,who is it8    ,antonio4--,one
 whom you have met1 mon matre1 in       

various and strange  places4            
,myself4--,but who is it8               
,antonio4--,one who will come to a      
strange end1 for so it is written4  ,the
 most extraordinary of all the ,swiss1  
he of ,saint ,james1--,der schatz       
graber4    ,myself4--,not ,benedict     
,mol8    8,yaw1 mein lieber herr10 said 
,benedict1 pushing open the door which  
stood ajar2 8it is myself4  ,i met ,herr
 ,anton in the street1 and hearing  that
 you were in this place1 ,i came with   
him to visit you40    ,myself4--,and in 
the name of all that is singular1 how is
 it that ,i see  you in ,madrid again8  
,i thought that by this time you were   
returned to  your own country4          
,benedict4--,fear not1 lieber herr1 ,i  
shall return thither in good time2  but 
not on foot1 but with mules and coach4  
,the schatz is still yonder1  waiting to
 be dug up1 and now ,i have better hope 
than ever3 plenty of  friends1 plenty of
 money4  ,see you not how ,i am dressed1
 lieber herr8    ,and verily his        

habiliments were of a much more         
respectable appearance  than any which  
he had sported on former occasions4     
,his coat and  pantaloons1 which were of
 light green1 were nearly new4  ,on his 
head he  still wore an ,andalusian hat1 
but the present one was neither old nor 
shabby1 but fresh and glossy1 and of    
immense altitude of cone3 whilst in  his
 hand1 instead of the ragged staff which
 ,i had observed at ,saint ,james  and  
,oviedo1 he now carried a huge bamboo   
rattan1 surmounted by the grim  head of 
either a bear or lion1 curiously cut out
 of pewter4    8,you have all the       
appearance of a treasure seeker returned
 from a  successful expedition10 ,i     
exclaimed4    8,or rather10 interrupted 
,antonio1 8of one who has ceased to     
trade on his  own bottom1 and now goes  
seeking treasures at the cost and       
expense of  others40    ,i questioned   
the ,swiss minutely concerning his      
adventures since ,i last  saw him1 when 
,i left him at ,oviedo to pursue my     

route to ,santander4  ,from  his answers
 ,i gathered that he had followed me to 
the latter place2 he  was1 however1 a   
long time in performing the journey1    
being weak from  hunger and privation4  
,at ,santander he could hear no tidings 
of me1 and  by this time the trifle     
which he had received from me was       
completely  exhausted4  ,he now thought 
of making his way into ,france1 but was 
afraid  to venture through the disturbed
 provinces1 lest he should fall into the
  hands of the ,carlists1 who he        
conceived might shoot him as a spy4  ,no
 one  relieving him at ,santander1 he   
departed and begged his way till he     
found  himself in some part of ,aragon1 
but where he scarcely knew4  8,my misery
  was so great10 said ,bennet1 8that ,i 
nearly lost my senses4  ,oh1 the  horror
 of wandering about the savage hills and
 wide plains of ,spain1  without money  
and without hope6  ,sometimes ,i became 
desperate1 when ,i  found myself amongst
 rocks and barrancos1 perhaps after     

having tasted no  food from sunrise to  
sunset1 and then ,i would raise my staff
 towards the  sky and shake it1 crying1 
lieber herr ,gott1 ach lieber herr      
,gott1 you  must help me now or never2  
if you tarry1 ,i am lost2 you must help 
me now1  now6  ,and once when ,i was    
raving in this manner1 methought ,i     
heard a  voice1 nay ,i am sure ,i heard 
it1 sounding from the hollow of a rock1 
clear and strong2 and it cried1 #8,der  
schatz1 der schatz1 it is not yet  dug  
up2 to ,madrid1 to ,madrid4  ,the way to
 the schatz is through ,madrid4'  ,and  
then the thought of the schatz once more
 rushed into my mind1 and ,i  reflected 
how happy ,i might be1 could ,i but dig 
up the schatz4  ,no more  begging1 then1
 no more wandering amidst horrid        
mountains and deserts2 so  ,i brandished
 my staff1 and my body and my limbs     
became full of new and  surprising      
strength1 and ,i strode forward1 and was
 not long before ,i  reached the high   
road2 and then ,i begged and bettled as 

,i best could1  until ,i reached        
,madrid40    8,and what has befallen you
 since you reached ,madrid80 ,i         
inquired4  8,did  you find the treasure 
in the streets80    ,on a sudden ,bennet
 became reserved and taciturn1 which the
 more surprised  me1 as1 up to the      
present moment1 he had at all times been
 remarkably  communicative with respect 
to his affairs and prospects4  ,from    
what ,i  could learn from his broken    
hints and innuendoes1 it appeared that1 
since  his arrival at ,madrid1 he had   
fallen into the hands of certain people 
who  had treated him with kindness1 and 
provided him with both money and        
clothes2 not from disinterested motives1
 however1 but having an eye to  the     
treasure4  8,they expect great things   
from me10 said the ,swiss2 8and         
perhaps1 after all1 it would have been  
more profitable to have dug up the      
treasure without their assistance1      
always provided that were possible40    
,who his new friends were1 he either    

knew not or would not tell me1 save     
that they were people in power4  ,he    
said something about ,queen ,christina  
and an oath which he had taken in the   
presence of a bishop on the  crucifix   
and 8the four ,evangiles40  ,i thought  
that his head was turned1  and forbore  
questioning4  ,just before taking his   
departure1 he observed  8,lieber herr1  
pardon me for not being quite frank     
towards you1 to whom ,i  owe so much1   
but ,i dare not2 ,i am not now my own   
man4  ,it is1 moreover1  an evil thing  
at all times to say a word about        
treasure before you have  secured it4   
,there was once a man in my own country1
 who dug deep into  the earth until he  
arrived at a copper vessel which        
contained a schatz4  ,seizing it by the 
handle1 he merely exclaimed in his      
transport1 #8,i have  it'2 that was     
enough1 however3 down sank the kettle1  
though the handle  remained in his      
grasp4  ,that was all he ever got for   
his trouble and  digging4  ,farewell1   

lieber herr1 ,i shall speedily be sent  
back to ,saint  ,james to dig up the    
schatz2 but ,i will visit you ere ,i    
go--farewell40          ,,chapter ,,xlii
      ,liberation from ,prison--,the    
,apology--,human ,nature--,the ,greek's 
,return--,church  of ,rome--,light of   
,scripture--,archbishop of ,toledo--,an 
,interview--,stones of  ,price--,a      
,resolution--,the ,foreign              
,language--,benedict's                  
,farewell--,treasure ,hunt  at          
,compostella--,truth and ,fiction4    ,i
 remained about three weeks in the      
prison of ,madrid1 and then left it4    
,if ,i had possessed any pride1 or      
harboured any rancour against the party 
who had consigned me to durance1 the    
manner in which ,i was restored to      
liberty would no doubt have been highly 
gratifying to those evil  passions2 the 
government having acknowledged1 by a    
document transmitted  to ,sir ,george1  
that ,i had been incarcerated on        
insufficient grounds1 and  that no      

stigma attached itself to me from the   
imprisonment ,i had  undergone2 at the  
same time agreeing to defray all the    
expenses to which  ,i had been subjected
 throughout the progress of this affair4
    ,it moreover expressed its          
willingness to dismiss the individual   
owing to  whose information ,i had been 
first arrested1 namely1 the corchete or 
police officer who had visited me in my 
apartments in the ,calle de  ,santiago1 
and behaved himself in the manner which 
,i have described in a  former chapter4 
,i declined1 however1 to avail myself of
 this  condescension of the government1 
more especially as ,i was informed that 
the individual in question had a wife   
and family1 who1 if he were  disgraced1 
would be at once reduced to want4  ,i   
moreover considered that1  in what he   
had done and said1 he had probably only 
obeyed some private  orders which he had
 received2 ,i therefore freely forgave  
him1 and if he  does not retain his     
situation at the present moment1 it is  

certainly no  fault of mine4    ,i      
likewise refused to accept any          
compensation for my expenses1 which were
  considerable4  ,it is probable that   
many persons in my situation would  have
 acted very differently in this respect1
 and ,i am far from saying  that herein 
,i acted discreetly or laudably2 but ,i 
was averse to receive  money from people
 such as those of which the ,spanish    
government was  composed1 people whom ,i
 confess ,i heartily despised1 and ,i   
was unwilling  to afford them an        
opportunity of saying that after they   
had imprisoned an  ,englishman unjustly1
 and without a cause1 he condescended to
 receive  money at their hands4  ,in a  
word1 ,i confess my own weakness2 ,i was
  willing that they should continue my  
debtors1 and have little doubt that     
they had not the slightest objection to 
remain so2 they kept their money1  and  
probably laughed in their sleeves at my 
want of common sense4    ,the heaviest  
loss which resulted from my confinement1

 and for which no  indemnification could
 be either offered or received1 was in  
the death of  my affectionate and       
faithful ,basque ,francisco1 who having 
attended me  during the whole time of my
 imprisonment1 caught the pestilential  
typhus  or gaol fever1 which was then   
raging in the ,carcel de la ,corte1 of  
which  he expired within a few days     
subsequent to my liberation4  ,his death
  occurred late one evening2 the next   
morning as ,i was lying in bed          
ruminating on my loss1 and wondering of 
what nation my next servant would  be1  
,i heard a noise which seemed to be that
 of a person employed  vigorously in    
cleaning boots or shoes1 and at         
intervals a strange  discordant voice   
singing snatches of a song in some      
unknown language3  wondering who it     
could be1 ,i rang the bell4    8,did you
 ring1 mon matre10 said ,antonio1       
appearing at the door with one  of his  
arms deeply buried in a boot4    8,i    
certainly did ring10 said ,i1 8but ,i   

scarcely expected that you would  have  
answered the summons40    8,mais        
pourquoi non1 mon maitre80 cried        
,antonio4  8,who should serve  you now  
but myself8  ,n'est pas que le sieur    
,francois est mort8  ,and did  ,i not   
say1 as soon as ,i heard of his         
departure1 ,i shall return to my        
functions chez mon maitre1 ,monsieur    
,georges80    8,i suppose you had no    
other employment1 and on that account   
you came40    8,au contraire1 mon       
maitre10 replied the ,greek1 8,i had    
just engaged  myself at the house of the
 ,duke of ,frias1 from whom ,i was to   
receive ten  dollars per month more than
 ,i shall accept from your worship2 but 
on  hearing that you were without a     
domestic1 ,i forthwith told the ,duke1  
though it was late at night1 that he    
would not suit me1 and here ,i am40     
8,i shall not receive you in this       
manner10 said ,i2 8return to the ,duke1 
apologize for your behaviour1 request   
your dismission in a regular way2  and  

then if his grace is willing to part    
with you1 as will most probably  be the 
case1 ,i shall be happy to avail myself 
of your services40    ,it is reasonable 
to expect that after having been        
subjected to an  imprisonment which my  
enemies themselves admitted to be       
unjust1 ,i should  in future experience 
more liberal treatment at their hands   
than that  which they had hitherto      
adopted towards me4  ,the sole object of
 my  ambition at this time was to       
procure toleration for the sale of the  
,gospel in this unhappy and distracted  
kingdom1 and to have attained this  end 
,i would not only have consented to     
twenty such imprisonments in            
succession1 as that which ,i had        
undergone1 but would gladly have        
sacrificed life itself4  ,i soon        
perceived1 however1 that ,i was likely  
to  gain nothing by my incarceration2 on
 the contrary1 ,i had become an object  
of personal dislike to the government   
since the termination of this  affair1  

which it was probable ,i had never been 
before2 their pride and  vanity were    
humbled by the concessions which they   
had been obliged to  make in order to   
avoid a rupture with ,england4  ,this   
dislike they were  now determined to    
gratify1 by thwarting my views as much  
as possible4  ,i  had an interview with 
,ofalia on the subject uppermost in my  
mind3 ,i found  him morose and snappish4
  8,it will be for your interest to be  
still10  said he2 8beware6 you have     
already thrown the whole corte into     
confusion2  beware1 ,i repeat2 another  
time you may not escape so easily40     
8,perhaps  not10 ,i replied1 8and       
perhaps ,i do not wish it2 it is a      
pleasant thing to  be persecuted for the
 ,gospel's sake4  ,i now take the       
liberty of inquiring  whether1 if ,i    
attempt to circulate the word of ,god1  
,i am to be  interrupted40  8,of        
course10 exclaimed ,ofalia2 8the church 
forbids such  circulation40  8,i shall  
make the attempt1 however10 ,i          

exclaimed4  8,do you  mean what you     
say80 demanded ,ofalia1 arching his     
eyebrows and elongating  his mouth4     
8,yes10 ,i continued1 8,i shall make the
 attempt in every  village in ,spain to 
which ,i can penetrate40    ,throughout 
my residence in ,spain the clergy were  
the party from which ,i  experienced the
 strongest opposition2 and it was at    
their instigation  that the government  
originally adopted those measures which 
prevented any  extensive circulation of 
the sacred volume through the land4  ,i 
shall not  detain the course of my      
narrative with reflections as to the    
state of a  church1 which1 though it    
pretends to be founded on ,scripture1   
would yet  keep the light of ,scripture 
from all mankind1 if possible4  ,but    
,rome is  fully aware that she is not a 
,christian church1 and having no desire 
to  become so1 she acts prudently in    
keeping from the eyes of her followers  
the page which would reveal to them the 
truths of ,christianity4  ,her  agents  

and minions throughout ,spain exerted   
themselves to the utmost to  render my  
humble labours abortive1 and to vilify  
the work which ,i was  attempting to    
disseminate4  ,all the ignorant and     
fanatical clergy 7the  great majority7  
were opposed to it1 and all those who   
were anxious to  keep on good terms with
 the court of ,rome were loud in their  
cry against  it4  ,there was1 however1  
one section of the clergy1 a small one1 
it is  true1 rather favourably disposed 
towards the circulation of the ,gospel  
though by no means inclined to make any 
particular sacrifice for the            
accomplishment of such an end3 these    
were such as professed liberalism1      
which is supposed to mean a disposition 
to adopt any reform both in civil  and  
church matters1 which may be deemed     
conducive to the weal of the  country4  
,not a few amongst the ,spanish clergy  
were supporters of this  principle1 or  
at least declared themselves so1 some   
doubtless for their  own advancement1   

hoping to turn the spirit of the times  
to their own  personal profit2 others1  
it is to be hoped1 from conviction1 and 
a pure  love of the principle itself4   
,amongst these were to be found1 at the 
time of which ,i am speaking1 several   
bishops4  ,it is worthy of remark1      
however1 that of all these not one but  
owed his office1 not to the ,pope1  who 
disowned them one and all1 but to the   
,queen ,regent1 the professed  head of  
liberalism throughout all ,spain4  ,it  
is not1 therefore1  surprising that men 
thus circumstanced should feel rather   
disposed than  not to countenance any   
measure or scheme at all calculated to  
favour the  advancement of liberalism2  
and surely such an one was a circulation
 of  the ,scriptures4  ,i derived but   
little assistance from their good will1 
however1 supposing that they entertained
 some1 as they never took any  decided  
stand nor lifted up their voices in a   
bold and positive manner1  denouncing   
the conduct of those who would withhold 

the light of ,scripture  from the world4
  ,at one time ,i hoped by their        
instrumentality to  accomplish much in  
,spain in the ,gospel cause2 but ,i was 
soon undeceived1  and became convinced  
that reliance on what they would effect1
 was like  placing the hand on a staff  
of reed which will only lacerate the    
flesh4  ,more than once some of them    
sent messages to me1 expressive of their
  esteem1 and assuring me how much the  
cause of the ,gospel was dear to  their 
hearts4  ,i even received an intimation 
that a visit from me would  be agreeable
 to the ,archbishop of ,toledo1 the     
,primate of ,spain4    ,of this         
personage ,i can say but little1 his    
early history being entirely  unknown to
 me4  ,at the death of ,ferdinand1 ,i   
believe1 he was ,bishop of  ,mallorca1 a
 small insignificant see1 of very scanty
 revenues1 which  perhaps he had no     
objection to exchange for one more      
wealthy2 it is  probable1 however1 that 
had he proved a devoted servant of the  

,pope1 and  consequently a supporter of 
legitimacy1 he would have continued to  
the  day of his death to fill the       
episcopal chair of ,mallorca2 but he was
 said  to be a liberal1 and the ,queen  
,regent thought fit to bestow upon him  
the  dignity of ,archbishop of ,toledo1 
by which he became the head of the      
,spanish church4  ,the ,pope1 it is     
true1 had refused to ratify the         
nomination1 on which account all good   
,catholics were still bound to  consider
 him as ,bishop of ,mallorca1 and not as
 ,primate of ,spain4  ,he  however      
received the revenues belonging to the  
see1 which1 though only a  shadow of    
what they originally were1 were still   
considerable1 and lived  in the         
primate's palace at ,madrid1 so that if 
he were not archbishop de  jure1 he was 
what many people would have considered  
much better1  archbishop de facto4      
,hearing that this personage was a      
personal friend of ,ofalia1 who was said
  to entertain a very high regard for   

him1 ,i determined upon paying him a    
visit1 and accordingly one morning      
betook myself to the palace in which  he
 resided4  ,i experienced no difficulty 
in obtaining an interview1 being        
forthwith conducted to his presence by a
 common kind of footman1 an  ,asturian1 
,i believe1 whom ,i found seated on a   
stone bench in the entrance  hall4      
,when ,i was introduced the ,archbishop 
was alone1 seated behind a  table in a  
large apartment1 a kind of drawing-room2
 he was plainly  dressed1 in a black    
cassock and silken cap2 on his finger1  
however1  glittered a superb amethyst1  
the lustre of which was truly dazzling4 
,he  rose for a moment as ,i advanced1  
and motioned me to a chair with his     
hand4  ,he might be about sixty years of
 age2 his figure was very tall1  but he 
stooped considerably1 evidently from    
feebleness1 and the pallid  hue of ill  
health overspread his emaciated         
features4  ,when he had  reseated       
himself1 he dropped his head1 and       

appeared to be looking on the  table    
before him4    8,i suppose your lordship
 knows who ,i am80 said ,i1 at last     
breaking  silence4    ,the ,archbishop  
bent his head towards the right         
shoulder1 in a somewhat  equivocal      
manner1 but said nothing4    8,i am he  
whom the ,manolos of ,madrid call ,don  
,jorgito el ,ingles2 ,i am just  come   
out of prison1 whither ,i was sent for  
circulating my ,lord's ,gospel  in this 
kingdom of ,spain80    ,the ,archbishop 
made the same equivocal motion with his 
head1 but still  said nothing4    8,i   
was informed that your lordship was     
desirous of seeing me1 and on that      
account ,i have paid you this visit40   
8,i did not send for you10 said the     
,archbishop1 suddenly raising his head  
with a startled look4    8,perhaps not3 
,i was1 however1 given to understand    
that my presence would  be agreeable2   
but as that does not seem to be the     
case1 ,i will leave40    8,since you are
 come1 ,i am very glad to see you40     

8,i am very glad to hear it10 said ,i1  
reseating myself2 8and since ,i am      
here1 we may as well talk of an         
all-important matter1 the circulation of
  the ,scripture4  ,does your lordship  
see any way by which an end so          
desirable might be brought about80      
8,no10 said the ,archbishop faintly4    
8,does not your lordship think that a   
knowledge of the ,scripture would  work 
inestimable benefit in these realms80   
8,i don't know40    8,is it probable    
that the government may be induced to   
consent to the  circulation80    8,how  
should ,i know80 and the ,archbishop    
looked me in the face4    ,i looked in  
the face of the ,archbishop2 there was  
an expression of  helplessness in it1   
which almost amounted to dotage4  8,dear
 me10 thought  ,i1 8whom have ,i come to
 on an errand like mine8  ,poor man1 you
 are not  fitted to play the part of    
,martin ,luther1 and least of all in    
,spain4  ,i  wonder why your friends    
selected you to be ,archbishop of       

,toledo2 they  thought perhaps that you 
would do neither good nor harm1 and made
 choice  of you1 as they sometimes do   
primates in my own country1 for your    
incapacity4  ,you do not seem very happy
 in your present situation2 no  very    
easy stall this of yours4  ,you were    
more comfortable1 ,i trow1 when  you    
were the poor ,bishop of ,mallorca2     
could enjoy your puchera then  without  
fear that the salt would turn out       
sublimate4  ,no fear then of  being     
smothered in your bed4  ,a siesta is a  
pleasant thing when one is  not subject 
to be disturbed by #8the sudden fear4'  
,i wonder whether they  have poisoned   
you already10 ,i continued1 half aloud1 
as ,i kept my eyes  fixed on his        
countenance1 which methought was        
becoming ghastly4    8,did you speak1   
,don ,jorge80 demanded the ,archbishop4 
8,that is a fine brilliant on your      
lordship's hand10 said ,i4    8,you are 
fond of brilliants1 ,don ,jorge10 said  
the ,archbishop1 his  features          

brightening up2 8vaya6 so am ,i2 they   
are pretty things4  ,do you  understand 
them80    8,i do10 said ,i1 8and ,i     
never saw a finer brilliant than your   
own1 one  excepted2 it belonged to an   
acquaintance of mine1 a ,tartar ,khan4  
,he did  not bear it on his finger1     
however2 it stood in the frontlet of his
  horse1 where it shone like a star4    
,he called it ,daoud ,scharr1 which1    
being interpreted1 meaneth light of     
war40    8,vaya60 said the ,archbishop1 
8how very extraordinary2 ,i am glad you 
are  fond of brilliants1 ,don ,jorge4   
,speaking of horses1 reminds me that ,i 
have frequently seen you on horseback4  
,vaya6 how you ride2 it is  dangerous to
 be in your way40    8,is your lordship 
fond of equestrian exercise80    8,by no
 means1 ,don ,jorge2 ,i do not like     
horses2 it is not the practice of  the  
church to ride on horseback4  ,we prefer
 mules3 they are the quieter  animals2  
,i fear horses1 they kick so violently40
    8,the kick of a horse is death10    

said ,i1 8if it touches a vital part4   
,i  am not1 however1 of your lordship's 
opinion with respect to mules3 a good   
ginete may retain his seat on a horse   
however vicious1 but a mule--vaya6  when
 a false mule tira por detras1 ,i do not
 believe that the ,father of  the       
,church himself could keep the saddle a 
moment1 however sharp his  bit40    ,as 
,i was going away1 ,i said1 8,and with  
respect to the ,gospel1 your  lordship2 
what am ,i to understand80    8,no se10 
said the ,archbishop1 again bending his 
head towards the right  shoulder1 whilst
 his features resumed their former      
vacant expression4  ,and thus terminated
 my interview with the ,archbishop of   
,toledo4    8,it appears to me10 said ,i
 to ,maria ,diaz1 on returning home2 8it
 appears  to me1 ,marequita mia1 that if
 the ,gospel in ,spain is to wait for   
toleration until these liberal bishops  
and archbishops come forward  boldly in 
its behalf1 it will have to tarry a     
considerable time40    8,i am much of   

your worship's opinion10 answered       
,maria2 8a fine thing1  truly1 it would 
be to wait till they exerted themselves 
in its behalf4  ,ca6 the idea makes me  
smile3 was your worship ever innocent   
enough to  suppose that they cared one  
tittle about the ,gospel or its cause8  
,vaya6  they are true priests1 and had  
only self-interest in view in their     
advances to you4  ,the ,holy ,father    
disowns them1 and they would now fain1  
by awaking his fears and jealousy1 bring
 him to some terms2 but let him  once   
acknowledge them and see whether they   
would admit you to their  palaces or    
hold any intercourse with you3 #8,forth 
with the fellow1' they  would say2      
#8vaya6 is he not a ,lutheran8  ,is he  
not an enemy to the  ,church8  ,a la    
horca1 a la horca6'  ,i know this family
 better than you  do1 ,don ,jorge40     
8,it is useless tarrying10 said ,i2     
8nothing1 however1 can be done in       
,madrid4  ,i cannot sell the work at the
 despacho1 and ,i have just received    

intelligence that all the copies exposed
 for sale in the libraries in the       
different parts of ,spain which ,i      
visited1 have been sequestrated by order
  of the government4  ,my resolution is 
taken3 ,i shall mount my horses1  which 
are neighing in the stable1 and betake  
myself to the villages and  plains of   
dusty ,spain4  ,al campo1 al campo3     
#8,ride forth because of  the word of   
righteousness1 and thy right hand shall 
show thee terrible  things4'  ,i will   
ride forth1 ,maria40    8,your worship  
can do no better2 and allow me here to  
tell you1 that for  every single book   
you might sell in a despacho in the     
city1 you may  dispose of one hundred   
amongst the villages1 always provided   
you offer  them cheap3 for in the       
country money is rather scant4  ,vaya6  
should ,i not  know8 am ,i not a        
villager myself1 a villana from the     
,sagra8  ,ride forth1  therefore2 your  
horses are neighing in the stall1 as    
your worship says1  and you might almost

 have added that the ,seor ,antonio is  
neighing in the  house4  ,he says he has
 nothing to do1 on which account he is  
once more  dissatisfied and unsettled4  
,he finds fault with everything1 but    
more  particularly with myself4  ,this  
morning ,i saluted him1 and he made me  
no  reply1 but twisted his mouth in a   
manner very uncommon in this land of    
,spain40    8,a thought strikes me10    
said ,i2 8you have mentioned the ,sagra2
 why should  not ,i commence my labours 
amongst the villages of that district80 
8,your worship can do no better10       
replied ,maria2 8the harvest is just    
over  there1 and you will find the      
people comparatively unemployed1 with   
leisure to attend and listen to you2 and
 if you follow my advice1 you  will     
establish yourself at ,villa ,seca1 in  
the house of my fathers1 where  at      
present lives my lord and husband4  ,go1
 therefore1 to ,villa ,seca in  the     
first place1 and from thence you can    
sally forth with the ,seor  ,antonio    

upon your excursions4  ,peradventure1 my
 husband will accompany  you2 and if so1
 you will find him highly useful4  ,the 
people of ,villa  ,seca are civil and   
courteous1 your worship2 when they      
address a foreigner  they speak to him  
at the top of their voice and in        
,gallegan40    8,in ,gallegan60 ,i      
exclaimed4    8,they all understand a   
few words of ,gallegan1 which they have 
acquired  from the mountaineers1 who    
occasionally assist them in cutting the 
harvest1 and as ,gallegan is the only   
foreign language they know1 they  deem  
it but polite to address a foreigner in 
that tongue4  ,vaya6 it is  not a bad   
village1 that of ,villa ,seca1 nor are  
the people2 the only  ill-conditioned   
person living there is his reverence the
 curate40    ,i was not long in making  
preparations for my enterprise4  ,a     
considerable  stock of ,testaments were 
sent forward by an arriero1 ,i myself   
followed  the next day4  ,before my     
departure1 however1 ,i received a       

,benedict ,mol4    8,i am come to bid   
you farewell1 lieber herr2 ,i return to 
,compostella40    8,on what errand80    
8,to dig up the schatz1 lieber herr4    
,for what else should ,i go8  ,for what 
have ,i lived until now1 but that ,i may
 dig up the schatz in the end80    8,you
 might have lived for something better10
 ,i exclaimed4  8,i wish you  success1  
however4  ,but on what grounds do you   
hope8  ,have you obtained  permission to
 dig8  ,surely you remember your former 
trials in ,galicia80    8,i have not    
forgotten them1 lieber herr1 nor the    
journey to ,oviedo1 nor  #8the seven    
acorns1' nor the fight with death in the
 barranco4  ,but ,i must  accomplish my 
destiny4  ,i go now to ,galicia1 as is  
becoming a ,swiss1 at  the expense of   
the government1 with coach and mule1 ,i 
mean in the galera4  ,i am to have all  
the help ,i require1 so that ,i can dig 
down to the  earth's centre if ,i think 
fit4  ,i--but ,i must not tell your     
worship1 for ,i  am sworn on #8the four 

,evangiles' not to tell40    8,well1    
,benedict1 ,i have nothing to say1 save 
that ,i hope you will succeed  in your  
digging40    8,thank you1 lieber herr1  
thank you2 and now farewell4  ,succeed6 
,i shall  succeed60  ,here he stopped   
short1 started1 and looking upon me with
 an  expression of countenance almost   
wild1 he exclaimed3 8,heiliger ,gott6   
,i  forgot one thing4  ,suppose ,i      
should not find the treasure after all40
    8,very rationally said2 pity1       
though1 that you did not think of that  
contingency till now4  ,i tell you1 my  
friend1 that you have engaged in a  most
 desperate undertaking4  ,it is true    
that you may find a treasure4  ,the     
chances are1 however1 a hundred to one  
that you do not1 and in that  event1    
what will be your situation8  ,you will 
be looked upon as an  impostor1 and the 
consequences may be horrible to you4    
,remember where  you are1 and amongst   
whom you are4  ,the ,spaniards are a    
credulous people1  but let them once    

suspect that they have been imposed     
upon1 and above all  laughed at1 and    
their thirst for vengeance knows no     
limit4  ,think not  that your innocence 
will avail you4  ,that you are no       
impostor ,i feel  convinced2 but they   
would never believe it4  ,it is not too 
late4  ,return  your fine clothes and   
magic rattan to those from whom you had 
them4  ,put  on your old garments1 grasp
 your ragged staff1 and come with me to 
the  ,sagra1 to assist in circulating   
the illustrious ,gospel amongst the     
rustics on the ,tagus' bank40           
,benedict mused for a moment1 then      
shaking his head1 he cried1 8,no1 no1 ,i
  must accomplish my destiny4  ,the     
schatz is not yet dug up4  ,so said the 
voice in the barranco4  ,to-morrow to   
,compostella4  ,i shall find it--the    
schatz--it is still there--it must be   
there40    ,he went1 and ,i never saw   
him more4  ,what ,i heard1 however1 was 
extraordinary enough4  ,it appeared that
 the government had listened to  his    

tale1 and had been so struck with       
,bennet's exaggerated description of    
the buried treasure1 that they imagined 
that1 by a little trouble and  outlay1  
gold and diamonds might be dug up at    
,saint ,james sufficient to  enrich     
themselves and to pay off the national  
debt of ,spain4  ,the ,swiss  returned  
to ,compostella 8like a duke10 to use   
his own words4  ,the affair1  which had 
at first been kept a profound secret1   
was speedily divulged4  ,it was1 indeed1
 resolved that the investigation1 which 
involved  consequences of so much       
importance1 should take place in a      
manner the  most public and imposing4   
,a solemn festival was drawing nigh1 and
 it was  deemed expedient that the      
search should take place on that day4   
,the day  arrived4  ,all the bells in   
,compostella pealed4  ,the whole        
populace  thronged from their houses1 a 
thousand troops were drawn up in the    
square1 the expectation of all was wound
 up to the highest pitch4  ,a           

procession directed its course to the   
church of ,san ,roque2 at its head  was 
the captain-general and the ,swiss1     
brandishing in his hand the magic       
rattan1 close behind walked the meiga1  
the ,gallegan witch-wife1 by whom  the  
treasure-seeker had been originally     
guided in the search2 numerous  masons  
brought up the rear1 bearing implements 
to break up the ground4  ,the procession
 enters the church1 they pass through it
 in solemn march1  they find themselves 
in a vaulted passage4  ,the ,swiss looks
 around4  8,dig  here10 said he         
suddenly4  8,yes1 dig here10 said the   
meiga4  ,the masons  labour1 the floor  
is broken up1--a horrible and fetid     
odour arises4 4 4 4    ,enough2 no      
treasure was found1 and my warning to   
the unfortunate ,swiss  turned out but  
too prophetic4  ,he was forthwith seized
 and flung into the  horrid prison of   
,saint ,james1 amidst the execrations of
 thousands1 who  would have gladly torn 
him limb from limb4    ,the affair did  

not terminate here4  ,the political     
opponents of the  government did not    
allow so favourable an opportunity to   
escape for  launching the shafts of     
ridicule4  ,the ,moderados were taunted 
in the  cortes for their avarice and    
credulity1 whilst the liberal press     
wafted  on its wings through ,spain the 
story of the treasure-hunt at ,saint    
,james4    8,after all1 it was a trampa 
of ,don ,jorge's10 said one of my       
enemies4  8,that fellow is at the bottom
 of half the picardias which happen in  
,spain40    ,eager to learn the fate of 
the ,swiss1 ,i wrote to my old friend   
,rey  ,romero1 at ,compostella4  ,in his
 answer he states3 8,i saw the ,swiss in
  prison1 to which place he sent for me1
 craving my assistance1 for the  sake of
 the friendship which ,i bore to you4   
,but how could ,i help him8  ,he was    
speedily after removed from ,saint      
,james1 ,i know not whither4  ,it  is   
said that he disappeared on the road40  
,truth is sometimes stranger than       

fiction4  ,where in the whole cycle of  
romance shall we find anything more     
wild1 grotesque1 and sad1 than the      
easily-authenticated history of         
,benedict ,mol1 the treasure-digger of  
,saint ,james8          ,,chapter       
,,xliii      ,villa ,seca--,moorish     
,house--,the ,puchera--,the ,rustic     
,council--,polite  ,ceremonial--,the    
,flower of ,spain--,the ,bridge of      
,azeca--,the ,ruined  ,castle--,taking  
the ,field--,demand for the ,word--,the 
,old ,peasant--,the ,curate  and        
,blacksmith--,cheapness of the          
,scriptures4    ,it was one of the most 
fiercely hot days in which ,i ever      
braved the sun1  when ,i arrived at     
,villa ,seca4  ,the heat in the shade   
must have amounted  at least to one     
hundred degrees1 and the entire         
atmosphere seemed to  consist of        
flickering flame4  ,at a place called   
,leganez1 six leagues from  ,madrid1 and
 about half way to ,toledo1 we diverged 
from the highway1  bending our course   

seemingly towards the south-east4  ,we  
rode over what  are called plains in    
,spain1 but which1 in any other part of 
the world1  would be called undulating  
and broken ground4  ,the crops of corn  
and  barley had already disappeared4    
,the last vestiges discoverable being   
here and there a few sheaves1 which the 
labourers were occupied in  removing to 
their garners in the villages4  ,the    
country could scarcely be  called       
beautiful1 being perfectly naked1       
exhibiting neither trees nor  verdure4  
,it was not1 however1 without its       
pretensions to grandeur and             
magnificence1 like every part of ,spain4
  ,the most prominent objects were  two 
huge calcareous hills or rather one     
cleft in twain1 which towered up  on    
high2 the summit of the nearest being   
surmounted by the ruins of an  ancient  
castle1 that of ,villaluenga4  ,about an
 hour past noon we reached  ,villa      
,seca4    ,we found it a large village1 
containing about seven hundred          

inhabitants1  and surrounded by a mud   
wall4  ,a plaza1 or market-place1 stood 
in the  midst1 one side of which is     
occupied by what is called a palace1 a  
clumsy  quadrangular building of two    
stories1 belonging to some noble family1
 the  lords of the neighbouring soil4   
,it was deserted1 however1 being only   
occupied by a kind of steward1 who      
stored up in its chambers the grain     
which he received as rent from the      
tenants and villanos who farmed the     
surrounding district4    ,the village   
stands at the distance of about a       
quarter of a league from  the bank of   
the ,tagus1 which even here1 in the     
heart of ,spain1 is a  beautiful stream1
 not navigable1 however1 on account of  
the sandbanks1  which in many places    
assume the appearance of small islands1 
and are  covered with trees and         
brushwood4  ,the village derives its    
supply of  water entirely from the      
river1 having none of its own2 such at  
least as  is potable1 the water of its  

wells being all brackish1 on which      
account  it is probably termed ,villa   
,seca1 which signifies 8the dry hamlet40
  ,the  inhabitants are said to have    
been originally ,moors2 certain it is1  
that  various customs are observable    
here highly favourable to such a        
supposition4  ,amongst others1 a very   
curious one2 it is deemed infamous  for 
a woman of ,villa ,seca to go across the
 market-place1 or to be seen  there1    
though they have no hesitation in       
showing themselves in the  streets and  
lanes4  ,a deep-rooted hostility exists 
between the  inhabitants of this place  
and those of a neighbouring village1    
called  ,vargas2 they rarely speak when 
they meet1 and never intermarry4  ,there
 is  a vague tradition that the people  
of the latter place are old ,christians1
  and it is highly probable that these  
neighbours were originally of widely    
different blood2 those of ,villa ,seca  
being of particularly dark  complexions1
 whilst the indwellers of ,vargas are   

light and fair4  ,thus  the old feud    
between ,moor and ,christian is still   
kept up in the  nineteenth century in   
,spain4    ,drenched in perspiration1   
which fell from our brows like rain1 we 
arrived  at the door of ,juan ,lopez1   
the husband of ,maria ,diaz4  ,having   
heard of  our intention to pay him a    
visit1 he was expecting us1 and         
cordially  welcomed us to his           
habitation1 which1 like a genuine       
,moorish house1  consisted only of one  
story4  ,it was amply large1 however1   
with a court  and stable4  ,all the     
apartments were deliciously cool4  ,the 
floors were  of brick or stone1 and the 
narrow and trellised windows1 which were
  without glass1 scarcely permitted a   
ray of sun to penetrate into the        
interior4    ,a puchera had been        
prepared in expectation of our arrival2 
the heat had  not taken away my         
appetite1 and it was not long before ,i 
did full justice  to this the standard  
dish of ,spain4  ,whilst ,i ate1 ,lopez 

played upon the  guitar1 singing        
occasionally snatches of ,andalusian    
songs4  ,he was a  short1 merry-faced1  
active fellow1 whom ,i had frequently   
seen at ,madrid1  and was a good        
specimen of the ,spanish labrador or    
yeoman4  ,though far  from possessing   
the ability and intellect of his wife1  
,maria ,diaz1 he was  by no means       
deficient in shrewdness and             
understanding4  ,he was1 moreover1      
honest and disinterested1 and performed 
good service in the ,gospel cause1  as  
will presently appear4    ,when the     
repast was concluded1 ,lopez thus       
addressed me3--8,seor ,don ,jorge1  your
 arrival in our village has already     
caused a sensation1 more  especially as 
these are times of war and tumult1 and  
every person is  afraid of another1 and 
we dwell here close on the confines of  
the  factious country2 for1 as you well 
know1 the greater part of ,la ,mancha is
  in the hands of the ,carlinos and     
thieves1 parties of whom frequently show

  themselves on the other side of the   
river3 on which account the alcalde  of 
this city1 with the other grave and     
notable people thereof1 are  desirous of
 seeing your worship1 and conversing    
with you1 and of  examining your        
passport40  8,it is well10 said ,i2 8let
 us forthwith pay a  visit to these     
worthy people40  ,whereupon he conducted
 me across the  plaza1 to the house of  
the alcalde1 where ,i found the rustic  
dignitary  seated in the passage1       
enjoying the refreshing coolness of a   
draught of  air which rushed through4   
,he was an elderly man1 of about sixty1 
with  nothing remarkable in his         
appearance or his features1 which latter
 were  placid and good-humoured4  ,there
 were several people with him1 amongst  
whom was the surgeon of the place1 a    
tall and immensely bulky man1 an        
,alavese by birth1 from the town of     
,vitoria4  ,there was also a red        
fiery-faced individual1 with a nose very
 much turned on one side1 who was  the  

blacksmith of the village1 and was      
called in general ,el ,tuerto1 from  the
 circumstance of his having but one eye4
  ,making the assembly a low  bow1 ,i   
pulled out my passport1 and thus        
addressed them3--    8,grave men and    
cavaliers of this city of ,villa ,seca1 
as ,i am a stranger1  of whom it is not 
possible that you should know anything1 
,i have deemed  it my duty to present   
myself before you1 and to tell you who  
,i am4  ,know1  then1 that ,i am an     
,englishman of good blood and fathers1  
travelling in  these countries for my   
own profit and diversion1 and for that  
of other  people also4  ,i have now     
found my way to ,villa ,seca1 where ,i  
propose to  stay some time1 doing that  
which may be deemed convenient2         
sometimes  riding across the plain1 and 
sometimes bathing myself in the waters  
of  the river1 which are reported to be 
of advantage in times of heat1 ,i       
therefore beg that1 during my sojourn in
 this capital1 ,i may enjoy such        

countenance and protection from its     
governors as they are in the habit of   
affording to those who are of quiet and 
well-ordered life1 and are  disposed to 
be buxom and obedient to the customs and
 laws of the  republic40    8,he speaks 
well10 said the alcalde1 glancing       
around4    8,yes1 he speaks well10 said 
the bulky ,alavese2 8there is no denying
 it40    8,i never heard any one speak  
better10 cried the blacksmith1 starting 
up  from a stool on which he was seated4
  8,vaya6 he is a big man and a fair    
complexioned like myself4  ,i like him1 
and have a horse that will just  suit   
him2 one that is the flower of ,spain1  
and is eight inches above the  mark40   
,i then1 with another bow1 presented my 
passport to the alcalde1 who1 with  a   
gentle motion of his hand1 appeared to  
decline taking it1 at the same  time    
saying1 8,it is not necessary40  8,oh1  
not at all10 exclaimed the  surgeon4    
8,the housekeepers of ,villa ,seca know 
how to comport themselves  with         

formality10 observed the blacksmith4    
8,they would be very loth to  harbour   
any suspicion against a cavalier so     
courteous and well spoken40  ,knowing1  
however1 that this refusal amounted to  
nothing1 and that it  merely formed part
 of a polite ceremonial1 ,i proffered   
the passport a  second time1 whereupon  
it was instantly taken1 and in a moment 
the eyes  of all present were bent upon 
it with intense curiosity4  ,it was     
examined  from top to bottom1 and turned
 round repeatedly1 and though it is not 
probable that an individual present     
understood a word of it1 it being       
written in ,french1 it gave nevertheless
 universal satisfaction2 and when  the  
alcalde1 carefully folding it up1       
returned it to me1 they all  observed   
that they had never seen a better       
passport in their lives1 or  one which  
spake in higher terms of the bearer4    
,who was it said that 8,cervantes       
sneered ,spain's chivalry away80  ,i    
know  not2 and the author of such a line

 scarcely deserves to be remembered4    
,how the rage for scribbling tempts     
people at the present day to write      
about lands and nations of which they   
know nothing1 or worse than  nothing4   
,vaya6  ,it is not from having seen a   
bull-fight at ,seville or  ,madrid1 or  
having spent a handful of ounces at a   
posada in either of  those places1 kept 
perhaps by a ,genoese or a ,frenchman1  
that you are  competent to write about  
such a people as the ,spaniards1 and to 
tell the  world how they think1 how they
 speak1 and how they act6  ,spain's     
chivalry  sneered away6  ,why1 there is 
every probability that the great body of
 the  ,spanish nation speak1 think1 and 
live precisely as their forefathers did 
six centuries ago4    ,in the evening   
the blacksmith1 or1 as he would be      
called in ,spanish1 ,el  ,herrador1 made
 his appearance at the door of ,lopez on
 horseback4  8,vamos1  ,don ,jorge10 he 
shouted4  8,come with me1 if your       
worship is disposed for a  ride4  ,i am 

going to bathe my horse in the ,tagus by
 the bridge of ,azeca40  ,i instantly   
saddled my jaca ,cordovesa1 and joining 
him1 we rode out of  the village1       
directing our course across the plain   
towards the river4  8,did you ever see  
such a horse as this of mine1 ,don      
,jorge80 he demanded4  8,is he not a    
jewel--an alaja80 ,and in truth the     
horse was a noble and  gallant creature1
 in height at least sixteen hands1      
broad-chested1 but of  clean and elegant
 limbs4  ,his neck was superbly arched1 
and his head  towered on high like that 
of a swan4  ,in colour he was a bright  
chestnut1  save his flowing mane and    
tail1 which were almost black4  ,i      
expressed my  admiration1 whereupon the 
herrador1 in high spirits1 pressed his  
heels to  the creature's sides1 and     
flinging the bridle on its neck1 speeded
 over  the plain with prodigious        
swiftness1 shouting the old ,spanish    
cry1  ,cierra6  ,i attempted to keep up 
with him1 but had not a chance4  8,i    

call  him the flower of ,spain10 said   
the herrador1 rejoining me4  8,purchase 
him1 ,don ,jorge1 his price is but three
 thousand reals4 #chd  ,i would not     
sell him for double that sum1 but the   
,carlist thieves have their eyes  upon  
him1 and ,i am apprehensive that they   
will some day make a dash  across the   
river and break into ,villa ,seca1 all  
to get possession of my  horse1 #8,the  
,flower of ,spain4'0    ,it may be as   
well to observe here1 that within a     
month from this period1  my friend the  
herrador1 not being able to find a      
regular purchaser for  his steed1       
entered into negotiations with the      
aforesaid thieves  respecting him1 and  
finally disposed of the animal to their 
leader1  receiving not the three        
thousand reals he demanded1 but an      
entire herd of  horned cattle1 probably 
driven from the plains of ,la ,mancha4  
,for this  transaction1 which was       
neither more nor less than high treason1
 he was  cast into the prison of        

