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diff --git a/old/tbisp10h.htm b/old/tbisp10h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc43d8c --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tbisp10h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,21865 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> +<title>The Bible in Spain</title> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">The Bible in Spain, by George Borrow</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Bible in Spain, by George Borrow +(#1 in our series by George Borrow) + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Bible in Spain + +Author: George Borrow + +Release Date: January, 1996 [EBook #415] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on December 15, 1995] +[Most recently updated: April 25, 2002] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII +</pre> +<p> +<a name="startoftext"></a> +Transcribed from the 1908 Cassell and Company edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +THE BIBLE IN SPAIN - GEORGE BORROW<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +AUTHOR’S PREFACE<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +It is very seldom that the preface of a work is read; indeed, of late +years, most books have been sent into the world without any. I +deem it, however, advisable to write a preface, and to this I humbly +call the attention of the courteous reader, as its perusal will not +a little tend to the proper understanding and appreciation of these +volumes.<br> +<br> +The work now offered to the public, and which is styled <i>The Bible +in Spain</i>, consists of a narrative of what occurred to me during +a residence in that country, to which I was sent by the Bible Society, +as its agent for the purpose of printing and circulating the Scriptures. +It comprehends, however, certain journeys and adventures in Portugal, +and leaves me at last in “the land of the Corahai,” to which +region, after having undergone considerable buffeting in Spain, I found +it expedient to retire for a season.<br> +<br> +It is very probable that had I visited Spain from mere curiosity, or +with a view of passing a year or two agreeably, I should never have +attempted to give any detailed account of my proceedings, or of what +I heard and saw. I am no tourist, no writer of books of travels; +but I went there on a somewhat remarkable errand, which necessarily +led me into strange situations and positions, involved me in difficulties +and perplexities, and brought me into contact with people of all descriptions +and grades; so that, upon the whole, I flatter myself that a narrative +of such a pilgrimage may not be wholly uninteresting to the public, +more especially as the subject is not trite; for though various books +have been published about Spain, I believe that the present is the only +one in existence which treats of missionary labour in that country.<br> +<br> +Many things, it is true, will be found in the following volume which +have little connexion with religion or religious enterprise; I offer, +however, no apology for introducing them. I was, as I may say, +from first to last adrift in Spain, the land of old renown, the land +of wonder and mystery, with better opportunities of becoming acquainted +with its strange secrets and peculiarities than perhaps ever yet were +afforded to any individual, certainly to a foreigner; and if in many +instances I have introduced scenes and characters perhaps unprecedented +in a work of this description, I have only to observe, that, during +my sojourn in Spain, I was so unavoidably mixed up with such, 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 done.<br> +<br> +It is worthy of remark that, called suddenly and unexpectedly “to +undertake the adventure of Spain,” I was not altogether unprepared +for such an enterprise. In the daydreams of my boyhood, Spain +always bore a considerable share, and I took a particular interest in +her, without any presentiment that I should at a future time be called +upon to take a part, however humble, in her strange dramas; which interest, +at a very early period, led me to acquire her noble language, and to +make myself acquainted with her literature (scarcely worthy of the language), +her history and traditions; so that when I entered Spain for the first +time I felt more at home than I should otherwise have done.<br> +<br> +In Spain I passed five years, which, if not the most eventful, were, +I have no hesitation in saying, the most happy years of my existence. +Of Spain, at the present time, now that the daydream has vanished, never, +alas! to return, I entertain the warmest admiration: she is the most +magnificent country in the world, probably the most fertile, and certainly +with the finest climate. Whether her children are worthy of their +mother, is another question, which I shall not attempt to answer; but +content myself with observing, that, amongst much that is lamentable +and reprehensible, I have found much that is noble and to be admired; +much stern heroic virtue; much savage and horrible crime; of low vulgar +vice very little, at least amongst the great body of the Spanish nation, +with which my mission lay; for it will be as well here to observe, that +I advance no claim to an intimate acquaintance with the Spanish nobility, +from whom I kept as remote as circumstances would permit me; <i>en revanche, +</i>however, I have had the honour to live on familiar terms with the +peasants, shepherds, and muleteers of Spain, whose bread and bacalao +I have eaten; who always treated me with kindness and courtesy, and +to whom I have not unfrequently been indebted for shelter and protection.<br> +<br> +<br> +“The generous bearing of Francisco Gonzales, and the high deeds +of Ruy Diaz the Cid, are still sung amongst the fastnesses of the Sierra +Morena.” <a name="citation0"></a><a href="#footnote0">{0}</a><br> +<br> +<br> +I believe that no stronger argument can be brought forward in proof +of the natural vigour and resources of Spain, and the sterling character +of her population, than the fact that, at the present day, she is still +a powerful and unexhausted country, and her children still, to a certain +extent, a high-minded and great people. Yes, notwithstanding the +misrule of the brutal and sensual Austrian, the doting Bourbon, and, +above all, the spiritual tyranny of the court of Rome, Spain can still +maintain her own, fight her own combat, and Spaniards are not yet fanatic +slaves and crouching beggars. This is saying much, very much: +she has undergone far more than Naples had ever to bear, and yet the +fate of Naples has not been hers. There is still valour in Astruria; +generosity in Aragon; probity in Old Castile; and the peasant women +of La Mancha can still afford to place a silver fork and a snowy napkin +beside the plate of their guest. Yes, in spite of Austrian, Bourbon, +and Rome, there is still a wide gulf between Spain and Naples.<br> +<br> +Strange as it may sound, Spain is not a fanatic country. I know +something about her, and declare that she is not, nor has ever been; +Spain never changes. It is true that, for nearly two centuries, +she was the she-butcher, <i>La Verduga, </i>of malignant Rome; the chosen +instrument for carrying into effect the atrocious projects of that power; +yet fanaticism was not the spring which impelled her to the work of +butchery; another feeling, in her the predominant one, was worked upon +- her fatal pride. It was by humouring her pride that she was +induced to waste her precious blood and treasure in the Low Country +wars, to launch the Armada, and to many other equally insane actions. +Love of Rome had ever slight influence over her policy; but flattered +by the title of Gonfaloniera of the Vicar of Jesus, and eager to prove +herself not unworthy of the same, she shut her eyes and rushed upon +her own destruction with the cry of “Charge, Spain.”<br> +<br> +But the arms of Spain became powerless abroad, and she retired within +herself. She ceased to be the tool of the vengeance and cruelty +of Rome. She was not cast aside, however. No! though she +could no longer wield the sword with success against the Lutherans, +she might still be turned to some account. She had still gold +and silver, and she was still the land of the vine and olive. +Ceasing to be the butcher, she became the banker of Rome; and the poor +Spaniards, who always esteem it a privilege to pay another person’s +reckoning, were for a long time happy in being permitted to minister +to the grasping cupidity of Rome, who during the last century, probably +extracted from Spain more treasure than from all the rest of Christendom.<br> +<br> +But wars came into the land. Napoleon and his fierce Franks invaded +Spain; plunder and devastation ensued, the effects of which will probably +be felt for ages. Spain could no longer pay pence to Peter so +freely as of yore, and from that period she became contemptible in the +eyes of Rome, who has no respect for a nation, save so far as it can +minister to her cruelty or avarice. The Spaniard was still willing +to pay, as far as his means would allow, but he was soon given to understand +that he was a degraded being, - a barbarian; nay, a beggar. Now, +you may draw the last cuarto from a Spaniard, provided you will concede +to him the title of cavalier, and rich man, for the old leaven still +works as powerfully as in the time of the first Philip; but you must +never hint that he is poor, or that his blood is inferior to your own. +And the old peasant, on being informed in what slight estimation he +was held, replied, “If I am a beast, a barbarian, and a beggar +withal, I am sorry for it; but as there is no remedy, I shall spend +these four bushels of barley, which I had reserved to alleviate the +misery of the holy father, in procuring bull spectacles, and other convenient +diversions, for the queen my wife, and the young princes my children. +Beggar! carajo! The water of my village is better than the wine +of Rome.”<br> +<br> +I see that in a late pastoral letter directed to the Spaniards, the +father of Rome complains bitterly of the treatment which he has received +in Spain at the hands of naughty men. “My cathedrals are +let down,” he says, “my priests are insulted, and the revenues +of my bishops are curtailed.” He consoles himself, however, +with the idea that this is the effect of the malice of a few, and that +the generality of the nation love him, especially the peasantry, the +innocent peasantry, who shed tears when they think of the sufferings +of their pope and their religion. Undeceive yourself, Batuschca, +undeceive yourself! Spain was ready to fight for you so long as +she could increase her own glory by doing so; but she took no pleasure +in losing battle after battle on your account. She had no objection +to pay money into your coffers in the shape of alms, expecting, however, +that the same would be received with the gratitude and humility which +becomes those who accept charity. Finding, however, that you were +neither humble nor grateful; suspecting, moreover, that you held Austria +in higher esteem than herself, even as a banker, she shrugged up her +shoulders, and uttered a sentence somewhat similar to that which I have +already put into the mouth of one of her children, “These four +bushels of barley,” etc.<br> +<br> +It is truly surprising what little interest the great body of the Spanish +nation took in the late struggle, and yet it has been called, by some +who ought to know better, a war of religion and principle. It +was generally supposed that Biscay was the stronghold of Carlism, and +that the inhabitants were fanatically attached to their religion, which +they apprehended was in danger. The truth is, that the Basques +cared nothing for Carlos or Rome, and merely took up arms to defend +certain rights and privileges of their own. For the dwarfish brother +of Ferdinand they always exhibited supreme contempt, which his character, +a compound of imbecility, cowardice, and cruelty, well merited. +If they made use of his name, it was merely as a <i>cri de guerre. +</i>Much the same may be said with respect to his Spanish partisans, +at least those who appeared in the field for him. These, however, +were of a widely different character from the Basques, who were brave +soldiers and honest men. The Spanish armies of Don Carlos were +composed entirely of thieves and assassins, chiefly Valencians and Manchegans, +who, marshalled under two cut-throats, Cabrera and Palillos, took advantage +of the distracted state of the country to plunder and massacre the honest +part of the community. With respect to the Queen Regent Christina, +of whom the less said the better, the reins of government fell into +her hands on the decease of her husband, and with them the command of +the soldiery. The respectable part of the Spanish nation, and +more especially the honourable and toilworn peasantry, loathed and execrated +both factions. Oft when I was sharing at nightfall the frugal +fare of the villager of Old or New Castile, on hearing the distant shot +of the Christino soldier or Carlist bandit, he would invoke curses on +the heads of the two pretenders, not forgetting the holy father and +the goddess of Rome, Maria Santissima. Then, with the tiger energy +of the Spaniard when roused, he would start up and exclaim: “Vamos, +Don Jorge, to the plain, to the plain! I wish to enlist with you, +and to learn the law of the English. To the plain, therefore, +to the plain to-morrow, to circulate the gospel of Ingalaterra.”<br> +<br> +Amongst the peasantry of Spain I found my sturdiest supporters: and +yet the holy father supposes that the Spanish labourers are friends +and lovers of his. Undeceive yourself, Batuschca!<br> +<br> +But to return to the present work: it is devoted to an account of what +befell me in Spain whilst engaged in distributing the Scripture. +With respect to my poor labours, I wish here to observe, that I accomplished +but very little, and that I lay claim to no brilliant successes and +triumphs; indeed I was sent into Spain more to explore the country, +and to ascertain how far the minds of the people were prepared to receive +the truths of Christianity, than for any other object; I obtained, however, +through the assistance of kind friends, permission from the Spanish +government to print an edition of the sacred volume at Madrid, which +I subsequently circulated in that capital and in the provinces.<br> +<br> +During my sojourn in Spain, there were others who wrought good service +in the Gospel cause, and of whose efforts it were unjust to be silent +in a work of this description. Base is the heart which would refuse +merit its meed, and, however insignificant may be the value of any eulogium +which can flow from a pen like mine, I cannot refrain from mentioning +with respect and esteem a few names connected with Gospel enterprise. +A zealous Irish gentleman, of the name of Graydon, exerted himself with +indefatigable diligence in diffusing the light of Scripture in the province +of Catalonia, and along the southern shores of Spain; whilst two missionaries +from Gibraltar, Messrs. Rule and Lyon, during one entire year, preached +Evangelic truth in a Church at Cadiz. So much success attended +the efforts of these two last brave disciples of the immortal Wesley, +that there is every reason for supposing that, had they not been silenced +and eventually banished from the country by the pseudo-liberal faction +of the Moderados, not only Cadiz, but the greater part of Andalusia, +would by this time have confessed the pure doctrines of the Gospel, +and have discarded for ever the last relics of popish superstition.<br> +<br> +More immediately connected with the Bible Society and myself, I am most +happy to take this opportunity of speaking of Luis de Usoz y Rio, the +scion of an ancient and honourable family of Old Castile, my coadjutor +whilst editing the Spanish New Testament at Madrid. Throughout +my residence in Spain, I experienced every mark of friendship from this +gentleman, who, during the periods of my absence in the provinces, and +my numerous and long journeys, cheerfully supplied my place at Madrid, +and exerted himself to the utmost in forwarding the views of the Bible +Society, influenced by no other motive than a hope that its efforts +would eventually contribute to the peace, happiness, and civilisation +of his native land.<br> +<br> +In conclusion, I beg leave to state that I am fully aware of the various +faults and inaccuracies of the present work. It is founded on +certain journals which I kept during my stay in Spain, and numerous +letters written to my friends in England, which they had subsequently +the kindness to restore: the greater part, however, consisting of descriptions +of scenery, sketches of character, etc., has been supplied from memory. +In various instances I have omitted the names of places, which I have +either forgotten, or of whose orthography I am uncertain. The +work, as it at present exists, was written in a solitary hamlet in a +remote part of England, where I had neither books to consult, nor friends +of whose opinion or advice I could occasionally avail myself, and under +all the disadvantages which arise from enfeebled health; I have, however, +on a recent occasion, experienced too much of the lenity and generosity +of the public, both of Britain and America, to shrink from again exposing +myself to its gaze, and trust that, if in the present volumes it finds +but little to admire, it will give me credit for good spirit, and for +setting down nought in malice.<br> +<br> +<br> +Nov. 26, 1842.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER I<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Alemtejo.<br> +<br> +On the morning of the tenth of November, 1835, I found myself off the +coast of Galicia, whose lofty mountains, gilded by the rising sun, presented +a magnificent appearance. I was bound for Lisbon; we passed Cape +Finisterre, and standing farther out to sea, speedily lost sight of +land. On the morning of the eleventh the sea was very rough, and +a remarkable circumstance occurred. I was on the forecastle, discoursing +with two of the sailors: one of them, who had but just left his hammock, +said, “I have had a strange dream, which I do not much like, for,” +continued he, pointing up to the mast, “I dreamt that I fell into +the sea from the cross-trees.” He was heard to say this +by several of the crew besides myself. A moment after, the captain +of the vessel perceiving that the squall was increasing, ordered the +topsails to be taken in, whereupon this man with several others instantly +ran aloft; the yard was in the act of being hauled down, when a sudden +gust of wind whirled it round with violence, and a man was struck down +from the cross-trees into the sea, which was working like yeast below. +In a short time he emerged; I saw his head on the crest of a billow, +and instantly recognised in the unfortunate man the sailor who a few +moments before had related his dream. I shall never forget the +look of agony he cast whilst the steamer hurried past him. The +alarm was given, and everything was in confusion; it was two minutes +at least before the vessel was stopped, by which time the man was a +considerable way astern; I still, however, kept my eye upon him, and +could see that he was struggling gallantly with the waves. A boat +was at length lowered, but the rudder was unfortunately not at hand, +and only two oars could be procured, with which the men could make but +little progress in so rough a sea. They did their best, however, +and had arrived within ten yards of the man, who still struggled for +his life, when I lost sight of him, and the men on their return said +that they saw him below the water, at glimpses, sinking deeper and deeper, +his arms stretched out and his body apparently stiff, but that they +found it impossible to save him; presently after, the sea, as if satisfied +with the prey which it had acquired, became comparatively calm. +The poor fellow who perished in this singular manner was a fine young +man of twenty-seven, the only son of a widowed mother; he was the best +sailor on board, and was beloved by all who were acquainted with him. +This event occurred on the eleventh of November, 1835; the vessel was +the <i>London Merchant </i>steamship. Truly wonderful are the +ways of Providence!<br> +<br> +That same night we entered the Tagus, and dropped anchor before the +old tower of Belem; early the next morning we weighed, and, proceeding +onward about a league, we again anchored at a short distance from the +Caesodré, or principal quay of Lisbon. Here we lay for +some hours beside the enormous black hulk of the <i>Rainha Nao, </i>a +man-of-war, which in old times so captivated the eye of Nelson, that +he would fain have procured it for his native country. She was, +long subsequently, the admiral’s ship of the Miguelite squadron, +and had been captured by the gallant Napier about three years previous +to the time of which I am speaking.<br> +<br> +The <i>Rainha Nao </i>is said to have caused him more trouble than all +the other vessels of the enemy; and some assert that, had the others +defended themselves with half the fury which the old vixen queen displayed, +the result of the battle which decided the fate of Portugal would have +been widely different.<br> +<br> +I found disembarkation at Lisbon to be a matter of considerable vexation; +the custom-house officers were exceedingly uncivil, and examined every +article of my little baggage with most provocating minuteness.<br> +<br> +My first impression on landing in the Peninsula was by no means a favourable +one; and I had scarcely pressed the soil one hour before I heartily +wished myself back in Russia, a country which I had quitted about one +month previous, and where I had left cherished friends and warm affections.<br> +<br> +After having submitted to much ill-usage and robbery at the custom-house, +I proceeded in quest of a lodging, and at last found one, but dirty +and expensive. The next day I hired a servant, a Portuguese, it +being my invariable custom on arriving in a country to avail myself +of the services of a native; chiefly with the view of perfecting myself +in the language; and being already acquainted with most of the principal +languages and dialects of the east and the west, I am soon able to make +myself quite intelligible to the inhabitants. In about a fortnight +I found myself conversing in Portuguese with considerable fluency.<br> +<br> +Those who wish to make themselves understood by a foreigner in his own +language, should speak with much noise and vociferation, opening their +mouths wide. Is it surprising that the English are, in general, +the worst linguists in the world, seeing that they pursue a system diametrically +opposite? For example, when they attempt to speak Spanish, the +most sonorous tongue in existence, they scarcely open their lips, and +putting their hands in their pockets, fumble lazily, instead of applying +them to the indispensable office of gesticulation. Well may the +poor Spaniards exclaim, <i>These English talk so crabbedly,</i> <i>that +Satan himself would not be able to understand them.<br> +<br> +</i>Lisbon is a huge ruinous city, still exhibiting in almost every +direction the vestiges of that terrific visitation of God, the earthquake +which shattered it some eighty years ago. It stands on seven hills, +the loftiest of which is occupied by the castle of Saint George, which +is the boldest and most prominent object to the eye, whilst surveying +the city from the Tagus. The most frequented and busy parts of +the city are those comprised within the valley to the north of this +elevation.<br> +<br> +Here you find the Plaza of the Inquisition, the principal square in +Lisbon, from which run parallel towards the river three or four streets, +amongst which are those of the gold and silver, so designated from being +inhabited by smiths cunning in the working of those metals; they are +upon the whole very magnificent; the houses are huge and as high as +castles; immense pillars defend the causeway at intervals, producing, +however, rather a cumbrous effect. These streets are quite level, +and are well paved, in which respect they differ from all the others +in Lisbon. The most singular street, however, of all is that of +the Alemcrin, or Rosemary, which debouches on the Caesodré. +It is very precipitous, and is occupied on either side by the palaces +of the principal Portuguese nobility, massive and frowning, but grand +and picturesque, edifices, with here and there a hanging garden, overlooking +the streets at a great height.<br> +<br> +With all its ruin and desolation, Lisbon is unquestionably the most +remarkable city in the Peninsula, and, perhaps, in the south of Europe. +It is not my intention to enter into minute details concerning it; I +shall content myself with remarking, that it is quite as much deserving +the attention of the artist as even Rome itself. True it is that +though it abounds with churches it has no gigantic cathedral, like St. +Peter’s, to attract the eye and fill it with wonder, yet I boldly +say that there is no monument of man’s labour and skill, pertaining +either to ancient or modern Rome, for whatever purpose designed, which +can rival the water-works of Lisbon; I mean the stupendous aqueduct +whose principal arches cross the valley to the north-east of Lisbon, +and which discharges its little runnel of cool and delicious water into +the rocky cistern within that beautiful edifice called the Mother of +the Waters, from whence all Lisbon is supplied with the crystal lymph, +though the source is seven leagues distant. Let travellers devote +one entire morning to inspecting the Arcos and the Mai das Agoas, after +which they may repair to the English church and cemetery, Pere-la-chaise +in miniature, where, if they be of England, they may well be excused +if they kiss the cold tomb, as I did, of the author of <i>Amelia, </i>the +most singular genius which their island ever produced, whose works it +has long been the fashion to abuse in public and to read in secret. +In the same cemetery rest the mortal remains of Doddridge, another English +author of a different stamp, but justly admired and esteemed. +I had not intended, on disembarking, to remain long in Lisbon, nor indeed +in Portugal; my destination was Spain, whither I shortly proposed to +direct my steps, it being the intention of the Bible Society to attempt +to commence operations in that country, the object of which should be +the distribution of the Word of God, for Spain had hitherto been a region +barred against the admission of the Bible; not so Portugal, where, since +the revolution, the Bible had been permitted both to be introduced and +circulated. Little, however, had been accomplished; therefore, +finding myself in the country, I determined, if possible, to effect +something in the way of distribution, but first of all to make myself +acquainted as to how far the people were disposed to receive the Bible, +and whether the state of education in general would permit them to turn +it to much account. I had plenty of Bibles and Testaments at my +disposal, but could the people read them, or would they? A friend +of the Society to whom I was recommended was absent from Lisbon at the +period of my arrival; this I regretted, as he could have afforded me +several useful hints. In order, however, that no time might be +lost, I determined not to wait for his arrival, but at once proceed +to gather the best information I could upon those points to which I +have already alluded. I determined to commence my researches at +some slight distance from Lisbon, being well aware of the erroneous +ideas that I must form of the Portuguese in general, should I judge +of their character and opinions from what I saw and heard in a city +so much subjected to foreign intercourse.<br> +<br> +My first excursion was to Cintra. If there be any place in the +world entitled to the appellation of an enchanted region, it is surely +Cintra; Tivoli is a beautiful and picturesque place, but it quickly +fades from the mind of those who have seen the Portuguese Paradise. +When speaking of Cintra, it must not for a moment be supposed that nothing +more is meant than the little town or city; by Cintra must be understood +the entire region, town, palace, quintas, forests, crags, Moorish ruin, +which suddenly burst on the view on rounding the side of a bleak, savage, +and sterile-looking mountain. Nothing is more sullen and uninviting +than the south-western aspect of the stony wall which, on the side of +Lisbon, seems to shield Cintra from the eye of the world, but the other +side is a mingled scene of fairy beauty, artificial elegance, savage +grandeur, domes, turrets, enormous trees, flowers and waterfalls, such +as is met with nowhere else beneath the sun. Oh! there are strange +and wonderful objects at Cintra, and strange and wonderful recollections +attached to them. The ruin on that lofty peak, and which covers +part of the side of that precipitous steep, was once the principal stronghold +of the Lusitanian Moors, and thither, long after they had disappeared, +at a particular moon of every year, were wont to repair wild santons +of Maugrabie, to pray at the tomb of a famous Sidi, who slumbers amongst +the rocks. That grey palace witnessed the assemblage of the last +cortes held by the boy king Sebastian, ere he departed on his romantic +expedition against the Moors, who so well avenged their insulted faith +and country at Alcazarquibir, and in that low shady quinta, embowered +amongst those tall alcornoques, once dwelt John de Castro, the strange +old viceroy of Goa, 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 Ind; those crumbling stones which stand before the portal, +deeply graven, not with “runes,” but things equally dark, +Sanscrit rhymes from the Vedas, were brought by him from Goa, the most +brilliant scene of his glory, before Portugal had become a base kingdom; +and down that dingle, on an abrupt rocky promontory, stand the ruined +halls of the English Millionaire, who there nursed the wayward fancies +of a mind as wild, rich, and variegated as the scenes around. +Yes, wonderful are the objects which meet the eye at Cintra, and wonderful +are the recollections attached to them.<br> +<br> +The town of Cintra contains about eight hundred inhabitants. The +morning subsequent to my arrival, as I was about to ascend the mountain +for the purpose of examining the Moorish ruins, I observed a person +advancing towards me whom I judged by his dress to be an ecclesiastic; +he was in fact one of the three priests of the place. I instantly +accosted him, and had no reason to regret doing so; I found him affable +and communicative.<br> +<br> +After praising the beauty of the surrounding scenery, I made some inquiry +as to the state of education amongst the people under his care. +He answered, that he was sorry to say that they were in a state of great +ignorance, very few of the common people being able either to read or +write; that with respect to schools, there was but one in the place, +where four or five children were taught the alphabet, but that even +this was at present closed; he informed me, however, that there was +a school at Colhares, about a league distant. Amongst other things, +he said that nothing more surprised him than to see Englishmen, the +most learned and intelligent people in the world, visiting a place like +Cintra, where there was no literature, science, nor anything of utility +(<i>coisa que presta</i>). I suspect that there was some covert +satire in the last speech of the worthy priest; I was, however, Jesuit +enough to appear to receive it as a high compliment, and, taking off +my hat, departed with an infinity of bows.<br> +<br> +That same day I visited Colhares, a romantic village on the side of +the mountain of Cintra, to the north-west. Seeing some peasants +collected round a smithy, I inquired about the school, whereupon one +of the men instantly conducted me thither. I went upstairs into +a small apartment, where I found the master with about a dozen pupils +standing in a row; I saw but one stool in the room, and to that, after +having embraced me, he conducted me with great civility. After +some discourse, he showed me the books which he used for the instruction +of the children; they were spelling books, much of the same kind as +those used in the village schools in England. Upon my asking him +whether it was his practice to place the Scriptures in the hands of +the children, he informed me that long before they had acquired sufficient +intelligence to understand them they were removed by their parents, +in order that they might assist in the labours of the field, and that +the parents in general were by no means solicitous that their children +should learn anything, as they considered the time occupied in learning +as so much squandered away. He said, that though the schools were +nominally supported by the government, it was rarely that the schoolmasters +could obtain their salaries, on which account many had of late resigned +their employments. He told me that he had a copy of the New Testament +in his possession, which I desired to see, but on examining it I discovered +that it was only the epistles by Pereira, with copious notes. +I asked him whether he considered that there was harm in reading the +Scriptures without notes: he replied that there was certainly no harm +in it, but that simple people, without the help of notes, could derive +but little benefit from Scripture, as the greatest part would be unintelligible +to them; whereupon I shook hands with him, and on departing said that +there was no part of Scripture so difficult to understand as those very +notes which were intended to elucidate it, and that it would never have +been written if not calculated of itself to illume the minds of all +classes of mankind.<br> +<br> +In a day or two I made an excursion to Mafra, distant about three leagues +from Cintra; the principal part of the way lay over steep hills, somewhat +dangerous for horses; however, I reached the place in safety.<br> +<br> +Mafra is a large village in the neighbourhood of an immense building, +intended to serve as a convent and palace, and which is built somewhat +after the fashion of the Escurial. In this edifice exists the +finest library in Portugal, containing books on all sciences and in +all languages, and well suited to the size and grandeur of the edifice +which contains it. There were no monks, however, to take care +of it, as in former times; they had been driven forth, some to beg their +bread, some to serve under the banners of Don Carlos, in Spain, and +many, as I was informed, to prowl about as banditti. I found the +place abandoned to two or three menials, and exhibiting an aspect of +solitude and desolation truly appalling. Whilst I was viewing +the cloisters, a fine intelligent-looking lad came up and asked (I suppose +in the hope of obtaining a trifle) whether I would permit him to show +me the village church, which he informed me was well worth seeing; I +said no, but added, that it he would show me the village school I should +feel much obliged to him. He looked at me with astonishment, and +assured me that there was nothing to be seen at the school, which did +not contain more than half a dozen boys, and that he himself was one +of the number. On my telling him, however, that he should show +me no other place, he at length unwillingly attended me. On the +way I learned from him that the schoolmaster was one of the friars who +had lately been expelled from the convent, that he was a very learned +man, and spoke French and Greek. We passed a stone cross, and +the boy bent his head and crossed himself with much devotion. +I mention this circumstance, as it was the first instance of the kind +which I had observed amongst the Portuguese since my arrival. +When near the house where the schoolmaster resided, he pointed it out +to me, and then hid himself behind a wall, where he awaited my return.<br> +<br> +On stepping over the threshold I was confronted by a short stout man, +between sixty and seventy years of age, dressed in a blue jerkin and +grey trousers, without shirt or waistcoat; he looked at me sternly, +and enquired in the French language what was my pleasure. I apologised +for intruding upon him, and stated that, being informed he occupied +the situation of schoolmaster, I had come to pay my respects to him +and to beg permission to ask a few questions respecting the seminary. +He answered that whoever told me he was a schoolmaster lied, for that +he was a friar of the convent and nothing else. “It is not +then true,” said I, “that all the convents have been broken +up and the monks dismissed?” “Yes, yes,” said +he with a sigh, “it is true; it is but too true.” +He then was silent for a minute, and his better nature overcoming his +angry feelings, he produced a snuff-box and offered it to me. +The snuff-box is the olive-branch of the Portuguese, and he who wishes +to be on good terms with them must never refuse to dip his finger and +thumb into it when offered. I took therefore a huge pinch, though +I detest the dust, and we were soon on the best possible terms. +He was eager to obtain news, especially from Lisbon and Spain. +I told him that the officers of the troops at Lisbon had, the day before +I left that place, gone in a body to the queen and insisted upon her +either receiving their swords or dismissing her ministers; whereupon +he rubbed his hands and said that he was sure matters would not remain +tranquil at Lisbon. On my saying, however, that I thought the +affairs of Don Carlos were on the decline (this was shortly after the +death of Zumalacarregui), he frowned, and cried that it could not possibly +be, for that God was too just to suffer it. I felt for the poor +man who had been driven out of his home in the noble convent close by, +and from a state of affluence and comfort reduced in his old age to +indigence and misery, for his present dwelling scarcely seemed to contain +an article of furniture. I tried twice or thrice to induce him +to converse about the school, but he either avoided the subject or said +shortly that he knew nothing about it. On my leaving him, the +boy came from his hiding-place and rejoined me; he said that he had +hidden himself through fear of his master’s knowing that he had +brought me to him, for that he was unwilling that any stranger should +know that he was a schoolmaster.<br> +<br> +I asked the boy whether he or his parents were acquainted with the Scripture +and ever read it; he did not, however, seem to understand me. +I must here observe that the boy was fifteen years of age, that he was +in many respects very intelligent, and had some knowledge of the Latin +language; nevertheless he knew not the Scripture even by name, and I +have no doubt, from what I subsequently observed, that at least two-thirds +of his countrymen are on that important point no wiser than himself. +At the doors of village inns, at the hearths of the rustics, in the +fields where they labour, at the stone fountains by the wayside where +they water their cattle, I have questioned the lower class of the children +of Portugal about the Scripture, the Bible, the Old and New Testament, +and in no one instance have they known what I was alluding to, or could +return me a rational answer, though on all other matters their replies +were sensible enough; indeed, nothing surprised me more than the free +and unembarrassed manner in which the Portuguese peasantry sustain a +conversation, and the purity of the language in which they express their +thoughts, and yet few of them can read or write; whereas the peasantry +of England, whose education is in general much superior, are in their +conversation coarse and dull almost to brutality, and absurdly ungrammatical +in their language, though the English tongue is upon the whole more +simple in its structure than the Portuguese.<br> +<br> +On my return to Lisbon I found our friend -, who received me very kindly. +The next ten days were exceedingly rainy, which prevented me from making +any excursions into the country: during this time I saw our friend frequently, +and had long conversations with him concerning the best means of distributing +the gospel. He thought we could do no better for the present than +put part of our stock into the hands of the booksellers of Lisbon, and +at the same time employ colporteurs to hawk the books about the streets, +receiving a certain profit off every copy they sold. This plan +was agreed upon and forthwith put in practice, and with some success. +I had thought of sending colporteurs into the neighbouring villages, +but to this our friend objected. He thought the attempt dangerous, +as it was very possible that the rural priesthood, who still possessed +much influence in their own districts, and who were for the most part +decided enemies to the spread of the gospel, might cause the men employed +to be assassinated or ill-treated.<br> +<br> +I determined, however, ere leaving Portugal, to establish dépots +of Bibles in one or two of the provincial towns. I wished to visit +the Alemtejo, which I had heard was a very benighted region. The +Alemtejo means the province beyond the Tagus. This province is +not beautiful and picturesque, like most other parts of Portugal: there +are few hills and mountains, the greater part consists of heaths broken +by knolls, and gloomy dingles, and forests of stunted pine; these places +are infested with banditti. The principal city is Evora, one of +the most ancient in Portugal, and formerly the seat of a branch of the +Inquisition, yet more cruel and baneful than the terrible one of Lisbon. +Evora lies about sixty miles from Lisbon, and to Evora I determined +on going with twenty Testaments and two Bibles. How I fared there +will presently be seen.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER II<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Boatmen of the Tagus - Dangers of the Stream - Aldea Gallega - The Hostelry +- Robbers - Sabocha - Adventure 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 Sadducees.<br> +<br> +On the afternoon of the sixth of December I set out for Evora, accompanied +by my servant. I had been informed that the tide would serve for +the regular passage-boats, or felouks, as they are called, at about +four o’clock, but on reaching the side of the Tagus opposite to +Aldea Gallega, between which place and Lisbon the boats ply, I found +that the tide would not permit them to start before eight o’clock. +Had I waited for them I should have probably landed at Aldea Gallega +about midnight, and I felt little inclination to make my entrée +in the Alemtejo at that hour; therefore, as I saw small boats which +can push off at any time lying near in abundance, I determined upon +hiring one of them for the passage, though the expense would be thus +considerably increased. I soon agreed with a wild-looking lad, +who told me that he was in part owner of one of the boats, to take me +over. I was not aware of the danger in crossing the Tagus at its +broadest part, which is opposite Aldea Gallega, at any time, but especially +at close of day in the winter season, or I should certainly not have +ventured. The lad and his comrade, a miserable looking object, +whose only clothing, notwithstanding the season, was a tattered jerkin +and trousers, rowed until we had advanced about half a mile from the +land; they then set up a large sail, and the lad, who seemed to direct +everything and to be the principal, took the helm and steered. +The evening was now setting in; the sun was not far from its bourne +in the horizon, the air was very cold, the wind was rising, and the +waves of the noble Tagus began to be crested with foam. I told +the boy that it was scarcely possible for the boat to carry so much +sail without upsetting, upon which he laughed, and began to gabble in +a most incoherent manner. He had the most harsh and rapid articulation +that has ever come under my observation in any human being; it was the +scream of the hyena blended with the bark of the terrier, though it +was by no means an index of his disposition, which I soon found to be +light, merry, and anything but malevolent, for when I, in order to show +him that I cared little about him, began to hum “<i>Eu que sou +Contrabandista</i>,” he laughed heartily and said, clapping me +on the shoulder, that he would not drown us if he could help it. +The other poor fellow seemed by no means averse to go to the bottom; +he sat at the fore part of the boat looking the image of famine, and +only smiled when the waters broke over the weather side and soaked his +scanty habiliments. In a little time I had made up my mind that +our last hour was come; the wind was getting higher, the short dangerous +waves were more foamy, the boat was frequently on its beam, and the +water came over the lee side in torrents; but still the wild lad at +the helm held on laughing and chattering, and occasionally yelling out +part of the Miguelite air, “<i>Quando el Rey chegou</i>” +the singing of which in Lisbon is imprisonment.<br> +<br> +The stream was against us, but the wind was in our favour, and we sprang +along at a wonderful rate, 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 commences, for +we should not then have to battle with the waves of the stream, which +the adverse wind lashed into fury. It was the will of the Almighty +to permit us speedily to gain this shelter, but not before the boat +was nearly filled with water, and we were all wet to the skin. +At about seven o’clock in the evening we reached Aldea Gallega, +shivering with cold and in a most deplorable plight.<br> +<br> +Aldea Gallega, or the Galician Village (for the two words are Spanish, +and have that signification), it a place containing, I should think, +about four thousand inhabitants. It was pitchy dark when we landed, +but rockets soon began to fly about in all directions, illuming the +air far and wide. As we passed along the dirty unpaved street +which leads to the Largo, or square in which the inn is situated, a +horrible uproar of drums and voices assailed our ears. On inquiring +the cause of all this bustle, I was informed that it was the eve of +the Conception of the Virgin.<br> +<br> +As it was not the custom of the people at the inn to furnish provisions +for the guests, I wandered about in search of food; and at last seeing +some soldiers eating and drinking in a species of wine-house, I went +in and asked the people to let me have some supper, and in a short time +they furnished me with a tolerable meal, for which, however, they charged +three crowns.<br> +<br> +Having engaged with a person for mules to carry us to Evora, which were +to be ready at five next morning, I soon retired to bed, my servant +sleeping in the same apartment, which was the only one in the house +vacant. I closed not my eyes during the whole night. Beneath +us was a stable, in which some almocreves, or carriers, slept with their +mules; at our back, in the yard, was a pigsty. How could I sleep? +The hogs grunted, the mules screamed, and the almocreves snored most +horribly. I heard the village clock strike the hours until midnight, +and from midnight till four in the morning, when I sprang up and began +to dress, and despatched my servant to hasten the man with the mules, +for I was heartily tired of the place and wanted to leave it. +An old man, bony and hale, accompanied by a barefooted lad, brought +the beasts, which were tolerably good. He was the proprietor of +them, and intended, with the lad, who was his nephew, to accompany us +to Evora.<br> +<br> +When we started, the moon was shining brightly, and the morning was +piercingly cold. We soon entered on a sandy hollow way, emerging +from which we passed by a strange-looking and large edifice, standing +on a high bleak sand-hill on our left. We were speedily overtaken +by five or six men on horseback, riding at a rapid pace, each with a +long gun slung at his saddle, the muzzle depending about two feet below +the horse’s belly. I inquired of the old man what was the +reason of this warlike array. He answered, that the roads were +very bad (meaning that they abounded with robbers), and that they went +armed in this manner for their defence; they soon turned off to the +right towards Palmella.<br> +<br> +We reached a sandy plain studded with stunted pine; the road was little +more than a footpath, and as we proceeded, the trees thickened and became +a wood, which extended for two leagues, with clear spaces at intervals, +in which herds of cattle and sheep were feeding; the bells attached +to their necks were ringing lowly and monotonously. The sun was +just beginning to show itself; but the morning was misty and dreary, +which, together with the aspect of desolation which the country exhibited, +had an unfavourable effect on my spirits. I got down and walked, +entering into conversation with the old man. He seemed to have +but one theme, “the robbers,” and the atrocities they were +in the habit of practising in the very spots we were passing. +The tales he told were truly horrible, and to avoid them I mounted again, +and rode on considerably in front.<br> +<br> +In about an hour and a half we emerged from the forest, and entered +upon a savage, wild, broken ground, covered with mato, or brushwood. +The mules stopped to drink at a shallow pool, and on looking to the +right I saw a ruined wall. This, the guide informed me, was the +remains of Vendas Velhas, or the Old Inn, formerly the haunt of the +celebrated robber Sabocha. This Sabocha, it seems, had, some sixteen +years ago, a band of about forty ruffians at his command, who infested +these wilds, and supported themselves by plunder. For a considerable +time Sabocha pursued his atrocious trade unsuspected, and many an unfortunate +traveller was murdered in the dead of night at the solitary inn by the +wood-side, which he kept; indeed, a more fit situation for plunder and +murder I never saw. The gang were in the habit of watering their +horses at the pool, and perhaps of washing therein their hands stained +with the blood of their victims; the lieutenant of the troop was the +brother of Sabocha, a fellow of great strength and ferocity, particularly +famous for the skill he possessed in darting a long knife, with which +he was in the habit of transfixing his opponents. Sabocha’s +connection with the gang at length became known, and he fled, with the +greater part of his associates, across the Tagus to the northern provinces. +Himself and his brothers eventually lost their lives on the road to +Coimbra, in an engagement with the military. His house was razed +by order of the government.<br> +<br> +The ruins are still frequently visited by banditti, who eat and drink +amidst them, and look out for prey, as the place commands a view of +the road. The old man assured me, that about two months previous, +on returning to Aldea Gallega with his mules from accompanying some +travellers, he had been knocked down, stripped naked, and all his money +taken from him, by a fellow whom he believed came from this murderers’ +nest. He said that he was an exceedingly powerful young man, with +immense moustaches and whiskers, and was armed with an espingarda, or +musket. About ten days subsequently he saw the robber at Vendas +Novas, where we should pass the night. The fellow on recognising +him took him aside, and, with horrid imprecations, threatened that he +should never be permitted to return home if he attempted to discover +him; he therefore held his peace, as there was little to be gained and +everything to be risked in apprehending him, as he would have been speedily +set at liberty for want of evidence to criminate him, and then he would +not have failed to have had his revenge, or would have been anticipated +therein by his comrades.<br> +<br> +I dismounted and went up to the place, and saw the vestiges of a fire +and a broken bottle. The sons of plunder had been there very lately. +I left a New Testament and some tracts amongst the ruins, and hastened +away.<br> +<br> +The sun had dispelled the mists and was beaming very hot; we rode on +for about an hour, when I heard the neighing of a horse in our rear, +and our guide said there was a party of horsemen behind; our mules were +good, and they did not overtake us for at least twenty minutes. +The headmost rider was a gentleman in a fashionable travelling dress; +a little way behind were an officer, two soldiers, and a boy in livery. +I heard the principal horseman, on overtaking my servant, inquiring +who I was, and whether French or English. He was told I was an +English gentleman, travelling. He then asked whether I understood +Portuguese; the man said I understood it, but he believed that I spoke +French and Italian better. The gentleman then spurred on his horse +and accosted me, not in Portuguese, nor in French or Italian, but in +the purest English that I ever heard spoken by a foreigner; it had, +indeed, nothing of foreign accent or pronunciation in it; and had I +not known, by the countenance of the speaker, that he was no Englishman, +(for there is a peculiarity in the countenance, as everybody knows, +which, though it cannot be described, is sure to betray the Englishman), +I should have concluded that I was in company with a countryman. +We continued discoursing until we arrived at Pegoens.<br> +<br> +Pegoens consists of about two or three houses and an inn; there is likewise +a species of barrack, where half a dozen soldiers are stationed. +In the whole of Portugal there is no place of worse reputation, and +the inn is nick-named <i>Estalagem de Ladroes, </i>or the hostelry of +thieves; for it is there that the banditti of the wilderness, which +extends around it on every side for leagues, are in the habit of coming +and spending the money, the fruits of their criminal daring; there they +dance and sing, eat fricasseed rabbits and olives, and drink the muddy +but strong wine of the Alemtejo. An enormous fire, fed by the +trunk of a cork tree, was blazing in a niche on the left hand on entering +the spacious kitchen. Close by it, seething, were several large +jars, which emitted no disagreeable odour, and reminded me that I had +not broken my fast, although it was now nearly one o’clock, and +I had ridden five leagues. Several wild-looking men, who if they +were not banditti might easily be mistaken for such, were seated on +logs about the fire. I asked them some unimportant questions, +to which they replied with readiness and civility, and one of them, +who said he could read, accepted a tract which I offered him.<br> +<br> +My new friend, who had been bespeaking dinner, or rather breakfast, +now, with great civility, invited me to partake of it, and at the same +time introduced me to the officer who accompanied him, and who was his +brother, and also spoke English, though not so well as himself. +I found I had become acquainted with Don Geronimo Joze D’Azveto, +secretary to the government at Evora; his brother belonged to a regiment +of hussars, whose headquarters were at Evora, but which had outlying +parties along the road, - for example, the place where we were stopping.<br> +<br> +Rabbits at Pegoens seem to be a standard article of food, being produced +in abundance on the moors around. We had one fried, the gravy +of which was delicious, and afterwards a roasted one, which was brought +up on a dish entire; the hostess, having first washed her hands, proceeded +to tear the animal to pieces, which having accomplished, she poured +over the fragments a sweet sauce. I ate heartily of both dishes, +particularly of the last; owing, perhaps, to the novel and curious manner +in which it was served up. Excellent figs, from the Algarves, +and apples concluded our repast, which we ate in a little side room +with a mud floor, which sent such a piercing chill into my system, as +prevented me from deriving that pleasure from my fare and my agreeable +companions that I should have otherwise experienced.<br> +<br> +Don Geronimo had been educated in England, in which country he passed +his boyhood, which in a certain degree accounted for his proficiency +in the English language, the idiom and pronunciation of which can only +be acquired by residing in the country at that period of one’s +life. He had also fled thither shortly after the usurpation of +the throne of Portugal by Don Miguel, and from thence had departed to +the Brazils, where he had devoted himself to the service of Don Pedro, +and had followed him in the expedition which terminated in the downfall +of the usurper and the establishment of the constitutional government +in Portugal. Our conversation rolled chiefly on literary and political +subjects, and my acquaintance with the writings of the most celebrated +authors of Portugal was hailed with surprise and delight; for nothing +is more gratifying to a Portuguese than to observe a foreigner taking +an interest in the literature of his nation, of which, in many respects, +he is justly proud.<br> +<br> +At about two o’clock we were once more in the saddle, and pursued +our way in company through a country exactly resembling that which we +had previously been traversing, rugged and broken, with here and there +a clump of pines. The afternoon was exceedingly fine, and the +bright rays of the sun relieved the desolation of the scene. Having +advanced about two leagues, we caught sight of a large edifice towering +majestically in the distance, which I learnt was a royal palace standing +at the farther extremity of Vendas Novas, the village in which we were +to pass the night; it was considerably more than a league from us, yet, +seen through the clear transparent atmosphere of Portugal it appeared +much nearer.<br> +<br> +Before reaching it we passed by a stone cross, on the pedestal of which +was an inscription commemorating a horrible murder of a native of Lisbon, +which had occurred on that spot; it looked ancient, and was covered +with moss, and the greater part of the inscription was illegible, at +least it was to me, who could not bestow much time on its deciphering. +Having arrived at Vendas Novas, and bespoken supper, my new friend and +myself strolled forth to view the palace; it was built by the late king +of Portugal, and presents little that is remarkable in its exterior; +it is a long edifice with wings, and is only two stories high, though +it can be seen afar off, from being situated on elevated ground; it +has fifteen windows in the upper, and twelve in the lower story, with +a paltry-looking door, something like that of a barn, to which you ascend +by one single step; the interior corresponds with the exterior, offering +nothing which can gratify curiosity, if we except the kitchens, which +are indeed magnificent, and so large that food enough might be cooked +in them, at one time, to serve as a repast for all the inhabitants of +the Alemtejo.<br> +<br> +I passed the night with great comfort in a clean bed, remote from all +those noises so rife in a Portuguese inn, and the next morning at six +we again set out on our journey, which we hoped to terminate before +sunset, as Evora is but ten leagues from Vendas Novas. The preceding +morning had been cold, but the present one was far colder, so much so, +that just before sunrise I could no longer support it on horseback, +and therefore dismounting, ran and walked until we reached a few houses +at the termination of these desolate moors. It was in one of these +houses that the commissioners of Don Pedro and Miguel met, and it was +there agreed that the latter should resign the crown in favour of Donna +Maria, for Evora was the last stronghold of the usurper, and the moors +of the Alemtejo the last area of the combats which so long agitated +unhappy Portugal. I therefore gazed on the miserable huts with +considerable interest, and did not fail to scatter in the neighbourhood +several of the precious little tracts with which, together with a small +quantity of Testaments, my carpet bag was provided.<br> +<br> +The country began to improve; the savage heaths were left behind, and +we saw hills and dales, cork trees, and azinheiras, on the last of which +trees grows that kind of sweet acorn called bolotas, which is pleasant +as a chestnut, and which supplies in winter the principal food on which +the numerous swine of the Alemtejo subsist. Gallant swine they +are, with short legs and portly bodies of a black or dark red colour; +and for the excellence of their flesh I can vouch, having frequently +luxuriated upon it in the course of my wanderings in this province; +the lombo, or loin, when broiled on the live embers, is delicious, especially +when eaten with olives.<br> +<br> +We were now in sight of Monte Moro, which, as the name denotes, was +once a fortress of the Moors; it is a high steep hill, on the summit +and sides of which are ruined walls and towers; at its western side +is a deep ravine or valley, through which a small stream rushes, traversed +by a stone bridge; farther down there is a ford, over which we passed +and ascended to the town, which, commencing near the northern base, +passes over the lower ridge towards the north-east. The town is +exceedingly picturesque, and many of the houses are very ancient, and +built in the Moorish fashion. I wished much to examine the relics +of Moorish sway on the upper part of the mountain, but time pressed, +and the short period of our stay at this place did not permit me to +gratify my inclination.<br> +<br> +Monte Moro is the head of a range of hills which cross this part of +the Alemtejo, and from hence they fork east and south-east, towards +the former of which directions lies the direct road to Elvas, Badajos, +and Madrid; and towards the latter that to Evora. A beautiful +mountain, covered to the top with cork trees, is the third of the chain +which skirts the way in the direction of Elvas. It is called Monte +Almo; a brook brawls at its base, and as I passed it the sun was shining +gloriously on the green herbage on which flocks of goats were feeding, +with their bells ringing merrily, so that the <i>tout ensemble </i>resembled +a fairy scene; and that nothing might be wanted to complete the picture, +I here met a man, a goatherd, beneath an azinheira, whose appearance +recalled to my mind the Brute Carle, mentioned in the Danish ballad +of Swayne Vonved:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“A wild swine on his shoulders he kept,<br> +And upon his bosom a black bear slept;<br> +And about his fingers with hair o’erhung,<br> +The squirrel sported and weasel clung.”<br> +<br> +<br> +Upon the shoulder of the goatherd was a beast, which he told me was +a lontra, or otter, which he had lately caught in the neighbouring brook; +it had a string round its neck which was attached to his arm. +At his left side was a bag, from the top of which peered the heads of +two or three singular-looking animals, and at his right was squatted +the sullen cub of a wolf, which he was endeavouring to tame; his whole +appearance was to the last degree savage and wild. After a little +conversation such as those who meet on the road frequently hold, I asked +him if he could read, but he made me no answer. I then inquired +if he knew anything of God or Jesus Christ; he looked me fixedly in +the face for a moment, and then turned his countenance towards the sun, +which was beginning to sink in the west, nodded to it, and then again +looked fixedly upon me. I believe that I understood the mute reply; +which probably was, that it was God who made that glorious light which +illumes and gladdens all creation; and gratified with that belief, I +left him and hastened after my companions, who were by this time a considerable +way in advance.<br> +<br> +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 cities, and the reason is obvious, they are less acquainted +with the works of man’s hands than with those of God; their occupations, +too, which are simple, and requiring less of ingenuity and skill than +those which engage the attention of the other portion of their fellow-creatures, +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 piety. The sneerers and scoffers at religion +do not spring from amongst the simple children of nature, but are the +excrescences of overwrought refinement, and though their baneful influence +has indeed penetrated to the country and corrupted man there, the source +and fountainhead was amongst crowded houses, where nature is scarcely +known. I am not one of those who look for perfection amongst the +rural population of any country; perfection is not to be found amongst +the children of the fall, wherever their abodes may happen to be; but, +until the heart discredits the existence of a God, there is still hope +for the soul of the possessor, however stained with crime he may be, +for even Simon the magician was converted; but when the heart is once +steeled with infidelity, infidelity confirmed by carnal wisdom, an exuberance +of the grace of God is required to melt it, which is seldom manifested; +for we read in the blessed book that the Pharisee and the wizard became +receptacles of grace, but where is there mention made of the conversion +of the sneering Sadducee, and is the modern infidel aught but a Sadducee +of later date?<br> +<br> +It was dark night before we reached Evora, and having taken leave of +my friends, who kindly requested me to consider their house my home, +I and my servant went to the Largo de San Francisco, in which the muleteer +informed me was the best hostelry of the town. We rode into the +kitchen, at the extreme end of which was the stable, as is customary +in Portugal. The house was kept by an aged gypsy-like female and +her daughter, a fine blooming girl about eighteen years of age. +The house was large; in the upper storey was a very long room, like +a granary, which extended nearly the whole length of the house; the +farther part was partitioned off and formed a chamber tolerably comfortable +but very cold, and the floor was of tiles, as was also that of the large +room in which the muleteers were accustomed to sleep on the furniture +of the mules. After supper I went to bed, and having offered up +my devotions to Him who had protected me through a dangerous journey, +I slept soundly till the morning.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER III<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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-Fé - Men from Spain - Reading of a Tract - New Arrival +- The Herb Rosemary.<br> +<br> +Evora is a small city, walled, but not regularly fortified, and could +not sustain a siege of a day. It has five gates; before that to +the south-west is the principal promenade of its inhabitants: the fair +on St. John’s day is likewise held there; the houses are in general +very ancient, and many of them unoccupied. It contains about five +thousand inhabitants, though twice that number would be by no means +disproportionate to its size. The two principal edifices are the +See, or cathedral, and the convent of San Francisco, in the square before +the latter of which was situated the posada where I had taken up my +abode. A large barrack for cavalry stands on the right-hand side, +on entering the south-west gate. To the south-east, at the distance +of six leagues, is to be seen a blue chain of hills, the highest of +which is called Serra Dorso; it is picturesquely beautiful, and contains +within its recesses wolves and wild boars in numbers. About a +league and a half on the other side of this hill is Estremos.<br> +<br> +I passed the day succeeding my arrival principally in examining the +town and its environs, and, as I strolled about, entering into conversation +with various people that I met; several of these were of the middle +class, shopkeepers and professional men; they were all Constitutionalists, +or pretended to be so, but had very little to say except a few commonplace +remarks on the way of living of the friars, their hypocrisy and laziness. +I endeavoured to obtain some information respecting the state of instruction +in the place, and from their answers was led to believe that it must +be at the lowest ebb, for it seemed that there was neither book-shop +nor school. When I spoke of religion, they exhibited the utmost +apathy for the subject, and making their bows left me as soon as possible.<br> +<br> +Having a letter of introduction to a person who kept a shop in the market-place, +I went thither and delivered it to him as he stood behind his counter. +In the course of conversation, I found that he had been much persecuted +whilst the old system was in its vigour, and that he entertained a hearty +aversion for it. I told him that the ignorance of the people in +religious matters had served to nurse that system, and that the surest +way to prevent its return was to enlighten their minds: I added that +I had brought a small stock of Bibles and Testaments to Evora, which +I wished to leave for sale in the hands of some respectable merchant, +and that it he were anxious to help to lay the axe to the root of superstition +and tyranny, he could not do so more effectually than by undertaking +the charge of these books. He declared his willingness to do so, +and I went away determined to entrust to him half of my stock. +I returned to the hostelry, and sat down on a log of wood on the hearth +within the immense chimney in the common apartment; two surly looking +men were on their knees on the stones; before them was a large heap +of pieces of old iron, brass, and copper; they were assorting it, and +stowing it away in various bags. They were Spanish contrabandistas +of the lowest class, and earned a miserable livelihood by smuggling +such rubbish from Portugal into Spain. Not a word proceeded from +their lips, and when I addressed them in their native language, they +returned no other answer than a kind of growl. They looked as +dirty and rusty as the iron in which they trafficked; their four miserable +donkeys were in the stable in the rear.<br> +<br> +The woman of the house and her daughter were exceedingly civil to me, +and coming near crouched down, asking various questions about England. +A man dressed somewhat like an English sailor, who sat on the other +side of the hearth confronting me, said, “I hate the English, +for they are not baptized, and have not the law,” meaning the +law of God. I laughed, and told him that according to the law +of England, no one who was unbaptized could be buried in consecrated +ground; whereupon he said, “Then you are stricter than we.” +He then said, “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 St. Ubes?” I said they were the arms of England! +“Yes,” he replied, “but what do they represent?” +I said I did not know. “Then,” said he, “you +do not know the secrets of your own house.” I said, “Suppose +I were to tell you that they represent the Lion of Bethlehem, and the +horned monster of the flaming pit in combat, as to which should obtain +the mastery in England, what would you say?” He replied, +“I should say that you gave a fair answer.” This man +and myself became great friends; he came from Palmella, not far from +St. Ubes; he had several mules and horses with him, and dealt in corn +and barley. I again walked out and roamed in the environs of the +town.<br> +<br> +About half a mile from the southern wall is a stone fountain, where +the muleteers and other people who visit the town are accustomed to +water their horses. I sat down by it, and there I remained about +two hours, entering into conversation with every one who halted at the +fountain; and I will here observe, that during the time of my sojourn +at Evora, I repeated my visit every day, and remained there the same +time; and by following this plan, I believe that I spoke to at least +two hundred of the children of Portugal upon matters relating to their +eternal welfare. I found that very few of those whom I addressed +had received any species of literary education, none of them had seen +the Bible, and not more than half a dozen had the slightest inkling +of what the holy book consisted. I found that most of them were +bigoted Papists and Miguelites at heart. I therefore, when they +told me they were Christians, denied the possibility of their being +so, as they were ignorant of Christ and His commandments, and placed +their hope of salvation on outward forms and superstitious observances, +which were the invention of Satan, who wished to keep them in darkness +that at last they might stumble into the pit which he had dug for them. +I said repeatedly that the Pope, whom they revered, was an arch deceiver, +and the head minister of Satan here on earth, and that the monks and +friars, whose absence they so deplored, and to whom they had been accustomed +to confess themselves, were his subordinate agents. When called +upon for proofs, I invariably cited the ignorance of my auditors respecting +the Scriptures, and said that if their spiritual guides had been really +ministers of Christ, they would not have permitted their flocks to remain +unacquainted with His Word.<br> +<br> +Since this occurred, I have been frequently surprised that I experienced +no insult and ill-treatment from the people, whose superstitions I was +thus attacking; but I really experienced none, and am inclined to believe +that the utter fearlessness which I displayed, trusting in the Protection +of the Almighty, may have been the cause. When threatened by danger, +the best policy is to fix your eye steadily upon it, and it will in +general vanish like the morning mist before the sun; whereas, if you +quail before it, it is sure to become more imminent. I have fervent +hope that the words of my mouth sank deep into the hearts of some of +my auditors, as I observed many of them depart musing and pensive. +I occasionally distributed tracts amongst them; for although they themselves +were unable to turn them to much account, I thought that by their means +they might become of service at some future time, and fall into the +hands of others, to whom they might be of eternal interest. Many +a book which is abandoned to the waters is wafted to some remote shore, +and there proves a blessing and a comfort to millions, who are ignorant +from whence it came.<br> +<br> +The next day, which was Friday, I called at the house of my friend Don +Geronimo Azveto. I did not find him there, but was directed to +the see, or episcopal palace, in an apartment of which I found him, +writing, with another gentleman, to whom he introduced me; it was the +governor of Evora, who welcomed me with every mark of kindness and affability. +After some discourse, we went out together to examine an ancient edifice, +which was reported to have served, in bygone times, as a temple to Diana. +Part of it was evidently of Roman architecture, for there was no mistaking +the beautiful light pillars which supported a dome, under which the +sacrifices to the most captivating and poetical divinity of the heathen +theocracy had probably been made; but the original space between the +pillars had been filled up with rubbish of a modern date, and the rest +of the building was apparently of the architecture of the latter end +of the Middle Ages. It was situated at one end of the building +which had once been the seat of the Inquisition, and had served, before +the erection of the present see, as the residence of the bishop.<br> +<br> +Within the see, where the governor now resides, is a superb library, +occupying an immense vaulted room, like the aisle of a cathedral, and +in a side apartment is a collection of paintings by Portuguese artists, +chiefly portraits, amongst which is that of Don Sebastian. I sincerely +hope it did not do him justice, for it represents him in the shape of +an awkward lad of about eighteen, with a bloated booby face with staring +eyes, and a ruff round a short apoplectic neck.<br> +<br> +I was shown several beautifully illuminated missals and other manuscripts; +but the one which most arrested my attention, I scarcely need say why, +was that which bore the following title:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“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 +Willm. Sav. Decanu capelle supradicte.”<br> +<br> +<br> +It seemed a voice from the olden times of my dear native land! +This library and picture gallery had been formed by one of the latter +bishops, a person of much learning and piety.<br> +<br> +In the evening I dined with Don Geronimo and his brother; the latter +soon left us to attend to his military duties. My friend and myself +had now much conversation of considerable interest; he lamented the +deplorable state of ignorance in which his countrymen existed at present. +He said that his friend the governor and himself were endeavouring to +establish a school in the vicinity, and that they had made application +to the government for the use of an empty convent, called the Espinheiro, +or thorn tree, at about a league’s distance, and that they had +little doubt of their request being complied with. I had before +told him who I was, and after expressing joy at the plan which he had +in contemplation, 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 receive, and added, that half +the Bibles and Testaments which I had brought with me to Evora were +heartily at his service; he instantly gave me his hand, said he accepted +my offer with the greatest pleasure, and would do all in his power to +forward my views, which were in many respects his own. I now told +him that I did not come to Portugal with the view of propagating the +dogmas of any particular sect, but with the hope of introducing the +Bible, which is the well-head of all that is useful and conducive to +the happiness of society, - that I cared not what people called themselves, +provided they followed the Bible as a guide; for that where the Scriptures +were read, neither priestcraft nor tyranny could long exist, and instanced +the case of my own country, the cause of whose freedom and prosperity +was the Bible, and that only, as the last persecutor of this book, the +bloody and infamous Mary, was the last tyrant who had sat on the throne +of England. We did not part till the night was considerably advanced, +and the next morning I sent him the books, 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 Alemtejo.<br> +<br> +The day after this interesting event, which was Saturday, I had more +conversation with the man from Palmella. I asked him if in his +journeys he had never been attacked by robbers; he answered no, for +that he generally travelled in company with others. “However,” +said he, “were I alone I should have little fear, for I am well +protected.” I said that I supposed he carried arms with +him. “No other arms than this,” said he, pulling out +one of those long desperate looking knives, of English manufacture, +with which every Portuguese peasant is usually furnished. This +knife serves for many purposes, and I should consider it a far more +efficient weapon than a dagger. “But,” said he, “I +do not place much confidence in the knife.” I then inquired +in what rested his hope of protection. “In this,” +said he: and unbuttoning his waistcoat, he showed me a small bag, attached +to his neck by a silken string. “In this bag is an oracam, +or prayer, written by a person of power, and as long as I carry it about +with me, no ill can befall me.” Curiosity is the leading +feature of my character, and I instantly said, with eagerness, that +I should feel great pleasure in being permitted to read the prayer. +“Well,” he replied, “you are my friend, and I would +do for you what I would for few others, I will show it you.” +He then asked for my penknife, and having unripped the bag, took out +a large piece of paper closely folded up. I hurried to my apartment +and commenced the examination of it. It was scrawled over in a +very illegible hand, and was moreover much stained with perspiration, +so that I had considerable difficulty in making myself master of its +contents, but I at last accomplished the following literal translation +of the charm, which was written in bad Portuguese, but which struck +me at the time as being one of the most remarkable compositions that +had ever come to my knowledge.<br> +<br> +<br> +THE CHARM<br> +<br> +<br> +“Just Judge and divine Son of the Virgin Maria, who wast born +in Bethlehem, a Nazarene, and wast crucified in the midst of all Jewry, +I beseech thee, O Lord, by thy sixth day, that the body of me be not +caught, nor put to death by the hands of justice at all; peace be with +you, the peace of Christ, may I receive peace, may you receive peace, +said God to his disciples. If the accursed justice should distrust +me, or have its eyes on me, in order to take me or to rob me, may its +eyes not see me, may its mouth not speak to me, may it have ears which +may not hear me, may it have hands which may not seize me, may it have +feet which may not overtake me; for may I be armed with the arms of +St. George, covered with the cloak of Abraham, and shipped in the ark +of Noah, so that it can neither see me, nor hear me, nor draw the blood +from my body. I also adjure thee, O Lord, by those three blessed +crosses, by those three blessed chalices, by those three blessed clergymen, +by those three consecrated hosts, that thou give me that sweet company +which thou gavest to the Virgin Maria, from the gates of Bethlehem to +the portals of Jerusalem, that I may go and come with pleasure and joy +with Jesus Christ, the Son of the Virgin Maria, the prolific yet nevertheless +the eternal virgin.”<br> +<br> +<br> +The woman of the house and her daughter had similar bags attached to +their necks, containing charms, which, they said, prevented the witches +having power to harm them. The belief in witchcraft is very prevalent +amongst the peasantry of the Alemtejo, and I believe of other provinces +of Portugal. This is one of the relies of the monkish system, +the aim of which, in all countries where it has existed, seems to have +been to beset the minds of the people, that they might be more easily +misled. All these charms were fabrications of the monks, who had +sold them to their infatuated confessants. The monks of the Greek +and Syrian churches likewise deal in this ware, which they know to be +poison, but which they would rather vend than the wholesome balm of +the gospel, because it brings them a large price, and fosters the delusion +which enables them to live a life of luxury.<br> +<br> +The Sunday morning was fine, and the plain before the church of the +convent of San Francisco was crowded with people hastening to or returning +from the mass. After having performed my morning devotion, and +breakfasted, I went down to the kitchen; the girl Geronima was seated +by the fire. I inquired if she had heard mass? She replied +in the negative, and that she did not intend to hear it. Upon +my inquiring her motive for absenting herself, she replied, that since +the friars had been expelled from their churches and convents she had +ceased to attend mass, or to confess herself; for that the government +priests had no spiritual power, and consequently she never troubled +them. She said the friars were holy men and charitable; for that +every morning those of the convent over the way fed forty poor persons +with the relics of the meals of the preceding day, but that now these +people were allowed to starve. I replied, that the friars, who +lived on the fat of the land, could well afford to bestow a few bones +upon their poor, and that their doing so was merely a part of their +policy, by which they hoped to secure to themselves friends in time +of need. The girl then observed, that as it was Sunday, I should +perhaps like to see some books, and without waiting for a reply she +produced them. They consisted principally of popular stories, +with lives and miracles of saints, but amongst them was a translation +of Volney’s <i>Ruins of Empires. </i>I expressed a wish +to know how she became possessed of this book. She said that a +young man, a great Constitutionalist, had given it to her some months +previous, and had pressed her much to read it, for that it was one of +the best books in the world. I replied, that the author of it +was an emissary of Satan, and an enemy of Jesus Christ and the souls +of mankind; that it was written with the sole aim of bringing all religion +into contempt, and that it inculcated the doctrine that there was no +future state, nor reward for the righteous nor punishment for the wicked. +She made no reply, but going into another room, returned with her apron +full of dry sticks and brushwood, all which she piled upon the fire, +and produced a bright blaze. She then took the book from my hand +and placed it upon the flaming pile; then sitting down, took her rosary +out of her pocket and told her beads till the volume was consumed. +This was an <i>auto da fé</i> in the best sense of the word.<br> +<br> +On the Monday and Tuesday I paid my usual visits to the fountain, and +likewise rode about the neighbourhood on a mule, for the purpose of +circulating tracts. I dropped a great many in the favourite walks +of the people of Evora, as I felt rather dubious of their accepting +them had I proffered them with my own hand, whereas, should they be +observed lying on the ground, I thought that curiosity might cause them +to be picked up and examined. I likewise, on the Tuesday evening, +paid a farewell visit to my friend Azveto, as it was my intention to +leave Evora on the Thursday following and return to Lisbon; in which +view I had engaged a calash of a man who informed me that he had served +as a soldier in the grande armée of Napoleon, and been present +in the Russian campaign. He looked the very image of a drunkard. +His face was covered with carbuncles, and his breath impregnated with +the fumes of strong waters. He wished much to converse with me +in French, in the speaking of which language it seemed he prided himself, +but I refused, and told him to speak the language of the country, or +I would hold no discourse with him.<br> +<br> +Wednesday was stormy, with occasional rain. On coming down, I +found that my friend from Palmella had departed: but several contrabandistas +had arrived from Spain. They were mostly fine fellows, and unlike +the two I had seen the preceding week, who were of much lower degree, +were chatty and communicative; they spoke their native language, and +no other, and seemed to hold the Portuguese in great contempt. +The magnificent tones of the Spanish sounded to great advantage amidst +the shrill squeaking dialect of Portugal. I was soon in deep conversation +with them, and was much pleased to find that all of them could read. +I presented the eldest, a man of about fifty years of age, with a tract +in Spanish. He examined it for some time with great attention; +he then rose from his seat, and going into the middle of the apartment, +began reading it aloud, slowly and emphatically; his companions gathered +around him, and every now and then expressed their approbation of what +they heard. The reader occasionally called upon me to explain +passages which, as they referred to particular texts of Scripture, he +did not exactly understand, for not one of the party had ever seen either +the Old or New Testament.<br> +<br> +He continued reading for upwards of an hour, until he had finished the +tract; and, at its conclusion, the whole party were clamorous for similar +ones, with which I was happy to be able to supply them.<br> +<br> +Most of these men spoke of priestcraft and the monkish system with the +utmost abhorrence, and said that they should prefer death to submitting +again to the yoke which had formerly galled their necks. I questioned +them very particularly respecting the opinion of their neighbours and +acquaintances on this point, and they assured me that in their part +of the Spanish frontier all were of the same mind, and that they cared +as little for the Pope and his monks as they did for Don Carlos; for +the latter was a dwarf <i>(chicotito) </i>and a tyrant, and the others +were plunderers and robbers. I told them they must beware of confounding +religion with priestcraft, 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 salvation, and whose word it was incumbent upon them to study +on every occasion; whereupon they all expressed a devout belief in Christ +and the Virgin.<br> +<br> +These men, though in many respects more enlightened than the surrounding +peasantry, were in others as much in the dark; they believed in witchcraft +and in the efficacy of particular charms. The night was very stormy, +and at about nine we heard a galloping towards the door, and then a +loud knocking; it was opened, and in rushed a wild-looking man mounted +on a donkey; he wore a ragged jacket of sheepskin, called in Spanish +zamarra, with breeches of the same as far down as his knees; his legs +were bare. Around his sombrero, or shadowy hat, was tied a large +quantity of the herb which in English is called rosemary, in Spanish +romero, and in the rustic language of Portugal, alecrim; which last +is a word of Scandinavian origin <i>(ellegren), </i>signifying the elfin +plant, and was probably carried into the south by the Vandals. +The man seemed frantic with terror, and said that the witches had been +pursuing him and hovering over his head for the last two leagues. +He came from the Spanish frontier with meal and other articles; he said +that his wife was following him and would soon arrive, and in about +a quarter of an hour she made her appearance, dripping with rain, and +also mounted on a donkey.<br> +<br> +I asked my friends the contrabandistas why he wore the rosemary in his +hat; whereupon they told me that it was good against witches and the +mischances on the road. I had no time to argue against this superstition, +for, as the chaise was to be ready at five the next morning, I wished +to make the most of the short time which I could devote to sleep.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER IV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Vexatious Delays - Drunken Driver - The Murdered Mule - The Lamentation +- Adventure on the Heath - Fear of Darkness - Portuguese Fidalgo - The +Escort - Return to Lisbon.<br> +<br> +I rose at four, and after having taken some refreshment, I descended +and found the strange man and his wife sleeping in the chimney corner +by the fire, which was still burning; they soon awoke and began preparing +their breakfast, which consisted of salt sardinhas, broiled upon the +embers. In the meantime the woman sang snatches of the beautiful +hymn, very common in Spain, which commences thus:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“Once of old upon a mountain, shepherds overcome with sleep,<br> +Near to Bethlem’s holy tower, kept at dead of night their sheep;<br> +Round about the trunk they nodded of a huge ignited oak,<br> +Whence the crackling flame ascending bright and clear the darkness broke.”<br> +<br> +<br> +On hearing that I was about to depart, she said, “You shall have +some of my husband’s rosemary, which will keep you from danger, +and prevent any misfortune occurring.” I was foolish enough +to permit her to put some of it in my hat; and the man having by this +time arrived with his mules, I bade farewell to my friendly hostesses, +and entered the chaise with my servant.<br> +<br> +I remarked at the time, that the mules which drew us were the finest +I had ever seen; the largest could be little short of sixteen hands +high; and the fellow told me in his bad French that he loved them better +than his wife and children. We turned round the corner of the +convent and proceeded down the street which leads to the south-western +gate. The driver now stopped before the door of a large house, +and having alighted, said that it was yet very early, and that he was +afraid to venture forth, as it was very probable we should be robbed, +and himself murdered, as the robbers who resided in the town would be +apprehensive of his discovering them, but that the family who lived +in this house were going to Lisbon, and would depart in about a quarter +of an hour, when we might avail ourselves of an escort of soldiers which +they would take with them, and in their company we should run no danger. +I told him I had no fear, and commanded him to drive on; but he said +he would not, and left us in the street. We waited an hour, when +two carriages came to the door of the house, but it seems the family +were not yet ready, whereupon the coachman likewise got down and went +away. At the expiration of about half an hour the family came +out, and when their luggage had been arranged they called for the coachman, +but he was nowhere to be found. Search was made for him, but ineffectually, +and an hour more was spent before another driver could be procured; +but the escort had not yet made its appearance, and it was not before +a servant had been twice despatched to the barracks that it arrived. +At last everything was ready, and they drove off.<br> +<br> +All this time I had seen nothing of our own coachman, and I fully expected +that he had abandoned us altogether. In a few minutes I saw him +staggering up the street in a state of intoxication, attempting to sing +the Marseillois hymn. I said nothing to him, but sat observing +him. He stood for some time staring at the mules and talking incoherent +nonsense in French. At last he said, “I am not so drunk +but I can ride,” and proceeded to lead his mules towards the gate. +When out of the town he made several ineffectual attempts to mount the +smallest mule which bore the saddle; he at length succeeded, and instantly +commenced spurring at a furious rate down the road. We arrived +at a place where a narrow rocky path branched off, by taking which we +should avoid a considerable circuit round the city wall, which otherwise +it would be necessary to make before we could reach the road to Lisbon, +which lay at the north-east; he now said, “I shall take this path, +for by so doing we shall overtake the family in a minute”; so +into the path we went; it was scarcely wide enough to admit the carriage, +and exceedingly steep and broken; we proceeded; ascending and descending, +the wheels cracked, and the motion was so violent that we were in danger +of being cast out as from a sling. I saw that if we remained in +the carriage it must be broken in pieces, as our weight must insure +its destruction. I called to him in Portuguese to stop, but he +flogged and spurred the beasts the more. My man now entreated +me for God’s sake to speak to him in French, for, if anything +would pacify him, that would. I did so, and entreated him to let +us dismount and walk, till we had cleared this dangerous way. +The result justified Antonio’s anticipation. He instantly +stopped and said, “Sir, you are master, you have only to command +and I shall obey.” We dismounted and walked on till we reached +the great road, when we once more seated ourselves.<br> +<br> +The family were about a quarter of a mile in advance, and we were no +sooner reseated, than he lashed the mules into full gallop for the purpose +of overtaking it; his cloak had fallen from his shoulder, and, in endeavouring +to readjust it, he dropped the string from his hand by which he guided +the large mule, it became entangled in the legs of the poor animal, +which fell heavily on its neck, it struggled for a moment, and then +lay stretched across the way, the shafts over its body. I was +pitched forward into the dirt, and the drunken driver fell upon the +murdered mule.<br> +<br> +I was in a great rage, and cried, “You drunken renegade, who are +ashamed to speak the language of your own country, you have broken the +staff of your existence, and may now starve.” “Paciencia,” +said he, and began kicking the head of the mule, in order to make it +rise; but I pushed him down, and taking his knife, which had fallen +from his pocket, cut the bands by which it was attached to the carriage, +but life had fled, and the film of death had begun to cover its eyes.<br> +<br> +The fellow, in the recklessness of intoxication, seemed at first disposed +to make light of his loss, saying, “The mule is dead, it was God’s +will that she should die, what more can be said? Paciencia.” +Meanwhile, I despatched Antonio to the town for the purpose of hiring +mules, and, having taken my baggage from the chaise, waited on the roadside +until he should arrive.<br> +<br> +The fumes of the liquor began now to depart from the fellow’s +brain; he clasped his hands and exclaimed, “Blessed Virgin, what +is to become of me? How am I to support myself? Where am +I to get another mule! For my mule, my best mule is dead, she +fell upon the road, and died of a sudden! I have been in France, +and in other countries, and have seen beasts of all kinds, but such +a mule as that I have never seen; but she is dead - my mule is dead +- she fell upon the road and died of a sudden!” He continued +in this strain for a considerable time, and the burden of his lamentation +was always, “My mule is dead, she fell upon the road, and died +of a sudden.” At length he took the collar from the creature’s +neck, and put it upon the other, which with some difficulty he placed +in the shafts.<br> +<br> +A beautiful boy of about thirteen now came from the direction of the +town, running along the road with the velocity of a hare: he stopped +before the dead mule and burst into tears: it was the man’s son, +who had heard of the accident from Antonio. This was too much +for the poor fellow: he ran up to the boy, and said, “Don’t +cry, our bread is gone, but it is God’s will; the mule is dead!” +He then flung himself on the ground, uttering fearful cries. “I +could have borne my loss,” said he, “but when I saw my child +cry, I became a fool.” I gave him two or three crowns, and +added some words of comfort; assuring him I had no doubt that, if he +abandoned drink, the Almighty God would take compassion on him and repair +his loss. At length he became more composed, and placing my baggage +in the chaise, we returned to the town, where I found two excellent +riding mules awaiting my arrival at the inn. I did not see the +Spanish woman, or I should have told her of the little efficacy of rosemary +in this instance.<br> +<br> +I have known several drunkards amongst the Portuguese, but, without +one exception, they have been individuals who, having travelled abroad, +like this fellow, have returned with a contempt for their own country, +and polluted with the worst vices of the lands which they have visited.<br> +<br> +I would strongly advise any of my countrymen who may chance to read +these lines, that, if their fate lead them into Spain or Portugal, they +avoid hiring as domestics, or being connected with, individuals of the +lower classes who speak any other language than their own, as the probability +is that they are heartless thieves and drunkards. These gentry +are invariably saying all they can in dispraise of their native land; +and it is my opinion, grounded upon experience, that an individual who +is capable of such baseness would not hesitate at the perpetration of +any villainy, for next to the love of God, the love of country is the +best preventive of crime. He who is proud of his country, will +be particularly cautious not to do anything which is calculated to disgrace +it.<br> +<br> +We now journeyed towards Lisbon, and reached Monte Moro about two o’clock. +After taking such refreshment as the place afforded, 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 crossed. Here +we were overtaken by a horseman; he was a powerful, middle-sized man, +and was mounted on a noble Spanish horse. He had a broad, slouching +sombrero on his head, and wore a jerkin of blue cloth, with large bosses +of silver for buttons, and clasps of the same metal; he had breeches +of yellow leather, and immense jackboots: at his saddle was slung a +formidable gun. He inquired if I intended to pass the night at +Vendas Novas, and on my replying in the affirmative, he said that he +would avail himself of our company. He now looked towards the +sun, whose disk was rapidly sinking beneath the horizon, and entreated +us to spur on and make the most of its light, for that the moor was +a horrible place in the dusk. He placed himself at our head, and +we trotted briskly on, the boy or muleteer who attended us running behind +without exhibiting the slightest symptom of fatigue.<br> +<br> +We entered upon the moor, and had advanced about a mile when dark night +fell around us; we were in a wild path, with high brushwood on either +side, when the rider said that he could not confront the darkness, and +begged me to ride on before, and he would follow after: I could hear +him trembling. I asked the reason of his terror, and he replied +that at one time darkness was the same thing to him as day, but that +of late years he dreaded it, especially in wild places. I complied +with his request, but I was ignorant of the way, and as I could scarcely +see my hand, was continually going wrong. This made the man impatient, +and he again placed himself at our head. We proceeded so for a +considerable way, when he again stopped, and said that the power of +the darkness was too much for him. His horse seemed to be infected +with the same panic, for it shook in every limb. I now told him +to call on the name of the Lord Jesus, who was able to turn the darkness +into light, but he gave a terrible shout, and, brandishing his gun aloft, +discharged it in the air. His horse sprang forward at full speed, +and my mule, which was one of the swiftest of its kind, took fright +and followed at the heels of the charger. Antonio and the boy +were left behind. On we flew like a whirlwind, the hoofs of the +animals illuming the path with the sparks of fire they struck from the +stones. I knew not whither we were going, but the dumb creatures +were acquainted with the way, and soon brought us to Vendas Novas, where +we were rejoined by our companions.<br> +<br> +I thought this man was a coward, but I did him injustice, for during +the day he was as brave as a lion, and feared no one. About five +years since, he had overcome two robbers who had attacked him on the +moors, and, after tying their hands behind them, had delivered them +up to justice; but at night the rustling of a leaf filled him with terror. +I have known similar instances of the kind in persons of otherwise extraordinary +resolution. For myself, I confess I am not a person of extraordinary +resolution, but the dangers of the night daunt me no more than those +of midday. The man in question was a farmer from Evora, and a +person of considerable wealth.<br> +<br> +I found the inn at Vendas Novas thronged with people, and had some difficulty +in obtaining accommodation and refreshment. It was occupied by +the family of a certain Fidalgo, from Estremoz; he was on the way to +Lisbon, conveying a large sum of money, as was said - probably the rents +of his estates. He had with him a body guard of four-and-twenty +of his dependants, each armed with a rifle; they consisted of his swineherds, +shepherds, cowherds, and hunters, and were commanded by two youths, +his son and nephew, the latter of whom was in regimentals; nevertheless, +notwithstanding the number of his troop, it appeared that the Fidalgo +laboured under considerable apprehension of being despoiled upon the +waste which lay between Vendas Novas and Pegoens, as he had just requested +a guard of four soldiers from the officer who commanded a detachment +stationed here: there were many females in his company, who, I was told, +were his illegitimate daughters - for he bore an infamous moral character, +and was represented to me as a staunch friend of Don Miguel. It +was not long before he came up to me and my new acquaintance, as we +sat by the kitchen fire: he was a tall man of about sixty, but stooped +much. His countenance was by no means pleasing: he had a long +hooked nose, small twinkling cunning eyes, and, what I liked worst of +all, a continual sneering smile, which I firmly believe to be the index +of a treacherous and malignant heart. He addressed me in Spanish, +which, as he resided not far from the frontier, he spoke with fluency, +but contrary to my usual practice, I was reserved and silent.<br> +<br> +On the following morning I rose at seven, and found that the party from +Estremoz had started several hours previously. I breakfasted with +my acquaintance of the preceding night, and we set out to accomplish +what remained of our journey. The sun had now arisen; and all +his fears had left him - he breathed defiance against all the robbers +of the Alemtejo. When we had advanced about a league, the boy +who attended us said he saw heads of men amongst the brushwood. +Our cavalier instantly seized his gun, and causing his horse to make +two or three lofty bounds, held it in one hand, the muzzle pointed in +the direction indicated, but the heads did not again make their appearance, +and it was probably but a false alarm.<br> +<br> +We resumed our way, and the conversation turned, as might be expected, +upon robbers. My companion, who seemed to be acquainted with every +inch of ground over which we passed, had a legend to tell of every dingle +and every pine-clump. We reached a slight eminence, on the top +of which grew three stately pines: about half a league farther on was +another similar one: these two eminences commanded a view of the road +from Pegoens and Vendas Novas, so that all people going and coming could +be descried, whilst yet at a distance. My friend told me that +these heights were favourite stations of robbers. Some two years +since, a band of six mounted banditti remained there three days, and +plundered whomsoever approached from either quarter: their horses, saddled +and bridled, stood picqueted at the foot of the trees, and two scouts, +one for each eminence, continually sat in the topmost branches and gave +notice of the approach of travellers: when at a proper distance the +robbers below sprang upon their horses, and putting them to full gallop, +made at their prey, shouting <i>Rendete, Picaro! Rendete</i>,<i> Picaro!</i> +(Surrender, scoundrel, surrender!) We, however, passed unmolested, +and, about a quarter of a mile before we reached Pegoens, overtook the +family of the Fidalgo.<br> +<br> +Had they been conveying the wealth of Ind through the deserts of Arabia, +they could not have travelled with more precaution. The nephew, +with drawn sabre, rode in front; pistols at his holsters, and the usual +Spanish gun slung at his saddle. Behind him tramped six men in +a rank, with muskets shouldered, and each of them wore at his girdle +a hatchet, which was probably intended to cleave the thieves to the +brisket should they venture to come to close quarters. There were +six vehicles, two of them calashes, in which latter rode the Fidalgo +and his daughters; the others were covered carts, and seemed to be filled +with household furniture; each of these vehicles had an armed rustic +on either side; and the son, a lad about sixteen, brought up the rear +with a squad equal to that of his cousin in the van. The soldiers, +who by good fortune were light horse, and admirably mounted, were galloping +about in all directions, for the purpose of driving the enemy from cover, +should they happen to be lurking in the neighbourhood.<br> +<br> +I could not help thinking as I passed by, that this martial array was +very injudicious, for though it was calculated to awe plunderers, it +was likewise calculated to allure them, as it seemed to hint that immense +wealth was passing through their territories. I do not know how +the soldiers and rustics would have behaved in case of an attack; but +am inclined to believe that if three such men as Richard Turpin had +suddenly galloped forth from behind one of the bush-covered knolls, +neither the numbers nor resistance opposed to them would have prevented +them from bearing away the contents of the strong box jingling in their +saddlebags.<br> +<br> +From this moment nothing worthy of relating occurred till our arrival +at Aldea Gallega, where we passed the night, and next morning at three +o’clock embarked in the passage-boat for Lisbon, where we arrived +at eight - and thus terminates my first wandering in the Alemtejo.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER V<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The College - The Rector - Shibboleth - National Prejudices - Youthful +Sports - Jews of Lisbon - Bad Faith - Crime and Superstition - Strange +Proposal.<br> +<br> +One afternoon Antonio said to me, “It has struck me, Senhor, that +your worship would like to see the college of the English - .” +“By all means,” I replied, “pray conduct me thither.” +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 Lisbon; +upon our ringing, a kind of porter presently made his appearance, and +demanded our business. Antonio explained it to him. He hesitated +for a moment; but presently, bidding us enter, conducted us to a large +gloomy-looking stone hall, where, begging us to be seated, he left us. +We were soon joined by a venerable personage, seemingly about seventy, +in a kind of flowing robe or surplice, with a collegiate cap upon his +head. Notwithstanding his age there was a ruddy tinge upon his +features, which were perfectly English. Coming slowly up he addressed +me in the English tongue, requesting to know how he could serve me. +I informed him that I was an English traveller, and should be happy +to be permitted to inspect the college, provided it were customary to +show it to strangers. He informed me that there could be no objection +to accede to my request, but that I came at rather an unfortunate moment, +it being the hour of refection. I apologised, and was preparing +to retire, but he begged me to remain, as, in a few minutes, the refection +would be over, when the principals of the college would do themselves +the pleasure of waiting on me.<br> +<br> +We sat down on the stone bench, when he commenced surveying me attentively +for some time, and then cast his eyes on Antonio. “Whom +have we here?” said he to the latter; “surely your features +are not unknown to me.” “Probably not, your reverence,” +replied Antonio, getting up and bowing most profoundly. “I +lived in the family of the Countess -, at Cintra, when your venerability +was her spiritual guide.” “True, true,” said +the old gentleman, sighing, “I remember you now. Ah, Antonio, +things are strangely changed since then. A new government - a +new system - a new religion, I may say.” Then looking again +at me, he demanded whither I was journeying? “I am going +to Spain,” said I, “and have stopped at Lisbon by the way.” +“Spain, Spain!” said the old man; “surely you have +chosen a strange time to visit Spain; there is much bloodshedding in +Spain at present, and violent wars and tumults.” “I +consider the cause of Don Carlos as already crushed,” I replied; +“he has lost the only general capable of leading his armies to +Madrid. Zumalacarregui, his Cid, has fallen.” “Do +not flatter yourself; I beg your pardon, but do not think, young man, +that the Lord will permit the powers of darkness to triumph so easily; +the cause of Don Carlos is not lost; its success did not depend on the +life of a frail worm like him whom you have mentioned.” +We continued in discourse some little time, when he arose, saying that +by this time he believed the refection was concluded.<br> +<br> +He had scarcely left me five minutes when three individuals entered +the stone hall, and advanced slowly towards me; - the principals of +the college, said I to myself! and so indeed they were. The first +of these gentlemen, and to whom the other two appeared to pay considerable +deference, was a thin spare person, somewhat above the middle height; +his complexion was very pale, his features emaciated but fine, his eyes +dark and sparkling; he might be about fifty - the other two were men +in the prime of life. One was of rather low stature; his features +were dark, and wore that pinched and mortified expression so frequently +to be observed in the countenance of the English -: the other was a +bluff, ruddy, and rather good-looking young man; all three were dressed +alike in the usual college cap and silk gown. Coming up, the eldest +of the three took me by the hand and thus addressed me in clear silvery +tones:-<br> +<br> +“Welcome, Sir, to our poor house; we are always happy to see in +it a countryman from our beloved native land; it will afford us extreme +satisfaction to show you over it; it is true that satisfaction is considerably +diminished by the reflection that it possesses nothing worthy of the +attention of a traveller; there is nothing curious pertaining to it +save perhaps its economy, and that as we walk about we will explain +to you. Permit us, first of all, to introduce ourselves to you; +I am rector of this poor English house of refuge; this gentleman is +our professor of humanity, and this (pointing to the ruddy personage) +is our professor of polite learning, Hebrew, and Syriac.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I humbly salute you all; 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 leisure.<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - O! a most admirable personage, our almoner, our chaplain; +he came into this country before any of us were born, and here he has +continued ever since. Now let us ascend that we may show you our +poor house: but how is this, my dear Sir, how is it that I see you standing +uncovered in our cold damp hall?