,toledo1 where1 however1 he did not     
continue long2  for during a short visit
 to ,villa ,seca1 which ,i made in the  
spring of the  following year1 ,i found 
him alcalde of that 8republic40    ,we  
arrived at the bridge of ,azeca1 which  
is about half a league from  ,villa     
,seca2 close beside it is a large       
water-mill1 standing upon a dam  which  
crosses the river4  ,dismounting from   
his steed1 the herrador  proceeded to   
divest it of the saddle1 then causing it
 to enter the  mill-pool1 he led it by  
means of a cord to a particular spot1   
where the  water reached half way up its
 neck1 then fastening a cord to a post  
on  the bank1 he left the animal        
standing in the pool4  ,i thought ,i    
could do  no better than follow his     
example1 and accordingly procuring a    
rope from  the mill1 ,i led my own horse
 into the water4  8,it will refresh     
their  blood1 ,don ,jorge10 said the    
herrador2 8let us leave them there for  
an  hour1 whilst we go and divert       

ourselves40    ,near the bridge1 on the 
side of the river on which we were1 was 
a kind of  guard-house1 where were three
 carbineers of the revenue1 who         
collected  the tolls of the bridge2 we  
entered into conversation with them3    
8,is not  this a dangerous position of  
yours10 said ,i to one of them1 who was 
a  ,catalan2 8close beside the factious 
country8  ,surely it would not be       
difficult for a body of the ,carlinos or
 bandits to dash across the bridge  and 
make prisoners of you all40    8,it     
would be easy enough at any moment1     
,cavalier10 replied the ,catalan2  8we  
are1 however1 all in the hands of ,god1 
and he has preserved us  hitherto1 and  
perhaps still will4  ,true it is that   
one of our number1 for  there were four 
of us originally1 fell the other day    
into the hands of  the canaille3 he had 
wandered across the bridge amongst the  
thickets with  his gun in search of a   
hare or rabbit1 when three or four of   
them fell  upon him and put him to death

 in a manner too horrible to relate4    
,but  patience6 every man who lives must
 die4  ,i shall not sleep the worse     
to-night because ,i may chance to be    
hacked by the knives of these  malvados 
to-morrow4  ,cavalier1 ,i am from       
,barcelona1 and have seen there         
mariners of your nation2 this is not so 
good a country as ,barcelona4           
,paciencia6  ,cavalier1 if you will step
 into our house1 ,i will give you a     
glass of water2 we have some that is    
cool1 for we dug a deep hole in the     
earth and buried there our pitcher2 it  
is cool1 as ,i told you1 but the  water 
of ,castile is not like that of         
,catalonia40    ,the moon had arisen    
when we mounted our horses to return to 
the village1  and the rays of the       
beauteous luminary danced merrily on the
 rushing  waters of the ,tagus1 silvered
 the plain over which we were passing1  
and  bathed in a flood of brightness the
 bold sides of the calcareous hill of   
,villaluenga and the antique ruins which

 crowned its brow4  8,why is that  place
 called the ,castle of ,villaluenga80 ,i
 demanded4    8,from a village of that  
name1 which stands on the other side of 
the hill1  ,don ,jorge10 replied the    
herrador4  8,vaya6 it is a strange      
place1 that  castle2 some say it was    
built by the ,moors in the old times1   
and some by  the ,christians when they  
first laid siege to ,toledo4  ,it is not
 inhabited  now1 save by rabbits1 which 
breed there in abundance amongst the    
long  grass and broken stones1 and by   
eagles and vultures1 which build on the 
tops of the towers2 ,i occasionally go  
there with my gun to shoot a  rabbit4   
,on a fine day you may descry both      
,toledo and ,madrid from its  walls4  ,i
 cannot say ,i like the place1 it is so 
dreary and melancholy4  ,the hill on    
which it stands is all of chalk1 and is 
very difficult of  ascent4  ,i heard my 
grandame say that once1 when she was a  
girl1 a cloud  of smoke burst from that 
hill1 and that flames of fire were seen1

 just as  if it contained a volcano1 as 
perhaps it does1 ,don ,jorge40    ,the  
grand work of ,scripture circulation    
soon commenced in the ,sagra4           
,notwithstanding the heat of the        
weather1 ,i rode about in all           
directions4  ,it was well that heat     
agrees with my constitution1 otherwise  
it would  have been impossible to effect
 anything in this season1 when the very 
arrieros frequently fall dead from their
 mules1 smitten by sun-stroke4  ,i  had 
an excellent assistant in ,antonio1 who1
 disregarding the heat like  myself1 and
 afraid of nothing1 visited several     
villages with remarkable  success4      
8,mon matre10 said he1 8,i wish to show 
you that nothing is  beyond my          
capacity40  ,but he who put the labours 
of us both to shame1 was  my host1 ,juan
 ,lopez1 whom it had pleased the ,lord  
to render favourable to  the cause4     
8,don ,jorge10 said he1 8io quiero      
engancharme con usted 7,i  wish to      
enlist with you72 ,i am a liberal1 and a

 foe to superstition2 ,i  will take the 
field1 and1 if necessary1 will follow   
you to the end of the  world2 ,viva     
,ingalaterra2 viva el ,evangelio40      
,thus saying1 he put a  large bundle of 
,testaments into a satchel1 and         
springing upon the crupper  of his grey 
donkey1 he cried 8,arrhe burra10 and    
hastened away4  ,i sat  down to my      
journal4    ,ere ,i had finished        
writing1 ,i heard the voice of the burra
 in the  courtyard1 and going out1 ,i   
found my host returned4  ,he had        
disposed of  his whole cargo of twenty  
,testaments at the village of ,vargas1  
distant  from ,villa ,seca about a      
league4  ,eight poor harvest men1 who   
were  refreshing themselves at the door 
of a wine-house1 purchased each a copy1 
whilst the village schoolmaster secured 
the rest for the little ones  beneath   
his care1 lamenting1 at the same time1  
the great difficulty he  had long       
experienced in obtaining religious      
books1 owing to their  scarcity and     

extravagant price4  ,many other persons 
were also anxious to  purchase          
,testaments1 but ,lopez was unable to   
supply them3 at his  departure1 they    
requested him to return within a few    
days4    ,i was aware that ,i was       
playing rather a daring game1 and that  
it was very  possible that1 when ,i     
least expected it1 ,i might be seized1  
tied to the  tail of a mule1 and dragged
 either to the prison of ,toledo or     
,madrid4  ,yet such a prospect did not  
discourage me in the least1 but rather  
urged  me to persevere2 for at this     
time1 without the slightest wish to     
gratify  myself1 ,i could say that ,i   
was eager to lay down my life for the   
cause1  and whether a bandit's bullet1  
or the gaol fever brought my career to a
  close1 was a matter of indifference to
 me2 ,i was not then a stricken man3    
8,ride on because of the word of        
righteousness10 was my cry4    ,the news
 of the arrival of the book of life soon
 spread like wildfire  through the      

villages of the ,sagra of ,toledo1 and  
wherever my people and  myself directed 
our course we found the inhabitants     
disposed to receive  our merchandize2 it
 was even called for where not          
exhibited4  ,one night  as ,i was       
bathing myself and horse in the ,tagus1 
a knot of people gathered  on the bank1 
crying1 8,come out of the water1        
,englishman1 and give us  books2 we have
 got our money in our hands40  ,the poor
 creatures then held  out their hands1  
filled with cuartos1 a copper coin of   
the value of the  farthing1 but         
unfortunately ,i had no ,testaments to  
give them4  ,antonio1  however1 who was 
at a short distance1 having exhibited   
one1 it was  instantly torn from his    
hands by the people1 and a scuffle      
ensued to  obtain possession of it4  ,it
 very frequently occurred1 that the poor
  labourers in the neighbourhood1 being 
eager to obtain ,testaments1 and  having
 no money to offer us in exchange1      
brought various articles to our         

habitation as equivalents2 for example1 
rabbits1 fruit and barley1 and ,i  made 
a point never to disappoint them1 as    
such articles were of utility  either   
for our own consumption or that of the  
horses4    ,in ,villa ,seca there was a 
school in which fifty-seven children    
were  taught the first rudiments of     
education4  ,one morning the            
schoolmaster1 a  tall slim figure of    
about sixty1 bearing on his head one of 
the peaked  hats of ,andalusia1 and     
wrapped1 notwithstanding the excessive  
heat of the  weather1 in a long cloak1  
made his appearance2 and having seated  
himself1  requested to be shown one of  
our books4  ,having delivered it to him1
 he  remained examining it for nearly   
half an hour1 without uttering a word4  
,at last he laid it down with a sigh1   
and said that he should be very  happy  
to purchase some of these books for his 
school1 but from their  appearance1     
especially from the quality of the paper
 and binding1 he was  apprehensive that 

to pay for them would exceed the means  
of the parents  of his pupils1 as they  
were almost destitute of money1 being   
poor  labourers4  ,he then commenced    
blaming the government1 which he said   
established schools without affording   
the necessary books1 adding that in  his
 school there were but two books for the
 use of all his pupils1 and  these he   
confessed contained but little good4  ,i
 asked him what he  considered the      
,testaments were worth8  ,he said1      
8,seor ,cavalier1 to speak  frankly1 ,i 
have in other times paid twelve reals   
for books inferior to  yours in every   
respect1 but ,i assure you that my poor 
pupils would be  utterly unable to pay  
the half of that sum40  ,i replied1 8,i 
will sell you  as many as you please for
 three reals each1 ,i am acquainted with
 the  poverty of the land1 and my       
friends and myself1 in affording the    
people  the means of spiritual          
instruction have no wish to curtail     
their scanty  bread40  ,he replied3     

8,bendito sea ,dios10 7blessed be ,god17
 and could  scarcely believe his ears4  
,he instantly purchased a dozen1        
expending1 as  he said1 all the money he
 possessed1 with the exception of a few 
cuartos4  ,the introduction of the word 
of ,god into the country schools of     
,spain is  therefore begun1 and ,i      
humbly hope that it will prove one of   
those  events1 which the ,bible         
,society1 after the lapse of years1 will
 have most  reason to remember with joy 
and gratitude to the ,almighty4    ,an  
old peasant is reading in the portico4  
,eighty-four years have passed  over his
 head1 and he is almost entirely deaf2  
nevertheless he is reading  aloud the   
second of ,matthew3 three days since he 
bespoke a ,testament1 but  not being    
able to raise the money1 he has not     
redeemed it until the  present moment4  
,he has just brought thirty farthings2  
as ,i survey the  silvery hair which    
overshadows his sunburnt countenance1   
the words of the  song occurred to me1  

8,lord1 now lettest thou thy servant    
depart in peace  according to thy word1 
for mine eyes have seen thy salvation40 
,i experienced much grave kindness and  
simple hospitality from the good  people
 of ,villa ,seca during my sojourn      
amongst them4  ,i had at this time  so  
won their hearts by the 8formality0 of  
my behaviour and language1 that  ,i     
firmly believe they would have resisted 
to the knife any attempt which  might   
have been made to arrest or otherwise   
maltreat me4  ,he who wishes  to become 
acquainted with the genuine ,spaniard1  
must seek him not in  seaports and large
 towns1 but in lone and remote villages1
 like those of  the ,sagra4  ,there he  
will find all that gravity of deportment
 and  chivalry of disposition which     
,cervantes is said to have sneered away2
 and  there he will hear1 in everyday   
conversation1 those grandiose           
expressions1 which1 when met with in the
 romances of chivalry1 are  scoffed at  
as ridiculous exaggerations4    ,i had  

one enemy in the village--it was the    
curate4    8,the fellow is a heretic and
 a scoundrel10 said he one day in the   
conclave4  8,he never enters the church1
 and is poisoning the minds of the      
people with his ,lutheran books4  ,let  
him be bound and sent to ,toledo1 or    
turned out of the village at least40    
8,i will have nothing of the kind10 said
 the alcalde1 who was said to be a      
,carlist4  8,if he has his opinions1 ,i 
have mine too4  ,he has conducted       
himself with politeness4  ,why should ,i
 interfere with him8  ,he has been      
courteous to my daughter1 and has       
presented her with a volume4  ,que viva6
  and with respect to his being a       
,lutheran1 ,i have heard say that       
amongst  the ,lutherans there are sons  
of as good fathers as here4  ,he appears
 to  me a caballero4  ,he speaks well40 
8,there is no denying it10 said the     
surgeon4    8,who speaks so well80      
shouted the herrador4  8,and1 who has   
more  formality8  ,vaya6 did he not     

praise my horse1 #8,the ,flower of      
,spain'8  ,did  he not say that in the  
whole of ,ingalaterra there was not a   
better8  ,did  he not assure me1        
moreover1 that if he were to remain in  
,spain he would  purchase it1 giving me 
my own price8  ,turn him out1 indeed6   
,is he not of  my own blood1 is he not  
fair-complexioned8  ,who shall turn him 
out when  ,i1 #8the one-eyed1' say no80 
,in connection with the circulation of  
the ,scriptures ,i will now relate an   
anecdote not altogether divested of     
singularity4  ,i have already spoken  of
 the water-mill by the bridge of ,azeca4
  ,i had formed acquaintance with  the  
tenant of this mill1 who was known in   
the neighbourhood by the name  of ,don  
,antero4  ,one day1 taking me into a    
retired place1 he asked me1 to  my great
 astonishment1 whether ,i would sell him
 a thousand ,testaments at  the price at
 which ,i was disposing of them to the  
peasantry2 saying1 if ,i  would consent 
he would pay me immediately4  ,in fact1 

he put his hand into  his pocket1 and   
pulled it out filled with gold ounces4  
,i asked him what  was his reason for   
wishing to make so considerable a       
purchase4  ,whereupon  he informed me   
that he had a relation in ,toledo whom  
he wished to  establish1 and that he was
 of opinion that his best plan would be 
to hire  him a shop there and furnish it
 with ,testaments4  ,i told him that he 
must  think of nothing of the kind1 as  
probably the books would be seized on   
the first attempt to introduce them into
 ,toledo1 as the priests and  canons    
were much averse to their distribution4 
,he was not disconcerted1 however1 and  
said his relation could travel1 as  ,i  
myself was doing1 and dispose of them to
 the peasants with profit to  himself4  
,i confess ,i was inclined at first to  
accept his offer1 but at  length        
declined it1 as ,i did not wish to      
expose a poor man to the risk of  losing
 money1 goods1 and perhaps liberty and  
life4  ,i was likewise averse  to the   

books being offered to the peasantry at 
an advanced price1 being  aware that    
they could not afford it1 and the books1
 by such an attempt1  would lose a      
considerable part of that influence     
which they then enjoyed2  for their     
cheapness struck the minds of the       
people1 and they considered  it almost  
as much in the light of a miracle as the
 ,jews the manna which  dropped from    
heaven at the time they were famishing1 
or the spring which  suddenly gushed    
from the flinty rocks to assuage their  
thirst in the  wilderness4    ,at this  
time a peasant was continually passing  
and repassing between  ,villa ,seca and 
,madrid1 bringing us cargoes of         
,testaments on a burrico4  ,we continued
 our labours until the greater part of  
the villages of the  ,sagra were well   
supplied with books1 more especially    
those of ,vargas1  ,coveja1 ,mocejon1   
,villaluenga1 ,villa ,seca1 and         
,yungler4  ,hearing at last  that our   
proceedings were known at ,toledo1 and  

were causing considerable  alarm1 we    
returned to ,madrid4          ,,chapter 
,,xliv      ,aranjuez--,a ,warning--,a  
,night ,adventure--,a ,fresh            
,expedition--,segovia--,abades--,factiou
s ,curas--,lopez in ,prison--,rescue of 
,lopez4    ,the success which had       
attended our efforts in the ,sagra of   
,toledo  speedily urged me on to a new  
enterprise4  ,i now determined to direct
 my  course to ,la ,mancha1 and to      
distribute the word amongst the villages
 of  that province4  ,lopez1 who had    
already performed such important        
services  in the ,sagra1 had accompanied
 us to ,madrid1 and was eager to take   
part in  this new expedition4  ,we      
determined in the first place to proceed
 to  ,aranjuez1 where we hoped to obtain
 some information which might prove of  
utility in the further regulation of our
 movements2 ,aranjuez being but a       
slight distance from the frontier of ,la
 ,mancha and the high road into  that   
province passing directly through it4   

,we accordingly sallied forth  from     
,madrid1 selling from twenty to forty   
,testaments in every village  which lay 
in our way1 until we arrived at         
,aranjuez1 to which place we had        
forwarded a large supply of books4    ,a
 lovely spot is ,aranjuez1 though in    
desolation3 here the ,tagus flows       
through a delicious valley1 perhaps the 
most fertile in ,spain2 and here        
upsprang1 in ,spain's better days1 a    
little city1 with a small but  beautiful
 palace shaded by enormous trees1 where 
royalty delighted to  forget its cares4 
,here ,ferdinand the ,seventh spent his 
latter days1  surrounded by lovely      
seoras and ,andalusian bull-fighters3   
but as the  ,german ,schiller has it in 
one of his tragedies3        8,the happy
 days in fair ,aranjuez1      ,are past 
and gone40    ,when the sensual king    
went to his dread account1 royalty      
deserted it1 and  it soon fell into     
decay4  ,intriguing courtiers no longer 
crowd its halls2  its spacious circus1  

where ,manchegan bulls once roared in   
rage and agony1  is now closed1 and the 
light tinkling of guitars is no longer  
heard  amidst its groves and gardens4   
,at ,aranjuez ,i made a sojourn of three
 days1 during which time ,antonio1      
,lopez1 and myself visited every house  
in the town4  ,we found a vast deal  of 
poverty and ignorance amongst the       
inhabitants1 and experienced some       
opposition3 nevertheless it pleased the 
,almighty to permit us to dispose  of   
about eighty ,testaments1 which were    
purchased entirely by the very  poor    
people2 those in easier circumstances   
paying no attention to the  word of     
,god1 but rather turning it to scoff and
 ridicule4    ,one circumstance was very
 gratifying and cheering to me1 namely1 
the  ocular proof which ,i possessed    
that the books which ,i had disposed of 
were read1 and with attention1 by those 
to whom ,i sold them2 and that  many    
others participated in their benefit4   
,in the streets of ,aranjuez1  and      

beneath the mighty cedars and gigantic  
elms and plantains which  compose its   
noble woods1 ,i have frequently seen    
groups assembled  listening to          
individuals who1 with the ,new          
,testament in their hands1 were  reading
 aloud the comfortable words of         
salvation4    ,it is probable that1 had 
,i remained a longer period at          
,aranjuez1 ,i might  have sold many more
 of these divine books1 but ,i was eager
 to gain ,la  ,mancha and its sandy     
plains1 and to conceal myself for a     
season amongst  its solitary villages1  
for ,i was apprehensive that a storm was
 gathering  around me2 but when once    
through ,ocaa1 the frontier town1 ,i    
knew well  that ,i should have nothing  
to fear from the ,spanish authorities1  
as their  power ceased there1 the rest  
of ,la ,mancha being almost entirely in 
the  hands of the ,carlists1 and overrun
 by small parties of banditti1 from     
whom1 however1 ,i trusted that the ,lord
 would preserve me4  ,i therefore       

departed for ,ocaa1 distant three       
leagues from ,aranjuez4    ,i started   
with ,antonio at six in the evening1    
having early in the morning  sent       
forward ,lopez with between two and     
three hundred ,testaments4  ,we  left   
the high road1 and proceeded by a       
shorter way through wild hills and  over
 very broken and precipitous ground3    
being well mounted we found  ourselves  
just after sunset opposite ,ocaa1 which 
stands on a steep hill4  ,a deep valley 
lay between us and the town3 we         
descended1 and came to a  small bridge1 
which traverses a rivulet at the bottom 
of the valley1 at a  very small distance
 from a kind of suburb4  ,we crossed the
 bridge1 and  were passing by a deserted
 house on our left hand1 when a man     
appeared  from under the porch4    ,what
 ,i am about to state will seem         
incomprehensible1 but a singular        
history and a singular people are       
connected with it3 the man placed       
himself before my horse so as to bar the

 way1 and said 8,schophon10  which1 in  
the ,hebrew tongue1 signifies a rabbit4 
,i knew this word to be  one of the     
,jewish countersigns1 and asked the man 
if he had any thing to  communicate8    
,he said1 8,you must not enter the town1
 for a net is  prepared for you4  ,the  
corregidor of ,toledo1 on whom may all  
evil light1  in order to give pleasure  
to the priests of ,maria1 in whose face 
,i spit1  has ordered all the alcaldes  
of these parts1 and the escribanos and  
the  corchetes to lay hands on you      
wherever they may find you1 and to send 
you1 and your books1 and all that       
pertains to you to ,toledo4  ,your      
servant was seized this morning in the  
town above1 as he was selling the       
writings in the streets1 and they are   
now awaiting your arrival in the        
posada2 but ,i knew you from the        
accounts of my brethren1 and ,i have    
been  waiting here four hours to give   
you warning in order that your horse may
  turn his tail to your enemies1 and    

neigh in derision of them4  ,fear       
nothing for your servant1 for he is     
known to the alcalde1 and will be set   
at liberty1 but do you flee1 and may    
,god attend you40  ,having said this1   
he hurried towards the town4    ,i      
hesitated not a moment to take his      
advice1 knowing full well that1 as  my  
books had been taken possession of1 ,i  
could do no more in that  quarter4  ,we 
turned back in the direction of         
,aranjuez1 the horses1  notwithstanding 
the nature of the ground1 galloping at  
full speed2 but  our adventures were not
 over4  ,midway1 and about half a league
 from the  village of ,antigola1 we saw 
close to us on our left hand three men  
on a  low bank4  ,as far as the darkness
 would permit us to distinguish1 they   
were naked1 but each bore in his hand a 
long gun4  ,these were rateros1 or  the 
common assassins and robbers of the     
roads4  ,we halted and cried out1  8,who
 goes there80  ,they replied1 8,what's  
that to you8 pass by40  ,their  drift   

was to fire at us from a position from  
which it would be impossible  to miss4  
,we shouted1 8,if you do not instantly  
pass to the right side of  the road1 we 
will tread you down between the horses' 
hoofs40  ,they  hesitated and then      
obeyed1 for all assassins are dastards1 
and the least  show of resolution daunts
 them4  ,as we galloped past1 one cried1
 with an  obscene oath1 8,shall we      
fire80  ,but another said1 8,no1 no6    
there's  danger40  ,we reached          
,aranjuez1 where early next morning     
,lopez rejoined  us1 and we returned to 
,madrid4    ,i am sorry to state that   
two hundred ,testaments were seized at  
,ocaa1  from whence1 after being sealed 
up1 they were despatched to ,toledo4    
,lopez informed me1 that in two hours he
 could have sold them all1 the  demand  
was so great4  ,as it was1 twenty-seven 
were disposed of in less  than ten      
minutes4    8,ride on because of the    
word of righteousness40                 
,notwithstanding the  check which we had

 experienced at ,ocaa1 we were far from 
being  discouraged1 and forthwith       
prepared ourselves for another          
expedition4  ,as  we returned from      
,aranjeuz to ,madrid1 my eyes had       
frequently glanced  towards the mighty  
wall of mountains dividing the two      
,castiles1 and ,i  said to myself1      
8,would it not be well to cross those   
hills1 and commence  operations on the  
other side1 even in ,old ,castile8      
,there ,i am unknown1  and intelligence 
of my proceedings can scarcely have been
 transmitted  thither4  ,peradventure   
the enemy is asleep1 and before he has  
roused  himself1 ,i may have sown much  
of the precious seed amongst the        
villages  of the ,old ,castilians4  ,to 
,castile1 therefore1 to ,castile la     
,vieja60  ,accordingly1 on the day after
 my arrival1 ,i despatched several      
cargoes of  books to various places     
which ,i proposed to visit1 and sent    
forward ,lopez  and his donkey1 well    
laden1 with directions to meet me on a  

particular  day beneath a particular    
arch of the aqueduct of ,segovia4  ,i   
likewise  gave him orders to engage any 
persons willing to co-operate with us in
  the circulation of the ,scriptures1   
and who might be likely to prove of     
utility in the enterprise4  ,a more     
useful assistant than ,lopez in an      
expedition of this kind it was          
impossible to have4  ,he was not only   
well  acquainted with the country1 but  
had friends1 and even connexions on the 
other side of the hills1 in whose houses
 he assured me that we should at  all   
times find a hearty welcome4  ,he       
departed in high spirits1  exclaiming1  
8,be of good cheer1 ,don ,jorge2 before 
we return we will have  disposed of     
every copy of your evangelic library4   
,down with the friars6  ,down with      
superstition6  ,viva ,ingalaterra1 viva 
el ,evangelio60    ,in a few days ,i    
followed with ,antonio4  ,we ascended   
the mountains by the  pass called ,pea  
,cerrada1 which lies about three leagues

 to the eastward  of that of ,guadarama4
  ,it is very unfrequented1 the high    
road between the  two ,castiles passing 
through ,guadarama4  ,it has1 moreover1 
an evil name1  being1 according to      
common report1 infested with banditti4  
,the sun was  just setting when we      
reached the top of the hills1 and       
entered a thick  and gloomy pine forest1
 which entirely covers the mountains on 
the side  of ,old ,castile4  ,the       
descent soon became so rapid and        
precipitous1 that  we were fain to      
dismount from our horses and to drive   
them before us4  ,into the woods we     
plunged deeper and deeper still2        
night-birds soon began  to hoot and cry1
 and millions of crickets commenced     
their shrill chirping  above1 below1 and
 around us4  ,occasionally1 amidst the  
trees at a  distance1 we could see      
blazes1 as if from immense fires4       
8,they are those  of the                
charcoal-burners1 mon matre60 said      
,antonio2 8we will not go near  them1   

however1 for they are savage people1 and
 half bandits4  ,many is the  traveller 
whom they have robbed and murdered in   
these horrid  wildernesses40    ,it was 
blackest night when we arrived at the   
foot of the mountains2 we  were still1  
however1 amidst woods and pine forests1 
which extended for  leagues in every    
direction4  8,we shall scarcely reach   
,segovia to-night1  mon matre10 said    
,antonio4  ,and so indeed it proved1 for
 we became  bewildered1 and at last     
arrived where two roads branched off in 
different  directions1 we took not the  
left hand road1 which would have        
conducted us  to ,segovia1 but turned to
 the right1 in the direction of ,la     
,granja1 where  we arrived at midnight4 
,we found the desolation of ,la ,granja 
far greater than that of ,aranjuez2     
both had suffered from the absence of   
royalty1 but the former to a degree     
which was truly appalling4  ,nine-tenths
 of the inhabitants had left this       
place1 which1 until the late military   

revolution1 had been the favourite      
residence of ,christina4  ,so great is  
the solitude of ,la ,granja1 that wild  
boars from the neighbouring forests1 and
 especially from the beautiful          
pine-covered mountain which rises like a
 cone directly behind the palace1       
frequently find their way into the      
streets and squares1 and whet their     
tusks against the pillars of the        
porticos4    8,ride on because of the   
word of righteousness40  ,after a stay  
of  twenty-four hours at ,la ,granja1 we
 proceeded to ,segovia4  ,the day had   
arrived on which ,i had appointed to    
meet ,lopez4  ,i repaired to the        
aqueduct1 and sat down beneath the      
hundred and seventh arch1 where ,i      
waited the greater part of the day1 but 
he came not1 whereupon ,i rose and  went
 into the city4    ,at ,segovia ,i      
tarried two days in the house of a      
friend1 still ,i could  hear nothing of 
,lopez4  ,at last1 by the greatest      
chance in the world1 ,i  heard from a   

peasant that there were men in the      
neighbourhood of ,abades  selling books4
    ,abades is about three leagues      
distant from ,segovia1 and upon         
receiving  this intelligence1 ,i        
instantly departed for the former place1
 with three  donkeys laden with         
,testaments4  ,i reached ,abades at     
nightfall1 and found  ,lopez1 with two  
peasants whom he had engaged1 in the    
house of the surgeon  of the place1     
where ,i also took up my residence4  ,he
 had already disposed  of a considerable
 number of ,testaments in the           
neighbourhood1 and had that  day        
commenced selling at ,abades itself2 he 
had1 however1 been interrupted  by two  
of the three curas of the village1 who1 
with horrid curses  denounced the work1 
threatening eternal condemnation to     
,lopez for selling  it1 and to any      
person who should purchase it2 whereupon
 ,lopez1 terrified1  forbore until ,i   
should arrive4  ,the third cura1        
however1 exerted himself  to the utmost 

to persuade the people to provide       
themselves with  ,testaments1 telling   
them that his brethren were hypocrites  
and false  guides1 who1 by keeping them 
in ignorance of the word and will of    
,christ1  were leading them to the      
abyss4  ,upon receiving this            
information1 ,i  instantly sallied forth
 to the market-place1 and that same     
night  succeeded in disposing of upwards
 of thirty ,testaments4  ,the next      
morning  the house was entered by the   
two factious curas1 but upon my rising  
to  confront them1 they retreated1 and  
,i heard no more of them1 except that   
they publicly cursed me in the church   
more than once1 an event which1 as  no  
ill resulted from it1 gave me little    
concern4    ,i will not detail the      
events of the next week2 suffice it to  
say that  arranging my forces in the    
most advantageous way1 ,i succeeded1 by 
,god's  assistance1 in disposing of from
 five to six hundred ,testaments amongst
  the villages from one to seven        

leagues' distance from ,abades4  ,at the
  expiration of that period ,i received 
information that my proceedings were    
known in ,segovia1 in which province    
,abades is situated1 and that an order  
was about to be sent to the alcalde to  
seize all books in my possession4       
,whereupon1 notwithstanding that it was 
late in the evening1 ,i decamped  with  
all my people1 and upwards of three     
hundred ,testaments1 having a few  hours
 previously received a fresh supply from
 ,madrid4  ,that night we  passed in the
 fields1 and next morning proceeded to  
,labajos1 a village on  the high road   
from ,madrid to ,valladolid4  ,in this  
place we offered no  books for sale1 but
 contented ourselves with supplying the 
neighbouring  villages with the word of 
,god3 we likewise sold it in the        
highways4    ,we had not been at        
,labajos a week1 during which time we   
were remarkably  successful1 when the   
,carlist chieftain1 ,balmaseda1 at the  
head of his  cavalry1 made his desperate

 inroad into the southern part of ,old  
,castile1  dashing down like an         
avalanche from the pine-woods of ,soria4
  ,i was  present at all the horrors    
which ensued1--the sack of ,arrevalo1   
and the  forcible entry into ,martin    
,muoz4  ,amidst these terrible scenes we
  continued our labours4  ,suddenly ,i  
lost ,lopez for three days1 and         
suffered dreadful anxiety on his        
account1 imagining that he had been shot
  by the ,carlists2 at last ,i heard    
that he was in prison at ,villallos1    
three leagues distant4  ,the steps which
 ,i took to rescue him will be  found   
detailed in a communication1 which ,i   
deemed it my duty to transmit  to ,lord 
,william ,hervey1 who1 in the absence of
 ,sir ,george ,villiers1 now  became    
,earl of ,clarendon1 fulfilled the      
duties of minister at ,madrid3--        
,,labajos1 ,,province ,,of ,,segovia1   
,august #bc1 #ahch4        ,,my         
,,lord1--,i beg leave to call your      
attention to the following facts4       

,on the #bast inst4 ,i received         
information that a person in my employ1 
of the name of ,juan ,lopez1 had been   
thrown into the prison of               
,villallos1 in the province of ,avila1  
by order of the cura of that      place4
  ,the crime with which he was charged  
was selling the ,new      ,testament4   
,i was at that time at ,labajos1 in the 
province of      ,segovia1 and the      
division of the factious chieftain      
,balmaseda was in      the immediate    
neighbourhood4  ,on the #bbnd1 ,i       
mounted my horse and      rode to       
,villallos1 a distance of three leagues4
  ,on my arrival there1      ,i found   
that ,lopez had been removed from the   
prison to a private      house4  ,an    
order had arrived from the corregidor of
 ,avila1 commanding      that the person
 of ,lopez should be set at liberty1 and
 that the books      which had been     
found in his possession should be alone 
detained4      ,nevertheless1 in direct 
opposition to this order1 7a copy of    

which ,i      herewith transmit17 the   
alcalde of ,villallos1 at the           
instigation of      the cura1 refused to
 permit the said ,lopez to quit the     
place1 either      to proceed to ,avila 
or in any other direction4  ,it had been
 hinted to      ,lopez that as the      
factious were expected1 it was intended 
on their      arrival to denounce him to
 them as a liberal1 and to cause him to 
be      sacrificed4  ,taking these      
circumstances into consideration1 ,i    
deemed      it my duty as a ,christian  
and a gentleman1 to rescue my           
unfortunate      servant from such      
lawless hands1 and in consequence1      
defying      opposition1 ,i bore him    
off1 though entirely unarmed1 through a 
crowd      of at least one hundred      
peasants4  ,on leaving the place ,i     
shouted1      8,viva ,isabel ,segunda40 
,as it is my belief that the cura of    
,villallos is a person capable of       
any infamy1 ,i beg leave humbly to      
intreat your ,lordship to cause a       

copy of the above narration to be       
forwarded to the ,spanish               
government4--,i have the honour to      
remain1 ,my ,lord1 ,your ,lordship's    
most obedient1                          
,,george ,,borrow4        ,to the ,right
 ,honourable         ,,lord ,,william   
,,hervey4    ,after the rescue of ,lopez
 we proceeded in the work of            
distribution4  ,suddenly1 however1 the  
symptoms of an approaching illness came 
over me1  which compelled us to return  
in all haste to ,madrid4  ,arrived      
there1 ,i  was attacked by a fever which
 confined me to my bed for several      
weeks2  occasional fits of delirium came
 over me1 during one of which1 ,i       
imagined  myself in the market-place of 
,martin ,muos1 engaged in deadly        
struggle  with the chieftain ,balmaseda4
    ,the fever had scarcely departed1   
when a profound melancholy took         
possession of me1 which entirely        
disqualified me for active exertion4    
,change of scene and air was            

recommended2 ,i therefore returned to   
,england4          ,,chapter ,,xlv      
,return to ,spain--,seville--,a ,hoary  
,persecutor--,manchegan                 
,prophetess--,antonio's  ,dream4    ,on 
the #cast of ,december1 #ahch1 ,i again 
visited ,spain for the third time4      
,after staying a day or two at ,cadiz ,i
 repaired to ,seville1 from which  place
 ,i proposed starting for ,madrid with  
the mail post4  ,here ,i tarried  about 
a fortnight1 enjoying the delicious     
climate of this terrestrial  ,paradise1 
and the balmy breezes of the ,andalusian
 winter1 even as ,i had  done two years 
previously4  ,before leaving ,seville1  
,i visited the  bookseller1 my          
correspondent1 who informed me that     
seventy-six copies of  the hundred      
,testaments entrusted to his care had   
been placed in embargo  by the          
government last summer1 and that they   
were at the present time in  the        
possession of the ecclesiastical        
governor1 whereupon ,i determined to    

visit this functionary also1 with the   
view of making inquiries concerning  the
 property4    ,he lived in a large house
 in the ,pajaria1 or straw-market4  ,he 
was a very  old man1 between seventy and
 eighty1 and1 like the generality of    
those  who wear the sacerdotal habit in 
this city1 was a fierce persecuting     
,papist4  ,i imagine that he scarcely   
believed his ears when his two          
grand-nephews1 beautiful black-haired   
boys who were playing in the  courtyard1
 ran to inform him that an ,englishman  
was waiting to speak with  him1 as it is
 probable that ,i was the first heretic 
who ever ventured  into his habitation4 
,i found him in a vaulted room1 seated  
on a lofty  chair1 with two             
sinister-looking secretaries1 also in   
sacerdotal habits1  employed in writing 
at a table before him4  ,he brought     
powerfully to my  mind the grim old     
inquisitor who persuaded ,philip the    
,second to slay his  own son as an enemy
 to the church4    ,he rose as ,i       

entered1 and gazed upon me with a       
countenance dark with  suspicion and    
dissatisfaction4  ,he at last           
condescended to point me to a  sofa1 and
 ,i proceeded to state to him my        
business4  ,he became much  agitated    
when ,i mentioned the ,testaments to    
him2 but ,i no sooner spoke of  the     
,bible ,society and told him who ,i was1
 than he could contain himself  no      
longer3 with a stammering tongue1 and   
with eyes flashing fire like hot  coals1
 he proceeded to rail against the       
society and myself1 saying that  the    
aims of the first were atrocious1 and   
that1 as to myself1 he was  surprised   
that1 being once lodged in the prison of
 ,madrid1 ,i had ever  been permitted to
 quit it2 adding1 that it was           
disgraceful in the  government to allow 
a person of my character to roam about  
an innocent  and peaceful country1      
corrupting the minds of the ignorant and
  unsuspicious4  ,far from allowing     
myself to be disconcerted by his rude   

behaviour1 ,i replied to him with all   
possible politeness1 and assured him    
that in this instance he had no reason  
to alarm himself1 as my sole  motive in 
claiming the books in question1 was to  
avail myself of an  opportunity which at
 present presented itself1 of sending   
them out of the  country1 which1 indeed1
 ,i had been commanded to do by an      
official notice4  ,but nothing would    
soothe him1 and he informed me that he  
should not  deliver up the books on any 
condition1 save by a positive order of  
the  government4  ,as the matter was by 
no means an affair of consequence1 ,i   
thought it wise not to persist1 and also
 prudent to take my leave before  he    
requested me4  ,i was followed even down
 into the street by his niece  and      
grand-nephews1 who1 during the whole of 
the conversation1 had  listened at the  
door of the apartment and heard every   
word4    ,in passing through ,la        
,mancha1 we staid for four hours at     
,manzanares1 a  large village4  ,i was  

standing in the market-place conversing 
with a  curate1 when a frightful ragged 
object presented itself2 it was a girl  
about eighteen or nineteen1 perfectly   
blind1 a white film being spread  over  
her huge staring eyes4  ,her countenance
 was as yellow as that of a  ,mulatto4  
,i thought at first that she was a      
,gypsy1 and addressing myself  to her1  
inquired in ,gitano if she were of that 
race2 she understood me1  but shaking   
her head1 replied1 that she was         
something better than a  ,gitana1 and   
could speak something better than that  
jargon of witches2  whereupon she       
commenced asking me several questions in
 exceedingly good  ,latin4  ,i was of   
course very much surprised1 but         
summoning all my  ,latinity1 ,i called  
her ,manchegan ,prophetess1 and         
expressing my admiration  for her       
learning1 begged to be informed by what 
means she became  possessed of it4  ,i  
must here observe that a crowd instantly
 gathered  around us1 who1 though they  

understood not one word of our          
discourse1 at  every sentence of the    
girl shouted applause1 proud in the     
possession of a  prophetess who could   
answer the ,englishman4    ,she informed
 me that she was born blind1 and that a 
,jesuit priest had  taken compassion on 
her when she was a child1 and had taught
 her the holy  language1 in order that  
the attention and hearts of ,christians 
might be  more easily turned towards    
her4  ,i soon discovered that he had    
taught her  something more than ,latin1 
for upon telling her that ,i was an     
,englishman1  she said that she had     
always loved ,britain1 which was once   
the nursery of  saints and sages1 for   
example ,bede and ,alcuin1 ,columba and 
,thomas of  ,canterbury2 but she added  
those times had gone by since the       
re-appearance  of ,semiramis            
7,elizabeth74  ,her ,latin was truly    
excellent1 and when ,i1  like a genuine 
,goth1 spoke of ,anglia and ,terra      
,vandalica 7,andalusia71 she  corrected 

me by saying1 that in her language those
 places were called  ,britannia and     
,terra ,betica4  ,when we had finished  
our discourse1 a  gathering was made for
 the prophetess1 the very poorest       
contributing  something4    ,after      
travelling four days and nights1 we     
arrived at ,madrid1 without  having     
experienced the slightest accident1     
though it is but just to  observe1 and  
always with gratitude to the ,almighty1 
that the next mail  was stopped4  ,a    
singular incident befell me immediately 
after my arrival2  on entering the arch 
of the posada called ,la ,reyna1 where  
,i intended to  put up1 ,i found myself 
encircled in a person's arms1 and on    
turning round  in amazement1 beheld my  
,greek servant1 ,antonio4  ,he was      
haggard and  ill-dressed1 and his eyes  
seemed starting from their sockets4     
,as soon as we were alone he informed   
that since my departure he had          
undergone great misery and destitution1 
having1 during the whole period1  been  

unable to find a master in need of his  
services1 so that he was  brought nearly
 to the verge of desperation2 but that  
on the night  immediately preceding my  
arrival he had a dream1 in which he saw 
me1  mounted on a black horse1 ride up  
to the gate of the posada1 and that on  
that account he had been waiting there  
during the greater part of the  day4  ,i
 do not pretend to offer an opinion     
concerning this narrative1  which is    
beyond the reach of my philosophy1 and  
shall content myself with  observing    
that only two individuals in ,madrid    
were aware of my arrival in  ,spain4  ,i
 was very glad to receive him again into
 my service1 as1  notwithstanding his   
faults1 he had in many instances proved 
of no slight  assistance to me in my    
wanderings and biblical labours4    ,i  
was soon settled in my former lodgings1 
when one my first cares was to  pay a   
visit to ,lord ,clarendon4  ,amongst    
other things1 he informed me that  he   
had received an official notice from the

 government1 stating the  seizure of the
 ,new ,testaments at ,ocaa1 the         
circumstances relating to  which ,i have
 described on a former occasion1 and    
informing him that  unless steps were   
instantly taken to remove them from the 
country1 they  would be destroyed at    
,toledo1 to which place they had been   
conveyed4  ,i  replied that ,i should   
give myself no trouble about the matter2
 and that  if the authorities of        
,toledo1 civil or ecclesiastic1         
determined upon  burning these books1 my
 only hope was that they would commit   
them to the  flames with all possible   
publicity1 as by so doing they would but
  manifest their own hellish rancour and
 their hostility to the word of  ,god4  
,being eager to resume my labours1 ,i   
had no sooner arrived at ,madrid than   
,i wrote to ,lopez at ,villa ,seca1 for 
the purpose of learning whether he  was 
inclined to co-operate in the work1 as  
on former occasions4  ,in  reply1 he    
informed me that he was busily employed 

in his agricultural  pursuits3 to supply
 his place1 however1 he sent over an    
elderly villager1  ,victoriano ,lopez by
 name1 a distant relation of his own4   
,what is a missionary in the heart of   
,spain without a horse8  ,which         
consideration induced me now to purchase
 an ,arabian of high caste1 which  had  
been brought from ,algiers by an officer
 of the ,french legion4  ,the  name of  
this steed1 the best ,i believe that    
ever issued from the desert1  was ,sidi 
,habismilk4          ,,chapter ,,xlvi   
,work of ,distribution                  
resumed--,adventure at ,cobenna--,power 
of the  ,clergy--,rural                 
,authorities--,fuente la                
,higuera--,victoriano's                 
,mishap--,village  ,prison--,the        
,rope--,antonio's ,errand--,antonio at  
,mass4    ,in my last chapter1 ,i stated
 that1 immediately after my arrival at  
,madrid1 ,i proceeded to get everything 
in readiness for commencing  operations 
in the neighbourhood2 and ,i soon       

entered upon my labours in  reality4    
,considerable success attended my feeble
 efforts in the good  cause1 for which  
at present1 after the lapse of some     
years1 ,i still look  back with         
gratitude to the ,almighty4    ,all the 
villages within the distance of four    
leagues to the east of  ,madrid1 were   
visited in less than a fortnight1 and   
,testaments to the  number of nearly two
 hundred disposed of4  ,these villages  
for the most  part are very small1 some 
of them consisting of not more than a   
dozen  houses1 or ,i should rather say  
miserable cabins4  ,i left ,antonio1 my 
,greek1 to superintend matters in       
,madrid1 and proceeded with ,victoriano1
  the peasant from ,villa ,seca1 in the 
direction which ,i have already         
mentioned4  ,we1 however1 soon parted   
company1 and pursued different  routes4 
,the first village at which ,i made an  
attempt was ,cobenna1 about three       
leagues from ,madrid4  ,i was dressed in
 the fashion of the peasants in the     

neighbourhood of ,segovia1 in ,old      
,castile2 namely1 ,i had on my head a   
species of leather helmet or montera1   
with a jacket and trousers of the  same 
material4  ,i had the appearance of a   
person between sixty and  seventy years 
of age1 and drove before me a borrico   
with a sack of  ,testaments lying across
 its back4  ,on nearing the village1 ,i 
met a  genteel-looking young woman      
leading a little boy by the hand3 as ,i 
was  about to pass her with the         
customary salutation of vaya usted con  
,dios1  she stopped1 and after looking  
at me for a moment1 she said3 8,uncle   
7,tio71 what is that you have got on    
your borrico8  ,is it soap80    8,yes10 
,i replied3 8it is soap to wash souls   
clean40    ,she demanded what ,i meant2 
whereupon ,i told her that ,i carried   
cheap and  godly books for sale4  ,on   
her requesting to see one1 ,i produced a
 copy  from my pocket and handed it to  
her4  ,she instantly commenced reading  
with a loud voice1 and continued so for 

at least ten minutes1  occasionally     
exclaiming3 8,que lectura tan bonita1   
que lectura tan  linda6  ,what          
beautiful1 what charming readings60  ,at
 last1 on my  informing her that ,i was 
in a hurry1 and could not wait any      
longer1 she  said1 8true1 true10 and    
asked me the price of the book3 ,i told 
her 8but  three reals10 whereupon she   
said1 that though what ,i asked was very
  little1 it was more than she could    
afford to give1 as there was little or  
no money in those parts4  ,i said ,i was
 sorry for it1 but that ,i could not    
dispose of the books for less than ,i   
had demanded1 and accordingly1  resuming
 it1 wished her farewell1 and left her4 
,i had not1 however1  proceeded thirty  
yards1 when the boy came running behind 
me1 shouting1  out of breath3 8,stop1   
uncle1 the book1 the book60  ,upon      
overtaking me1 he  delivered the three  
reals in copper1 and seizing the        
,testament1 ran back  to her1 who ,i    
suppose was his sister1 flourishing the 

book over his head  with great glee4    
,on arriving at the village1 ,i directed
 my steps to a house1 around the  door  
of which ,i saw several people gathered1
 chiefly women4  ,on my  displaying my  
books1 their curiosity was instantly    
aroused1 and every  person had speedily 
one in his hand1 many reading aloud2    
however1 after  waiting nearly an hour1 
,i had disposed of but one copy1 all    
complaining  bitterly of the distress of
 the times1 and the almost total want of
  money1 though1 at the same time1 they 
acknowledged that the books were        
wonderfully cheap1 and appeared to be   
very good and ,christian-like4  ,i  was 
about to gather up my merchandise and   
depart1 when on a sudden the  curate of 
the place made his appearance4  ,after  
having examined the book  for some time 
with considerable attention1 he asked me
 the price of a  copy1 and upon my      
informing him that it was three reals1  
he replied that  the binding was worth  
more1 and that he was much afraid that  

,i had stolen  the books1 and that it   
was perhaps his duty to send me to      
prison as a  suspicious character2 but  
added1 that the books were good books1  
however  they might be obtained1 and    
concluded by purchasing two copies4     
,the poor  people no sooner heard their 
curate recommend the volumes1 than all  
were  eager to secure one1 and hurried  
here and there for the purpose of       
procuring money1 so that between twenty 
and thirty copies were sold  almost in  
an instant4  ,this adventure not only   
affords an instance of the  power still 
possessed by the ,spanish clergy over   
the minds of the people1  but proves    
that such influence is not always       
exerted in a manner  favourable to the  
maintenance of ignorance and            
superstition4    ,in another village1 on
 my showing a ,testament to a woman1 she
 said that  she had a child at school   
for whom she would like to purchase one1
 but  that she must first know whether  
the book was calculated to be of service

  to him4  ,she then went away1 and     
presently returned with the             
schoolmaster1 followed by all the       
children under his care2 she then1      
showing the schoolmaster a book1        
inquired if it would answer for her son4
  ,the schoolmaster called her a        
simpleton for asking such a question1   
and  said that he knew the book well1   
and there was not its equal in the world
  7no hay otro en el mundo74  ,he       
instantly purchased five copies for his 
pupils1 regretting that he had no more  
money1 8for if ,i had10 said he1 8,i    
would buy the whole cargo40  ,upon      
hearing this1 the woman purchased four  
copies1 namely1 one for her living son1 
another for her deceased  husband1 a    
third for herself1 and a fourth for her 
brother1 whom she  said she was         
expecting home that night from ,madrid4 
,in this manner we proceeded2 not1      
however1 with uniform success4  ,in some
  villages the people were so poor and  
needy1 that they had literally no       

money2 even in these1 however1 we       
managed to dispose of a few copies in   
exchange for barley or refreshments4    
,on entering one very small hamlet1     
,victoriano was stopped by the curate1  
who1 on learning what he carried1  told 
him that unless he instantly departed1  
he would cause him to be  imprisoned1   
and would write to ,madrid in order to  
give information of  what was going on4 
,the excursion lasted about eight days4 
,immediately  after my return1 ,i       
dispatched ,victoriano to ,caramanchal1 
a village at a  short distance from     
,madrid1 the only one towards the west  
which had not  been visited last year4  
,he staid there about an hour1 and      
disposed of  twelve copies1 and then    
returned1 as he was exceedingly timid1  
and was  afraid of being met by the     
thieves who swarm on that road in the   
evening4    ,shortly after these events1
 a circumstance occurred which will     
perhaps  cause the ,english reader to   
smile1 whilst1 at the same time1 it will

 not  fail to prove interesting1 as     
affording an example of the feeling     
prevalent in some of the lone villages  
of ,spain with respect to  innovation   
and all that savours thereof1 and the   
strange acts which are  sometimes       
committed by the real authorities and   
the priests1 without the  slightest fear
 of being called to account2 for as they
 live quite apart  #djc from the rest of
 the world1 they know no people greater 
than  themselves1 and scarcely dream of 
a higher power than their own4    ,i was
 about to make an excursion to          
,guadalajara1 and the villages of       
,alcarria1 about seven leagues distant  
from ,madrid2 indeed ,i merely  awaited 
the return of ,victoriano to sally      
forth2 ,i having dispatched him  in that
 direction with a few ,testaments1 as a 
kind of explorer1 in order  that1 from  
his report as to the disposition        
manifested by the people for            
purchasing1 ,i might form a tolerably   
accurate opinion as to the number of    

copies which it might be necessary to   
carry with me4  ,however1 ,i heard      
nothing of him for a fortnight1 at the  
end of which period a letter was        
brought to me by a peasant1 dated from  
the prison of ,fuente la ,higuera1 a    
village eight leagues from ,madrid1 in  
the ,campia of ,alcala3 this letter1    
written1 by ,victoriano1 gave me to     
understand that he had been already     
eight days imprisoned1 and that unless  
,i could find some means to  extricate  
him1 there was every probability of his 
remaining in durance  until he should   
perish with hunger1 which he had no     
doubt would occur as  soon as his money 
was exhausted4  ,from what ,i afterwards
 learned1 it  appeared that1 after      
passing the town of ,alcala1 he had     
commenced  distributing1 and with       
considerable success4  ,his entire stock
 consisted  of sixty-one ,testaments1   
twenty-five of which he sold without the
  slightest difficulty or interruption  
in the single village of ,arganza2  the 

poor labourers showering blessings on   
his head for providing them  with such  
good books at an easy price4    ,not    
more than eighteen of his books         
remained1 when he turned off the high   
road towards ,fuente la ,higuera4  ,this
 place was already tolerably well  known
 to him1 he having visited it of old1   
when he travelled the country  in the   
capacity of a vendor of cacharras or    
earthen pans4  ,he  subsequently stated 
that he felt some misgiving whilst on   
the way1 as the  village had invariably 
borne a bad reputation4  ,on his        
arrival1 after  having put up his       
cavallejo or little pony at a posada1 he
 proceeded to  the alcalde for the      
purpose of asking permission to sell the
 books1 which  that dignitary           
immediately granted4  ,he now entered a 
house and sold a  copy1 and likewise a  
second4  ,emboldened by success1 he     
entered a third1  which1 it appeared1   
belonged to the barber-surgeon of the   
village4  ,this  personage having just  

completed his dinner1 was seated in an  
arm chair  within his doorway1 when     
,victoriano made his appearance4  ,he   
was a man  about thirty-five1 of a      
savage truculent countenance4  ,on      
,victoriano's  offering him a           
,testament1 he took it in his hand to   
examine it1 but no  sooner did his eyes 
glance over the title-page than he burst
 out into a  loud laugh1                
exclaiming3--8,ha1 ha1 ,don ,jorge      
,borrow1 the ,english heretic1  we have 
encountered you at last4  ,glory to the 
,virgin and the ,saints6  ,we  have long
 been expecting you here1 and at length 
you are arrived40  ,he  then inquired   
the price of the book1 and on being told
 three reals1 he  flung down two1 and   
rushed out of the house with the        
,testament in his  hand4    ,victoriano 
now became alarmed1 and determined upon 
leaving the place as  soon as possible4 
,he therefore hurried back to the       
posada1 and having  paid for the barley 
which his pony had consumed1 went into  

the stable1  and placing the packsaddle 
on the animal's back1 was about to lead 
it  forth1 when the alcalde of the      
village1 the surgeon1 and twelve other  
men1 some of whom were armed with       
muskets1 suddenly presented themselves4 
,they instantly made ,victoriano        
prisoner1 and after seizing the books   
and  laying an embargo on the pony1     
proceeded amidst much abuse to drag the 
captive to what they denominated their  
prison1 a low damp apartment with  a    
little grated window1 where they locked 
him up and left him4  ,at the           
expiration of three quarters of an hour1
 they again appeared1 and  conducted him
 to the house of the curate1 where they 
sat down in  conclave2 the curate1 who  
was a man stone blind1 presiding1 whilst
 the  sacristan officiated as secretary4
  ,the surgeon having stated his        
accusation against the prisoner1 namely1
 that he had detected him in the  fact  
of selling a version of the ,scriptures 
in the vulgar tongue1 the  curate       

proceeded to examine ,victoriano1 asking
 him his name and place of  residence1  
to which he replied that his name was   
,victoriano ,lopez1 and  that he was a  
native of ,villa ,seca1 in the ,sagra of
 ,toledo4  ,the curate  then demanded   
what religion he professed8 and whether 
he was a ,mohometan1  or freemason8 and 
received for answer that he was a ,roman
 ,catholic4  ,i  must here state1 that  
,victoriano1 though sufficiently shrewd 
in his way1  was a poor old labourer of 
sixty-four2 and until that moment had   
never  heard either of ,mahometans or   
freemasons4  ,the curate becoming now   
incensed1 called him a tunante or       
scoundrel1 and added1 you have sold     
your soul to a heretic2 we have long    
been aware of your proceedings1 and     
those of your master4  ,you are the same
 ,lopez1 whom he last year rescued  from
 the prison of ,villallos1 in the       
province of ,avila2 ,i sincerely hope   
that he will attempt to do the same     
thing here4  8,yes1 yes10 shouted the   

rest of the conclave1 8let him but      
venture here1 and we will shed his      
heart's blood on our stones40  ,in this 
manner they went on for nearly  half an 
hour4  ,at last they broke up the       
meeting1 and conducted  ,victoriano once
 more to his prison4    ,during his     
confinement he lived tolerably well1    
being in possession of  money4  ,his    
meals were sent him twice a day from the
 posada1 where his  pony remained in    
embargo4  ,once or twice he asked       
permission of the  alcalde1 who visited 
him every night and morning with his    
armed guard1 to  purchase pen and paper1
 in order that he might write to        
,madrid2 but this  favour was           
peremptorily refused him1 and all the   
inhabitants of the  village were        
forbidden under terrible penalties to   
afford him the means  of writing1 or to 
convey any message from him beyond the  
precincts of the  place1 and two boys   
were stationed before the window of his 
cell for the  purpose of watching       

everything which might be conveyed to   
him4    ,it happened one day that       
,victoriano1 being in need of a pillow1 
sent word  to the people of the posada  
to send him his alforjas or saddlebags1 
which  they did4  ,in these bags there  
chanced to be a kind of rope1 or1 as it 
is  called in ,spanish1 soga1 with which
 he was in the habit of fastening  his  
satchel to the pony's back4  ,the       
urchins seeing an end of this rope1     
hanging from the alforjas1 instantly ran
 to the alcalde to give him             
information4  ,late at evening1 the     
alcalde again visited the prisoner at   
the head of his twelve men as usual4    
8,buenas noches10 said the  alcalde4    
8,buenas noches tenga usted10 replied   
,victoriano4  8,for what  purpose did   
you send for the soga this afternoon80  
demanded the  functionary4  8,i sent for
 no soga10 said the prisoner1 8,i sent  
for my  alforjas to serve as a pillow1  
and it was sent in them by chance40     
8,you  are a false malicious knave10    

retorted the alcalde2 8you intend to    
hang  yourself1 and by so doing ruin us 
all1 as your death would be laid at our 
door4  ,give me the soga40  ,no greater 
insult can be offered to a ,spaniard    
than to tax him with an intention of    
committing suicide4  ,poor ,victoriano  
flew into a violent rage1 and after     
calling the alcalde several very        
uncivil names1 he pulled the soga from  
his bags1 flung it at his head1  and    
told him to take it home and use it for 
his own neck4    ,at length the people  
of the posada took pity on the prisoner1
 perceiving  that he was very harshly   
treated for no crime at all2 they       
therefore  determined to afford him an  
opportunity of informing his friends of 
his  situation1 and accordingly sent him
 a pen and inkhorn1 concealed in a  loaf
 of bread1 and a piece of writing paper1
 pretending that the latter  was        
intended for cigars4  ,so ,victoriano   
wrote the letter2 but now ensued  the   
difficulty of sending it to its         

destination1 as no person in the        
village dare have carried it for any    
reward4  ,the good people1 however1     
persuaded a disbanded soldier from      
another village1 who chanced to be at   
,fuente la ,higuera in quest of work1 to
 charge himself with it1 assuring  him  
that ,i would pay him well for his      
trouble4  ,the man1 watching his        
opportunity1 received the letter from   
,victoriano at the window3 and it  was  
he who1 after travelling on foot all    
night1 delivered it to me in  safety at 
,madrid4    ,i was now relieved from my 
anxiety1 and had no fears for the       
result4  ,i  instantly went to a friend 
who is in possession of large estates   
about  ,guadalajara1 in which province  
,fuente la ,higuera is situated1 who    
furnished me with letters to the civil  
governor of ,guadalajara and all  the   
principal authorities2 these ,i         
delivered to ,antonio1 whom1 at his own 
request1 ,i despatched on the errand of 
the prisoner's liberation4  ,he  first  

directed his course to ,fuente la       
,higuera1 where1 entering the  alcalde's
 house1 he boldly told him what he had  
come about4  ,the alcalde  expecting    
that ,i was at hand1 with an army of    
,englishmen1 for the purpose  of        
rescuing the prisoner1 became greatly   
alarmed1 and instantly  despatched his  
wife to summon his twelve men2 however1 
on ,antonio's  assuring him that there  
was no intention of having recourse to  
violence1  he became more tranquil4  ,in
 a short time ,antonio was summoned     
before the  conclave and its blind      
sacerdotal president4  ,they at first   
attempted to  frighten him by assuming a
 loud bullying tone1 and talking of the 
necessity of killing all strangers1 and 
especially the detested ,don ,jorge  and
 his dependents4  ,antonio1 however1 who
 was not a person apt to allow  himself 
to be easily terrified1 scoffed at their
 threats1 and showing  them his letters 
to the authorities of ,guadalajara1 said
 that he should  proceed there on the   

morrow and denounce their lawless       
conduct1 adding  that he was a ,turkish 
subject1 and that should they dare to   
offer him the  slightest incivility1 he 
would write to the sublime ,porte1 in   
comparison  with whom the best kings in 
the world were but worms1 and who would 
not  fail to avenge the wrongs of any of
 his children1 however distant1 in a    
manner too terrible to be mentioned4    
,he then returned to his posada4  ,the  
conclave now proceeded to deliberate    
amongst themselves1 and at last         
determined to send their prisoner on the
 morrow to ,guadalajara1 and  deliver   
him into the hands of the civil         
governor4    ,nevertheless1 in order to 
keep up a semblance of authority1 they  
that  night placed two men armed at the 
door of the posada where ,antonio was   
lodged1 as if he himself were a         
prisoner4  ,these men1 as often as the  
clock struck the hour1 shouted 8,ave    
,maria6  ,death to the heretics40       
,early in the morning the alcalde       

presented himself at the posada1 but    
before entering he made an oration at   
the door to the people in the  street1  
saying1 amongst other things1           
8,brethren1 these are the fellows  who  
have come to rob us of our religion40   
,he then went into ,antonio's           
apartment1 and after saluting him with  
great politeness1 said1 that as a  royal
 or high mass was about to be celebrated
 that morning1 he had come  to invite   
him to go to church with him4           
,whereupon ,antonio1 though by no  means
 a mass-goer1 rose and accompanied him1 
and remained two hours1 as  he told me1 
on his knees on the cold stones1 to his 
great discomfort2 the  eyes of the whole
 congregation being fixed upon him      
during the time4    ,after mass and     
breakfast1 he departed for ,guadalajara1
 ,victoriano having  been already       
despatched under a guard4  ,on his      
arrival1 he presented his  letters to   
the individuals for whom they were      
intended4  ,the civil  governor was     

convulsed with merriment on hearing     
,antonio's account of the  adventure4   
,victoriano was set at liberty1 and the 
books were placed in  embargo at        
,guadalajara2 the governor stating1     
however1 that though it was  his duty to
 detain them at present1 they should be 
sent to me whenever ,i  chose to claim  
them2 he moreover said that he would do 
his best to cause  the authorities of   
,fuente la ,higuera to be severely      
punished1 as in the  whole affair they  
had acted in the most cruel tyrannical  
manner1 for  which they had no          
authority4  ,thus terminated this       
affair1 one of those  little accidents  
which chequer missionary life in ,spain4
          ,,chapter ,,xlvii             
,termination of our ,rural              
,labours--,alarm of the ,clergy--,a ,new
  ,experiment--,success at              
,madrid--,goblin-,alguazil--,staff of   
,office--,the  ,corregidor--,an         
,explanation--,the ,pope in             
,england--,new ,testament               

expounded--,works of ,luther4    ,we    
proceeded in our task of distributing   
the ,scriptures with various  success1  
until the middle of ,march1 when ,i     
determined upon starting for  ,talavera1
 for the purpose of seeing what it was  
possible to accomplish in  that town and
 the neighbourhood4  ,i accordingly bent
 my course in that  direction1          
accompanied by ,antonio and ,victoriano4
  ,on our way thither we  stopped at    
,naval ,carnero1 a large village five   
leagues to the west of  ,madrid1 where  
,i remained three days1 sending forth   
,victoriano to the  circumjacent hamlets
 with small cargoes of ,testaments4     
,providence1  however1 which had        
hitherto so remarkably favoured us in   
these rural  excursions1 now withdrew   
from us its support1 and brought them to
 a  sudden termination2 for in whatever 
place the sacred writings were  offered 
for sale1 they were forthwith seized by 
persons who appeared to  be upon the    
watch2 which events compelled me to     

alter my intention of  proceeding to    
,talavera and to return forthwith to    
,madrid4    ,i subsequently learned that
 our proceedings on the other side of   
,madrid  having caused alarm amongst the
 heads of the clergy1 they had made a   
formal complaint to the government1 who 
immediately sent orders to all  the     
alcaldes of the villages1 great and     
small1 in ,new ,castile1 to seize  the  
,new ,testament wherever it might be    
exposed for sale2 but at the same  time 
enjoining them to be particularly       
careful not to detain or maltreat  the  
person or persons who might be          
attempting to vend it4  ,an exact       
description of myself accompanied these 
orders1 and the authorities both  civil 
and military were exhorted to be on     
their guard against me and my  arts and 
machinations2 for1 ,i as the document   
stated1 was to-day in one  place1 and   
to-morrow at twenty leagues' distance4  
,i was not much discouraged by this     
blow1 which indeed did not come         

entirely unexpected4  ,i1 however1      
determined to change the sphere of      
action1 and not expose the sacred volume
 to seizure at every step which ,i      
should take to circulate it4  ,in my    
late attempts1 ,i had directed my       
attention exclusively to the villages   
and small towns1 in which it was  quite 
easy for the government to frustrate my 
efforts by means of  circulars to the   
local authorities1 who would of course  
be on the alert1  and whose vigilance it
 would be impossible to baffle as every 
novelty  which occurs in a small place  
is forthwith bruited about4  ,but the   
case  would be widely different amongst 
the crowds of the capital1 where ,i     
could pursue my labours with comparative
 secrecy4  ,my present plan was to      
abandon the rural districts1 and to     
offer the sacred volume at ,madrid1     
from house to house1 at the same low    
price as in the country4  ,this plan  ,i
 forthwith put into execution4          
,having an extensive acquaintance       

amongst the lower orders1 ,i selected   
eight intelligent individuals to        
co-operate with me1 amongst whom were   
five women4  ,all these ,i supplied with
 ,testaments1 and then sent them  forth 
to all the parishes in ,madrid4  ,the   
result of their efforts more  than      
answered my expectations4  ,in less than
 fifteen days after my return  from     
,naval ,carnero1 nearly six hundred     
copies of the life and words of  ,him of
 ,nazareth had been sold in the streets 
and alleys of ,madrid2 a fact  which ,i 
hope ,i may be permitted to mention with
 gladness and with decent  triumph in   
the ,lord4    ,one of the richest       
streets is the ,calle ,montera1 where   
reside the  principal merchants and     
shopkeepers of ,madrid4  ,it is1 in     
fact1 the  street of commerce1 in which 
respect1 and in being a favourite       
promenade1  it corresponds with the     
far-famed 8,nefsky0 of ,saint           
,petersburg4  ,every  house in this     
street was supplied with its ,testament1

 and the same might  be said with       
respect to the ,puerto del ,sol4  ,nay1 
in some instances1  every individual in 
the house1 man and child1 man-servant   
and  maid-servant1 was furnished with a 
copy4  ,my ,greek1 ,antonio1 made       
wonderful exertions in this quarter2 and
 it is but justice to say that1  but for
 his instrumentality1 on many occasions1
 ,i might have been by no  means able to
 give so favourable an account of the   
spread of 8the ,bible  in ,spain40      
,there was a time when ,i was in the    
habit of saying 8dark  ,madrid10 an     
expression which1 ,i thank ,god1 ,i     
could now drop4  ,it were  scarcely just
 to call a city1 8dark10 in which       
thirteen hundred  ,testaments at least  
were in circulation1 and in daily use4  
,it was now that ,i turned to account a 
supply of ,bibles which ,i had  received
 from ,barcelona1 in sheets1 at the     
commencement of the preceding  year4    
,the demand for the entire ,scriptures  
was great2 indeed far greater  than ,i  

could answer1 as the books were disposed
 of faster than they could  be bound by 
the man whom ,i employed for that       
purpose4  ,eight-and-twenty  copies were
 bespoken and paid for before delivery4 
,many of these ,bibles  found their way 
into the best houses in ,madrid4  ,the  
,marquis of --- had a  large family1 but
 every individual of it1 old and young1 
was in  possession of a ,bible1 and     
likewise a ,testament1 which1 strange to
 say1  were recommended by the chaplain 
of the house4  ,one of my most zealous  
agents in the propagation of the ,bible 
was an ecclesiastic4  ,he never  walked 
out without carrying one beneath his    
gown1 which he offered to the  first    
person he met whom he thought likely to 
purchase4  ,another  excellent assistant
 was an elderly gentleman of ,navarre1  
enormously rich1  who was continually   
purchasing copies on his own account1   
which he1 as ,i  was told1 sent into his
 native province1 for distribution      
amongst his  friends and the poor4      

,on a certain night ,i had retired to   
rest rather more early than usual1      
being slightly indisposed4  ,i soon fell
 asleep1 and had continued so for  some 
hours1 when ,i was suddenly aroused by  
the opening of the door of the  small   
apartment in which ,i lay4  ,i started  
up1 and beheld ,maria ,diaz1  with a    
lamp in her hand1 enter the room4  ,i   
observed that her features1  which were 
in general peculiarly calm and placid1  
wore a somewhat  startled expression4   
8,what is the hour1 and what brings you 
here80 ,i  demanded4    8,seor10 said   
she1 closing the door1 and coming up to 
the bedside4  8,it  is close upon       
midnight2 but a messenger belonging to  
the police has just  entered the house  
and demanded to see you4  ,i told him   
that it was  impossible1 for that your  
worship was in bed4  ,whereupon he      
sneezed in my  face1 and said that he   
would see you if you were in your       
coffin4  ,he has  all the look of a     
goblin1 and has thrown me into a tremor4

  ,i am far from  being a timid person1 
as you are aware1 ,don ,jorge2 but ,i   
confess that ,i  never cast my eyes on  
these wretches of the police1 but my    
heart dies  away within me6  ,i know    
them but too well1 and what they are    
capable of40    8,pooh10 said ,i1 8be   
under no apprehension1 let him come in1 
,i fear him  not1 whether he be alguazil
 or hobgoblin4  ,stand1 however1 at the 
doorway1 that you may be a witness of   
what takes place1 as it is more  than   
probable that he comes at this          
unreasonable hour to create a           
disturbance1 that he may have an        
opportunity of making an unfavourable   
report to his principals1 like the      
fellow on the former occasion40    ,the 
hostess left the apartment1 and ,i heard
 her say a word or two to some  one in  
the passage1 whereupon there was a loud 
sneeze1 and in a moment  after a        
singular figure appeared at the doorway4
  ,it was that of a very  old man1 with 
long white hair1 which escaped from     

beneath the eaves of an  exceedingly    
high-peaked hat4  ,he stooped           
considerably1 and moved along  with a   
shambling gait4  ,i could not see much  
of his face1 which1 as the  landlady    
stood behind him with the lamp1 was     
consequently in deep shadow4  ,i could  
observe1 however1 that his eyes sparkled
 like those of a ferret4  ,he advanced  
to the foot of the bed1 in which ,i was 
still lying1 wondering  what this       
strange visit could mean2 and there he  
stood gazing at me for a  minute1 at    
least1 without uttering a syllable4     
,suddenly1 however1 he  protruded a     
spare skinny hand from the cloak in     
which it had hitherto  been enveloped1  
and pointed with a short staff1 tipped  
with metal1 in the  direction of my     
face1 as it he were commencing an       
exorcism4  ,he appeared  to be about to 
speak1 but his words1 if he intended    
any1 were stifled in  their birth by a  
sudden sternutation which escaped him1  
and which was so  violent that the      

hostess started back1 exclaiming1 8,ave 
,maria purissima60  and nearly dropped  
the lamp in her alarm4    8,my good     
person10 said ,i1 8what do you mean by  
this foolish hobgoblinry8  ,if you have 
anything to communicate do so at once1  
and go about your  business4  ,i am     
unwell1 and you are depriving me of my  
repose40    8,by the virtue of this     
staff10 said the old man1 8and the      
authority which  it gives me to do and  
say that which is convenient1 ,i do     
command1 order1  and summon you to      
appear to-morrow1 at the eleventh hour  
at the office of  my lord the corregidor
 of this village of ,madrid1 in order   
that1 standing  before him humbly1 and  
with befitting reverence1 you may listen
 to  whatever he may have to say1 or if 
necessary1 may yield yourself up to     
receive the castigation of any crimes   
which you may have committed1  whether  
trivial or enormous4  ,tenez1 compere10 
he added1 in most  villainous ,french1  
8voila mon affaire2 voila ce que je     

viens vous  dire40    ,thereupon he     
glared at me for a moment1 nodded his   
head twice1 and  replacing his staff    
beneath is cloak1 shambled out of the   
room1 and with  a valedictory sneeze in 
the passage left the house4             
,precisely at eleven on the following   
day1 ,i attended at the office of the   
corregidor4  ,he was not the individual 
whose anger ,i had incurred on a  former
 occasion1 and who had thought proper to
 imprison me1 but another  person1 ,i   
believe a ,catalan1 whose name ,i have  
also forgotten4  ,indeed1  these civil  
employments were at this period given   
to-day and taken away  to-morrow1 so    
that the person who held one of them for
 a month might  consider himself a      
functionary of long standing4  ,i was   
not kept waiting  a moment1 but as soon 
as ,i had announced myself1 was         
forthwith ushered  into the presence of 
the corregidor1 a good-looking1 portly1 
and  well-dressed personage1 seemingly  
about fifty4  ,he was writing at a desk 

when ,i entered1 but almost immediately 
arose and came towards me4  ,he  looked 
me full in the face1 and ,i1 nothing    
abashed1 kept my eyes fixed  upon his4  
,he had1 perhaps1 expected a less       
independent bearing1 and that  ,i should
 have quaked and crouched before him2   
but now1 conceiving himself  bearded in 
his own den1 his old ,spanish leaven was
 forthwith stirred up4  ,he plucked his 
whiskers fiercely4  8,escuchad10 said   
he1 casting upon me a  ferocious glance1
 8,i wish to ask you a question40       
8,before ,i answer any question of your 
excellency10 said ,i1 8,i shall take    
the liberty of putting one myself4      
,what law or reason is there that ,i1 a 
peaceable individual and a foreigner1   
should have my rest disturbed by        
duendes and hobgoblins sent at midnight 
to summon me to appear at  public       
offices like a criminal80    8,you do   
not speak the truth10 shouted the       
corregidor2 8the person sent to  summon 
you was neither duende nor hobgoblin1   

but one of the most ancient  and        
respectable officers of this casa1 and  
so far from being dispatched  at        
midnight1 it wanted twenty-five minutes 
to that hour by my own watch  when he   
left this office1 and as your lodging is
 not distant1 he must  have arrived     
there at least ten minutes before       
midnight1 so that you are  by no means  
accurate1 and are found wanting in      
regard to truth40    8,a distinction    
without a difference10 ,i replied4      
8,for my own part1 if ,i  am to be      
disturbed in my sleep1 it is of little  
consequence whether at  midnight or ten 
minutes before that time2 and with      
respect to your  messenger1 although he 
might not be a hobgoblin1 he had all the
  appearance of one1 and assuredly      
answered the purpose1 by frightening the
  woman of the house almost into fits by
 his hideous grimaces and sneezing      
convulsions40    ,corregidor4--,you are 
a--,i know not what4  ,do you know that 
,i have the  power to imprison you8     

,myself4--,you have twenty alguazils at 
your beck and call1 and have of  course 
the power1 and so had your predecessor1 
who nearly lost his  situation by       
imprisoning me2 but you know full well  
that you have not the  right1 as ,i am  
not under your jurisdiction1 but that of
 the  captain-general4  ,if ,i have     
obeyed your summons1 it was simply      
because ,i  had a curiosity to know what
 you wanted with me1 and from no other  
motive  whatever4  ,as for imprisoning  
me1 ,i beg leave to assure you1 that you
  have my full consent to do so2 the    
most polite society in ,madrid is to be 
found in the prison1 and as ,i am at    
present compiling a vocabulary of the   
language of the ,madrilenian thieves1 ,i
 should have1 in being imprisoned1  an  
excellent opportunity of completing it4 
,there is much to be learnt  even in the
 prison1 for1 as the ,gypsies say1 8,the
 dog that trots about  finds a bone40   
,corregidor4--,your words are not those 
of a ,caballero4  ,do you forget  where 

you are1 and in whose presence8  ,is    
this a fitting place to talk of  thieves
 and ,gypsies in8    ,myself4--,really  
,i know of no place more fitting1 unless
 it be the  prison4  ,but we are wasting
 time1 and ,i am anxious to know for    
what ,i  have been summoned2 whether for
 crimes trivial or enormous1 as the     
messenger said4    ,it was a long time  
before ,i could obtain the required     
information from  the incensed          
corregidor2 at last1 however1 it came4  
,it appeared that a  box of ,testaments1
 which ,i had despatched to ,naval      
,carnero1 had been  seized by the local 
authorities1 and having been detained   
there for some  time1 was at last sent  
back to ,madrid1 intended as it now     
appeared1 for  the hands of the         
corregidor4  ,one day as it was lying at
 the  waggon-office1 ,antonio chanced to
 enter on some business of his own and  
recognised the box1 which he instantly  
claimed as my property1 and having  paid
 the carriage1 removed it to my         

warehouse4  ,he had considered the      
matter as of so little importance1 that 
he had not as yet mentioned it to  me4  
,the poor corregidor1 however1 had no   
doubt that it was a deep-laid  scheme to
 plunder and insult him4  ,and now1     
working himself up into  almost a frenzy
 of excitement1 he stamped on the       
ground1 exclaiming1  8,que picardia6    
,que infamia60    ,the old system1      
thought ,i1 of prejudging people and    
imputing to them  motives and actions of
 which they never dreamed4  ,i then told
 him frankly  that ,i was entirely      
ignorant of the circumstance by which he
 had felt  himself aggrieved2 but that  
if upon inquiry ,i found that the chest 
had  actually been removed by my servant
 from the office to which it had been   
forwarded1 ,i would cause it forthwith  
to be restored1 although it was my  own 
property4  8,i have plenty more         
,testaments10 said ,i1 8and can afford  
to lose fifty or a hundred4  ,i am a man
 of peace1 and wish not to have  any    

dispute with the authorities for the    
sake of an old chest and a cargo  of    
books1 whose united value would scarcely
 amount to forty dollars40    ,he looked
 at me for a moment1 as if in doubt of  
my sincerity1 then1 again  plucking his 
whiskers1 he forthwith proceeded to     
attack me in another  quarter3 8,pero   
que infamia1 que picardia6 to come into 
,spain for the  purpose of overturning  
the religion of the country4  ,what     
would you say  if the ,spaniards were to
 go to ,england and attempt to overturn 
the  ,lutheranism established there80   
8,they would be most heartily welcome10 
,i replied2 8more especially if  they   
would attempt to do so by circulating   
the ,bible1 the book of  ,christians1   
even as the ,english are doing in       
,spain4  ,but your excellency  is not   
perhaps aware that the ,pope has a fair 
field and fair play in  ,england1 and is
 permitted to make as many converts from
 ,lutheranism every  day in the week as 
are disposed to go over to him4  ,he    

cannot boast1  however1 of much success2
 the people are too fond of light to    
embrace  darkness1 and would smile at   
the idea of exchanging their gospel     
privileges for the superstitious        
ceremonies and observances of the church
  of ,rome40    ,on my repeating my     
promise that the books and chest should 
be forthwith  restored1 the corregidor  
declared himself satisfied1 and all of a
 sudden  became excessively polite and  
condescending3 he even went so far as to
  say that he left it entirely with     
myself1 whether to return the books or  
not2 8and10 continued he1 8before you   
go1 ,i wish to tell you that my  private
 opinion is1 that it is highly advisable
 in all countries to allow  full and    
perfect tolerance in religious matters1 
and to permit every  religious system to
 stand or fall according to its own     
merits40    ,such were the concluding   
words of the corregidor of ,madrid1     
which1  whether they expressed his      
private opinion or not1 were certainly  

grounded on sense and reason4  ,i       
saluted him respectfully and retired1   
and forthwith performed my promise with 
regard to the books2 and thus           
terminated this affair4    ,it almost   
appeared to me at this time1 that a     
religious reform was  commencing in     
,spain2 indeed1 matters had of late come
 to my knowledge1  which1 had they been 
prophesied only a year before1 ,i should
 have  experienced much difficulty in   
believing4    ,the reader will be       
surprised when ,i state that in two     
churches of ,madrid  the ,new ,testament
 was regularly expounded every ,sunday  
evening by the  respective curates1 to  
about twenty children who attended1 and 
who were  all provided with copies of   
the ,society's edition of ,madrid1      
#ahcg4  ,the  churches which ,i allude  
to1 were those of ,san ,gines and ,santo
 ,cruz4  ,now  ,i humbly conceive that  
this fact alone is more than equivalent 
to all the  expense which the ,society  
had incurred in the efforts which it had

 been  making to introduce the ,gospel  
into ,spain2 but be this as it may1 ,i  
am  certain that it amply recompensed me
 for all the anxiety and unhappiness    
which ,i had undergone4  ,i now felt    
that whenever ,i should be compelled to 
discontinue my labours in the           
,peninsula1 ,i should retire without the
  slightest murmur1 my heart being      
filled with gratitude to the ,lord for  
having permitted me1 useless vessel as  
,i was1 to see at least some of the     
seed springing up1 which during two     
years ,i had been casting on the stony  
ground of the interior of ,spain4       
,when ,i recollected the difficulties   
which had encompassed our path1 ,i      
could sometimes hardly credit all that  
the ,almighty had permitted us to       
accomplish within the last year4  ,a    
large edition of the ,new ,testament    
had been almost entirely disposed of in 
the very centre of ,spain1 in  spite of 
the opposition and the furious cry of   
the sanguinary priesthood  and the      

edicts of a deceitful government1 and a 
spirit of religious  inquiry excited1   
which ,i had fervent hope would sooner  
or later lead to  blessed and most      
important results4  ,till of late the   
name most abhorred  and dreaded in these
 parts of ,spain1 was that of ,martin   
,luther1 who was  in general considered 
as a species of demon1 a cousin-german  
to ,belial  and ,beelzebub1 who1 under  
the guise of a man1 wrote and preached  
blasphemy against the ,highest2 yet1 now
 strange to say1 this once  abominated  
personage was spoken of with no slight  
degree of respect4  ,people with ,bibles
 in their hands not unfrequently visited
 me1 inquiring  with much earnestness1  
and with no slight degree of simplicity1
 for the  writings of the great ,doctor 
,martin1 whom1 indeed1 some supposed to 
be  still alive4    ,it will be as well 
here to observe1 that of all the names  
connected with  the ,reformation1 that  
of ,luther is the only one known in     
,spain2 and let  me add1 that no        

controversial writings but his are      
likely to be esteemed  as possessing the
 slightest weight or authority1 however 
great their  intrinsic merit may be4    
,the common description of tracts1      
written with  the view of exposing the  
errors of popery1 are therefore not     
calculated  to prove of much benefit in 
,spain1 though it is probable that much 
good  might be accomplished by          
well-executed translations of judicious 
selections from the works of ,luther4   
,,chapter ,,xlviii      ,projected      
,journey--,a ,scene of ,blood--,the     
,friar--,seville--,beauties of          
,seville--,orange ,trees and            
,flowers--,murillo--,the ,guardian      
,angel--,dionysius--,my                 
,coadjutors--,demand for the ,bible4    
,by the middle of ,april ,i had sold as 
many ,testaments as ,i thought ,madrid  
would bear2 ,i therefore called in my   
people1 for ,i was afraid to  overstock 
the market1 and to bring the book into  
contempt by making it  too common4  ,i  

had1 indeed1 by this time1 barely a     
thousand copies  remaining of the       
edition which ,i had printed two years  
previously2 and  with respect to        
,bibles1 every copy was by this time    
disposed of1 though  there was still a  
great demand for them1 which1 of course1
 ,i was unable  to satisfy4    ,with the
 remaining copies of the ,testament1 ,i 
now determined to betake  myself to     
,seville1 where little had hitherto been
 effected in the way of  circulation3 my
 preparations were soon made4  ,the     
roads were at this time  in a highly    
dangerous state1 on which account ,i    
thought to go along with  a convoy1     
which was about to start for ,andalusia4
  ,two days1 however1  before its       
departure1 understanding that the number
 of people who  likewise proposed to    
avail themselves of it was likely to be 
very great1  and reflecting on the      
slowness of this way of travelling1 and 
moreover  the insults to which civilians
 were frequently subjected from the     

soldiers and petty officers1 ,i         
determined to risk the journey with the 
mail4  ,this resolutions ,i carried into
 effect4  ,antonio1 whom ,i had         
resolved to take with me1 and my two    
horses1 departed with the convoy1       
whilst in a few days ,i followed with   
the mail courier4  ,we travelled all    
the way without the slightest accident1 
my usual wonderful good fortune         
accompanying us4  ,i might well call it 
wonderful1 for ,i was running into  the 
den of the lion2 the whole of ,la       
,mancha1 with the exception of a few    
fortified places1 being once more in the
 hands of ,palillos and his  banditti1  
who1 whenever it pleased them1 stopped  
the courier1 burnt the  vehicle and     
letters1 murdered the paltry escort1 and
 carried away any  chance passenger to  
the mountains1 where an enormous ransom 
was demanded1  the alternative being    
four shots through the head1 as the     
,spaniards say4    ,the upper part of   
,andalusia was becoming rapidly nearly  

as bad as ,la  ,mancha4  ,the last time 
the mail had passed1 it was attacked at 
the defile  of ,la ,rumblar by six      
mounted robbers2 it was guarded by an   
escort of as  many soldiers1 but the    
former suddenly galloped from behind a  
solitary  venda1 and dashed the soldiers
 to the ground1 who were taken quite by 
surprise1 the hoofs of the robbers'     
horses making no noise on account of    
the sandy nature of the ground4  ,the   
soldiers were instantly disarmed and    
bound to olive trees1 with the exception
 of two1 who escaped amongst the  rocks2
 they were then mocked and tormented by 
the robbers1 or rather  fiends1 for     
nearly half an hour1 when they were     
shot2 the head of the  corporal who     
commanded being blown to fragments with 
a blunderbuss4  ,the  robbers then      
burned the coach1 which they            
accomplished by igniting the  letters by
 means of the tow with which they light 
their cigars4  ,the life  of the courier
 was saved by one of them1 who had      

formerly been his  postillion2 he was1  
however1 robbed and stripped4  ,as we   
passed by the  scene of the butchery1   
the poor fellow wept1 and1 though a     
,spaniard1  cursed ,spain and the       
,spaniards1 saying that he intended     
shortly to pass  over to the ,moreria1  
to confess ,mahomet1 and to learn the   
law of the  ,moors1 for that any country
 and religion were better than his own4 
,he  pointed to the tree where the      
corporal had been tied2 though much rain
  had fallen since1 the ground around   
was still saturated with blood1 and a   
dog was gnawing a piece of the          
unfortunate wretch's skull4  ,a friar   
travelled with us the whole way from    
,madrid to ,seville2 he was of the      
missionaries1 and was going to the      
,philippine islands1 to conquer 7para   
conquistar71 for such was his word1 by  
which ,i suppose he meant  preaching to 
the ,indians4  ,during the whole journey
 he exhibited every  symptom of the most
 abject fear1 which operated upon him so

 that he  became deadly sick1 and we    
were obliged to stop twice in the road  
and lay  him amongst the green corn4    
,he said that if he fell into the hands 
of  the factious1 he was a lost priest1 
for that they would first make him  say 
mass1 and then blow him up with         
gunpowder4  ,he had been professor of   
philosophy1 as he told me1 in one of the
 convents 7,i think it was ,san         
,thomas7 of ,madrid before their        
suppression1 but appeared to be grossly 
ignorant of the ,scriptures1 which he   
confounded with the works of ,virgil4   
,we stopped at ,manzanares as usual2 it 
was ,sunday morning1 and the            
market-place was crowded with people4   
,i was recognised in a moment1 and      
twenty pair of legs instantly hurried   
away in quest of the prophetess1  who   
presently made her appearance in the    
house to which we had retired to        
breakfast4  ,after many greetings on    
both sides1 she proceeded1 in her       
,latin1 to give me an account of all    

that had occurred in the village  since 
,i had last been there1 and of the      
atrocities of the factious in the       
neighbourhood4  ,i asked her to         
breakfast1 and introduced her to the    
friar1 whom she addressed in this       
manner3 8,anne ,domine ,reverendissime  
facis adhuc sacrificium80  ,but the     
friar did not understand her1 and       
waxing angry1 anathematized her for a   
witch1 and bade her begone4  ,she  was1 
however1 not to be disconcerted1 and    
commenced singing1 in  extemporary      
,castilian verse1 the praises of friars 
and religious houses  in general4  ,on  
departing ,i gave her a peseta1 upon    
which she burst into  tears1 and        
intreated that ,i would write to her if 
,i reached ,seville in  safety4    ,we  
did arrive at ,seville in safety1 and ,i
 took leave of the friar1  telling him  
that ,i hoped to meet him again at      
,philippi4  ,as it was my  intention to 
remain at ,seville for some months1 ,i  
determined to hire a  house1 in which ,i