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I can easily explain that to you; it is a custom which +has become quite natural to me. I am just arrived from Russia, +where I have spent some years. A Russian invariably takes off +his hat whenever he enters beneath a roof, whether it pertain to hut, +shop, or palace. To omit doing so would be considered as a mark +of brutality and barbarism, and for the following reason: in every apartment +of a Russian house there is a small picture of the Virgin stuck up in +a corner, just below the ceiling - the hat is taken off out of respect +to her.<br> +<br> +Quick glances of intelligence were exchanged by the three gentlemen. +I had stumbled upon their shibboleth, and proclaimed myself an Ephraimite, +and not of Gilead. I have no doubt that up to that moment they +had considered me as one of themselves - a member, and perhaps a priest, +of their own ancient, grand, and imposing religion, for such it is, +I must confess - an error into which it was natural that they should +fall. What motives could a Protestant have for intruding upon +their privacy? What interest could he take in inspecting the economy +of their establishment? So far, however, from relaxing in their +attention after this discovery, their politeness visibly increased, +though, perhaps, a scrutinizing observer might have detected a shade +of less cordiality in their manner.<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - Beneath the ceiling in every apartment? I think +I understood you so. How delightful - how truly interesting; a +picture of the <i>Blessed </i>Virgin beneath the ceiling in every apartment +of a Russian house! Truly, this intelligence is as unexpected +as it is delightful. I shall from this moment entertain a much +higher opinion of the Russians than hitherto - most truly an example +worthy of imitation. I wish sincerely that it was our own practice +to place an <i>image </i>of the <i>Blessed </i>Virgin beneath the ceiling +in every corner of our houses. What say you, our professor of +humanity? What say you to the information so obligingly communicated +to us by this excellent gentleman?<br> +<br> +<i>Humanity Professor</i>. - It is, indeed, most delightful, most cheering, +I may say; but I confess that I was not altogether unprepared for it. +The adoration of the Blessed Virgin is becoming every day more extended +in countries where it has hitherto been unknown or forgotten. +Dr. W-, when he passed through Lisbon, gave me some most interesting +details with respect to the labours of the propaganda in India. +Even England, our own beloved country. . . .<br> +<br> +<br> +My obliging friends showed me all over their “poor house,” +it certainly did not appear a very rich one; it was spacious, and rather +dilapidated. The library was small, and possessed nothing remarkable; +the view, however, from the roof, over the greater part of Lisbon and +the Tagus, was very grand and noble; but I did not visit this place +in the hope of seeing busts, or books, or fine prospects, - I visited +this strange old house to converse with its inmates, for my favourite, +I might say, my only study, is man. I found these gentlemen much +what I had anticipated, for this was not the first time that I had visited +an English - establishment in a foreign land. They were full of +amiability and courtesy to their heretic countryman, and though the +advancement of their religion was with them an object of paramount importance, +I soon found that, with ludicrous inconsistency, they cherished, to +a wonderful degree, national prejudices almost extinct in the mother +land, even to the disparagement of those of their own darling faith. +I spoke of the English -, of their high respectability, and of the loyalty +which they had uniformly displayed to their sovereign, though of a different +religion, and by whom they had been not unfrequently subjected to much +oppression and injustice.<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - My dear Sir, I am rejoiced to hear you; I see that +you are well acquainted with the great body of those of our faith in +England. They are as you have well described them, a most respectable +and loyal body; from loyalty, indeed, they never swerved, and though +they have been accused of plots and conspiracies, it is now well known +that such had no real existence, but were merely calumnies invented +by their religious enemies. During the civil wars the English +- cheerfully shed their blood and squandered their fortunes in the cause +of the unfortunate martyr, notwithstanding that he never favoured them, +and invariably looked upon them with suspicion. At present the +English - are the most devoted subjects to our gracious sovereign. +I should be happy if I could say as much for our Irish brethren; but +their conduct has been - oh! detestable. Yet what can you expect? +The true - blush for them. A certain person is a disgrace to the +church of which he pretends to be a servant. Where does he find +in our canons sanction for his proceedings, his undutiful expressions +towards one who is his sovereign by divine right, and who can do no +wrong? And above all, where does he find authority for inflaming +the passions of a vile mob against a nation intended by nature and by +position to command them?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I believe there is an Irish college in this city?<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - I believe there is; but it does not flourish, there +are few or no pupils. Oh!<br> +<br> +I looked through a window, at a great height, and saw about twenty or +thirty fine lads sporting in a court below. “This is as +it should be,” said I; “those boys will not make worse priests +from a little early devotion to trap-ball and cudgel playing. +I dislike a staid, serious, puritanic education, as I firmly believe +that it encourages vice and hypocrisy.”<br> +<br> +We then went into the Rector’s room, where, above a crucifix, +was hanging a small portrait.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - That was a great and portentous man, honest withal. +I believe the body of which he was the founder, and which has been so +much decried, has effected infinitely more good than it has caused harm.<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - What do I hear? You an Englishman, and a Protestant, +and yet an admirer of Ignatius Loyola?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I will say nothing with respect to the doctrine of +the Jesuits, for, as you have observed, I am a Protestant: but I am +ready to assert that there are no people in the world better qualified, +upon the whole, to be intrusted with the education of youth. Their +moral system and discipline are truly admirable. Their pupils, +in after life, are seldom vicious and licentious characters, and are +in general men of learning, science, and possessed of every elegant +accomplishment. I execrate the conduct of the liberals of Madrid +in murdering last year the helpless fathers, 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 Spain, for such are Toreno +and Martinez de la Rosa. . . .<br> +<br> +Gathered in small clusters about the pillars at the lower extremities +of the gold and silver streets in Lisbon, may be observed, about noon +in every day, certain strange looking men, whose appearance is neither +Portuguese nor European. Their dress generally consists of a red +cap, with a blue silken tassel at the top of it, a blue tunic girded +at the waist with a red sash, and wide linen pantaloons or trousers. +He who passes by these groups generally hears them conversing in broken +Spanish or Portuguese, and occasionally in a harsh guttural language, +which the oriental traveller knows to be the Arabic, or a dialect thereof. +These people are the Jews of Lisbon. Into the midst of one of +these groups I one day introduced myself, and pronounced a beraka, or +blessing. I have lived in different parts of the world, much amongst +the Hebrew race, and am well acquainted with their ways and phraseology. +I was rather anxious to become acquainted with the state of the Portuguese +Jews, and I had now an opportunity. “The man is a powerful +rabbi,” said a voice in Arabic; “it behoves us to treat +him kindly.” They welcomed me. I favoured their mistake, +and in a few days I knew all that related to them and their traffic +in Lisbon.<br> +<br> +I found them a vile, infamous rabble, about two hundred in number. +With a few exceptions, they consist of escapados from the Barbary shore, +from Tetuan, from Tangier, but principally from Mogadore; fellows who +have fled to a foreign land from the punishment due to their misdeeds. +Their manner of life in Lisbon is worthy of such a goodly assemblage +of <i>amis reunis. </i>The generality of them pretend to work +in gold and silver, and keep small peddling shops; they, however, principally +depend for their livelihood on an extensive traffic in stolen goods +which they carry on. It is said that there is honour amongst thieves, +but this is certainly not the case with the Jews of Lisbon, for they +are so greedy and avaricious, that they are constantly quarrelling about +their ill-gotten gain, the result being that they frequently ruin each +other. Their mutual jealousy is truly extraordinary. If +one, by cheating and roguery, gains a cruzado in the presence of another, +the latter instantly says I cry halves, and if the first refuse he is +instantly threatened with an information. The manner in which +they cheat each other has, with all its infamy, occasionally something +extremely droll and ludicrous. I was one day in the shop of a +Swiri, or Jew of Mogadore, when a Jew from Gibraltar entered, with a +Portuguese female, who held in her hand a mantle, richly embroidered +with gold.<br> +<br> +<i>Gibraltar Jew </i>(speaking in broken Arabic). - Good-day, O Swiri; +God has favoured me this day; here is a bargain by which we shall both +gain. I have bought this mantle of the woman almost for nothing, +for it is stolen; but I am poor, as you know, I have not a cruzado; +pay her therefore the price, that we may then forthwith sell the mantle +and divide the gain.<br> +<br> +<i>Swiri</i>. - Willingly, brother of Gibraltar; I will pay the woman +for the mantle; it does not appear a bad one.<br> +<br> +Thereupon he flung two cruzados to the woman, who forthwith left the +shop.<br> +<br> +<i>Gibraltar Jew</i>. - Thanks, brother Swirl, this is very kind of +you; now let us go and sell the mantle, the gold alone is well worth +a moidore; but I am poor and have nothing to eat, give me, therefore, +the half of that sum and keep the mantle; I shall be content.<br> +<br> +<i>Swiri</i>. - May Allah blot out your name, you thief. What +mean you by asking me for money? I bought the mantle of the woman +and paid for it. I know nothing of you. Go out of my doors, +dog of a Nazarene, if not I will pay you with a kick.<br> +<br> +The dispute was referred to one of the sabios, or priests; but the sabio, +who was also from Mogadore, at once took the part of the Swiri, and +decided that the other should have nothing. Whereupon the Gibraltar +Jew cursed the sabio, his father, mother, and all his family. +The sabio replied, “I put you in ndui,” a kind of purgatory +or hell. “I put you in seven nduis,” retorted the +incensed Jew, over whom, however, superstitious fear speedily prevailed; +he faltered, became pale, and dropping his voice, retreated, trembling +in every limb.<br> +<br> +The Jews have two synagogues in Lisbon, both are small; one is, however, +tolerably well furnished, it has its reading desk, and in the middle +there is a rather handsome chandelier; the other is little better than +a sty, filthy to a degree, without ornament of any kind. The congregation +of this last are thieves to a man; no Jew of the slightest respectability +ever enters it.<br> +<br> +How well do superstition and crime go hand in hand. These wretched +beings break the eternal commandments of their Maker without scruple; +but they will not partake of the beast of the uncloven foot, and the +fish which has no scales. They pay no regard to the denunciations +of holy prophets against the children of sin, but they quake at the +sound of a dark cabalistic word, pronounced by one perhaps their equal, +or superior, in villainy, as if God would delegate the exercise of his +power to the workers of iniquity.<br> +<br> +I was one day sauntering on the Caesodré, when a Jew, with whom +I had previously exchanged a word or two, came up and addressed me.<br> +<br> +<i>Jew</i>. - The blessing of God upon you, brother; I know you to be +a wise and powerful man, and I have conceived much regard for you; it +is on that account that I wish to put you in the way of gaining much +money. Come with me, and I will conduct you to a place where there +are forty chests of tea. It is a seréka (a robbery), and +the thieves are willing to dispose of it for a trifle, for there is +search being made, and they are in much fear. I can raise one +half of what they demand, do you supply the other, we will then divide +it, each shall go his own way and dispose of his portion.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Wherefore, O son of Arbat, do you propose this to me, +who am a stranger? Surely you are mad. Have you not your +own people about you whom you know, and in whom you can confide?<br> +<br> +<i>Jew</i>. - It is because I know our people here that I do not confide +in them; we are in the galoot of sin. Were I to confide in my +brethren there would be a dispute, and perhaps they would rob me, and +few of them have any money. Were I to apply to the sabio he might +consent, but when I ask for my portion he would put me in ndui! +You I do not fear; you are good and would do me no harm, unless I attempted +to deceive you, and that I dare not do, for I know you are powerful. +Come with me, master, for I wish to gain something, that I may return +to Arbat, where I have children . . .<br> +<br> +Such are Jews in Lisbon.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER VI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Cold of Portugal - Extortion prevented - Sensation of Loneliness - The +Dog - The Convent - Enchanting Landscape - Moorish Fortresses - Prayer +for the Sick.<br> +<br> +About a fortnight after my return from Evora, having made the necessary +preparations, I set out on my journey for Badajoz, from which town I +intended to take the diligence to Madrid. Badajoz lies about a +hundred miles distant from Lisbon, and is the principal frontier town +of Spain in the direction of the Alemtejo. To reach this place, +it was necessary to retravel the road as far as Monte More, which I +had already passed in my excursion to Evora; I had therefore very little +pleasure to anticipate from novelty of scenery. Moreover, in this +journey I should be a solitary traveller, with no other companion than +the muleteer, as it was my intention to take my servant no farther than +Aldea Gallega, for which place I started at four in the afternoon. +Warned by former experience, I did not now embark in a small boat, but +in one of the regular passage felouks, in which we reached Aldea Gallega, +after a voyage of six hours; for the boat was heavy, there was no wind +to propel it, and the crew were obliged to ply their huge oars the whole +way. In a word, this passage was the reverse of the first, - safe +in every respect, - but so sluggish and tiresome, that I a hundred times +wished myself again under the guidance of the wild lad, galloping before +the hurricane over the foaming billows. From eight till ten the +cold was truly terrible, and though I was closely wrapped in an excellent +fur “shoob,” with which I had braved the frosts of Russian +winters, I shivered in every limb, and was far more rejoiced when I +again set my foot on the Alemtejo, than when I landed for the first +time, after having escaped the horrors of the tempest.<br> +<br> +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 Evora, and where, +though I paid mercilessly dear for everything, the accommodation was +superior to that of the common inn in the square. My first care +now was to inquire for mules to convey myself and baggage to Elvas, +from whence there are but three short leagues to the Spanish town of +Badajoz. The people of the house informed me that they had an +excellent pair at my disposal, but when I inquired the price, they were +not ashamed to demand four moidores. I offered them three, which +was too much, but which, however, they did not accept, for knowing me +to be an Englishman, they thought they had an excellent opportunity +to practise imposition, not imagining that a person so rich as an Englishman +<i>must</i> be, would go out in a cold night for the sake of obtaining +a reasonable bargain. They were, however, much mistaken, as I +told them that rather than encourage them in their knavery, I should +be content to return to Lisbon; whereupon they dropped their demand +to three and a half, but I made them no answer, and going out with Antonio, +proceeded to the house of the old man who had accompanied us to Evora. +We knocked a considerable time, for he was in bed; at length he arose +and admitted us, but on hearing our object, he said that his mules were +again gone to Evora, under the charge of the boy, for the purpose of +transporting some articles of merchandise. He, however, recommended +us to a person in the neighbourhood who kept mules for hire, and there +Antonio engaged two fine beasts for two moidores and a half. I +say he engaged them, for I stood aloof and spoke not, and the proprietor, +who exhibited them, and who stood half-dressed, with a lamp in his hand +and shivering with cold, was not aware that they were intended for a +foreigner till the agreement was made, and he had received a part of +the sum in earnest. I returned to the inn well pleased, and having +taken some refreshment went to rest, paying little attention to the +people, who glanced daggers at me from their small Jewish eyes.<br> +<br> +At five the next morning the mules were at the door; a lad of some nineteen +or twenty years of age attended them; he was short but exceedingly strong +built, and possessed the largest head which I ever beheld upon mortal +shoulders; neck he had none, at least I could discern nothing which +could be entitled to that name. His features were hideously ugly, +and upon addressing him I discovered that he was an idiot. Such +was my intended companion in a journey of nearly a hundred miles, which +would occupy four days, and which lay over the most savage and ill noted +track in the whole kingdom. I took leave of my servant almost +with tears, for he had always served me with the greatest fidelity, +and had exhibited an assiduity and a wish to please which afforded me +the utmost satisfaction.<br> +<br> +We started, my uncouth guide sitting tailor-fashion on the sumpter mule +upon the baggage. The moon had just gone down, and the morning +was pitchy dark, and, as usual, piercingly cold. He soon entered +the dismal wood, which I had already traversed, and through which we +wended our way for some time, slowly and mournfully. Not a sound +was to be heard save the trampling of the animals, not a breath of air +moved the leafless branches, no animal stirred in the thickets, no bird, +not even the owl, flew over our heads, all seemed desolate and dead, +and during my many and far wanderings, I never experienced a greater +sensation of loneliness, and a greater desire for conversation and an +exchange of ideas than then. To speak to the idiot was useless, +for though competent to show the road, with which he was well acquainted, +he had no other answer than an uncouth laugh to any question put to +him. Thus situated, like many other persons when human comfort +is not at hand, I turned my heart to God, and began to commune with +Him, the result of which was that my mind soon became quieted and comforted.<br> +<br> +We passed on our way uninterrupted; no thieves showed themselves, nor +indeed did we see a single individual until we arrived at Pegoens, and +from thence to Vendas Novas our fortune was the same. I was welcomed +with great kindness by the people of the hostelry of the latter place, +who were well acquainted with me on account of my having twice passed +the night under their roof. The name of the keeper of this is, +or was, Jozé Dias Azido, and unlike the generality of those of +the same profession as himself in Portugal, he is an honest man, and +a stranger and foreigner who takes up his quarters at his inn, may rest +assured that he will not be most unmercifully pillaged and cheated when +the hour of reckoning shall arrive, as he will not be charged a single +ré more than a native Portuguese on a similar occasion. +I paid at this place exactly one half of the sum which was demanded +from me at Arroyolos, where I passed the ensuing night, and where the +accommodation was in every respect inferior.<br> +<br> +At twelve next day we arrived at Monte More, and, as I was not pressed +for time, I determined upon viewing the ruins which cover the top and +middle part of the stately hill which towers above the town. Having +ordered some refreshment at the inn where we dismounted, I ascended +till I arrived at a large wall or rampart, which, at a certain altitude +embraces the whole hill. I crossed a rude bridge of stones, which +bestrides a small hollow or trench; and passing by a large tower, entered +through a portal into the enclosed part of the hill. On the left +hand stood a church, in good preservation, and still devoted to the +purposes of religion, but which I could not enter, as the door was locked, +and I saw no one at hand to open it.<br> +<br> +I soon found that my curiosity had led me to a most extraordinary place, +which quite beggars the scanty powers of description with which I am +gifted. I stumbled on amongst ruined walls, and at one time found +I was treading over vaults, as I suddenly started back from a yawning +orifice into which my next step, as I strolled musing along, would have +precipitated me. I proceeded for a considerable way by the eastern +wall, till I heard a tremendous bark, and presently an immense dog, +such as those which guard the flocks in the neighbourhood against the +wolves, came bounding to attack me “with eyes that glowed and +fangs that grinned.” Had I retreated, or had recourse to +any other mode of defence than that which I invariably practise under +such circumstances, he would probably have worried me; but I stooped +till my chin nearly touched my knee, and looked him full in the eyes, +and as John Leyden says, in the noblest ballad which the Land of Heather +has produced:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“The hound he yowled and back he fled,<br> +As struck with fairy charm.”<br> +<br> +<br> +It is a fact known to many people, and I believe it has been frequently +stated, that no large and fierce dog or animal of any kind, with the +exception of the bull, which shuts its eyes and rushes blindly forward, +will venture to attack an individual who confronts it with a firm and +motionless countenance. I say large and fierce, for it is much +easier to repel a bloodhound or bear of Finland in this manner than +a dunghill cur or a terrier, against which a stick or a stone is a much +more certain defence. This will astonish no one who considers +that the calm reproving glance of reason, which allays the excesses +of the mighty and courageous in our own species, has seldom any other +effect than to add to the insolence of the feeble and foolish, who become +placid as doves upon the infliction of chastisements, which if attempted +to be applied to the former would only serve to render them more terrible, +and like gunpowder cast on a flame, cause them in mad desperation to +scatter destruction around them.<br> +<br> +The barking of the dog brought out from a kind of alley an elderly man, +whom I supposed to be his master, and of whom I made some inquiries +respecting the place. The man was civil, and informed me that +he served as a soldier in the British army, under the “great lord,” +during the Peninsular war. He said that there was a convent of +nuns a little farther on, which he would show me, and thereupon led +the way to the south-east part of the wall, where stood a large dilapidated +edifice.<br> +<br> +We entered a dark stone apartment, at one corner of which was a kind +of window occupied by a turning table, at which articles were received +into the convent or delivered out. He rang the bell, and, without +saying a word, retired, leaving me rather perplexed; but presently I +heard, though the speaker was invisible, a soft feminine voice demanding +who I was, and what I wanted. I replied that I was an Englishman +travelling into Spain, and that passing through Monte Moro I had ascended +the hill for the purpose of seeing the ruins. The voice then said, +“I suppose you are a military man going to fight against the king, +like the rest of your countrymen.” “No,” said +I, “I am not a military man, but a Christian, and I go not to +shed blood but to endeavour to introduce the gospel of Christ into a +country where it is not known;” whereupon there was a stifled +titter, I then inquired if there were any copies of the Holy Scriptures +in the convent, but the friendly voice could give me no information +on that point, and I scarcely believe that its possessor understood +the purport of my question. It informed me, that the office of +lady abbess of the house was an annual one, and that every year there +was a fresh superior; on my inquiring whether the nuns did not frequently +find the time exceedingly heavy on their hands, it stated that, when +they had nothing better to do, they employed themselves in making cheesecakes, +which were disposed of in the neighbourhood. I thanked the voice +for its communications, and walked away. Whilst proceeding under +the wall of the house towards the south-west, I heard a fresh and louder +tittering above my head, and looking up, saw three or four windows crowded +with dusky faces, and black waving hair; these belonged to the nuns, +anxious to obtain a view of the stranger. After kissing my hand +repeatedly, I moved on, and soon arrived at the south-west end of this +mountain of curiosities. There I found the remains of a large +building, which seemed to have been originally erected in the shape +of a cross. A tower at its eastern entrance was still entire; +the western side was quite in ruins, and stood on the verge of the hill +overlooking the valley, at the bottom of which ran the stream I have +spoken of on a former occasion.<br> +<br> +The day was intensely hot, notwithstanding the coldness of the preceding +nights; and the brilliant sun of Portugal now illumined a landscape +of entrancing beauty. Groves of cork trees covered the farther +side of the valley and the distant acclivities, exhibiting here and +there charming vistas, where various flocks of cattle were feeding; +the soft murmur of the stream, which was at intervals chafed and broken +by huge stones, ascended to my ears and filled my mind with delicious +feelings. I sat down on the broken wall and remained gazing, and +listening, and shedding tears of rapture; for, of all the pleasures +which a bountiful God permitteth his children to enjoy, none are so +dear to some hearts as the music of forests, and streams, and the view +of the beauties of his glorious creation. An hour elapsed, and +I still maintained my seat on the wall; the past scenes of my life flitting +before my eyes in airy and fantastic array, through which every now +and then peeped trees and hills and other patches of the real landscape +which I was confronting; the sun burnt my visage, but I heeded it not; +and I believe that I should have remained till night, buried in these +reveries, which, I confess, only served to enervate the mind, and steal +many a minute which might be most profitably employed, had not the report +of the gun of a fowler in the valley, which awakened the echoes of the +woods, hills, and ruins, caused me to start on my feet, and remember +that I had to proceed three leagues before I could reach the hostelry +where I intended to pass the night.<br> +<br> +I bent my steps to the inn, passing along a kind of rampart: shortly +before I reached the portal, which I have already mentioned, I observed +a kind of vault on my right hand, scooped out of the side of the hill; +its roof was supported by three pillars, though part of it had given +way towards the farther end, so that the light was admitted through +a chasm in the top. It might have been intended for a chapel, +a dungeon, or a cemetery, but I should rather think for the latter; +one thing I am certain of, that it was not the work of Moorish hands, +and indeed throughout my wanderings in this place I saw nothing which +reminded me of that most singular people. The hill on which the +ruins stand was doubtless originally a strong fortress of the Moors, +who, upon their first irruption into the peninsula, seized and fortified +most of the lofty and naturally strong positions, but they had probably +lost it at an early period, so that the broken walls and edifices, which +at present cover the hill, are probably remains of the labours of the +Christians after the place had been rescued from the hands of the terrible +enemies of their faith. Monte Moro will perhaps recall Cintra +to the mind of the traveller, as it exhibits a distant resemblance to +that place; nevertheless, there is something in Cintra wild and savage, +to which Monte Moro has no pretension; its scathed and gigantic crags +are piled upon each other in a manner which seems to menace headlong +destruction to whatever is in the neighbourhood; and the ruins which +still cling to those crags seem more like eagles’ nests than the +remains of the habitations even of Moors; whereas those of Monte Moro +stand comparatively at their ease on the broad back of a hill, which, +though stately and commanding, has no crags nor precipices, and which +can be ascended on every side without much difficulty: yet I was much +gratified by my visit, and I shall wander far indeed before I forget +the voice in the dilapidated convent, the ruined walls amongst which +I strayed, and the rampart where, sunk in dreamy rapture, I sat during +a bright sunny hour at Monte Moro.<br> +<br> +I returned to the inn, where I refreshed myself with tea and very sweet +and delicious cheesecakes, the handiwork of the nuns in the convent +above. Observing gloom and unhappiness on the countenances of +the people of the house, I inquired the reason of the hostess, who sat +almost motionless, on the hearth by the fire; whereupon she informed +me that her husband was deadly sick with a disorder which, from her +description, I supposed to be a species of cholera; she added, that +the surgeon who attended him entertained no hopes of his recovery. +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 vigour, and +that it was her duty to pray to that Omnipotent Being with all fervency. +I added, that if she did not know how to pray upon such an occasion, +I was ready to pray for her, provided she would join in the spirit of +the supplication. I then offered up a short prayer in Portuguese, +in which I entreated the Lord to remove, if he thought proper, the burden +of affliction under which the family was labouring.<br> +<br> +The woman listened attentively, with her hands devoutly clasped, until +the prayer was finished, and then gazed at me seemingly with astonishment, +but uttered no word by which I could gather that she was pleased or +displeased with what I had said. I now bade the family farewell, +and having mounted my mule, set forward to Arroyolos.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER VII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Druids’ Stone - The Young Spaniard - Ruffianly Soldiers - +Evils of War - Estremoz - The Brawl - Ruined Watch Tower - Glimpse of +Spain - Old Times and New.<br> +<br> +After proceeding about a league and a half, a blast came booming from +the north, rolling before it immense clouds of dust; happily it did +not blow in our faces, or it would have been difficult to proceed, so +great was its violence. We had left the road in order to take +advantage of one of those short cuts, which, though possible for a horse +or a mule, are far too rough to permit any species of carriage to travel +along them. We were in the midst of sands, brushwood, and huge +pieces of rock, which thickly studded the ground. These are the +stones which form the sierras of Spain and Portugal; those singular +mountains which rise in naked horridness, like the ribs of some mighty +carcass from which the flesh has been torn. Many of these stones, +or rocks, grew out of the earth, and many lay on its surface unattached, +perhaps wrested from their bed by the waters of the deluge. Whilst +toiling along these wild wastes, I observed, a little way to my left, +a pile of stones of rather a singular appearance, and rode up to it. +It was a druidical altar, and the most perfect and beautiful one of +the kind which I had ever seen. It was circular, and consisted +of stones immensely large and heavy at the bottom, which towards the +top became thinner and thinner, having been fashioned by the hand of +art to something of the shape of scollop shells. These were surmounted +by a very large flat stone, which slanted down towards the south, where +was a door. Three or four individuals might have taken shelter +within the interior, in which was growing a small thorn tree.<br> +<br> +I gazed with reverence and awe upon the pile where the first colonies +of Europe offered their worship to the unknown God. The temples +of the mighty and skilful Roman, comparatively of modern date, have +crumbled to dust in its neighbourhood. The churches of the Arian +Goth, his successor in power, have sunk beneath the earth, and are not +to be found; and the mosques of the Moor, the conqueror of the Goth, +where and what are they? Upon the rock, masses of hoary and vanishing +ruin. Not so the Druids’ stone; there it stands on the hill +of winds, as strong and as freshly new as the day, perhaps thirty centuries +back, when it was first raised, by means which are a mystery. +Earthquakes have heaved it, but its copestone has not fallen; rain floods +have deluged it, but failed to sweep it from its station; the burning +sun has flashed upon it, but neither split nor crumbled it; and time, +stern old time, has rubbed it with his iron tooth, and with what effect +let those who view it declare. There it stands, and he who wishes +to study the literature, the learning, and the history of the ancient +Celt and Cymbrian, may gaze on its broad covering, and glean from that +blank stone the whole known amount. The Roman has left behind +him his deathless writings, his history, and his songs; the Goth his +liturgy, his traditions, and the germs of noble institutions; the Moor +his chivalry, his discoveries in medicine, and the foundations of modern +commerce; and where is the memorial of the Druidic races? Yonder: +that pile of eternal stone!<br> +<br> +We arrived at Arroyolos about seven at night. I took possession +of a large two-bedded room, and, as I was preparing to sit down to supper, +the hostess came to inquire whether I had any objection to receive a +young Spaniard for the night. She said he had just arrived with +a train of muleteers, and that she had no other room in which she could +lodge him. I replied that I was willing, and in about half an +hour he made his appearance, having first supped with his companions. +He was a very gentlemanly, good-looking lad of seventeen. He addressed +me in his native language, and, finding that I understood him, he commenced +talking with astonishing volubility. In the space of five minutes +he informed me that, having a desire to see the world, he had run away +from his friends, who were people of opulence at Madrid, and that he +did not intend to return until he had travelled through various countries. +I told him that if what he said was true, he had done a very wicked +and foolish action; wicked, because he must have overwhelmed those with +grief whom he was bound to honour and love, and foolish, inasmuch as +he was going to expose himself to inconceivable miseries and hardships, +which would shortly cause him to rue the step he had taken; that he +would be only welcome in foreign countries so long as he had money to +spend, and when he had none, he would be repulsed as a vagabond, and +would perhaps be allowed to perish of hunger. He replied that +he had a considerable sum of money with him, no less than a hundred +dollars, which would last him a long time, and that when it was spent +he should perhaps be able to obtain more. “Your hundred +dollars,” said I, “will scarcely last you three months in +the country in which you are, even if it be not stolen from you; and +you may as well hope to gather money on the tops of the mountains as +expect to procure more by honourable means.” But he had +not yet sufficiently drank of the cup of experience to attend much to +what I said, and I soon after changed the subject. About five +next morning he came to my bedside to take leave, as his muleteers were +preparing to depart. I gave him the usual Spanish valediction +(<i>Vaya</i> <i>usted con Dios), </i>and saw no more of him.<br> +<br> +At nine, after having paid a most exorbitant sum for slight accommodation, +I started from Arroyolos, which is a town or large village situated +on very elevated ground, and discernible afar off. It can boast +of the remains of a large ancient and seemingly Moorish castle, which +stands on a hill on the left as you take the road to Estremoz.<br> +<br> +About a mile from Arroyolos I overtook a train of carts escorted by +a number of Portuguese soldiers, conveying stores and ammunition into +Spain. Six or seven of these soldiers marched a considerable way +in front; they were villainous looking ruffians upon whose livid and +ghastly countenances were written murder, and all the other crimes which +the decalogue forbids. As I passed by, one of them, with a harsh, +croaking voice, commenced cursing all foreigners. “There,” +said he, “is this Frenchman riding on horseback” (I was +on a mule), “with a man” (the idiot) “to take care +of him, and all because he is rich; whilst I, who am a poor soldier, +am obliged to tramp on foot. I could find it in my heart to shoot +him dead, for in what respect is he better than I? But he is a +foreigner, and the devil helps foreigners and hates the Portuguese.” +He continued shouting his remarks until I got about forty yards in advance, +when I commenced laughing; but it would have been more prudent in me +to have held my peace, for the next moment, with bang - bang, two bullets, +well aimed, came whizzing past my ears. A small river lay just +before me, though the bridge was a considerable way on my left. +I spurred my animal through it, closely followed by my terrified guide, +and commenced galloping along a sandy plain on the other side, and so +escaped with my life.<br> +<br> +These fellows, with the look of banditti, were in no respect better; +and the traveller who should meet them in a solitary place would have +little reason to bless his good fortune. One of the carriers (all +of whom were Spaniards from the neighbourhood of Badajoz, and had been +despatched into Portugal for the purpose of conveying the stores), whom +I afterwards met in the aforesaid town, informed me that the whole party +were equally bad, and that he and his companions had been plundered +by them of various articles, and threatened with death if they attempted +to complain. How frightful to figure to oneself an army of such +beings in a foreign land, sent thither either to invade or defend; and +yet Spain, at the time I am writing this, is looking forward to armed +assistance from Portugal. May the Lord in his mercy grant that +the soldiers who proceed to her assistance may be of a different stamp: +and yet, from the lax state of discipline which exists in the Portuguese +army, in comparison with that of England and France, I am afraid that +the inoffensive population of the disturbed provinces will say that +wolves have been summoned to chase away foxes from the sheepfold. +O! may I live to see the day when soldiery will no longer be tolerated +in any civilized, or at least Christian, country!<br> +<br> +I pursued my route to Estremoz, passing by Monte Moro Novo, which is +a tall dusky hill, surmounted by an ancient edifice, probably Moorish. +The country was dreary and deserted, but offering here and there a valley +studded with cork trees and azinheiras. After midday the wind, +which during the night and morning had much abated, again blew with +such violence as nearly to deprive me of my senses, though it was still +in our rear.<br> +<br> +I was heartily glad when, on ascending a rising ground, at about four +o’clock, I saw Estremoz on its hill at something less than a league’s +distance. Here the view became wildly interesting; the sun was +sinking in the midst of red and stormy clouds, and its rays were reflected +on the dun walls of the lofty town to which we were wending. Nor +far distant to the south-west rose Serra Dorso, which I had seen from +Evora, and which is the most beautiful mountain in the Alemtejo. +My idiot guide turned his uncouth visage towards it, and becoming suddenly +inspired, opened his mouth for the first time during the day, I might +almost say since we had left Aldea Gallega, and began to tell me what +rare hunting was to be obtained in that mountain. He likewise +described with great minuteness a wonderful dog, which was kept in the +neighbourhood for the purpose of catching the wolves and wild boars, +and for which the proprietor had refused twenty moidores.<br> +<br> +At length we reached Estremoz, and took up our quarters at the principal +inn, which looks upon a large plain or market-place occupying the centre +of the town, and which is so extensive that I should think ten thousand +soldiers at least might perform their evolutions there with case.<br> +<br> +The cold was far too terrible to permit me to remain in the chamber +to which I had been conducted; I therefore went down to a kind of kitchen +on one side of the arched passage, which led under the house to the +yard and stables. A tremendous withering blast poured through +this passage, like the water through the flush of a mill. A large +cork tree was blazing in the kitchen beneath a spacious chimney; and +around it were gathered a noisy crew of peasants and farmers from the +neighbourhood, and three or four Spanish smugglers from the frontier. +I with difficulty obtained a place amongst them, as a Portuguese or +a Spaniard will seldom make way for a stranger, till called upon or +pushed aside, but prefers gazing upon him with an expression which seems +to say, I know what you want, but I prefer remaining where I am.<br> +<br> +I now first began to observe an alteration in the language spoken; it +had become less sibilant, and more guttural; and, when addressing each +other, the speakers used the Spanish title of courtesy <i>usted</i>, +or your worthiness, instead of the Portuguese high flowing <i>vossem +se, </i>or your lordship. This is the result of constant communication +with the natives of Spain, who never condescend to speak Portuguese, +even when in Portugal, but persist in the use of their own beautiful +language, which, perhaps, at some future period, the Portuguese will +generally adopt. This would greatly facilitate the union of the +two countries, hitherto kept asunder by the natural waywardness of mankind.<br> +<br> +I had not been seated long before the blazing pile, when a fellow, mounted +on a fine spirited horse, dashed from the stables through the passage +into the kitchen, where he commenced displaying his horsemanship, by +causing the animal to wheel about with the velocity of a millstone, +to the great danger of everybody in the apartment. He then galloped +out upon the plain, and after half an hour’s absence returned, +and having placed his horse once more in the stable, came and seated +himself next to me, to whom he commenced talking in a gibberish of which +I understood very little, but which he intended for French. He +was half intoxicated, and soon became three parts so, by swallowing +glass after glass of aguardiente. Finding that I made him no answer, +he directed his discourse to one of the contrabandistas, to whom he +talked in bad Spanish. The latter either did not or would not +understand him; but at last, losing patience, called him a drunkard, +and told him to hold his tongue. The fellow, enraged at this contempt, +flung the glass out of which he was drinking at the Spaniard’s +head, who sprang up like a tiger, and unsheathing instantly a snick +and snee knife, made an upward cut at the fellow’s cheek, and +would have infallibly laid it open, had I not pulled his arm down just +in time to prevent worse effects than a scratch above the lower jawbone, +which, however, drew blood.<br> +<br> +The smuggler’s companions interfered, and with much difficulty +led him off to a small apartment in the rear of the house, where they +slept, and kept the furniture of their mules. The drunkard then +commenced singing, or rather yelling, the Marseillois hymn; and after +having annoyed every one for nearly an hour, was persuaded to mount +his horse and depart, accompanied by one of his neighbours. He +was a pig merchant of the vicinity, but had formerly been a trooper +in the army of Napoleon, where, I suppose, like the drunken coachman +of Evora, he had picked up his French and his habits of intoxication.<br> +<br> +From Estremoz to Elvas the distance is six leagues. I started +at nine next morning; the first part of the way lay through an enclosed +country, but we soon emerged upon wild bleak downs, over which the wind, +which still pursued us, howled most mournfully. We met no one +on the route; and the scene was desolate in the extreme; the heaven +was of a dark grey, through which no glimpse of the sun was to be perceived. +Before us, at a great distance, on an elevated ground, rose a tower +- the only object which broke the monotony of the waste. In about +two hours from the time when we first discovered it, we reached a fountain, +at the foot of the hill on which it stood; the water, which gushed into +a long stone trough, was beautifully clear and transparent, and we stopped +here to water the animals.<br> +<br> +Having dismounted, I left the guide, and proceeded to ascend the hill +on which the tower stood. Though the ascent was very gentle I +did not accomplish it without difficulty; the ground was covered with +sharp stones, which, in two or three instances, cut through my boots +and wounded my feet; and the distance was much greater than I had expected. +I at last arrived at the ruin, for such it was. I found it had +been one of those watch towers or small fortresses called in Portuguese +<i>atalaias; </i>it was square, and surrounded by a wall, broken down +in many places. The tower itself had no door, the lower part being +of solid stone work; but on one side were crevices at intervals between +the stones, for the purpose of placing the feet, and up this rude staircase +I climbed to a small apartment, about five feet square, from which the +top had fallen. It commanded an extensive view from all sides, +and had evidently been built for the accommodation of those whose business +it was to keep watch on the frontier, and at the appearance of an enemy +to alarm the country by signals - probably by a fire. Resolute +men might have defended themselves in this little fastness against many +assailants, who must have been completely exposed to their arrows or +musketry in the ascent.<br> +<br> +Being about to leave the place, I heard a strange cry behind a part +of the wall which I had not visited, and hastening thither, I found +a miserable object in rags, seated upon a stone. It was a maniac +- a man about thirty years of age, and I believe deaf and dumb; there +he sat, gibbering and mowing, and distorting his wild features into +various dreadful appearances. There wanted nothing but this object +to render the scene complete; banditti amongst such melancholy desolation +would have been by no means so much in keeping. But the maniac, +on his stone, in the rear of the wind-beaten ruin, overlooking the blasted +heath, above which scowled the leaden heaven, presented such a picture +of gloom and misery as I believe neither painter nor poet ever conceived +in the saddest of their musings. This is not the first instance +in which it has been my lot to verify the wisdom of the saying, that +truth is sometimes wilder than fiction.<br> +<br> +I remounted my mule, and proceeded till, on the top of another hill, +my guide suddenly exclaimed, “there is Elvas.” I looked +in the direction in which he pointed, and beheld a town perched on the +top of a lofty hill. On the other side of a deep valley towards +the left rose another hill, much higher, on the top of which is the +celebrated fort of Elvas, believed to be the strongest place in Portugal. +Through the opening between the fort and the town, but in the background +and far in Spain, I discerned the misty sides and cloudy head of a stately +mountain, which I afterwards learned was Albuquerque, one of the loftiest +of Estremadura.<br> +<br> +We now got into a cultivated country, and following the road, which +wound amongst hedgerows, we arrived at a place where the ground began +gradually to shelve down. Here, on the right, was the commencement +of an aqueduct by means of which the town on the opposite hill was supplied; +it was at this point scarcely two feet in altitude, but, as we descended, +it became higher and higher, and its proportions more colossal. +Near the bottom of the valley it took a turn to the left, bestriding +the road with one of its arches. I looked up, after passing under +it; the water must have been flowing near a hundred feet above my head, +and I was filled with wonder at the immensity of the structure which +conveyed it. There was, however, one feature which was no slight +drawback to its pretensions to grandeur and magnificence; the water +was supported not by gigantic single arches, like those of the aqueduct +of Lisbon, which stalk over the valley like legs of Titans, but by three +layers of arches, which, like three distinct aqueducts, rise above each +other. The expense and labour necessary for the erection of such +a structure must have been enormous; and, when we reflect with what +comparative ease modern art would confer the same advantage, 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 existence.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER VIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Elvas - Extraordinary Longevity - The English Nation - Portuguese Ingratitude +- Illiberality - Fortifications - Spanish Beggar - Badajoz - The Custom +House.<br> +<br> +Arrived at the gate of Elvas, an officer came out of a kind of guard +house, and, having asked me some questions, despatched a soldier with +me to the police office, that my passport might be viséed, as +upon the frontier they are much more particular with respect to passports +than in other parts. This matter having been settled, I entered +an hostelry near the same gate, which had been recommended to me by +my host at Vendas Novas, and which was kept by a person of the name +of Joze Rosado. It was the best in the town, though, for convenience +and accommodation, inferior to a hedge alehouse in England. The +cold still pursued me, and I was glad to take refuge in an inner kitchen, +which, when the door was not open, was only lighted by a fire burning +somewhat dimly on the hearth. An elderly female sat beside it +in her chair, telling her beads: there was something singular and extraordinary +in her look, as well as I could discern by the imperfect light of the +apartment. I put a few unimportant questions to her, to which +she replied, but seemed to be afflicted to a slight degree with deafness. +Her hair was becoming grey, and I said that I believed she was older +than myself, but that I was confident she had less snow on her head.<br> +<br> +“How old may you be, cavalier?” said she, giving me that +title which in Spain is generally used when an extraordinary degree +of respect is wished to be exhibited. I answered that I was near +thirty. “Then,” said she, “you were right in +supposing that I am older than yourself; I am older than your mother, +or your mother’s mother: it is more than a hundred years since +I was a girl, and sported with the daughters of the town on the hillside.” +“In that case,” said I, “you doubtless remember the +earthquake.” “Yes,” she replied, “if there +is any occurrence in my life that I remember, it is that: I was in the +church of Elvas at the moment, hearing the mass of the king, and the +priest fell on the ground, and let fall the Host from his hands. +I shall never forget how the earth shook; it made us all sick; and the +houses and walls reeled like drunkards. Since that happened I +have seen fourscore years pass by me, yet I was older then than you +are now.”<br> +<br> +I looked with wonder at this surprising female, and could scarcely believe +her words. I was, however, assured that she was in fact upwards +of a hundred and ten years of age, and was considered the oldest person +in Portugal. 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 age. She was related to the people of the house.<br> +<br> +As the night advanced, several persons entered for the purpose of enjoying +the comfort of the fire and for the sake of conversation, for the house +was a kind of news room, where the principal speaker was the host, a +man of some shrewdness and experience, who had served as a soldier in +the British army. Amongst others was the officer who commanded +at the gate. After a few observations, this gentleman, who was +a good-looking young man of five-and-twenty, began to burst forth in +violent declamation against the English nation and government, who, +he said, had at all times proved themselves selfish and deceitful, but +that their present conduct in respect to Spain was particularly infamous, +for though it was in their power to put an end to the war at once, by +sending a large army thither, they preferred sending a handful of troops, +in order that the war might be prolonged, for no other reason than that +it was of advantage to them. Having paid him an ironical compliment +for his politeness and urbanity, I asked whether he reckoned amongst +the selfish actions of the English government and nation, their having +expended hundreds of millions of pounds sterling, and an ocean of precious +blood, in fighting the battles of Spain and Portugal against Napoleon. +“Surely,” said I, “the fort of Elvas above our heads, +and still more the castle of Badajoz over the water, speak volumes respecting +English selfishness, and must, every time you view them, confirm you +in the opinion which you have just expressed. And then, with respect +to the present combat in Spain, the gratitude which that country evinced +to England after the French, by means of English armies, had been expelled, +- gratitude evinced by discouraging the trade of England on all occasions, +and by offering up masses in thanksgiving when the English heretics +quitted the Spanish shores, - ought now to induce England to exhaust +and ruin herself, for the sake of hunting Don Carlos out of his mountains. +In deference to your superior judgment,” continued I to the officer, +“I will endeavour to believe that it would be for the advantage +of England were the war prolonged for an indefinite period; nevertheless, +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 gold.”<br> +<br> +As he was not ready with his answer, I took up a plate of fruit which +stood on the table beside me, and said, “What do you call these +fruits?” “Pomegranates and bolotas,” he replied. +“Right,” said I, “a home-bred Englishman could not +have given me that answer; 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 policy.”<br> +<br> +This answer of mine, I confess, was not that of a Christian, and proved +to me how much of the leaven of the ancient man still pervaded me; yet +I must be permitted to add, that I believe no other provocation would +have elicited from me a reply so full of angry feeling: but I could +not command myself when I heard my own glorious land traduced in this +unmerited manner. By whom? A Portuguese! A native +of a country which has been twice liberated from horrid and detestable +thraldom by the hands of Englishmen. But for Wellington and his +heroes, Portugal would have been French at this day; but for Napier +and his mariners, Miguel would now be lording it in Lisbon. To +return, however, to the officer; every one laughed at him, and he presently +went away.