 conceived ,i could live with more      
privacy1 and at the  same time more     
economically than in a posada4  ,it was 
not long before ,i  found one in every  
respect suited to me4  ,it was situated 
in the ,plazuela  de la ,pila ,seca1 a  
retired part of the city1 in the        
neighbourhood of the  cathedral1 and at 
a short distance from the gate of       
,xeres2 and in this  house1 on the      
arrival of ,antonio and the horses1     
which occurred within a  few days1 ,i   
took up my abode4    ,i was now once    
more in beautiful ,seville and had soon 
ample time and  leisure to enjoy its    
delights and those of the surrounding   
country2  unfortunately1 at the time of 
my arrival1 and indeed for the next     
ensuing  fortnight1 the heaven of       
,andalusia1 in general so glorious1 was 
overcast  with black clouds1 which      
discharged tremendous showers of rain1  
such as  few of the ,sevillians1        
according to their own account1 had ever
 seen  before4  ,this extraordinary     

weather had wrought no little damage in 
the  neighbourhood1 causing the         
,guadalquivir1 which1 during the rainy  
season1  is a rapid and furious stream1 
to overflow its banks and to threaten an
  inundation4  ,it is true that         
intervals were occurring when the sun   
made  his appearance from his cloudy    
tabernacle1 and with his golden rays    
caused everything around to smile1      
enticing the butterfly forth from the   
bush1 and the lizard from the hollow    
tree1 and ,i invariably availed  myself 
of these intervals to take a hasty      
promenade4    ,o how pleasant it is1    
especially in springtide1 to stray along
 the shores  of the ,guadalquivir4  ,not
 far from the city1 down the river1 lies
 a grove  called ,las ,delicias1 or the 
,delights4  ,it consists of trees of    
various  kinds1 but more especially of  
poplars and elms1 and is traversed by   
long  shady walks4  ,this grove is the  
favourite promenade of the ,sevillians1 
and there one occasionally sees         

assembled whatever the town produces of 
beauty or gallantry4  ,there wander the 
black-eyed ,andalusian dames and        
damsels1 clad in their graceful silken  
mantillas2 and there gallops the        
,andalusian cavalier1 on his long-tailed
 thick-maned steed of ,moorish          
ancestry4  ,as the sun is descending1 it
 is enchanting to glance back from  this
 place in the direction of the city2 the
 prospect is inexpressibly  beautiful4  
,yonder in the distance1 high and       
enormous1 stands the ,golden  ,tower1   
now used as a toll-house1 but the       
principal bulwark of the city in  the   
time of the ,moors4  ,it stands on the  
shore of the river1 like a giant        
keeping watch1 and is the first edifice 
which attracts the eye of the  voyager  
as he moves up the stream to ,seville4  
,on the other side1  opposite the tower1
 stands the noble ,augustine convent1   
the ornament of  the faubourg of        
,triana1 whilst between the two edifices
 rolls the broad  ,guadalquivir1 bearing

 on its bosom a flotilla of barks from  
,catalonia and  ,valencia4  ,farther up 
is seen the bridge of boats which       
traverses the  water4  ,the principal   
object of this prospect1 however1 is the
 ,golden  ,tower1 where the beams of the
 setting sun seem to be concentrated as 
in a  focus1 so that it appears built of
 pure gold1 and probably from that      
circumstance received the name which it 
now bears4  ,cold1 cold must the  heart 
be which can remain insensible to the   
beauties of this magic scene1  to do    
justice to which the pencil of ,claude  
himself were barely equal4  ,often have 
,i shed tears of rapture whilst ,i      
beheld it1 and listened to  the thrush  
and the nightingale piping forth their  
melodious songs in the  woods1 and      
inhaled the breeze laden with the       
perfume of the thousand  orange gardens 
of ,seville3        8,kennst du das land
 wo die citronen bluhen80    ,the       
interior of ,seville scarcely           
corresponds with the exterior3 the      

streets are narrow1 badly paved1 and    
full of misery and beggary4  ,the       
houses are for the most part built in   
the ,moorish fashion1 with a            
quadrangular patio or court in the      
centre1 where stands a marble  fountain1
 constantly distilling limpid water4    
,these courts1 during the  time of the  
summer heats1 are covered over with a   
canvas awning1 and  beneath this the    
family sit during the greater part of   
the day4  ,in many1  especially those   
belonging to the houses of the wealthy1 
are to be found  shrubs1 orange trees1  
and all kinds of flowers1 and perhaps a 
small  aviary1 so that no situation can 
be conceived more delicious than to lie 
here in the shade1 hearkening to the    
song of the birds and the voice of  the 
fountain4    ,nothing is more calculated
 to interest the stranger as he wanders 
through  ,seville1 than a view of these 
courts obtained from the streets1       
through  the iron-grated door4  ,oft    
have ,i stopped to observe them1 and as 

often  sighed that my fate did not      
permit me to reside in such an ,eden for
 the  remainder of my days4  ,on a      
former occasion1 ,i have spoken of the  
cathedral of ,seville1 but only in a    
brief and cursory manner4  ,it is       
perhaps the most magnificent cathedral  
in all ,spain1 and though not so        
regular in its architecture as those of 
,toledo and ,burgos1 is far more  worthy
 of admiration when considered as a     
whole4  ,it is utterly  impossible to   
wander through the long aisles1 and to  
raise one's eyes to  the richly inlaid  
roof1 supported by colossal pillars1    
without  experiencing sensations of     
sacred awe1 and deep astonishment4  ,it 
is true  that the interior1 like those  
of the generality of the ,spanish       
cathedrals1 is somewhat dark and gloomy2
 yet it loses nothing by this  gloom1   
which1 on the contrary1 rather increases
 the solemnity of the  effect4  ,notre  
,dame of ,paris is a noble building1 yet
 to him who has seen  the ,spanish      

cathedrals1 and particularly this of    
,seville1 it almost  appears trivial and
 mean1 and more like a town-hall than a 
temple of the  ,eternal4  ,the ,parisian
 cathedral is entirely destitute of that
 solemn  darkness and gloomy pomp which 
so abound in the ,sevillian1 and is thus
  destitute of the principal requisite  
to a cathedral4    ,in most of the      
chapels are to be found some of the very
 best pictures of  the ,spanish school2 
and in particular many of the           
masterpieces of  ,murillo1 a native of  
,seville4  ,of all the pictures of this 
extraordinary  man1 one of the least    
celebrated is that which has always     
wrought on me  the most profound        
impression4  ,i allude to the ,guardian 
,angel 7,angel de  la ,guardia71 a small
 picture which stands at the bottom of  
the church1  and looks up the principal 
aisle4  ,the angel1 holding a flaming   
sword in  his right hand1 is conducting 
the child4  ,this child is1 in my       
opinion1  the most wonderful of all the 

creations of ,murillo2 the form is that 
of  an infant about five years of age1  
and the expression of the countenance   
is quite infantine1 but the tread--it is
 the tread of a conqueror1 of a  ,god1  
of the ,creator of the universe2 and the
 earthly globe appears to  tremble      
beneath its majesty4    ,the service of 
the cathedral is in general well        
attended1 especially when  it is known  
that a sermon is to be preached4  ,all  
these sermons are  extemporaneous2 some 
of them are edifying and faithful to the
 ,scriptures4  ,i have often listened to
 them with pleasure1 though ,i was much 
surprised  to remark1 that when the     
preachers quoted from the ,bible1 their 
quotations were almost invariably taken 
from the apocryphal writings4  ,there is
 in general no lack of worshippers at   
the principal shrines--women  for the   
most part--many of whom appear to be    
animated with the most  fervent         
devotion4    ,i had flattered myself1   
previous to my departure from ,madrid1  

that ,i  should experience but little   
difficulty in the circulation of the    
,gospel  in ,andalusia1 at least for a  
time1 as the field was new1 and myself  
and  the object of my mission less known
 and dreaded than in ,new ,castile4  ,it
  appeared1 however1 that the government
 at ,madrid had fulfilled its  threat1  
transmitting orders throughout ,spain   
for the seizure of my books  wherever   
found4  ,the ,testaments that arrived   
from ,madrid were seized at  the        
custom-house1 to which place all goods  
on their arrival1 even from  the        
interior1 are carried1 in order that a  
duty be imposed upon them4  ,through the
 management of ,antonio1 however1 ,i    
procured one of the two  chests1 whilst 
the other was sent down to ,san ,lucar1 
to be embarked for a  foreign land as   
soon as ,i could make arrangements for  
that purpose4    ,i did not permit      
myself to be discouraged by this slight 
contretemps1  although ,i heartily      
regretted the loss of the books which   

had been  seized1 and which ,i could no 
longer hope to circulate in these parts1
  where they were so much wanted2 but ,i
 consoled myself with the  reflection1  
that ,i had still several hundred at my 
disposal1 from the  distribution of     
which1 if it pleased the ,lord1 a       
blessed harvest might  still proceed4   
,i did not commence operations for some 
time1 for ,i was in a strange  place1   
and scarcely knew what course to pursue4
  ,i had no one to assist  me but poor  
,antonio1 who was as ignorant of the    
place as myself4  ,providence1 however1 
soon sent me a coadjutor1 in rather a   
singular  manner4  ,i was standing in   
the courtyard of the ,reyna ,posada1    
where ,i  occasionally dined1 when a    
man1 singularly dressed and gigantically
 tall1  entered4  ,my curiosity was     
excited1 and ,i inquired of the master  
of the  house who he was4  ,he informed 
me that he was a foreigner1 who had     
resided a considerable time in ,seville1
 and he believed a ,greek4  ,upon       

hearing this1 ,i instantly went up to   
the stranger1 and accosted him in  the  
,greek language1 in which1 though ,i    
speak it very ill1 ,i can make  myself  
understood4  ,he replied in the same    
idiom1 and1 flattered by the  interest  
which ,i1 a foreigner1 expressed for his
 nation1 was not slow in  communicating 
to me his history4  ,he told me that his
 name was ,dionysius1  that he was a    
native of ,cephalonia1 and had been     
educated for the church1  which1 not    
suiting his temper1 he had abandoned1 in
 order to follow the  profession of the 
sea1 for which he had an early          
inclination4  ,that after  many         
adventures and changes of fortune1 he   
found himself one morning on  the coast 
of ,spain1 a shipwrecked mariner1 and   
that1 ashamed to return to  his own     
country in poverty and distress1 he had 
remained in the  ,peninsula1 residing   
chiefly at ,seville1 where he now       
carried on a small  trade in books4  ,he
 said that he was of the ,greek         

religion1 to which he  professed strong 
attachment1 and soon discovering that ,i
 was a  ,protestant1 spoke with         
unbounded abhorrence of the papal       
system2 nay of  its followers in        
general1 whom he called ,latins1 and    
whom he charged with  the ruin of his   
own country1 inasmuch as they sold it to
 the ,turk4  ,it  instantly struck me1  
that this individual would be an        
excellent assistant  in the work which  
had brought me to ,seville1 namely1 the 
propagation of  the eternal ,gospel1 and
 accordingly1 after some more           
conversation1 in  which he exhibited    
considerable learning1 ,i explained     
myself to him4  ,he  entered into my    
views with eagerness1 and in the sequel 
,i had no reason  to regret my          
confidence1 he having disposed of a     
considerable number of  ,new            
,testaments1 and even contrived to send 
a certain number of copies to  two small
 towns at some distance from ,seville4  
,another helper in the circulation of   

the ,gospel ,i found in an aged         
professor of music1 who1 with much      
stiffness and ceremoniousness1 united   
much that was excellent and admirable4  
,this venerable individual1 only  three 
days after ,i had made his acquaintance1
 brought me the price of six            
,testaments and a ,gypsy ,gospel1 which 
he had sold under the heat of an        
,andalusian sun4  ,what was his motive8 
,a ,christian one truly4  ,he said  that
 his unfortunate countrymen1 who were   
then robbing and murdering each  other1 
might probably be rendered better by the
 reading of the ,gospel1  but could     
never be injured4  ,adding1 that many a 
man had been reformed by  the           
,scriptures1 but that no one ever yet   
became a thief or assassin from  its    
perusal4    ,but my most extraordinary  
agent1 was one whom ,i occasionally     
employed in  circulating the ,scriptures
 amongst the lower classes4  ,i might   
have  turned the services of this       
individual to far greater account had   

the  quantity of books at my disposal   
been greater2 but they were now         
diminishing rapidly1 and as ,i had no   
hopes of a fresh supply1 ,i was  almost 
tempted to be niggard of the few which  
remained4  ,this agent was a  ,greek    
bricklayer1 by name ,johannes           
,chrysostom1 who had been introduced to 
me by ,dionysius4  ,he was a native of  
the ,morea1 but had been upwards of     
thirty-five years in ,spain1 so that he 
had almost entirely lost his  native    
language4  ,nevertheless1 his attachment
 to his own country was so  strong that 
he considered whatever was not ,greek as
 utterly barbarous and  bad4  ,though   
entirely destitute of education1 he had1
 by his strength of  character1 and by a
 kind of rude eloquence which he        
possessed1 obtained  such a mastery over
 the minds of the labouring classes of  
,seville1 that  they assented to almost 
everything he said1 notwithstanding the 
shocks  which their prejudices were     
continually receiving4  ,so that1       

although he  was a foreigner1 he could  
at any time have become the ,massaniello
 of  ,seville4  ,a more honest creature 
,i never saw1 and ,i soon found that if 
,i  employed him1 notwithstanding his   
eccentricities1 ,i might entertain      
perfect confidence that his actions     
would be no disparagement to the book   
he vended4    ,we were continually      
pressed for ,bibles1 which of course we 
could not  supply4  ,testaments were    
held in comparatively little esteem4  ,i
 had by  this time made the discovery of
 a fact which it would have been well   
had  ,i been aware of three years       
before2 but we live and learn4  ,i mean 
the  inexpediency of printing           
,testaments1 and ,testaments alone1 for 
,catholic  countries4  ,the reason is   
plain3 the ,catholic1 unused to         
,scripture  reading1 finds a thousand   
things which he cannot possibly         
understand in  the ,new ,testament1 the 
foundation of which is the ,old4        
8,search the  ,scriptures1 for they bear

 witness of me10 may well be applied to 
this  point4  ,it may be replied1 that  
,new ,testaments separate are in great  
demand1 and of infinite utility in      
,england1 but ,england1 thanks be to the
  ,lord1 is not a papal country2 and    
though an ,english labourer may read a  
,testament1 and derive from it the most 
blessed fruit1 it does not follow  that 
a ,spanish or ,italian peasant will     
enjoy similar success1 as he will  find 
many dark things with which the other is
 well acquainted1 and  competent to     
understand1 being versed in the ,bible  
history from his  childhood4  ,i        
confess1 however1 that in my summer     
campaign of the  preceding year1 ,i     
could not have accomplished with ,bibles
 what ,providence  permitted me to      
effect with ,testaments1 the former     
being far too bulky  for rural journeys4
          ,,chapter ,,xlix      ,the    
,solitary ,house--,the                  
,dehesa--,johannes                      
,chrysostom--,manuel--,bookselling at   

,seville--,dionysius and the            
,priests--,athens and                   
,rome--,proselytism--,seizure of        
,testaments--,departure from ,seville4  
,i have already stated1 that ,i had     
hired an empty house in ,seville1       
wherein ,i proposed to reside for some  
months4  ,it stood in a solitary        
situation1 occupying one side of a small
 square4  ,it was built quite in  the   
beautiful taste of ,andalusia1 with a   
court paved with small slabs of  white  
and blue marble4  ,in the middle of this
 court was a fountain well  supplied    
with the crystal lymph1 the murmur of   
which1 as it fell from its  slender     
pillar into an octangular basin1 might  
be heard in every  apartment4  ,the     
house itself was large and spacious1    
consisting of two  stories1 and         
containing room sufficient for at least 
ten times the number  of inmates which  
now occupied it4  ,i generally kept     
during the day in the  lower apartments1
 on account of the refreshing coolness  

which pervaded  them4  ,in one of these 
was an immense stone water-trough1 ever 
overflowing with water from the         
fountain1 in which ,i immersed myself   
every morning4  ,such were the premises 
to which1 after having provided  myself 
with a few indispensable articles of    
furniture1 ,i now retreated  with       
,antonio and my two horses4    ,i was   
fortunate in the possession of these    
quadrupeds1 inasmuch as it  afforded me 
an opportunity of enjoying to a greater 
extent the beauties  of the surrounding 
country4  ,i know of few things in this 
life more  delicious than a ride in the 
spring or summer season in the          
neighbourhood  of ,seville4  ,my        
favourite one was in the direction of   
,xerez1 over the  wide ,dehesa1 as it is
 called1 which extends from ,seville to 
the gates of  the former town1 a        
distance of nearly fifty miles1 with    
scarcely a town  or village intervening4
  ,the ground is irregular and broken1  
and is for  the most part covered with  

that species of brushwood called        
carrasco1  amongst which winds a        
bridle-path1 by no means well defined1  
chiefly  trodden by the arrieros1 with  
their long train of mules and borricos4 
,it  is here that the balmy air of      
beautiful ,andalusia is to be inhaled in
  full perfection4  ,aromatic herbs and 
flowers are growing in abundance1       
diffusing their perfume around4  ,here  
dark and gloomy cares are dispelled  as 
if by magic from the bosom1 as the eyes 
wander over the prospect1  lighted by   
unequalled sunshine1 in which           
gaily-painted butterflies  wanton1 and  
green and golden ,salamanquesas lie     
extended1 enjoying the  luxurious       
warmth1 and occasionally startling the  
traveller1 by springing  up and making  
off with portentous speed to the nearest
 coverts1 whence  they stare upon him   
with their sharp and lustrous eyes4  ,i 
repeat1 that  it is impossible to       
continue melancholy in regions like     
these1 and the  ancient ,greeks and     

,romans were right in making them the   
site of their  ,elysian fields4  ,most  
beautiful they are even in their present
  desolation1 for the hand of man has   
not cultivated them since the fatal  era
 of the expulsion of the ,moors1 which  
drained ,andalusia of at least  two     
thirds of its population4    ,every     
evening it was my custom to ride along  
the ,dedesa1 until the  topmost towers  
of ,seville were no longer in sight4  ,i
 then turned about1  and pressing my    
knees against the sides of ,sidi        
,habismilk1 my ,arabian1  the fleet     
creature1 to whom spur or lash had never
 been applied1 would  set off in the    
direction of the town with the speed of 
a whirlwind1  seeming in his headlong   
course to devour the ground of the      
waste1 until  he had left it behind1    
then dashing through the elm-covered    
road of the  ,delicias1 his thundering  
hoofs were soon heard beneath the       
vaulted  archway of the ,puerta de      
,xerez1 and in another moment he would  

stand  stone still before the door of my
 solitary house in the little silent    
square of the ,pila ,seca4    ,it is    
eight o'clock at night1 ,i am returned  
from the ,dehesa1 and am  standing on   
the sotea1 or flat roof of my house1    
enjoying the cool  breeze4  ,johannes   
,chrysostom has just arrived from his   
labour4  ,i have  not spoken to him1 but
 ,i hear him below in the courtyard1    
detailing to  ,antonio the progress he  
has made in the last two days4  ,he     
speaks  barbarous ,greek1 plentifully   
interlarded with ,spanish words2 but ,i 
gather  from his discourse1 that he has 
already sold twelve ,testaments among   
his  fellow labourers4  ,i hear copper  
coin falling on the pavement1 and       
,antonio1 who is not of a very          
,christian temper1 reproving him for not
  having brought the proceeds of the    
sale in silver4  ,he now asks for       
fifteen more1 as he says the demand is  
becoming great1 and that he shall  have 
no difficulty in disposing of them in   

the course of the morrow1  whilst       
pursuing his occupations4  ,antonio goes
 to fetch them1 and he now  stands alone
 by the marble fountain1 singing a wild 
song1 which ,i believe  to be a hymn of 
his beloved ,greek church4  ,behold one 
of the helpers  which the ,lord has sent
 me in my ,gospel labours on the shores 
of the  ,guadalquivir4    ,i lived in   
the greatest retirement during the whole
 time that ,i passed at  ,seville1      
spending the greater part of each day in
 study1 or in that  half-dreamy state of
 inactivity which is the natural effect 
of the  influence of a warm climate4    
,there was little in the character of   
the  people around to induce me to enter
 much into society4  ,the higher class  
of the ,andalusians are probably upon   
the whole the most vain and foolish  of 
human beings1 with a taste for nothing  
but sensual amusements1 foppery  in     
dress1 and ribald discourse4  ,their    
insolence is only equalled by  their    
meanness1 and their prodigality by their

 avarice4  ,the lower  classes are a    
shade or two better than their superiors
 in station3  little1 it is true1 can be
 said for the tone of their morality2   
they are  overreaching1 quarrelsome1 and
 revengeful1 but they are upon the whole
  more courteous1 and certainly not more
 ignorant4    ,the ,andalusians are in  
general held in the lowest estimation by
 the rest  of the ,spaniards1 even those
 in opulent circumstances finding some  
difficulty at ,madrid in procuring      
admission into respectable society1     
where1 if they find their way1 they are 
invariably the objects of  ridicule1    
from the absurd airs and grimaces in    
which they indulge1--their  tendency to 
boasting and exaggeration1 their curious
 accent1 and the  incorrect manner in   
which they speak and pronounce the      
,castilian  language4    ,in a word1 the
 ,andalusians1 in all estimable traits  
of character1 are as  far below the     
other ,spaniards as the country which   
they inhabit is  superior in beauty and 

fertility to the other provinces of     
,spain4    ,yet let it not for a moment 
be supposed that ,i have any intention  
of  asserting1 that excellent and       
estimable individuals are not to be     
found  amongst the ,andalusians2 it was 
amongst them that ,i myself discovered  
one1 whom ,i have no hesitation in      
asserting to be the most extraordinary  
character that has ever come within my  
sphere of knowledge2 but this was  no   
scion of a noble or knightly house1 8no 
wearer of soft clothing10 no  sleek     
highly-perfumed personage1 none of the  
romanticos who walk in  languishing     
attitudes about the streets of ,seville1
 with long black hair  hanging upon     
their shoulders in luxuriant curls2 but 
one of those whom  the proud and        
unfeeling style the dregs of the        
populace1 a haggard1  houseless1        
penniless man1 in rags and tatters3 ,i  
allude to ,manuel1  the--what shall ,i  
call him8--seller of lottery tickets1   
driver of death  carts1 or poet laureate

 in ,gypsy songs8  ,i wonder whether    
thou art still  living1 my friend       
,manuel2 thou gentleman of ,nature's    
forming--honest1  pure-minded1 humble1  
yet dignified being6  ,art thou still   
wandering  through the courts of        
beautiful ,safacoro1 or on the banks of 
the ,len  ,baro1 thine eyes fixed in    
vacancy1 and thy mind striving to recall
 some  half-forgotten couplet of ,luis  
,lobo2 or art thou gone to thy long     
rest1  out beyond the ,xeres gate within
 the wall of the ,campo ,santo1 to which
 in  times of pest and sickness thou    
wast wont to carry so many1 ,gypsy and  
,gentile1 in thy cart of the tinkling   
bell8  ,oft in the reunions of the      
lettered and learned in this land of    
universal literature1 when weary of  the
 display of pedantry and egotism1 have  
,i recurred with yearning to our  ,gypsy
 recitations at the old house in the    
,pila ,seca4  ,oft1 when sickened  by   
the high-wrought professions of those   
who bear the cross in gilded  chariots1 

have ,i thought on thee1 thy calm faith1
 without pretence1--thy  patience in    
poverty1 and fortitude in affliction2   
and as oft1 when  thinking of my        
speedily approaching end1 have ,i wished
 that ,i might meet  thee once again1   
and that thy hands might help to bear me
 to 8the dead  man's acre0 yonder on the
 sunny plain1 ,o ,manuel6    ,my        
principal visitor was ,dionysius1 who   
seldom failed to make his  appearance   
every forenoon3 the poor fellow came for
 sympathy and  conversation4  ,it is    
difficult to imagine a situation more   
forlorn and  isolated than that of this 
man1--a ,greek at ,seville1 with        
scarcely a  single acquaintance1 and    
depending for subsistence on the        
miserable  pittance to be derived from  
selling a few books1 for the most part  
hawked  about from door to door4  8,what
 could have first induced you to        
commence  bookselling in ,seville80 said
 ,i to him1 as he arrived one sultry    
day1  heated and fatigued1 with a small 

bundle of books secured together by a   
leather strap4    ,dionysius4--,for want
 of a better employment1 ,kyrie1 ,i have
 adopted this  most unprofitable and    
despised one4  ,oft have ,i regretted   
not having been  bred up as a           
shoe-maker1 or having learnt in my youth
 some other useful  handicraft1 for     
gladly would ,i follow it now4  ,such1  
at least1 would  procure me the respect 
of my fellow-creatures inasmuch as they 
needed me2  but now all avoid me and    
look upon me with contempt2 for what    
have ,i to  offer in this place that any
 one cares about8  ,books in ,seville6  
where no  one reads1 or at least nothing
 but new romances1 translated from the  
,french1 and obscenity4  ,books6  ,would
 ,i were a ,gypsy and could trim        
donkeys1 for then ,i were at least      
independent and were more respected     
than ,i am at present4    ,myself4--,of 
what kind of books does your stock in   
trade consist8    ,dionysius4--,of those
 not likely to suit the ,seville market1

 ,kyrie2 books  of sterling and         
intrinsic value2 many of them in ancient
 ,greek1 which ,i  picked up upon the   
dissolution of the convents1 when the   
contents of the  libraries were hurled  
into the courtyards1 and there sold by  
the arrobe4  ,i thought at first that ,i
 was about to make a fortune1 and in    
fact my  books would be so in any other 
place2 but here ,i have offered an      
,elzevir  for half a dollar in vain4  ,i
 should starve were it not for the      
strangers  who occasionally purchase of 
me4    ,myself4--,seville is a large    
cathedral city1 abounding with priests  
and  canons2 surely one of these        
occasionally visit you to make purchases
 of  classic works1 and books connected 
with ecclesiastical literature4         
,dionysius4--,if you think so1 ,kyrie1  
you know little respecting the          
ecclesiastics of ,seville4  ,i am       
acquainted with many of them1 and can   
assure you that a tribe of beings can   
scarcely be found with a more  confirmed

 aversion to intellectual pursuits of   
every kind4  ,their reading  is confined
 to newspapers1 which they take up in   
the hope of seeing that  their friend   
,don ,carlos is at length reinstated at 
,madrid2 but they  prefer their         
chocolate and biscuits1 and nap before  
dinner1 to the wisdom  of ,plato and the
 eloquence of ,tully4  ,they            
occasionally visit me1 but it  is only  
to pass away a heavy hour in chattering 
nonsense4  ,once on a  time1 three of   
them came1 in the hope of making me a   
convert to their  ,latin superstition4  
8,signior ,donatio10 said they1 7for so 
they called  me17 8how is it that an    
unprejudiced person like yourself1 a man
 really  with some pretension to        
knowledge1 can still cling to this      
absurd  religion of yours8  ,surely1    
after having resided so many years in a 
civilised country like this of ,spain1  
it is high time to abandon your         
half-pagan form of worship1 and to enter
 the bosom of the church2 now  pray be  

advised1 and you shall be none the worse
 for it40  8,thank you1  gentlemen10 ,i 
replied1 8for the interest you take in  
my welfare2 ,i am  always open to       
conviction2 let us proceed to discuss   
the subject4  ,what  are the points of  
my religion which do not meet your      
approbation8  ,you  are of course well  
acquainted with all our dogmas and      
ceremonies40  8,we  know nothing about  
your religion1 ,signior ,donatio1 save  
that it is a very  absurd one1 and      
therefore it is incumbent upon you1 as  
an unprejudiced  and well-informed man1 
to renounce it40  8,but1 gentlemen1 if  
you know  nothing of my religion1 why   
call it absurd8  ,surely it is not the  
part of  unprejudiced people to         
disparage that of which they are        
ignorant40  8,but1  ,signior ,donatio1  
it is not the ,catholic ,apostolic      
,roman religion1 is it80  8,it may be1  
gentlemen1 for what you appear to know  
of it2 for your  information1 however1  
,i will tell you that it is not2 it is  

the ,greek  ,apostolic religion4  ,i do 
not call it catholic1 for it is absurd  
to call  that catholic which is not     
universally acknowledged40  8,but1      
,signior  ,donatio1 does not the matter 
speak for itself8  ,what can a set of   
ignorant ,greek barbarians know about   
religion8  ,if they set aside the       
authority of ,rome1 whence should they  
derive any rational ideas of  religion8 
whence should they get the gospel80     
8,the ,gospel1 gentlemen8  ,allow me to 
show you a book1 here it is1 what is    
your opinion of it80  8,signior         
,donatio1 what does this mean8  ,what   
characters of the devil are  these1 are 
they ,moorish8  ,who is able to         
understand them80  8,i suppose  your    
worships1 being ,roman priests1 know    
something of ,latin2 if you  inspect the
 title-page to the bottom1 you will     
find1 in the language of  your own      
church1 the ,gospel of our ,lord and    
,saviour ,jesus ,christ1' in the        
original ,greek1 of which your vulgate  

is merely a translation1 and not a  very
 correct one4  ,with respect to the     
barbarism of ,greece1 it appears  that  
you are not aware that ,athens was a    
city1 and a famed one1 centuries  before
 the first mud cabin of ,rome was       
thatched1 and the ,gypsy vagabonds  who 
first peopled it1 had escaped from the  
hands of justice40  8,signior  ,donatio1
 you are an ignorant heretic1 and       
insolent withal1 what nonsense  is this6
 4 4 4 0  ,but ,i will not weary your   
ears1 ,kyrie1 with all the  absurdities 
which the poor ,latin ,papas poured into
 mine2 the burden of  their song being  
invariably1 what nonsense is this6 which
 was certainly  applicable enough to    
what they themselves were saying4       
,seeing1 however1  that ,i was more than
 their match in religious controversy1  
they fell foul  of my country4  8,spain 
is a better country than ,greece10 said 
one4  8,you  never tasted bread before  
you came to ,spain10 cried another4     
8,and little  enough since10 thought ,i4

  8,you never before saw such a city as 
,seville10  said the third4  ,but then  
ensued the best part of the comedy3 my  
visitors  chanced to be natives of three
 different places2 one was of ,seville1 
another of ,utrera1 and the third of    
,miguel ,turra1 a miserable village in  
,la ,mancha4  ,at the mention of        
,seville1 the other two instantly began 
to  sing the praises of their respective
 places of birth2 this brought on       
comparisons1 and a violent dispute was  
the consequence4  ,much abuse  passed   
between them1 whilst ,i stood by1       
shrugged my shoulders1 and said         
tipotas4 #dbi  ,at last1 as they were   
leaving the house1 ,i said1 8,who  would
 have thought1 gentlemen1 that the      
polemics of the ,greek and ,latin       
churches were so closely connected with 
the comparative merits of  ,seville1    
,utrera1 and ,miguel ,turra80           
,myself4--,is the spirit of proselytism 
very prevalent here8  ,of what          
description of people do their converts 

generally consist8    ,dionysius4--,i   
will tell you1 ,kyrie3 the generality of
 their converts  consist of ,german or  
,english ,protestant adventurers1 who   
come here to  settle1 and in course of  
time take to themselves wives from among
 the  ,spanish1 prior to which it is    
necessary to become members of the      
,latin  church4  ,a few are vagabond    
,jews1 from ,gibraltar or ,tangier1 who 
have  fled for their crimes into ,spain1
 and who renounce their faith to escape 
from starvation4  ,these gentry1        
however1 it is necessary to pay1 on     
which  account the priests procure for  
them padrinos or godfathers2 these      
generally consist of rich devotees over 
whom the priests have influence1  and   
who esteem it a glory and a meritorious 
act to assist in bringing  back lost    
souls to the church4  ,the neophyte     
allows himself to be  convinced on the  
promise of a peseta a day1 which is     
generally paid by  the godfathers for   
the first year1 but seldom for a longer 

period4  ,about  forty years ago1       
however1 they made a somewhat notable   
convert4  ,a civil  war arose in        
,morocco1 caused by the separate        
pretensions of two brothers  to the     
throne4  ,one of these being worsted1   
fled over to ,spain1 imploring  the     
protection of ,charles the ,fourth4  ,he
 soon became an object of  particular   
attention to the priests1 who were not  
slow in converting him1  and induced    
,charles to settle upon him a pension of
 a dollar per day4  ,he  died some few  
years since in ,seville1 a despised     
vagabond4  ,he left  behind him a son1  
who is at present a notary1 and         
outwardly very devout1  but a greater   
hypocrite and picaroon does not exist4  
,i would you could  see his face1       
,kyrie1 it is that of ,judas ,iscariot4 
,i think you would say  so1 for you are 
a physiognomist4  ,he lives next door to
 me1 and  notwithstanding his           
pretensions to religion1 is permitted to
 remain in a  state of great poverty4   

,and now nothing farther for the present
 about ,dionysius4    ,about the middle 
of ,july our work was concluded at      
,seville1 and for the  very efficient   
reason1 that ,i had no more ,testaments 
to sell2 somewhat  more than two hundred
 having been circulated since my        
arrival4    ,about ten days before the  
time of which ,i am speaking1 ,i was    
visited by  various alguazils1          
accompanied by a kind of headborough1   
who made a small  seizure of ,testaments
 and ,gypsy ,gospels1 which happened to 
be lying  about4  ,this visit was far   
from being disagreeable to me1 as ,i    
considered  it to be a very satisfactory
 proof of the effect of our exertions in
  ,seville4  ,i cannot help here        
relating an anecdote--,a day or two     
subsequent1 having occasion to call at  
the house of the headborough  respecting
 my passport1 ,i found him lying on his 
bed1 for it was the hour  of siesta1    
reading intently one of the ,testaments 
which he had taken  away1 all of which1 

if he had obeyed his orders1 would have 
been  deposited in the office of the    
civil governor4  ,so intently1 indeed1  
was  he engaged in reading1 that he did 
not at first observe my entrance2 when  
he did1 however1 he sprang up in great  
confusion1 and locked the book up  in   
his cabinet1 whereupon ,i smiled1 and   
told him to be under no alarm1 as  ,i   
was glad to see him so usefully         
employed4  ,recovering himself1 he said 
that he had read the book nearly        
through1 and that he had found no harm  
in it1 but1 on the contrary1 everything 
to praise4  ,adding1 he believed  that  
the clergy must be possessed with devils
 7endemoniados7 to  persecute it in the 
manner they did4    ,it was ,sunday when
 the seizure was made1 and ,i happened  
to be reading the  ,liturgy4  ,one of   
the alguazils1 when going away1 made an 
observation  respecting the very        
different manner in which the           
,protestants and  ,catholics keep the   
,sabbath2 the former being in their own 

houses reading  good books1 and the     
latter abroad in the bull-ring1 seeing  
the wild bulls  tear out the gory bowels
 of the poor horses4  ,the bull         
amphitheatre at  ,seville is the finest 
in all ,spain1 and is invariably on a   
,sunday 7the  only day on which it is   
open7 filled with applauding multitudes4
    ,i now made preparations for leaving
 ,seville for a few months1 my          
destination being the coast of ,barbary4
  ,antonio1 who did not wish to  leave  
,spain1 in which were his wife and      
children1 returned to ,madrid1          
rejoicing in a handsome gratuity with   
which ,i presented him4  ,as it was  my 
intention to return to ,seville1 ,i left
 my house and horses in charge  of a    
friend in whom ,i could confide1 and    
departed4  ,the reasons which  induced  
me to visit ,barbary will be seen in the
 following chapters4          ,,chapter 
,l      ,night on the                   
,guadalquivir--,gospel                  
,light--,bonanza--,strand of ,san       

,lucar--,andalusian ,scenery--,history  
of a ,chest--,cosas de los              
,ingleses--,the ,two  ,gypsies--,the    
,driver--,the ,red ,nightcap--,the      
,steam ,boat--,christian ,language4     
,on the night of the #cast of ,july ,i  
departed from ,seville upon my          
expedition1 going on board one of the   
steamers which ply on the  ,guadalquivir
 between ,seville and ,cadiz4    ,it was
 my intention to stop at ,san ,lucar1   
for the purpose of recovering  the chest
 of ,testaments which had been placed in
 embargo there1 until  such time as they
 could be removed from the kingdom of   
,spain4  ,these  ,testaments ,i intended
 for distribution amongst the           
,christians whom ,i  hoped to meet on   
the shores of ,barbary4  ,san ,lucar is 
about fifteen  leagues distant from     
,seville1 at the entrance of the bay of 
,cadiz1 where  the yellow waters of the 
,guadalquivir unite with the brine4     
,the steamer  shot from the little quay1
 or wharf1 at about half-past nine1 and 

then  arose a loud cry1--it was the     
voices of those on board and on shore   
wishing farewell to their friends4      
,amongst the tumult ,i thought ,i could 
distinguish the accents of some friends 
of my own who had accompanied me  to the
 bank1 and ,i instantly raised my own   
voice louder than all4  ,the  night was 
very dark1 so much so1 indeed1 that as  
we passed along we could  scarcely      
distinguish the trees which cover the   
eastern shore of the river  until it    
takes its first turn4  ,a calmazo had   
reigned during the day at  ,seville1 by 
which is meant1 exceedingly sultry      
weather1 unenlivened by  the slightest  
breeze4  ,the night likewise was calm   
and sultry4  ,as ,i had  frequently made
 the voyage of the ,guadalquivir1       
ascending and descending  this          
celebrated river1 ,i felt nothing of    
that restlessness and curiosity  which  
people experience in a strange place1   
whether in light or darkness1  and being
 acquainted with none of the other      

passengers1 who were talking  on the    
deck1 ,i thought my best plan would be  
to retire to the cabin and  enjoy some  
rest1 if possible4  ,the cabin was      
solitary and tolerably cool1  all its   
windows on either side being open for   
the admission of air4  ,flinging myself 
on one of the cushioned benches1 ,i was 
soon asleep1 in  which state ,i         
continued for about two hours1 when ,i  
was aroused by the  curious biting of a 
thousand bugs1 which compelled me to    
seek the deck1  where1 wrapping myself  
in my cloak1 ,i again fell asleep4  ,it 
was near  daybreak when ,i awoke2 we    
were then about two leagues from ,san   
,lucar4  ,i  arose and looked towards   
the east1 watching the gradual progress 
of dawn1  first the dull light1 then the
 streak1 then the tinge1 then the bright
  flush1 till at last the golden disk of
 that orb which giveth day emerged  from
 the abyss of immensity1 and in a moment
 the whole prospect was  covered with   
brightness and glory4  ,the land smiled1

 the waters sparkled1  the birds sang1  
and men arose from their resting places 
and rejoiced3 for  it was day1 and the  
sun was gone forth on the errand of its 
,creator1 the  diffusion of light and   
gladness1 and the dispelling of darkness
 and  sorrow4        8,behold the       
morning sun         ,begins his glorious
 way2      ,his beams through all the   
nations run1         ,and life and light
 convey4        8,but where the ,gospel 
comes1         ,it spreads diviner      
light2      ,it calls dead sinners from 
their tombs1         ,and gives the     
blind their sight40    ,we now stopped  
before ,bonanza3 this is properly       
speaking the port of ,san  ,lucar1      
although it is half a league distant    
from the latter place4  ,it is  called  
,bonanza on account of its good         
anchorage1 and its being secured  from  
the boisterous winds of the ocean2 its  
literal meaning is 8fair  weather40  ,it
 consists of several large white        
buildings1 principally  government      

store-houses1 and is inhabited by the   
coast-guard1 dependents  on the         
custom-house1 and a few fishermen4  ,a  
boat came off to receive  those         
passengers whose destination was ,san   
,lucar1 and to bring on board  about    
half a dozen who were bound for ,cadiz3 
,i entered with the rest4  ,a  young    
,spaniard of very diminutive stature    
addressed some questions to me  in      
,french as to what ,i thought of the    
scenery and climate of ,andalusia4  ,i  
replied that ,i admired both1 which     
evidently gave him great pleasure4  ,the
 boatman now came demanding two reals   
for conveying me on shore4  ,i  had no  
small money1 and offered him a dollar to
 change4  ,he said that it  was         
impossible4  ,i asked him what was to be
 done2 whereupon he replied  uncivilly  
that he knew not1 but could not lose    
time1 and expected to be  paid          
instantly4  ,the young ,spaniard1       
observing my embarrassment1 took out    
two reals and paid the fellow4  ,i      

thanked him heartily for this act of    
civility1 for which ,i felt really      
grateful2 as there are few situations   
more unpleasant than to be in a crowd in
 want of change1 whilst you are         
importuned by people for payment4  ,a   
loose character once told me that it    
was far preferable to be without money  
at all1 as you then knew what  course to
 take4  ,i subsequently met the young   
,spaniard at ,cadiz1 and  repaid him    
with thanks4    ,a few cabriolets were  
waiting near the wharf1 in order to     
convey us to  ,san ,lucar4  ,i ascended 
one1 and we proceeded slowly along the  
,playa or  strand4  ,this place is      
famous in the ancient novels of ,spain1 
of that  class called ,picaresque1 or   
those devoted to the adventures of      
notorious  scoundrels1 the father of    
which1 as also of all others of the same
 kind1  in whatever language1 is        
,lazarillo de ,tormes4  ,cervantes      
himself has  immortalized this strand in
 the most amusing of his smaller tales1 

,la  ,ilustre ,fregona4  ,in a word1 the
 strand of ,san ,lucar in ancient times1
 if  not in modern1 was a rendezvous for
 ruffians1 contrabandistas1 and         
vagabonds of every1 description1 who    
nested there in wooden sheds1 which     
have now vanished4  ,san ,lucar itself  
was always noted for the thievish       
propensities of its inhabitants--the    
worst in all ,andalusia4  ,the roguish  
innkeeper in ,don ,quixote perfected his
 education at ,san ,lucar4  ,all  these 
recollections crowded into my mind as we
 proceeded along the  strand1 which was 
beautifully gilded by the ,andalusian   
sun4  ,we at last  arrived nearly       
opposite to ,san ,lucar1 which stands at
 some distance from  the water side4    
,here a lively spectacle presented      
itself to us3 the  shore was covered    
with a multitude of females either      
dressing or  undressing themselves1     
while 7,i speak within bounds7 hundreds 
were in the  water sporting and playing2
 some were close by the beach1 stretched

 at  their full length on the sand and  
pebbles1 allowing the little billows to 
dash over their heads and bosoms2 whilst
 others were swimming boldly out  into  
the firth4  ,there was a confused hubbub
 of female cries1 thin  shrieks and     
shrill laughter2 couplets likewise were 
being sung1 on what  subject it is easy 
to guess1 for we were in sunny          
,andalusia1 and what can  its black-eyed
 daughters think1 speak1 or sing of but 
amor1 amor1  which now sounded from the 
land and the waters4  ,farther on along 
the  beach we perceived likewise a crowd
 of men bathing2 we passed not by  them1
 but turned to the left up an alley or  
avenue which leads to ,san  ,lucar1 and 
which may be a quarter of a mile long4  
,the view from hence  was truly         
magnificent2 before us lay the town1    
occupying the side and top  of a        
tolerably high hill1 extending from east
 to west4  ,it appeared to be  of       
considerable size1 and ,i was           
subsequently informed that it contained 

at least twenty thousand inhabitants4   
,several immense edifices and walls     
towered up in a style of grandeur1 which
 can be but feebly described by  words2 
but the principal object was an ancient 
castle towards the left4  ,the houses   
were all white1 and would have shone    
brilliantly in the sun  had it been     
higher1 but at this early hour they lay 
comparatively in  shade4  ,the tout     
ensemble was very ,moorish and oriental1
 and indeed in  ancient times ,san      
,lucar was a celebrated stronghold of   
the ,moors1 and  next to ,almeria1 the  
most frequented of their commercial     
places in ,spain4  ,everything1 indeed1 
in these parts of ,andalusia1 is        
perfectly oriental4  ,behold the        
heavens1 as cloudless and as brightly   
azure as those of ,ind2  the fiery sun  
which tans the fairest cheek in a       
moment1 and which fills  the air with   
flickering flame2 and ,o1 remark the    
scenery and the  vegetable productions4 
,the alley up which we were moving was  

planted on  each side with that         
remarkable tree or plant1 for ,i know   
not which to  call it1 the giant aloe1  
which is called in ,spanish1 pita1 and  
in  ,moorish1 gursan4  ,it rises here to
 a height almost as magnificent as  on  
the ,african shore4  ,need ,i say that  
the stem1 which springs up from  the    
middle of the bush of green blades1     
which shoot out from the root on  all   
sides1 is as high as a palm-tree2 and   
need ,i say1 that those blades1  which  
are of an immense thickness at the root1
 are at the tip sharper  than the point 
of a spear1 and would inflict a terrible
 wound on any  animal which might       
inadvertently rush against them8    ,one
 of the first houses at ,san ,lucar was 
the posada at which we stopped4  ,it    
confronted1 with some others1 the avenue
 up which we had come4  ,as it  was     
still early1 ,i betook myself to rest   
for a few hours1 at the end of  which   
time ,i went out to visit ,mr4          
,phillipi1 the ,british vice-consul1 who

  was already acquainted with me by     
name1 as ,i had been recommended to him 
in a letter from a relation of his at   
,seville4  ,mr4 ,phillipi was at home   
in his counting-house1 and received me  
with much kindness and civility4  ,i    
told him the motive of my visit to ,san 
,lucar1 and requested his  assistance   
towards obtaining the books from the    
custom-house1 in order to  transport    
them out of the country1 as ,i was very 
well acquainted with the  difficulties  
which every one has to encounter in     
,spain1 who has any  business to        
transact with the government            
authorities4  ,he assured me that  he   
should be most happy to assist me1 and  
accordingly despatched with me  to the  
custom-house his head clerk1 a person   
well known and much  respected at ,san  
,lucar4    ,it may be as well here at   
once to give the history of these books1
 which  might otherwise tend to         
embarrass the narrative4  ,they         
consisted of a  chest of ,testaments in 