<br> +<br> +The next day I became acquainted with a respectable tradesman of the +name of Almeida, a man of talent, though rather rough in his manners. +He expressed great abhorrence of the papal system, which had so long +spread a darkness like that of death over his unfortunate country, and +I had no sooner informed him that I had brought with me a certain quantity +of Testaments, which it was my intention to leave for sale at Elvas, +than he expressed a great desire to undertake the charge, and said that +he would do the utmost in his power to procure a sale for them amongst +his numerous customers. Upon showing him a copy, I remarked, your +name is upon the title page; the Portuguese version of the Holy Scriptures, +circulated by the Bible Society, having been executed by a Protestant +of the name of Almeida, and first published in the year 1712; whereupon +he smiled, and observed that he esteemed it an honour to be connected +in name at least with such a man. He scoffed at the idea of receiving +any remuneration, 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 reward.<br> +<br> +After having accomplished this matter, I proceeded to survey the environs +of the place, and strolled up the hill to the fort on the north side +of the town. The lower part of the hill is planted with azinheiras, +which give it a picturesque appearance, and at the bottom is a small +brook, which I crossed by means of stepping stones. Arrived at +the gate of the fort, I was stopped by the sentry, who, however, civilly +told me, that if I sent in my name to the commanding officer he would +make no objection to my visiting the interior. I accordingly sent +in my card by a soldier who was lounging about, and, sitting down on +a stone, waited his return. He presently appeared, and inquired +whether I was an Englishman; to which, having replied in the affirmative, +he said, “In that case, sir, you cannot enter; indeed, it is not +the custom to permit any foreigners to visit the fort.” +I answered that it was perfectly indifferent to me whether I visited +it or not; and, having taken a survey of Badajoz from the eastern side +of the hill, descended by the way I came.<br> +<br> +This is one of the beneficial results of protecting a nation and squandering +blood and treasure in its defence. The English, who have never +been at war with Portugal, who have fought for its independence on land +and sea, and always with success, who have forced themselves by a treaty +of commerce to drink its coarse and filthy wines, which no other nation +cares to taste, are the most unpopular people who visit Portugal. +The French have ravaged the country with fire and sword, and shed the +blood of its sons like water; the French buy not its fruits and loathe +its wines, yet there is no bad spirit in Portugal towards the French. +The reason of this is no mystery; it is the nature not of the Portuguese +only, but of corrupt and unregenerate man, to dislike his benefactors, +who, by conferring benefits upon him, mortify in the most generous manner +his miserable vanity.<br> +<br> +There is no country in which the English are so popular as in France; +but, though the French have been frequently roughly handled by the English, +and have seen their capital occupied by an English army, they have never +been subjected to the supposed ignominy of receiving assistance from +them.<br> +<br> +The fortifications of Elvas are models of their kind, and, at the first +view, it would seem that the town, if well garrisoned, might bid defiance +to any hostile power; but it has its weak point: the western side is +commanded by a hill, at the distance of half a mile, from which an experienced +general would cannonade it, and probably with success. It is the +last town in this part of Portugal, the distance to the Spanish frontier +being barely two leagues. It was evidently built as a rival to +Badajoz, upon which it looks down from its height across a sandy plain +and over the sullen waters of the Guadiana; but, though a strong town, +it can scarcely be called a defence to the frontier, which is open on +all sides, so that there would not be the slightest necessity for an +invading army to approach within a dozen leagues of its walls, should +it be disposed to avoid them. Its fortifications are so extensive +that ten thousand men at least would be required to man them, who, in +the event of an invasion, might be far better employed in meeting the +enemy in the open field. The French, during their occupation of +Portugal, kept a small force in this place, who, at the approach of +the British, retreated to the fort, where they shortly after capitulated.<br> +<br> +Having nothing farther to detain me at Elvas, I proceeded to cross the +frontier into Spain. My idiot guide was on his way back to Aldea +Gallega; and, on the fifth of January, I mounted a sorry mule without +bridle or stirrups, which I guided by a species of halter, and followed +by a lad who was to attend me on another, I spurred down the hill of +Elvas to the plain, eager to arrive in old chivalrous romantic Spain. +But I soon found that I had no need to quicken the beast which bore +me, for though covered with sores, wall-eyed, and with a kind of halt +in its gait, it cantered along like the wind.<br> +<br> +In little more than half an hour we arrived at a brook, whose waters +ran vigorously between steep banks. A man who was standing on +the side directed me to the ford in the squeaking dialect of Portugal; +but whilst I was yet splashing through the water, a voice from the other +bank hailed me, in the magnificent language of Spain, in this guise: +“<i>O Senor Caballero, que me de usted una limosna por amor de +Dios, una limosnita para que io me compre un</i> <i>traguillo de vino +tinto</i>” (Charity, Sir Cavalier, for the love of God, +bestow an alms upon me, that I may purchase a mouthful of red wine). +In a moment I was on Spanish ground, as the brook, which is called Acaia, +is the boundary here of the two kingdoms, and having flung the beggar +a small piece of silver, I cried in ecstasy “<i>Santiago y cierra</i> +<i>Espana</i>!” and scoured on my way with more speed than before, +paying, as Gil Blas says, little heed to the torrent of blessings which +the mendicant poured forth in my rear: yet never was charity more unwisely +bestowed, for I was subsequently informed that the fellow was a confirmed +drunkard, who took his station every morning at the ford, where he remained +the whole day for the purpose of extorting money from the passengers, +which he regularly spent every night in the wine-shops of Badajoz. +To those who gave him money he returned blessings, and to those who +refused, curses; being equally skilled and fluent in the use of either.<br> +<br> +Badajoz was now in view, at the distance of little more than half a +league. We soon took a turn to the left, towards a bridge of many +arches across the Guadiana, which, though so famed in song and ballad, +is a very unpicturesque stream, shallow and sluggish, though tolerably +wide; its banks were white with linen which the washer-women had spread +out to dry in the sun, which was shining brightly; I heard their singing +at a great distance, and the theme seemed to be the praises of the river +where they were toiling, for as I approached, I could distinguish Guadiana, +Guadiana, which reverberated far and wide, pronounced by the clear and +strong voices of many a dark-checked maid and matron. I thought +there was some analogy between their employment and my own: I was about +to tan my northern complexion by exposing myself to the hot sun of Spain, +in the humble hope of being able to cleanse some of the foul stains +of Popery from the minds of its children, with whom I had little acquaintance, +whilst they were bronzing themselves on the banks of the river in order +to make white the garments of strangers: the words of an eastern poet +returned forcibly to my mind.<br> +<br> +<br> +“I’ll weary myself each night and each day,<br> +To aid my unfortunate brothers;<br> +As the laundress tans her own face in the ray,<br> +To cleanse the garments of others.”<br> +<br> +<br> +Having crossed the bridge, we arrived at the northern gate, when out +rushed from a species of sentry box a fellow wearing on his head a high-peaked +Andalusian hat, with his figure wrapped up in one of those immense cloaks +so well known to those who have travelled in Spain, and which none but +a Spaniard can wear in a becoming manner: without saying a word, he +laid hold of the halter of the mule, and began to lead it through the +gate up a dirty street, crowded with long-cloaked people like himself. +I asked him what he meant, but he deigned not to return an answer, the +boy, however, who waited upon me said that it was one of the gate-keepers, +and that he was conducting us to the Custom House or Alfandega, where +the baggage would be examined. Having arrived there, the fellow, +who still maintained a dogged silence, began to pull the trunks off +the sumpter mule, and commenced uncording them. I was about to +give him a severe reproof for his brutality, but before I could open +my mouth a stout elderly personage appeared at the door, who I soon +found was the principal officer. He looked at me for a moment +and then asked me, in the English language, if I was an Englishman. +On my replying in the affirmative, he demanded of the fellow how he +dared to have the insolence to touch the baggage, without orders, and +sternly bade him cord up the trunks again and place them on the mule, +which he performed without uttering a word. The gentleman then +asked what the trunks contained: I answered clothes and linen; when +he begged pardon for the insolence of the subordinate, and informed +him that I was at liberty to proceed where I thought proper. I +thanked him for his exceeding politeness, and, under guidance of the +boy, made the best of my way to the Inn of the Three Nations, to which +I had been recommended at Elvas.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER IX<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Supper.<br> +<br> +I was now at Badajoz in Spain, a country which for the next four years +was destined to be the scene of my labour: but I will not anticipate. +The neighbourhood of Badajoz did not prepossess me much in favour of +the country which I had just entered; it consists chiefly of brown moors, +which bear little but a species of brushwood, called in Spanish <i>carrasco</i>; +blue mountains are however seen towering up in the far distance, which +relieve the scene from the monotony which would otherwise pervade it.<br> +<br> +It was at this town of Badajoz, the capital of Estremadura, that I first +fell in with those singular people, the Zincali, Gitanos, or Spanish +gypsies. It was here I met with the wild Paco, the man with the +withered arm, who wielded the cachas <i>(shears) </i>with his left hand; +his shrewd wife, Antonia, skilled in hokkano baro, or the great trick; +the fierce gypsy, Antonio Lopez, their father-in-law; and many other +almost equally singular individuals of the Errate, or gypsy blood. +It was here that I first preached the gospel to the gypsy people, and +commenced that translation of the New Testament in the Spanish gypsy +tongue, a portion of which I subsequently printed at Madrid.<br> +<br> +After a stay of three weeks at Badajoz, I prepared to depart for Madrid: +late one afternoon, as I was arranging my scanty baggage, the gypsy +Antonio entered my apartment, dressed in his zamarra and high-peaked +Andalusian hat.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - Good evening, brother; they tell me that on the callicaste +<i>(day after to-morrow) </i>you intend to set out for Madrilati.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Such is my intention; I can stay here no longer.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - The way is far to Madrilati: there are, moreover, +wars in the land and many chories <i>(thieves)</i> walk about; are you +not afraid to journey?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I have no fears; every man must accomplish his destiny: +what befalls my body or soul was written in a gabicote (<i>book</i>) +a thousand years before the foundation of the world.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - I have no fears myself, brother; the dark night is +the same to me as the fair day, and the wild carrascal as the market-place +or the chardy <i>(fair); </i>I have got the bar lachi in my bosom, the +precious stone to which sticks the needle.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - You mean the loadstone, I suppose. Do you believe +that a lifeless stone can preserve you from the dangers which occasionally +threaten your life?<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - Brother, I am fifty years old, and you see me standing +before you in life and strength; how could that be unless the bar lachi +had power? I have been soldier and contrabandista, and I have +likewise slain and robbed the Busné. The bullets of the +Gabiné <i>(French)</i> and of the jara canallis <i>(revenue officers) +</i>have hissed about my ears without injuring me, for I carried the +bar lachi. I have twenty times done that which by Busnée +law should have brought me to the filimicha <i>(gallows), </i>yet my +neck has never yet been squeezed by the cold garrote. Brother, +I trust in the bar lachi, like the Caloré of old: were I in the +midst of the gulph of Bombardo (<i>Lyons</i>), without a plank to float +upon, I should feel no fear; for if I carried the precious stone, it +would bring me safe to shore: the bar lachi has power, brother.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I shall not dispute the matter with you, more especially +as I am about to depart from Badajoz: I must speedily bid you farewell, +and we shall see each other no more.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - Brother, do you know what brings me hither?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I cannot tell, unless it be to wish me a happy journey: +I am not gypsy enough to interpret the thoughts of other people.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - All last night I lay awake, thinking of the affairs +of Egypt; and when I arose in the morning I took the bar lachi from +my bosom, and scraping it with a knife, swallowed some of the dust in +aguardiente, as I am in the habit of doing when I have made up my mind; +and I said to myself, I am wanted on the frontiers of Castumba <i>(Castile) +</i>on a certain matter. The strange Caloro is about to proceed +to Madrilati; the journey is long, and he may fall into evil hands, +peradventure into those of his own blood; for let me tell you, brother, +the Calés are leaving their towns and villages, and forming themselves +into troops to plunder the Busné, for there is now but little +law in the land, and now or never is the time for the Caloré +to become once more what they were in former times; so I said, the strange +Caloro may fall into the hands of his own blood and be ill-treated by +them, which were shame: I will therefore go with him through the Chim +del Manro (<i>Estremadura</i>) as far as the frontiers of Castumba, +and upon the frontiers of Castumba I will leave the London Caloro to +find his own way to Madrilati, for there is less danger in Castumba +than in the Chim del Manro, and I will then betake me to the affairs +of Egypt which call me from hence.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - This is a very hopeful plan of yours, my friend; and +in what manner do you propose that we shall travel?<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - I will tell you, brother; I have a gras in the stall, +even the one which I purchased at Olivenças, as I told you on +a former occasion; it is good and fleet, and cost me, who am a gypsy, +fifty chulé <i>(dollars); </i>upon that gras you shall ride. +As for myself, I will journey upon the macho.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Before I answer you, I shall wish you to inform me +what business it is which renders your presence necessary in Castumba; +your son-in-law, Paco, told me that it was no longer the custom of the +gypsies to wander.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - It is an affair of Egypt, brother, and I shall not +acquaint you with it; peradventure it relates to a horse or an ass, +or peradventure it relates to a mule or a macho; it does not relate +to yourself, therefore I advise you not to inquire about it - Dosta +(<i>enough</i>). With respect to my offer, you are free to decline +it; there is a drungruje <i>(royal road)</i> between here and Madrilati, +and you can travel it in the birdoche <i>(stage-coach) </i>or with the +dromale <i>(muleteers)</i>; but I tell you, as a brother, that there +are chories upon the drun, and some of them are of the Errate.<br> +<br> +Certainly few people in my situation would have accepted the offer of +this singular gypsy. It was not, however, without its allurements +for me; I was fond of adventure, and what more ready means of gratifying +my love of it than by putting myself under the hands of such a guide. +There are many who would have been afraid of treachery, but I had no +fears on this point, as I did not believe that the fellow harboured +the slightest ill intention towards me; I saw that he was fully convinced +that I was one of the Errate, and his affection for his own race, and +his hatred for the Busné, were his strongest characteristics. +I wished, moreover, to lay hold of every opportunity of making myself +acquainted with the ways of the Spanish gypsies, and an excellent one +here presented itself on my first entrance into Spain. In a word, +I determined to accompany the gypsy. “I will go with you,” +I exclaimed; “as for my baggage, I will despatch it to Madrid +by the birdoche.” “Do so, brother,” he replied, +“and the gras will go lighter. Baggage, indeed! - what need +of baggage have you? How the Busné on the road would laugh +if they saw two Calés with baggage behind them.”<br> +<br> +During my stay at Badajoz, I had but little intercourse with the Spaniards, +my time being chiefly devoted to the gypsies, with whom, from long intercourse +with various sections of their race in different parts of the world, +I felt myself much more at home than with the silent, reserved men of +Spain, with whom a foreigner might mingle for half a century without +having half a dozen words addressed to him, unless he himself made the +first advances to intimacy, which, after all, might be rejected with +a shrug and a <i>no intendo</i>; for, among the many deeply rooted prejudices +of these people, is the strange idea that no foreigner can speak their +language; an idea to which they will still cling though they hear him +conversing with perfect ease; for in that case the utmost that they +will concede to his attainments is, <i>Habla quatro palabras y nada +mas </i>(he can speak four words, and no more).<br> +<br> +Early one morning, before sunrise, I found myself at the house of Antonio; +it was a small mean building, situated in a dirty street. The +morning was quite dark; the street, however, was partially illumined +by a heap of lighted straw, round which two or three men were busily +engaged, apparently holding an object over the flames. Presently +the gypsy’s door opened, and Antonio made his appearance; and, +casting his eye in the direction of the light, exclaimed, “The +swine have killed their brother; would that every Busno was served as +yonder hog is. Come in, brother, and we will eat the heart of +that hog.” I scarcely understood his words, but, following +him, he led me into a low room in which was a brasero, or small pan +full of lighted charcoal; beside it was a rude table, spread with a +coarse linen cloth, upon which was bread and a large pipkin full of +a mess which emitted no disagreeable savour. “The heart +of the balichow is in that puchera,” said Antonio; “eat, +brother.” We both sat down and ate, Antonio voraciously. +When we had concluded he arose:- “Have you got your <i>li</i>?” +he demanded. “Here it is,” said I, showing him my +passport. “Good,” said he, “you may want it; +I want none, my passport is the bar lachi. Now for a glass of +repani, and then for the road.”<br> +<br> +We left the room, the door of which he locked, hiding the key beneath +a loose brick in a corner of the passage. “Go into the street, +brother, whilst I fetch the caballerias from the stable.” +I obeyed him. The sun had not yet risen, and the air was piercingly +cold; the grey light, however, of dawn enabled me to distinguish objects +with tolerable accuracy; I soon heard the clattering of the animals’ +feet, and Antonio presently stepped forth leading the horse by the bridle; +the macho followed behind. I looked at the horse and shrugged +my shoulders: as far as I could scan it, it appeared the most uncouth +animal I had ever beheld. It was of a spectral white, short in +the body, but with remarkably long legs. I observed that it was +particularly high in the cruz or withers. “You are looking +at the grasti,” said Antonio; “it is eighteen years old, +but it is the very best in the Chim del Manro; I have long had my eye +upon it; I bought it for my own use for the affairs of Egypt. +Mount, brother, mount and let us leave the foros - the gate is about +being opened.”<br> +<br> +He locked the door, and deposited the key in his faja. In less +than a quarter of an hour we had left the town behind us. “This +does not appear to be a very good horse,” said I to Antonio, as +we proceeded over the plain. “It is with difficulty that +I can make him move.”<br> +<br> +“He is the swiftest horse in the Chim del Manro, brother,” +said Antonio; “at the gallop and at the speedy trot there is no +one to match him; but he is eighteen years old, and his joints are stiff, +especially of a morning; but let him once become heated and the genio +del viejo (<i>spirit of the old man</i>) comes upon him and there is +no holding him in with bit or bridle. I bought that horse for +the affairs of Egypt, brother.”<br> +<br> +About noon we arrived at a small village in the neighbourhood of a high +lumpy hill. “There is no Calo house in this place,” +said Antonio; “we will therefore go to the posada of the Busné, +and refresh ourselves, man and beast.” We entered the kitchen +and sat down at the boards, calling for wine and bread. There +were two ill-looking fellows in the kitchen, smoking cigars; I said +something to Antonio in the Calo language.<br> +<br> +“What is that I hear?” said one of the fellows, who was +distinguished by an immense pair of moustaches. “What is +that I hear? is it in Calo that you are speaking before me, and I a +Chalan and national? Accursed gypsy, how dare you enter this posada +and speak before me in that speech? Is it not forbidden by the +law of the land in which we are, even as it is forbidden for a gypsy +to enter the mercado? I tell you what, friend, if I hear another +word of Calo come from your mouth, I will cudgel your bones and send +you flying over the house-tops with a kick of my foot.”<br> +<br> +“You would do right,” said his companion; “the insolence +of these gypsies is no longer to be borne. When I am at Merida +or Badajoz I go to the mercado, and there in a corner stand the accursed +gypsies jabbering to each other in a speech which I understand not. +‘Gypsy gentleman,’ say I to one of them, ‘what will +you have for that donkey?’ ‘I will have ten dollars +for it, Caballero nacional,’ says the gypsy; ‘it is the +best donkey in all Spain.’ ‘I should like to see its +paces,’ say I. ‘That you shall, most valorous!’ +says the gypsy, and jumping upon its back, he puts it to its paces, +first of all whispering something into its ears in Calo, and truly the +paces of the donkey are most wonderful, such as I have never seen before. +‘I think it will just suit me,’ and after looking at it +awhile, I take out the money and pay for it. ‘I shall go +to my house,’ says the gypsy; and off he runs. ‘I +shall go to my village,’ say I, and I mount the donkey. +‘Vamonos,’ say I, but the donkey won’t move. +I give him a switch, but I don’t get on the better for that. +‘How is this?’ say I, and I fall to spurring him. +What happens then, brother? The wizard no sooner feels the prick +than he bucks down, and flings me over his head into the mire. +I get up and look about me; there stands the donkey staring at me, and +there stand the whole gypsy canaille squinting at me with their filmy +eyes. ‘Where is the scamp who has sold me this piece of +furniture?’ I shout. ‘He is gone to Granada, Valorous,’ +says one. ‘He is gone to see his kindred among the Moors,’ +says another. ‘I just saw him running over the field, in +the direction of -, with the devil close behind him,’ says a third. +In a word, I am tricked. I wish to dispose of the donkey; no one, +however, will buy him; he is a Calo donkey, and every person avoids +him. At last the gypsies offer thirty rials for him; and after +much chaffering I am glad to get rid of him at two dollars. It +is all a trick, however; he returns to his master, and the brotherhood +share the spoil amongst them. All which villainy would be prevented, +in my opinion, were the Calo language not spoken; for what but the word +of Calo could have induced the donkey to behave in such an unaccountable +manner?”<br> +<br> +Both seemed perfectly satisfied with the justness of this conclusion, +and continued smoking till their cigars were burnt to stumps, when they +arose, twitched their whiskers, looked at us with fierce disdain, and +dashing the tobacco-ends to the ground, strode out of the apartment.<br> +<br> +“Those people seem no friends to the gypsies,” said I to +Antonio, when the two bullies had departed, “nor to the Calo language +either.”<br> +<br> +“May evil glanders seize their nostrils,” said Antonio; +“they have been jonjabadoed by our people. However, brother, +you did wrong to speak to me in Calo, in a posada like this; it is a +forbidden language; for, as I have often told you, the king has destroyed +the law of the Calés. Let us away, brother, or those juntunes +<i>(sneaking scoundrels)</i> may set the justicia upon us.”<br> +<br> +Towards evening we drew near to a large town or village. “That +is Merida,” said Antonio, “formerly, as the Busné +say, a mighty city of the Corahai. We shall stay here to-night, +and perhaps for a day or two, for I have some business of Egypt to transact +in this place. Now, brother, step aside with the horse, and wait +for me beneath yonder wall. I must go before and see in what condition +matters stand.”<br> +<br> +I dismounted from the horse, and sat down on a stone beneath the ruined +wall to which Antonio had motioned me; the sun went down, and the air +was exceedingly keen; I drew close around me an old tattered gypsy cloak +with which my companion had provided me, and being somewhat fatigued, +fell into a doze which lasted for nearly an hour.<br> +<br> +“Is your worship the London Caloro?” said a strange voice +close beside me.<br> +<br> +I started and beheld the face of a woman peering under my hat. +Notwithstanding the dusk, I could see that the features were hideously +ugly and almost black; they belonged, in fact, to a gypsy crone, at +least seventy years of age, leaning upon a staff.<br> +<br> +“Is your worship the London Caloro?” repeated she.<br> +<br> +“I am he whom you seek,” said I; “where is Antonio?”<br> +<br> +“<i>Curelando, curelando, baribustres curelos terela</i>,” +<a name="citation1"></a><a href="#footnote1">{1}</a><i> </i>said the +crone: “come with me, Caloro of my garlochin, come with me to +my little ker, he will be there anon.”<br> +<br> +I followed the crone, who led the way into the town, which was ruinous +and seemingly half deserted; we went up the street, from which she turned +into a narrow and dark lane, and presently opened the gate of a large +dilapidated house; “Come in,” said she.<br> +<br> +“And the gras?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“Bring the gras in too, my chabo, bring the gras in too; there +is room for the gras in my little stable.” We entered a +large court, across which we proceeded till we came to a wide doorway. +“Go in, my child of Egypt,” said the hag; “go in, +that is my little stable.”<br> +<br> +“The place is as dark as pitch,” said I, “and may +be a well for what I know; bring a light or I will not enter.”<br> +<br> +“Give me the solabarri (<i>bridle</i>),” said the hag, “and +I will lead your horse in, my chabo of Egypt, yes, and tether him to +my little manger.” She led the horse through the doorway, +and I heard her busy in the darkness; presently the horse shook himself: +“<i>Grasti terelamos</i>,” said the hag, who now made her +appearance with the bridle in her hand; “the horse has shaken +himself, he is not harmed by his day’s journey; now let us go +in, my Caloro, into my little room.”<br> +<br> +We entered the house and found ourselves in a vast room, which would +have been quite dark but for a faint glow which appeared at the farther +end; it proceeded from a brasero, beside which were squatted two dusky +figures.<br> +<br> +“These are Callees,” said the hag; “one is my daughter +and the other is her chabi; sit down, my London Caloro, and let us hear +you speak.”<br> +<br> +I looked about for a chair, but could see none; at a short distance, +however, I perceived the end of a broken pillar lying on the floor; +this I rolled to the brasero and sat down upon it.<br> +<br> +“This is a fine house, mother of the gypsies,” said I to +the hag, willing to gratify the desire she had expressed of hearing +me speak; “a fine house is this of yours, rather cold and damp, +though; it appears large enough to be a barrack for hundunares.”<br> +<br> +“Plenty of houses in this foros, plenty of houses in Merida, my +London Caloro, some of them just as they were left by the Corahanoes; +ah, a fine people are the Corahanoes; I often wish myself in their chim +once more.”<br> +<br> +“How is this, mother,” said I, “have you been in the +land of the Moors?”<br> +<br> +“Twice have I been in their country, my Caloro, - twice have I +been in the land of the Corahai; the first time is more than fifty years +ago, I was then with the Sese <i>(Spaniards),</i> for my husband was +a soldier of the Crallis of Spain, and Oran at that time belonged to +Spain.”<br> +<br> +“You were not then with the real Moors,” said I, “but +only with the Spaniards who occupied part of their country.”<br> +<br> +“I have been with the real Moors, my London Caloro. Who +knows more of the real Moors than myself? About forty years ago +I was with my ro in Ceuta, for he was still a soldier of the king, and +he said to me one day, ‘I am tired of this place where there is +no bread and less water, I will escape and turn Corahano; this night +I will kill my sergeant and flee to the camp of the Moor.’ +‘Do so,’ said I, ‘my chabo, and as soon as may be +I will follow you and become a Corahani.’ That same night +he killed his sergeant, who five years before had called him Calo and +cursed him, then running to the wall he dropped from it, and amidst +many shots he escaped to the land of the Corahai, as for myself, I remained +in the presidio of Ceuta as a suttler, selling wine and repani to the +soldiers. Two years passed by and I neither saw nor heard from +my ro; one day there came a strange man to my cachimani <i>(wine-shop), +</i>he was dressed like a Corahano, and yet he did not look like one, +he looked like more a callardo (<i>black</i>), and yet he was not a +callardo either, though he was almost black, and as I looked upon him +I thought he looked something like the Errate, and he said to me, ‘Zincali; +chachipé!’ and then he whispered to me in queer language, +which I could scarcely understand, ‘Your ro is waiting, come with +me, my little sister, and I will take you unto him.’ ‘Where +is he?’ said I, and he pointed to the west, to the land of the +Corahai, and said, ‘He is yonder away; come with me, little sister, +the ro is waiting.’ For a moment I was afraid, but I bethought +me of my husband and I wished to be amongst the Corahai; so I took the +little parné <i>(money)</i> I had, and locking up the cachimani +went with the strange man; the sentinel challenged us at the gate, but +I gave him repani <i>(brandy) </i>and he let us pass; in a moment we +were in the land of the Corahai. About a league from the town +beneath a hill we found four people, men and women, all very black like +the strange man, and we joined ourselves with them and they all saluted +me and called me little sister. That was all I understood of their +discourse, which was very crabbed; and they took away my dress and gave +me other clothes, and I looked like a Corahani, and away we marched +for many days amidst deserts and small villages, and more than once +it seemed to me that I was amongst the Errate, for their ways were the +same: the men would hokkawar (<i>cheat</i>) with mules and asses, and +the women told baji, and after many days we came before a large town, +and the black man said, ‘Go in there, little sister, and there +you will find your ro;’ and I went to the gate, and an armed Corahano +stood within the gate, and I looked in his face, and lo! it was my ro.<br> +<br> +“O what a strange town it was that I found myself in, full of +people who had once been Candoré <i>(Christians)</i> but had +renegaded and become Corahai. There were Sese and Laloré +<i>(Portuguese), </i>and men of other nations, and amongst them were +some of the Errate from my own country; all were now soldiers of the +Crallis of the Corahai and followed him to his wars; and in that town +I remained with my ro a long time, occasionally going out with him to +the wars, and I often asked him about the black men who had brought +me thither, and he told me that he had had dealings with them, and that +he believed them to be of the Errate. Well, brother, to be short, +my ro was killed in the wars, before a town to which the king of the +Corahai laid siege, and I became a piuli <i>(widow), </i>and I returned +to the village of the renegades, as it was called, and supported myself +as well as I could; and one day as I was sitting weeping, the black +man, whom I had never seen since the day he brought me to my ro, again +stood before me, and he said, ‘Come with me, little sister, come +with me, the ro is at hand’; and I went with him, and beyond the +gate in the desert was the same party of black men and women which I +had seen before. ‘Where is my ro?’ said I. ‘Here +he is, little sister,’ said the black man, ‘here he is; +from this day I am the ro and you the romi; come, let us go, for there +is business to be done.’<br> +<br> +“And I went with him, and he was my ro, and we lived amongst the +deserts, and hokkawar’d and choried and told baji; and I said +to myself, this is good, sure I am amongst the Errate in a better chim +than my own; and I often said that they were of the Errate, and then +they would laugh and say that it might be so, and that they were not +Corahai, but they could give no account of themselves.<br> +<br> +“Well, things went on in this way for years, and I had three chai +by the black man, two of them died, but the youngest, who is the Calli +who sits by the brasero, was spared; so we roamed about and choried +and told baji; and it came to pass that once in the winter time our +company attempted to pass a wide and deep river, of which there are +many in the Chim del Corahai, and the boat overset with the rapidity +of the current and all our people were drowned, all but myself and my +chabi, whom I bore in my bosom. I had now no friends amongst the +Corahai, and I wandered about the despoblados howling and lamenting +till I became half lili (<i>mad</i>), and in this manner I found my +way to the coast, where I made friends with the captain of a ship and +returned to this land of Spain. And now I am here, I often wish +myself back again amongst the Corahai.”<br> +<br> +Here she commenced laughing loud and long, and when she had ceased, +her daughter and grandchild took up the laugh, which they continued +so long that I concluded they were all lunatics.<br> +<br> +Hour succeeded hour, and still we sat crouching over the brasero, from +which, by this time, all warmth had departed; the glow had long since +disappeared, and only a few dying sparks were to be distinguished. +The room or hall was now involved in utter darkness; the women were +motionless and still; I shivered and began to feel uneasy. “Will +Antonio be here to-night?” at length I demanded.<br> +<br> +“<i>No tenga usted cuidao, </i>my London Caloro,” said the +Gypsy mother, in an unearthly tone; “Pepindorio <a name="citation2"></a><a href="#footnote2">{2}</a> +has been here some time.”<br> +<br> +I was about to rise from my seat and attempt to escape from the house, +when I felt a hand laid upon my shoulder, and in a moment I heard the +voice of Antonio.<br> +<br> +“Be not afraid, ’tis I, brother; we will have a light anon, +and then supper.”<br> +<br> +The supper was rude enough, consisting of bread, cheese, and olives. +Antonio, however, produced a leathern bottle of excellent wine; we despatched +these viands by the light of an earthen lamp which was placed upon the +floor.<br> +<br> +“Now,” said Antonio to the youngest female, “bring +me the pajandi, and I will sing a gachapla.”<br> +<br> +The girl brought the guitar, which, with some difficulty, the Gypsy +tuned, and then strumming it vigorously, he sang:<br> +<br> +<br> +“I stole a plump and bonny fowl,<br> + But ere I well had dined,<br> +The master came with scowl and growl,<br> + And me would captive bind.<br> +<br> +“My hat and mantle off I threw,<br> + And scour’d across the lea,<br> +Then cried the beng <a name="citation3"></a><a href="#footnote3">{3}</a> +with loud halloo,<br> + Where does the Gypsy flee?”<br> +<br> +<br> +He continued playing and singing for a considerable time, the two younger +females dancing in the meanwhile with unwearied diligence, whilst the +aged mother occasionally snapped her fingers or beat time on the ground +with her stick. At last Antonio suddenly laid down the instrument:-<br> +<br> +“I see the London Caloro is weary; enough, enough, to-morrow more +thereof - we will now to the charipé <i>(bed)</i>.”<br> +<br> +“With all my heart,” said I; “where are we to sleep?”<br> +<br> +“In the stable,” said he, “in the manger; however +cold the stable may be we shall be warm enough in the bufa.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER X<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Gypsy’s Granddaughter - Proposed Marriage - The Algnazil - +The Assault - Speedy Trot - Arrival at Trujillo - Night and Rain - The +Forest - The Bivouac - Mount and Away! - Jaraicejo - The National - +The Cavalier Balmerson - Among the Thicket - Serious Discourse - What +is Truth? - Unexpected Intelligence.<br> +<br> +We remained three days at the Gypsies’ house, Antonio departing +early every morning, on his mule, and returning late at night. +The house was large and ruinous, the only habitable part of it, with +the exception of the stable, being the hall, where we had supped, and +there the Gypsy females slept at night, on some mats and mattresses +in a corner.<br> +<br> +“A strange house is this,” said I to Antonio, one morning +as he was on the point of saddling his mule and departing, as I supposed, +on the affairs of Egypt; “a strange house and strange people; +that Gypsy grandmother has all the appearance of a sowanee <i>(sorceress)</i>.”<br> +<br> +“All the appearance of one!” said Antonio; “and is +she not really one? She knows more crabbed things and crabbed +words than all the Errate betwixt here and Catalonia. She has +been amongst the wild Moors, and can make more drows, poisons, and philtres +than any one alive. She once made a kind of paste, and persuaded +me to taste, and shortly after I had done so my soul departed from my +body, and wandered through horrid forests and mountains, amidst monsters +and duendes, during one entire night. She learned many things +amidst the Corahai which I should be glad to know.”<br> +<br> +“Have you been long acquainted with her?” said I; “you +appear to be quite at home in this house.”<br> +<br> +“Acquainted with her!” said Antonio. “Did not +my own brother marry the black Calli, her daughter, who bore him the +chabi, sixteen years ago, just before he was hanged by the Busné?”<br> +<br> +In the afternoon I was seated with the Gypsy mother in the hall, the +two Callees were absent telling fortunes about the town and neighbourhood, +which was their principal occupation. “Are you married, +my London Caloro?” said the old woman to me. “Are +you a ro?”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Wherefore do you ask, O Dai de los Cales?<br> +<br> +<i>Gypsy Mother</i>. - It is high time that the lacha of the chabi were +taken from her, and that she had a ro. You can do no better than +take her for romi, my London Caloro.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I am a stranger in this land, O mother of the Gypsies, +and scarcely know how to provide for myself, much less for a romi.<br> +<br> +<i>Gypsy Mother</i>. - She wants no one to provide for her, my London +Caloro, she can at any time provide for herself and her ro. She +can hokkawar, tell baji, and there are few to equal her at stealing +a pastesas. Were she once at Madrilati, where they tell me you +are going, she would make much treasure; therefore take her thither, +for in this foros she is nahi (<i>lost</i>), as it were, for there is +nothing to be gained; but in the foros baro it would be another matter; +she would go dressed in lachipi and sonacai (<i>silk and gold</i>), +whilst you would ride about on your black-tailed gra; and when you had +got much treasure, you might return hither and live like a Crallis, +and all the Errate of the Chim del Manro should bow down their heads +to you. What, say you, my London Caloro, what say you to my plan?<br> +<br> +Myself. - Your plan is a plausible one, mother, or at least some people +would think so; but I am, as you are aware, of another chim, and have +no inclination to pass my life in this country.<br> +<br> +<i>Gypsy Mother</i>. - Then return to your own country, my Caloro, the +chabi can cross the pani. Would she not do business in London +with the rest of the Caloré? Or why not go to the land +of the Corahai? In which case I would accompany you; I and my +daughter, the mother of the chabi.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what should we do in the land of the Corahai? +It is a poor and wild country, I believe.<br> +<br> +<i>Gypsy Mother</i>. - The London Caloro asks me what we could do in +the land of the Corahai! Aromali! I almost think that I +am speaking to a lilipendi <i>(simpleton). </i>Are there not horses +to chore? Yes, I trow there are, and better ones than in this +land, and asses and mules. In the land of the Corahai you must +hokkawar and chore even as you must here, or in your own country, or +else you are no Caloro. Can you not join yourselves with the black +people who live in the despoblados? Yes, surely; and glad they +would be to have among them the Errate from Spain and London. +I am seventy years of age, but I wish not to die in this chim, but yonder, +far away, where both my roms are sleeping. Take the chabi, therefore, +and go to Madrilati to win the parné, and when you have got it, +return, and we will give a banquet to all the Busné in Merida, +and in their food I will mix drow, and they shall eat and burst like +poisoned sheep. . . . And when they have eaten we will leave them, and +away to the land of the Moor, my London Caloro.<br> +<br> +During the whole time that I remained at Merida I stirred not once from +the house; following the advice of Antonio, who informed me that it +would not be convenient. My time lay rather heavily on my hands, +my only source of amusement consisting in the conversation of the women, +and in that of Antonio when he made his appearance at night. In +these tertulias the grandmother was the principal spokeswoman, and astonished +my ears with wonderful tales of the Land of the Moors, prison escapes, +thievish feats, and one or two poisoning adventures, in which she had +been engaged, as she informed me, in her early youth.<br> +<br> +There was occasionally something very wild in her gestures and demeanour; +more than once I observed her, in the midst of much declamation, to +stop short, stare in vacancy, and thrust out her palms as if endeavouring<i> +</i>to push away some invisible substance; she goggled frightfully with +her eyes, and once sank back in convulsions, of which her children took +no farther notice than observing that she was only lili, and would soon +come to herself.<br> +<br> +Late in the afternoon of the third day, as the three women and myself +sat conversing as usual over the brasero, a shabby looking fellow in +an old rusty cloak walked into the room: he came straight up to the +place where we were sitting, produced a paper cigar, which he lighted +at a coal, and taking a whiff or two, looked at me: “Carracho,” +said he, “who is this companion?”<br> +<br> +I saw at once that the fellow was no Gypsy: the women said nothing, +but I could hear the grandmother growling to herself, something after +the manner of an old grimalkin when disturbed.<br> +<br> +“Carracho,” reiterated the fellow, “how came this +companion here?”<br> +<br> +“<i>No le penela chi min chaboro</i>,” said the black Callee +to me, in an undertone; “<i>sin un balicho de los chineles</i> +<a name="citation4"></a><a href="#footnote4">{4}</a>;” then looking +up to the interrogator she said aloud, “he is one of our people +from Portugal, come on the smuggling lay, and to see his poor sisters +here.”<br> +<br> +“Then let him give me some tobacco,” said the fellow, “I +suppose he has brought some with him.”<br> +<br> +“He has no tobacco,” said the black Callee, “he has +nothing but old iron. This cigar is the only tobacco there is +in the house; take it, smoke it, and go away!”<br> +<br> +Thereupon she produced a cigar from out her shoe, which she presented +to the alguazil.<br> +<br> +“This will not do,” said the fellow, taking the cigar, “I +must have something better; it is now three months since I received +anything from you; the last present was a handkerchief, which was good +for nothing; therefore hand me over something worth taking, or I will +carry you all to the Carcel.”<br> +<br> +“The Busno will take us to prison,” said the black Callee, +“ha! ha! ha!”<br> +<br> +“The Chinel will take us to prison,” giggled the young girl +“he! he! he!”<br> +<br> +“The Bengui will carry us all to the estaripel,” grunted +the Gypsy grandmother, “ho! ho! ho!”<br> +<br> +The three females arose and walked slowly round the fellow, fixing their +eyes steadfastly on his face; he appeared frightened, and evidently +wished to get away. Suddenly the two youngest seized his hands, +and whilst he struggled to release himself, the old woman exclaimed: +“You want tobacco, hijo - you come to the Gypsy house to frighten +the Callees and the strange Caloro out of their plako - truly, hijo, +we have none for you, and right sorry I am; we have, however, plenty +of the dust <i>a su servicio</i>.”<br> +<br> +Here, thrusting her hand into her pocket, she discharged a handful of +some kind of dust or snuff into the fellow’s eyes; he stamped +and roared, but was for some time held fast by the two Callees; he extricated +himself, however, and attempted to unsheath a knife which he bore at +his girdle; but the two younger females flung themselves upon him like +furies, while the old woman increased his disorder by thrusting her +stick into his face; he was soon glad to give up the contest, and retreated, +leaving behind him his hat and cloak, which the chabi gathered up and +flung after him into the street.<br> +<br> +“This is a bad business,” said I, “the fellow will +of course bring the rest of the justicia upon us, and we shall all be +cast into the estaripel.”<br> +<br> +“Ca!” said the black Callee, biting her thumb nail, “he +has more reason to fear us than we him, we could bring him to the filimicha; +we have, moreover, friends in this town, plenty, plenty.”<br> +<br> +“Yes,” mumbled the grandmother, “the daughters of +the baji have friends, my London Caloro, friends among the Busnees, +baributre, baribu <i>(plenty, plenty)</i>.”<br> +<br> +Nothing farther of any account occurred in the Gypsy house; the next +day, Antonio and myself were again in the saddle, we travelled at least +thirteen leagues before we reached the Venta, where we passed the night; +we rose early in the morning, my guide informing me that we had a long +day’s journey to make. “Where are we bound to?” +I demanded. “To Trujillo,” he replied.<br> +<br> +When the sun arose, which it did gloomily and amidst threatening rain-clouds, +we found ourselves in the neighbourhood of a range of mountains which +lay on our left, and which, Antonio informed me, were called the Sierra +of San Selvan; our route, however, lay over wide plains, scantily clothed +with brushwood, with here and there a melancholy village, with its old +and dilapidated church. Throughout the greater part of the day, +a drizzling rain was falling, which turned the dust of the roads into +mud and mire, considerably impeding our progress. Towards evening +we reached a moor, a wild place enough, strewn with enormous stones +and rocks. Before us, at some distance, rose a strange conical +hill, rough and shaggy, which appeared to be neither more nor less than +an immense assemblage of the same kind of rocks which lay upon the moor. +The rain had now ceased, but a strong wind rose and howled at our backs. +Throughout the journey, I had experienced considerable difficulty in +keeping up with the mule of Antonio; the walk of the horse was slow, +and I could discover no vestige of the spirit which the Gypsy had assured +me lurked within him. We were now upon a tolerably clear spot +of the moor: “I am about to see,” I said, “whether +this horse has any of the quality which you have described.” +“Do so,” said Antonio, and spurred his beast onward, speedily +leaving me far behind. I jerked the horse with the bit, endeavouring +to arouse his dormant spirit, whereupon he stopped, reared, and refused +to proceed. “Hold the bridle loose and touch him with your +whip,” shouted Antonio from before. I obeyed, and forthwith +the animal set off at a trot, which gradually increased in swiftness +till it became a downright furious speedy trot; his limbs were now thoroughly +lithy, and he brandished his fore legs in a manner perfectly wondrous; +the mule of Antonio, which was a spirited animal of excellent paces, +would fain have competed with him, but was passed in a twinkling. +This tremendous trot endured for about a mile, when the animal, becoming +yet more heated, broke suddenly into a gallop. Hurrah! no hare +ever ran so wildly or blindly; it was, literally, <i>ventre a terre; +</i>and I had considerable difficulty in keeping him clear of rocks, +against which he would have rushed in his savage fury, and dashed himself +and rider to atoms.<br> +<br> +This race brought me to the foot of the hill, where I waited till the +Gypsy rejoined me: we left the hill, which seemed quite inaccessible, +on our right, passing through a small and wretched village. The +sun went down, and dark night presently came upon us; we proceeded on, +however, for nearly three hours, until we heard the barking of dogs, +and perceived a light or two in the distance. “That is Trujillo,” +said Antonio, who had not spoken for a long time. “I am +glad of it,” I replied; “I am thoroughly tired; I shall +sleep soundly in Trujillo.” “That is as it may be,” +said the Gypsy, and spurred his mule to a brisker pace. We soon +entered the town, which appeared dark and gloomy enough; I followed +close behind the Gypsy, who led the way I knew not whither, through +dismal streets and dark places, where cats were squalling. “Here +is the house,” said he at last, dismounting before a low mean +hut; he knocked, no answer was returned; - he knocked again, but still +there was no reply; he shook the door and essayed to open it, but it +appeared firmly locked and bolted. “Caramba!” said +he, “they are out - I feared it might be so. Now what are +we to do?”<br> +<br> +“There can be no difficulty,” said I, “with respect +to what we have to do; if your friends are gone out, it is easy enough +to go to a posada.”<br> +<br> +“You know not what you say,” replied the Gypsy, “I +dare not go to the mesuna, nor enter any house in Trujillo save this, +and this is shut; well, there is no remedy, we must move on, and, between +ourselves, the sooner we leave this place the better; my own planoro +<i>(brother)</i> was garroted at Trujillo.”<br> +<br> +He lighted a cigar, by means of a steel and yesca, sprang on his mule, +and proceeded through streets and lanes equally dismal as those which +we had already traversed till we again found ourselves out of the, town.<br> +<br> +I confess I did not much like this decision of the Gypsy; I felt very +slight inclination to leave the town behind and to venture into unknown +places in the dark night: amidst rain and mist, for the wind had now +dropped, and the rain began again to fall briskly. I was, moreover, +much fatigued, and wished for nothing better than to deposit myself +in some comfortable manger, where I might sink to sleep, lulled by the +pleasant sound of horses and mules despatching their provender. +I had, however, put myself under the direction of the Gypsy, and I was +too old a traveller to quarrel with my guide under the present circumstances. +I therefore followed close at his crupper; our only light being the +glow emitted from the Gypsy’s cigar; at last he flung it from +his mouth into a puddle, and we were then in darkness.<br> +<br> +We proceeded in this manner for a long time; the Gypsy was silent; I +myself was equally so; the rain descended more and more. I sometimes +thought I heard doleful noises, something like the hooting of owls. +“This is a strange night to be wandering abroad in,” I at +length said to Antonio.<br> +<br> +“It is, brother,” said he, “but I would sooner be +abroad in such a night, and in such places, than in the estaripel of +Trujillo.”<br> +<br> +We wandered at least a league farther, and appeared now to be near a +wood, for I could occasionally distinguish the trunks of immense trees. +Suddenly Antonio stopped his mule; “Look, brother,” said +he, “to the left, and tell me if you do not see a light; your +eyes are sharper than mine.” I did as he commanded me. +At first I could see nothing, but moving a little farther on I plainly +saw a large light at some distance, seemingly amongst the trees. +“Yonder cannot be a lamp or candle,” said I; “it is +more like the blaze of a fire.” “Very likely,” +said Antonio. “There are no queres <i>(houses) </i>in this +place; it is doubtless a fire made by durotunes (<i>shepherds</i>); +let us go and join them, for, as you say, it is doleful work wandering +about at night amidst rain and mire.”<br> +<br> +We dismounted and entered what I now saw was a forest, leading the animals +cautiously amongst the trees and brushwood. In about five minutes +we reached a small open space, at the farther side of which, at the +foot of a large cork tree, a fire was burning, and by it stood or sat +two or three figures; they had heard our approach, and one of them now +exclaimed Quien Vive? “I know that voice,” said Antonio, +and leaving the horse with me, rapidly advanced towards the fire: presently +I heard an Ola! and a laugh, and soon the voice of Antonio summoned +me to advance. On reaching the fire I found two dark lads, and +a still darker woman of about forty; the latter seated on what appeared +to be horse or mule furniture. I likewise saw a horse and two +donkeys tethered to the neighbouring trees. It was in fact a Gypsy +bivouac. . . . “Come forward, brother, and show yourself,” +said Antonio to me; “you are amongst friends; these are of the +Errate, the very people whom I expected to find at Trujillo, and in +whose house we should have slept.”<br> +<br> +“And what,” said I, “could have induced them to leave +their house in Trujillo and come into this dark forest in the midst +of wind and rain, to pass the night?”<br> +<br> +“They come on business of Egypt, brother, doubtless,” replied +Antonio; “and that business is none of ours, Calla boca! +It is lucky we have found them here, else we should have had no supper, +and our horses no corn.”<br> +<br> +“My ro is prisoner at the village yonder,” said the woman, +pointing with her hand in a particular direction; “he is prisoner +yonder for choring a mailla <i>(stealing a</i> <i>donkey); </i>we are +come to see what we can do in his behalf; and where can we lodge better +than in this forest, where there is nothing to pay? It is not +the first time, I trow, that Caloré have slept at the root of +a tree.”