,spanish1 and a small box of ,saint     
,luke's ,gospel in  the ,gitano or      
language of the ,spanish ,gypsies4  ,i  
obtained them from the  custom-house at 
,san ,lucar1 with a pass for that of    
,cadiz4  ,at ,cadiz ,i was  occupied two
 days1 and also a person whom ,i        
employed1 in going through  all the     
formalities1 and in procuring the       
necessary papers4  ,the expense  was    
great1 as money was demanded at every   
step ,i had to take1 though ,i  was     
simply complying in this instance with  
the orders of the ,spanish  government  
in removing prohibited books from       
,spain4  ,the farce did not  end until  
my arrival at ,gibraltar1 where ,i paid 
the ,spanish consul a  dollar for       
certifying on the back of the pass1     
which ,i had to return to  ,cadiz1 that 
the books were arrived at the former    
place4  ,it is true that  he never saw  
the books nor inquired about them1 but  
he received the  money1 for which he    
alone seemed to be anxious4    ,whilst  

at the custom-house of ,san ,lucar ,i   
was asked one or two questions          
respecting the books contained in the   
chests3 this afforded me some           
opportunity of speaking of the ,new     
,testaments and the ,bible ,society4    
,what ,i said excited attention1 and    
presently all the officers and          
dependents of the house1 great and      
small1 were gathered around me1 from    
the governor to the porter4  ,as it was 
necessary to open the boxes to  inspect 
their contents1 we all proceeded to the 
courtyard1 where1 holding  a ,testament 
in my hand1 ,i recommended my discourse4
  ,i scarcely know what  ,i said2 for ,i
 was much agitated1 and hurried away by 
my feelings1 when ,i  bethought me of   
the manner in which the word of ,god was
 persecuted in  this unhappy kingdom4   
,my words evidently made impression1 and
 to my  astonishment every person       
present pressed me for a copy4  ,i sold 
several  within the walls of the        
custom-house4  ,the object1 however1 of 

most  attention was the ,gypsy ,gospel1 
which was minutely examined amidst      
smiles  and exclamations of surprise2 an
 individual every now and then crying1  
8,cosas de los ,ingleses40  ,a bystander
 asked me whether ,i could speak  the   
,gitano language4  ,i replied that ,i   
could not only speak it1 but write  it1 
and instantly made a speech of about    
five minutes in the ,gypsy  tongue1     
which ,i had no sooner concluded than   
all clapped their hands and             
simultaneously shouted1 8,cosas de      
,ingalaterra10 8,cosas de los           
,ingleses40  ,i disposed of several     
copies of the ,gypsy ,gospel likewise1  
and having now settled the business     
which had brought me to the             
custom-house1 ,i saluted my new friends 
and departed with my books4    ,i now   
revisited ,mr4 ,phillipi1 who1 upon     
learning that it was my intention  to   
proceed to ,cadiz next morning by the   
steamer1 which would touch at  ,bonanza 
at four o'clock1 despatched the chests  

and my little luggage to  the latter    
place1 where he likewise advised me to  
sleep1 in order that ,i  might be in    
readiness to embark at that early hour4 
,he then introduced  me to his family1  
his wife an ,english woman1 and his     
daughter an amiable  and beautiful girl 
of about eighteen years of age1 whom ,i 
had previously  seen at ,seville2 three 
or four other ladies from ,seville were 
likewise  there on a visit1 and for the 
purpose of sea-bathing4  ,after a few   
words  in ,english between the lady of  
the house and myself1 we all commenced  
chatting in ,spanish1 which seemed to be
 the only language understood or  cared 
for by the rest of the company2 indeed1 
who would be so  unreasonable as to     
expect ,spanish females to speak any    
language but their  own1 which1 flexible
 and harmonious as it is1 7far more so  
,i think than  any other17 seemed at    
times quite inadequate to express the   
wild sallies  of their luxuriant        
imagination4  ,two hours fled rapidly   

away in  discourse1 interrupted         
occasionally by music and song1 when ,i 
bade  farewell to this delightful       
society1 and strolled out to view the   
town4    ,it was now past noon1 and the 
heat was exceedingly fierce3 ,i saw     
scarcely  a living being in the streets1
 the stones of which burnt my feet      
through  the soles of my boots4  ,i     
passed through the square of the        
,constitution1  which presents nothing  
particular to the eye of the stranger1  
and  ascended the hill to obtain a      
nearer view of the castle4  ,it is a    
strong  heavy edifice of stone1 with    
round towers1 and1 though deserted1     
appears  to be still in a tolerable     
state of preservation4  ,i became tired 
of  gazing1 and was retracing my steps1 
when ,i was accosted by two ,gypsies1   
who by some means had heard of my       
arrival4  ,we exchanged some words in   
,gitano1 but they appeared to be very   
ignorant of the dialect1 and utterly    
unable to maintain a conversation in it4

  ,they were clamorous for a  gabicote1 
or book in the ,gypsy tongue4  ,i       
refused it them1 saying that  they could
 turn it to no profitable account2 but  
finding that they could  read1 ,i       
promised them each a ,testament in      
,spanish4  ,this offer1 however1  they  
refused with disdain1 saying that they  
cared for nothing written in  the       
language of the ,busn or ,gentiles4     
,they then persisted in their  demand1  
to which ,i at last yielded1 being      
unable to resist their  importunity2    
whereupon they accompanied me to the    
inn1 and received what  they so ardently
 desired4    ,in the evening ,i was     
visited by ,mr4 ,phillipi1 who informed 
me that he had  ordered a cabriolet to  
call for me at the inn at eleven at     
night1 for the  purpose of conveying me 
to ,bonanza1 and that a person there who
 kept a  small wine-house1 and to whom  
the chests and other things had been    
forwarded1 would receive me for the     
night1 though it was probable that ,i   

should have to sleep on the floor4  ,we 
then walked to the beach1 where  there  
were a great number of bathers1 all men4
  ,amongst them were some  good         
swimmers2 two1 in particular1 were out  
at a great distance in the  firth of the
 ,guadalquivir1 ,i should say at least a
 mile2 their heads  could just be       
descried with the telescope4  ,i was    
told that they were  friars4  ,i        
wondered at what period of their lives  
they had acquired their  dexterity at   
natation4  ,i hoped it was not at a time
 when1 according to  their vows1 they   
should have lived for prayer1 fasting1  
and mortification  alone4  ,swimming is 
a noble exercise1 but it certainly does 
not tend to  mortify either the flesh or
 the spirit4  ,as it was becoming dusk1 
we  returned to the town1 when my friend
 bade me a kind farewell4  ,i then      
retired to my apartment1 and passed some
 hours in meditation4    ,it was night1 
ten o'clock2--eleven o'clock1 and the   
cabriolet was at the  door4  ,i got in1 

and we proceeded down the avenue and    
along the shore1  which was quite       
deserted4  ,the waves sounded           
mournfully2 everything  seemed to have  
changed since the morning4  ,i even     
thought that the  horse's feet sounded  
differently1 as it trotted slowly over  
the moist  firm sand4  ,the driver1     
however1 was by no means mournful1 nor  
inclined  to be silent long3 he soon    
commenced asking me an infinity of      
questions  as to whence ,i came and     
whither ,i was bound4  ,having given him
 what  answers ,i thought most proper1  
,i1 in return1 asked him whether he was 
not  afraid to drive along that beach1  
which had always borne so bad a         
character1 at so unseasonable an hour4  
,whereupon1 he looked around him1  and  
seeing no person1 he raised a shout of  
derision1 and said that a  fellow with  
his whiskers feared not all the thieves 
that ever walked the  playa1 and that no
 dozen men in ,san ,lucar dare to waylay
 any traveller  whom they knew to be    

beneath his protection4  ,he was a good 
specimen of  the ,andalusian braggart4  
,we soon saw a light or two shining     
dimly before  us2 they proceeded from a 
few barks and small vessels stranded on 
the  sand close below ,bonanza3 amongst 
them ,i distinguished two or three dusky
  figures4  ,we were now at our         
journey's end1 and stopped before the   
door  of the place where ,i was to lodge
 for the night4  ,the driver1           
dismounting1 knocked loud and long1     
until the door was opened by an         
exceedingly stout man of about sixty    
years of age2 he held a dim light in    
his hand1 and was dressed in a red      
nightcap and dirty striped shirt4  ,he  
admitted us1 without a word1 into a very
 large long room with a clay  floor4  ,a
 species of counter stood on one side   
near the door2 behind it  stood a barrel
 or two1 and against the wall1 on       
shelves1 many bottles of  various sizes4
  ,the smell of liquors and wine was    
very powerful4  ,i  settled with the    

driver and gave him a gratuity1         
whereupon he asked me  for something to 
drink to my safe journey4  ,i told him  
he could call for  whatever he pleased2 
whereupon he demanded a glass of        
aguardiente1 which  the master of the   
house1 who had stationed himself behind 
the counter1  handed him without saying 
a word4  ,the fellow drank it off at    
once1 but  made a great many wry faces  
after having swallowed it1 and1         
coughing1  said that he made no doubt it
 was good liquor1 as it burnt his throat
  terribly4  ,he then embraced me1 went 
out1 mounted his cabriolet1 and  drove  
off4    ,the old man with the red       
nightcap now moved slowly to the door1  
which he  bolted and otherwise secured2 
he then drew forward two benches1 which 
he  placed together1 and pointed to them
 as if to intimate to me that there  was
 my bed3 he then blew out the candle and
 retired deeper into the  apartment1    
where ,i heard him lay himself down     
sighing and snorting4  ,there was now no

 farther light than what proceeded from 
a small earthen  pan on the floor1      
filled with water and oil1 on which     
floated a small  piece of card with a   
lighted wick in the middle1 which simple
 species of  lamp is called 8mariposa40 
,i now laid my carpet bag on the bench  
as a  pillow1 and flung myself down4  ,i
 should have been asleep instantly1 but 
he of the red nightcap now commenced    
snoring awfully1 which brought to my    
mind that ,i had not yet commended      
myself to my friend and ,redeemer3 ,i   
therefore prayed1 and then sank to      
repose4    ,i was awakened more than    
once during the night by cats1 and ,i   
believe  rats1 leaping upon my body4    
,at the last of these interruptions ,i  
arose1  and1 approaching the mariposa1  
looked at my watch2 it was half-past    
three  o'clock4  ,i opened the door and 
looked out2 whereupon some fishermen    
entered clamouring for their morning    
draught3 the old man was soon on his    
feet serving them4  ,one of the men said

 to me that1 if ,i was going by the     
steamer1 ,i had better order my things  
to the wharf without delay1 as he  had  
heard the vessel coming down the river4 
,i dispatched my luggage1 and  then     
demanded of the red nightcap what ,i    
owed him4  ,he replied 8,one  real40    
,these were the only two words which ,i 
heard proceed from his  mouth3 he was   
certainly addicted to silence1 and      
perhaps to philosophy1  neither of which
 are much practised in ,andalusia4  ,i  
now hurried to the  wharf2 the steamer  
was not yet arrived1 but ,i heard its   
thunder up the  river every moment      
becoming more distinct3 there was mist  
and darkness  upon the face of the      
waters1 and ,i felt awe as ,i listened  
to the approach  of the invisible       
monster booming through the stillness of
 the night4  ,it  came at last in sight1
 plashed its way forward1 stopped1 and  
,i was soon  on board4  ,it was the     
,peninsula1 the best boat on the        
,guadalquivir4    ,what a wonderful     

production of art is a steamboat2 and   
yet why should we  call it wonderful1 if
 we consider its history4  ,more than   
five hundred  years have elapsed since  
the idea of making one first originated2
 but it  was not until the close of the 
last century that the first1 worthy of  
the  name1 made its appearance on a     
,scottish river4    ,during this long   
period of time1 acute minds and skilful 
hands were  occasionally busied in      
attempting to remove those imperfections
 in the  machinery1 which alone         
prevented a vessel being made capable of
  propelling itself against wind and    
tide4  ,all these attempts were         
successively abandoned in despair1 yet  
scarcely one was made which was         
perfectly fruitless2 each inventor      
leaving behind him some monument of  his
 labour1 of which those who succeeded   
him took advantage1 until at  last a    
fortunate thought or two1 and a few more
 perfect arrangements1  were all that   
were wanting4  ,the time arrived1 and   

now1 at length1 the  very ,atlantic is  
crossed by haughty steamers4  ,much has 
been said of the  utility of steam in   
spreading abroad civilization1 and ,i   
think justly4  ,when the first steam    
vessels were seen on the ,guadalquivir1 
about ten  years ago1 the ,sevillians   
ran to the banks of the river1 crying   
8sorcery1  sorcery10 which idea was not 
a little favoured by the speculation    
being  an ,english one1 and the boats1  
which were ,english built1 being        
provided  with ,english engineers1 as1  
indeed1 they still are2 no ,spaniard    
having  been found capable of           
understanding the machinery4  ,they soon
 however1  became accustomed to them1   
and the boats are in general crowded    
with  passengers4  ,fanatic and vain as 
the ,sevillians still are1 and bigoted  
as  they remain to their own customs1   
they know that good1 in one instance at 
least1 can proceed from a foreign land1 
and that land a land of heretics2       
inveterate prejudice has been shaken1   

and we will hope that this is the  dawn 
of their civilization4    ,whilst       
passing over the bay of ,cadiz1 ,i was  
reclining on one of the  benches on the 
deck1 when the captain walked by in     
company with another  man2 they stopped 
a short distance from me1 and ,i heard  
the captain ask  the other1 in a low    
voice1 how many languages he spoke2 he  
replied 8only  one40  8,that one10 said 
the captain1 8is of course the          
,christian02 by  which name the         
,spaniards style their own language in  
contradistinction to  all others4       
8,that fellow10 continued the captain1  
8who is lying on the  deck1 can speak   
,christian too1 when it serves his      
purpose1 but he speaks  others1 which   
are by no means ,christian3 he can talk 
,english1 and ,i  myself have heard him 
chatter in ,gitano with the ,gypsies of 
,triana2 he is  now going amongst the   
,moors1 and when he arrives in their    
country1 you  will hear him1 should he  
be there1 converse as fluently in their 

gibberish as in ,christiano1 nay1       
better1 for he is no ,christian himself4
  ,he has been several times on board my
 vessel already1 but ,i do not like     
him1 as ,i consider that he carries     
something about with him which is not   
good40    ,this worthy person1 on my    
coming aboard the boat1 had shaken me by
 the  hand and expressed his joy at     
seeing me again4          ,,chapter ,,li
      ,cadiz--,the ,fortifications--,the
 ,consul-,general--,characteristic      
,anecdote--,catalan                     
,steamer--,trafalgar--,alonzo           
,guzman--,gibil ,muza--,orestes         
,frigate--,the ,hostile ,lion--,works of
 the ,creator--,lizard of the           
,rock--,the  ,concourse--,queen of the  
,waters--,broken ,prayer4    ,cadiz     
stands1 as is well known1 upon a long   
narrow neck of land  stretching out into
 the ocean1 from whose bosom the town   
appears to rise1  the salt waters laving
 its walls on all sides save the east1  
where a  sandy isthmus connects it with 

the coast of ,spain4  ,the town1 as it  
exists at the present day1 is of modern 
construction1 and very unlike any  other
 town which is to be found in the       
,peninsula1 being built with great      
regularity and symmetry4  ,the streets  
are numerous1 and intersect each  other1
 for the most part1 at right angles4    
,they are very narrow in  comparison to 
the height of the houses1 so that they  
are almost  impervious to the rays of   
the sun1 except when at its midday      
altitude4  ,the principal street1       
however1 is an exception1 it being of   
some width4  ,this street1 in which     
stands the ,bolsa1 or exchange1 and     
which contains  the houses of the chief 
merchants and nobility1 is the grand    
resort of  loungers as well as men of   
business during the early part of the   
day1 and  in that respect resembles the 
,puerta del ,sol at ,madrid4  ,it is    
connected  with the great square1 which1
 though not of very considerable extent1
 has  many pretensions to magnificence1 

it being surrounded with large imposing 
houses1 and planted with fine trees1    
with marble seats below them for the    
accommodation of the public4  ,there are
 few public edifices worthy of  much    
attention3 the chief church1 indeed1    
might be considered a fine  monument of 
labour in some other countries1 but in  
,spain1 the land of  noble and gigantic 
cathedrals1 it can be styled nothing    
more than a  decent place of worship2 it
 is still in an unfinished state4       
,there is a  public walk or alameda on  
the northern ramparts1 which is         
generally  thronged in summer evenings3 
the green of its trees1 when viewed from
 the  bay1 affords an agreeable relief  
to the eye1 dazzled with the glare of   
the white buildings1 for ,cadiz is also 
a bright city4  ,it was once the        
wealthiest place in all ,spain1 but its 
prosperity has of late years sadly      
diminished1 and its inhabitants are     
continually lamenting its ruined  trade2
 on which account many are daily        

abandoning it for ,seville1 where       
living at least is cheaper4  ,there is  
still1 however1 much life and  bustle in
 the streets1 which are adorned with    
many splendid shops1  several of which  
are in the style of ,paris and ,london4 
,the present  population is said to     
amount to eighty thousand souls4    ,it 
is not without reason that ,cadiz has   
been called a strong town3 the          
fortifications on the land side1 which  
were partly the work of the ,french     
during the sway of ,napoleon1 are       
perfectly admirable1 and seem           
impregnable3 towards the sea it is      
defended as much by nature as by art1   
water and sunken rocks being no         
contemptible bulwarks4  ,the defences of
  the town1 however1 except the landward
 ones1 afford melancholy proofs of      
,spanish apathy and neglect1 even when  
allowance is made for the present       
peculiarly unhappy circumstances of the 
country4  ,scarcely a gun1 except  a few
 dismounted ones1 is to be seen on the  

fortifications1 which are  rapidly      
falling to decay1 so that this insulated
 stronghold is at present  almost at the
 mercy of any foreign nation which1 upon
 any pretence1 or  none at all1 should  
seek to tear it from the grasp of its   
present  legitimate possessors1 and     
convert it into a foreign colony4    ,a 
few hours after my arrival1 ,i waited   
upon ,mr4 ,b41 the ,british             
consul-general at ,cadiz4  ,his house1  
which is the corner one at the  entrance
 of the alameda1 commands a noble       
prospect of the bay1 and is  very large 
and magnificent4  ,i had of course long 
been acquainted with  ,mr4 ,b4 by       
reputation2 ,i knew that for several    
years he had filled1 with  advantage to 
his native country and with honour to   
himself1 the  distinguished and highly  
responsible situation which he holds in 
,spain4  ,i knew1 likewise1 that he was 
a good and pious ,christian1 and1       
moreover1  the firm and enlightened     
friend of the ,bible ,society4  ,of all 

this ,i was  aware1 but ,i had never yet
 enjoyed the advantage of being         
personally  acquainted with him4  ,i saw
 him now for the first time1 and was    
much  struck with his appearance4  ,he  
is a tall1 athletic1 finely built man1  
seemingly about forty-five or fifty2    
there is much dignity in his            
countenance1 which is1 however1 softened
 by an expression of good humour  truly 
engaging4  ,his manner is frank and     
affable in the extreme4  ,i am  not     
going to enter into minute details of   
our interview1 which was to me  a very  
interesting one4  ,he knew already the  
leading parts of my history  since my   
arrival in ,spain1 and made several     
comments upon it1 which  displayed his  
intimate knowledge of the situation of  
the country as  regards ecclesiastical  
matters1 and the state of opinion       
respecting  religious innovation4    ,i 
was pleased to find that his ideas in   
many points accorded with my own1  and  
we were both decidedly of opinion that1 

notwithstanding the great  persecution  
and outcry which had lately been raised 
against the ,gospel1  the battle was by 
no means lost1 and that the holy cause  
might yet  triumph in ,spain1 if zeal   
united with discretion and ,christian   
humility  were displayed by those called
 upon to uphold it4    ,during the      
greater part of this and the following  
day1 ,i was much  occupied at the       
custom-house1 endeavouring to obtain the
 documents  necessary for the           
exportation of the ,testaments4  ,on the
 afternoon of  ,saturday1 ,i dined with 
,mr4 ,b4 and his family1 an interesting 
group1--his  lady1 his beautiful        
daughters1 and his son1 a fine          
intelligent young man4  ,early the next 
morning1 a steamer1 the ,balear1 was to 
quit ,cadiz for  ,marseilles1 touching  
on the way at ,algeciras1 ,gibraltar1   
and various  other ports of ,spain4  ,i 
had engaged my passage on board her as  
far as  ,gibraltar1 having nothing      
farther to detain me at ,cadiz2 my      

business with  the custom-house having  
been brought at last to a termination1  
though ,i  believe ,i should never have 
got through it but for the kind         
assistance of  ,mr4 ,b4  ,i quitted this
 excellent man and my other charming    
friends at a  late hour with regret4  ,i
 believe that ,i carried with me their  
very best  wishes2 and1 in whatever part
 of the world ,i1 a poor wanderer in the
  ,gospel's cause1 may chance to be1 ,i 
shall not unfrequently offer up  sincere
 prayers for their happiness and        
well-being4    ,before taking leave of  
,cadiz1 ,i shall relate an anecdote of  
the ,british  consul1 characteristic of 
him and the happy manner in which he    
contrives  to execute the most          
disagreeable duties of his situation4   
,i was in  conversation with him in a   
parlour of his house1 when we were      
interrupted  by the entrance of two very
 unexpected visitors3 they were the     
captain of  a ,liverpool merchant vessel
 and one of the crew4  ,the latter was a

 rough  sailor1 a ,welshman1 who could  
only express himself in very imperfect  
,english4  ,they looked unutterable     
dislike and defiance at each other4  ,it
  appeared that the latter had refused  
to work1 and insisted on leaving the    
ship1 and his master had in consequence 
brought him before the consul1 in  order
 that1 if he persisted1 the consequences
 might be detailed to him1  which would 
be the forfeiture of his wages and      
clothes4  ,this was done2  but the      
fellow became more and more dogged1     
refusing ever to tread the  same deck   
again with his captain1 who1 he said1   
had called him 8,greek1  lazy lubberly  
,greek10 which he would not bear4  ,the 
word ,greek rankled in  the sailor's    
mind1 and stung him to the very core4   
,mr4 ,b41 who seemed to  be perfectly   
acquainted with the character of        
,welshmen in general1 who  are          
proverbially obstinate when opposition  
is offered to them1 and who  saw at once
 that the dispute had arisen on foolish 

and trivial grounds1  now told the man1 
with a smile1 that he would inform him  
of a way by  which he might gain the    
weather-gage of every one of them1      
consul and  captain and all1 and secure 
his wages and clothes2 which was by     
merely  going on board a brig of war of 
her ,majesty1 which was then lying in   
the  bay4  ,the fellow said he was aware
 of this1 and intended to do so4  ,his  
grim features1 however1 instantly       
relaxed in some degree1 and he looked   
more humanely upon his captain4  ,mr4   
,b4 then1 addressing himself to the     
latter1 made some observations on the   
impropriety of using the word ,greek  to
 a ,british sailor2 not forgetting1 at  
the same time1 to speak of the  absolute
 necessity of obedience and discipline  
on board every ship4  ,his  words       
produced such an effect1 that in a very 
little time the sailor held  out his    
hand towards his captain1 and expressed 
his willingness to go on  board with him
 and perform his duty1 adding1 that the 

captain1 upon the  whole1 was the best  
man in the world4  ,so they departed    
mutually pleased2  the consul making    
both of them promise to attend divine   
service at his  house on the following  
day4    ,sunday morning came1 and ,i was
 on board the steamer by six o'clock4   
,as ,i  ascended the side1 the harsh    
sound of the ,catalan dialect assailed  
my  ears4  ,in fact1 the vessel was     
,catalan built1 and the captain and crew
  were of that nation2 the greater part 
of the passengers already on board1  or 
who subsequently arrived1 appeared to be
 ,catalans1 and seemed to vie  with each
 other in producing disagreeable sounds4
  ,a burly merchant1  however1 with a   
red face1 peaked chin1 sharp eyes1 and  
hooked nose1  clearly bore off the palm2
 he conversed with astonishing eagerness
 on  seemingly the most indifferent     
subjects1 or rather on no subject at    
all2  his voice would have sounded      
exactly like a coffee-mill but for a    
vile  nasal twang3 he poured forth his  

,catalan incessantly till we arrived at 
,gibraltar4  ,such people are never     
sea-sick1 though they frequently        
produce or aggravate the malady in      
others4  ,we did not get under way      
until past eight o'clock1 for we waited 
for the ,governor of ,algeciras1  and   
started instantly on his coming on      
board4  ,he was a tall1 thin1 rigid     
figure of about seventy1 with a long1   
grave1 wrinkled countenance2 in a  word1
 the very image of an old ,spanish      
grandee4  ,we stood out of the bay1     
rounding the lofty lighthouse1 which    
stands on a ledge of rocks1 and then    
bent our course to the south1 in the    
direction of the straits4  ,it was a    
glorious morning1 a blue sunny sky and  
blue sunny ocean2 or1 rather1 as  my    
friend ,oehlenschlger has observed on a 
similar occasion1 there  appeared two   
skies and two suns1 one above and one   
below4    ,our progress was rather slow1
 notwithstanding the fineness of the    
weather1 probably owing to the tide     

being against us4  ,in about two hours  
we passed the ,castle of ,santa ,petra1 
and at noon were in sight of            
,trafalgar4  ,the wind now freshened and
 was dead ahead2 on which account  we   
hugged closely to the coast1 in order to
 avoid as much as possible the  strong  
heavy sea which was pouring down from   
the ,straits4  ,we passed  within a very
 short distance of the ,cape1 a bold    
bluff foreland1 but not  of any         
considerable height4    ,it is          
impossible for an ,englishman to pass by
 this place--the scene of the  most     
celebrated naval action on              
record--without emotion4  ,here it was  
that  the united navies of ,france and  
,spain were annihilated by a far        
inferior  force2 but that force was     
,british1 and was directed by one of the
 most  remarkable men of the age1 and   
perhaps the greatest hero of any time4  
,huge fragments of wreck still          
frequently emerge from the watery gulf  
whose billows chafe the rocky sides of  

,trafalgar3 they are relics of the      
enormous ships which were burnt and sunk
 on that terrible day1 when the  heroic 
champion of ,britain concluded his work 
and died4  ,i never heard  but one      
individual venture to say a word in     
disparagement of ,nelson's  glory3 it   
was a pert ,american1 who observed1 that
 the ,british admiral was  much         
overrated4  8,can that individual be    
overrated10 replied a stranger1  8whose 
every thought was bent on his country's 
honour1 who scarcely ever  fought       
without leaving a piece of his body in  
the fray1 and who1 not to  speak of     
minor triumphs1 was victorious in two   
such actions as ,aboukir  and           
,trafalgar80    ,we were now soon in    
sight of the ,moorish coast1 ,cape      
,spartel appearing  dimly through mist  
and vapour on our right4  ,a regular    
,levanter had now  come on1 and the     
vessel pitched and tossed to a very     
considerable degree4  ,most of the      
passengers were sea-sick2 the governor1 

however1 and myself  held out manfully3 
we sat on a bench together1 and entered 
into  conversation respecting the ,moors
 and their country4  ,torquemada himself
  could not have spoken of both with    
more abhorrence4  ,he informed me that  
he had been frequently in several of the
 principal ,moorish towns of the  coast1
 which he described as heaps of ruins3  
the ,moors themselves he  called        
,caffres and wild beasts4  ,he observed 
that he had never been even  at         
,tangier1 where the people were most    
civilised1 without experiencing  some   
insult1 so great was the abhorrence of  
the ,moors to anything in the  shape of 
a ,christian4  ,he added1 however1 that 
they treated the ,english  with         
comparative civility1 and that they had 
a saying among them to the  effect that 
,englishman and ,mahometan were one and 
the same2 he then  looked particularly  
grave for a moment1 and1 crossing       
himself1 was  silent4  ,i guessed what  
was passing in his mind3        8,from  

heretic boors1      ,and ,turkish       
,moors1      ,star of the sea1          
,gentle ,marie1      ,deliver me60      
,at about three we were passing ,tarifa1
 so frequently mentioned in the  history
 of the ,moors and ,christians4  ,who   
has not heard of ,alonzo ,guzman  the   
faithful1 who allowed his only son to be
 crucified before the walls  of the town
 rather than submit to the ignominy of  
delivering up the keys  to the ,moorish 
monarch1 who1 with a host which is said 
to have amounted  to nearly half a      
million of men1 had landed on the shores
 of ,andalusia1  and threatened to bring
 all ,spain once more beneath the       
,moslem yoke8  ,certainly if there be a 
land and a spot where the name of that  
good  patriot is not sometimes mentioned
 and sung1 that land1 that spot is      
modern ,spain and modern ,tarifa4  ,i   
have heard the ballad of ,alonzo ,guzman
  chanted in ,danish1 by a hind in the  
wilds of ,jutland2 but once speaking  of
 8the ,faithful0 to some inhabitants of 

,tarifa1 they replied that they  had    
never heard of ,guzman the faithful of  
,tarifa1 but were acquainted  with      
,alonzo ,guzman1 8the one-eyed0 7el     
tuerto71 and that he was one of  the    
most villainous arrieros on the ,cadiz  
road4    ,the voyage of these narrow    
seas can scarcely fail to be interesting
 to  the most apathetic individual1 from
 the nature of the scenery which        
presents itself to the eye on either    
side4  ,the coasts are exceedingly  high
 and bold1 especially that of ,spain1   
which seems to overthrow the  ,moorish2 
but opposite to ,tarifa1 the ,african   
continent1 rounding towards  the        
south-west1 assumes an air of sublimity 
and grandeur4  ,a hoary  mountain is    
seen uplifting its summits above the    
clouds3 it is ,mount  ,abyla1 or as it  
is called in the ,moorish tongue1 ,gibil
 ,muza1 or the hill  of ,muza1 from the 
circumstance of its containing the      
sepulchre of a  prophet of that name4   
,this is one of the two excrescences of 

nature on  which the ,old ,world        
bestowed the title of the ,pillars of   
,hercules4  ,its  skirts and sides      
occupy the ,moorish coast for many      
leagues in more than  one direction1 but
 the broad aspect of its steep and      
stupendous front is  turned full towards
 that part of the ,european continent   
where ,gibraltar  lies like a huge      
monster stretching far into the brine4  
,of the two hills  or pillars1 the most 
remarkable1 when viewed from afar1 is   
the ,african  one1 ,gibil ,muza4  ,it is
 the tallest and bulkiest1 and is       
visible at a  greater distance2 but scan
 them both from near1 and you feel that 
all  your wonder is engrossed by the    
,european column4  ,gibil ,muza is an   
immense shapeless mass1 a wilderness of 
rocks1 with here and there a few  trees 
and shrubs nodding from the clefts of   
its precipices2 it is  uninhabited1 save
 by wolves1 wild swine1 and chattering  
monkeys1 on which  last account it is   
called by the ,spaniards1 ,montana de   

las ,monas 7the  hill of the baboons72  
whilst1 on the contrary1 ,gibraltar1 not
 to speak of  the strange city which    
covers part of it1 a city inhabited by  
men of all  nations and tongues1 its    
batteries and excavations1 all of them  
miracles  of art1 is the most           
singular-looking mountain in the        
world--a mountain  which can neither be 
described by pen nor pencil1 and at     
which the eye is  never satiated with   
gazing4    ,it was near sunset1 and we  
were crossing the bay of ,gibraltar4    
,we had  stopped at ,algeciras1 on the  
,spanish side1 for the purpose of       
landing the  old governor and his suite1
 and delivering and receiving letters4  
,algeciras is an ancient ,moorish town1 
as the name denotes1 which is an        
,arabic word1 and signifies 8the place  
of the islands40  ,it is situated at    
the water's edge1 with a lofty range of 
mountains in the rear4  ,it seemed  a   
sad deserted place1 as far as ,i could  
judge at the distance of half a  mile4  

,in the harbour1 however1 lay a ,spanish
 frigate and ,french war  brig4  ,as we 
passed the former1 some of the          
,spaniards on board our  steamer became 
boastful at the expense of the ,english4
  ,it appeared that1  a few weeks       
before1 an ,english vessel1 suspected to
 be a contraband  trader1 was seen by   
this frigate hovering about a bay on the
 ,andalusian  coast1 in company with an 
,english frigate1 the ,orestes4  ,the   
,spaniard  dogged them for some time1   
till one morning observing that the     
,orestes  had disappeared1 he hoisted   
,english colours1 and made a signal to  
the  trader to bear down2 the latter1   
deceived by the ,british ensign1 and    
supposing that the ,spaniard was the    
friendly ,orestes1 instantly drew  near1
 was fired at and boarded1 and proving  
in effect to be a contraband  trader1   
she was carried into port and delivered 
over to the ,spanish  authorities4  ,in 
a few days the captain of the ,orestes  
hearing of this1  and incensed at the   

unwarrantable use made of the ,british  
flag1 sent a  boat on board the frigate 
demanding that the vessel should be     
instantly  restored1 as1 if she was not1
 he would retake her by force2 adding   
that  he had forty cannons on board4    
,the captain of the ,spanish frigate    
returned for answer1 that the trader was
 in the hands of the officers of  the   
customs1 and was no longer at his       
disposal2 that the captain of the       
,orestes however1 could do what he      
pleased1 and that if he had forty  guns1
 he himself had forty-four2 whereupon   
the ,orestes thought proper  to bear    
away4  ,such at least was the ,spanish  
account as related by the  journals4    
,observing the ,spaniards to be in great
 glee at the idea of one  of their      
nation having frightened away the       
,englishman1 ,i exclaimed1  8,gentlemen1
 all of you who suppose that an ,english
 sea captain has been  deterred from    
attacking a ,spaniard1 from an          
apprehension of a superior  force of    

four guns1 remember1 if you please1 the 
fate of the ,santissima  ,trinidad1 and 
be pleased also not to forget that we   
are almost within  cannon's sound of    
,trafalgar40    ,it was neat sunset1 ,i 
repeat1 and we were crossing the bay of 
,gibraltar4  ,i stood on the prow of the
 vessel1 with my eyes intently fixed on 
the  mountain fortress1 which1 though ,i
 had seen it several times before1      
filled my mind with admiration and      
interest4  ,viewed from this situation1 
it certainly1 if it resembles any       
animate object in nature1 has something 
of the appearance of a terrible couchant
 lion1 whose stupendous head  menaces   
,spain4  ,had ,i been dreaming1 ,i      
should almost have concluded it to  be  
the genius of ,africa1 in the shape of  
its most puissant monster1 who  had     
bounded over the sea from the clime of  
sand and sun1 bent on the  destruction  
of the rival continent1 more especially 
as the hue of its  stony sides1 its     
crest and chine1 is tawny even as that  

of the hide of  the desert king4  ,a    
hostile lion has it almost invariably   
proved to  ,spain1 at least since it    
first began to play a part in history1  
which was  at the time when ,tarik      
seized and fortified it4  ,it has for   
the most part  been in the hands of     
foreigners3 first the swarthy and       
turbaned ,moor  possessed it1 and it is 
now tenanted by a fair-haired race from 
a distant  isle4  ,though a part of     
,spain1 it seems to disavow the         
connexion1 and at  the end of a long    
narrow sandy isthmus1 almost level with 
the sea1  raising its blasted and       
perpendicular brow to denounce the      
crimes which  deform the history of that
 fair and majestic land4    ,it was near
 sunset1 ,i say it for the third time1  
and we were crossing the  bay of        
,gibraltar4  ,bay6 it seemed no bay1 but
 an inland sea1 surrounded  on all sides
 by enchanted barriers1 so strange1 so  
wonderful was the  aspect of its coasts4
  ,before us lay the impregnable hill2  

on our right  the ,african continent1   
with its grey ,gibil ,muza1 and the crag
 of ,ceuta1  to which last a solitary   
bark seemed steering its way2 behind us 
the town  we had just quitted1 with its 
mountain wall2 on our left the coast of 
,spain4  ,the surface of the water was  
unruffled by a wave1 and as we  rapidly 
glided on1 the strange object which we  
were approaching became  momentarily    
more distinct and visible4  ,there1 at  
the base of the  mountain1 and covering 
a small portion of its side1 lay the    
city1 with  its ramparts garnished with 
black guns pointing significantly at its
  moles and harbours2 above1 seemingly  
on every crag which could be made       
available for the purpose of defence or 
destruction1 peered batteries1  pale and
 sepulchral-looking1 as if ominous of   
the fate which awaited any  intrusive   
foe2 whilst east and west towards       
,africa and ,spain1 on the  extreme     
points1 rose castles1 towers1 or        
atalaias which overcrowded the  whole1  

and all the circumjacent region1 whether
 land or sea4  ,mighty and  threatening 
appeared the fortifications1 and        
doubtless1 viewed in any  other         
situation1 would have alone occupied the
 mind and engrossed its  wonder2 but the
 hill1 the wondrous hill1 was everywhere
 about them1  beneath them1 or above    
them1 overpowering their effect as a    
spectacle4  ,who1 when he beholds the   
enormous elephant1 with his brandished  
trunk1  dashing impetuously to the war1 
sees the castle which he bears1 or fears
  the javelins of those whom he carries1
 however skilful and warlike they  may  
be8  ,never does ,god appear so great   
and powerful as when the works of  his  
hands stand in contrast with the labours
 of man4  ,survey the  ,escurial1 it is 
a proud work1 but wonder if you can when
 you see the  mountain mocking it       
behind2 survey that boast of ,moorish   
kings1 survey  ,granada from its plain1 
and wonder if you can1 for you see the  
,alpujarra  mocking it from behind4  ,o 

what are the works of man compared with 
those  of the ,lord8  ,even as man is   
compared with his creator4  ,man builds 
pyramids1 and ,god builds pyramids3 the 
pyramids of man are heaps of  shingles1 
tiny hillocks on a sandy plain2 the     
pyramids of the ,lord are  ,andes and   
,indian hills4  ,man builds walls and so
 does his ,master2 but the  walls of    
,god are the black precipices of        
,gibraltar and ,horneel1 eternal1       
indestructible1 and not to be scaled2   
whilst those of man can be climbed1  can
 be broken by the wave or shattered by  
the lightning or the powder  blast4     
,would man display his power and        
grandeur to advantage1 let him  flee far
 from the hills2 for the broad pennants 
of ,god1 even his clouds1  float upon   
the tops of the hills1 and the majesty  
of ,god is most manifest  among the     
hills4  ,call ,gibraltar the hill of    
,tarik or ,hercules if you  will1 but   
gaze upon it for a moment and you will  
call it the hill of ,god4  ,tarik and   

the old giant may have built upon it2   
but not all the dark race  of whom      
,tarik was one1 nor all the giants of   
old renown of whom the other  was one1  
could have built up its crags or        
chiseled the enormous mass to  its      
present shape4    ,we dropped anchor not
 far from the mole4  ,as we expected    
every moment to  hear the evening gun1  
after which no person is permitted to   
enter the  town1 ,i was in trepidation  
lest ,i should be obliged to pass the   
night on  board the dirty ,catalan      
steamer1 which1 as ,i had no occasion to
 proceed  farther in her1 ,i was in     
great haste to quit4  ,a boat now drew  
nigh1 with  two individuals at the      
stern1 one of whom1 standing up1        
demanded1 in an  authoritative voice1   
the name of the vessel1 her destination 
and cargo4  ,upon being answered1 they  
came on board4  ,after some conversation
 with  the captain1 they were about to  
depart1 when ,i inquired whether ,i     
could  accompany them on shore4  ,the   

person ,i addressed was a tall young    
man1  with a fustian frock coat4  ,he   
had a long face1 long nose1 and wide    
mouth1 with large restless eyes4  ,there
 was a grin on his countenance  which   
seemed permanent1 and had it not been   
for his bronzed complexion1 ,i  should  
have declared him to be a cockney1 and  
nothing else4  ,he was1  however1 no    
such thing1 but what is called a rock   
lizard1 that is1 a  person born at      
,gibraltar of ,english parents4  ,upon  
hearing my question1  which was in      
,spanish1 he grinned more than ever1 and
 inquired1 in a  strange accent1 whether
 ,i was a son of ,gibraltar4  ,i replied
 that ,i had  not that honour1 but that 
,i was a ,british subject4  ,whereupon  
he said  that he should make no         
difficulty in taking me ashore4  ,we    
entered the  boat1 which was rapidly    
rowed towards the land by four ,genoese 
sailors4  ,my two companions chattered  
in their strange ,spanish1 he of the    
fustian  occasionally turning his       

countenance full upon me1 the last grin 
appearing ever more hideous than the    
preceding ones4  ,we soon reached the   
quay1 where my name was noted down by a 
person who demanded my passport1  and ,i
 was then permitted to advance4    ,it  
was now dusk1 and ,i lost no time in    
crossing the drawbridge and  entering   
the long low archway which1 passing     
under the rampart1  communicates with   
the town4  ,beneath this archway paced  
with measured  tread1 tall red-coated   
sentinels with shouldered guns4  ,there 
was no  stopping1 no sauntering in these
 men4  ,there was no laughter1 no       
exchange  of light conversation with the
 passers by1 but their bearing was that 
of  ,british soldiers1 conscious of the 
duties of their station4  ,what a       
difference between them and the listless
 loiterers who stand at guard at  the   
gate of a ,spanish garrisoned town4     
,i now proceeded up the principal       
street1 which runs with a gentle ascent 
along the base of the hill4  ,accustomed

 for some months past to the  melancholy
 silence of ,seville1 ,i was almost     
deafened by the noise and  bustle which 
reigned around4  ,it was ,sunday night1 
and of course no  business was going on1
 but there were throngs of people       
passing up and  down4  ,here was a      
military guard proceeding along2 here   
walked a group of  officers1 there a    
knot of soldiers stood talking and      
laughing4  ,the  greater part of the    
civilians appeared to be ,spaniards1 but
 there was a  large sprinkling of ,jews 
in the dress of those of ,barbary1 and  
here and  there a turbaned ,moor4       
,there were gangs of sailors likewise1  
,genoese1  judging from the patois which
 they were speaking1 though ,i          
occasionally  distinguished the sound of
 8tou logou sas10 by which ,i knew there
 were  ,greeks at hand1 and twice or    
thrice caught a glimpse of the red cap  
and  blue silken petticoats of the      
mariner from the ,romaic isles4  ,on    
still ,i  hurried1 till ,i arrived at a 

well known hostelry1 close by a kind of 
square1 in which stands the little      
exchange of ,gibraltar4  ,into this ,i  
ran and demanded lodging1 receiving a   
cheerful welcome from the genius of  the
 place1 who stood behind the bar1 and   
whom ,i shall perhaps have  occasion    
subsequently to describe4  ,all the     
lower rooms were filled with  men of the
 rock1 burly men in general1 with       
swarthy complexions and  ,english       
features1 with white hats1 white jean   
jerkins1 and white jean  pantaloons4    
,they were smoking pipes and cigars1 and
 drinking porter1  wine and various     
other fluids1 and conversing in the rock
 ,spanish1 or  rock ,english as the fit 
took them4  ,dense was the smoke of     
tobacco1 and  great the din of voices1  
and ,i was glad to hasten up stairs to  
an  unoccupied apartment1 where ,i was  
served with some refreshment1 of which  
,i stood much in need4    ,i was soon   
disturbed by the sound of martial music 
close below my  windows4  ,i went down  

and stood at the door4  ,a military band
 was  marshalled upon the little square 
before the exchange4  ,it was preparing 
to beat the retreat4  ,after the        
prelude1 which was admirably executed1  
the tall leader gave a flourish with his
 stick1 and strode forward up the       
street1 followed by the whole company of
 noble looking fellows and a  crowd of  
admiring listeners4  ,the cymbals       
clashed1 the horns screamed1  and the   
kettle-drum emitted its deep awful note1
 till the old rock echoed  again1 and   
the hanging terraces of the town rang   
with the stirring noise3                
8,dub-a-dub1 dub-a-dub--thus go the     
drums1      ,tantara1 tantara1 the      
,englishman comes40    ,o ,england6     
long1 long may it be ere the sun of thy 
glory sink beneath the  wave of         
darkness6  ,though gloomy and portentous
 clouds are now gathering  rapidly      
around thee1 still1 still may it please 
the ,almighty to disperse  them1 and to 
grant thee a futurity longer in duration

 and still brighter  in renown than thy 
past6  ,or if thy doom be at hand1 may  
that doom be a  noble one1 and worthy of
 her who has been styled the ,old ,queen
 of the  waters6  ,may thou sink1 if    
thou dost sink1 amidst blood and flame1 
with a  mighty noise1 causing more than 
one nation to participate in thy        
downfall6  ,of all fates1 may it please 
the ,lord to preserve thee from a       
disgraceful and a slow decay2 becoming1 
ere extinct1 a scorn and a  mockery for 
those selfsame foes who now1 though they
 envy and abhor thee1  still fear thee1 
nay1 even against their will1 honour and
 respect thee4    ,arouse thee1 whilst  
yet there is time1 and prepare thee for 
the combat of  life and death6  ,cast   
from thee the foul scurf which now      
encrusts thy  robust limbs1 which       
deadens their force1 and makes them     
heavy and  powerless6  ,cast from thee  
thy false philosophers1 who would fain  
decry  what1 next to the love of ,god1  
has hitherto been deemed most sacred1   

the  love of the mother land6  ,cast    
from thee thy false patriots1 who1 under
  the pretext of redressing the wrongs  
of the poor and weak1 seek to  promote  
internal discord1 so that thou mayest   
become only terrible to  thyself6  ,and 
remove from thee the false prophets1 who
 have seen vanity  and divined lies2 who
 have daubed thy wall with untempered   
mortar1 that  it may fall2 who see      
visions of peace where there is no      
peace2 who have  strengthened the hands 
of the wicked1 and made the heart of the
 righteous  sad4  ,o1 do this1 and fear 
not the result1 for either shall thy end
 be a  majestic and an enviable one1 or 
,god shall perpetuate thy reign upon the
  waters1 thou old ,queen6    ,the above
 was part of a broken prayer for my     
native land1 which1 after my  usual     
thanksgiving1 ,i breathed to the        
,almighty ere retiring to rest that     
,sunday night at ,gibraltar4            
,,chapter ,,lii      ,the ,jolly        
,hosteler--,aspirants for ,glory--,a    