<br> +<br> +One of the striplings now gave us barley for our animals in a large +bag, into which we successively introduced their heads, allowing the +famished creatures to regale themselves till we conceived that they +had satisfied their hunger. There was a puchero simmering at the +fire, half full of bacon, garbanzos, and other provisions; this was +emptied into a large wooden platter, and out of this Antonio and myself +supped; the other Gypsies refused to join us, giving us to understand +that they had eaten before our arrival; they all, however, did justice +to the leathern bottle of Antonio, which, before his departure from +Merida, he had the precaution to fill.<br> +<br> +I was by this time completely overcome with fatigue and sleep. +Antonio flung me an immense horse-cloth, of which he bore more than +one beneath the huge cushion on which he rode; in this I wrapped myself, +and placing my head upon a bundle, and my feet as near as possible to +the fire, I lay down.<br> +<br> +Antonio and the other Gypsies remained seated by the fire conversing. +I listened for a moment to what they said, but I did not perfectly understand +it, and what I did understand by no means interested me: the rain still +drizzled, but I heeded it not, and was soon asleep.<br> +<br> +The sun was just appearing as I awoke. I made several efforts +before I could rise from the ground; my limbs were quite stiff, and +my hair was covered with rime; for the rain had ceased and a rather +severe frost set in. I looked around me, but could see neither +Antonio nor the Gypsies; the animals of the latter had likewise disappeared, +so had the horse which I had hitherto rode; the mule, however, of Antonio +still remained fastened to the tree! this latter circumstance quieted +some apprehensions which were beginning to arise in my mind. “They +are gone on some business of Egypt,” I said to myself, “and +will return anon.” I gathered together the embers of the +fire, and heaping upon them sticks and branches, soon succeeded in calling +forth a blaze, beside which I placed the puchero, with what remained +of the provision of last night. I waited for a considerable time +in expectation of the return of my companions, but as they did not appear, +I sat down and breakfasted. Before I had well finished I heard +the noise of a horse approaching rapidly, and presently Antonio made +his appearance amongst the trees, with some agitation in his countenance. +He sprang from the horse, and instantly proceeded to untie the mule. +“Mount, brother, mount!” said he, pointing to the horse; +“I went with the Callee and her chabés to the village where +the ro is in trouble; the chinobaro, however, seized them at once with +their cattle, and would have laid hands also on me, but I set spurs +to the grasti, gave him the bridle, and was soon far away. Mount, +brother, mount, or we shall have the whole rustic canaille upon us in +a twinkling.”<br> +<br> +I did as he commanded: we were presently in the road which we had left +the night before. Along this we hurried at a great rate, the horse +displaying his best speedy trot; whilst the mule, with its ears pricked +up, galloped gallantly at his side. “What place is that +on the hill yonder?” said I to Antonio, at the expiration of an +hour, as we prepared to descend a deep valley.<br> +<br> +“That is Jaraicejo,” said Antonio; “a bad place it +is and a bad place it has ever been for the Calo people.”<br> +<br> +“If it is such a bad place,” said I, “I hope we shall +not have to pass through it.”<br> +<br> +“We must pass through it,” said Antonio, “for more +reasons than one: first, forasmuch is the road lies through Jaraicejo; +and second, forasmuch as it will be necessary to purchase provisions +there, both for ourselves and horses. On the other side of Jaraicejo +there is a wild desert, a despoblado, where we shall find nothing.”<br> +<br> +We crossed the valley, and ascended the hill, and as we drew near to +the town the Gypsy said, “Brother, we had best pass through that +town singly. I will go in advance; follow slowly, and when there +purchase bread and barley; you have nothing to fear. I will await +you on the despoblado.”<br> +<br> +Without waiting for my answer he hastened forward, and was speedily +out of sight.<br> +<br> +I followed slowly behind, and entered the gate of the town; an old dilapidated +place, consisting of little more than one street. Along this street +I was advancing, when a man with a dirty foraging cap on his head, and +holding a gun in his hand, came running up to me: “Who are you?” +said he, in rather rough accents, “from whence do you come?”<br> +<br> +“From Badajoz and Trujillo,” I replied; “why do you +ask?”<br> +<br> +“I am one of the national guard,” said the man, “and +am placed here to inspect strangers; I am told that a Gypsy fellow just +now rode through the town; it is well for him that I had stepped into +my house. Do you come in his company?”<br> +<br> +“Do I look a person,” said I, “likely to keep company +with Gypsies?”<br> +<br> +The national measured me from top to toe, and then looked me full in +the face with an expression which seemed to say, “likely enough.” +In fact, my appearance was by no means calculated to prepossess people +in my favour. Upon my head I wore an old Andalusian hat, which, +from its condition, appeared to have been trodden under foot; a rusty +cloak, which had perhaps served half a dozen generations, enwrapped +my body. My nether garments were by no means of the finest description; +and as far as could be seen were covered with mud, with which my face +was likewise plentifully bespattered, and upon my chin was a beard of +a week’s growth.<br> +<br> +“Have you a passport?” at length demanded the national.<br> +<br> +I remembered having read that the best way to win a Spaniard’s +heart is to treat him with ceremonious civility. I therefore dismounted, +and taking off my hat, made a low bow to the constitutional soldier, +saying, “Señor nacional, you must know that I am an English +gentleman, travelling in this country for my pleasure; I bear a passport, +which, on inspecting, you will find to be perfectly regular; it was +given me by the great Lord Palmerston, minister of England, whom you +of course have heard of here; at the bottom you will see his own handwriting; +look at it and rejoice; perhaps you will never have another opportunity. +As I put unbounded confidence in the honour of every gentleman, I leave +the passport in your hands whilst I repair to the posada to refresh +myself. When you have inspected it, you will perhaps oblige me +so far as to bring it to me. Cavalier, I kiss your hands.”<br> +<br> +I then made him another low bow, which he returned with one still lower, +and leaving him now staring at the passport and now looking at myself, +I went into a posada, to which I was directed by a beggar whom I met.<br> +<br> +I fed the horse, and procured some bread and barley, as the Gypsy had +directed me; I likewise purchased three fine partridges of a fowler, +who was drinking wine in the posada. He was satisfied with the +price I gave him, and offered to treat me with a copita, to which I +made no objection. As we sat discoursing at the table, the national +entered with the passport in his hand, and sat down by us.<br> +<br> +<i>National</i>. - Caballero! I return you your passport, it is +quite in form; I rejoice much to have made your acquaintance; I have +no doubt that you can give me some information respecting the present +war.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I shall be very happy to afford so polite and honourable +a gentleman any information in my power.<br> +<br> +<i>National</i>. - What is England doing, - is she about to afford any +assistance to this country? If she pleased she could put down +the war in three months.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Be under no apprehension, Señor nacional; the +war will be put down, don’t doubt. You have heard of the +English legion, which my Lord Palmerston has sent over? Leave +the matter in their hands, and you will soon see the result.<br> +<br> +<i>National</i>. - It appears to me that this Caballero Balmerson must +be a very honest man.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - There can be no doubt of it.<br> +<br> +<i>National</i>. - I have heard that he is a great general.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - There can be no doubt of it. In some things neither +Napoleon nor the sawyer <a name="citation5"></a><a href="#footnote5">{5}</a> +would stand a chance with him for a moment. <i>Es mucho hombre.<br> +<br> +National</i>. - I am glad to hear it. Does he intend to head the +legion himself?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I believe not; but he has sent over, to head the fighting +men, a friend of his, who is thought to be nearly as much versed in +military matters as himself.<br> +<br> +<i>National</i>. - I am rejoiced to hear it. I see that the war +will soon be over. Caballero, I thank you for your politeness, +and for the information which you have afforded me. I hope you +will have a pleasant journey. I confess that I am surprised to +see a gentleman of your country travelling alone, and in this manner, +through such regions as these. The roads are at present very bad; +there have of late been many accidents, and more than two deaths in +this neighbourhood. The despoblado out yonder has a particularly +evil name; be on your guard, Caballero. I am sorry that Gypsy +was permitted to pass; should you meet him and not like his looks, shoot +him at once, stab him, or ride him down. He is a well known thief, +contrabandista, and murderer, and has committed more assassinations +than he has fingers on his hands. Caballero, if you please, we +will allow you a guard to the other side of the pass. You do not +wish it? Then, farewell. Stay, before I go I should wish +to see once more the signature of the Caballero Balmerson.<br> +<br> +I showed him the signature, which he looked upon with profound reverence, +uncovering his head for a moment; we then embraced and parted.<br> +<br> +I mounted the horse and rode from the town, at first proceeding very +slowly; I had no sooner, however, reached the moor, than I put the animal +to his speedy trot, and proceeded at a tremendous rate for some time, +expecting every moment to overtake the Gypsy. I, however, saw +nothing of him, nor did I meet with a single human being. The +road along which I sped was narrow and sandy, winding amidst thickets +of broom and brushwood, with which the despoblado was overgrown, and +which in some places were as high as a man’s head. Across +the moor, in the direction in which I was proceeding, rose a lofty eminence, +naked and bare. The moor extended for at least three leagues; +I had nearly crossed it, and reached the foot of the ascent. I +was becoming very uneasy, conceiving that I might have passed the Gypsy +amongst the thickets, when I suddenly heard his well known Ola! and +his black savage head and staring eyes suddenly appeared from amidst +a clump of broom.<br> +<br> +“You have tarried long, brother,” said he; “I almost +thought you had played me false.”<br> +<br> +He bade me dismount, and then proceeded to lead the horse behind the +thicket, where I found the route picqueted to the ground. I gave +him the barley and provisions, and then proceeded to relate to him my +adventure with the national.<br> +<br> +“I would I had him here,” said the Gypsy, on hearing the +epithets which the former had lavished upon him. “I would +I had him here, then should my chulee and his carlo become better acquainted.”<br> +<br> +“And what are you doing here yourself,” I demanded, “in +this wild place, amidst these thickets?”<br> +<br> +“I am expecting a messenger down yon pass,” said the Gypsy; +“and till that messenger arrive I can neither go forward nor return. +It is on business of Egypt, brother, that I am here.”<br> +<br> +As he invariably used this last expression when he wished to evade my +inquiries, I held my peace, and said no more; the animals were fed, +and we proceeded to make a frugal repast on bread and wine.<br> +<br> +“Why do you not cook the game which I brought?” I demanded; +“in this place there is plenty of materials for a fire.”<br> +<br> +“The smoke might discover us, brother,” said Antonio, “I +am desirous of lying escondido in this place until the arrival of the +messenger.”<br> +<br> +It was now considerably past noon; the gypsy lay behind the thicket, +raising himself up occasionally and looking anxiously towards the hill +which lay over against us; at last, with an exclamation of disappointment +and impatience, he flung himself on the ground, where he lay a considerable +time, apparently ruminating; at last he lifted up his head and looked +me in the face.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - Brother, I cannot imagine what business brought you +to this country.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Perhaps the same which brings you to this moor - business +of Egypt.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - Not so, brother; you speak the language of Egypt, +it is true, but your ways and words are neither those of the Cales nor +of the Busné.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Did you not hear me speak in the foros about God and +Tebleque? It was to declare his glory to the Cales and Gentiles +that I came to the land of Spain.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - And who sent you on this errand?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - You would scarcely understand me were I to inform you. +Know, however, that there are many in foreign lands who lament the darkness +which envelops Spain, and the scenes of cruelty, robbery, and murder +which deform it.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - Are they Caloré or Busné?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What matters it? Both Caloré and Busné +are sons of the same God.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - You lie, brother, they are not of one father nor of +one Errate. You speak of robbery, cruelty, and murder. There +are too many Busné, brother; if there were no Busné there +would be neither robbery nor murder. The Caloré neither +rob nor murder each other, the Busno do; nor are they cruel to their +animals, their law forbids them. When I was a child I was beating +a burra, but my father stopped my hand, and chided me. “Hurt +not the animal,” said he; “for within it is the soul of +your own sister!”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And do you believe in this wild doctrine, O Antonio?<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - Sometimes I do, sometimes I do not. There are +some who believe in nothing; not even that they live! Long since, +I knew an old Caloro, he was old, very old, upwards of a hundred years, +- and I once heard him say, that all we thought we saw was a lie; that +there was no world, no men nor women, no horses nor mules, no olive +trees. But whither are we straying? I asked what induced +you to come to this country - you tell me the glory of God and Tebleque. +Disparate! tell that to the Busné. You have good reasons +for coming, no doubt, else you would not be here. Some say you +are a spy of the Londoné, perhaps you are; I care not. +Rise, brother, and tell me whether any one is coming down the pass.”<br> +<br> +“I see a distant object,” I replied; “like a speck +on the side of the hill.”<br> +<br> +The Gypsy started up, and we both fixed our eyes on the object: the +distance was so great that it was at first with difficulty that we could +distinguish whether it moved or not. A quarter of an hour, however, +dispelled all doubts, for within this time it had nearly reached the +bottom of the hill, and we could descry a figure seated on an animal +of some kind.<br> +<br> +“It is a woman,” said I, at length, “mounted on a +grey donkey.”<br> +<br> +“Then it is my messenger,” said Antonio, “for it can +be no other.”<br> +<br> +The woman and the donkey were now upon the plain, and for some time +were concealed from us by the copse and brushwood which intervened. +They were not long, however, in making their appearance at the distance +of about a hundred yards. The donkey was a beautiful creature +of a silver grey, and came frisking along, swinging her tail, and moving +her feet so quick that they scarcely seemed to touch the ground. +The animal no sooner perceived us than she stopped short, turned round, +and attempted to escape by the way she had come; her rider, however, +detained her, whereupon the donkey kicked violently, and would probably +have flung the former, had she not sprung nimbly to the ground. +The form of the woman was entirely concealed by the large wrapping man’s +cloak which she wore. I ran to assist her, when she turned her +face full upon me, and I instantly recognized the sharp clever features +of Antonia, whom I had seen at Badajoz, the daughter of my guide. +She said nothing to me, but advancing to her father, addressed something +to him in a low voice, which I did not hear. He started back, +and vociferated “All!” “Yes,” said she +in a louder tone, probably repeating the words which I had not caught +before, “All are captured.”<br> +<br> +The Gypsy remained for some time like one astounded and, unwilling to +listen to their discourse, which I imagined might relate to business +of Egypt, I walked away amidst the thickets. I was absent for +some time, but could occasionally hear passionate expressions and oaths. +In about half an hour I returned; they had left the road, but I found +then behind the broom clump, where the animals stood. Both were +seated on the ground; the features of the Gypsy were peculiarly dark +and grim; he held his unsheathed knife in his hand, which he would occasionally +plunge into the earth, exclaiming, “All! All!”<br> +<br> +“Brother,” said he at last, “I can go no farther with +you; the business which carried me to Castumba is settled; you must +now travel by yourself and trust to your baji <i>(fortune)</i>.”<br> +<br> +“I trust in Undevel,” I replied, “who wrote my fortune +long ago. But how am I to journey? I have no horse, for +you doubtless want your own.”<br> +<br> +The Gypsy appeared to reflect: “I want the horse, it is true, +brother,” he said, “and likewise the macho; but you shall +not go <i>en pindre </i>(on foot); you shall purchase the burra of Antonia, +which I presented her when I sent her upon this expedition.”<br> +<br> +“The burra,” I replied, “appears both savage and vicious.”<br> +<br> +“She is both, brother, and on that account I bought her; a savage +and vicious beast has generally four excellent legs. You are a +Calo, brother, and can manage her; you shall therefore purchase the +savage burra, giving my daugher Antonia a baria of gold. If you +think fit, you can sell the beast at Talavera or Madrid, for Estremenian +bestis are highly considered in Castumba.”<br> +<br> +In less than an hour I was on the other side of the pass, mounted on +the savage burra.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Pass of Mirabéte - 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 Madrid<br> +<br> +I proceeded down the pass of Mirabéte, occasionally ruminating +on the matter which had brought me to Spain, and occasionally admiring +one of the finest prospects in the world; before me outstretched lay +immense plains, bounded in the distance by huge mountains, whilst at +the foot of the hill which I was now descending, rolled the Tagus, in +a deep narrow stream, between lofty banks; the whole was gilded by the +rays of the setting sun; for the day, though cold and wintry, was bright +and clear. In about an hour I reached the river at a place where +stood the remains of what had once been a magnificent bridge, which +had, however, been blown up in the Peninsular war and never since repaired.<br> +<br> +I crossed the river in a ferry-boat; the passage was rather difficult, +the current very rapid and swollen, owing to the latter rains.<br> +<br> +“Am I in New Castile?” I demanded of the ferryman, on reaching +the further bank. “The raya is many leagues from hence,” +replied the ferryman; “you seem a stranger. Whence do you +come?” “From England,” I replied, and without +waiting for an answer, I sprang on the burra, and proceeded on my way. +The burra plied her feet most nimbly, and, shortly after nightfall, +brought me to a village at about two leagues’ distance from the +river’s bank.<br> +<br> +I sat down in the venta where I put up; there was a huge fire, consisting +of the greater part of the trunk of an olive tree; the company was rather +miscellaneous: a hunter with his escopeta; a brace of shepherds with +immense dogs, of that species for which Estremadura is celebrated; a +broken soldier, just returned from the wars; and a beggar, who, after +demanding charity for the seven wounds of Maria Santissima, took a seat +amidst us, and made himself quite comfortable. The hostess was +an active bustling woman, and busied herself in cooking my supper, which +consisted of the game which I had purchased at Jaraicejo, and which, +on my taking leave of the Gypsy, he had counselled me to take with me. +In the meantime, I sat by the fire listening to the conversation of +the company.<br> +<br> +“I would I were a wolf,” said one of the shepherds; “or, +indeed, anything rather than what I am. A pretty life is this +of ours, out in the campo, among the carascales, suffering heat and +cold for a peseta a day. I would I were a wolf; he fares better +and is more respected than the wretch of a shepherd.”<br> +<br> +“But he frequently fares scurvily,” said I; “the shepherd +and dogs fall upon him, and then he pays for his temerity with the loss +of his head.”<br> +<br> +“That is not often the case, señor traveller,” said +the shepherd; “he watches his opportunity, and seldom runs into +harm’s way. And as to attacking him, it is no very pleasant +task; he has both teeth and claws, and dog or man, who has once felt +them, likes not to venture a second time within his reach. These +dogs of mine will seize a bear singly with considerable alacrity, though +he is a most powerful animal, but I have seen them run howling away +from a wolf, even though there were two or three of us at hand to encourage +them.”<br> +<br> +“A dangerous person is the wolf,” said the other shepherd, +“and cunning as dangerous; who knows more than he? He knows +the vulnerable point of every animal; see, for example, how he flies +at the neck of a bullock, tearing open the veins with his grim teeth +and claws. But does he attack a horse in this manner? I +trow not.”<br> +<br> +“Not he,” said the other shepherd, “he is too good +a judge; but he fastens on the haunches, and hamstrings him in a moment. +O the fear of the horse when he comes near the dwelling of the wolf. +My master was the other day riding in the despoblado, above the pass, +on his fine Andalusian steed, which had cost him five hundred dollars; +suddenly the horse stopped, and sweated and trembled like a woman in +the act of fainting; my master could not conceive the reason, but presently +he heard a squealing and growling in the bushes, whereupon he fired +off his gun and scared the wolves, who scampered away; but he tells +me, that the horse has not yet recovered from his fright.”<br> +<br> +“Yet the mares know, occasionally, how to balk him,” replied +his companion; “there is great craft and malice in mares, as there +is in all females; see them feeding in the campo with their young cria +about them; presently the alarm is given that the wolf is drawing near; +they start wildly and run about for a moment, but it is only for a moment +- amain they gather together, forming themselves into a circle, in the +centre of which they place the foals. Onward comes the wolf, hoping +to make his dinner on horse-flesh; he is mistaken, however, the mares +have balked him, and are as cunning as himself: not a tail is to be +seen - not a hinder quarter - but there stands the whole troop, their +fronts towards him ready to receive him, and as he runs around them +barking and howling, they rise successively on their hind legs, ready +to stamp him to the earth, should he attempt to hurt their cria or themselves.”<br> +<br> +“Worse than the he-wolf,” said the soldier, “is the +female, for as the señor pastor has well observed, there is more +malice in women than in males: to see one of these she-demons with a +troop of the males at her heels is truly surprising: where she turns, +they turn, and what she does that do they; for they appear bewitched, +and have no power but to imitate her actions. I was once travelling +with a comrade over the hills of Galicia, when we heard a howl. +‘Those are wolves,’ said my companion, ‘let us get +out of the way;’ so we stepped from the path and ascended the +side of the hill a little way, to a terrace, where grew vines, after +the manner of Galicia: presently appeared a large grey she-wolf, <i>deshonesta,</i> +snapping and growling at a troop of demons, who followed close behind, +their tails uplifted, and their eyes like fire-brands. What do +you think the perverse brute did? Instead of keeping to the path, +she turned in the very direction in which we were; there was now no +remedy, so we stood still. I was the first upon the terrace, and +by me she passed so close that I felt her hair brush against my legs; +she, however, took no notice of me, but pushed on, neither looking to +the right nor left, and all the other wolves trotted by me without offering +the slightest injury or even so much as looking at me. Would that +I could say as much for my poor companion, who stood farther on, and +was, I believe, less in the demon’s way than I was; she had nearly +passed him, when suddenly she turned half round and snapped at him. +I shall never forget what followed: in a moment a dozen wolves were +upon him, tearing him limb from limb, with howlings like nothing in +this world; in a few moments he was devoured; nothing remained but a +skull and a few bones; and then they passed on in the same manner as +they came. Good reason had I to be grateful that my lady wolf +took less notice of me than my poor comrade.”<br> +<br> +Listening to this and similar conversation, I fell into a doze before +the fire, in which I continued for a considerable time, but was at length +aroused by a voice exclaiming in a loud tone, “All are captured!” +These were the exact words which, when spoken by his daughter, confounded +the Gypsy upon the moor. I looked around me, the company consisted +of the same individuals to whose conversation I had been listening before +I sank into slumber; but the beggar was now the spokesman, and he was +haranguing with considerable vehemence.<br> +<br> +“I beg your pardon, Caballero,” said I, “but I did +not hear the commencement of your discourse. Who are those who +have been captured?”<br> +<br> +“A band of accursed Gitanos, Caballero,” replied the beggar, +returning the title of courtesy, which I had bestowed upon him. +“During more than a fortnight they have infested the roads on +the frontier of Castile, and many have been the gentleman travellers +like yourself whom they have robbed and murdered. It would seem +that the Gypsy canaille must needs take advantage of these troublous +times, and form themselves into a faction. It is said that the +fellows of whom I am speaking expected many more of their brethren to +join them, which is likely enough, for all Gypsies are thieves: but +praised be God, they have been put down before they became too formidable. +I saw them myself conveyed to the prison at -. Thanks be to God. +<i>Todos estan presos</i>.”<br> +<br> +“The mystery is now solved,” said I to myself, and proceeded +to despatch my supper, which was now ready.<br> +<br> +The next day’s journey brought me to a considerable town, the +name of which I have forgotten. It is the first in New Castile, +in this direction. I passed the night as usual in the manger of +the stable, close beside the Caballeria; for, as I travelled upon a +donkey, I deemed it incumbent upon me to be satisfied with a couch in +keeping with my manner of journeying, being averse, by any squeamish +and over delicate airs, 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 believe. Rising before daylight, +I again proceeded on my way, hoping ere night to be able to reach Talavera, +which I was informed was ten leagues distant. The way lay entirely +over an unbroken level, for the most part covered with olive trees. +On the left, however, at the distance of a few leagues, rose the mighty +mountains which I have already mentioned. They run eastward in +a seemingly interminable range, parallel with the route which I was +pursuing; their tops and sides were covered with dazzling snow, and +the blasts which came sweeping from them across the wide and melancholy +plains were of bitter keenness.<br> +<br> +“What mountains are those?” I inquired of a barber-surgeon, +who, mounted like myself on a grey burra, joined me about noon, and +proceeded in my company for several leagues. “They have +many names, Caballero,” replied the barber; “according to +the names of the neighbouring places so they are called. Yon portion +of them is styled the Serrania of Plasencia; and opposite to Madrid +they are termed the Mountains of Guadarama, from a river of that name, +which descends from them; they run a vast way, Caballero, and separate +the two kingdoms, for on the other side is Old Castile. They are +mighty mountains, and though they generate much cold, I take pleasure +in looking at them, which is not to be wondered at, seeing that I was +born amongst them, though at present, for my sins, I live in a village +of the plain. Caballero, there is not another such range in Spain; +they have their secrets too - their mysteries - strange tales are told +of those hills, and of what they contain in their deep recesses, for +they are a broad chain, and you may wander days and days amongst them +without coming to any termino. Many have lost themselves on those +hills, and have never again been heard of. Strange things are +told of them: it is said that in certain places there are deep pools +and lakes, in which dwell monsters, huge serpents as long as a pine +tree, and horses of the flood, which sometimes come out and commit mighty +damage. One thing is certain, that yonder, far away to the west, +in the heart of those hills, there is a wonderful valley, so narrow +that only at midday is the face of the sun to be descried from it. +That valley lay undiscovered and unknown for thousands of years; no +person dreamed of its existence, but at last, a long time ago, certain +hunters entered it by chance, and then what do you think they found, +Caballero? They found a small nation or tribe of unknown people, +speaking an unknown language, who, perhaps, had lived there since the +creation of the world, without intercourse with the rest of their fellow +creatures, and without knowing that other beings besides themselves +existed! Caballero, did you never hear of the valley of the Batuecas? +Many books have been written about that valley and those people. +Caballero, I am proud of yonder hills; and were I independent, and without +wife or children, I would purchase a burra like that of your own, which +I see is an excellent one, and far superior to mine, and travel amongst +them till I knew all their mysteries, and had seen all the wondrous +things which they contain.”<br> +<br> +Throughout the day I pressed the burra forward, only stopping once in +order to feed the animal; but, notwithstanding that she played her part +very well, night came on, and I was still about two leagues from Talavera. +As the sun went down, the cold became intense; I drew the old Gypsy +cloak, which I still wore, closer around me, but I found it quite inadequate +to protect me from the inclemency of the atmosphere. The road, +which lay over a plain, was not very distinctly traced, and became in +the dusk rather difficult to find, more especially as cross roads leading +to different places were of frequent occurrence. I, however, proceeded +in the best manner I could, and when I became dubious as to the course +which I should take, I invariably allowed the animal on which I was +mounted to decide. At length the moon shone out faintly, when +suddenly by its beams I beheld a figure moving before me at a slight +distance. I quickened the pace of the burra, and was soon close +at its side. It went on, neither altering its pace nor looking +round for a moment. It was the figure of a man, the tallest and +bulkiest that I had hitherto seen in Spain, dressed in a manner strange +and singular for the country. On his head was a hat with a low +crown and broad brim, very much resembling that of an English waggoner; +about his body was a long loose tunic or slop, seemingly of coarse ticken, +open in front, so as to allow the interior garments to be occasionally +seen; these appeared to consist of a jerkin and short velveteen pantaloons. +I have said that the brim of the hat was broad, but broad as it was, +it was insufficient to cover an immense bush of coal-black hair, which, +thick and curly, projected on either side; over the left shoulder was +flung a kind of satchel, and in the right hand was held a long staff +or pole.<br> +<br> +There was something peculiarly strange about the figure, but what struck +me the most was the tranquillity with which it moved along, taking no +heed of me, though of course aware of my proximity, but looking straight +forward along the road, save when it occasionally raised a huge face +and large eyes towards the moon, which was now shining forth in the +eastern quarter.<br> +<br> +“A cold night,” said I at last. “Is this the +way to Talavera?”<br> +<br> +“It is the way to Talavera, and the night is cold.”<br> +<br> +“I am going to Talavera,” said I, “as I suppose you +are yourself.”<br> +<br> +“I am going thither, so are you, <i>Bueno</i>.”<br> +<br> +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 belonged; +they were not exactly the tones of a Spanish voice, and yet there was +something in them that could hardly be foreign; the pronunciation also +was correct; and the language, though singular, faultless. But +I was most struck with the manner in which the last word, <i>bueno, +</i>was spoken. I had heard something like it before, but where +or when I could by no means remember. A pause now ensued; the +figure stalking on as before with the most perfect indifference, and +seemingly with no disposition either to seek or avoid conversation.<br> +<br> +“Are you not afraid,” said I at last, “to travel these +roads in the dark? It is said that there are robbers abroad.”<br> +<br> +“Are you not rather afraid,” replied the figure, “to +travel these roads in the dark? - you who are ignorant of the country, +who are a foreigner, an Englishman!”<br> +<br> +“How is it that you know me to be an Englishman?” demanded +I, much surprised.<br> +<br> +“That is no difficult matter,” replied the figure; “the +sound of your voice was enough to tell me that.”<br> +<br> +“You speak of voices,” said I; “suppose the tone of +your own voice were to tell me who you are?”<br> +<br> +“That it will not do,” replied my companion; “you +know nothing about me - you can know nothing about me.”<br> +<br> +“Be not sure of that, my friend; I am acquainted with many things +of which you have little idea.”<br> +<br> +“Por exemplo,” said the figure.<br> +<br> +“For example,” said I; “you speak two languages.”<br> +<br> +The figure moved on, seemed to consider a moment, and then said slowly +<i>bueno</i>.<br> +<br> +“You have two names,” I continued; “one for the house +and the other for the street; both are good, but the one by which you +are called at home is the one which you like best.”<br> +<br> +The man walked on about ten paces, in the same manner as he had previously +done; all of a sudden he turned, and taking the bridle of the burra +gently in his hand, stopped her. I had now a full view of his +face and figure, and those huge features and Herculean form still occasionally +revisit me in my dreams. I see him standing in the moonshine, +staring me in the face with his deep calm eyes. At last he said:<br> +<br> +“Are you then one of us?”<br> +<br> +* * * *<br> +<br> +It was late at night when we arrived at Talavera. We went to a +large gloomy house, which my companion informed me was the principal +posada of the town. We entered the kitchen, at the extremity of +which a large fire was blazing. “Pepita,” said my +companion to a handsome girl, who advanced smiling towards us; “a +brasero and a private apartment; this cavalier is a friend of mine, +and we shall sup together.” We were shown to an apartment +in which were two alcoves containing beds. After supper, which +consisted of the very best, by the order of my companion, we sat over +the brasero and commenced talking.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Of course you have conversed with Englishmen before, +else you could not have recognized me by the tone of my voice.<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - I was a young lad when the war of the Independence +broke out, and there came to the village in which our family lived an +English officer in order to teach discipline to the new levies. +He was quartered in my father’s house, where he conceived a great +affection for me. On his departure, with the consent of my father, +I attended him through the Castiles, partly as companion, partly as +domestic. I was with him nearly a year, when he was suddenly summoned +to return to his own country. He would fain have taken me with +him, but to that my father would by no means consent. It is now +five-and-twenty years since I last saw an Englishman; but you have seen +how I recognized you even in the dark night.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what kind of life do you pursue, and by what means +do you obtain support?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - I experience no difficulty. I live much in +the same way as I believe my forefathers lived; certainly as my father +did, for his course has been mine. At his death I took possession +of the herencia, for I was his only child. It was not requisite +that I should follow any business, for my wealth was great; yet, to +avoid remark, I followed that of my father, who was a longanizero. +I have occasionally dealt in wool: but lazily, lazily - as I had no +stimulus for exertion. I was, however, successful in many instances, +strangely so; much more than many others who toiled day and night, and +whose whole soul was in the trade.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Have you any children? Are you married?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - I have no children though I am married. I +have a wife and an amiga, or I should rather say two wives, for I am +wedded to both. I however call one my amiga, for appearance sake, +for I wish to live in quiet, and am unwilling to offend the prejudices +of the surrounding people.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - You say you are wealthy. In what does your wealth +consist?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - In gold and silver, and stones of price; for I have +inherited all the hoards of my forefathers. The greater part is +buried under ground; indeed, I have never examined the tenth part of +it. I have coins of silver and gold older than the times of Ferdinand +the Accursed and Jezebel; I have also large sums employed in usury. +We keep ourselves close, however, and pretend to be poor, miserably +so; but on certain occasions, at our festivals, when our gates are barred, +and our savage dogs are let loose in the court, we eat our food off +services such as the Queen of Spain cannot boast of, and wash our feet +in ewers of silver, fashioned and wrought before the Americas were discovered, +though our garments are at all times coarse, and our food for the most +part of the plainest description.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Are there more of you than yourself and your two wives?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - There are my two servants, who are likewise of us; +the one is a youth, and is about to leave, being betrothed to one at +some distance; the other is old; he is now upon the road, following +me with a mule and car.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And whither are you bound at present?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - To Toledo, where I ply my trade occasionally of +longanizero. I love to wander about, though I seldom stray far +from home. Since I left the Englishman my feet have never once +stepped beyond the bounds of New Castile. I love to visit Toledo, +and to think of the times which have long since departed; I should establish +myself there, were there not so many accursed ones, who look upon me +with an evil eye.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Are you known for what you are? Do the authorities +molest you?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - People of course suspect me to be what I am; but +as I conform outwardly in most respects to their ways, they do not interfere +with me. True it is that sometimes, when I enter the church to +hear the mass, they glare at me over the left shoulder, as much as to +say - “What do you here?” And sometimes they cross +themselves as I pass by; but as they go no further, I do not trouble +myself on that account. With respect to the authorities, they +are not bad friends of mine. Many of the higher class have borrowed +money from me on usury, so that I have them to a certain extent in my +power, and as for the low alguazils and corchetes, they would do any +thing to oblige me in consideration of a few dollars, which I occasionally +give them; so that matters upon the whole go on remarkably well. +Of old, indeed, it was far otherwise; yet, I know not how it was, though +other families suffered much, ours always enjoyed a tolerable share +of tranquillity. The truth is, that our family has always known +how to guide itself wonderfully. I may say there is much of the +wisdom of the snake amongst us. We have always possessed friends; +and with respect to enemies, it is by no means safe to meddle with us; +for it is a rule of our house never to forgive an injury, and to spare +neither trouble nor expense in bringing ruin and destruction upon the +heads of our evil doers.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Do the priests interfere with you?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - They let me alone, especially in our own neighbourhood. +Shortly after the death of my father, one hot-headed individual endeavoured +to do me an evil turn, but I soon requited him, causing him to be imprisoned +on a charge of blasphemy, and in prison he remained a long time, till +he went mad and died.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Have you a head in Spain, in whom is rested the chief +authority?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - Not exactly. There are, however, certain holy +families who enjoy much consideration; my own is one of these - the +chiefest, I may say. My grandsire was a particularly holy man; +and I have heard my father say, that one night an archbishop came to +his house secretly, merely to have the satisfaction of kissing his head.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - How can that be; what reverence could an archbishop +entertain for one like yourself or your grandsire?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - More than you imagine. He was one of us, at +least his father was, and he could never forget what he had learned +with reverence in his infancy. He said he had tried to forget +it, but he could not; that the <i>ruah</i> was continually upon him, +and that even from his childhood he had borne its terrors with a troubled +mind, till at last he could bear himself no longer; so he went to my +grandsire, with whom he remained one whole night; he then returned to +his diocese, where he shortly afterwards died, in much renown for sanctity.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What you say surprises me. Have you reason to +suppose that many of you are to be found amongst the priesthood?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - Not to suppose, but to know it. There are +many such as I amongst the priesthood, and not amongst the inferior +priesthood either; some of the most learned and famed of them in Spain +have been of us, or of our blood at least, and many of them at this +day think as I do. There is one particular festival of the year +at which four dignified ecclesiastics are sure to visit me; and then, +when all is made close and secure, and the fitting ceremonies have been +gone through, they sit down upon the floor and curse.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Are you numerous in the large towns?<br> +<br> +<i>Abarbenel</i>. - By no means; our places of abode are seldom the +large towns; we prefer the villages, and rarely enter the large towns +but on business. Indeed we are not a numerous people, and there +are few provinces of Spain which contain more than twenty families. +None of us are poor, and those among us who serve, do so more from choice +than necessity, for by serving each other we acquire different trades. +Not unfrequently the time of service is that of courtship also, and +the servants eventually marry the daughters of the house.<br> +<br> +We continued in discourse the greater part of the night; the next morning +I prepared to depart. My companion, however, advised me to remain +where I was for that day. “And if you respect my counsel,” +said he, “you will not proceed farther in this manner. To-night +the diligence will arrive from Estremadura, on its way to Madrid. +Deposit yourself therein; it is the safest and most speedy mode of travelling. +As for your animal, I will myself purchase her. My servant is +here, and has informed me that she will be of service to us. Let +us, therefore, pass the day together in communion, like brothers, and +then proceed on our separate journeys.” We did pass the +day together; and when the diligence arrived I deposited myself within, +and on the morning of the second day arrived at Madrid.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Lodging at Madrid - My Hostess - British Ambassador - Mendizabal - Baltasar +- Duties of a National - Young Blood - The Execution - Population of +Madrid - The Higher Orders - The Lower Classes - The Bull-fighter - +The Crabbed Gitáno.<br> +<br> +It was the commencement of February when I reached Madrid. After +staying a few days at a posada, I removed to a lodging which I engaged +at No. 3, in the Calle de la Zarza, a dark dirty street, which, however, +was close to the Puerta del Sol, the most central point of Madrid, into +which four or five of the principal streets debouche, and which is, +at all times of the year, the great place of assemblage for the idlers +of the capital, poor or rich.<br> +<br> +It was rather a singular house in which I had taken up my abode. +I occupied the front part of the first floor; my apartments consisted +of an immense parlour, and a small chamber on one side in which I slept; +the parlour, notwithstanding its size, contained very little furniture: +a few chairs, a table, and a species of sofa, constituted the whole. +It was very cold and airy, owing to the draughts which poured in from +three large windows, and from sundry doors. The mistress of the +house, attended by her two daughters, ushered me in. “Did +you ever see a more magnificent apartment?” demanded the former; +“is it not fit for a king’s son? Last winter it was +occupied by the great General Espartero.”<br> +<br> +The hostess was an exceedingly fat woman, a native of Valladolid, in +Old Castile. “Have you any other family,” I demanded, +“besides these daughters?” “Two sons,” +she replied; “one of them an officer in the army, father of this +urchin,” pointing to a wicked but clever looking boy of about +twelve, who at that moment bounded into the room; “the other is +the most celebrated national in Madrid: he is a tailor by trade, and +his name is Baltasar. He has much influence with the other nationals, +on account of the liberality of his opinions, and a word from him is +sufficient to bring them all out armed and furious to the Puerta del +Sol. He is, however, at present confined to his bed, for he is +very dissipated and fond of the company of bull-fighters and people +still worse.”<br> +<br> +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 language, for circulation in Spain, I lost no time, +upon my arrival, in taking what I considered to be the necessary steps.<br> +<br> +I was an entire stranger at Madrid, and bore no letters of introduction +to any persons of influence, who might have assisted me in this undertaking, +so that, notwithstanding I entertained a hope of success, relying on +the assistance of the Almighty, this hope was not at all times very +vivid, but was frequently overcast with the clouds of despondency.<br> +<br> +Mendizabal was at this time prime minister of Spain, and was considered +as a man of almost unbounded power, in whose hands were placed the destinies +of the country. I therefore considered that if I could by any +means induce him to favour my views, I should have no reason to fear +interruption from other quarters, and I determined upon applying to +him.<br> +<br> +Before talking this step, however, I deemed it advisable to wait upon +Mr. Villiers, the British ambassador at Madrid; and with the freedom +permitted to a British subject, to ask his advice in this affair. +I was received with great kindness, and enjoyed a conversation with +him on various subjects before I introduced the matter which I had most +at heart. He said that if I wished for an interview with Mendizabal, +he would endeavour to procure me one, but, at the same time, told me +frankly that he could not hope that any good would arise from it, as +he knew him to be violently prejudiced against the British and Foreign +Bible Society, and was far more likely to discountenance than encourage +any efforts which they might be disposed to make for introducing the +Gospel into Spain. I, however, remained resolute in my desire +to make the trial, and before I left him, obtained a letter of introduction +to Mendizabal.<br> +<br> +Early one morning I repaired to the palace, in a wing of which was the +office of the Prime Minister; it was bitterly cold, and the Guadarama, +of which there is a noble view from the palace-plain, was covered with +snow. For at least three hours I remained shivering with cold +in an ante-room, with several other aspirants for an interview with +the man of power. At last his private secretary made his appearance, +and after putting various questions to the others, addressed himself +to me, asking who I was and what I wanted. I told him that I was +an Englishman, and the bearer of a letter from the British Minister. +“If you have no objection, I will myself deliver it to His Excellency,” +said he; whereupon I handed it to him and he withdrew. Several +individuals were admitted before me; at last, however, my own turn came, +and I was ushered into the presence of Mendizabal.<br> +<br> +He stood behind a table covered with papers, on which his eyes were +intently fixed. He took not the slightest notice when I entered, +and I had leisure enough to survey him: he was a huge athletic man, +somewhat taller than myself, who measure six feet two without my shoes; +his complexion was florid, his features fine and regular, his nose quite +aquiline, and his teeth splendidly white: though scarcely fifty years +of age, his hair was remarkably grey; he was dressed in a rich morning +gown, with a gold chain round his neck, and morocco slippers on his +feet.<br> +<br> +His secretary, a fine intellectual looking man, who, as I was subsequently +informed, had acquired a name both in English and Spanish literature, +stood at one end of the table with papers in his hands.<br> +<br> +After I had been standing about a quarter of an hour, Mendizabal suddenly +lifted up a pair of sharp eyes, and fixed them upon me with a peculiarly +scrutinizing glance.<br> +<br> +“I have seen a glance very similar to that amongst the Beni Israel,” +thought I to myself. . . .<br> +<br> +<br> +My interview with him lasted nearly an hour. Some singular discourse +passed between us: I found him, as I had been informed, a bitter enemy +to the Bible Society, of which he spoke in terms of hatred and contempt, +and by no means a friend to the Christian religion, which I could easily +account for. I was not discouraged, however, and pressed upon +him the matter which brought me thither, and was eventually so far successful, +as to obtain a promise, that at the expiration of a few months, when +he hoped the country would be in a more tranquil state, I should be +allowed to print the Scriptures.<br> +<br> +As I was going away he said, “Yours is not the first application +I have had; ever since I have held the reins of government I have been +pestered in this manner, by English calling themselves Evangelical Christians, +who have of late come flocking over into Spain. Only last week +a hunchbacked fellow found his way into my cabinet whilst I was engaged +in important business, and told me that Christ was coming. . . . And +now you have made your appearance, and almost persuaded me to embroil +myself yet more with the priesthood, as if they did not abhor me enough +already. What a strange infatuation is this which drives you over +lands and waters with Bibles in your hands. My good sir, it is +not Bibles we want, but rather guns and gunpowder, to put the rebels +down with, and above all, money, that we may pay the troops; whenever +you come with these three things you shall have a hearty welcome, if +not, we really can dispense with your visits, however great the honour.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - There will be no end to the troubles of this afflicted +country until the gospel have free circulation.<br> +<br> +<i>Mendizabal</i>. - I expected that answer, for I have not lived thirteen +years in England without forming some acquaintance with the phraseology +of you good folks. Now, now, pray go; you see how engaged I am. +Come again whenever you please, but let it not be within the next three +months.<br> +<br> +“Don Jorge,” said my hostess, coming into my apartment one +morning, whilst I sat at breakfast with my feet upon the brasero, “here +is my son Baltasarito, the national; he has risen from his bed, and +hearing that there is an Englishman in the house, he has begged me to +introduce him, for he loves Englishmen on account of the liberality +of their opinions; there he is, what do you think of him?”<br> +<br> +I did not state to his mother what I thought; it appeared to me, however, +that she was quite right calling him Baltasarito, which is the diminutive +of Baltasar, forasmuch as that ancient and sonorous name had certainly +never been bestowed on a more diminutive personage: he might measure +about five feet one inch, though he was rather corpulent for his height; +his face looked yellow and sickly, he had, however, a kind of fanfaronading +air, and his eyes, which were of dark brown, were both sharp and brilliant. +His dress, or rather his undress, was somewhat shabby: he had a foraging +cap on his head, and in lieu of a morning gown, he wore a sentinel’s +old great coat.<br> +<br> +“I am glad to make your acquaintance, señor nacional,” +said I to him, after his mother had departed, and Baltasar had taken +his seat, and of course lighted a paper cigar at the brasero. +“I am glad to have made your acquaintance, more especially as +your lady mother has informed me that you have great influence with +the nationals. I am a stranger in Spain, and may want a friend; +fortune has been kind to me in procuring me one who is a member of so +powerful a body.”<br> +<br> +<i>Baltasar</i>. - Yes, I have a great deal to say with the other nationals; +there is none in Madrid better known than Baltasar, or more dreaded +by the Carlists. You say you may stand in need of a friend; there +is no fear of my failing you in any emergency. Both myself and +any of the other nationals will be proud to go out with you as padrinos, +should you have any affair of honour on your hands. But why do +you not become one of us? We would gladly receive you into our +body.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Is the duty of a national particularly hard?