,portrait--,hamalos--,solomons--,an     
,expedition--,the ,yeoman ,soldier--,the
 ,excavations--,the ,pull by the        
,skirt--,judah  and his                 
,father--,judah's ,pilgrimage--,the     
,bushy ,beard--,the ,false              
,moors--,judah  and the ,king's         
,son--,premature ,old ,age4    ,perhaps 
it would have been impossible to have   
chosen a situation more  adapted for    
studying at my ease ,gibraltar and its  
inhabitants1 than that  which ,i found  
myself occupying about ten o'clock on   
the following  morning4  ,seated on a   
small bench just opposite the bar1 close
 by the  door1 in the passage of the    
hostelry at which ,i had taken up my    
temporary  abode1 ,i enjoyed a view of  
the square of the exchange and all that 
was  going on there1 and by merely      
raising my eyes1 could gaze at my       
leisure  on the stupendous hill which   
towers above the town to an altitude of 
some  thousand feet4  ,i could likewise 
observe every person who entered or left

  the house1 which is one of great      
resort1 being situated in the           
most-frequented place of the principal  
thoroughfare of the town4  ,my eyes     
were busy and so were my ears4  ,close  
beside me stood my excellent friend     
,griffiths1 the jolly hosteler1 of whom 
,i take the present opportunity of      
saying a few words1 though ,i dare say  
he has been frequently described        
before1 and by far better pens4  ,let   
those who know him not figure to        
themselves a man of about fifty1 at     
least six feet in height1 and  weighing 
some eighteen stone1 an exceedingly     
florid countenance and good  features1  
eyes full of quickness and shrewdness1  
but at the same time  beaming with good 
nature4  ,he wears white pantaloons1    
white frock1 and  white hat1 and is1    
indeed1 all white1 with the exception of
 his polished  ,wellingtons and rubicund
 face4  ,he carries a whip beneath his  
arm1 which  adds wonderfully to the     
knowingness of his appearance1 which is 

rather  more that of a gentleman who    
keeps an inn on the ,newmarket road1    
8purely  for the love of travellers1 and
 the money which they carry about them10
  than of a native of the rock4         
,nevertheless1 he will tell you himself 
that he is a rock lizard2 and you will  
scarcely doubt it when1 besides  his    
,english1 which is broad and vernacular1
 you hear him speak ,spanish1  ay1 and  
,genoese too1 when necessary1 and it is 
no child's play to speak  the latter1   
which ,i myself could never master4  ,he
 is a good judge of  horse-flesh1 and   
occasionally sells a 8bit of a blood10  
or a ,barbary  steed to a young hand1   
though he has no objection to do        
business with an  old one2 for there is 
not a thin1 crouching1 liver-faced      
lynx-eyed ,jew of  ,fez capable of      
outwitting him in a bargain3 or cheating
 him out of one  single pound of the    
fifty thousand sterling which he        
possesses2 and yet  ever bear in mind   
that he is a good-natured fellow to     

those who are  disposed to behave       
honourably to him1 and know likewise    
that he will lend  you money1 if you are
 a gentleman1 and are in need of it2 but
 depend upon  it1 if he refuse you1     
there is something not altogether right 
about you1  for ,griffiths knows his    
world1 and is not to be made a fool of4 
,there was a prodigious quantity of     
porter consumed in my presence during   
the short hour that ,i sat on the bench 
of that hostelry of the rock4  ,the     
passage before the bar was frequently   
filled with officers1 who lounged  in   
for a refreshment which the sultry heat 
of the weather rendered  necessary1 or  
at least inviting2 whilst not a few came
 galloping up to  the door on small     
,barbary horses1 which are to be found  
in great  abundance at ,gibraltar4  ,all
 seemed to be on the best terms with the
  host1 with whom they occasionally     
discussed the merits of particular      
steeds1 and whose jokes they invariably 
received with unbounded  approbation4   

,there was much in the demeanour and    
appearance of these  young men1 for the 
greater part were quite young1 which was
 highly  interesting and agreeable4     
,indeed1 ,i believe it may be said of   
,english  officers in general1 that in  
personal appearance1 and in polished    
manners1 they bear the palm from those  
of the same class over the world4  ,true
 it is1 that the officers of the royal  
guard of ,russia1 especially of  the    
three noble regiments styled the        
,priberjensky1 ,simeonsky1 and          
,finlansky polks might fearlessly enter 
into competition in almost all  points  
with the flower of the ,british army2   
but it must be remembered1  that those  
regiments are officered by the choicest 
specimens of the  ,sclavonian nobility1 
young men selected expressly for the    
splendour of  their persons1 and for the
 superiority of their mental endowments2
  whilst1 probably1 amongst all the     
fair-haired ,anglo-,saxons youths whom  
,i  now saw gathered near me1 there was 

not a single one of noble ancestry1  nor
 of proud and haughty name2 and         
certainly1 so far from having been      
selected to flatter the pride and add to
 the pomp of a despot1 they had  been   
taken indiscriminately from a mass of   
ardent aspirants for military  glory1   
and sent on their country's service to a
 remote and unhealthy  colony4          
,nevertheless1 they were such as their  
country might be proud of1  for gallant 
boys they looked1 with courage on their 
brows1 beauty and  health on their      
cheeks1 and intelligence in their hazel 
eyes4    ,who is he who now stops before
 the door without entering1 and         
addresses a  question to my host1 who   
advances with a respectful salute8  ,he 
is no  common man1 or his appearance    
belies him strangely4  ,his dress is    
simple  enough2 a ,spanish hat1 with a  
peaked crown and broad shadowy brim--the
  veritable sombrero--jean pantaloons   
and blue hussar jacket2--but how well   
that dress becomes one of the most      

noble-looking figures ,i ever beheld4   
,i gazed upon him with strange respect  
and admiration as he stood  benignantly 
smiling and joking in good ,spanish with
 an impudent rock  rascal1 who held in  
his hand a huge bogamante1 or coarse    
carrion lobster1  which he would fain   
have persuaded him to purchase4  ,he was
 almost  gigantically tall1 towering    
nearly three inches above the burly host
  himself1 yet athletically symmetrical1
 and straight as the pine tree of       
,dovrefeld4  ,he must have counted      
eleven lustres1 which cast an air of    
mature dignity over a countenance which 
seemed to have been chiseled by  some   
,grecian sculptor1 and yet his hair was 
black as the plume of the  ,norwegian   
raven1 and so was the moustache which   
curled above his  well-formed lip4  ,in 
the garb of ,greece1 and in the camp    
before ,troy1 ,i  should have taken him 
for ,agamemnon4  8,is that man a        
general80 said ,i to  a short           
queer-looking personage1 who sat by my  

side1 intently studying a  newspaper4   
8,that gentleman10 he whispered in a    
lisping accent1 8is1 sir1  the          
,lieutenant-,governor of ,gibraltar40   
,on either side outside the door1       
squatting on the ground1 or leaning     
indolently against the walls1 were some 
half dozen men of very singular         
appearance4  ,their principal garment   
was a kind of blue gown1 something      
resembling the blouse worn by the       
peasants of the north of ,france1 but   
not so long2 it was compressed around   
their waists by a leathern girdle1  and 
depended about half way down their      
thighs4  ,their legs were bare1 so  that
 ,i had an opportunity of observing the 
calves1 which appeared  unnaturally     
large4  ,upon the head they wore small  
skull-caps of black  wool4  ,i asked the
 most athletic of these men1 a          
dark-visaged fellow of  forty1 who they 
were4  ,he answered1 8hamalos40  ,this  
word ,i knew to be  ,arabic1 in which   
tongue it signifies a porter2 and1      

indeed1 the next  moment1 ,i saw a      
similar fellow staggering across the    
square under an  immense burden1 almost 
sufficient to have broken the back of a 
camel4  ,on  again addressing my swarthy
 friend1 and enquiring whence he came1  
he  replied1 that he was born at        
,mogadore1 in ,barbary1 but had passed  
the  greatest part of his life at       
,gibraltar4  ,he added1 that he was the 
8capitaz10 or head man of the 8hamalos0 
near the door4  ,i now addressed  him in
 the ,arabic of the ,east1 though with  
scarcely the hope of being  understood1 
more especially as he had been so long  
from his own country4  ,he however      
answered very pertinently1 his lips     
quivering with eagerness1  and his eyes 
sparkling with joy1 though it was easy  
to perceive that the  ,arabic1 or rather
 the ,moorish1 was not the language in  
which he was  accustomed either to think
 or speak4  ,his companions all gathered
 round  and listened with avidity1      
occasionally exclaiming1 when anything  

was  said which they approved of3       
8,wakhud rajil shereef hada1 min beled  
bel  scharki40  7,a holy man this from  
the kingdoms of the ,east47  ,at last ,i
  produced the shekel1 which ,i         
invariably carry about me as a          
pocket-piece1  and asked the capitaz    
whether he had ever seen that money     
before4  ,he  surveyed the censer and   
olive-branch for a considerable time1   
and  evidently knew not what to make of 
it4  ,at length he fell to inspecting   
the characters round about it on both   
sides1 and giving a cry1 exclaimed  to  
the other hamalos3 8,brothers1 brothers1
 these are the letters of  ,solomon4    
,this silver is blessed4  ,we must kiss 
this money40  ,he then put  it upon his 
head1 pressed it to his eyes1 and       
finally kissed it with  enthusiasm as   
did successively all his brethren4      
,then regaining it1 he  returned it to  
me1 with a low reverence4  ,griffiths   
subsequently informed  me1 that the     
fellow refused to work during all the   

rest of the day1 and  did nothing but   
smile1 laugh1 and talk to himself4      
8,allow me to offer you a glass of      
bitters1 sir10 said the queer-looking   
personage before mentioned2 he was a    
corpulent man1 very short1 and his  legs
 particularly so4  ,his dress consisted 
of a greasy snuff-coloured  coat1 dirty 
white trousers1 and dirtier stockings4  
,on his head he wore a  rusty silk hat1 
the eaves of which had a tendency to    
turn up before and  behind4  ,i had     
observed that1 during my conversation   
with the hamalos1 he  had several times 
uplifted his eyes from the newspaper1   
and on the  production of the shekel had
 grinned very significantly1 and had    
inspected it when in the hand of the    
capitaz4  8,allow me to offer you a     
glass of bitters10 said he2 8,i guessed 
you was one of our people before  you   
spoke to the hamalos4  ,sir1 it does my 
heart good to see a gentleman  of your  
appearance not above speaking to his    
poor brethren4  ,it is what ,i  do      

myself not unfrequently1 and ,i hope    
,god will blot out my name1 and  that is
 ,solomons1 when ,i despise them4  ,i do
 not pretend to much ,arabic  myself1   
yet ,i understood you tolerably well1   
and ,i liked your discourse  much4  ,you
 must have a great deal of shillam      
eidri1 nevertheless you  startled me    
when you asked the hamalo if he ever    
read the ,torah2 of  course you meant   
with the meforshim2 poor as he is1 ,i do
 not believe him  becoresh enough to    
read the ,torah without the             
commentators4  ,so help me1  sir1 ,i    
believe you to be a ,salamancan ,jew2 ,i
 am told there are still some  of the   
old families to be found there4  ,ever  
at ,tudela1 sir8 not very far  from     
,salamanca1 ,i believe2 one of my own   
kindred once lived there3 a  great      
traveller1 sir1 like yourself2 went over
 all the world to look for  the         
,jews1--went to the top of ,sinai4      
,anything that ,i can do for you at     
,gibraltar1 sir8  ,any commission2 will 

execute it as reasonably1 and more      
expeditiously than any one else4  ,my   
name is ,solomons4  ,i am tolerably     
well known at ,gibraltar2 yes1 sir1 and 
in the ,crooked ,friars1 and1 for  that 
matter1 in the ,neuen ,stein ,steg1 at  
,hamburgh2 so help me1 sir1 ,i  think ,i
 once saw your face at the fair at      
,bremen4  ,speak ,german1 sir8  though  
of course you do4  ,allow me1 sir1 to   
offer you a glass of bitters4  ,i wish1 
sir1 they were mayim1 hayim for your    
sake1 ,i do indeed1 sir1 ,i  wish they  
were living waters4  ,now1 sir1 do give 
me your opinion as to  this matter      
7lowering his voice and striking the    
newspaper74  ,do you not  think it is   
very hard that one ,yudken should betray
 the other8  ,when ,i  put my little    
secret beyad peluni1--you understand me1
 sir8--when ,i entrust  my poor secret  
to the custody of an individual1 and    
that individual a  ,jew1 a ,yudken1 sir1
 ,i do not wish to be blown1 indeed1 ,i 
do not expect  it4  ,in a word1 what do 

you think of the gold dust robbery1 and 
what  will be done to those unfortunate 
people1 who ,i see are convicted80      
,that same day ,i made enquiry          
respecting the means of transferring    
myself  to ,tangier1 having no wish to  
prolong my stay at ,gibraltar1 where1   
though  it is an exceedingly interesting
 place to an observant traveller1 ,i had
  no particular business to detain me4  
,in the evening ,i was visited by a     
,jew1 a native of ,barbary1 who informed
 me that he was secretary to the  master
 of a small ,genoese bark which plied   
between ,tangier and ,gibraltar4  ,upon 
his assuring me that the vessel would   
infallibly start for the  former place  
on the following evening1 ,i agreed with
 him for my passage4  ,he said that as  
the wind was blowing from the ,levant   
quarter1 the voyage  would be a speedy  
one4  ,being desirous now of disposing  
to the most  advantage of the short time
 which ,i expected to remain at         
,gibraltar1 ,i  determined upon visiting

 the excavations1 which ,i had as yet   
never seen1  on the following morning1  
and accordingly sent for and easily     
obtained  the necessary permission4     
,about six on ,tuesday morning1 ,i      
started on this expedition1 attended by 
a  very intelligent good-looking lad of 
the ,jewish persuasion1 one of two      
brothers who officiated at the inn in   
the capacity of valets de place4    ,the
 morning was dim and hazy1 yet sultry to
 a degree4  ,we ascended a  precipitous 
street1 and proceeding in an easterly   
direction1 soon arrived  in the vicinity
 of what is generally known by the name 
of the ,moorish  ,castle1 a large tower1
 but so battered by the cannon balls    
discharged  against it in the famous    
siege1 that it is at present little     
better than  a ruin2 hundreds of round  
holes are to be seen in its sides1 in   
which1 as  it is said1 the shot are     
still imbedded2 here1 at a species of   
hut1 we  were joined by an artillery    
sergeant1 who was to be our guide4      

,after  saluting us1 he led the way to a
 huge rock1 where he unlocked a gate at 
the entrance of a dark vaulted passage  
which passed under it1 emerging  from   
which passage we found ourselves in a   
steep path1 or rather  staircase1 with  
walls on either side4    ,we proceeded  
very leisurely1 for hurry in such a     
situation would have  been of little    
avail1 as we should have lost our breath
 in a minute's  time4  ,the soldier1    
perfectly well acquainted with the      
locality1 stalked  along with measured  
steps1 his eyes turned to the ground4   
,i looked fully as much at that man as  
at the strange place where we now  were1
 and which was every moment becoming    
stranger4  ,he was a fine  specimen of  
the yeoman turned soldier2 indeed1 the  
corps to which he  belonged consists    
almost entirely of that class4  ,there  
he paces along1  tall1 strong1 ruddy1   
and chestnut-haired1 an ,englishman     
every inch2  behold him pacing along1   
sober1 silent1 and civil1 a genuine     

,english  soldier4  ,i prize the sturdy 
,scot1 ,i love the daring and impetuous 
,irishman2 ,i admire all the various    
races which constitute the population   
of the ,british isles2 yet ,i must say  
that1 upon the whole1 none are so  well 
adapted to ply the soldier's hardy trade
 as the rural sons of old  ,england1 so 
strong1 so cool1 yet1 at the same time1 
animated with so much  hidden fire4     
,turn to the history of ,england and you
 will at once  perceive of what such men
 are capable2 even at ,hastings1 in the 
grey old  time1 under almost every      
disadvantage1 weakened by a recent and  
terrible  conflict1 without discipline1 
comparatively speaking1 and uncouthly   
armed1 they all but vanquished the      
,norman chivalry4  ,trace their deeds in
  ,france1 which they twice subdued2 and
 even follow them to ,spain1 where  they
 twanged the yew and raised the         
battle-axe1 and left behind them a  name
 of glory at ,inglis ,mendi1 a name that
 shall last till fire consumes  the     

,cantabrian hills4  ,and1 oh1 in modern 
times1 trace the deeds of these  gallant
 men all over the world1 and especially 
in ,france and ,spain1 and  admire them1
 even as ,i did that sober1 silent1     
soldier-like man who was  showing me the
 wonders of a foreign mountain fortress1
 wrested by his  countrymen from a      
powerful and proud nation more than a   
century before1  and of which he was now
 a trusty and efficient guardian4    ,we
 arrived close to the stupendous        
precipice1 which rises abruptly above   
the isthmus called the neutral ground1  
staring gauntly and horridly at  ,spain1
 and immediately entered the            
excavations4  ,they consist of          
galleries scooped in the living rock at 
the distance of some twelve feet  from  
the outside1 behind which they run the  
whole breadth of the hill in  this      
direction4  ,in these galleries1 at     
short distances1 are ragged  yawning    
apertures1 all formed by the hand of    
man1 where stand the cannon  upon neat  

slightly-raised pavements of small flint
 stones1 each with its  pyramid of      
bullets on one side1 and on the other a 
box1 in which is  stowed the gear which 
the gunner requires in the exercise of  
his craft4  ,everything was in its      
place1 everything in the nicest ,english
 order1  everything ready to scathe and 
overwhelm in a few moments the proudest 
and most numerous host which might      
appear marching in hostile array        
against this singular fortress on the   
land side4    ,there is not much variety
 in these places1 one cavern and one gun
  resembling the other4  ,as for the    
guns1 they are not of large calibre1    
indeed1 such are not needed here1 where 
a pebble discharged from so great  an   
altitude would be fraught with death4   
,on descending a shaft1 however1  ,i    
observed1 in one cave of special        
importance1 two enormous carronades     
looking with peculiar wickedness and    
malignity down a shelving rock1  which  
perhaps1 although not without tremendous

 difficulty1 might be  scaled4  ,the    
mere wind of one of these huge guns     
would be sufficient to  topple over a   
thousand men4  ,what sensations of dread
 and horror must be  awakened in the    
breast of a foe when this hollow rock1  
in the day of  siege1 emits its flame1  
smoke1 and thundering wind from a       
thousand  yawning holes2 horror not     
inferior to that felt by the peasant of 
the  neighbourhood when ,mongibello     
belches forth from all its orifices its 
sulphureous fires4    ,emerging from the
 excavations1 we proceeded to view      
various batteries4  ,i  asked the       
sergeant whether his companions and     
himself were dexterous at  the use of   
the guns4  ,he replied that these       
cannons were to them what the           
fowling-piece is to the fowler1 that    
they handled them as easily1 and1 he    
believed1 pointed them with more        
precision1 as they seldom or never      
missed an object within range of the    
shot4  ,this man never spoke until he   

was addressed1 and then the answers     
which he gave were replete with good    
sense1 and in general well worded4      
,after our excursion1 which lasted at   
least two hours1 ,i made him a small    
present1 and took leave with a hearty   
shake of the hand4    ,in the evening ,i
 prepared to go on board the vessel     
bound for ,tangier1  trusting in what   
the ,jewish secretary had told me as to 
its sailing4  ,meeting him1 however1    
accidentally in the street1 he informed 
me that it  would not start until the   
following morning1 advising me at the   
same time  to be on board at an early   
hour4  ,i now roamed about the streets  
until  night was beginning to set in1   
and becoming weary1 ,i was just about to
  direct my steps to the inn1 when ,i   
felt myself gently pulled by the  skirt4
  ,i was amidst a concourse of people   
who were gathered around some  ,irish   
soldiers who were disputing1 and ,i paid
 no attention2 but ,i was  pulled again 
more forcibly than before1 and ,i heard 

myself addressed in a  language which ,i
 had half forgotten1 and which ,i       
scarcely expected ever  to hear again4  
,i looked round1 and lo6 a tall figure  
stood close to me  and gazed in my face 
with anxious inquiring eyes4  ,on its   
head was the  kauk or furred cap of     
,jerusalem2 depending from its          
shoulders1 and almost  trailing on the  
ground1 was a broad blue mantle1 whilst 
kandrisa or  ,turkish trousers enveloped
 its nether limbs4  ,i gazed on the     
figure as  wistfully as it gazed upon   
me4  ,at first the features appeared    
perfectly  strange1 and ,i was about to 
exclaim1 ,i know you not1 when one or   
two  lineaments struck me1 and ,i cried1
 though somewhat hesitatingly1 8,surely 
this is ,judah ,lib40    ,i was in a    
steamer in the ,baltic in the year '#cd1
 if ,i mistake not4  ,there was a       
drizzling rain and a high sea1 when ,i  
observed a young man of  about two and  
twenty leaning in a melancholy attitude 
against the side of  the vessel4  ,by   

his countenance ,i knew him to be one of
 the ,hebrew race1  nevertheless there  
was something very singular in his      
appearance1  something which is rarely  
found amongst that people1 a certain air
 of  nobleness which highly interested  
me4  ,i approached him1 and in a few    
minutes we were in earnest conversation4
  ,he spoke ,polish and ,jewish  ,german
 indiscriminately4  ,the story which he 
related to me was highly  extraordinary1
 yet ,i yielded implicit credit to all  
his words1 which came  from his mouth   
with an air of sincerity which precluded
 doubt2 and1  moreover1 he could have no
 motive for deceiving me4  ,one idea1   
one  object1 engrossed him entirely3    
8,my father10 said he1 in language which
  strongly marked his race1 8was a      
native of ,galatia1 a ,jew of high      
caste1  a learned man1 for he knew      
,zohar1 #dei and he was likewise skilled
 in  medicine4  ,when ,i was a child of 
some eight years1 he left ,galatia1 and 
taking his wife1 who was my mother1 and 

myself with him1 he bent his way  unto  
the ,east1 even to ,jerusalem2 there he 
established himself as a  merchant1 for 
he was acquainted with trade and the    
arts of getting money4  ,he was much    
respected by the ,rabbins of ,jerusalem1
 for he was a ,polish  man1 and he knew 
more ,zohar and more secrets than the   
wisest of them4  ,he  made frequent     
journeys1 and was absent for weeks and  
for months1 but he  never exceeded six  
moons4  ,my father loved me1 and he     
taught me part of  what he knew in the  
moments of his leisure4  ,i assisted him
 in his trade1  but he took me not with 
him in his journeys4  ,we had a shop at 
,jerusalem1  even a shop of commerce1   
where we sold the goods of the          
,nazarene1 and my  mother and myself1   
and even a little sister who was born   
shortly after  our arrival at           
,jerusalem1 all assisted my father in   
his commerce4  ,at  length it came to   
pass1 that on a particular time he told 
us that he was  going on a journey1 and 

he embraced us and bade us farewell1 and
 he  departed1 whilst we continued at   
,jerusalem attending to the business4   
,we  awaited his return1 but months     
passed1 even six months1 and he came    
not1  and we wondered2 and months       
passed1 even other six passed1 but still
 he  came not1 nor did we hear any      
tidings of him1 and our hearts were     
filled  with heaviness and sorrow4  ,but
 when years1 even two years1 were       
expired1  ,i said to my mother1 #8,i    
will go and seek my father'2 and she    
said1 #8,do  so1' and she gave me her   
blessing1 and ,i kissed my little       
sister1 and ,i  went forth as far as    
,egypt1 and there ,i heard tidings of my
 father1 for  people told me he had been
 there1 and they named the time1 and    
they said  that he had passed from      
thence to the land of the ,turk2 so ,i  
myself  followed to the land of the     
,turk1 even unto ,constantinople4  ,and 
when ,i  arrived there ,i again heard of
 my father1 for he was well known       

amongst  the ,jews1 and they told me the
 time of his being there1 and they added
  that he had speculated and prospered1 
and departed from ,constantinople1  but 
whither he went they knew not4  ,so ,i  
reasoned within myself and said1        
perhaps he may have gone to the land of 
his fathers1 even unto ,galatia1  to    
visit his kindred2 so ,i determined to  
go there myself1 and ,i went1 and  ,i   
found our kindred1 and ,i made myself   
known to them1 and they rejoiced  to see
 me2 but when ,i asked them for my      
father1 they shook their heads  and     
could give me no intelligence2 and they 
would fain have had me tarry  with them1
 but ,i would not1 for the thought of my
 father was working  strong within me1  
and ,i could not rest4  ,so ,i departed 
and went to  another country1 even unto 
,russia1 and ,i went deep into that     
country1  even as far as ,kazan1 and of 
all ,i met1 whether ,jew1 or ,russ1 or  
,tartar1  ,i inquired for my father2 but
 no one knew him1 nor had heard of him4 

,so  ,i turned back and here thou seest 
me2 and ,i now purpose going through all
  ,germany and ,france1 nay1 through all
 the world1 until ,i have received      
intelligence of my father1 for ,i cannot
 rest until ,i know what is become  of  
my father1 for the thought of him       
burneth in my brain like fire1 even     
like the fire of ,jehinnim40    ,such   
was the individual whom ,i now saw      
again1 after a lapse of five  years1 in 
the streets of ,gibraltar1 in the dusk  
of the evening4  8,yes10  he replied1   
8,i am ,judah1 surnamed the ,lib4  ,thou
 didst not recognise me1  but ,i knew   
thee at once4  ,i should have known thee
 amongst a million1 and  not a day has  
passed since ,i last saw thee1 but ,i   
have thought on thee40  ,i was about to 
reply1 but he pulled me out of the crowd
 and led me into a  shop where1 squatted
 on the floor1 sat six or seven ,jews   
cutting leather2  he said something to  
them which ,i did not understand1       
whereupon they  bowed their heads and   

followed their occupation1 without      
taking any  notice of us4  ,a singular  
figure had followed us to the door2 it  
was a  man dressed in exceedingly shabby
 ,european garments1 which exhibited    
nevertheless the cut of a fashionable   
tailor4  ,he seemed about fifty2 his    
face1 which was very broad1 was of a    
deep bronze colour2 the features  were  
rugged1 but exceedingly manly1 and1     
notwithstanding they were those  of a   
,jew1 exhibited no marks of cunning1    
but1 on the contrary1 much  simplicity  
and good nature4  ,his form was about   
the middle height1 and  tremendously    
athletic1 the arms and back were        
literally those of a  ,hercules squeezed
 into a modern surtout2 the lower part  
of his face was  covered with a bushy   
beard1 which depended half way down his 
breast4  ,this figure remained at the   
door1 his eyes fixed upon myself and    
,judah4    ,the first inquiry which ,i  
now addressed was 8,have you heard of   
your  father80    8,i have10 he replied4

  8,when we parted1 ,i proceeded through
 many lands1  and wherever ,i went ,i   
inquired of the people respecting my    
father1 but  still they shook their     
heads1 until ,i arrived at the land of  
,tunis2 and  there ,i went to the head  
rabbi1 and he told me that he knew my   
father  well1 and that he had been      
there1 even at ,tunis1 and he named the 
time1  and he said that from thence he  
departed for the land of ,fez2 and he   
spoke much of my father and of his      
learning1 and he mentioned the ,zohar1  
even that dark book which my father     
loved so well2 and he spoke yet more  of
 my father's wealth and his             
speculations1 in all of which it seems  
he  had thriven4  ,so ,i departed and ,i
 mounted a ship1 and ,i went into the   
land of ,barbary1 even unto ,fez1 and   
when ,i arrived there ,i heard much     
intelligence of my father1 but it was   
intelligence which perhaps was  worse   
than ignorance4  ,for the ,jews told me 
that my father had been  there1 and had 

speculated and had thriven1 and that    
from thence he  departed for ,tafilaltz1
 which is the country of which the      
,emperor1 even  ,muley ,abderrahman1 is 
a native2 and there he was still        
prosperous1 and  his wealth in gold and 
silver was very great2 and he wished to 
go to a  not far distant town1 and he   
engaged certain ,moors1 two in number1  
to  accompany him and defend him and his
 treasures3 and the ,moors were strong  
men1 even makhasniah or soldiers2 and   
they made a covenant with my  father1   
and they gave him their right hands1 and
 they swore to spill  their blood rather
 than his should be shed4  ,and my      
father was encouraged  and he waxed     
bold1 and he departed with them1 even   
with the two false  ,moors4  ,and when  
they arrived in the uninhabited place1  
they smote my  father1 and they         
prevailed against him1 and they poured  
out his blood in  the way1 and they     
robbed him of all he had1 of his silks  
and his  merchandise1 and of the gold   

and silver which he had made in his     
speculations1 and they went to their own
 villages1 and there they sat           
themselves down and bought lands and    
houses1 and they rejoiced and they      
triumphed1 and they made a merit of     
their deed1 saying1 #8,we have killed   
an infidel1 even an accursed ,jew'2 and 
these things were notorious in  ,fez4   
,and when ,i heard these tidings my     
heart was sad1 and ,i became like  a    
child1 and ,i wept2 but the fire of     
,jehinnim burned no longer in my  brain1
 for ,i now knew what was become of my  
father4  ,at last ,i took  comfort and  
,i reasoned with myself1 saying1        
#8,would it not be wise to go  unto the 
,moorish king and demand of him         
vengeance for my father's death1  and   
that the spoilers be despoiled1 and the 
treasure1 even my father's  treasure1 be
 wrested from their hands and delivered 
up to me who am his  son8'  ,and the    
king of the ,moors was not at that time 
in ,fez1 but was  absent in his wars2   

and ,i arose and followed him1 even unto
 ,arbat1 which  is a seaport1 and when  
,i arrived there1 lo6  ,i found him not1
 but his son  was there1 and men said   
unto me that to speak unto the son was  
to speak  unto the king1 even ,muley    
,abderrahman2 so ,i went in unto the    
king's son1  and ,i kneeled before him1 
and ,i lifted up my voice and ,i said   
unto him  what ,i had to say1 and he    
looked courteously upon me and said1    
#8,truly thy  tale is a sorrowful one1  
and it maketh me sad2 and what thou     
asketh1 that  will ,i grant1 and thy    
father's death shall be avenged and the 
spoilers  shall be despoiled2 and ,i    
will write thee a letter with my own    
hand unto  the ,pasha1 even the ,pasha  
of ,tafilaltz1 and ,i will enjoin him to
 make  inquiry into thy matter1 and that
 letter thou shalt thyself carry and    
deliver unto him4'  ,and when ,i heard  
these words1 my heart died within my    
bosom for very fear1 and ,i replied1    
#8,not so1 my lord2 it is good that     

thou write a letter unto the ,pasha1    
even unto the ,pasha of ,tafilaltz1 but 
that letter will ,i not take1 neither   
will ,i go to ,tafilaltz1 for no  sooner
 should ,i arrive there1 and my errand  
be known1 than the ,moors  would arise  
and put me to death1 either privily or  
publicly1 for are not  the murderers of 
my father ,moors2 and am ,i aught but a 
,jew1 though ,i be a  ,polish man8'     
,and he looked benignantly1 and he said1
 #8,truly1 thou  speakest wisely2 ,i    
will write the letter1 but thou shalt   
not take it1 for  ,i will send it by    
other hands2 therefore set thy heart at 
rest1 and doubt  not that1 if thy tale  
be true1 thy father's death shall be    
avenged1 and  the treasure1 or the value
 thereof1 be recovered and given up to  
thee2  tell me1 therefore1 where wilt   
thou abide till then8'  ,and ,i said    
unto  him1 #8,my lord1 ,i will go into  
the land of ,suz and will tarry there4' 
,and  he replied3 #8,do so1 and thou    
shalt hear speedily from me4'  ,so ,i   

arose  and departed and went into the   
land of ,suz1 even unto ,sweerah1 which 
the  ,nazarenes call ,mogadore2 and     
waited with a troubled heart for        
intelligence from the son of the        
,moorish king1 but no intelligence came1
  and never since that day have ,i heard
 from him1 and it is now three years    
since ,i was in his presence4  ,and ,i  
sat me down at ,mogadore1 and ,i        
married a wife1 a daughter of our       
nation1 and ,i wrote to my mother1 even 
to ,jerusalem1 and she sent me money1   
and with that ,i entered into  commerce1
 even as my father had done1 and ,i     
speculated1 and ,i was not  successful  
in my speculations1 and ,i speedily lost
 all ,i had4  ,and now ,i  am come to   
,gibraltar to speculate on the account  
of another1 a merchant  of ,mogadore1   
but ,i like not my occupation1 he has   
deceived me2 ,i am going  back1 when ,i 
shall again seek the presence of the    
,moorish king and demand  that the      
treasure of my father be taken from the 

spoilers and delivered  up to me1 even  
to me his son40    ,i listened with mute
 attention to the singular tale of this 
singular man1  and when he had concluded
 ,i remained a considerable time without
 saying a  word2 at last he inquired    
what had brought me to ,gibraltar4  ,i  
told him  that ,i was merely a passer   
through on my way to ,tangier1 for which
 place  ,i expected to sail the         
following morning4  ,whereupon he       
observed1 that in  the course of a week 
or two he expected to be there also1    
when he hoped  that we should meet1 as  
he had much more to tell me4  8,and     
peradventure10  he added1 8you can      
afford me counsel which will be         
profitable1 for you  are a person of    
experience1 versed in the ways of many  
nations2 and when  ,i look in your      
countenance1 heaven seems to open to me1
 for ,i think ,i see  the countenance of
 a friend1 even of a brother40  ,he then
 bade me  farewell1 and departed2 the   
strange bearded man1 who during our     

conversation had remained patiently     
waiting at the door1 following him4  ,i 
remarked that there was less wildness in
 his look than on the former  occasion1 
but at the same time1 more melancholy1  
and his features were  wrinkled like    
those of an aged man1 though he had not 
yet passed the  prime of youth4         
,,chapter ,,liii      ,genoese          
,mariners--,st4 ,michael's              
,cave--,midnight ,abysses--,young       
,american--,a  ,slave ,proprietor--,the 
,fairy ,man--,infidelity4    ,throughout
 the whole of that night it blew very   
hard1 but as the wind was  in the       
,levant quarter1 ,i had no apprehension 
of being detained longer at  ,gibraltar 
on that account4  ,i went on board the  
vessel at an early hour1  when ,i found 
the crew engaged in hauling the anchor  
close1 and making  other preparations   
for sailing4  ,they informed me that we 
should probably  start in an hour4      
,that time however passed1 and we still 
remained where  we were1 and the captain

 continued on shore4  ,we formed one of 
a small  flotilla of ,genoese barks1 the
 crews of which seemed in their leisure 
moments to have no better means of      
amusing themselves than the exchange  of
 abusive language2 a furious fusillade  
of this kind presently  commenced1 in   
which the mate of our vessel            
particularly distinguished  himself2 he 
was a grey-haired ,genoese of sixty4    
,though not able to speak  their patois1
 ,i understood much of what was said2 it
 was truly shocking1  and as they       
shouted it forth1 judging from their    
violent gestures and  distorted         
features1 you would have concluded them 
to be bitter enemies2  they were1       
however1 nothing of the kind1 but       
excellent friends all the  time1 and    
indeed very good-humoured fellows at    
bottom4  ,oh1 the  infirmities of human 
nature6  ,when will man learn to become 
truly  ,christian8    ,i am upon the    
whole very fond of the ,genoese2 they   
have1 it is true1 much  ribaldry and    

many vices1 but they are a brave and    
chivalrous people1 and  have ever been  
so1 and from them ,i have never         
experienced aught but  kindness and     
hospitality4    ,after the lapse of     
another two hours1 the ,jew secretary   
arrived and said  something to the old  
mate1 who grumbled much2 then coming up 
to me1 he  took off his hat and informed
 me that we were not to start that day1 
saying at the same time that it was a   
shame to lose such a noble wind1  which 
would carry us to ,tangier in three     
hours4  8,patience10 said ,i1 and  went 
on shore4    ,i now strolled towards    
,saint ,michael's cave1 in company with 
the ,jewish  lad whom ,i have before    
mentioned4    ,the way thither does not 
lie in the same direction as that which 
leads to  the excavations2 these        
confront ,spain1 whilst the cave yawns  
in the face  of ,africa4  ,it lies      
nearly at the top of the mountain1      
several hundred  yards above the sea4   
,we passed by the public walks1 where   

there are  noble trees1 and also by many
 small houses1 situated delightfully in 
gardens1 and occupied by the officers of
 the garrison4  ,it is wrong to  suppose
 ,gibraltar a mere naked barren rock2 it
 is not without its  beautiful          
spots--spots such as these1 looking cool
 and refreshing1 with  bright green     
foliage4  ,the path soon became very    
steep1 and we left  behind us the       
dwellings of man4  ,the gale of the     
preceding night had  entirely ceased1   
and not a breath of air was stirring2   
the midday sun  shone in all its fierce 
glory1 and the crags up which we        
clambered were  not unfrequently watered
 with the perspiration drops which      
rained from  our temples3 at length we  
arrived at the cavern4    ,the mouth is 
a yawning cleft in the side of the      
mountain1 about twelve  feet high and as
 many wide2 within there is a very rapid
 precipitous  descent for some fifty    
yards1 where the cavern terminates in an
 abyss  which leads to unknown depths4  

,the most remarkable object is a natural
  column1 which rises up something like 
the trunk of an enormous oak1 as if  for
 the purpose of supporting the roof2 it 
stands at a short distance  from the    
entrance1 and gives a certain air of    
wildness and singularity to  that part  
of the cavern which is visible1 which it
 would otherwise not  possess4  ,the    
floor is exceedingly slippery1          
consisting of soil which the  continual 
drippings from the roof have saturated1 
so that no slight  precaution is        
necessary for him who treads it4  ,it is
 very dangerous to  enter this place    
without a guide well acquainted with it1
 as1 besides the  black pit at the      
extremity1 holes which have never been  
fathomed present  themselves here and   
there1 falling into which the adventurer
 would be  dashed to pieces4  ,whatever 
men may please to say of this cave1 one 
thing  it seems to tell to all who      
approach it1 namely1 that the hand of   
man has  never been busy about it2 there

 is many a cave of nature's forming1 old
  as the earth on which we exist1 which 
nevertheless exhibits indications  that 
man has turned it to some account1 and  
that it has been subjected  more or less
 to his modifying power2 not so this    
cave of ,gibraltar1 for1  judging from  
its appearance1 there is not the        
slightest reason for  supposing that it 
ever served for aught else than a den   
for foul night  birds1 reptiles1 and    
beasts of prey4  ,it has been stated by 
some to have  been used in the days of  
paganism as a temple to the god         
,hercules1 who1  according to the       
ancient tradition1 raised the singular  
mass of crags now  called ,gibraltar1   
and the mountain which confronts it on  
the ,african  shores1 as columns which  
should say to all succeeding times that 
he had  been there1 and had advanced no 
farther4  ,sufficient to observe1 that  
there is nothing within the cave which  
would authorize the adoption of  such an
 opinion1 not even a platform on which  

an altar could have stood1  whilst a    
narrow path passes before it1 leading to
 the summit of the  mountain4  ,as ,i   
have myself never penetrated into its   
depths1 ,i can of  course not pretend to
 describe them4  ,numerous have been the
 individuals  who1 instigated by        
curiosity1 have ventured down to immense
 depths1  hoping to discover an end1 and
 indeed scarcely a week passes without  
similar attempts being made either by   
the officers or soldiers of the         
garrison1 all of which have proved      
perfectly abortive4  ,no termination    
has ever been reached1 nor any          
discoveries made to repay the labour and
  frightful danger incurred2 precipice  
succeeds precipice1 and abyss  succeeds 
abyss1 in apparently endless succession1
 with ledges at  intervals1 which afford
 the adventurers opportunities for      
resting  themselves and affixing their  
rope-ladders for the purpose of         
descending  yet farther4  ,what is1     
however1 most mortifying and perplexing 

is to  observe that these abysses are   
not only before1 but behind you1 and on 
every side2 indeed1 close within the    
entrance of the cave1 on the right1     
there is a gulf almost equally dark and 
full as threatening as that which       
exists at the nether end1 and perhaps   
contains within itself as many  gulfs   
and horrid caverns branching off in all 
directions4  ,indeed1 from  what ,i have
 heard1 ,i have come to the opinion1    
that the whole hill of  ,gibraltar is   
honeycombed1 and ,i have little doubt   
that1 were it cleft  asunder1 its       
interior would be found full of such    
abysses of ,erebus as  those to which   
,saint ,michael's cave conducts4  ,many 
valuable lives are  lost every year in  
these horrible places2 and only a few   
weeks before my  visit1 two sergeants1  
brothers1 had perished in the gulf on   
the right  hand side of the cave1       
having1 when at a great depth1 slipped  
down a  precipice4  ,the body of one of 
these adventurous men is even now       

rotting  in the bowels of the mountain1 
preyed upon by its blind and noisome    
worms2 that of his brother was          
extricated4  ,immediately after this    
horrible accident1 a gate was placed    
before the mouth of the cave1 to        
prevent individuals1 and especially the 
reckless soldiers1 from indulging  in   
their extravagant curiosity4  ,the lock1
 however1 was speedily forced1  and at  
the period of my arrival the gate swung 
idly upon its hinges4    ,as ,i left the
 place1 ,i thought that perhaps similar 
to this was the cave  of ,horeb1 where  
dwelt ,elijah1 when he heard the still  
small voice1 after  the great and strong
 wind which rent the mountains and brake
 in pieces  the rocks before the ,lord2 
the cave to the entrance of which he    
went out  and stood with his face       
wrapped in his mantle1 when he heard the
 voice  say unto him1 8,what doest thou 
here1 ,elijah80 7#a ,kings xix4 #aa-ac47
    ,and what am ,i doing here1 ,i      
inquired of myself as1 vexed at my      

detention1  ,i descended into the town4 
,that afternoon ,i dined in the company 
of a young ,american1 a native of       
,south ,carolina4  ,i had frequently    
seen him before1 as he had been staying 
for some time at the inn previous to my 
arrival at ,gibraltar4  ,his  appearance
 was remarkable3 he was low of stature1 
and exceedingly  slightly made2 his     
features were pale but very well formed2
 he had a  magnificent head of crispy   
black hair1 and as superb a pair of     
whiskers  of the same colour as ,i ever 
beheld4  ,he wore a white hat1 with     
broad  brim and particularly shallow    
crown1 and was dressed in a light yellow
  gingham frock striped with black1 and 
ample trousers of calico1 in a  word1   
his appearance was altogether queer and 
singular4  ,on my return  from my ramble
 to the cave1 ,i found that he had      
himself just descended  from the        
mountain1 having since a very early hour
 been absent exploring  its wonders4    
,a man of the rock asked him how he     

liked the excavations4  8,liked them10  
said he2 8you might just as well ask a  
person who has just seen the  ,niagara  
,falls how he liked them--like is not   
the word1 mister40  ,the heat  was      
suffocating1 as it almost invariably is 
in the town of ,gibraltar1  where rarely
 a breath of air is to be felt1 as it is
 sheltered from all  winds4  ,this led  
another individual to inquire of him    
whether he did not  think it exceedingly
 hot8  8,hot1 sir10 he replied1 8not at 
all3 fine  cotton gathering weather as a
 man could wish for4  ,we couldn't beat 
it in  ,south ,carolina1 sir40  8,you   
live in ,south ,carolina1 sir--,i hope1 
sir1 you  are not a slave proprietor10  
said the short fat ,jewish personage in 
the  snuff-coloured coat1 who had       
offered me the bitters on a previous    
occasion2 8it is a terrible thing to    
make slaves of poor people1 simply      
because they happen to be black2 don't  
you think so1 sir80  8,think so1        
sir--no1 sir1 ,i don't think so--,i     

glory in being a slave proprietor2 have 
four hundred black niggers on my        
estate--own estate1 sir1 near           
,charleston--flog half a dozen of them  
before breakfast1 merely for  exercise4 
,niggers only made to be flogged1 sir3  
try to escape sometimes2  set the       
blood-hounds in their trail1 catch them 
in a twinkling2 used to  hang themselves
 formerly3 the niggers thought that a   
sure way to return  to their own country
 and get clear of me3 soon put a stop to
 that3 told  them that if any more      
hanged themselves ,i'd hang myself too1 
follow close  behind them1 and flog them
 in their own country ten times worse   
than in  mine4  ,what do you think of   
that1 friend80  ,it was easy to perceive
 that  there was more of fun than malice
 in this eccentric little fellow1 for   
his large grey eyes were sparkling with 
good humour whilst he poured out  these 
wild things4  ,he was exceedingly free  
of his money2 and a dirty  ,irish woman1
 a soldier's wife1 having entered with a

 basketful of small  boxes and trinkets1
 made of portions of the rock of        
,gibraltar1 he  purchased the greatest  
part of her ware1 giving her for every  
article the  price 7by no means         
inconsiderable7 which she demanded4  ,he
 had glanced at  me several times1 and  
at last ,i saw him stoop down and       
whisper something  to the ,jew1 who     
replied in an undertone1 though with    
considerable  earnestness 8,o dear no1  
sir2 perfectly mistaken1 sir3 is no     
,american1  sir3--from ,salamanca1 sir2 
the gentleman is a ,salamancan          
,spaniard40  ,the  waiter at length     
informed us that he had laid the table1 
and that perhaps  it would be agreeable 
to us to dine together3 we instantly    
assented4  ,i  found my new acquaintance
 in many respects a most agreeable      
companion3 he  soon told me his history4
  ,he was a planter1 and1 from what he  
hinted1  just come to his property4  ,he
 was part owner of a large vessel which 
traded between ,charleston and          