<br> +<br> +<i>Baltasar</i>. - By no means; we have to do duty about once every +fifteen days, and then there is occasionally a review, which does not +last long. No! the duties of a national are by no means onerous, +and the privileges are great. I have seen three of my brother +nationals walk up and down the Prado of a Sunday, with sticks in their +hands, cudgelling all the suspicious characters, and it is our common +practice to scour the streets at night, and then if we meet any person +who is obnoxious to us, we fall upon him, and with a knife or a bayonet +generally leave him wallowing in his blood on the pavement: no one but +a national would be permitted to do that.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Of course none but persons of liberal opinions are +to be found amongst the nationals?<br> +<br> +<i>Baltasar</i>. - Would it were so! There are some amongst us, +Don Jorge, who are no better than they should be; they are few, however, +and for the most part well known. Theirs is no pleasant life, +for when they mount guard with the rest they are scouted, and not unfrequently +cudgelled. 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 us.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Are there many in Madrid of the Carlist opinion?<br> +<br> +<i>Baltasar</i>. - Not among the young people; the greater part of the +Madrilenian Carlists capable of bearing arms departed long ago to join +the ranks of the factious in the Basque provinces. Those who remain +are for the most part grey-beards and priests, good for nothing but +to assemble in private coffee-houses, and to prate treason together. +Let them prate, Don Jorge; let them prate; the destinies of Spain do +not depend on the wishes of ojalateros and pasteleros, but on the hands +of stout gallant nationals like myself and friends, Don Jorge.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I am sorry to learn from your lady mother, that you +are strangely dissipated.<br> +<br> +<i>Baltasar</i>. - Ho, ho, Don Jorge, she has told you that, has she; +what would you have, Don Jorge? I am young, and young blood will +have its course. I am called Baltasar the gay by all the other +nationals, and it is on account of my gaiety and the liberality of my +opinions that I am so popular among them. When I mount guard I +invariably carry my guitar with me, and then there is sure to be a function +at the guard-house. We send for wine, Don Jorge, and the nationals +become wild, Don Jorge, dancing and drinking through the night, whilst +Baltasarito strums the guitar and sings them songs of Germania:<br> +<br> +<br> +“Una romi sin pachi<br> +Le peno á su chindomar,” &c., &c.<br> +<br> +<br> +That is Gitano, Don Jorge; I learnt it from the toreros of Andalusia, +who all speak Gitano, and are mostly of Gypsy blood. I learnt +it from them; they are all friends of mine, Montes Sevilla and Poquito +Pan. I never miss a function of bulls, Don Jorge. Baltasar +is sure to be there with his amiga. Don Jorge, there are no bull-functions +in the winter, or I would carry you to one, but happily to-morrow there +is an execution, a funcion de la horca; and there we will go, Don Jorge.<br> +<br> +We did go to see this execution, which I shall long remember. +The criminals were two young men, brothers; they suffered for a most +atrocious murder, having in the dead of night broke open the house of +an aged man, whom they put to death, and whose property they stole. +Criminals in Spain are not hanged as they are in England, or guillotined +as in France, but strangled upon a wooden stage. They sit down +on a kind of chair with a post behind, to which is affixed an iron collar +with a screw; this iron collar is made to clasp the neck of the prisoner, +and on a certain signal it is drawn tighter and tighter by means of +the screw, until life becomes extinct. After we had waited amongst +the assembled multitude a considerable time, the first of the culprits +appeared; he was mounted on an ass, without saddle or stirrups, his +legs being allowed to dangle nearly to the ground. He was dressed +in yellow sulphur-coloured robes, with a high-peaked conical red hat +on his head, which was shaven. Between his hands he held a parchment, +on which was written something, I believe the confession of faith. +Two priests led the animal by the bridle; two others walked on either +side, chanting litanies, amongst which I distinguished the words of +heavenly peace and tranquillity, for the culprit had been reconciled +to the church, had confessed and received absolution, and had been promised +admission to heaven. He did not exhibit the least symptom of fear, +but dismounted from the animal and was led, not supported, up the scaffold, +where he was placed on the chair, and the fatal collar put round his +neck. One of the priests then in a loud voice commenced saying +the Belief, and the culprit repeated the words after him. On a +sudden, the executioner, who stood behind, commenced turning the screw, +which was of prodigious force, and the wretched man - was almost instantly +a corpse; but, as the screw went round, the priest began to shout, “<i>pax +et misericordia et tranquillitas</i>,” and still as he shouted, +his voice became louder and louder, till the lofty walls of Madrid rang +with it: then stooping down, he placed his mouth close to the culprit’s +ear, still shouting, just as if he would pursue the spirit through its +course to eternity, cheering it on its way. The effect was tremendous. +I myself was so excited that I involuntarily shouted “<i>misericordia</i>,” +and so did many others. God was not thought of; Christ was not +thought of; only the priest was thought of, for he seemed at that moment +to be the first being in existence, and to have the power of opening +and shutting the gates of heaven or of hell, just as he should think +proper. A striking instance of the successful working of the Popish +system, whose grand aim has ever been to keep people’s minds as +far as possible from God, and to centre their hopes and fears in the +priesthood. The execution of the second culprit was precisely +similar; he ascended the scaffold a few minutes after his brother had +breathed his last.<br> +<br> +I have visited most of the principal capitals of the world, but upon +the whole none has ever so interested me as this city of Madrid, in +which I now found myself. I will not dwell upon its streets, its +edifices, its public squares, its fountains, though some of these are +remarkable enough: but Petersburg has finer streets, Paris and Edinburgh +more stately edifices, London far nobler squares, whilst Shiraz can +boast of more costly fountains, though not cooler waters. But +the population! Within a mud wall, scarcely one league and a half +in circuit, are contained two hundred thousand human beings, certainly +forming the most extraordinary vital mass to be found in the entire +world; and be it always remembered that this mass is strictly Spanish. +The population of Constantinople is extraordinary enough, but to form +it twenty nations have contributed; Greeks, Armenians, Persians, Poles, +Jews, the latter, by the by, of Spanish origin, and speaking amongst +themselves the old Spanish language; but the huge population of Madrid, +with the exception of a sprinkling of foreigners, chiefly French tailors, +glove-makers and peruquiers, is strictly Spanish, though a considerable +portion are not natives of the place. Here are no colonies of +Germans, as at Saint Petersburg; no English factories, as at Lisbon; +no multitudes of insolent Yankees lounging through the streets as at +the Havannah, with an air which seems to say, the land is our own whenever +we choose to take it; but a population which, however strange and wild, +and composed of various elements, is Spanish, and will remain so as +long as the city itself shall exist. Hail, ye aguadores of Asturia! +who, in your dress of coarse duffel and leathern skull-caps, are seen +seated in hundreds by the fountain sides, upon your empty water-casks, +or staggering with them filled to the topmost stories of lofty houses. +Hail, ye caleseros of Valencia! who, lolling lazily against your vehicles, +rasp tobacco for your paper cigars whilst waiting for a fare. +Hail to you, beggars of La Mancha! men and women, who, wrapped in coarse +blankets, demand charity indifferently at the gate of the palace or +the prison. Hail to you, valets from the mountains, mayordomos +and secretaries from Biscay and Guipuscoa, toreros from Andalusia, riposteros +from Galicia, shopkeepers from Catalonia! Hail to ye, Castilians, +Estremenians and Aragonese, of whatever calling! And lastly, genuine +sons of the capital, rabble of Madrid, ye twenty thousand manolos, whose +terrible knifes, on the second morning of May, worked such grim havoc +amongst the legions of Murat!<br> +<br> +And the higher orders - the ladies and gentlemen, the cavaliers and +señoras; shall I pass them by in silence? The truth is +I have little to say about them; I mingled but little in their society, +and what I saw of them by no means tended to exalt them in my imagination. +I am not one of those who, wherever they go, make it a constant practice +to disparage the higher orders, and to exalt the populace at their expense. +There are many capitals in which the high aristocracy, the lords and +ladies, the sons and daughters of nobility, constitute the most remarkable +and the most interesting part of the population. This is the case +at Vienna, and more especially at London. Who can rival the English +aristocrat in lofty stature, in dignified bearing, in strength of hand, +and valour of heart? Who rides a nobler horse? Who has a +firmer seat? And who more lovely than his wife, or sister, or +daughter? But with respect to the Spanish aristocracy, the ladies +and gentlemen, the cavaliers and señoras, I believe the less +that is said of them on the points to which I have just alluded the +better. I confess, however, that I know little about them; they +have, perhaps, their admirers, and to the pens of such I leave their +panegyric. Le Sage has described them as they were nearly two +centuries ago. His description is anything but captivating, and +I do not think that they have improved since the period of the sketches +of the immortal Frenchman. I would sooner talk of the lower class, +not only of Madrid but of all Spain. The Spaniard of the lower +class has much more interest for me, whether manolo, labourer, or muleteer. +He is not a common being; he is an extraordinary man. He has not, +it is true, the amiability and generosity of the Russian mujik, who +will give his only rouble rather than the stranger shall want; nor his +placid courage, which renders him insensible to fear, and at the command +of his Tsar, sends him singing to certain death. <a name="citation6"></a><a href="#footnote6">{6}</a> +There is more hardness and less self-devotion in the disposition of +the Spaniard; he possesses, however, a spirit of proud independence, +which it is impossible but to admire. He is ignorant, of course; +but it is singular that I have invariably found amongst the low and +slightly educated classes far more liberality of sentiment than amongst +the upper. It has long been the fashion to talk of the bigotry +of the Spaniards, and their mean jealousy of foreigners. This +is true to a certain extent: but it chiefly holds good with respect +to the upper classes. If foreign valour or talent has never received +its proper meed in Spain, the great body of the Spaniards are certainly +not in fault. I have heard Wellington calumniated in this proud +scene of his triumphs, but never by the old soldiers of Aragon and the +Asturias, who assisted to vanquish the French at Salamanca and the Pyrenees. +I have heard the manner of riding of an English jockey criticized, but +it was by the idiotic heir of Medina Celi, and not by a picador of the +Madrilenian bull ring.<br> +<br> +Apropos of bull-fighters:- Shortly after my arrival, I one day entered +a low tavern in a neighbourhood notorious for robbery and murder, and +in which for the last two hours I had been wandering on a voyage of +discovery. I was fatigued, and required refreshment. I found +the place thronged with people, who had all the appearance of ruffians. +I saluted them, upon which they made way for me to the bar, taking off +their sombreros with great ceremony. I emptied a glass of val +de peñas, and was about to pay for it and depart, when a horrible +looking fellow, dressed in a buff jerkin, leather breeches, and jackboots, +which came half way up his thighs, and having on his head a white hat, +the rims of which were at least a yard and a half in circumference, +pushed through the crowd, and confronting me, roared:-<br> +<br> +“<i>Otra copita! vamos Inglesito: Otra copita</i>!”<br> +<br> +“Thank you, my good sir, you are very kind, you appear to know +me, but I have not the honour of knowing you.”<br> +<br> +“Not know me!” replied the being. “I am Sevilla, +the torero. I know you well; you are the friend of Baltasarito, +the national, who is a friend of mine, and a very good subject.”<br> +<br> +Then turning to the company, he said in a sonorous tone, laying a strong +emphasis on the last syllable of every word, according to the custom +of the gente rufianesca throughout Spain:<br> +<br> +“Cavaliers, and strong men, this cavalier is the friend of a friend +of mine. <i>Es mucho hombre. </i>There is none like him +in Spain. He speaks the crabbed Gitano though he is an Inglesito.”<br> +<br> +“We do not believe it,” replied several grave voices. +“It is not possible.”<br> +<br> +“It is not possible, say you? I tell you it is. Come +forward, Balseiro, you who have been in prison all your life, and are +always boasting that you can speak the crabbed Gitano, though I say +you know nothing of it - come forward and speak to his worship in the +crabbed Gitano.”<br> +<br> +A low, slight, but active figure stepped forward. He was in his +shirt sleeves, and wore a montero cap; his features were handsome, but +they were those of a demon.<br> +<br> +He spoke a few words in the broken Gypsy slang of the prison, inquiring +of me whether I had ever been in the condemned cell, and whether I knew +what a Gitana <a name="citation7"></a><a href="#footnote7">{7}</a> was?<br> +<br> +“Vamos Inglesito,” shouted Sevilla in a voice of thunder; +“answer the monro in the crabbed Gitano.”<br> +<br> +I answered the robber, for such he was, and one, too, whose name will +live for many a year in the ruffian histories of Madrid; I answered +him in a speech of some length, in the dialect of the Estremenian Gypsies.<br> +<br> +“I believe it is the crabbed Gitano,” muttered Balseiro. +“It is either that or English, for I understand not a word of +it.”<br> +<br> +“Did I not say to you,” cried the bull-fighter, “that +you knew nothing of the crabbed Gitano? But this Inglesito does. +I understood all he said. Vaya, there is none like him for the +crabbed Gitano. He is a good ginete, too; next to myself, there +is none like him, only he rides with stirrup leathers too short. +Inglesito, if you have need of money, I will lend you my purse. +All I have is at your service, and that is not a little; I have just +gained four thousand chulés by the lottery. Courage, Englishman! +Another cup. I will pay all. I, Sevilla!”<br> +<br> +And he clapped his hand repeatedly on his breast, reiterating “I, +Sevilla! I - “<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 +Treasure<br> +<br> +Mendizabal had told me to call upon him again at the end of three months, +giving me hopes that he would not then oppose himself to the publication +of the New Testament; before, however, the three months had elapsed, +he had fallen into disgrace, and had ceased to be prime minister.<br> +<br> +An intrigue had been formed against him, at the head of which were two +quondam friends of his, and fellow-townsmen, Gaditanians, Isturitz and +Alcala Galiano; both of them had been egregious liberals in their day, +and indeed principal members of those cortes which, on the Angouleme +invasion, had hurried Ferdinand from Madrid to Cadiz, and kept him prisoner +there until that impregnable town thought proper to surrender, and both +of them had been subsequently refugees in England, where they had spent +a considerable number of years.<br> +<br> +These gentlemen, however, finding themselves about this time exceedingly +poor, and not seeing any immediate prospect of advantage from supporting +Mendizabal; considering themselves, moreover, quite as good men as he, +and as capable of governing Spain in the present emergency; determined +to secede from the party of their friend, whom they had hitherto supported, +and to set up for themselves.<br> +<br> +They therefore formed an opposition to Mendizabal in the cortes; the +members of this opposition assumed the name of moderados, in contradistinction +to Mendizabal and his followers, who were ultra liberals. The +moderados were encouraged by the Queen Regent Christina, who aimed at +a little more power than the liberals were disposed to allow her, and +who had a personal dislike to the minister. They were likewise +encouraged by Cordova, who at that time commanded the army, and was +displeased with Mendizabal, inasmuch as the latter did not supply the +pecuniary demands of the general with sufficient alacrity, though it +is said that the greater part of what was sent for the payment of the +troops was not devoted to that purpose, but, was invested in the French +funds in the name and for the use and behoof of the said Cordova.<br> +<br> +It is, however, by no means my intention to write an account of the +political events which were passing around me at this period; suffice +it to say, that Mendizabal finding himself thwarted in all his projects +by the regent and the general, the former of whom would adopt no measure +which he recommended, whilst the latter remained inactive and refused +to engage the enemy, which by this time had recovered from the check +caused by the death of Zumalacarregui, and was making considerable progress, +resigned and left the field for the time open to his adversaries, though +he possessed an immense majority in the cortes, and had the voice of +the nation, at least the liberal part of it, in his favour.<br> +<br> +Thereupon, Isturitz became head of the cabinet, Galiano minister of +marine, and a certain Duke of Rivas minister of the interior. +These were the heads of the moderado government, but as they were by +no means popular at Madrid, and feared the nationals, they associated +with themselves one who hated the latter body and feared nothing, a +man of the name of Quesada, a very stupid individual, but a great fighter, +who, at one period of his life, had commanded a legion or body of men +called the Army of the Faith, whose exploits both on the French and +Spanish side of the Pyrenees are too well known to require recapitulation. +This person was made captain general of Madrid.<br> +<br> +By far the most clever member of this government was Galiano, whose +acquaintance I had formed shortly after my arrival. He was a man +of considerable literature, and particularly well versed in that of +his own country. He was, moreover, a fluent, elegant, and forcible +speaker, and was to the moderado party within the cortes what Quesada +was without, namely, their horses and chariots. Why he was made +minister of marine is difficult to say, as Spain did not possess any; +perhaps, however, from his knowledge of the English language, which +he spoke and wrote nearly as well as his own tongue, having indeed during +his sojourn in England chiefly supported himself by writing for reviews +and journals, an honourable occupation, but to which few foreign exiles +in England would be qualified to devote themselves.<br> +<br> +He was a very small and irritable man, and a bitter enemy to every person +who stood in the way of his advancement. He hated Mendizabal with +undisguised rancour, and never spoke of him but in terms of unmeasured +contempt. “I am afraid that I shall have some difficulty +in inducing Mendizabal to give me permission to print the Testament,” +said I to him one day. “Mendizabal is a jackass,” +replied Galiano. “Caligula made his horse consul, which +I suppose induced Lord - to send over this huge burro of the Stock Exchange +to be our minister.”<br> +<br> +It would be very ungrateful on my part were I not to confess my great +obligations to Galiano, who assisted me to the utmost of his power in +the business which had brought me to Spain. Shortly after the +ministry was formed, I went to him and said, “that now or never +was the time to mike an effort in my behalf.” “I will +do so,” said he, in a waspish tone; for he always spoke waspishly +whether to friend or foe; “but you must have patience for a few +days, we are very much occupied at present. We have been outvoted +in the cortes, and this afternoon we intend to dissolve them. +It is believed that the rascals will refuse to depart, but Quesada will +stand at the door ready to turn them out, should they prove refractory. +Come along, and you will perhaps see a funcion.”<br> +<br> +After an hour’s debate, the cortes were dissolved without it being +necessary to call in the aid of the redoubtable Quesada, and Galiano +forthwith gave me a letter to his colleague the Duke of Rivas, in whose +department he told me was vested the power either of giving or refusing +the permission to print the book in question. The duke was a very +handsome young man, of about thirty, an Andalusian by birth, like his +two colleagues. He had published several works, tragedies, I believe, +and enjoyed a certain kind of literary reputation. He received +me with the greatest affability; and having heard what I had to say, +he replied with a most captivating bow, and a genuine Andalusian grimace: +“Go to my secretary; go to my secretary - <i>el</i> <i>hara por +usted el gusio</i>.” So I went to the secretary, whose name +was Oliban, an Aragonese, who was not handsome, and whose manners were +neither elegant nor affable. “You want permission to print +the Testament?” “I do,” said I. “And +you have come to His Excellency about it,” continued Oliban. +“Very true,” I replied. “I suppose you intend +to print it without notes.” “Yes.” “Then +His Excellency cannot give you permission,” said the Aragonese +secretary: “it 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 church.” “How many years was that +ago?” I demanded. “I do not know how many years ago +it was,” said Oliban; “but such was the decree of the Council +of Trent.” “Is Spain at present governed according +to the decrees of the Council of Trent?” I inquired. “In +some points she is,” answered the Aragonese, “and this is +one. But tell me who are you? Are you known to the British +minister?” “O yes, and he takes a great interest in +the matter.” “Does he?” said Oliban; “that +indeed alters the case: if you can show me that His Excellency takes +in interest in this business, I certainly shall not oppose myself to +it.”<br> +<br> +The British minister performed all I could wish, and much more than +I could expect; he had an interview with the Duke of Rivas, with whom +he had much discourse upon my affair: the duke was all smiles and courtesy. +He moreover wrote a private letter to the duke, which he advised me +to present when I next paid him a visit, and, to crown all, he wrote +a letter directed to myself, in which he did me the honour to say that +he had a regard for me, and that nothing would afford him greater pleasure +than to hear that I had obtained the permission which I was seeking. +So I went to the duke, and delivered the letter. He was ten times +more kind and affable than before: he read the letter, smiled most sweetly, +and then, as if seized with sudden enthusiasm, he extended his arms +in a manner almost theatrical, exclaiming, “<i>Al secretario,</i> +<i>el hara por usted el gusto</i>.” Away I hurried to the +secretary, who received me with all the coolness of an icicle: I related +to him the words of his principal, and then put into his hand the letter +of the British minister to myself. The secretary read it very +deliberately, and then said that it was evident His Excellency did take +an interest in the matter. He then asked me my name, and taking +a sheet of paper, sat down as if for the purpose of writing the permission. +I was in ecstasy - all of a sudden, however, he stopped, lifted up his +head, seemed to consider a moment, and then putting his pen behind his +ear, he said, “Amongst the decrees of the Council of Trent is +one to the effect” . . . .<br> +<br> +<br> +“Oh dear!” said I.<br> +<br> +“A singular person is this Oliban,” said I to Galiano; “you +cannot imagine what trouble he gives me: he is continually talking about +the Council of Trent.”<br> +<br> +“I wish he was in the Trent up to the middle,” said Galiano, +who, as I have observed already, spoke excellent English; “I wish +he was there for talking such nonsense. However,” said he, +“we must not offend Oliban, he is one of us, and has done us much +service; he is, moreover, a very clever man, but he is an Aragonese, +and when one of that nation once gets an idea into his head, it is the +most difficult thing in the world to dislodge it; however, we will go +to him; he is an old friend of mine, and I have no doubt but that we +shall be able to make him listen to reason.” So the next +day I called upon Galiano, at his marine or admiralty office (what shall +I call it?), and from thence we proceeded to the bureau of the interior, +a magnificent edifice, which had formerly been the casa of the Inquisition, +where we had an interview with Oliban, whom Galiano took aside to the +window, and there held with him a long conversation, which, as they +spoke in whispers, and the room was immensely large, I did not hear. +At length Galiano came to me and said, “There is some difficulty +with respect to this business of yours, but I have told Oliban that +you are a friend of mine, and he says that that is sufficient; remain +with him now, and he will do anything to oblige you; your affair is +settled - farewell”; whereupon he departed and I remained with +Oliban, who proceeded forthwith to write something, which having concluded, +he took out a box of cigars, and having lighted one and offered me another, +which I declined as I do not smoke, he placed his feet against the table, +and thus proceeded to address me, speaking in the French language.<br> +<br> +“It is with great pleasure that I see you in this capital, and, +I may say, upon this business. I consider it a disgrace to Spain +that there is no edition of the Gospel in circulation, at least such +a one as would be within the reach of all classes of society, the highest +or poorest; one unencumbered with notes and commentaries, human devices, +swelling it to an unwieldy bulk. I have no doubt that such an +edition as you propose to print, would have a most beneficial influence +on the minds of the people, who, between ourselves, know nothing of +pure religion; how should they? seeing that the Gospel has always been +sedulously kept from them, just as if civilization could exist where +the light of the Gospel beameth not. The moral regeneration of +Spain depends upon the free circulation of the Scriptures; to which +alone England, your own happy country, is indebted for its high state +of civilization, and the unmatched prosperity which it at present enjoys; +all this I admit, in fact, reason compels me to do so, but - “<br> +<br> +“Now for it,” thought I.<br> +<br> +“But” - and then he began to talk once more of the wearisome +Council of Trent, and I found that his writing in the paper, the offer +of the cigar, and the long and prosy harangue were - what shall I call +it? - mere φλυαρια.<br> +<br> +By this time the spring was far advanced, the sides though not the tops +of the Guadarama hills had long since lost their snows; the trees of +the Prado had donned their full foliage, and all the Campina in the +neighbourhood of Madrid smiled and was happy: the summer heats had not +commenced, and the weather was truly delicious.<br> +<br> +Towards the west, at the foot of the hill on which stands Madrid, is +a canal running parallel with the Manzanares for some leagues, from +which it is separated by pleasant and fertile meadows. The banks +of this canal, which was begun by Carlos Tercero, and has never been +completed, are planted with beautiful trees, and form the most delightful +walk in the neighbourhood of the capital. Here I would loiter +for hours looking at the shoals of gold and silver fish which basked +on the surface of the green sunny waters, or listening, 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 canal, which situation he had chosen as favourable for his trade, +and there had placed his stall. He was an Asturian by birth, about +fifty years of age, and about five feet high. As I purchased freely +of his fruit, he soon conceived a great friendship for me, and told +me his history; it contained, however, nothing very remarkable, the +leading incident being an adventure which had befallen him amidst the +mountains of Granada, where, falling into the hands of certain Gypsies, +they stripped him naked, and then dismissed him with a sound cudgelling. +“I have wandered throughout Spain,” said he, “and +I have come to the conclusion that there are but two places worth living +in, Malaga and Madrid. At Malaga everything is very cheap, and +there is such an abundance of fish, that I have frequently seen them +piled in heaps on the sea-shore: and as for Madrid, money is always +stirring at the Corte, and I never go supperless to bed; my only care +is to sell my oranges, and my only hope that when I die I shall be buried +yonder.”<br> +<br> +And he pointed across the Manzanares, where, on the declivity of a gentle +hill, at about a league’s distance, shone brightly in the sunshine +the white walls of the Campo Santo, or common burying ground of Madrid.<br> +<br> +He was a fellow of infinite drollery, and, though he could scarcely +read or write, by no means ignorant of the ways of the world; his knowledge +of individuals was curious and extensive, few people passing his stall +with whose names, character, and history he was not acquainted. +“Those two gentry,” said he, pointing to a magnificently +dressed cavalier and lady, who had dismounted from a carriage, and arm +in arm were coming across the wooden bridge, followed by two attendants; +“those gentry are the Infante Francisco Paulo, and his wife the +Neapolitana, sister of our Christina; he is a very good subject, but +as for his wife - vaya - the veriest scold in Madrid; she can say carrajo +with the most ill-conditioned carrier of La Mancha, giving the true +emphasis and genuine pronunciation. Don’t take off your +hat to her, amigo - she has neither formality nor politeness - I once +saluted her, and she took no more notice of me than if I had not been +what I am, an Asturian and a gentleman, of better blood than herself. +Good day, Señor Don Francisco. Que tal <i>(how</i> <i>goes +it)? </i>very fine weather this - <i>vaya su merced con Dios</i>. +Those three fellows who just stopped to drink water are great thieves, +true sons of the prison; I am always civil to them, for it would not +do to be on ill terms; they pay me or not, just as they think proper. +I have been in some trouble on their account: about a year ago they +robbed a man a little farther on beyond the second bridge. By +the way, I counsel you, brother, not to go there, as I believe you often +do - it is a dangerous place. They robbed a gentleman and ill-treated +him, but his brother, who was an escribano, was soon upon their trail, +and had them arrested; but he wanted someone to identify them, and it +chanced that they had stopped to drink water at my stall, just as they +did now. This the escribano heard of, and forthwith had me away +to the prison to confront me with them. I knew them well enough, +but I had learnt in my travels when to close my eyes and when to open +them; so I told the escribano that I could not say that I had ever seen +them before. He was in a great rage and threatened to imprison +me; I told him he might and that I cared not. Vaya, I was not +going to expose myself to the resentment of those three and to that +of their friends; I live too near the Hay Market for that. Good +day, my young masters. - Murcian oranges, as you see; the genuine dragon’s +blood. Water sweet and cold. Those two boys are the children +of Gabiria, comptroller of the queen’s household, and the richest +man in Madrid; they are nice boys, and buy much fruit. It is said +their father loves them more than all his possessions. The old +woman who is lying beneath yon tree is the Tia Lucilla; she has committed +murders, and as she owes me money, I hope one day to see her executed. +This man was of the Walloon guard; - Señor Don Benito Mol, how +do you do?”<br> +<br> +This last named personage instantly engrossed my attention; he was a +bulky old man, somewhat above the middle height, with white hair and +ruddy features; his eyes were large and blue, and whenever he fixed +them on any one’s countenance, were full of an expression of great +eagerness, as if he were expecting the communication of some important +tidings. He was dressed commonly enough, in a jacket and trousers +of coarse cloth of a russet colour, on his head was an immense sombrero, +the brim of which had been much cut and mutilated, so as in some places +to resemble the jags or denticles of a saw. He returned the salutation +of the orange-man, and bowing to me, forthwith produced two scented +wash-balls which he offered for sale in a rough dissonant jargon, intended +for Spanish, but which seemed more like the Valencian or Catalan.<br> +<br> +Upon my asking him who he was, the following conversation ensued between +us:<br> +<br> +“I am a Swiss of Lucerne, Benedict Mol by name, once a soldier +in the Walloon guard, and now a soap-boiler, at your service.”<br> +<br> +“You speak the language of Spain very imperfectly,” said +I; “how long have you been in the country?”<br> +<br> +“Forty-five years,” replied Benedict; “but when the +guard was broken up, I went to Minorca, where I lost the Spanish language +without acquiring the Catalan.”<br> +<br> +“You have been a soldier of the king of Spain,” said I; +“how did you like the service?”<br> +<br> +“Not so well, but that I should have been glad to leave it forty +years ago; the pay was bad, and the treatment worse. I will now +speak Swiss to you, for, if I am not much mistaken, you are a German +man, and understand the speech of Lucerne; I should soon have deserted +from the service of Spain, as I did from that of the Pope, whose soldier +I was in my early youth before I came here; but I had married a woman +of Minorca, by whom I had two children; it was this that detained me +in those parts so long; before, however, I left Minorca, my wife died, +and as for my children, one went east, the other west, and I know not +what became of them; I intend shortly to return to Lucerne, and live +there like a duke.”<br> +<br> +“Have you, then, realized a large capital in Spain?” said +I, glancing at his hat and the rest of his apparel.<br> +<br> +“Not a cuart, not a cuart; these two wash-balls are all that I +possess.”<br> +<br> +“Perhaps you are the son of good parents, and have lands and money +in your own country wherewith to support yourself.”<br> +<br> +“Not a heller, not a heller; my father was hangman of Lucerne, +and when he died, his body was seized to pay his debts.”<br> +<br> +“Then doubtless,” said I, “you intend to ply your +trade of soap-boiling at Lucerne; you are quite right, my friend, I +know of no occupation more honourable or useful.”<br> +<br> +“I have no thoughts of plying my trade at Lucerne,” replied +Bennet; “and now, as I see you are a German man, Lieber Herr, +and as I like your countenance and your manner of speaking, I will tell +you in confidence that I know very little of my trade, and have already +been turned out of several fabriques as an evil workman; the two wash-balls +that I carry in my pocket are not of my own making. <i>In kurtzen</i>, +I know little more of soap-boiling than I do of tailoring, horse-farriery, +or shoe-making, all of which I have practised.”<br> +<br> +“Then I know not how you can hope to live like a hertzog in your +native canton, unless you expect that the men of Lucerne, in consideration +of your services to the Pope and to the king of Spain, will maintain +you in splendour at the public expense.”<br> +<br> +“Lieber Herr,” said Benedict, “the men of Lucerne +are by no means fond of maintaining the soldiers of the Pope and the +king of Spain at their own expense; many of the guard who have returned +thither beg their bread in the streets, but when I go, it shall be in +a coach drawn by six mules, with a treasure, a mighty schatz which lies +in the church of Saint James of Compostella, in Galicia.”<br> +<br> +“I hope you do not intend to rob the church,” said I; “if +you do, however, I believe you will be disappointed. Mendizabal +and the liberals have been beforehand with you. 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 utensils.”<br> +<br> +“My good German Herr,” said Benedict, “it is no church +schatz, and no person living, save myself, knows of its existence: nearly +thirty years ago, amongst the sick soldiers who were brought to Madrid, +was one of my comrades of the Walloon Guard, who had accompanied the +French to Portugal; he was very sick and shortly died. Before, +however, he breathed his last, he sent for me, and upon his deathbed +told me that himself and two other soldiers, both of whom had since +been killed, had buried in a certain church at Compostella a great booty +which they had made in Portugal: it consisted of gold moidores and of +a packet of huge diamonds from the Brazils; the whole was contained +in a large copper kettle. I listened with greedy ears, and from +that moment, I may say, I have known no rest, neither by day nor night, +thinking of the schatz. It is very easy to find, for the dying +man was so exact in his description of the place where it lies, that +were I once at Compostella, I should have no difficulty in putting my +hand upon it; several times I have been on the point of setting out +on the journey, but something has always happened to stop me. +When my wife died, I left Minorca with a determination to go to Saint +James, but on reaching Madrid, I fell into the hands of a Basque woman, +who persuaded me to live with her, which I have done for several years; +she is a great hax, <a name="citation8"></a><a href="#footnote8">{8}</a> +and says that if I desert her she will breathe a spell which shall cling +to me for ever. <i>Dem Got sey dank</i>, - she is now in the hospital, +and daily expected to die. This is my history, Lieber Herr.”<br> +<br> +I have been the more careful in relating the above conversation, as +I shall have frequent occasion to mention the Swiss in the course of +these journals; his subsequent adventures were highly extraordinary, +and the closing one caused a great sensation in Spain.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XIV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Bowl.<br> +<br> +In the meantime the affairs of the moderados did not proceed in a very +satisfactory manner; they were unpopular at Madrid, and still more so +in the other large towns of Spain, in most of which juntas had been +formed, which, taking the local administration into their own hands, +declared themselves independent of the queen and her ministers, and +refused to pay taxes; so that the government was within a short time +reduced to great straits for money; the army was unpaid, and the war +languished; I mean on the part of the Christinos, for the Carlists were +pushing it on with considerable vigour; parties of their guerillas scouring +the country in all directions, whilst a large division, under the celebrated +Gomez, was making the entire circuit of Spain. To crown the whole, +an insurrection was daily expected at Madrid, to prevent which the nationals +were disarmed, which measure tended greatly to increase their hatred +against the moderado government, and especially against Quesada, with +whom it was supposed to have originated.<br> +<br> +With respect to my own matters, I lost no opportunity of pushing forward +my application; the Aragonese secretary, however, still harped upon +the Council of Trent, and succeeded in baffling all my efforts. +He appeared to have inoculated his principal with his own ideas upon +the subject, for the duke, when he beheld me at his levees, took no +farther notice of me than by a contemptuous glance; and once, when I +stepped up for the purpose of addressing him, disappeared through a +side door, and I never saw him again, for I was disgusted with the treatment +which I had received, and forebore paying any more visits at the Casa +de la Inquisicion. Poor Galiano still proved himself my unshaken +friend, but candidly informed me that there was no hope of my succeeding +in the above quarter. “The duke,” said he, “says +that your request cannot be granted; and the other day, when I myself +mentioned it in the council, began to talk of the decision of Trent, +and spoke of yourself as a plaguy pestilent fellow; whereupon I answered +him with some acrimony, and there ensued a bit of a function between +us, at which Isturitz laughed heartily. By the by,” continued +he, “what need have you of a regular permission, which it does +not appear that any one has authority to grant. The best thing +that you can do under all circumstances is to commit the work to the +press, with an understanding that you shall not be interfered with when +you attempt to distribute it. I strongly advise you to see Isturitz +himself upon the matter. I will prepare him for the interview, +and will answer that he receives you civilly.”<br> +<br> +In fact, a few days afterwards, I had an interview with Isturitz at +the palace, and for the sake of brevity I shall content myself with +saying that I found him perfectly well disposed to favour my views. +“I have lived long in England,” said he; “the Bible +is free there, and I see no reason why it should not be free in Spain +also. I am not prepared to say that England is indebted for her +prosperity to the knowledge which all her children, more or less, possess +of the sacred writings; but of one thing I am sure, namely, that the +Bible has done no harm in that country, nor do I believe that it will +effect any in Spain; print it, therefore, by all means, and circulate +it as extensively as possible.” I retired, highly satisfied +with my interview, having obtained, if not a written permission to print +the sacred volume, what, under all circumstances, I considered as almost +equivalent, an understanding that my biblical pursuits would be tolerated +in Spain; and I had fervent hope that whatever was the fate of the present +ministry, no future one, particularly a liberal one, would venture to +interfere with me, more especially as the English ambassador was my +friend, and was privy to all the steps I had taken throughout the whole +affair.<br> +<br> +Two or three things connected with the above interview with Isturitz +struck me as being highly remarkable. First of all, the extreme +facility with which I obtained admission to the presence of the prime +minister of Spain. I had not to wait, or indeed to send in my +name, but was introduced at once by the door-keeper. Secondly, +the air of loneliness which pervaded the place, so unlike the bustle, +noise, and activity which I observed when I waited on Mendizabal. +In this instance, there were no eager candidates for an interview with +the great man; indeed, I did not behold a single individual, with the +exception of Isturitz and the official. But that which made the +most profound impression upon me, was the manner of the minister himself, +who, when I entered, sat upon a sofa, with his arms folded, and his +eyes directed to the ground. When he spoke there was extreme depression +in the tones of his voice, his dark features wore an air of melancholy, +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 - suicide.<br> +<br> +And a few days showed that he had, indeed, cause for much melancholy +meditation: in less than a week occurred the revolution of the Granja, +as it is called. The Granja, or Grange, is a royal country seat, +situated amongst pine forests, on the other side of the Guadarama hills, +about twelve leagues distant from Madrid. To this place the queen +regent Christina had retired, in order to be aloof from the discontent +of the capital, and to enjoy rural air and amusements in this celebrated +retreat, a monument of the taste and magnificence of the first Bourbon +who ascended the throne of Spain. She was not, however, permitted +to remain long in tranquillity; her own guards were disaffected, and +more inclined to the principles of the constitution of 1823 than to +those of absolute monarchy, which the moderados were attempting to revive +again in the government of Spain. Early one morning, a party of +these soldiers, headed by a certain Sergeant Garcia, entered her apartment, +and proposed that she should subscribe her hand to this constitution, +and swear solemnly to abide by it. Christina, however, who was +a woman of considerable spirit, refused to comply with this proposal, +and ordered them to withdraw. A scene of violence and tumult ensued, +but the regent still continuing firm, the soldiers at length led her +down to one of the courts of the palace, where stood her well-known +paramour, Muños, bound and blindfolded. “Swear to +the constitution, you she-rogue,” vociferated the swarthy sergeant. +“Never!” said the spirited daughter of the Neapolitan Bourbons. +“Then your cortejo shall die!” replied the sergeant. +“Ho! ho! my lads; get ready your arms, and send four bullets through +the fellow’s brain.” Muños was forthwith led +to the wall, and compelled to kneel down, the soldiers levelled their +muskets and another moment would have consigned the unfortunate wight +to eternity, when Christina, forgetting everything but the feelings +of her woman’s heart, suddenly started forward with a shriek, +exclaiming: “Hold, hold! I sign, I sign!”<br> +<br> +The day after this event I entered the Puerta del Sol at about noon. +There is always a crowd there about this hour, but it is generally a +very quiet motionless crowd, consisting of listless idlers calmly smoking +their cigars, or listening to or retailing the - in general - very dull +news of the capital; but on the day of which I am speaking the mass +was no longer inert. There was much gesticulation and vociferation, +and several people were running about shouting, “<i>Viva la constitucion</i>!” +- a cry which, a few days previously, would have been visited on the +utterer with death, the city having for some weeks past been subjected +to the rigour of martial law. I occasionally heard the words, +“<i>La Granja! La Granja</i>!” Which words were +sure to be succeeded by the shout of “<i>Viva</i> <i>la constitucion</i>!” +Opposite the Casa de Postas were drawn up in a line about a dozen mounted +dragoons, some of whom were continually waving their caps in the air +and joining the common cry, in which they were encouraged by their commander, +a handsome young officer, who flourished his sword, and more than once +cried out with great glee, “Long live the constitutional queen! +Long live the constitution!”<br> +<br> +The crowd was rapidly increasing, and several nationals made their appearance +in their uniforms, but without their arms, of which they had been deprived, +as I have already stated. “What has become of the moderado +government?” said I to Baltasar, whom I suddenly observed amongst +the crowd, dressed as when I had first seen him, in his old regimental +great coat and foraging cap; “have the ministers been deposed +and others put in their place?”<br> +<br> +“Not yet, Don Jorge,” said the little soldier-tailor; “not +yet; the scoundrels still hold out, relying on the brute bull Quesada +and a few infantry, who still continue true to them; but there is no +fear, Don Jorge; the queen is ours, thanks to the courage of my friend +Garcia, and if the brute bull should make his appearance - ho! ho! Don +Jorge, you shall see something - I am prepared for him, ho! ho!” +and thereupon he half opened his great coat, and showed me a small gun, +which he bore beneath it in a sling, and then moving away with a wink +and a nod, disappeared amongst the crowd.<br> +<br> +Presently I perceived a small body of soldiers advancing up the Calle +Mayor, or principal street which runs from the Puerta del Sol in the +direction of the palace; they might be about twenty in number, and an +officer marched at their head with a drawn sword; the men appeared to +have been collected in a hurry, many of them being in fatigue dress, +with foraging caps on their heads. On they came, slowly marching; +neither their officer nor themselves paying the slightest attention +to the cries of the crowd which thronged about them, shouting “Long +live the constitution!” save and except by an occasional surly +side glance: on they marched with contracted brows and set teeth, till +they came in front of the cavalry, where they halted and drew up in +a rank.<br> +<br> +“Those men mean mischief,” said I to my friend D-, of the +<i>Morning Chronicle, </i>who at this moment joined me; “and depend +upon it, that if they are ordered they will commence firing, caring +nothing whom they hit, - but what can those cavalry fellows behind them +mean, who are evidently of the other opinion by their shouting, why +don’t they charge at once this handful of foot people and overturn +them? Once down, the crowd would wrest from them their muskets +in a moment. You are a liberal, which I am not; why do you not +go to that silly young man who commands the horse and give him a word +of counsel in time?”<br> +<br> +D - turned upon me his broad red good-humoured English countenance, +with a peculiarly arch look, as much as to say - (whatever you think +most applicable, gentle reader), then taking me by the arm, “Let +us get,” said he, “out of this crowd and mount to some window, +where I can write down what is about to take place, for I agree with +you that mischief is meant.” Just opposite the post office +was a large house, in the topmost story of which we beheld a paper displayed, +importing that apartments were to let; whereupon we instantly ascended +the common stair, and having agreed with the mistress of the étage +for the use of the front room for the day, we bolted the door, and the +reporter, producing his pocket-book and pencil, prepared to take notes +of the coming events, which were already casting their shadow before.<br> +<br> +What most extraordinary men are these reporters of newspapers in general, +I mean English newspapers; surely if there be any class of individuals +who are entitled to the appellation of cosmopolites, it is these; who +pursue their avocation in all countries indifferently, and accommodate +themselves at will to the manners of all classes of society: their fluency +of style as writers is only surpassed by their facility of language +in conversation, and their attainments in classical and polite literature +only by their profound knowledge of the world, acquired by an early +introduction into its bustling scenes. The activity, energy, and +courage which they occasionally display in the pursuit of information +are truly remarkable. I saw them during the three days at Paris, +mingled with canaille and gamins behind the barriers, whilst the mitraille +was flying in all directions, and the desperate cuirassiers were dashing +their fierce horses against these seemingly feeble bulwarks. There +stood they, dotting down their observations in their pocket-books as +unconcernedly as if reporting the proceedings of a reform meeting in +Covent Garden or Finsbury Square; whilst in Spain, several of them accompanied +the Carlist and Christino guerillas in some of their most desperate +raids and expeditions, exposing themselves to the danger of hostile +bullets, the inclemency of winter, and the fierce heat of the summer +sun.<br> +<br> +We had scarcely been five minutes at the window, when we suddenly heard +the clattering of horses’ feet hastening down the street called +the Calle de Carretas. The house in which we had stationed ourselves +was, as I have already observed, just opposite to the post office, at +the left of which this street debouches from the north into the Puerta +del Sol: as the sounds became louder and louder, the cries of the crowd +below diminished, and a species of panic seemed to have fallen upon +all: once or twice, however, I could distinguish the words Quesada! +Quesada! The foot soldiers stood calm and motionless, but I observed +that the cavalry, with the young officer who commanded them, displayed +both confusion and fear, exchanging with each other some hurried words; +all of a sudden that part of the crowd which stood near the mouth of +the Calle de Carretas fell back in great disorder, leaving a considerable +space unoccupied, and the next moment Quesada, in complete general’s +uniform, and mounted on a bright bay thorough bred English horse, with +a drawn sword in his hand, dashed at full gallop into the area, 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 open.<br> +<br> +He was closely followed by two mounted officers, and at a short distance +by as many dragoons. In almost less time than is sufficient to +relate it, several individuals in the crowd were knocked down and lay +sprawling upon the ground, beneath the horses of Quesada and his two +friends, for as to the dragoons, they halted as soon as they had entered +the Puerta del Sol. It was a fine sight to see three men, by dint +of valour and good horsemanship, strike terror into at least as many +thousands: I saw Quesada spur his horse repeatedly into the dense masses +of the crowd, and then extricate himself in the most masterly manner. +The rabble were completely awed and gave way, retiring by the Calle +del Comercio and the street of Alcala. All at once, Quesada singled +out two nationals, who were attempting to escape, and setting spurs +to his horse, turned them in a moment, and drove them in another direction, +striking them in a contemptuous manner with the flat of his sabre. +He was crying out, “Long live the absolute queen!” when, +just beneath me, amidst a portion of the crowd which had still maintained +its ground, perhaps from not having the means of escaping, I saw a small +gun glitter for a moment, then there was a sharp report, and a bullet +had nearly sent Quesada to his long account, passing so near to the +countenance of the general as to graze his hat. I had an indistinct +view for a moment of a well-known foraging cap just about the spot from +whence the gun had been discharged, then there was a rush of the crowd, +and the shooter, whoever he was, escaped discovery amidst the confusion +which arose.<br> +<br> +As for Quesada, he seemed to treat the danger from which he had escaped +with the utmost contempt. He glared about him fiercely for a moment, +then leaving the two nationals, who sneaked away like whipped hounds, +he went up to the young officer who commanded the cavalry, and who had +been active in raising the cry of the constitution, and to him he addressed +a few words with an air of stern menace; the youth evidently quailed +before him, and probably in obedience to his orders, resigned the command +of the party, and rode slowly away with a discomfited air; whereupon +Quesada dismounted and walked slowly backwards and forwards before the +Casa de Postas with a mien which seemed to bid defiance to mankind.