,gibraltar1 and the yellow fever having 
just  broken out at the former place1 he
 had determined to take a trip 7his     
first7 to ,europe in this ship2 having1 
as he said1 already visited every  state
 in the ,union1 and seen all that was to
 be seen there4  ,he described  to me1  
in a very nave and original manner1 his 
sensations on passing by  ,tarifa1 which
 was the first walled town he had ever  
seen4  ,i related to  him the history of
 that place1 to which he listened with  
great attention4  ,he made divers       
attempts to learn from me who ,i was2   
all of which ,i  evaded1 though he      
seemed fully convinced that ,i was an   
,american2 and  amongst other things    
asked me whether my father had not been 
,american  consul at ,seville4  ,what1  
however1 most perplexed him was my      
understanding ,moorish and ,gaelic1     
which he had heard me speak             
respectively to the hamalos and the     
,irish woman1 the latter of whom1 as  he
 said1 had told him that ,i was a fairy 

man4  ,at last he introduced the        
subject of religion1 and spoke with much
 contempt of revelation1 avowing        
himself a deist2 he was evidently very  
anxious to hear my opinion1 but  here   
again ,i evaded him1 and contented      
myself with asking him1 whether he  had 
ever read the ,bible4  ,he said he had  
not2 but that he was well  acquainted   
with the writings of ,volney and        
,mirabeau4  ,i made no answer2          
whereupon he added1 that it was by no   
means his habit to introduce such       
subjects1 and that there were very few  
persons to whom he would speak so       
unreservedly1 but that ,i had very much 
interested him1 though our  acquaintance
 had been short4  ,i replied1 that he   
would scarcely have  spoken at ,boston  
in the manner that ,i had just heard    
him1 and that it was  easy to perceive  
that he was not a ,new ,englander4  8,i 
assure you10 said  he1 8,i should as    
little have thought of speaking so at   
,charleston1 for if  ,i held such       

conversation there1 ,i should soon have 
had to speak to  myself40    ,had ,i    
known less of deists than it has been my
 fortune to know1 ,i should  perhaps    
have endeavoured to convince this young 
man of the erroneousness  of the ideas  
which he had adopted2 but ,i was aware  
of all that he would  have urged in     
reply1 and as the believer has no carnal
 arguments to  address to carnal reason 
upon this subject1 ,i thought it best to
 avoid  disputation1 which ,i felt sure 
would lead to no profitable result4     
,faith  is the free gift of ,god1 and ,i
 do not believe that ever yet was an    
infidel converted by means of           
after-dinner polemics4  ,this was the   
last  evening of my sojourn in          
,gibraltar4          ,,chapter ,,liv    
,again on ,board--,the ,strange         
,visage--,the ,hadji--,setting          
,sail--,the ,two  ,jews--,american      
,vessel--,tangier--,adun ,oulem--,the   
,struggle--,the ,forbidden ,thing4      
,on ,thursday1 the #hth of ,august1 ,i  

was again on board the ,genoese bark1 at
  as early an hour as on the previous   
morning4  ,after waiting1 however1 two  
or three hours without any preparation  
being made for departing1 ,i was  about 
to return to the shore once more1 but   
the old ,genoese mate advised  me to    
stay1 assuring me that he had no doubt  
of our sailing speedily1 as  all the    
cargo was on board1 and we had nothing  
further to detain us4  ,i  was reposing 
myself in the little cabin1 when ,i     
heard a boat strike  against the side of
 the vessel1 and some people come on    
board4  ,presently  a face peered in at 
the opening1 strange and wild4  ,i was  
half asleep1  and at first imagined ,i  
was dreaming1 for the face seemed more  
like that  of a goat or an orge than of 
a human being2 its long beard almost    
touching my face as ,i lay extended in a
 kind of berth4  ,starting up1  however1
 ,i recognised the singular-looking ,jew
 whom ,i had seen in the  company of    
,judah ,lib4  ,he recognised me also1   

and nodding1 bent his huge  features    
into a smile4  ,i arose and went upon   
deck1 where ,i found him in  company    
with another ,jew1 a young man in the   
dress of ,barbary4  ,they had  just     
arrived in the boat4  ,i asked my friend
 of the beard who he was1  from whence  
he came1 and where he was going8  ,he   
answered1 in broken  ,portuguese1 that  
he was returning from ,lisbon1 where he 
had been on  business1 to ,mogadore1 of 
which place he was a native4  ,he then  
looked me  in the face and smiled1 and  
taking out a book from his pocket1 in   
,hebrew  characters1 fell to reading it2
 whereupon a ,spanish sailor on board   
observed that with such a beard and book
 he must needs be a sabio1 or  sage4    
,his companion was from ,mequinez1 and  
spoke only ,arabic4    ,a large boat now
 drew nigh1 the stern of which was      
filled with ,moors2  there might be     
about twelve1 and the greater part      
evidently consisted of  persons of      
distinction1 as they were dressed in all

 the pomp and  gallantry of the ,east1  
with snow-white turbans1 jabadores of   
green silk  or scarlet cloth1 and       
bedeyas rich with gold galloon4  ,some  
of them were  exceedingly fine men1 and 
two amongst them1 youths1 were          
strikingly  handsome1 and so far from   
exhibiting the dark swarthy countenance 
of  ,moors in general1 their complexions
 were of a delicate red and white4  ,the
 principal personage1 and to whom all   
the rest paid much deference1  was a    
tall athletic man of about forty4  ,he  
wore a vest of white quilted  cotton1   
and white kandrisa1 whilst gracefully   
wound round his body1 and  swathing the 
upper part of his head1 was the haik1 or
 white flannel  wrapping plaid always   
held in so much estimation by the ,moors
 from the  earliest period of their     
history4  ,his legs were bare and his   
feet only  protected from the ground by 
yellow slippers4  ,he displayed no      
farther  ornament than one large gold   
ear-ring1 from which depended a pearl1  

evidently of great price4  ,a noble     
black beard1 about a foot in length1    
touched his muscular breast4  ,his      
features were good1 with the exception  
of the eyes1 which were somewhat small2 
their expression1 however1 was1  evil2  
their glances were sullen2 and malignity
 and ill-nature were  painted in every  
lineament of his countenance1 which     
seemed never to have  been brightened   
with a smile4  ,the ,spanish sailor1 of 
whom ,i have already  had occasion to   
speak1 informed me in a whisper1 that he
 was a santuron1  or big saint1 and was 
so far back on his way from ,mecca2     
adding1 that he  was a merchant of      
immense wealth4  ,it soon appeared that 
the other ,moors  had merely attended   
him on board through friendly           
politeness1 as they all  successively   
came to bid him adieu1 with the         
exception of two blacks1 who  were his  
attendants4  ,i observed that these     
blacks1 when the ,moors  presented them 
their hands at departing1 invariably    

made an effort to  press them to their  
lips1 which effort was as uniformly     
foiled1 the ,moors  in every instance1  
by a speedy and graceful movement1      
drawing back their  hand locked in that 
of the black1 which they pressed against
 their own  heart2 as much as to say1   
8though a negro and a slave you are a   
,moslem1  and being so1 you art our     
brother--,allah knows no distinctions40 
,the  boatman now went up to the hadji1 
demanding payment1 stating1 at the same 
time1 that he had been on board three   
times on his account1 conveying his     
luggage4  ,the sum which he demanded    
appeared exorbitant to the hadji1  who1 
forgetting that he was a saint1 and     
fresh from ,mecca1 fumed  outrageously1 
and in broken ,spanish called the       
boatman thief4  ,if there  be any term  
of reproach which stings a ,spaniard    
7and such was the  boatman7 more than   
another1 it is that one2 and the fellow 
no sooner  heard it applied to himself1 
than with eyes sparkling with fury1 he  

put  his fist to the hadji's nose1 and  
repaid the one opprobrious name by at   
least ten others equally bad or worse4  
,he would perhaps have proceeded  to    
acts of violence had he not been pulled 
away by the other ,moors1 who  led him  
aside1 and ,i suppose either said or    
gave him something which  pacified him1 
as he soon got into his boat1 and       
returned with them on  shore4  ,the     
captain now arrived with his ,jewish    
secretary1 and orders  were given for   
setting sail4    ,at a little past      
twelve we were steering out of the bay  
of ,gibraltar2 the  wind was in the     
right quarter1 but for some time we did 
not make much  progress1 lying almost   
becalmed beneath the lee of the hill2 by
 degrees1  however1 our progress became 
brisker1 and in about an hour we found  
ourselves careering smartly towards     
,tarifa4    ,the ,jew secretary stood at
 the helm1 and indeed appeared to be the
 person  who commanded the vessel1 and  
who issued out all the necessary orders1

  which were executed under the         
superintendence of the old ,genoese     
mate4  ,i  now put some questions to the
 hadji1 but he looked at me askance with
 his  sullen eye1 pouted with his lip1  
and remained silent2 as much as to say1 
8,speak not to me1 ,i am holier than    
thou40  ,i found his negroes1 however1  
far more conversable4  ,one of them was 
old and ugly1 the other about  twenty1  
and as well looking as it is possible   
for a negro to be4  ,his  colour was    
perfect ebony1 his features exceedingly 
well formed and  delicate1 with the     
exception of the lips1 which were too   
full4  ,the shape  of his eyes was      
peculiar2 they were rather oblong than  
round1 like those  of an ,egyptian      
figure4  ,their expression was          
thoughtful and meditative4  ,in every   
respect he differed from his companion1 
even in colour1 7though  both were      
negroes17 and was evidently a scion of  
some little known and  superior race4   
,as he sat beneath the mast gazing at   

the sea1 ,i thought  he was misplaced1  
and that he would have appeared to more 
advantage  amidst boundless sands1 and  
beneath a date tree1 and then he might  
have  well represented a ,jhin4  ,i     
asked him from whence he came1 he       
replied  that he was a native of ,fez1  
but that he had never known his parents4
  ,he  had been brought up1 he added1 in
 the family of his present master1 whom 
he had followed in the greater part of  
his travels1 and with whom he had       
thrice visited ,mecca4  ,i asked him if 
he liked being a slave8  ,whereupon  he 
replied1 that he was a slave no longer1 
having been made free for some  time    
past1 on account of his faithful        
services1 as had likewise his           
companion4  ,he would have told me much 
more1 but the hadji called him  away1   
and otherwise employed him1 probably to 
prevent his being  contaminated by me4  
,thus avoided by the ,moslems1 ,i betook
 myself to the ,jews1 whom ,i found     
nowise backward in cultivating an       

intimacy4  ,the sage of the beard told  
me his history1 which in some respects  
reminded me of that of ,judah ,lib1  as 
it seemed that1 a year or two previous1 
he had quitted ,mogadore in  pursuit of 
his son1 who had betaken himself to     
,portugal4  ,on the arrival1  however1  
of the father at ,lisbon1 he discovered 
that the fugitive had1 a  few days      
before1 shipped himself for the         
,brazils4  ,unlike ,judah in quest  of  
his father1 he now became weary1 and    
discontinued the pursuit4  ,the  younger
 ,jew from ,mequinez was exceedingly gay
 and lively as soon as he  perceived    
that ,i was capable of understanding    
him1 and made me smile by  his humorous 
account of ,christian life1 as he had   
observed it at  ,gibraltar1 where he had
 made a stay of about a month4  ,he then
 spoke of  ,mequinez1 which1 he said1   
was a ,jennut1 or ,paradise1 compared   
with which  ,gibraltar was a sty of     
hogs4  ,so great1 so universal is the   
love of  country4  ,i soon saw that both

 these people believed me to be of their
  own nation2 indeed1 the young one1 who
 was much the most familiar1 taxed  me  
with being so1 and spoke of the infamy  
of denying my own blood4  ,shortly      
before our arrival off ,tarifa1         
universal hunger seemed to prevail      
amongst us4  ,the hadji and his negroes 
produced their store1 and feasted  on   
roast fowls1 the ,jews ate grapes and   
bread1 myself bread and cheese1  whilst 
the crew prepared a mess of anchovies4  
,two of them speedily came1  with a     
large portion1 which they presented to  
me with the kindness of  brothers3 ,i   
made no hesitation in accepting their   
present1 and found the  anchovies       
delicious4  ,as ,i sat between the      
,jews1 ,i offered them some1 but  they  
turned away their heads with disgust1   
and cried haloof  7hogsflesh74  ,they at
 the same time1 however1 shook me by the
 hand1 and1  uninvited1 took a small    
portion of my bread4  ,i had a bottle of
 ,cognac1  which ,i had brought with me 

as a preventive to sea sickness1 and ,i 
presented it to them2 but this they also
 refused1 exclaiming1 ,haram 7it  is    
forbidden74  ,i said nothing4    ,we    
were now close to the lighthouse of     
,tarifa1 and turning the head of  the   
bark towards the west1 we made directly 
for the coast of ,africa4  ,the  wind   
was now blowing very fresh1 and as we   
had it almost in our poop1 we  sprang   
along at a tremendous rate1 the huge    
lateen sails threatening  every moment  
to drive us beneath the billows1 which  
an adverse tide  raised up against us4  
,whilst scudding along in this manner1  
we passed  close under the stern of a   
large vessel bearing ,american colours2 
she was  tacking up the straits1 and    
slowly winning her way against the      
impetuous  ,levanter4  ,as we passed    
under her1 ,i observed the poop crowded 
with  people gazing at us2 indeed1 we   
must have offered a singular spectacle  
to  those on board1 who1 like my young  
,american friend at ,gibraltar1 were    

visiting the ,old ,world for the first  
time4  ,at the helm stood the ,jew2  his
 whole figure enveloped in a gabardine1 
the cowl of which1 raised  above his    
head1 gave him almost the appearance of 
a spectre in its  shroud2 whilst upon   
the deck1 mixed with ,europeans in      
various kinds of  dresses1 all of them  
picturesque with the exception of my    
own1 trod the  turbaned ,moors1 the haik
 of the hadji flapping loosely in the   
wind4  ,the  view they obtained of us1  
however1 could have been but momentary1 
as we  bounded past them literally with 
the speed of a racehorses so that in    
about an hour's time we were not more   
than a mile's distance from the         
foreland on which stands the fortress   
,alminr1 and which constitutes the      
boundary point of the bay of ,tangier   
towards the east4  ,there the wind      
dropped and our progress was again slow4
    ,for a considerable time ,tangier   
had appeared in sight4  ,shortly after  
standing away from ,tarifa1 we had      

descried it in the far distance1 when   
it showed like a white dove brooding on 
its nest4  ,the sun was setting  behind 
the town when we dropped anchor in its  
harbour1 amidst half a  dozen barks and 
felouks about the size of our own1 the  
only vessels which  we saw4  ,there     
stood ,tangier before us1 and a         
picturesque town it was1  occupying the 
sides and top of two hills1 one of      
which1 bold and bluff1  projects into   
the sea where the coast takes a sudden  
and abrupt turn4  ,frowning and         
battlemented were its walls1 either     
perched on the top of  precipitous      
rocks1 whose base was washed by the salt
 billows1 or rising  from the narrow    
strand which separates the hill from the
 ocean4    ,yonder are two or three     
tiers of batteries1 displaying heavy    
guns which  command the harbour2 above  
them you see the terraces of the town   
rising  in succession like steps for    
giants4  ,but all is white1 perfectly   
white1  so that the whole seems cut out 

of an immense chalk rock1 though true it
  is that you behold here and there tall
 green trees springing up from  amidst  
the whiteness3 perhaps they belong to   
,moorish gardens1 and beneath  them even
 now peradventure is reclining many a   
dark-eyed ,leila1 akin to  the houries4 
,right before you is a high tower or    
minaret1 not white but  curiously       
painted1 which belongs to the principal 
mosque of ,tangier2 a  black banner     
waves upon it1 for it is the feast of   
,ashor4  ,a noble beach  of white sand  
fringes the bay from the town to the    
foreland of ,alminr4  ,to the east rise 
prodigious hills and mountains2 they are
 ,gibil ,muza and  his chain2 and yon   
tall fellow is the peak of ,tetuan2 the 
grey mists of  evening are enveloping   
their sides4  ,such was ,tangier1 such  
its vicinity1  as it appeared to me     
whilst gazing from the ,genoese bark4   
,a boat was now lowered from the vessel1
 in which the captain1 who was  charged 
with the mail from ,gibraltar1 the ,jew 

secretary1 and the hadji  and his       
attendant negroes departed for the      
shore4  ,i would have gone with  them1  
but ,i was told that ,i could not land  
that night1 as ere my passport  and bill
 of health could be examined1 the gates 
would be closed2 so ,i  remained on     
board with the crew and the two ,jews4  
,the former prepared  their supper1     
which consisted simply of pickled       
tomatoes1 the other  provisions having  
been consumed4  ,the old ,genoese       
brought me a portion1  apologizing at   
the same time1 for the plainness of the 
fare4  ,i accepted  it with thanks1 and 
told him that a million better men than 
myself had a  worse super4  ,i never ate
 with more appetite4  ,as the night     
advanced1 the  ,jews sang ,hebrew hymns1
 and when they had concluded1 demanded  
of me why ,i  was silent1 so ,i lifted  
up my voice and chanted ,adun ,oulem3-- 
8,reigned the ,universe's ,master1 ere  
were earthly things begun2      ,when   
,his mandate all created1 ,ruler was the

 name ,he won2      ,and alone ,he'll   
rule tremendous when all things are past
 and gone1      ,he no equal has1 nor   
consort1 ,he1 the singular and lone1    
,has no end and no beginning2 ,his the  
sceptre1 might and throne4      ,he's my
 ,god and living ,saviour1 rock to whom 
in need ,i run2      ,he's my banner and
 my refuge1 fount of weal when called   
upon2      ,in ,his hand ,i place my    
spirit at nightfall and rise of sun1    
,and therewith my body also2 ,god's my  
,god--,i fear no one40    ,darkness had 
now fallen over land and sea2 not a     
sound was heard save  occasionally the  
distant barking of a dog from the shore1
 or some  plaintive ,genoese ditty1     
which arose from a neighbouring bark4   
,the town  seemed buried in silence and 
gloom1 no light1 not even that of a     
taper1  could be descried4  ,turning our
 eyes in the direction of ,spain1       
however1  we perceived a magnificent    
conflagration seemingly enveloping the  
side  and head of one of the lofty      

mountains northward of ,tarifa2 the     
blaze was  redly reflected in the waters
 of the strait2 either the brushwood was
  burning or the ,carboneros were plying
 their dusky toil4  ,the ,jews now      
complained1 of weariness1 and the       
younger1 uncording a small mattress1    
spread it on the deck and sought repose4
  ,the sage descended into the  cabin1  
but he had scarcely time to lie down ere
 the old mate1 darting  forward1 dived  
in after him1 and pulled him out by the 
heels1 for it was  very shallow1 and the
 descent was effected by not more than  
two or three  steps4  ,after            
accomplishing this1 he called him many  
opprobrious names1  and threatened him  
with his foot1 as he lay sprawling on   
the deck4  8,think you10 said he1 8who  
are a dog and a ,jew1 and pay as a dog  
and a  ,jew2 think you to sleep in the  
cabin8  ,undeceive yourself1 beast2 that
  cabin shall be slept in by none       
to-night but this ,christian            
,cavallero40  ,the sage made no reply1  

but arose from the deck and stroked his 
beard1  whilst the old ,genoese         
proceeded in his philippic4  ,had the   
,jew been  disposed1 he could have      
strangled the insulter in a moment1 or  
crushed  him to death in his brawny     
arms1 as ,i never remember to have seen 
a  figure so powerful and muscular2 but 
he was evidently slow to anger1 and     
long-suffering2 not a resentful word    
escaped him1 and his features  retained 
their usual expression of benignant     
placidity4    ,i now assured the mate   
that ,i had not the slightest objection 
to the  ,jew's sharing the cabin with   
me1 but rather wished it1 as there was  
room  for us both and for more4         
8,excuse me1 ,sir ,cavalier10 replied   
the  ,genoese1 8but ,i swear to permit  
no such thing2 you are young and do not 
know this canaille as ,i do1 who have   
been backward and forward to this  coast
 for twenty years2 if the beast is cold1
 let him sleep below the  hatches as ,i 
and the rest shall1 but that cabin he   

shall not enter40  ,observing that he   
was obstinate ,i retired1 and in a few  
minutes was in a  sound sleep which     
lasted till daybreak4  ,twice or thrice1
 indeed1 ,i  thought that a struggle was
 taking place near me1 but ,i was so    
overpowered with weariness1 or 8sleep   
drunken10 as the ,germans call it1  that
 ,i was unable to arouse myself         
sufficiently to discover what was  going
 on2 the truth is1 that three times     
during the night1 the sage  feeling     
himself uncomfortable in the open air by
 the side of his  companion1 penetrated 
into the cabin1 and was as many times   
dragged out  by his relentless old      
enemy1 who1 suspecting his intentions1  
kept his eye  upon him throughout the   
night4    ,about five ,i arose2 the sun 
was shining brightly and gloriously upon
  town1 bay1 and mountain2 the crew were
 already employed upon deck  repairing a
 sail which had been shivered in the    
wind of the preceding  day4  ,the ,jews 
sat disconsolate on the poop2 they      

complained much of the  cold they had   
suffered in their exposed situation4    
,over the left eye of  the sage ,i      
observed a bloody cut1 which he informed
 me he had received  from the old       
,genoese after he had dragged him out of
 the cabin for the  last time4  ,i now  
produced my bottle of ,cognac1 begging  
that the crew  would partake of it as a 
slight return for their hospitality4    
,they  thanked me1 and the bottle went  
its round2 it was last in the hands of  
the old mate1 who1 after looking for a  
moment at the sage1 raised it to  his   
mouth1 where he kept it a considerable  
time longer than any of his  companions1
 after which he returned it to me with a
 low bow4  ,the sage  now inquired what 
the bottle contained3 ,i told him       
,cognac or aguardiente1  whereupon with 
some eagerness he begged that ,i would  
allow him to take a  draught4  8,how is 
this80 said ,i2 8yesterday you told me  
that it was a  forbidden thing1 an      
abomination40  8,yesterday10 said he1   

8,i was not aware  that it was brandy2  
,i thought it wine1 which assuredly is  
an abomination1  and a forbidden thing40
  8,is it forbidden in the ,torah80 ,i  
inquired4  8,is  it forbidden in the law
 of ,god80  8,i know not10 said he1 8but
 one thing ,i  know1 that the sages have
 forbidden it40  8,sages like yourself10
 cried ,i  with warmth2 8sages like     
yourself1 with long beards and short    
understandings3 the use of both drinks  
is permitted1 but more danger  lurks in 
this bottle than in a tun of wine4      
,well said my ,lord the  ,nazarene1 #8ye
 strain at a gnat1 and swallow a camel'2
 but as you are cold  and shivering1    
take the bottle and revive yourself with
 a small portion  of its contents40  ,he
 put it to his lips and found not a     
single drop4  ,the old ,genoese grinned4
    8,bestia10 said he1 8,i saw by your 
looks that you wished to drink of that  
bottle1 and ,i said within me1 even     
though ,i suffocate1 yet will ,i not    
leave one drop of the aguardiente of the

 ,christian ,cavalier to be wasted  on  
that ,jew1 on whose head may evil       
lightnings fall40    8,now1 ,sir        
,cavalier10 he continued1 8you can go   
ashore2 these two sailors  shall row you
 to the ,mole1 and convey your baggage  
where you think  proper2 may the ,virgin
 bless you wherever you go40            
,,chapter ,,lv      ,the ,mole--,the    
,two ,moors--,djmah of ,tangier--,house 
of ,god--,british  ,consul--,curious    
,spectacle--,the ,moorish               
,house--,joanna ,correa--,ave ,maria4   
,so we rode to the ,mole and landed4    
,this ,mole consists at present of      
nothing more than an immense number of  
large loose stones1 which run  about    
five hundred yards into the bay2 they   
are part of the ruins of a  magnificent 
pier which the ,english1 who were the   
last foreign nation  which held         
,tangier1 destroyed when they evacuated 
the place4  ,the ,moors  have never     
attempted to repair it2 the surf at high
 water breaks over it  with great fury4 

,i found it a difficult task to pick my 
way over the  slippery stones1 and      
should once or twice have fallen but for
 the  kindness of the ,genoese mariners4
  ,at last we reached the beach1 and    
were  proceeding towards the gate of the
 town1 when two persons1 ,moors1 came up
  to us4  ,i almost started at sight of 
the first2 he was a huge old  barbarian 
with a white uncombed beard1 dirty      
turban1 haik1 and trousers1  naked legs1
 and immense splay feet1 the heels of   
which stood out a couple  of inches at  
least behind his rusty black slippers4  
8,that is the captain of the port10 said
 one of the ,genoese2 8pay him          
respect40  ,i accordingly doffed my hat 
and cried1 8,sba alkheir a sidi0        
7,good-morning1 my lord74  8,are you    
,englishmans80 shouted the old grisly   
giant4  8,englishmans1 my lord10 ,i     
replied1 and1 advancing1 presented him  
my hand1 which he nearly wrung off with 
his tremendous gripe4  ,the other  ,moor
 now addressed me in a jargon composed  

of ,english1 ,spanish1 and  ,arabic4  ,a
 queer-looking personage was he also1   
but very different in  most respects    
from his companion1 being shorter by a  
head at least1 and  less complete by one
 eye1 for the left orb of vision was    
closed1 leaving  him1 as the ,spaniards 
style it1 tuerto2 he1 however1 far      
outshone the  other in cleanliness of   
turban1 haik1 and trousers4  ,from what 
he  jabbered to me1 ,i collected that he
 was the ,english consul's mahasni or   
soldier2 that the consul1 being aware of
 my arrival1 had dispatched him  to     
conduct me to his house4  ,he then      
motioned me to follow him1 which ,i     
did1 the old port captain attending us  
to the gate1 when he turned aside  into 
a building1 which ,i judged to be a kind
 of custom-house from the  bales and    
boxes of every description piled up     
before it4  ,we passed the  gate and    
proceeded up a steep and winding ascent2
 on our left was a  battery full of     
guns1 pointing to the sea1 and on our   

right a massive  wall1 seemingly in part
 cut out of the hill2 a little higher up
 we  arrived at an opening where stood  
the mosque which ,i have already        
mentioned4  ,as ,i gazed upon the tower 
,i said to myself1 8,surely we have     
here a younger sister of the ,giralda of
 ,seville40    ,i know not whether the  
resemblance between the two edifices has
 been  observed by any other individual2
 and perhaps there are those who would  
assert that no resemblance exists1      
especially if1 in forming an opinion1   
they were much swayed by size and       
colour3 the hue of the ,giralda is red1 
or rather vermilion1 whilst that which  
predominates in the ,djmah of  ,tangier 
is green1 the bricks of which it is     
built being of that colour2  though     
between them1 at certain intervals1 are 
placed others of a light  red tinge1 so 
that the tower is beautifully           
variegated4  ,with respect to  size1    
standing beside the giant witch of      
,seville1 the ,tangerine ,djmah  would  

show like a ten-year sapling in the     
vicinity of the cedar of  ,lebanon1     
whose trunk the tempests of five hundred
 years have worn4  ,and  yet ,i will    
assert that the towers in other respects
 are one and the same1  and that the    
same mind and the same design are       
manifested in both2 the  same shape do  
they exhibit1 and the same marks have   
they on their walls1  even those        
mysterious arches graven on the         
superficies of the bricks1  emblematic  
of ,i know not what4  ,the two          
structures may1 without any  violence1  
be said to stand in the same relation to
 each other as the  ancient and modern  
,moors4  ,the ,giralda is the world's   
wonder1 and the old  ,moor was all but  
the world's conqueror4  ,the modern     
,moor is scarcely  known1 and who ever  
heard of the ,tower of ,tangier8  ,yet  
examine it  attentively1 and you will   
find in that tower much1 very much1 to  
admire1  and certainly1 if opportunity  
enable you to consider the modern ,moor 

as  minutely1 you will discover in him1 
and in his actions1 amongst much that   
is wild1 uncouth1 and barbarous1 not a  
little capable of amply rewarding       
laborious investigation4    ,as we      
passed the mosque ,i stopped for a      
moment before the door1 and  looked in  
upon the interior3 ,i saw nothing but a 
quadrangular court paved  with painted  
tiles and exposed to the sky2 on all    
sides were arched  piazzas1 and in the  
middle was a fountain1 at which several 
,moors were  performing their ablutions4
  ,i looked around for the abominable   
thing1  and found it not2 no scarlet    
strumpet with a crown of false gold sat 
nursing an ugly changeling in a niche4  
8,come here10 said ,i1 8papist1 and     
take a lesson2 here is a house of ,god1 
in externals at least1 such as a  house 
of ,god should be3 four walls1 a        
fountain1 and the eternal firmament     
above1 which mirrors his glory4  ,dost  
thou build such houses to the ,god  who 
hast said1 #8,thou shalt make to thyself

 no graven image'8  ,fool1 thy  walls   
are stuck with idols2 thou callest a    
stone thy ,father1 and a piece  of      
rotting wood the ,queen of ,heaven4     
,fool1 thou knowest not even the        
,ancient of ,days1 and the very ,moor   
can instruct thee4  ,he at least knows  
the ,ancient of ,days who has said1     
#8,thou shalt have no other gods but    
me4'0    ,and as ,i said these words1 ,i
 heard a cry like the roaring of a lion1
 and  an awful voice in the distance    
exclaim1 8,kapul ,udbagh0 7there is no  
god  but one74    ,we now turned to the 
left through a passage which passed     
under the tower1  and had scarcely      
proceeded a few steps1 when ,i heard a  
prodigious hubbub  of infantine voices3 
,i listened for a moment1 and           
distinguished verses of  the ,koran2 it 
was a school4  ,another lesson for thee1
 papist4  ,thou  callest thyself a      
,christian1 yet the book of ,christ thou
 persecutest2  thou huntest it even to  
the sea-shore1 compelling it to seek    

refuge upon  the billows of the sea4    
,fool1 learn a lesson from the ,moor1   
who teaches  his child to repeat with   
its first accents the most important    
portions of  the book of his law1 and   
considers himself wise or foolish1      
according as  he is versed in or        
ignorant of that book2 whilst thou1     
blind slave1  knowest not what the book 
of thy own law contains1 nor wishest to 
know3  yet art thou not to be judged by 
thy own law8  ,idolmonger1 learn        
consistency from the ,moor3 he says that
 he shall be judged after his own  law1 
and therefore he prizes and gets by     
heart the entire book of his  law4      
,we were now at the consul's house1 a   
large roomy habitation1 built in the    
,english style4  ,the soldier led me    
through a court into a large hall hung  
with the skins of all kinds of ferocious
 animals1 from the kingly lion to  the  
snarling jackal4  ,here ,i was received 
by a ,jew domestic1 who  conducted me at
 once to the consul1 who was in his     

library4  ,he received  me with the     
utmost frankness and genuine kindness1  
and informed me that1  having received a
 letter from his excellent friend ,mr4  
,b41 in which ,i was  strongly          
recommended1 he had already engaged me a
 lodging in the house of  a ,spanish    
woman1 who was1 however1 a ,british     
subject1 and with whom he  believed that
 ,i should find myself as comfortable as
 it was possible to  be in such a place 
as ,tangier4  ,he then inquired if ,i   
had any particular  motive for visiting 
the place1 and ,i informed him without  
any hesitation  that ,i came with the   
intention of distributing a certain     
number of copies  of the ,new ,testament
 in the ,spanish language amongst the   
,christian  residents of the place4  ,he
 smiled1 and advised me to proceed with 
considerable caution1 which ,i promised 
to do4  ,we then discoursed on  other   
subjects1 and it was not long before ,i 
perceived that ,i was in the  company of
 a most accomplished scholar1 especially

 in the ,greek and ,latin  classics2 he 
appeared likewise to be thoroughly      
acquainted with the  ,barbary empire and
 with the ,moorish character4    ,after 
half an hour's conversation1 exceedingly
 agreeable and instructive  to myself1  
,i expressed a wish to proceed to my    
lodging3 whereupon he rang  the bell1   
and the same ,jewish domestic entering  
who had introduced me1 he  said to him  
in the ,english language1 8,take this   
gentleman to the house of  ,joanna      
,correa1 the ,mahonese widow1 and enjoin
 her1 in my name1 to take  care of him  
and attend to his comforts2 by doing    
which she will confirm  me in the good  
opinion which ,i at present entertain of
 her1 and will  increase my disposition 
to befriend her40    ,so1 attended by   
the ,jew1 ,i now bent my steps to the   
lodging prepared for  me4  ,having      
ascended the street in which the house  
of the consul was  situated1 we entered 
a small square which stands about half  
way up the  hill4  ,this1 my companion  

informed me1 was the soc1 or            
market-place4  ,a  curious spectacle    
here presented itself4  ,all round the  
square were small  wooden booths1 which 
very much resembled large boxes turned  
on their  sides1 the lid being supported
 above by a string4  ,before each of    
these  boxes was a species of counter1  
or rather one long counter ran in front 
of the whole line1 upon which were      
raisins1 dates1 and small barrels of    
sugar1 soap1 and butter1 and various    
other articles4  ,within each box1 in   
front of the counter1 and about three   
feet from the ground1 sat a human       
being1 with a blanket on its shoulders1 
a dirty turban on its head1 and  ragged 
trousers1 which descended as far as the 
knee1 though in some  instances1 ,i     
believe1 these were entirely dispensed  
with4  ,in its hand it  held a stick1 to
 the end of which was affixed a bunch of
 palm leaves1  which it waved           
incessantly as a fan1 for the purpose of
 scaring from its  goods the million    

flies which1 engendered by the ,barbary 
sun1 endeavoured  to settle upon them4  
,behind it1 and on either side1 were    
piles of the  same kind of goods4       
,shrit hinai1 shrit hinai1 7buy here1   
buy here71  was continually proceeding  
from its mouth4  ,such are the grocers  
of  ,tangier1 such their shops4    ,in  
the middle of the soc1 upon the stones1 
were pyramids of melons and  sandias1   
7the water species71 and also baskets   
filled with other kinds of  fruit1      
exposed for sale1 whilst round cakes of 
bread were lying here and  there upon   
the stones1 beside which sat on their   
hams the wildest-looking  beings that   
the most extravagant imagination ever   
conceived1 the head  covered with an    
enormous straw hat1 at least two yards  
in circumference1  the eaves of which1  
flapping down1 completely concealed the 
face1 whilst  the form was swathed in a 
blanket1 from which occasionally were   
thrust  skinny arms and fingers4  ,these
 were ,moorish women1 who were1 ,i      

believe1  in all instances1 old and     
ugly1 judging from the countenances of  
which ,i  caught a glimpse as they      
lifted the eaves of their hats to gaze  
on me as  ,i passed1 or to curse me for 
stamping on their bread4  ,the whole soc
 was  full of peoples and there was     
abundance of bustle1 screaming1 and     
vociferation1 and as the sun1 though the
 hour was still early1 was  shining with
 the greatest brilliancy1 ,i thought    
that ,i had scarcely ever  witnessed a  
livelier scene4    ,crossing the soc we 
entered a narrow street with the same   
kind of  box-shops on each side1 some of
 which1 however1 were either unoccupied 
or  not yet opened1 the lid being       
closed4  ,we almost immediately turned  
to  the left1 up a street somewhat      
similar1 and my guide presently entered 
the door of a low house1 which stood at 
the corner of a little alley1 and  which
 he informed me was the abode of ,joanna
 ,correa4  ,we soon stood in  the midst 
of this habitation4  ,i say the midst1  

as all the ,moorish houses  are built   
with a small court in the middle4  ,this
 one was not more than  ten feet square4
  ,it was open at the top1 and around it
 on three sides  were apartments2 on the
 fourth a small staircase1 which        
communicated with  the upper story1 half
 of which consisted of a terrace looking
 down into  the court1 over the low     
walls of which you enjoyed a prospect of
 the sea  and a considerable part of the
 town4  ,the rest of the story was taken
 up  by a long room1 destined for       
myself1 and which opened upon the       
terrace by  a pair of folding-doors4    
,at either end of this apartment stood a
 bed1  extending transversely from wall 
to wall1 the canopy touching the        
ceiling4  ,a table and two or three     
chairs completed the furniture4    ,i   
was so occupied in inspecting the house 
of ,joanna ,correa1 that at first  ,i   
paid little attention to that lady      
herself4  ,she now1 however1 came up    
upon the terrace where my guide and     

myself were standing4  ,she was a  woman
 about five and forty1 with regular     
features1 which had once been  handsome1
 but had received considerable injury   
from time1 and perhaps  more from       
trouble4  ,two of her front teeth had   
disappeared1 but she still  had fine    
black hair4  ,as ,i looked upon her     
countenance1 ,i said within  myself1 if 
there be truth in physiognomy1 thou art 
good and gentle1 ,o  ,joanna2 and1      
indeed1 the kindness ,i experienced from
 her during the six  weeks which ,i     
spent beneath her roof would have made  
me a convert to that  science had ,i    
doubted in it before4  ,i believe no    
warmer and more  affectionate heart ever
 beat in human bosom than in that of    
,joanna  ,correa1 the ,mahonese widow1  
and it was indexed by features beaming  
with  benevolence and good nature1      
though somewhat clouded with melancholy4
    ,she informed me that she had been  
married to a ,genoese1 the master of a  
felouk which passed between ,gibraltar  

and ,tangier1 who had been dead  about  
four years1 leaving her with a family of
 four children1 the eldest  of which was
 a lad of thirteen2 that she had        
experienced great difficulty  in        
providing for her family and herself    
since the death of her husband1  but    
that ,providence had raised her up a few
 excellent friends1 especially  the     
,british consul2 that besides letting   
lodgings to such travellers as  myself1 
she made bread which was in high esteem 
with the ,moors1 and that  she was      
likewise in partnership in the sale of  
liquors with an old  ,genoese4  ,she    
added1 that this last person lived below
 in one of the  apartments2 that he was 
a man of great ability and much         
learning1 but  that she believed he was 
occasionally somewhat touched here1     
pointing  with her finger to her        
forehead1 and she therefore hoped that  
,i would not  be offended at anything   
extraordinary in his language or        
behaviour4  ,she  then left me1 as she  

said1 to give orders for my breakfast2  
whereupon the  ,jewish domestic1 who had
 accompanied me from the consul1 finding
 that ,i  was established in the house1 
departed4    ,i speedily sat down to    
breakfast in an apartment on the left   
side of the  little wustuddur1 the fare 
was excellent2 tea1 fried fish1 eggs1   
and  grapes1 not forgetting the         
celebrated bread of ,joanna ,correa4  ,i
 was  waited upon by a tall ,jewish     
youth of about twenty years1 who        
informed me  that his name was ,haim    
,ben ,atar1 that he was a native of     
,fez1 from whence  his parents brought  
him at a very early age to ,tangier1    
where he had  passed the greater part of
 his life principally in the service of 
,joanna  ,correa1 waiting upon those    
who1 like myself1 lodged in the house4  
,i had  completed my meal1 and was      
seated in the little court1 when ,i     
heard in  the apartment opposite to that
 in which ,i had breakfasted several    
sighs1  which were succeeded by as many 

groans1 and then came 8,ave ,maria1     
gratia plena1 ora pro me10 and finally a
 croaking voice chanted3--              
8,gentem auferte perfidam               
,credentium de finibus1      ,ut        
,christo laudes debitas                 
,persolvamus alacriter40    8,that is   
the old ,genoese10 whispered ,haim ,ben 
,atar1 8praying to his ,god1  which he  
always does with particular devotion    
when he happens to have  gone to bed the
 preceding evening rather in liquor4    
,he has in his room a  picture of ,maria
 ,buckra1 before which he generally     
burns a taper1 and on  her account he   
will never permit me to enter his       
apartment4  ,he once  caught me looking 
at her1 and ,i thought he would have    
killed me1 and  since then he always    
keeps his chamber locked1 and carries   
the key in his  pocket when he goes out4
  ,he hates both ,jew and ,moor1 and    
says that he is  now living amongst them
 for his sins40    8,they do not place  
tapers before pictures10 said ,i1 and   

strolled forth to  see the wonders of   
the land4          ,,chapter ,,lvi      
,the ,mahasni--,sin ,samani--,the       
,bazaar--,moorish ,saints--,see the     
,ayana6--,the  ,prickly ,fig--,jewish   
,graves--,the ,place of ,carcases--,the 
,stable ,boy--,horses of  the           
,moslem--,dar ,dwag4    ,i was standing 
in the market-place1 a spectator of much
 the same scene as  ,i have already     
described1 when a ,moor came up to me   
and attempted to  utter a few words in  
,spanish4  ,he was a tall elderly man1  
with sharp but  rather whimsical        
features1 and might have been called    
good-looking1 had  he not been one-eyed1
 a very common deformity in this        
country4  ,his body  was swathed in an  
immense haik4  ,finding that ,i could   
understand ,moorish1  he instantly began
 talking with immense volubility1 and ,i
 soon learned  that he was a ,mahasni4  
,he expatiated diffusely on the beauties
 of  ,tangier1 of which he said he was a
 native1 and at last exclaimed1 8,come1 