<br> +<br> +This was the glorious day of Quesada’s existence, his glorious +and last day. I call it the day of his glory, for he certainly +never before appeared under such brilliant circumstances, and he never +lived to see another sun set. No action of any conqueror or hero +on record is to be compared with this closing scene of the life of Quesada, +for who, by his single desperate courage and impetuosity, ever before +stopped a revolution in full course? Quesada did: he stopped the +revolution at Madrid for one entire day, and brought back the uproarious +and hostile mob of a huge city to perfect order and quiet. His +burst into the Puerta del Sol was the most tremendous and successful +piece of daring ever witnessed. I admired so much the spirit of +the “brute bull” that I frequently, during his wild onset, +shouted “Viva Quesada!” for I wished him well. Not +that I am of any political party or system. No, no! I have +lived too long with Rommany Chals and Petulengres <a name="citation9"></a><a href="#footnote9">{9}</a> +to be of any politics save Gypsy politics; and it is well known that, +during elections, the children of Roma side with both parties so long +as the event is doubtful, promising success to each; and then when the +fight is done, and the battle won, invariably range themselves in the +ranks of the victorious. But I repeat that I wished well to Quesada, +witnessing, as I did, his stout heart and good horsemanship. Tranquillity +was restored to Madrid throughout the remainder of the day; the handful +of infantry bivouacked in the Puerta del Sol. No more cries of +long live the constitution were heard; and the revolution in the capital +seemed to have been effectually put down. It is probable, indeed, +that had the chiefs of the moderado party but continued true to themselves +for forty-eight hours longer, their cause would have triumphed, and +the revolutionary soldiers at the Granja would have been glad to restore +the Queen Regent to liberty, and to have come to terms, as it was well +known that several regiments, who still continued loyal, were marching +upon Madrid. The moderados, however, were not true to themselves; +that very night their hearts failed them, and they fled in various directions. +Isturitz and Galiano to France; and the Duke of Rivas to Gibraltar: +the panic of his colleagues even infected Quesada, who, disguised as +a civilian, took to flight. He was not, however, so successful +as the rest, but was recognised at a village about three leagues from +Madrid, and cast into prison by some friends of the constitution. +Intelligence of his capture was instantly transmitted to the capital, +and a vast mob of the nationals, some on foot, some on horseback, and +others in cabriolets, instantly set out. “The nationals +are coming,” said a paisano to Quesada. “Then,” +said he, “I am lost,” and forthwith prepared himself for +death.<br> +<br> +There is a celebrated coffee-house in the Calle d’Alcala at Madrid, +capable of holding several hundred individuals. On the evening +of the day in question, I was seated there, sipping a cup of the brown +beverage, when I heard a prodigious noise and clamour in the street; +it proceeded from the nationals, who were returning from their expedition. +In a few minutes I saw a body of them enter the coffee-house marching +arm in arm, two by two, stamping on the ground with their feet in a +kind of measure, and repeating in loud chorus as they walked round the +spacious apartment, the following grisly stanza:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“Que es lo que abaja<br> +Por aquel cerro?<br> +Ta ra ra ra ra.<br> +Son los huesos de Quesada,<br> +Que los trae un perro -<br> +Ta ra ra ra ra.” <a name="citation10"></a><a href="#footnote10">{10}</a><br> +<br> +<br> +“What down the hill comes hurrying there? -<br> +With a hey, with a ho, a sword, and a gun!<br> +Quesada’s bones, which a hound doth bear. -<br> +Hurrah, brave brothers! - the work is done.”<br> +<br> +A huge bowl of coffee was then called for, which was placed upon a table, +around which gathered the national soldiers: there was silence for a +moment, which was interrupted by a voice roaring out, “<i>el panuelo</i>!” +A blue kerchief was forthwith produced, which appeared to contain a +substance of some kind; it was untied, and a gory hand and three or +four dissevered fingers made their appearance, and with these the contents +of the bowl were stirred up. “Cups! cups!” cried the +nationals.<br> +<br> +“Ho, ho, Don Jorge,” cried Baltasarito, coming up to me +with a cup of coffee, “pray do me the favour to drink upon this +glorious occasion. This is a pleasant day for Spain, and for the +gallant nationals of Madrid. I have seen many a bull funcion, +but none which has given me so much pleasure as this. Yesterday +the brute had it all his own way, but to-day the toreros have prevailed, +as you see, Don Jorge. Pray drink; for I must now run home to +fetch my pajandi to play my brethren a tune, and sing a copla. +What shall it be? Something in Gitano?<br> +<br> +<br> +“Una noche sinava en tucue.”<br> +<br> +<br> +You shake your head, Don Jorge. Ha, ha; I am young, and youth +is the time for pleasure; well, well, out of compliment to you, who +are an Englishman and a monro, it shall not be that, but something liberal, +something patriotic, the Hymn of Riego - Hasta despues, Don Jorge!”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Desert.<br> +<br> +At the commencement of November, I again found myself on the salt water, +on my way to Spain. I had returned to England shortly after the +events which have been narrated in the last chapter, for the purpose +of consulting with my friends, and for planning the opening of a biblical +campaign in Spain. It was now determined by us to print the New +Testament, with as little delay as possible, at Madrid; and I was to +be entrusted with the somewhat arduous task of its distribution. +My stay in England was very short, for time was precious, and I was +eager to return to the field of action.<br> +<br> +I embarked in the Thames, on board the M- steamer. We had a most +unpleasant passage to Falmouth; the ship was crowded with passengers, +most of them poor consumptive individuals, and other invalids fleeing +from the cold blasts of England’s winter to the sunny shores of +Portugal and Madeira. In a more uncomfortable vessel, especially +steam ship, it has never been my fate to make a voyage. The berths +were small and insupportably close, and of these wretched holes mine +was amongst the worst, the rest having been bespoken before I arrived +on board; so that to avoid the suffocation which seemed to threaten +me should I enter it, I lay upon the floor of one of the cabins throughout +the voyage. We remained at Falmouth twenty-four hours, taking +in coal, and repairing the engine, which had sustained considerable +damage.<br> +<br> +On Monday, the seventh, we again started, and made for the Bay of Biscay. +The sea was high and the wind strong and contrary; nevertheless, on +the morning of the fourth day, we were in sight of the rocky coast to +the north of Cape Finisterre. I must here observe, that this was +the first voyage that the captain who commanded the vessel had ever +made on board of her, and that he knew little or nothing of the coast +towards which we were bearing. He was a person picked up in a +hurry, the former captain having resigned his command on the ground +that the ship was not seaworthy, and that the engines were frequently +unserviceable. I was not acquainted with these circumstances at +the time, or perhaps I should have felt more alarmed than I did, when +I saw the vessel approaching nearer and nearer the shore, till at last +we were only a few hundred yards distant. As it was, however, +I felt very much surprised; for having passed it twice before, both +times in steam vessels, and having seen with what care the captains +endeavoured to maintain a wide offing, I could not conceive the reason +of our being now so near this dangerous region. The wind was blowing +hard towards the shore, if that can be called a shore which consists +of steep abrupt precipices, on which the surf was breaking with the +noise of thunder, tossing up clouds of spray and foam to the height +of a cathedral. We coasted slowly along, rounding several tall +forelands, some of them piled up by the hand of nature in the most fantastic +shapes. About nightfall Cape Finisterre was not far ahead, - a +bluff, brown, granite mountain, whose frowning head may be seen far +away by those who traverse the ocean. The stream which poured +round its breast was terrific, and though our engines plied with all +their force, we made little or no way.<br> +<br> +By about eight o’clock at night the wind had increased to a hurricane, +the thunder rolled frightfully, and the only light which we had to guide +us on our way was the red forked lightning, which burst at times from +the bosom of the big black clouds which lowered over our heads. +We were exerting ourselves to the utmost to weather the cape, which +we could descry by the lightning on our lee, its brow being frequently +brilliantly lighted up by the flashes which quivered around it, when +suddenly, with a great crash, the engine broke, and the paddles, on +which depended our lives, ceased to play.<br> +<br> +I will not attempt to depict the scene of horror and confusion which +ensued; it may be imagined, but never described. The captain, +to give him his due, displayed the utmost coolness and intrepidity; +he and the whole crew made the greatest exertions to repair the engine, +and when they found their labour in vain, endeavoured, by hoisting the +sails, and by practising all possible manoeuvres, to preserve the ship +from impending destruction; but all was of no avail, we were hard on +a lee shore, to which the howling tempest was impelling us. About +this time I was standing near the helm, and I asked the steersman if +there was any hope of saving the vessel, or our lives. He replied, +“Sir, it is a bad affair, no boat could live for a minute in this +sea, and in less than an hour the ship will have her broadside on Finisterre, +where the strongest man-of-war ever built must go to shivers instantly +- none of us will see the morning.” The captain, likewise, +informed the other passengers in the cabin to the same effect, telling +them to prepare themselves; and having done so, he ordered the door +to be fastened, and none to be permitted to come on deck. I, however, +kept my station, though almost drowned with water, immense waves continually +breaking over our windward side and flooding the ship. The water +casks broke from their lashings, and one of them struck me down, and +crushed the foot of the unfortunate man at the helm, whose place was +instantly taken by the captain. We were now close to the rocks, +when a horrid convulsion of the elements took place. The lightning +enveloped us as with a mantle, the thunders were louder than the roar +of a million cannon, the dregs of the ocean seemed to be cast up, and +in the midst of all this turmoil, the wind, without the slightest intimation, +<i>veered right about, </i>and pushed us from the horrible coast faster +than it had previously driven us towards it.<br> +<br> +The oldest sailors on board acknowledged that they had never witnessed +so providential an escape. I said, from the bottom of my heart, +“Our Father - hallowed be thy name.”<br> +<br> +The next day we were near foundering, for the sea was exceedingly high, +and our vessel, which was not intended for sailing, laboured terribly, +and leaked much. The pumps were continually working. She +likewise took fire, but the flames were extinguished. In the evening +the steam-engine was partially repaired, and we reached Lisbon on the +thirteenth, where in a few days we completed our repairs.<br> +<br> +I found my excellent friend W- in good health. During my absence +he had been doing everything in his power to further the sale of the +sacred volume in Portuguese: his zeal and devotedness were quite admirable. +The distracted state of the country, however, during the last six months, +had sadly impeded his efforts. The minds of the people had been +so engrossed with politics, that they found scarcely any time to think +of the welfare of their souls. The political history of Portugal +had of late afforded a striking parallel to that of the neighbouring +country. In both a struggle for supremacy had arisen between the +court and the democratic party; in both the latter had triumphed, whilst +two distinguished individuals had fallen a sacrifice to the popular +fury - Freire in Portugal, and Quesada in Spain. The news which +reached me at Lisbon from the latter country was rather startling. +The hordes of Gomez were ravaging Andalusia, which I was about to visit +on my way to Madrid; Cordova had been sacked and abandoned after a three +days’ occupation by the Carlists. I was told that if I persisted +in my attempt to enter Spain in the direction which I proposed, I should +probably fall into their hands at Seville. I had, however, no +fears, and had full confidence that the Lord would open the path before +me to Madrid.<br> +<br> +The vessel being repaired, we again embarked, and in two days arrived +in safety at Cadiz. I found great confusion reigning there; numerous +bands of the factious were reported to be hovering in the neighbourhood. +An attack was not deemed improbable, and the place had just been declared +in a state of siege. I took up my abode at the French hotel in +the Calle de la Niveria, and was allotted a species of cockloft, or +garret, to sleep in, for the house was filled with guests, being a place +of much resort, on account of the excellent table d’hote which +is kept there. I dressed myself and walked about the town. +I entered several coffee-houses: the din of tongues in all was deafening. +In one no less than six orators were haranguing at the same time on +the state of the country, and the probability of an intervention on +the part of England and France. As I was listening to one of them, +he suddenly called upon me for my opinion, as I was a foreigner, and +seemingly just arrived. I replied that I could not venture to +guess what steps the two governments would pursue under the present +circumstances, but thought that it would be as well if the Spaniards +would exert themselves more and call less on Jupiter. As I did +not wish to engage in any political conversation, I instantly quitted +the house, and sought those parts of the town where the lower classes +principally reside.<br> +<br> +I entered into discourse with several individuals, but found them very +ignorant; none could read or write, and their ideas respecting religion +were anything but satisfactory, - most professing a perfect indifference. +I afterwards went into a bookseller’s shop and made inquiries +respecting the demand for literature, which, he informed me, was small. +I produced a London edition of the New Testament in Spanish, and asked +the bookseller whether he thought a book of that description would sell +in Cadiz. He said that both the type and paper were exceedingly +beautiful, but that it was a work not sought after, and very little +known. I did not pursue my inquiries in other shops, for I reflected +that I was not likely to receive a very favourable opinion from booksellers +respecting a publication in which they had no interest. I had, +moreover, but two or three copies of the New Testament with me, and +could not have supplied them had they even given me an order.<br> +<br> +Early on the twenty-fourth, I embarked for Seville in the small Spanish +steamer the <i>Betis:</i> the morning was wet, and the aspect of nature +was enveloped in a dense mist, which prevented my observing surrounding +objects. After proceeding about six leagues, we reached the north-eastern +extremity of the Bay of Cadiz, and passed by Saint Lucar, an ancient +town near to the spot where the Guadalquivir disembogues itself. +The mist suddenly disappeared, and the sun of Spain burst forth in full +brilliancy, enlivening all around, and particularly myself, who had +till then been lying on the deck in a dull melancholy stupor. +We entered the mouth of “The Great River,” for that is the +English translation of Oued al Kiber, as the Moors designated the ancient +Betis. We came to anchor for a few minutes at a little village +called Bonança, at the extremity of the first reach of the river, +where we received several passengers, and again proceeded. There +is not much in the appearance of the Guadalquivir to interest the traveller: +the banks are low and destitute of trees, the adjacent country is flat, +and only in the distance is seen a range of tall blue sierras. +The water is turbid and muddy, and in colour closely resembling the +contents of a duck-pool; the average width of the stream is from a hundred +and fifty to two hundred yards, but it is impossible to move along this +river without remembering that it has borne the Roman, the Vandal, and +the Arab, and has been the witness of deeds which have resounded through +the world and been the themes of immortal songs. I repeated Latin +verses and fragments of old Spanish ballads till we reached Seville, +at about nine o’clock of a lovely moonlight night.<br> +<br> +Seville contains ninety thousand inhabitants, and is situated on the +eastern bank of the Guadalquivir, about eighteen leagues from its mouth; +it is surrounded with high Moorish walls, in a good state of preservation, +and built of such durable materials that it is probable they will for +many centuries still bid defiance to the encroachments of time. +The most remarkable edifices are the cathedral and Alcazar, or palace +of the Moorish kings; the tower of the former, called La Giralda, belongs +to the period of the Moors, and formed part of the grand mosque of Seville: +it is computed to be one hundred ells in height, and is ascended not +by stairs or ladders but by a vaulted pathway, in the manner of an inclined +plane: this path is by no means steep, so that a cavalier might ride +up to the top, a feat which Ferdinand the Seventh is said to have accomplished. +The view from the summit is very extensive, and on a fine clear day +the mountain ridge, called the Sierra de Ronda, may be discovered, though +upwards of twenty leagues distant. The cathedral itself is a noble +Gothic structure, reputed the finest of the kind in Spain. In +the chapels allotted to the various saints are some of the most magnificent +paintings which Spanish art has produced; indeed the Cathedral of Seville +is at the present time far more rich in splendid paintings than at any +former period; possessing many very recently removed from some of the +suppressed convents, particularly from the Capuchin and San Francisco.<br> +<br> +No one should visit Seville without paying particular attention to the +Alcazar, that splendid specimen of Moorish architecture. It contains +many magnificent halls, particularly that of the ambassadors, so called, +which is in every respect more magnificent than the one of the same +name within the Alhambra of Granada. This palace was a favourite +residence of Peter the Cruel, who carefully repaired it without altering +its Moorish character and appearance. It probably remains in much +the same state as at the time of his death.<br> +<br> +On the right side of the river is a large suburb, called Triana, communicating +with Seville by means of a bridge of boats; for there is no permanent +bridge across the Guadalquivir, owing to the violent inundations to +which it is subject. This suburb is inhabited by the dregs of +the populace, and abounds with Gitanos or Gypsies. About a league +and a half to the north-west stands the village of Santo Ponce: at the +foot and on the side of some elevated ground higher up are to be seen +vestiges of ruined walls and edifices, which once formed part of Italica, +the birth-place of Silius Italicus and Trajan, from which latter personage +Triana derives its name.<br> +<br> +One fine morning I walked thither, and having ascended the hill, I directed +my course northward. I soon reached what had once been bagnios, +and a little farther on, in a kind of valley between two gentle declivities, +the amphitheatre. This latter object is by far the most considerable +relic of ancient Italica; it is oval in its form, with two gateways +fronting the east and west.<br> +<br> +On all sides are to be seen the time-worn broken granite benches, from +whence myriads of human beings once gazed down on the area below, where +the gladiator shouted, and the lion and the leopard yelled: all around, +beneath these flights of benches, are vaulted excavations from whence +the combatants, part human part bestial, darted forth by their several +doors. I spent many hours in this singular place, forcing my way through +the wild fennel and brushwood into the caverns, now the haunts of adders +and other reptiles, whose hissings I heard. Having sated my curiosity, +I left the ruins, and returning by another way, reached a place where +lay the carcass of a horse half devoured; upon it, with lustrous eyes, +stood an enormous vulture, who, as I approached, slowly soared aloft +till he alighted on the eastern gate of the amphitheatre, from whence +he uttered a hoarse cry, as if in anger that I had disturbed him from +his feast of carrion.<br> +<br> +Gomez had not hitherto paid a visit to Seville: when I arrived he was +said to be in the neighbourhood of Ronda. The city was under watch +and ward: several gates had been blocked up with masonry, trenches dug, +and redoubts erected, but I am convinced that the place would not have +held out six hours against a resolute attack. Gomez had proved +himself to be a most extraordinary man, and with his small army of Aragonese +and Basques had, within the last four months, made the tour of Spain. +He had very frequently been hemmed in by forces three times the number +of his own, in places whence escape appeared impossible, but he had +always battled his enemies, whom he seemed to laugh at. The most +absurd accounts of victories gained over him were continually issuing +from the press at Seville; amongst others, it was stated that his army +had been utterly defeated, himself killed, and that twelve hundred prisoners +were on their way to Saville. I saw these prisoners: instead of +twelve hundred desperadoes, they consisted of about twenty poor lame +ragged wretches, many of them boys from fourteen to sixteen years of +age. They were evidently camp followers, who, unable to keep up +with the army, had been picked up straggling in the plains and amongst +the hills.<br> +<br> +It subsequently appeared that no battle had occurred, and that the death +of Gomez was a fiction. The grand defect of Gomez consisted in +not knowing how to take advantage of circumstances: after defeating +Lopez, he might have marched to Madrid and proclaimed Don Carlos there, +and after sacking Cordova he might have captured Seville.<br> +<br> +There were several booksellers’ shops at Seville, in two of which +I found copies of the New Testament in Spanish, which had been obtained +from Gibraltar about two years before, since which time six copies had +been sold in one shop and four in the other. The person who generally +accompanied me in my walks about the town and the neighbourhood, was +an elderly Genoese, who officiated as a kind of valet de place in the +Posada del Turco, where I had taken up my residence. On learning +from me that it was my intention to bring out an edition of the New +Testament at Madrid, he observed that copies of the work might be extensively +circulated in Andalusia. “I have been accustomed to bookselling,” +he continued, “and at one time possessed a small shop of my own +in this place. Once having occasion to go to Gibraltar, I procured +several copies of the Scriptures; some, it is true, were seized by the +officers of the customs, but the rest I sold at a high price, and with +considerable profit to myself.”<br> +<br> +I had returned from a walk in the country, on a glorious sunshiny morning +of the Andalusian winter, and was directing my steps towards my lodging: +as I was passing by the portal of a large gloomy house near the gate +of Xeres, two individuals dressed in zamarras emerged from the archway, +and were about to cross my path, when one, looking in my face, suddenly +started back, exclaiming in the purest and most melodious French: “What +do I see? If my eyes do not deceive me - it is himself. +Yes, the very same as I saw him first at Bayonne; then long subsequently +beneath the brick wall at Novogorod; then beside the Bosphorus; and +last at - at - Oh, my respectable and cherished friend, where was it +that I had last the felicity of seeing your well-remembered and most +remarkable physiognomy?”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - It was in the south of Ireland, if I mistake not. +Was it not there that I introduced you to the sorcerer who tamed the +savage horses by a single whisper into their ear? But tell me +what brings you to Spain and Andalusia, the last place where I should +have expected to find you?<br> +<br> +<i>Baron Taylor</i>. - And wherefore, my most respectable B-? +Is not Spain the land of the arts; and is not Andalusia of all Spain +that portion which has produced the noblest monuments of artistic excellence +and inspiration? Surely you know enough of me to be aware that +the arts are my passion; that I am incapable of imagining a more exalted +enjoyment than to gaze in adoration on a noble picture. O come +with me! for you too have a soul capable of appreciating what is lovely +and exalted; a soul delicate and sensitive. Come with me, and +I will show you a Murillo, such as -. But first allow me to introduce +you to your compatriot. My dear Monsieur W., turning to his companion +(an English gentleman from whom and from his family I subsequently experienced +unbounded kindness and hospitality on various occasions, and at different +periods at Seville), allow me to introduce to you my most cherished +and respectable friend, one who is better acquainted with Gypsy ways +than the Chef des Bohémiens à Triana, one who is an expert +whisperer and horse-sorcerer, and who, to his honour I say it, can wield +hammer and tongs, and handle a horse-shoe with the best of the smiths +amongst the Alpujarras of Granada.<br> +<br> +In the course of my travels I have formed various friendships and acquaintances, +but no one has more interested me than Baron Taylor, and there is no +one for whom I entertain a greater esteem and regard. To personal +and mental accomplishments of the highest order he unites a kindness +of heart rarely to be met with, and which is continually inducing him +to seek for opportunities of doing good to his fellow creatures, and +of contributing to their happiness; perhaps no person in existence has +seen more of the world and life in its various phases than himself. +His manners are naturally to the highest degree courtly, yet he nevertheless +possesses a disposition so pliable that he finds no difficulty in accommodating +himself to all kinds of company, in consequence of which he is a universal +favourite. There is a mystery about him, which, wherever he goes, +serves not a little to increase the sensation naturally created by his +appearance and manner. Who he is, no one pretends to assert with +downright positiveness: it is whispered, however, that he is a scion +of royalty; and who can gaze for a moment upon that most graceful figure, +that most intelligent but singularly moulded countenance, and those +large and expressive eyes, without feeling as equally convinced that +he is of no common lineage, as that he is no common man. Though +possessed of talents and eloquence which would speedily have enabled +him to attain to an illustrious position in the state, he has hitherto, +and perhaps wisely, contented himself with comparative obscurity, chiefly +devoting himself to the study of the arts and of literature, of both +of which he is a most bounteous patron.<br> +<br> +He has, notwithstanding, been employed by the illustrious house to which +he is said to be related in more than one delicate and important mission, +both in the East and the West, in which his efforts have uniformly been +crowned with complete success. He was now collecting masterpieces +of the Spanish school of painting, which were destined to adorn the +saloons of the Tuileries.<br> +<br> +He has visited most portions of the earth, and it is remarkable enough +that we are continually encountering each other in strange places and +under singular circumstances. Whenever he descries me, whether +in the street or the desert, the brilliant hall or amongst Bedouin haimas, +at Novogorod or Stambul, he flings up his arms and exclaims, “O +ciel! I have again the felicity of seeing my cherished and most +respectable B-.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XVI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Departure for Cordova - Carmona - German Colonies - Language - The Sluggish +Horse - Nocturnal Welcome - Carlist Landlord - Good Advice - Gomez - +The Old Genoese - The Two Opinions.<br> +<br> +After a sojourn of about fourteen days at Seville, I departed for Cordova. +The diligence had for some time past ceased running, owing to the disturbed +state of the province. I had therefore no resource but to proceed +thither on horseback. I hired a couple of horses, and engaged +the old Genoese, of whom I have already had occasion to speak, to attend +me as far as Cordova, and to bring them back. Notwithstanding +we were now in the depths of winter, the weather was beautiful, the +days sunny and brilliant, though the nights were rather keen. +We passed by the little town of Alcala, celebrated for the ruins of +an immense Moorish castle, which stand on a rocky hill, overhanging +a picturesque river. The first night we slept at Carmona, another +Moorish town, distant about seven leagues from Seville. Early +in the morning we again mounted and departed. Perhaps in the whole +of Spain there is scarcely a finer Moorish monument of antiquity than +the eastern side of this town of Carmona, which occupies the brow of +a lofty hill, and frowns over an extensive vega or plain, which extends +for leagues unplanted and uncultivated, producing nothing but brushwood +and carasco. Here rise tall and dusky walls, with square towers +at short distances, of so massive a structure that they would seem to +bid defiance alike to the tooth of time and the hand of man. This +town, in the time of the Moors, was considered the key to Seville, and +did not submit to the Christian arms till after a long and desperate +siege: the capture of Seville followed speedily after. The vega +upon which we now entered forms a part of the grand despoblado or desert +of Andalusia, once a smiling garden, but which became what it now is +on the expulsion of the Moors from Spain, when it was drained almost +entirely of its population. The towns and villages from hence +to the Sierra Morena, which divides Andalusia from La Mancha, are few +and far between, and even of these several date from the middle of the +last century, when an attempt was made by a Spanish minister to people +this wilderness with the children of a foreign land.<br> +<br> +At about midday we arrived at a place called Moncloa, which consisted +of a venta, and a desolate-looking edifice which had something of the +appearance of a chateau: a solitary palm tree raised its head over the +outer wall. We entered the venta, tied our horses to the manger, +and having ordered barley for them, we sat down before a large fire, +which burned in the middle of the venta. The host and hostess +also came and sat down beside us. “They are evil people,” +said the old Genoese to me in Italian, “and this is an evil house; +it is a harbouring place for thieves, and murders have been committed +here, if all tales be true.” I looked at these two people +attentively; they were both young, the man apparently about twenty-five +years of age. He was a short thick-made churl, evidently of prodigious +strength; his features were rather handsome, but with a gloomy expression, +and his eyes were full of sullen fire. His wife somewhat resembled +him, but had a countenance more open and better tempered; but what struck +me as most singular in connexion with these people, was the colour of +their hair and complexion; the latter was fair and ruddy, and the former +of a bright auburn, both in striking contrast to the black hair and +swarthy visages which in general distinguish the natives of this province. +“Are you an Andalusian?” said I to the hostess. “I +should almost conclude you to be a German.”<br> +<br> +<i>Hostess</i>. - And your worship would not be very wrong. It +is true that I am a Spaniard, being born in Spain, but it is equally +true that I am of German blood, for my grandparents came from Germany, +even like those of this gentleman, my lord and husband.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what chance brought your grandparents into this +country?<br> +<br> +<i>Hostess</i>. - Did your worship never hear of the German colonies? +There are many of them in these parts. In old times the land was +nearly deserted, and it was very dangerous for travellers to journey +along the waste, owing to the robbers. So along time ago, nearly +a hundred years, as I am told, some potent lord sent messengers to Germany, +to tell the people there what a goodly land there was in these parts +uncultivated for want of hands, and to promise every labourer who would +consent to come and till it, a house and a yoke of oxen, with food and +provision for one year. And in consequence of this invitation +a great many poor families left the German land and came hither, and +settled down in certain towns and villages which had been prepared for +them, which places were called German colonies, and this name they still +retain.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And how many of these colonies may there be?<br> +<br> +<i>Hostess</i>. - There are several, both on this side of Cordova and +the other. The nearest is Luisiana, about two leagues from hence, +from which place both my husband and myself come; the next is Carlota, +which is some ten leagues distant, and these are the only colonies of +our people which I have seen; but there are others farther on, and some, +as I have heard say, in the very heart of the Sierra Morena.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And do the colonists still retain the language of their +forefathers?<br> +<br> +<i>Hostess</i>. - We speak Spanish, or rather Andalusian, and no other +language. A few, indeed, amongst the very old people, retain a +few words of German, which they acquired from their fathers, who were +born in the other country: but the last person amongst the colonists +who could understand a conversation in German, was the aunt of my mother, +who came over when a girl. When I was a child I remember her conversing +with a foreign traveller, a countryman of hers, in a language which +I was told was German, and they understood each other, though the old +woman confessed that she had lost many words: she has now been dead +several years.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Of what religion are the colonists?<br> +<br> +<i>Hostess</i>. - They are Christians, like the Spaniards, and so were +their fathers before them. Indeed, I have heard that they came +from a part of Germany where the Christian religion is as much practised +as in Spain itself.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - The Germans are the most honest people in the world: +being their legitimate descendants you have of course no thieves amongst +you.<br> +<br> +The hostess glanced at me for a moment, then looked at her husband and +smiled: the latter, who had hitherto been smoking without uttering a +word, though with a peculiarly surly and dissatisfied countenance, now +flung the remainder of his cigar amongst the embers, then springing +up he muttered “Disparate!” and “Conversacion!” +and went abroad.<br> +<br> +“You touched them in the sore place, Signor,” said the Genoese, +after we had left Moncloa some way behind us. “Were they +honest people they would not keep that venta; and as for the colonists, +I know not what kind of people they might be when they first came over, +but at present their ways are not a bit better than those of the Andalusians, +but rather worse, if there is any difference at all.”<br> +<br> +A short time before sunset of the third day after our departure from +Seville, we found ourselves at the Cuesta del Espinal, or hill of the +thorn tree, at about two leagues from Cordova; - we could just descry +the walls of the city, upon which the last beams of the descending luminary +were resting. As the neighbourhood in which we were was, according +to the account of my guide, generally infested with robbers, we used +our best endeavours to reach the town before the night should have entirely +closed in. We did not succeed, however, and before we had proceeded +half the distance, pitchy darkness overtook us. Throughout the +journey we had been considerably delayed by the badness of our horses, +especially that of my attendant, which appeared to pay no regard to +whip or spur; his rider also was no horseman, it being thirty years, +as he at length confessed to me, since he last mounted in a saddle. +Horses soon become aware of the powers of their riders, and the brute +in question was disposed to take great advantage of the fears and weakness +of the old man. There is a remedy, however, for most things in +this world. I became so wearied at last at the snail’s pace +at which we were proceeding, that I fastened the bridle of the sluggish +horse to the crupper of mine, then sparing neither spur nor cudgel, +I soon forced my own horse into a kind of trot, which compelled the +other to make some use of his legs. He twice attempted to fling +himself down, to the great terror of his aged rider, who frequently +entreated me to stop and permit him to dismount. I, however, took +no notice of what he said, but continued spurring and cudgelling with +unabated activity, and with such success, that in less than half an +hour we saw lights close before us, and presently came to a river and +a bridge, which crossing, we found ourselves at the gate of Cordova, +without having broken either our horses’ knees or our own necks.<br> +<br> +We passed through the entire length of the town ere we reached the posada; +the streets were dark and almost entirely deserted. The posada +was a large building, the windows of which were well fenced with rejas, +or iron grating: no light gleamed from them, and the silence of death +not only seemed to pervade the house, but the street in which it was +situated. We knocked for a long time at the gate without receiving +any answer; we then raised our voices and shouted. At last some +one from within inquired what we wanted. “Open the door +and you will see,” we replied. “I shall do no such +thing,” answered the individual from within, “until I know +who you are.” “We are travellers,” said I, “from +Seville.” “Travellers, are you,” said the voice; +“why did you not tell me so before? I am not porter at this +house to keep out travellers. Jesus Maria knows we have not so +many of them that we need repulse any. Enter, cavalier, and welcome, +you and your company.”<br> +<br> +He opened the gate and admitted us into a spacious courtyard, and then +forthwith again secured the gate with various bolts and bars. +“Are you afraid that the Carlists should pay you a visit,” +I demanded, “that you take so much precaution?” “It +is not the Carlists we are afraid of,” replied the porter; “they +have been here already, and did us no damage whatever. It is certain +scoundrels of this town that we are afraid of, who have a spite against +the master of the house, and would murder both him and his family, could +they but find an opportunity.”<br> +<br> +I was about to inquire the cause of this enmity, when a thick bulky +man, bearing a light in his hand, came running down a stone staircase, +which led into the interior of the building. Two or three females, +also bearing lights, followed him. He stopped on the lowest stair. +“Whom have we here?” he exclaimed; then advancing the lamp +which he bore, the light fell full upon my face. “Ola!” +he exclaimed; “Is it you? Only think,” said he, turning +to the female who stood next him, a dark-featured person, stout as himself, +and about his own age, which might border upon fifty; “Only think, +my dear, that at the very moment we were wishing for a guest an Englishman +should be standing before our doors; for I should know an Englishman +at a mile’s distance, even in the dark. Juanito,” +cried he to the porter, “open not the gate any more to-night, +whoever may ask for admission. Should the nationals come to make +any disturbance, tell them that the son of Belington (<i>Wellington</i>) +is in the house ready to attack them sword in hand unless they retire; +and should other travellers arrive, which is not likely, inasmuch as +we have seen none for a month past, say that we have no room, all our +apartments being occupied by an English gentleman and his company.”<br> +<br> +I soon found that my friend the posadero was a most egregious Carlist. +Before I had finished supper - during which both himself and all his +family were present, surrounding the little table at which I sat, and +observing my every motion, particularly the manner in which I handled +my knife and fork and conveyed the food to my mouth - he commenced talking +politics: “I am of no particular opinion, Don Jorge,” said +he, for he had inquired my name in order that he might address me in +a suitable manner; “I am of no particular opinion, and I hold +neither for King Carlos nor for the Chica Isabel: nevertheless, I lead +the life of a dog in this accursed Christino town, which I would have +left long ago, had it not been the place of my birth, and did I but +know whither to betake myself. Ever since the troubles have commenced, +I have been afraid to stir into the street, for no sooner do the canaille +of the town see me turning round a corner, than they forthwith exclaim, +‘Halloo, the Carlist!’ and then there is a run and a rush, +and stones and cudgels are in great requisition: so that unless I can +escape home, which is no easy matter, seeing that I weigh eighteen stone, +my life is poured out in the street, which is neither decent nor convenient, +as I think you will acknowledge, Don Jorge! You see that young +man,” he continued, pointing to a tall swarthy youth who stood +behind my chair, officiating as waiter; “he is my fourth son, +is married, and does not live in the house, but about a hundred yards +down the street. He was summoned in a hurry to wait upon your +worship, as is his duty: know, however, that he has come at the peril +of his life: before he leaves this house he must peep into the street +to see if the coast is clear, and then he must run like a partridge +to his own door. Carlists! why should they call my family and +myself Carlists? It is true that my eldest son was a friar, and +when the convents were suppressed betook himself to the royal ranks, +in which he has been fighting upwards of three years; could I help that? +Nor was it my fault, I trow, that my second son enlisted the other day +with Gomez and the royalists when they entered Cordova. God prosper +him, I say; but I did not bid him go! So far from being a Carlist, +it was I who persuaded this very lad who is present to remain here, +though he would fain have gone with his brother, for he is a brave lad +and a true Christian. Stay at home, said I, for what can I do +without you? Who is to wait upon the guests when it pleases God +to send them. Stay at home, at least till your brother, my third +son, comes back, for, to my shame be it spoken, Don Jorge, I have a +son a soldier and a sergeant in the Christino armies, sorely against +his own inclination, poor fellow, for he likes not the military life, +and I have been soliciting his discharge for years; indeed, I have counselled +him to maim himself, in order that he might procure his liberty forthwith; +so I said to this lad, Stay at home, my child, till your brother comes +to take your place and prevent our bread being eaten by strangers, who +would perhaps sell me and betray me; so my son staid at home as you +see, Don Jorge, at my request, and yet they call me a Carlist?”<br> +<br> +“Gomez and his bands have lately been in Cordova,” said +I; “of course you were present at all that occurred: how did they +comport themselves?”<br> +<br> +“Bravely well,” replied the innkeeper, “bravely well, +and I wish they were here still. I hold with neither side, as +I told you before, Don Jorge, but I confess I never felt greater pleasure +in my life than when they entered the gate; and then to see the dogs +of nationals flying through the streets to save their lives - that was +a sight, Don Jorge - those who met me then at the corner forgot to shout +‘Halloo, Carlista!’ and I heard not a word about cudgelling; +some jumped from the wall and ran no one knows where, whilst the rest +retired to the house of the Inquisition, which they had fortified, and +there they shut themselves up. Now you must know, Don Jorge, that +all the Carlist chiefs lodged at my house, Gomez, Cabrera, and the Sawyer; +and it chanced that I was talking to my Lord Gomez in this very room +in which we are now, when in came Cabrera in a mighty fury - he is a +small man, Don Jorge, but he is as active as a wild cat and as fierce. +‘The canaille,’ said he, ‘in the Casa of the Inquisition +refuse to surrender; give but the order, General, and I will scale the +walls with my men and put them all to the sword’; but Gomez said, +‘No, we must not spill blood if we can avoid it; order a few muskets +to be fired at them, that will be sufficient!’ And so it +proved, Don Jorge, for after a few discharges their hearts failed them, +and they surrendered at discretion: whereupon their arms were taken +from them and they were permitted to return to their own houses; but +as soon as ever the Carlists departed, these fellows became as bold +as ever, and it is now once more, ‘Halloo, Carlista!’ when +they see me turning the corner, and it is for fear of them that my son +must run like a partridge to his own home, now that he has done waiting +on your worship, lest they meet him in the street and kill him with +their knives!”<br> +<br> +“You tell me that you were acquainted with Gomez: what kind of +man might he be?”<br> +<br> +“A middle-sized man,” replied the innkeeper; “grave +and dark. But the most remarkable personage in appearance of them +all was the Sawyer: he is a kind of giant, so tall, that when he entered +the doorway he invariably struck his head against the lintel. +The one I liked least of all was one Palillos, who is a gloomy savage +ruffian whom I knew when he was a postillion. Many is the time +that he has been at my house of old; he is now captain of the Manchegan +thieves, for though he calls himself a royalist, he is neither more +nor less than a thief: it is a disgrace to the cause that such as he +should be permitted to mix with honourable and brave men; I hate that +fellow, Don Jorge: it is owing to him that I have so few customers. +Travellers are, at present, afraid to pass through La Mancha, lest they +fall into his hands. I wish he were hanged, Don Jorge, and whether +by Christinos or Royalists, I care not.”<br> +<br> +“You recognized me at once for an Englishman,” said I, “do +many of my countrymen visit Cordova?”<br> +<br> +“<i>Toma</i>!” said the landlord, “they are my best +customers; I have had Englishmen in this house of all grades, from the +son of Belington to a young medico, who cured my daughter, the chica +here, of the ear-ache. How should I not know an Englishman? +There were two with Gomez, serving as volunteers. <i>Vaya que +gente; </i>what noble horses they rode, and how they scattered their +gold about; they brought with them a Portuguese, who was much of a gentleman +but very poor; it was said that he was one of Don Miguel’s people, +and that these Englishmen supported him for the love they bore to royalty; +he was continually singing<br> +<br> +<br> +‘El Rey chegou - El Rey chegou,<br> +E en Belem desembarcou!’ <a name="citation11"></a><a href="#footnote11">{11}</a><br> +<br> +<br> +Those were merry days, Don Jorge. By the by, I forgot to ask your +worship of what opinion you are?”<br> +<br> +The next morning, whilst I was dressing, the old Genoese entered my +room: “Signore,” said he, “I am come to bid you farewell. +I am about to return to Seville forthwith with the horses.”<br> +<br> +“Wherefore in such a hurry,” I replied; “assuredly +you had better tarry till to-morrow; both the animals and yourself require +rest; repose yourselves to-day and I will defray the expense.”<br> +<br> +“Thank you, Signore, but we will depart forthwith, for there is +no tarrying in this house.”<br> +<br> +“What is the matter with the house?” I inquired.<br> +<br> +“I find no fault with the house,” replied the Genoese, “it +is the people who keep it of whom I complain. About an hour since, +I went down to get my breakfast, and there, in the kitchen, I found +the master and all his family: well, I sat down and called for chocolate, +which they brought me, but ere I could dispatch it, the master fell +to talking politics. He commenced by telling me that he held with +neither side, but he is as rank a Carlist as Carlos Quinto: for no sooner +did he find that I was of the other opinion, than he glared at me like +a wild beast. You must know, Signore, that in the time of the +old constitution I kept a coffee-house at Seville, which was frequented +by all the principal liberals, and was, indeed, the cause of my ruin: +for as I admired their opinions, I gave my customers whatever credit +they required, both with regard to coffee and liqueurs, so that by the +time the constitution was put down and despotism re-established, I had +trusted them with all I had. It is possible that many of them +would have paid me, for I believe they harboured no evil intention; +but the persecution came, the liberals took to flight, and, as was natural +enough, thought more of providing for their own safety than of paying +me for my coffee and liqueurs; nevertheless, I am a friend to their +system, and never hesitate to say so. So the landlord, as I told +your worship before, when he found that I was of this opinion, glared +at me like a wild beast: ‘Get out of my house,’ said he, +‘for I will have no spies here,’ and thereupon he spoke +disrespectfully of the young Queen Isabel and of Christina, who, notwithstanding +she is a Neapolitan, I consider as my countrywoman. Hearing this, +your worship, I confess that I lost my temper and returned the compliment, +by saying that Carlos was a knave and the Princess of Beira no better +than she should be. I then prepared to swallow the chocolate, +but ere I could bring it to my lips, the woman of the house, who is +a still ranker Carlist than her husband, if that be possible, coming +up to me struck the cup into the air as high as the ceiling, exclaiming, +‘Begone, dog of a negro, you shall taste nothing more in my house; +may you be hanged even as a swine is hanged.’ So your worship +sees that it is impossible for me to remain here any longer. I +forgot to say that the knave of a landlord told me that you had confessed +yourself to be of the same politics as himself, or he would not have +harboured you.”<br> +<br> +“My good man,” said I, “I am invariably of the politics +of the people at whose table I sit, or beneath whose roof I sleep, at +least I never say anything which can lead them to suspect the contrary; +by pursuing which system I have more than once escaped a bloody pillow, +and having the wine I drank spiced with sublimate.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XVII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Cordova - Moors of Barbary - The English - An Old Priest - The Roman +Breviary - The Dovecote - The Holy Office - Judaism - Desecration of +Dovecotes - The Innkeeper’s Proposal.<br> +<br> +Little can be said with respect to the town of Cordova, which is a mean +dark gloomy place, full of narrow streets and alleys, without squares +or public buildings worthy of attention, save and except its far-famed +cathedral; its situation, however, is beautiful and picturesque. +Before it runs the Guadalquivir, which, though in this part shallow +and full of sandbanks, is still a delightful stream; whilst behind it +rise the steep sides of the Sierra Morena, planted up to the top with +olive groves. The town or city is surrounded on all sides by lofty +Moorish walls, which may measure about three quarters of a league in +circumference; unlike Seville, and most other towns in Spain, it has +no suburbs.<br> +<br> +I have said that Cordova has no remarkable edifices, save its cathedral; +yet this is perhaps the most extraordinary place of worship in the world. +It was originally, as is well known, a mosque, built in the brightest +days of Arabian dominion in Spain; in shape it was quadrangular, with +a low roof, supported by an infinity of small and delicately rounded +marble pillars, many of which still remain, and present at first sight +the appearance of a marble grove; the greater part, however, were removed +when the Christians, after the expulsion of the Moslems, essayed to +convert the mosque into a cathedral, which they effected in part by +the erection of a dome, and by clearing an open space for a choir. +As it at present exists, the temple appears to belong partly to Mahomet, +and partly to the Nazarene; and though this jumbling together of massive +Gothic architecture with the light and delicate style of the Arabians +produces an effect somewhat bizarre, it still remains a magnificent +and glorious edifice, and well calculated to excite feelings of awe +and veneration within the bosoms of those who enter it.<br> +<br> +The Moors of Barbary seem to care but little for the exploits of their +ancestors: their minds are centred in the things of the present day, +and only so far as those things regard themselves individually. +Disinterested enthusiasm, that truly distinguishing mark of a noble +mind, and admiration for what is great, good, and grand, they appear +to be totally incapable of feeling. It is astonishing with what +indifference they stray amongst the relics of ancient Moorish grandeur +in Spain. No feelings of exultation seem to be excited by the +proof of what the Moor once was, nor of regret at the consciousness +of what he now is. More interesting to them are their perfumes, +their papouches, their dates, and their silks of Fez and Maraks, to +dispose of which they visit Andalusia; and yet the generality of these +men are far from being ignorant, and have both heard and read of what +was passing in Spain in the old time. I was once conversing with +a Moor at Madrid, with whom I was very intimate, about the Alhambra +of Granada, which he had visited. “Did you not weep,” +said I, “when you passed through the courts, and thought of the, +Abencerrages?” “No,” said he, “I did not +weep; wherefore should I weep?” “And why did you visit +the Alhambra?” I demanded. “I visited it,” he +replied, “because being at Granada on my own affairs, one of your +countrymen requested me to accompany him thither, that I might explain +some of the inscriptions. I should certainly not have gone of +my own accord, for the hill on which it stands is steep.” +And yet this man could compose verses, and was by no means a contemptible +poet. Once at Cordova, whilst I was in the cathedral, three Moors +entered it, and proceeded slowly across its floor in the direction of +a gate, which stood at the opposite side; they took no farther notice +of what was around them than by slightly glancing once or twice at the +pillars, one of them exclaiming, “<i>Huaije del Mselmeen, huaije +del</i> <i>Mselmeen</i>” (things of the Moors, things of the Moors); +and showed no other respect for the place where Abderrahman the Magnificent +prostrated himself of old, than facing about on arriving at the farther +door and making their egress backwards; yet these men were hajis and +talebs, men likewise of much gold and silver, men who had read, who +had travelled, who had seen Mecca, and the great city of Negroland.<br> +<br> +I remained in Cordova much longer than I had originally intended, owing +to the accounts which I was continually hearing of the unsafe state +of the roads to Madrid. I soon ransacked every nook and cranny +of this ancient town, formed various acquaintances amongst the populace, +which is my general practice on arriving at a strange place. I +more than once ascended the side of the Sierra Morena, in which excursions +I was accompanied by the son of my host, - the tall lad of whom I have +already spoken. The people of the house, who had imbibed the idea +that I was of the same way of thinking as themselves, were exceedingly +courteous; it is true, that in return I was compelled to listen to a +vast deal of Carlism, in other words, high treason against the ruling +powers in Spain, to which, however, I submitted with patience. +“Don Jorgito,” said the landlord to me one day, “I +love the English; they are my best customers. It is a pity that +there is not greater union between Spain and England, and that more +English do not visit us. Why should there not be a marriage? +The king will speedily be at Madrid. Why should there not be bodas +between the son of Don Carlos and the heiress of England?”<br> +<br> +“It would certainly tend to bring a considerable number of English +to Spain,” said I, “and it would not be the first time that +the son of a Carlos has married a Princess of England.”<br> +<br> +The host mused for a moment, and then exclaimed, “Carracho, Don +Jorgito, if this marriage could be brought about, both the king and +myself should have cause to fling our caps in the air.”