my sultan1 come1 my lord1 and ,i will   
show you many things which will  gladden
 your eyes1 and fill your heart with    
sunshine2 it were a shame in  me1 who   
have the advantage of being a son of    
,tangier1 to permit a  stranger who     
comes from an island in the great sea1  
as you tell me you  do1 for the purpose 
of seeing this blessed land1 to stand   
here in the soc  with no one to guide   
him4  ,by ,allah1 it shall not be so4   
,make room for  my sultan1 make room for
 my lord10 he continued1 pushing his way
 through  a crowd of men and children   
who had gathered round us2 8it is his   
highness' pleasure to go with me4  ,this
 way1 my lord1 this way02 and he  led   
the way up the hill1 walking at a       
tremendous rate and talking still       
faster4  8,this street10 said he1 8is   
the ,siarrin1 and its like is not to  be
 found in ,tangier2 observe how broad it
 is1 even half the breadth of  the soc  
itself2 here are the shops of the most  
considerable merchants1  where are sold 

precious articles of all kinds4         
,observe those two men1  they are       
,algerines and good ,moslems2 they fled 
from ,zair 7,algiers7 when  the         
,nazarenes conquered it1 not by force of
 fighting1 not by valour1 as  you may   
well suppose1 but by gold2 the          
,nazarenes only conquer by gold4  ,the  
,moor is good1 the ,moor is strong1 who 
so good and strong8 but he  fights not  
with gold1 and therefore he lost ,zair4 
8,observe you those men seated on the   
benches by those portals3 they are      
,mahasniah1 they are my brethren4  ,see 
their haiks how white1 see their        
turbans how white4  ,o that you could   
see their swords in the day of war1  for
 bright1 bright are their swords4  ,now 
they bear no swords4  ,wherefore  should
 they8  ,is there not peace in the land8
  ,see you him in the shop  opposite8   
,that is the ,pasha of ,tangier1 that is
 the ,hamed ,sin ,samani1  the under    
,pasha of ,tangier2 the elder ,pasha1 my
 lord1 is away on a  journey2 may ,allah

 send him a safe return4  ,yes1 that is 
,hamed2 he sits  in his hanutz as were  
he nought more than a merchant1 yet life
 and death  are in his hands4  ,there he
 dispenses justice1 even as he dispenses
 the  essence of the rose and cochineal1
 and powder of cannon and sulphur2 and  
these two last he sells on the account  
of ,abderrahman1 my lord and  sultan1   
for none can sell powder and the sulphur
 dust in his land but the  sultan4      
,should you wish to purchase atar del   
nuar1 should you wish to  purchase the  
essence of the rose1 you must go to the 
hanutz of ,sin  ,samani1 for there only 
you will get it pure2 you must receive  
it from no  common ,moor1 but only from 
,hamed4  ,may ,allah bless ,hamed4  ,the
 ,mahasniah1  my brethren1 wait to do   
his orders1 for wherever sits the       
,pasha1 there is  a hall of judgment4   
,see1 now we are opposite the bazaar2   
beneath yon  gate is the court of the   
bazaar2 what will you not find in that  
bazaar8  ,silks from ,fez you will find 

there2 and if you wish for sibat1 if you
  wish for slippers for your feet1 you  
must seek them there1 and there also    
are sold curious things from the towns  
of the ,nazarenes4  ,those large  houses
 on our left are habitations of         
,nazarene consuls2 you have seen  many  
such in your own land1 therefore why    
should you stay to look at  them8  ,do  
you not admire this street of the       
,siarrin8  ,whatever enters or  goes out
 of ,tangier by the land passes through 
this street4  ,oh1 the  riches that pass
 through this street6  ,behold those    
camels1 what a long  train2 twenty1     
thirty1 a whole cafila descending the   
street4  ,wullah6  ,i  know those       
camels1 ,i know the driver4  ,good day1 
,o ,sidi ,hassim1 in how  many days from
 ,fez8  ,and now we are arrived at the  
wall1 and we must pass  under this gate4
  ,this gate is called ,bab del ,faz2 we
 are now in the ,soc  de ,barra40       
,the ,soc de ,barra is an open place    
beyond the upper wall of ,tangier1 on   

the side of the hill4  ,the ground is   
irregular and steep2 there are1         
however1 some tolerably level spots4    
,in this place1 every ,thursday and     
,sunday morning1 a species of mart is   
held1 on which account it is called     
,soc de ,barra1 or the outward          
market-place4  ,here and there1 near the
 town  ditch1 are subterranean pits with
 small orifices1 about the circumference
  of a chimney1 which are generally     
covered with a large stone1 or stuffed  
with straw4  ,these pits are granaries1 
in which wheat1 barley1 and other       
species of grain intended for sale are  
stored4  ,on one side are two or  three 
rude huts1 or rather sheds1 beneath     
which keep watch the guardians  of the  
corn4  ,it is very dangerous to pass    
over this hill at night1 after  the town
 gates are closed1 as at that time      
numerous large and ferocious  dogs are  
let loose1 who would to a certainty pull
 down1 and perhaps  destroy1 any        
stranger who should draw nigh4  ,half   

way up the hill are  seen four white    
walls1 inclosing a spot about ten feet  
square1 where rest  the bones of ,sidi  
,mokhfidh1 a saint of celebrity1 who    
died some fifteen  years ago4  ,here    
terminates the soc2 the remainder of the
 hill is called  ,el ,kawar1 or the     
place of graves1 being the common       
burying ground of  ,tangier2 the resting
 places of the dead are severally       
distinguished by a  few stones arranged 
so as to form an oblong circle4  ,near  
,mokhfidh sleeps  ,sidi ,gali2 but the  
principal saint of ,tangier lies        
interred on the top of  the hill1 in the
 centre of a small plain4  ,a beautiful 
chapel or mosque1  with vaulted roof1 is
 erected there in his honour1 which is  
in general  adorned with banners of     
various dyes4  ,the name of this saint  
is ,mohammed  el ,hadge1 and his memory 
is held in the utmost veneration in     
,tangier and  its vicinity4  ,his death 
occurred at the commencement of the     
present  century4    ,these details ,i  

either gathered at the time or on       
subsequent occasions4  ,on the north    
side of the soc1 close by the town1 is a
 wall with a gate4  8,come10 said the   
old ,mahasni1 giving a flourish with his
 hand2 8,come1 and  ,i will show you the
 garden of a ,nazarene consul40  ,i     
followed him through  the gate1 and     
found myself in a spacious garden laid  
out in the ,european  taste1 and planted
 with lemon and pear trees1 and various 
kinds of  aromatic shrubs4  ,it was1    
however1 evident that the owner chiefly 
prided  himself on his flowers1 of which
 there were numerous beds4  ,there was a
  handsome summerhouse1 and art seemed  
to have exhausted itself in making  the 
place complete4    ,one thing was       
wanting1 and its absence was strangely  
remarkable in a  garden at this time of 
the year2 scarcely a leaf was to be     
seen4  ,the  direst of all the plagues  
which devastated ,egypt was now busy in 
this  part of ,africa--the locust was at
 work1 and in no place more fiercely    

than  in the particular spot where ,i   
was now standing4  ,all around looked   
blasted4  ,the trees were brown and bald
 as in winter4  ,nothing green save  the
 fruits1 especially the grapes1 huge    
clusters of which were depending  from  
the 8parras02 for the locust touches not
 the fruit whilst a single  leaf remains
 to be devoured4  ,as we passed along   
the walks these horrible  insects flew  
against us in every direction1 and      
perished by hundreds  beneath our feet4 
8,see the ayanas10 said the old         
,mahasni1 8and hear them  eating4       
,powerful is the ayana1 more powerful   
than the sultan or the  consul4  ,should
 the sultan send all his ,mahasniah     
against the ayana1  should he send me   
with them1 the ayana would say1 #8,ha6  
ha6'  ,powerful is  the ayana6  ,he     
fears not the consul4  ,a few weeks ago 
the consul said1 #8,i  am stronger than 
the ayana1 and ,i will extirpate him    
from the land4'  ,so  he shouted through
 the city1 #8,o ,tangerines6 speed forth

 to fight the  ayana1--destroy him in   
the egg2 for know that whosoever shall  
bring me one  pound weight of the eggs  
of the ayana1 unto him will ,i give five
 reals of  ,spain2 there shall be no    
ayanas this year4'  ,so all ,tangier    
rushed forth  to fight the ayana1 and to
 collect the eggs which the ayana had   
laid to  hatch beneath the sand on the  
sides of the hills1 and in the roads1   
and  in the plains4  ,and my own child1 
who is seven years old1 went forth to   
fight the ayana1 and he alone collected 
eggs to the weight of five  pounds1 eggs
 which the ayana had placed beneath the 
sand1 and he carried  them to the       
consul1 and the consul paid the price4  
,and hundreds carried  eggs to the      
consul1 more or less1 and the consul    
paid them the price1 and  in less than  
three days the treasure chest of the    
consul was exhausted4  ,and then he     
cried1 #8,desist1 ,o ,tangerines6       
perhaps we have destroyed the  ayana1   
perhaps we have destroyed them all4'    

,ha6 ha6  ,look around you1  and beneath
 you1 and above you1 and tell me whether
 the consul has  destroyed the ayana4   
,oh1 powerful is the ayana6  ,more      
powerful than the  consul1 more powerful
 than the sultan and all his armies40   
,it will be as well to observe here1    
that within a week from this time all   
the locusts had disappeared1 no one knew
 how1 only a few stragglers  remained4  
,but for this providential deliverance1 
the fields and gardens  in the vicinity 
of ,tangier would have been totally     
devastated4  ,these  insects were of an 
immense size1 and of a loathly aspect4  
,we now passed over the soc to the      
opposite side1 where stand the huts of  
the guardians4  ,here a species of lane 
presents itself1 which descends to  the 
sea-shore2 it is deep and precipitous1  
and resembles a gully or  ravine4  ,the 
banks on either side are covered with   
the tree which bears  the prickly fig1  
called in ,moorish1 ,kermous del ,inde4 
,there is  something wild and grotesque 

in the appearance of this tree or plant1
 for  ,i know not which to call it4     
,its stem1 though frequently of the     
thickness of a man's body1 has no head1 
but divides itself1 at a short  distance
 from the ground1 into many crooked     
branches1 which shoot in all            
directions1 and bear green and uncouth  
leaves1 about half an inch in           
thickness1 and which1 if they resemble  
anything1 present the appearance  of the
 fore fins of a seal1 and consist of    
multitudinous fibres4  ,the  fruit1     
which somewhat resembles a pear1 has a  
rough tegument covered with  minute     
prickles1 which instantly enter the hand
 which touches them1  however slightly1 
and are very difficult to extract4  ,i  
never remember to  have seen vegetation 
in ranker luxuriance than that which    
these fig-trees  exhibited1 nor upon the
 whole a more singular spot4  8,follow  
me10 said  the ,mahasni1 8and ,i will   
show you something which you will like  
to see40  ,so he turned to the left1    

leading the way by a narrow path up the 
steep  bank1 till we reached the summit 
of a hillock1 separated by a deep ditch 
from the wall of ,tangier4  ,the ground 
was thickly covered with the trees      
already described1 which spread their   
strange arms along the surface1 and     
whose thick leaves crushed beneath our  
feet as we walked along4  ,amongst  them
 ,i observed a large number of stone    
slabs lying horizontally2 they  were    
rudely scrawled over with odd           
characters1 which ,i stooped down to    
inspect4  8,are you ,talib enough to    
read those signs80 exclaimed the old    
,moor4  8,they are letters of the       
accursed ,jews2 this is their mearrah1  
as  they call it1 and here they inter   
their dead4  ,fools1 they trust in      
,muza1  when they might believe in      
,mohammed1 and therefore their dead     
shall burn  everlastingly in ,jehinnim4 
,see1 my sultan1 how fat is the soil of 
this  mearrah of the ,jews2 see what    
kermous grow here4  ,when ,i was a boy  

,i  often came to the mearrah of the    
,jews to eat kermous in the season of   
their ripeness4  ,the ,moslem boys of   
,tangier love the kermous of the        
mearrah of the ,jews2 but the ,jews will
 not gather them4  ,they say that  the  
waters of the springs which nourish the 
roots of these trees1 pass  among the   
bodies of their dead1 and for that      
reason it is an abomination  to taste of
 these fruits4  ,be this true1 or be it 
not1 one thing is  certain1 in whatever 
manner nourished1 good are the kermous  
which grow in  the mearrah of the       
,jews40    ,we returned to the lane by  
the same path by which we had come3 as  
we were  descending it he said1 8,know1 
my sultan1 that the name of the place   
where  we now are1 and which you say you
 like much1 is ,dar ,sinah 7the house of
  the trades74  ,you will ask me why it 
bears that name1 as you see neither     
house nor man1 neither ,moslem1         
,nazarene1 nor ,jew1 only our two       
selves2 ,i  will tell you1 my sultan1   

for who can tell you better than myself8
  ,learn1 ,i pray you1 that ,tangier was
 not always what it is now1 nor did it  
occupy always the place which it does   
now4  ,it stood yonder 7pointing to  the
 east7 on those hills above the shore1  
and ruins of houses are still  to be    
seen there1 and the spot is called ,old 
,tangier4  ,so in the old  time1 as ,i  
have heard say1 this ,dar ,sinah was a  
street1 whether without  or within the  
wall matters not1 and there resided men 
of all trades2  smiths of gold and      
silver1 and iron1 and tin1 and          
artificers of all  kinds3 you had only  
to go to the ,dar ,sinah if you wished  
for anything  wrought1 and there        
instantly you would find a master of the
 particular  craft4  ,my sultan tells me
 he likes the look of ,dar ,sinah at the
 present  day2 truly ,i know not why1   
especially as the kermous are not yet in
 their  ripeness nor fit to eat4  ,if he
 likes ,dar ,sinah now1 how would my    
sultan  have liked it in the olden time1

 when it was filled with gold and       
silver1  and iron and tin1 and was noisy
 with the hammers1 and the masters and  
the  cunning men8  ,we are now arrived  
at the ,chali del ,bahar 7sea-shore74   
,take care1 my sultan1 we tread upon    
bones40    ,we had emerged from the ,dar
 ,sinah1 and the sea-shore was before   
us2 on a  sudden we found ourselves     
amongst a multitude of bones of all     
kinds of  animals1 and seemingly of all 
dates2 some being blanched with time and
  exposure to sun and wind1 whilst to   
others the flesh still partly clung2    
whole carcases were here1 horses1 asses1
 and even the uncouth remains of  a     
camel4  ,gaunt dogs were busy here1     
growling1 tearing1 and gnawing2  amongst
 whom1 unintimidated1 stalked the       
carrion vulture1 fiercely  battening and
 even disputing with the brutes the     
garbage2 whilst the crow  hovered       
overhead and croaked wistfully1 or      
occasionally perched upon some  upturned
 rib bone4  8,see10 said the ,mahasni1  

8the kawar of the animals4  ,my sultan  
has seen the kawar of the ,moslems and  
the mearrah of the ,jews2  and he sees  
here the kawar of the animals4  ,all the
 animals which die in  ,tangier by the  
hand of ,god1 horse1 dog1 or camel1 are 
brought to this  spot1 and here they    
putrefy or are devoured by the birds of 
the heaven or  the wild creatures that  
prowl on the chali4  ,come1 my sultan1  
it is not  good to remain long in this  
place40    ,we were preparing to leave  
the spot1 when we heard a galloping down
 the  ,dar ,sinah1 and presently a horse
 and rider darted at full speed from the
  mouth of the lane and appeared upon   
the strand2 the horseman1 when he saw   
us1 pulled up his steed with much       
difficulty1 and joined us4  ,the horse  
was small but beautiful1 a sorrel with  
long mane and tail2 had he been         
hoodwinked he might perhaps have been   
mistaken for a ,cordovese jaca2 he  was 
broad-chested1 and rotund in his hind   
quarters1 and possessed much of  the    

plumpness and sleekness which           
distinguish that breed1 but looking in  
his eyes you would have been undeceived 
in a moment2 a wild savage fire  darted 
from the restless orbs1 and so far from 
exhibiting the docility of  the other   
noble and loyal animal1 he occasionally 
plunged desperately1  and could scarcely
 be restrained by a strong curb and     
powerful arm from  resuming his former  
headlong course4  ,the rider was a      
youth1 apparently  about eighteen1      
dressed as a ,european1 with a ,montero 
cap on his head3 he  was athletically   
built1 but with lengthy limbs1 his feet1
 for he rode  without stirrups or       
saddle1 reaching almost to the ground2  
his complexion  was almost as dark as   
that of a ,mulatto2 his features very   
handsome1 the  eyes particularly so1 but
 filled with an expression which was    
bold and  bad2 and there was a          
disgusting look of sensuality about the 
mouth4  ,he  addressed a few words to   
the ,mahasni1 with whom he seemed to be 

well  acquainted1 inquiring who ,i was4 
,the old man answered1 8,o ,jew1 my     
sultan  understands our speech1 thou    
hadst better address thyself to him40   
,the  lad then spoke to me in ,arabic1  
but almost instantly dropping that      
language proceeded to discourse in      
tolerable ,french4  8,i suppose you are 
,french10 said he with much familiarity1
 8shall you stay long in ,tangier80     
,having received an answer1 he          
proceeded1 8as you are an ,englishman1  
you  are doubtless fond of horses1 know1
 therefore1 whenever you are disposed   
for a ride1 ,i will accompany you1 and  
procure you horses4  ,my name is        
,ephraim ,fragey3 ,i am stable-boy to   
the ,neapolitan consul1 who prizes      
himself upon possessing the best horses 
in ,tangier2 you shall mount any  you   
please4  ,would you like to try this    
little aoud 7stallion780  ,i  thanked   
him1 but declined his offer for the     
present1 asking him at the  same time   
how he had acquired the ,french         

language1 and why he1 a ,jew1 did  not  
appear in the dress of his brethren8    
8,i am in the service of a  consul10    
said he1 8and my master obtained        
permission that ,i might dress  myself  
in this manner2 and as to speaking      
,french1 ,i have been to  ,marseilles   
and ,naples1 to which last place ,i     
conveyed horses1 presents  from the     
,sultan4  ,besides ,french1 ,i can speak
 ,italian40  ,he then  dismounted1 and  
holding the horse firmly by the bridle  
with one hand1  proceeded to undress    
himself1 which having accomplished1 he  
mounted the  animal and rode into the   
water4  ,the skin of his body was much  
akin in  colour to that of a frog or    
toad1 but the frame was that of a young 
,titan4  ,the horse took to the water   
with great unwillingness1 and at a      
small distance from the shore commenced 
struggling with his rider1 whom  he     
twice dashed from his back2 the lad1    
however1 clung to the bridle1 and       
detained the animal4  ,all his efforts1 

however1 being unavailing to ride  him  
deeper in1 he fell to washing him       
strenuously with his hands1 then        
leading him out1 he dressed himself and 
returned by the way he came4    8,good  
are the horses of the ,moslems10 said my
 old friend1 8where will you  find such8
  ,they will descend rocky mountains at 
full speed and neither  trip nor fall1  
but you must be cautious with the horses
 of the ,moslems1  and treat them with  
kindness1 for the horses of the ,moslems
 are proud1  and they like not being    
slaves4  ,when they are young and first 
mounted1  jerk not their mouths with    
your bit1 for be sure if you do they    
will kill  you2 sooner or later1 you    
will perish beneath their feet4  ,good  
are our  horses2 and good our riders1   
yea1 very good are the ,moslems at      
mounting  the horse2 who are like them8 
,i once saw a ,frank rider compete with 
a  ,moslem on this beach1 and at first  
the ,frank rider had it all his own     
way1 and he passed the ,moslem1 but the 

course was long1 very long1 and  the    
horse of the ,frank rider1 which was a  
,frank also1 panted2 but the  horse of  
the ,moslem panted not1 for he was a    
,moslem also1 and the ,moslem  rider at 
last gave a cry and the horse sprang    
forward and he overtook the  ,frank     
horse1 and then the ,moslem rider stood 
up in his saddle4  ,how did  he stand8  
,truly he stood on his head1 and these  
eyes saw him2 he stood  on his head in  
the saddle as he passed the ,frank      
rider2 and he cried ha6  ha6 as he      
passed the ,frank rider2 and the ,moslem
 horse cried ha6 ha6 as  he passed the  
,frank breed1 and the ,frank lost by a  
far distance4  ,good  are the ,franks2  
good their horses2 but better are the   
,moslems1 and better  the horses of the 
,moslems40    ,we now directed our steps
 towards the town1 but not by the path  
we came3  turning to the left under the 
hill of the mearrah1 and along the      
strand1  we soon came to a rudely paved 
way with a steep ascent1 which wound    

beneath the wall of the town to a gate1 
before which1 on one side1 were  various
 little pits like graves1 filled with   
water or lime4  8,this is ,dar  ,dwag10 
said the ,mahasni2 8this is the house of
 the bark1 and to this  house are       
brought the hides2 all those which are  
prepared for use in  ,tangier are       
brought to this house1 and here they are
 cured with lime1 and  bran1 and bark1  
and herbs4  ,and in this ,dar ,dwag     
there are one hundred  and forty pits2  
,i have counted them myself2 and there  
were more which  have now ceased to be1 
for the place is very ancient4  ,and    
these pits are  hired not by one1 nor by
 two1 but by many people1 and whosoever 
list can  rent one of these pits and    
cure the hides which he may need2 but   
the  owner of all is one man1 and his   
name is ,cado ,ableque4  ,and now my    
sultan  has seen the house of the bark1 
and ,i will show him nothing more this  
day2 for to-day is ,youm al ,jumal      
7,friday71 and the gates will be        

presently shut whilst the ,moslems      
perform their devotions4  ,so ,i will   
accompany my sultan to the guest house1 
and there ,i will leave him for  the    
present40    ,we accordingly passed     
through a gate1 and ascending a street  
found  ourselves before the mosque where
 ,i had stood in the morning2 in another
  minute or two we were at the door of  
,joanna ,correa4  ,i now offered my     
kind guide a piece of silver as a       
remuneration for his trouble1 whereupon 
he drew himself up and said3--    8,the 
silver of my sultan ,i will not take1   
for ,i consider that ,i have done       
nothing to deserve it4  ,we have not yet
 visited all the wonderful things  of   
this blessed town4  ,on a future day ,i 
will conduct my sultan to the  castle of
 the governor1 and to other places which
 my sultan will be glad  to see2 and    
when we have seen all we can1 and my    
sultan is content with  me1 if at any   
time he see me in the soc of a morning1 
with my basket in  my hand1 and he see  

nothing in that basket1 then is my      
sultan at liberty  as a friend to put   
grapes in my basket1 or bread in my     
basket1 or fish or  meat in my basket4  
,that will ,i not refuse of my sultan1  
when ,i shall  have done more for him   
than ,i have now4  ,but the silver of my
 sultan will  ,i not take now nor at any
 time40  ,he then waved his hand gently 
and  departed4          ,,chapter ,,lvii
      ,strange ,trio--,the              
,mulatto--,the ,peace-offering--,moors  
of ,granada--,vive la  ,guadeloupe--,the
 ,moors--,pascual ,fava--,blind         
,algerine--,the ,retreat4    ,three men 
were seated in the wustuddur of ,joanna 
,correa1 when ,i entered2               
singular-looking men they all were1     
though perhaps three were never         
gathered together more unlike to each   
other in all points4  ,the first on     
whom ,i cast my eye was a man about     
sixty1 dressed in a grey kerseymere     
coat with short lappets1 yellow         
waistcoat1 and wide coarse canvas       

trousers2 upon his head was a very broad
 dirty straw hat1 and in his hand  he   
held a thick cane with ivory handle2 his
 eyes were bleared and  squinting1 his  
face rubicund1 and his nose much        
carbuncled4  ,beside him  sat a         
good-looking black1 who perhaps appeared
 more negro than he really  was1 from   
the circumstance of his being dressed in
 spotless white  jean--jerkin1          
waistcoat1 and pantaloons being all of  
that material3 his  head gear consisted 
of a blue ,montero cap4  ,his eyes      
sparkled like  diamonds1 and there was  
an indescribable expression of good     
humour and  fun upon his countenance4   
,the third man was a ,mulatto1 and by   
far the  most remarkable personage of   
the group3 he might be between thirty   
and  forty2 his body was very long1 and 
though uncouthly put together1          
exhibited every mark of strength and    
vigour2 it was cased in a ferioul of    
red wool1 a kind of garment which       
descends below the hips4  ,his long     

muscular and hairy arms were naked from 
the elbow1 where the sleeves of  the    
ferioul terminate2 his under limbs were 
short in comparison with his  body and  
arms2 his legs were bare1 but he wore   
blue kandrisa as far as  the knee2 every
 feature of his face was ugly1          
exceedingly and bitterly  ugly1 and one 
of his eyes was sightless1 being covered
 with a white film4  ,by his side on the
 ground was a large barrel1 seemingly a 
water-cask1  which he occasionally      
seized with a finger and thumb1 and     
waved over his  head as if it had been a
 quart pot4  ,such was the trio who now 
occupied  the wustuddur of ,joanna      
,correa3 and ,i had scarcely time to    
remark what ,i  have just recorded1 when
 that good lady entered from a back     
court with  her handmaid ,johar1 or the 
pearl1 an ugly fat ,jewish girl with an 
immense  mole on her cheek4    8,que    
,dios remate tu nombre10 exclaimed the  
,mulatto2 8may ,allah blot out  your    
name1 ,joanna1 and may he likewise blot 

out that of your maid ,johar4  ,it is   
more than fifteen minutes that ,i have  
been seated here1 after  having poured  
out into the tinaja the water which ,i  
brought from the  fountain1 and during  
all that time ,i have waited in vain for
 one single  word of civility from      
yourself or from ,johar4  ,usted no     
tiene modo1 you  have no manner with    
you1 nor more has ,johar4  ,this is the 
only house in  ,tangier where ,i am not 
received with fitting love and respect1 
and yet ,i  have done more for you than 
for any other person4  ,have ,i not     
filled your  tinaja with water when     
other people have gone without a drop8  
,when even  the consul and the          
interpreter of the consul had no water  
to slake their  thirst1 have you not had
 enough to wash your wustuddur8  ,and   
what is my  return8  ,when ,i arrive in 
the heat of the day1 ,i have not one    
kind word  spoken to me1 nor so much as 
a glass of makhiah offered to me2 must  
,i  tell you all that ,i do for you1    

,joanna8  ,truly ,i must1 for you have  
no  manner with you4  ,do ,i not come   
every morning just at the third hour2   
and  do ,i not knock at your door2 and  
do you not arise and let me in1 and then
  do ,i not knead your bread in your    
presence1 whilst you lie in bed1 and    
because ,i knead it1 is not yours the   
best bread in ,tangier8  ,for am ,i not 
the strongest man in ,tangier1 and the  
most noble also80  ,here he  brandished 
his barrel over his head1 and his face  
looked almost  demoniacal4  8,hear me1  
,joanna10 he continued1 8you know that  
,i am the  strongest man in ,tangier1   
and ,i tell you again1 for the          
thousandth time1  that ,i am the most   
noble4  ,who are the consuls8  ,who is  
the ,pasha8  ,they  are pashas and      
consuls now1 but who were their fathers8
  ,i know not1 nor  do they4  ,but do ,i
 not know who my fathers were8  ,were   
they not ,moors of  ,garnata 7,granada71
 and is it not on that account that ,i  
am the  strongest man in ,tangier8      

,yes1 ,i am of the old ,moors of        
,garnata1 and my  family has lived here1
 as is well known1 since ,garnata was   
lost to the  ,nazarenes1 and now ,i am  
the only one of my family of the blood  
of the old  ,moors in all this land1 and
 on that account ,i am of nobler blood  
than the  sultan1 for the sultan is not 
of the blood of the ,moors of ,garnata4 
,do  you laugh1 ,joanna8  ,does your    
maid ,johar laugh8  ,am ,i not ,hammin  
,widdir1  el hombre mas valido de       
,tanger8  ,and is it not true that ,i am
 of the  blood of the ,moors of         
,garnata8  ,deny it1 and ,i will kill   
you both1 you  and your maid ,johar40   
8,you have been eating hashish and      
majoon1 ,hammin10 said ,joanna ,correa1 
8and the ,shaitan has entered into you1 
as he but too frequently does4  ,i  have
 been busy1 and so has ,johar1 or we    
should have spoken to you before2       
however1 mai doorshee 7it does not      
signify71 ,i know how to pacify you  now
 and at all times1 will you take some   

gin-bitters1 or a glass of  common      
makhiah80    8,may you burst1 ,o        
,joanna10 said the ,mulatto1 8and may   
,johar also burst2 ,i  mean1 may you    
both live many years1 and know neither  
pain nor sorrow4  ,i  will take the     
gin-bitters1 ,o ,joanna1 because they   
are stronger than the  makhiah1 which   
always appears to me like water2 and ,i 
like not water1  though ,i carry it4    
,many thanks to you1 ,joanna1 here is   
health to you1  ,joanna1 and to this    
good company40    ,she had handed him a 
large tumbler filled to the brim2 he put
 it to his  nostrils1 snuffed in the    
flavour1 and then applying it to his    
mouth1  removed it not whilst one drop  
of the fluid remained4  ,his features   
gradually relaxed from their former     
angry expression1 and looking           
particularly amiable at ,joanna1 he at  
last said3    8,i hope that within a    
little time1 ,o ,joanna1 you will be    
persuaded that ,i  am the strongest man 
in ,tangier1 and that ,i am sprung from 

the blood of  the ,moors of ,garnata1 as
 then you will no longer refuse to take 
me for a  husband1 you and your maid    
,johar1 and to become ,moors4  ,what a  
glory to  you1 after having been married
 to a ,genoui1 and given birth to       
,genouillos1 to receive for a husband a 
,moor like me1 and to bear him  children
 of the blood of ,garnata4  ,what a     
glory too for ,johar1 how much  better  
than to marry a vile ,jew1 even like    
,hayim ,ben ,atar1 or your cook  ,sabia1
 both of whom ,i could strangle with two
 fingers1 for am ,i not  ,hammin ,widdir
 ,moro de ,garnata1 el hombre mas valido
 be ,tanger80  ,he  then shouldered his 
barrel and departed4    8,is that       
,mulatto really what he pretends to be80
 said ,i to ,joanna2 8is he  a          
descendant of the ,moors of ,granada80  
8,he always talks about the ,moors of   
,granada when he is mad with majoon or  
aguardiente10 interrupted1 in bad       
,french1 the old man whom ,i have before
  described1 and in the same croaking   

voice which ,i had heard chanting in    
the morning4  8,nevertheless it may be  
true1 and if he had not heard  something
 of the kind from his parents1 he would 
never have imagined such  a thing1 for  
he is too stupid4  ,as ,i said before1  
it is by no means  impossible3 many of  
the families of ,granada settled down   
here when their  town was taken by the  
,christians1 but the greater part went  
to ,tunis4  ,when ,i was there1 ,i      
lodged in the house of a ,moor who      
called himself  ,zegri1 and was always  
talking of ,granada and the things which
 his  forefathers had done there4  ,he  
would moreover sit for hours singing    
romances of which ,i understood not one 
word1 praised be the mother of  ,god1   
but which he said all related to his    
family2 there were hundreds of  that    
name in ,tunis1 therefore why should not
 this ,hammin1 this drunken             
water-carrier1 be a ,moor of ,granada   
also8  ,he is ugly enough to be  emperor
 of all the ,moors4  ,o the accursed    

canaille1 ,i have lived amongst  them   
for my sins these eight years1 at ,oran 
and here4  ,monsieur1 do you  not       
consider it to be a hard case for an old
 man like myself1 who am a  ,christian1 
to live amongst a race who know not     
,god1 nor ,christ1 nor  anything holy80 
8,what do you mean10 said ,i1 8by       
asserting that the ,moors know not ,god8
  ,there is no people in the world who  
entertain sublimer notions of the       
uncreated eternal ,god than the ,moors1 
and no people have ever shown           
themselves more zealous for his honour  
and glory2 their very zeal for the      
glory of ,god has been and is the chief 
obstacle to their becoming  ,christians4
  ,they are afraid of compromising his  
dignity by supposing  that he ever      
condescended to become man4  ,and with  
respect to ,christ1  their ideas even of
 him are much more just than those of   
the ,papists1  they say he is a mighty  
prophet1 whilst1 according to the       
others1 he is  either a piece of bread  

or a helpless infant4  ,in many points  
of religion  the ,moors are wrong1      
dreadfully wrong1 but are the ,papists  
less so8  ,and  one of their practices  
sets them immeasurably below the ,moors 
in the eyes  of any unprejudiced person3
 they bow down to idols1 ,christian     
idols if  you like1 but idols still1    
things graven of wood and stone and     
brass1 and  from these things1 which can
 neither hear1 nor speak1 nor feel1 they
 ask  and expect to obtain favours40    
8,vive la ,france1 ,vive la             
,guadeloupe10 said the black1 with a    
good  ,french accent4  8,in ,france and 
in ,guadeloupe there is no superstition1
  and they pay as much regard to the    
,bible as to the ,koran2 ,i am now      
learning to read in order that ,i may   
understand the writings of ,voltaire1   
who1 as ,i am told1 has proved that both
 the one and the other were  written    
with the sole intention of deceiving    
mankind4  ,o vive la  ,france6 where    
will you find such an enlightened       

country as ,france2 and  where will you 
find such a plentiful country as        
,france8  ,only one in the  world1 and  
that is ,guadeloupe4  ,is it not so1    
,monsieur ,pascual8  ,were you  ever at 
,marseilles8  ,ah quel bon pays est     
celui-la pour les vivres1  pour les     
petits poulets1 pour les poulardes1 pour
 les perdrix1  pour les perdreaux1 pour 
les alouettes1 pour les becasses1 pour  
les becassines1 enfin1 pour tout40      
8,pray1 sir1 are you a cook80 demanded  
,i4    8,monsieur1 je le suis pour vous 
rendre service1 mon nom c'est  ,gerard1 
et j'ai l'honneur d'etre chef de cuisine
 chez monsieur le  consul ,hollandois4  
,a present je prie permission de vous   
saluer2 il  faut que j'aille a la maison
 pour faire le diner de mon maitre40    
,at four ,i went to dine with the       
,british consul4  ,two other ,english   
gentlemen were present1 who had arrived 
at ,tangier from ,gibraltar about  ten  
days previously for a short excursion1  
and were now detained longer  than they 

wished by the ,levant wind4  ,they had  
already visited the  principal towns in 
,spain1 and proposed spending the winter
 either at  ,cadiz or ,seville4  ,one of
 them1 ,mr4 ---1 struck me as being one 
of the  most remarkable men ,i had ever 
conversed with2 he travelled not for    
diversion nor instigated by curiosity1  
but merely with the hope of doing       
spiritual good1 chiefly by conversation4
  ,the consul soon asked me what ,i     
thought of the ,moors and their country4
  ,i told him that what ,i had  hitherto
 seen of both highly pleased me4  ,he   
said that were ,i to live  amongst them 
ten years1 as he had done1 he believed  
,i should entertain a  very different   
opinion2 that no people in the world    
were more false and  cruel2 that their  
government was one of the vilest        
description1 with  which it was next to 
an impossibility for any foreign power  
to hold  amicable relations1 as it      
invariably acted with bad faith1 and set
 at  nought the most solemn treaties4   

,that ,british property and interests   
were every day subjected to ruin and    
spoliation1 and ,british subjects       
exposed to unheard-of vexations1 without
 the slightest hope of redress  being   
afforded1 save recourse was had to      
force1 the only argument to  which the  
,moors were accessible4  ,he added1 that
 towards the end of the  preceding year 
an atrocious murder had been perpetrated
 in ,tangier3 a  ,genoese family of     
three individuals had perished1 all of  
whom were  ,british subjects1 and       
entitled to the protection of the       
,british flag4  ,the murderers were     
known1 and the principal one was even   
now in prison  for the fact1 yet all    
attempts to bring him to condign        
punishment had  hitherto proved         
abortive1 as he was a ,moor1 and his    
victims ,christians4  ,finally he       
cautioned me1 not to take walks beyond  
the wall unaccompanied  by a soldier1   
whom he offered to provide for me should
 ,i desire it1 as  otherwise ,i incurred

 great risk of being ill-treated by the 
,moors of the  interior whom ,i might   
meet1 or perhaps murdered1 and he       
instanced the  case of a ,british       
officer who not long since had been     
murdered on the  beach for no other     
reason than being a ,nazarene1 and      
appearing in a  ,nazarene dress4  ,he at
 length introduced the subject of the   
,gospel1 and ,i  was pleased to learn   
that1 during his residence in ,tangier1 
he had  distributed a considerable      
quantity of ,bibles amongst the natives 
in the  ,arabic language1 and that many 
of the learned men1 or ,talibs1 had read
  the holy volume with great interest1  
and that by this distribution1  which1  
it is true1 was effected with much      
caution1 no angry or unpleasant  feeling
 had been excited4  ,he finally asked   
whether ,i had come with the  intention 
of circulating the ,scripture amongst   
the ,moors4    ,i replied that ,i had no
 opportunity of doing so1 as ,i had not 
one single  copy either in the ,arabic  

language or character4  ,that the few   
,testaments  which were in my possession
 were in the ,spanish language1 and were
  intended for circulation amongst the  
,christians of ,tangier1 to whom they   
might be serviceable1 as they all       
understood the language4    ,it was     
night1 and ,i was seated in the         
wustuddur of ,joanna ,correa1 in        
company with ,pascual ,fava the         
,genoese4  ,the old man's favourite     
subject  of discourse appeared to be    
religion1 and he professed unbounded    
love for  the ,saviour1 and the deepest 
sense of gratitude for his miraculous   
atonement for the sins of mankind4  ,i  
should have listened to him with        
pleasure had he not smelt very strongly 
of liquor1 and by certain  incoherence  
of language and wildness of manner given
 indications of being  in some degree   
the worse for it4  ,suddenly two figures
 appeared beneath  the doorway2 one was 
that of a bare-headed and bare-legged   
,moorish boy of  about ten years of age1

 dressed in a gelaba2 he guided by the  
hand an old  man1 whom ,i at once       
recognised as one of the ,algerines1 the
 good ,moslems  of whom the old ,mahasni
 had spoken in terms of praise in the   
morning  whilst we ascended the street  
of the ,siarrin4  ,he was very short of 
stature and dirty in his dress2 the     
lower part of his face was covered  with
 a stubbly white beard2 before his eyes 
he wore a large pair of  spectacles1    
from which he evidently received but    
little benefit1 as he  required the     
assistance of the guide at every step4  
,the two advanced a  little way into the
 wustuddur and there stopped4  ,pascual 
,fava no sooner  beheld them1 than      
assuming a jovial air he started nimbly 
up1 and leaning  on his stick1 for he   
had a bent leg1 limped to a cupboard1   
out of which  he took a bottle and      
poured out a glass of wine1 singing in  
the broken  kind of ,spanish used by the
 ,moors of the coast3        8,argelino1
      ,moro fino1      ,no beber vino1  

,ni comer tocino40        7,algerine1   
,moor so keen1      ,no drink wine1     
,no taste swine47    ,he then handed the
 wine to the old ,moor1 who drank it    
off1 and then1 led  by the boy1 made for
 the door without saying a word4        
8,hade mushe halal10 7that is not       
lawful17 said ,i to him with a loud     
voice4    8,cul shee halal10 7everything
 is lawful17 said the old ,moor1 turning
  his sightless and spectacled eyes in  
the direction from which my voice       
reached him4  8,of everything which ,god
 has given1 it is lawful for the        
children of ,god to partake40    8,who  
is that old man80 said ,i to ,pascual   
,fava1 after the blind and the  leader  
of the blind had departed4  8,who is    
he60 said ,pascual2 8who is he6  ,he is 
a merchant now1 and keeps a shop in the 
,siarrin1 but there was a  time when no 
bloodier pirate sailed out of ,algier4  
,that old blind wretch  has cut more    
throats than he has hairs in his beard4 
,before the ,french  took the place he  

was the rais or captain of a frigate1   
and many was the  poor ,sardinian vessel
 which fell into his hands4  ,after that
 affair he  fled to ,tangier1 and it is 
said that he brought with him a great   
part of  the booty which he had amassed 
in former times4  ,many other ,algerines
  came hither also1 or to ,tetuan1 but  
he is the strangest guest of them  all4 
,he keeps occasionally very             
extraordinary company for a ,moor1 and  
is  rather over intimate with the ,jews4
  ,well1 that's no business of mine2    
only let him look to himself4  ,if the  
,moors should once suspect him1 it  were
 all over with him4  ,moors and ,jews1  
,jews and ,moors6  ,oh my poor  sins1 my
 poor sins1 that brought me to live     
amongst them6--        8#8,ave ,maris   
stella1      ,dei ,mater alma1          
,atque semper virgo1      ,felix cli    
porta6'0    ,he was proceeding in this  
manner when ,i was startled by the sound
 of a  musket4    8,that is the         
retreat10 said ,pascual ,fava4  8,it is 

fired every night in  the soc at        
half-past eight1 and it is the signal   
for suspending all  business1 and       
shutting up4  ,i am now going to close  
the doors1 and  whosoever knocks1 ,i    
shall not admit them till ,i know their 
voice4  ,since  the murder of the poor  
,genoese last year1 we have all been    
particularly  cautious40    ,thus had   
passed ,friday1 the sacred day of the   
,moslems1 and the first  which ,i had   
spent in ,tangier4  ,i observed that the
 ,moors followed their  occupations as  
if the day had nothing particular in it4
  ,between twelve  and one1 the hour of 
prayer in the mosque1 the gates of the  
town were  closed1 and no one permitted 
either to enter or go out4  ,there is a 
tradition1 current amongst them1 that on
 this day1 and at this hour1  their     
eternal enemies1 the ,nazarenes1 will   
arrive to take possession of  their     
country2 on which account they hold     
themselves prepared against a           
surprisal4                              

99 99 99 99 99                          
,,the ,,end4                            
99 99 99 99 99                          
,printed by ,,ballantyne1 ,,hanson      
,,co4                                   
,edinburgh  ,london          ,footnotes 
#h  8,om ,frands ,gonzales1 og ,rodrik  
,cid4  ,end siunges i ,sierra ,murene60 
,krnike ,riim4  ,by ,severin ,grundtvig4
  ,copenhagen1 #ahbi4    #ij  ,doing    
business1 doing business--he has much   
business to do4    #ic;a  ,the ,gypsy   
word for ,antonio4    #ic;b  ,devil4    
#ig  8,say nothing to him1 my lad1 he is
 a hog of an alguazil40    #ajd  ,el    
,serrador1 a ,carlist partisan1 who     
about this period was much  talked of in
 ,spain4    #abg  ,at the last attack on
 ,warsaw1 when the loss of the ,russians
  amounted to upwards of twenty thousand
 men1 the soldiery mounted the  breach1 
repeating in measured chant1 one of     
their popular songs3 8,come1  let us cut
 the cabbage10 c4    #abh  ,twelve      
ounces of bread1 small pound1 as given  

in the prison4    #ach  ,witch4  ,ger4  
,hexe4    #ade  ,a compound of the      
modern ,greek 1 and the ,sanskrit kara1 
the literal meaning being ,lord of the  
horse-shoe 7i4e4 maker72 it is  one of  
the private cognominations of 8,the     
,smiths10 an ,english ,gypsy clan4      
#adf  ,of these lines the following     
translation1 in the style of the old    
,english ballad1 will1 perhaps1 not be  
unacceptable3--        8,what down the  
hill comes hurrying there8--            
,with a hey1 with a ho1 a sword1 and a  
gun6      ,quesada's bones1 which a     
hound doth bear4--         ,hurrah1     
brave brothers6--the work is done40     
#afc  8,the king arrived1 the king      
arrived1 and disembarked at             
,belem40--,miguelite song4    #agj      
8,how should ,i know80    #aga  ,qu4    
,the ,epistle to the ,romans4    #aha   
,this was possibly the period when      
,admiral ,duckworth attempted to  force 
the passage of the ,dardanelles4    #aif
  8,see the crossing6 see what devilish 

crossing60    #bde  ,the ancient ,lethe4
    #bgd  ,inha1 when affixed to words1 
serves as a diminutive4  ,it is much  in
 use amongst the ,gallegans4    #cei    
,perhaps ,waterloo4    #chd  ,about     
thirty pounds4    #djc       1 as       
,antonio said4    #dbi  ,nothing at all4
    #dei  ,a ,rabbinical book1 very     
difficult to be understood1 though      
written  avowedly for the purpose of    
elucidating many points connected with  
the  religious ceremonies of the        
,hebrews4