<br> +<br> +The house or posada in which I had taken up my abode was exceedingly +spacious, containing an infinity of apartments, both large and small, +the greater part of which were, however, unfurnished. The chamber +in which I was lodged stood at the end of an immensely long corridor, +of the kind so admirably described in the wondrous tale of Udolfo. +For a day or two after my arrival I believed myself to be the only lodger +in the house. One morning, however, I beheld a strange-looking +old man seated in the corridor, by one of the windows, reading intently +in a small thick volume. He was clad in garments of coarse blue +cloth, and wore a loose spencer over a waistcoat adorned with various +rows of small buttons of mother of pearl; he had spectacles upon his +nose. I could perceive, notwithstanding he was seated, that his +stature bordered upon the gigantic. “Who is that person?” +said I to the landlord, whom I presently met; “is he also a guest +of yours?” “Not exactly, Don Jorge de mi alma,” +replied he, “I can scarcely call him a guest, inasmuch as I gain +nothing by him, though he is staying at my house. You must know, +Don Jorge, that he is one of two priests who officiate at a large village +at some slight distance from this place. So it came to pass, that +when the soldiers of Gomez entered the village, his reverence went to +meet them, dressed in full canonicals, with a book in his hand, and +he, at their bidding, proclaimed Carlos Quinto in the market-place. +The other priest, however, was a desperate liberal, a downright negro, +and upon him the royalists laid their hands, and were proceeding to +hang him. His reverence, however, interfered, and obtained mercy +for his colleague, on condition that he should cry <i>Viva Carlos</i> +<i>Quinto! </i>which the latter did in order to save his life. +Well; no sooner had the royalists departed from these parts than the +black priest mounts his mule, comes to Cordova, and informs against +his reverence, notwithstanding that he had saved his life. So +his reverence was seized and brought hither to Cordova, and would assuredly +have been thrown into the common prison as a Carlist, had I not stepped +forward and offered to be surety that he should not quit the place, +but should come forward at any time to answer whatever charge might +be brought against him; and he is now in my house, though guest I cannot +call him, for he is not of the slightest advantage to me, as his very +food is daily brought from the country, and that consists only of a +few eggs and a little milk and bread. As for his money, I have +never seen the colour of it, notwithstanding they tell me that he has +buenas pesetas. However, he is a holy man, is continually reading +and praying and is, moreover, of the right opinion. I therefore +keep him in my house, and would be bail for him were he twenty times +more of a skinflint than he seems to be.”<br> +<br> +The next day, as I was again passing through the corridor, I observed +the old man in the same place, and saluted him. He returned my +salutation with much courtesy, and closing the book, placed it upon +his knee as if willing to enter into conversation. After exchanging +a word or two, I took up the book for the purpose of inspecting it.<br> +<br> +“You will hardly derive much instruction from that book, Don Jorge,” +said the old man; “you cannot understand it, for it is not written +in English.”<br> +<br> +“Nor in Spanish,” I replied. “But with respect +to understanding the book, I cannot see what difficulty there can be +in a thing so simple; it is only the Roman breviary written in the Latin +tongue.”<br> +<br> +“Do the English understand Latin?” exclaimed he. “Vaya! +Who would have thought that it was possible for Lutherans to understand +the language of the church? Vaya! the longer one lives the more +one learns.”<br> +<br> +“How old may your reverence be?” I inquired.<br> +<br> +“I am eighty years, Don Jorge; eighty years, and somewhat more.”<br> +<br> +Such was the first conversation which passed between his reverence and +myself. He soon conceived no inconsiderable liking for me, and +favoured me with no little of his company. Unlike our friend the +landlord, I found him by no means inclined to talk politics, which the +more surprised me, knowing, as I did, the decided and hazardous part +which he had taken on the late Carlist irruption into the neighbourhood. +He took, however, great delight in discoursing on ecclesiastical subjects +and the writings of the fathers.<br> +<br> +“I have got a small library at home, Don Jorge, which consists +of all the volumes of the fathers which I have been able to pick up, +and I find the perusal of them a source of great amusement and comfort. +Should these dark days pass by, Don Jorge, and you should be in these +parts, I hope you will look in upon me, and I will show you my little +library of the fathers, and likewise my dovecote, where I rear numerous +broods of pigeons, which are also a source of much solace and at the +same time of profit.”<br> +<br> +“I suppose by your dovecote,” said I, “you mean your +parish, and by rearing broods of pigeons, you allude to the care you +take of the souls of your people, instilling therein the fear of God, +and obedience to his revealed law, which occupation must of course afford +you much solace and spiritual profit.”<br> +<br> +“I was not speaking metaphorically, Don Jorge,” replied +my companion; “and by rearing doves, I mean neither more nor less +than that I supply the market of Cordova with pigeons, and occasionally +that of Seville; for my birds are very celebrated, and plumper or fatter +flesh than theirs I believe cannot be found in the whole kingdom. +Should you come into my village, you will doubtless taste them, Don +Jorge, at the venta where you will put up, for I suffer no dovecotes +but my own within my district. With respect to the souls of my +parishioners, I trust I do my duty - I trust I do, as far as in my power +lies. I always took great pleasure in these spiritual matters, +and it was on that account that I attached myself to the Santa Casa +of Cordova, the duties of which I assisted to perform for a long period.”<br> +<br> +“Your reverence has been an inquisitor?” I exclaimed, somewhat +startled.<br> +<br> +“From my thirtieth year until the time of the suppression of the +holy office in these afflicted kingdoms.”<br> +<br> +“You both surprise and delight me,” I exclaimed. “Nothing +could have afforded me greater pleasure than to find myself conversing +with a father formerly attached to the holy house of Cordova.”<br> +<br> +The old man looked at me steadfastly; “I understand you, Don Jorge. +I have long seen that you are one of us. You are a learned and +holy man; and though you think fit to call yourself a Lutheran and an +Englishman, I have dived into your real condition. No Lutheran +would take the interest in church matters which you do, and with respect +to your being an Englishman, none of that nation can speak Castilian, +much less Latin. I believe you to be one of us - a missionary +priest, and I am especially confirmed in that idea by your frequent +conversations and interviews with the Gitanos; you appear to be labouring +among them. Be, however, on your guard, Don Jorge, trust not to +Egyptian faith; they are evil penitents, whom I like not. I would +not advise you to trust them.”<br> +<br> +“I do not intend,” I replied; “especially with money. +But to return to more important matters: - of what crimes did this holy +house of Cordova take cognizance?”<br> +<br> +“You are of course aware of the matters on which the holy office +exercises its functions. I need scarcely mention sorcery, Judaism, +and certain carnal misdemeanours.”<br> +<br> +“With respect to sorcery,” said I, “what is your opinion +of it? Is there in reality such a crime?”<br> +<br> +“<i>Que se io </i><a name="citation12"></a><a href="#footnote12">{12}</a>?” +said the old man, shrugging up his shoulders. “How should +I know? The church has power, Don Jorge, or at least it had power, +to punish for anything, real or unreal; and as it was necessary to punish +in order to prove that it had the power of punishing, of what consequence +whether it punished for sorcery or any other crime.”<br> +<br> +“Did many cases of sorcery occur within your own sphere of knowledge?”<br> +<br> +“One or two, Don Jorge; they were by no means frequent. +The last that I remember was a case which occurred in a convent at Seville: +a certain nun was in the habit of flying through the windows and about +the garden over the tops of the orange trees; declarations of various +witnesses were taken, and the process was arranged with much formality; +the fact, I believe, was satisfactorily proved: of one thing I am certain, +that the nun was punished.”<br> +<br> +“Were you troubled with much Judaism in these parts?”<br> +<br> +“Wooh! Nothing gave so much trouble to the Santa Casa as +this same Judaism. Its shoots and ramifications are numerous, +not only in these parts, but in all Spain; and it is singular enough, +that even among the priesthood, instances of Judaism of both kinds were +continually coming to our knowledge, which it was of course our duty +to punish.”<br> +<br> +“Is there more than one species of Judaism?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“I have always arranged Judaism under two heads,” said the +old man, “the black and the white: by the black, I mean the observance +of the law of Moses in preference to the precepts of the church; then +there is the white Judaism, which includes all kinds of heresy, such +as Lutheranism, freemasonry, and the like.”<br> +<br> +“I can easily conceive,” said I, “that many of the +priesthood favoured the principles of the reformation, and that the +minds of not a few had been led astray by the deceitful lights of modern +philosophy, 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 law, though I confess that I have been assured of the fact +ere now.”<br> +<br> +“Plenty of Judaism amongst the priesthood, whether of the black +or white species; no lack of it, I assure you, Don Jorge; I remember +once searching the house of an ecclesiastic who was accused of the black +Judaism, and after much investigation, we discovered beneath the floor +a wooden chest, in which was a small shrine of silver, inclosing three +books in black hogskin, which, on being opened, were found to be books +of Jewish devotion, written in Hebrew characters, and of great antiquity; +and on being questioned, the culprit made no secret of his guilt, but +rather gloried in it, saying that there was no God but one, and denouncing +the adoration of Maria Santissima as rank idolatry.”<br> +<br> +“And between ourselves, what is your own opinion of the adoration +of this same Maria Santissima?”<br> +<br> +“What is my opinion! <i>Que se io</i>?” said the old +man, shrugging up his shoulders still higher than on the former occasion; +“but I will tell you; I think, on consideration, that it is quite +right and proper; why not? Let any one pay a visit to my church, +and look at her as she stands there, <i>tan bonita, tan guapita</i> +- so well dressed and so genteel - with such pretty colours, such red +and white, and he would scarcely ask me why Maria Santissima should +not be adored. Moreover, Don Jorgito mio, this is a church matter +and forms an important part of the church system.”<br> +<br> +“And now, with respect to carnal misdemeanours. Did you +take much cognizance of them?”<br> +<br> +“Amongst the laity, not much; we, however, kept a vigilant eye +upon our own body, but, upon the whole, were rather tolerant in these +matters, knowing that the infirmities of human nature are very great +indeed: we rarely punished, save in cases where the glory of the church +and loyalty to Maria Santissima made punishment absolutely imperative.”<br> +<br> +“And what cases might those be?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“I allude to the desecration of dovecotes, Don Jorge, and the +introduction therein of strange flesh, for purposes neither seemly nor +convenient.”<br> +<br> +“Your reverence will excuse me for not yet perfectly understanding.”<br> +<br> +“I mean, Don Jorge, certain acts of flagitiousness practised by +the clergy in lone and remote palomares <i>(dovecotes) </i>in olive +grounds and gardens; actions denounced, I believe, by the holy Pablo +in his first letter to Pope Sixtus. <a name="citation13"></a><a href="#footnote13">{13}</a> +You understand me now, Don Jorge, for you are learned in church matters.”<br> +<br> +“I think I understand you,” I replied.<br> +<br> +After remaining several days more at Cordova, I determined to proceed +on my journey to Madrid, though the roads were still said to be highly +insecure. I, however, saw but little utility in tarrying and awaiting +a more tranquil state of affairs, which might never arrive. I +therefore consulted with the landlord respecting the best means of making +the journey. “Don Jorgito,” he replied, “I think +I can tell you. You say you are anxious to depart, and I never +wish to keep guests in my house longer than is agreeable to them; to +do so, would not become a Christian innkeeper: I leave such conduct +to Moors, Christinos, and Negroes. I will further you on your +journey, Don Jorge: I have a plan in my head, which I had resolved to +propose to you before you questioned me. There is my wife’s +brother, who has two horses which he occasionally lets out for hire; +you shall hire them, Don Jorge, and he himself shall attend you to take +care of you, and to comfort you, and to talk to you, and you shall pay +him forty dollars for the journey. Moreover, as there are thieves +upon the route, and <i>malos sujetos, </i>such as Palillos and his family, +you shall make an engagement and a covenant, Don Jorge, that provided +you are robbed and stripped on the route, and the horses of my wife’s +brother are taken from him by the thieves, you shall, on arriving at +Madrid, make good any losses to which my wife’s brother may be +subject in following you. This is my plan, Don Jorge, which no +doubt will meet with your worship’s approbation, as it is devised +solely for your benefit, and not with any view of lucre or interest +either to me or mine. You will find my wife’s brother pleasant +company on the route: he is a very respectable man, and one of the right +opinion, and has likewise travelled much; for between ourselves, Don +Jorge, he is something of a Contrabandista and frequently smuggles diamonds +and precious stones from Portugal, which he disposes of sometimes in +Cordova and sometimes at Madrid. He is acquainted with all the +short cuts, all the atajos, Don Jorge, and is much respected in all +the ventas and posadas on the way; so now give me your hand upon the +bargain, 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-morrow.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XVIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Departure from Cordova - The Contrabandista - Jewish Cunning - Arrival +at Madrid.<br> +<br> +One fine morning, I departed from Cordova, in company with the Contrabandista; +the latter was mounted on a handsome animal, something between a horse +and a pony, which he called a jaca, of that breed for which Cordova +is celebrated. It was of a bright bay colour, with a star in its +forehead, with strong but elegant limbs, and a long black tail, which +swept the ground. The other animal, which was destined to carry +me to Madrid, was not quite so prepossessing in its appearance: in more +than one respect it closely resembled a hog, particularly in the curving +of its back, the shortness of its neck, and the manner in which it kept +its head nearly in contact with the ground: it had also the tail of +a hog, and meandered over the ground much like one. Its coat more +resembled coarse bristles than hair, and with respect to size, I have +seen many a Westphalian hog quite as tall. I was not altogether +satisfied with the idea of exhibiting myself on the back of this most +extraordinary quadruped, and looked wistfully on the respectable animal +on which my guide had thought proper to place himself; he interpreted +my glances, and gave me to understand that as he was destined to carry +the baggage, he was entitled to the best horse; a plea too well grounded +on reason for me to make any objection to it.<br> +<br> +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 Cordova. Throughout the day he sat sullen and silent, +and rarely replied to my questions, save by a monosyllable; at night, +however, after having eaten well and drank proportionably at my expense, +he would occasionally become more sociable and communicative. +“I have given up smuggling,” said he, on one of these occasions, +“owing to a trick which was played upon me the last time that +I was at Lisbon: a Jew whom I had been long acquainted with palmed upon +me a false brilliant for a real stone. He effected it in the most +extraordinary manner, for I am not such a novice as not to know a true +diamond when I see one; but the Jew appears to have had two, with which +he played most adroitly, keeping the valuable one for which I bargained, +and substituting therefor another which, though an excellent imitation, +was not worth four dollars. I did not discover the trick until +I was across the border, and upon my hurrying back, the culprit was +not to be found; his priest, however, told me that he was just dead +and buried, which was of course false, as I saw him laughing in the +corners of his eyes. I renounced the contraband trade from that +moment.”<br> +<br> +It is not my intention to describe minutely the various incidents of +this journey. Leaving at our right the mountains of Jaen, we passed +through Andujar and Bailen, and on the third day reached Carolina, a +small but beautiful town on the skirts of the Sierra Morena, inhabited +by the descendants of German colonists. Two leagues from this +place, we entered the defile of Despeña Perros, which, even in +quiet times, has an evil name, on account of the robberies which are +continually being perpetrated within its recesses, but at the period +of which I am speaking, it was said to be swarming with banditti. +We of course expected to be robbed, perhaps stripped and otherwise ill-treated; +but Providence here manifested itself. It appeared that, the day +before our arrival, the banditti of the pass had committed a dreadful +robbery and murder, by which they gained forty thousand rials. +This booty probably contented them for a time; certain it is that we +were not interrupted: we did not even see a single individual in the +pass, though we occasionally heard whistles and loud cries. We +entered La Mancha, where I expected to fall into the hands of Palillos +and Orejita. Providence again showed itself. It had been +delicious weather, suddenly the Lord breathed forth a frozen blast, +the severity of which was almost intolerable; no human beings but ourselves +ventured forth. We traversed snow-covered plains, and passed through +villages and towns to all appearance deserted. The robbers kept +close in their caves and hovels, but the cold nearly killed us. +We reached Aranjuez late on Christmas Day, and I got into the house +of an Englishman, where I swallowed nearly a pint of brandy; it affected +me no more than warm water.<br> +<br> +On the following day we arrived at Madrid, where we had the good fortune +to find everything tranquil and quiet. The Contrabandista continued +with me for two days, at the end of which time he returned to Cordova +upon the uncouth animal on which I had ridden throughout the journey. +I had myself purchased the jaca, whose capabilities I had seen on the +route, and which I imagined might prove useful in future journeys. +The Contrabandista was so satisfied with the price which I gave him +for his beast, and the general treatment which he had experienced at +my hands during the time of his attendance upon me, that he would fain +have persuaded me to retain him as a servant, assuring me that, in the +event of my compliance, he would forget his wife and children and follow +me through the world. I declined, however, to accede to his request, +though I was in need of a domestic; I therefore sent him back to Cordova, +where, as I subsequently learned, he died suddenly, about a week after +his return.<br> +<br> +The manner of his death was singular: one day he took out his purse, +and, after counting his money, said to his wife, “I have made +ninety-five dollars by this journey with the Englishman and by the sale +of the jaca; this I could easily double by one successful venture in +the smuggling lay. To-morrow I will depart for Lisbon to buy diamonds. +I wonder if the beast requires to be shod?” He then started +up and made for the door, with the intention of going to the stable; +ere, however, his foot had crossed the threshold, he fell dead on the +floor. Such is the course of the world. Well said the wise +king: Let no one boast of the morrow.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XIX<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Arrival at Madrid - Maria Diaz - Printing of the Testament - My Project +- Andalusian Steed - Servant Wanted - An Application - Antonio Buchini +- General Cordova - Principles of Honour.<br> +<br> +On my arrival at Madrid I did not repair to my former lodgings in the +Calle de la Zarza, but took others in the Calle de Santiago, in the +vicinity of the palace. The name of the hostess (for there was, +properly speaking, no host) was Maria Diaz, of whom I shall take the +present opportunity of saying something in particular.<br> +<br> +She was a woman of about thirty-five years of age, rather good-looking, +and with a physiognomy every lineament of which bespoke intelligence +of no common order. Her eyes were keen and penetrating, though +occasionally clouded with a somewhat melancholy expression. There +was a particular calmness and quiet in her general demeanour, beneath +which, however, slumbered a firmness of spirit and an energy of action +which were instantly displayed whenever necessary. A Spaniard +and, of course, a Catholic, she was possessed of a spirit of toleration +and liberality which would have done honour to individuals much her +superior in station. In this woman, during the remainder of my +sojourn in Spain, I found a firm and constant friend, and occasionally +a most discreet adviser: she entered into all my plans, I will not say +with enthusiasm, which, indeed, formed no part of her character, but +with cordiality and sincerity, forwarding them to the utmost of her +ability. She never shrank from me in the hour of danger and persecution, +but stood my friend, notwithstanding the many inducements which were +held out to her by my enemies to desert or betray me. Her motives +were of the noblest kind, friendship and a proper feeling of the duties +of hospitality; no prospect, no hope of self-interest, however remote, +influenced this admirable woman in her conduct towards me. Honour +to Maria Diaz, the quiet, dauntless, clever Castilian female. +I were an ingrate not to speak well of her, for richly has she deserved +an eulogy in the humble pages of <i>The Bible in Spain.<br> +<br> +</i>She was a native of Villa Seca, a hamlet of New Castile, situated +in what is called the Sagra, at about three leagues’ distance +from Toledo: her father was an architect of some celebrity, particularly +skilled in erecting bridges. At a very early age she married a +respectable yeoman of Villa Seca, Lopez by name, by whom she had three +sons. On the death of her father, which occurred about five years +previous to the time of which I am speaking, she removed to Madrid, +partly for the purpose of educating her children, and partly in the +hope of obtaining from the government a considerable sum of money for +which it stood indebted to her father, at the time of his decease, for +various useful and ornamental works, principally in the neighbourhood +of Aranjuez. The justness of her claim was at once acknowledged; +but, alas! no money was forthcoming, the royal treasury being empty. +Her hopes of earthly happiness were now concentrated in her children. +The two youngest were still of a very tender age; but the eldest, Juan +José Lopez, a lad of about sixteen, was bidding fair to realize +the warmest hopes of his affectionate mother; he had devoted himself +to the arts, in which he made such progress that he had already become +the favourite pupil of his celebrated namesake Lopez, the best painter +of modern Spain. Such was Maria Diaz, who, according to a custom +formerly universal in Spain, and still very prevalent, retained the +name of her maidenhood though married. Such was Maria Diaz and +her family.<br> +<br> +One of my first cares was to wait on Mr. Villiers, who received me with +his usual kindness. I asked him whether he considered that I might +venture to commence printing the Scriptures without any more applications +to government. His reply was satisfactory: “You obtained +the permission of the government of Isturitz,” said he, “which +was a much less liberal one than the present. I am a witness to +the promise made to you by the former ministers, which I consider sufficient. +You had best commence and complete the work as soon as possible, without +any fresh application; and should any one attempt to interrupt you, +you have only to come to me, whom you may command at any time.” +So I went away with a light heart, and forthwith made preparation for +the execution of the object which had brought me to Spain.<br> +<br> +I shall not enter here into unnecessary details, which could possess +but little interest for the reader; suffice it to say that, within three +months from this time, an edition of the New Testament, consisting of +five thousand copies, was published at Madrid. The work was printed +at the establishment of Mr. Borrego, a well-known writer on political +economy, and proprietor and editor of an influential newspaper called +El Español. To this gentleman I had been recommended by +Isturitz himself, on the day of my interview with him. That unfortunate +minister had, indeed, the highest esteem for Borrego, and had intended +raising him to the station of minister of finance, when the revolution +of the Granja occurring, of course rendered abortive this project, with +perhaps many others of a similar kind which he might have formed.<br> +<br> +The Spanish version of the New Testament which was thus published, had +been made many years before by a certain Padre Filipe Scio, confessor +of Ferdinand the Seventh, and had even been printed, but so encumbered +by notes and commentaries as to be unfitted for general circulation, +for which, indeed, it was never intended. In the present edition, +the notes were of course omitted, and the inspired word, and that alone, +offered to the public. It was brought out in a handsome octavo +volume, and presented, upon the whole, a rather favourable specimen +of Spanish typography.<br> +<br> +The mere printing, however, of the New Testament at Madrid could be +attended with no utility whatever, unless measures, and energetic ones, +were taken for the circulation of the sacred volume.<br> +<br> +In the case of the New Testament, it would not do to follow the usual +plan of publication in Spain, namely, to entrust the work to the booksellers +of the capital, and rest content with the sale which they and their +agents in the provincial towns might be able to obtain for it, in the +common routine of business; the result generally being, the circulation +of a few dozen copies in the course of the year; as the demand for literature +of every kind in Spain was miserably small.<br> +<br> +The Christians of England had already made considerable sacrifices in +the hope of disseminating the word of God largely amongst the Spaniards, +and it was now necessary to spare no exertion to prevent that hope becoming +abortive. Before the book was ready, I had begun to make preparations +for putting a plan into execution, which had occupied my thoughts occasionally +during my former visit to Spain, and which I had never subsequently +abandoned. I had mused on it when off Cape Finisterre in the tempest; +in the cut-throat passes of the Morena; and on the plains of La Mancha, +as I jogged along a little way ahead of the Contrabandista.<br> +<br> +I had determined, after depositing a certain number of copies in the +shops of the booksellers of Madrid, to ride forth, Testament in hand, +and endeavour to circulate the word of God amongst the Spaniards, not +only of the towns but of the villages; amongst the children not only +of the plains but of the hills and mountains. I intended to visit +Old Castile, and to traverse the whole of Galicia and the Asturias, +- to establish Scripture dépots in the principal towns, and to +visit the people in secret and secluded spots, - to talk to them of +Christ, to explain to them the nature of his book, and to place that +book in the hands of those whom I should deem capable of deriving benefit +from it. I was aware that such a journey would be attended with +considerable danger, and very possibly the fate of St. Stephen might +overtake me; 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 Master? “He who loses his life for my sake, shall +find it,” are words which the Lord himself uttered. These +words were fraught with consolation to me, as they doubtless are to +every one engaged in propagating the gospel in sincerity of heart, in +savage and barbarian lands.<br> +<br> +I now purchased another horse; for these animals, at the time of which +I am speaking, were exceedingly cheap. A royal requisition was +about to be issued for five thousand, the consequence being, that an +immense number were for sale, for, by virtue of this requisition, the +horses of any person not a foreigner could be seized for the benefit +of the service. It was probable that, when the number was made +up, the price of horses would be treble what it then was, which consideration +induced me to purchase this animal before I exactly wanted him. +He was a black Andalusian stallion of great power and strength, and +capable of performing a journey of a hundred leagues in a week’s +time, but he was unbroke, savage, and furious. A cargo of Bibles, +however, which I hoped occasionally to put on his back, would, I had +no doubt, thoroughly tame him, especially when labouring up the flinty +hills of the north of Spain. I wished to have purchased a mule, +but, though I offered thirty pounds for a sorry one, I could not obtain +her; whereas the cost of both the horses, tall powerful stately animals, +scarcely amounted to that sum.<br> +<br> +The state of the surrounding country at this time was not very favourable +for venturing forth: Cabrera was within nine leagues of Madrid, with +an army nearly ten thousand strong; he had beaten several small detachments +of the queen’s troops, and had ravaged La Mancha with fire and +sword, burning several towns; bands of affrighted fugitives were arriving +every hour, bringing tidings of woe and disaster, and I was only surprised +that the enemy did not appear, and by taking Madrid, which was almost +at his mercy, put an end to the war at once. But the truth is, +that the Carlist generals did not wish the war to cease, for as long +as the country was involved in bloodshed and anarchy, they could plunder +and exercise that lawless authority so dear to men of fierce and brutal +passions. Cabrera, moreover, was a dastardly wretch, whose limited +mind was incapable of harbouring a single conception approaching to +grandeur; whose heroic deeds were confined to cutting down defenceless +men, and to forcing and disembowelling unhappy women; and yet I have +seen this wretched fellow termed by French journals (Carlist of course) +the young, the heroic general. Infamy on the cowardly assassin! +The shabbiest corporal of Napoleon would have laughed at his generalship, +and half a battalion of Austrian grenadiers would have driven him and +his rabble army headlong into the Ebro.<br> +<br> +I now made preparations for my journey into the north. 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 them. +One thing, however, was still lacking, indispensable to a person about +to engage on an expedition of this description; I mean a servant to +attend me. Perhaps there is no place in the world where servants +more abound than at Madrid, or at least fellows eager to proffer their +services in the expectation of receiving food and wages, though, with +respect to the actual service which they are capable of performing, +not much can be said; but I was in want of a servant of no common description, +a shrewd active fellow, of whose advice, in cases of emergency, I could +occasionally avail myself; courageous withal, for it certainly required +some degree of courage to follow a master bent on exploring the greater +part of Spain, and who intended to travel, not under the protection +of muleteers and carmen, but on his own cabalgaduras. Such a servant, +perhaps, I might have sought for years without finding; chance, however, +brought one to my hand at the very time I wanted him, without it being +necessary for me to make any laborious perquisitions. I was one +day mentioning the subject to Mr. Borrego, at whose establishment I +had printed the New Testament, and inquiring whether he thought that +such an individual was to be found in Madrid, adding that I was particularly +anxious to obtain a servant who, besides Spanish, could speak some other +language, that occasionally we might discourse without being understood +by those who might overhear us. “The very description of +person,” he replied, “that you appear to be in need of, +quitted me about half an hour ago, and, it is singular enough, came +to me in the hope that I might be able to recommend him to a master. +He has been twice in my service: for his talent and courage I will answer; +and I believe him to be trustworthy, at least to masters who may chime +in with his humour, for I must inform you that he is a most extraordinary +fellow, full of strange likes and antipathies, which he will gratify +at any expense, either to himself or others. Perhaps he will attach +himself to you, in which case you will find him highly valuable; for +if he please he can turn his hand to any thing, and is not only acquainted +with two but half a dozen languages.”<br> +<br> +“Is he a Spaniard?” I inquired.<br> +<br> +“I will send him to you to-morrow,” said Borrego, “you +will best learn from his own mouth who and what he is.”<br> +<br> +The next day, as I had just sat down to my “sopa,” my hostess +informed me that a man wished to speak to me. “Admit him,” +said I, and he almost instantly made his appearance. He was dressed +respectably in the French fashion, and had rather a juvenile look, though +I subsequently learned that he was considerably above forty. He +was somewhat above the middle stature, and might have been called well +made, had it not been for his meagreness, which was rather remarkable. +His arms were long and bony, and his whole form conveyed an idea of +great activity united with no slight degree of strength: his hair was +wiry, but of jetty blackness; his forehead low; his eyes small and grey, +expressive of much subtlety and no less malice, strangely relieved by +a strong dash of humour; the nose was handsome, but the mouth was immensely +wide, and his under jaw projected considerably. A more singular +physiognomy I had never seen, and I continued staring at him for some +time in silence. “Who are you?” I at last demanded.<br> +<br> +“Domestic in search of a master,” answered the man in good +French, but in a strange accent. “I come recommended to +you, my Lor, by Monsieur B.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Of what nation may you be? Are you French or +Spanish?<br> +<br> +<i>Man</i>. - God forbid that I should be either, mi Lor, <i>j’ai +l’honneur d’etre de la nation Grecque, </i>my name is Antonio +Buchini, native of Pera the Belle near to Constantinople.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what brought you to Spain?<br> +<br> +<i>Buchini. - Mi Lor,</i> <i>je vais vous raconter mon histoire du</i> +<i>commencement jusqu’ici</i>: - my father was a native of Sceira +in Greece, from whence at an early age he repaired to Pera, where he +served as janitor in the hotels of various ambassadors, by whom he was +much respected for his fidelity. Amongst others of these gentlemen, +he served him of your own nation: this occurred at the time that there +was war between England and the Porte. <a name="citation14"></a><a href="#footnote14">{14}</a> +Monsieur the Ambassador had to escape for his life, leaving the greater +part of his valuables to the care of my father, who concealed them at +his own great risk, and when the dispute was settled, restored them +to Monsieur, even to the most inconsiderable trinket. I mention +this circumstance to show you that I am of a family which cherishes +principles of honour, and in which confidence may be placed. My +father married a daughter of Pera, <i>et moi je suis l’unique +fruit de ce mariage. </i>Of my mother I know nothing, as she died +shortly after my birth. A family of wealthy Jews took pity on +my forlorn condition and offered to bring me up, to which my father +gladly consented; and with them I continued several years, until I was +a <i>beau garcon; </i>they were very fond of me, and at last offered +to adopt me, and at their death to bequeath me all they had, on condition +of my becoming a Jew. <i>Mais la</i> <i>circoncision n’etoit +guere a mon gout</i>; especially that of the Jews, for I am a Greek, +am proud, and have principles of honour. I quitted them, therefore, +saying that if ever I allowed myself to be converted, it should be to +the faith of the Turks, for they are men, are proud, and have principles +of honour like myself. I then returned to my father, who procured +me various situations, none of which were to my liking, until I was +placed in the house of Monsieur Zea.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - You mean, I suppose, Zea Bermudez, who chanced to be +at Constantinople.<br> +<br> +<i>Buchini. - </i>Just<i> </i>so, mi Lor, and with him I continued during +his stay. He put great confidence in me, more especially as I +spoke the pure Spanish language, which I acquired amongst the Jews, +who, as I have heard Monsieur Zea say, speak it better than the present +natives of Spain.<br> +<br> +I shall not follow the Greek step by step throughout his history, which +was rather lengthy: suffice it to say, that he was brought by Zea Bermudez +from Constantinople to Spain, where he continued in his service for +many years, and from whose house he was expelled for marrying a Guipuscoan +damsel, who was fille de chambre to Madame Zea; since which time it +appeared that he had served an infinity of masters; sometimes as valet, +sometimes as cook, but generally in the last capacity. He confessed, +however, that he had seldom continued more than three days in the same +service, on account of the disputes which were sure to arise in the +house almost immediately after his admission, and for which he could +assign no other reason than his being a Greek, and having principles +of honour. Amongst other persons whom he had served was General +Cordova, who he said was a bad paymaster, and was in the habit of maltreating +his domestics. “But he found his match in me,” said +Antonio, “for I was prepared for him; and once, when he drew his +sword against me, I pulled out a pistol and pointed it in his face. +He grew pale as death, and from that hour treated me with all kinds +of condescension. It was only pretence, however, for the affair +rankled in his mind; he had determined upon revenge, and on being appointed +to the command of the army, he was particularly anxious that I should +attend him to the camp. <i>Mais je lui ris au</i> <i>nez</i>, +made the sign of the cortamanga - asked for my wages, and left him; +and well it was that I did so, for the very domestic whom he took with +him he caused to be shot upon a charge of mutiny.”<br> +<br> +“I am afraid,” said I, “that you are of a turbulent +disposition, and that the disputes to which you have alluded are solely +to be attributed to the badness of your temper.”<br> +<br> +“What would you have, Monsieur? <i>Moi je suis Grec,</i> +<i>je suis fier et j’ai des principes d’honneur. </i>I +expect to be treated with a certain consideration, though I confess +that my temper is none of the best, and that at times I am tempted to +quarrel with the pots and pans in the kitchen. I think, upon the +whole, that it will be for your advantage to engage me, and I promise +you to be on my guard. There is one thing that pleases me relating +to you, you are unmarried. Now, I would rather serve a young unmarried +man for love and friendship, than a Benedict for fifty dollars per month. +Madame is sure to hate me, and so is her waiting woman; and more particularly +the latter, because I am a married man. I see that mi Lor is willing +to engage me.”<br> +<br> +“But you say you are a married man,” I replied; “how +can you desert your wife, for I am about to leave Madrid, and to travel +into the remote and mountainous parts of Spain.”<br> +<br> +“My wife will receive the moiety of my wages, while I am absent, +mi Lor, and therefore will have no reason to complain of being deserted. +Complain! did I say; my wife is at present too well instructed to complain. +She never speaks nor sits in my presence unless I give her permission. +Am I not a Greek, and do I not know how to govern my own house? +Engage me, mi Lor, I am a man of many capacities: a discreet valet, +an excellent cook, a good groom and light rider; in a word, I am Ρωμαικος<i>. +</i>What would you more?”<br> +<br> +I asked him his terms, which were extravagant, notwithstanding his <i>principes +d’honneur. </i>I found, however, that he was willing to +take one half.<br> +<br> +I had no sooner engaged him, than seizing the tureen of soup, which +had by this time become quite cold, he placed it on the top of his forefinger, +or rather on the nail thereof, causing it to make various circumvolutions +over his head, to my great astonishment, without spilling a drop, then +springing with it to the door, he vanished, and in another moment made +his appearance with the puchera, which, after a similar bound and flourish, +he deposited on the table; then suffering his hands to sink before him, +he put one over the other and stood at his ease with half-shut eyes, +for all the world as if he had been in my service twenty years.<br> +<br> +And in this manner Antonio Buchini entered upon his duties. Many +was the wild spot to which he subsequently accompanied me; many the +wild adventure of which he was the sharer. His behaviour was frequently +in the highest degree extraordinary, but he served me courageously and +faithfully: such a valet, take him for all in all,<br> +<br> +<br> +“His like I ne’er expect to see again.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<i>Kosko bakh Anton.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +</i>CHAPTER XX<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Illness - Nocturnal Visit - A Master Mind - The Whisper - Salamanca +- Irish Hospitality - Spanish Soldiers - The Scriptures advertised.<br> +<br> +But I am anxious to enter upon the narrative of my journey, and shall +therefore abstain from relating to my readers a great many circumstances +which occurred previously to my leaving Madrid on this expedition. +About the middle of May I had got everything in readiness, and I bade +farewell to my friends. Salamanca was the first place which I +intended to visit.<br> +<br> +Some days previous to my departure I was very much indisposed, owing +to the state of the weather, for violent and biting winds had long prevailed. +I had been attacked with a severe cold, which terminated in a disagreeable +cough, which the many remedies I successively tried seemed unable to +subdue. I had made preparations for departing on a particular +day, but, owing to the state of my health, I was apprehensive that I +should be compelled to defer my journey for a time. The last day +of my stay in Madrid, finding myself scarcely able to stand, I was fain +to submit to a somewhat desperate experiment, and by the advice of the +barber-surgeon who visited me, I determined to be bled. Late on +the night of that same day he took from me sixteen ounces of blood, +and having received his fee left me, wishing me a pleasant journey, +and assuring me, upon his reputation, that by noon the next day I should +be perfectly recovered.<br> +<br> +A few minutes after his departure, whilst I was sitting alone, meditating +on the journey which I was about to undertake, and on the ricketty state +of my health, I heard a loud knock at the street door of the house, +on the third floor of which I was lodged. In another minute Mr. +S- of the British Embassy entered my apartment. After a little +conversation, he informed me that Mr. Villiers had desired him to wait +upon me to communicate a resolution which he had come to. Being +apprehensive that, alone and unassisted, I should experience great difficulty +in propagating the gospel of God to any considerable extent in Spain, +he was bent upon exerting to the utmost his own credit and influence +to further my views, which he himself considered, if carried into proper +effect, extremely well calculated to operate beneficially on the political +and moral state of the country. To this end it was his intention +to purchase a very considerable number of copies of the New Testament, +and to dispatch them forthwith to the various British consuls established +in different parts of Spain, 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 noticed. They +were, moreover, to be charged to afford me, whenever I should appear +in their respective districts, all the protection, encouragement, and +assistance which I should stand in need of.<br> +<br> +I was of course much rejoiced on receiving this information, for though +I had long been aware that Mr. Villiers was at all times willing to +assist me, he having frequently given me sufficient proof, I could never +expect that he would come forward in so noble, and, to say the least +of it, considering his high diplomatic situation, so bold and decided +a manner. I believe that this was the first instance of a British +ambassador having made the cause of the Bible Society a national one, +or indeed of having favoured it directly or indirectly. What renders +the case of Mr. Villiers more remarkable is, that on my first arrival +at Madrid I found him by no means well disposed towards the Society. +The Holy Spirit had probably illumined his mind on this point. +I hoped that by his means our institution would shortly possess many +agents in Spain, who, with far more power and better opportunities than +I myself could ever expect to possess, would scatter abroad the seed +of the gospel, and make of a barren and thirsty wilderness a green and +smiling corn-field.<br> +<br> +A word or two about the gentleman who paid me this nocturnal visit. +Though he has probably long since forgotten the humble circulator of +the Bible in Spain, I still bear in mind numerous acts of kindness which +I experienced at his hands. Endowed with an intellect of the highest +order, master of the lore of all Europe, profoundly versed in the ancient +tongues, and speaking most of the modern dialects with remarkable facility, +- possessed, moreover, of a thorough knowledge of mankind, - he brought +with him into the diplomatic career advantages such as few, even the +most highly gifted, can boast of. During his sojourn in Spain +he performed many eminent services for the government which employed +him; services which, I believe, it had sufficient discernment to see, +and gratitude to reward. He had to encounter, however, the full +brunt of the low and stupid malignity of the party who, shortly after +the time of which I am speaking, usurped the management of the affairs +of Spain. This party, whose foolish manoeuvres he was continually +discomfiting, feared and hated him as its evil genius, taking every +opportunity of showering on his head calumnies the most improbable and +absurd. Amongst other things, he was accused of having acted as +an agent to the English government in the affair of the Granja, bringing +about that revolution by bribing the mutinous soldiers, and more particularly +the notorious Sergeant Garcia. Such an accusation will of course +merely extract a smile from those who are at all acquainted with the +English character, and the general line of conduct pursued by the English +government. It was a charge, however, universally believed in +Spain, and was even preferred in print by a certain journal, the official +organ of the silly Duke of Frias, 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 struggle. But when +did a calumnious report ever fall to the ground in Spain by the weight +of its own absurdity? Unhappy land, not until the pure light of +the Gospel has illumined thee wilt thou learn that the greatest of all +gifts is charity.<br> +<br> +The next day verified the prediction of the Spanish surgeon; I had to +a considerable degree lost my cough and fever, though, owing to the +loss of blood, I was somewhat feeble. Precisely at twelve o’clock +the horses were led forth before the door of my lodging in the Calle +de Santiago, and I prepared to mount: but my black entero of Andalusia +would not permit me to approach his side, and whenever I made the attempt, +commenced wheeling round with great rapidity.<br> +<br> +“<i>C’est un mauvais signe, mon maitre</i>,” said +Antonio, who, dressed in a green jerkin, a Montero cap, booted and spurred, +stood ready to attend me, holding by the bridle the horse which I had +purchased from the contrabandista. “It is a bad sign, and +in my country they would defer the journey till to-morrow.”<br> +<br> +“Are there whisperers in your country?” I demanded; and +taking the horse by the mane, I performed the ceremony after the most +approved fashion: the animal stood still, and I mounted the saddle, +exclaiming -<br> +<br> +<br> +“The Rommany Chal to his horse did cry,<br> +As he placed the bit in his horse’s jaw;<br> +Kosko gry! Rommany gry!<br> +Muk man kistur tute knaw.”<br> +<br> +<br> +We then rode forth from Madrid by the gate of San Vincente, directing +our course to the lofty mountains which separate Old from New Castile. +That night we rested at Guadarama, a large village at their foot, distant +from Madrid about seven leagues. Rising early on the following +morning, we ascended the pass and entered into Old Castile.<br> +<br> +After crossing the mountains, the route to Salamanca lies almost entirely +over sandy and arid plains, interspersed here and there with thin and +scanty groves of pine. No adventure worth relating occurred during +this journey. We sold a few Testaments in the villages through +which we passed, more especially at Peñaranda. About noon +of the third day, on reaching the brow of a hillock, we saw a huge dome +before us, upon which the fierce rays of the sun striking, produced +the appearance of burnished gold. It belonged to the cathedral +of Salamanca, and we flattered ourselves that we were already at our +journey’s end; we were deceived, however, being still four leagues +distant from the town, whose churches and convents, towering up in gigantic +masses, can be distinguished at an immense distance, flattering the +traveller with an idea of propinquity which does not in reality exist. +It was not till long after nightfall that we arrived at the city gate, +which we found closed and guarded, in apprehension of a Carlist attack; +and having obtained admission with some difficulty, we led our horses +along dark, silent, and deserted streets, till we found an individual +who directed us to a large, gloomy, and comfortless posada, that of +the Bull, which we, however, subsequently found was the best which the +town afforded.<br> +<br> +A melancholy town is Salamanca; the days of its collegiate glory are +long since past by, never more to return: a circumstance, however, which +is little to be regretted; for what benefit did the world ever derive +from scholastic philosophy? And for that alone was Salamanca ever +famous. Its halls are now almost silent, and grass is growing +in its courts, which were once daily thronged by at least eight thousand +students; a number to which, at the present day, the entire population +of the city does not amount. Yet, with all its melancholy, what +an interesting, nay, what a magnificent place is Salamanca! How +glorious are its churches, how stupendous are its deserted convents, +and with what sublime but sullen grandeur do its huge and crumbling +walls, which crown the precipitous bank of the Tormes, look down upon +the lovely river and its venerable bridge.<br> +<br> +What a pity that, of the many rivers in Spain, scarcely one is navigable. +The beautiful but shallow Tormes, instead of proving a source of blessing +and wealth to this part of Castile, is of no further utility than to +turn the wheels of various small water mills, standing upon weirs of +stone, which at certain distances traverse the river.<br> +<br> +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 College, to the rector of which I bore a letter +of recommendation from my kind and excellent friend Mr. O’Shea, +the celebrated banker of Madrid. It will be long before I forget +these Irish, more especially their head, Dr. Gartland, a genuine scion +of the good Hibernian tree, an accomplished scholar, and a courteous +and high-minded gentleman. Though fully aware who I was, he held +out the hand of friendship to the wandering heretic missionary, although +by so doing he exposed himself to the rancorous remarks of the narrow-minded +native clergy, who, in their ugly shovel hats and long cloaks, glared +at me askance as I passed by their whispering groups beneath the piazzas +of the Plaza. But when did the fear of consequences cause an Irishman +to shrink from the exercise of the duties of hospitality? However +attached to his religion - and who is so attached to the Romish creed +as the Irishman? - I am convinced that not all the authority of the +Pope or the Cardinals would induce him to close his doors on Luther +himself, were that respectable personage at present alive and in need +of food and refuge.<br> +<br> +Honour to Ireland and her “hundred thousand welcomes!” +Her fields have long been the greenest in the world; her daughters the +fairest; her sons the bravest and most eloquent. May they never +cease to be so.<br> +<br> +The posada where I had put up was a good specimen of the old Spanish +inn, being much the same as those described in the time of Philip the +Third or Fourth. The rooms were many and large, floored with either +brick or stone, generally with an alcove at the end, in which stood +a wretched flock bed. Behind the house was a court, and in the +rear of this a stable, full of horses, ponies, mules, machos, and donkeys, +for there was no lack of guests, who, however, for the most part slept +in the stable with their caballerias, being either arrieros or small +peddling merchants who travelled the country with coarse cloth or linen. +Opposite to my room in the corridor lodged a wounded officer, who had +just arrived from San Sebastian on a galled broken-kneed pony; he was +an Estrimenian, and was returning to his own village to be cured. +He was attended by three broken soldiers, lame or maimed, and unfit +for service: they told me that they were of the same village as his +worship, and on that account he permitted them to travel with him. +They slept amongst the litter, and throughout the day lounged about +the house smoking paper cigars. I never saw them eating, though +they frequently went to a dark cool corner, where stood a bota or kind +of water pitcher, which they held about six inches from their black +filmy lips, permitting the liquid to trickle down their throats. +They said they had no pay, and were quite destitute of money, that <i>su +merced</i> the officer occasionally gave them a piece of bread, but +that he himself was poor and had only a few dollars. Brave guests +for an inn, thought I; yet, to the honour of Spain be it spoken, it +is one of the few countries in Europe where poverty is never insulted +nor looked upon with contempt. Even at an inn, the poor man is +never spurned from the door, and if not harboured, is at least dismissed +with fair words, and consigned to the mercies of God and his mother. +This is as it should be. I laugh at the bigotry and prejudices +of Spain; I abhor the cruelty and ferocity which have cast a stain of +eternal infamy on her history; but I will say for the Spaniards, that +in their social intercourse no people in the world exhibit a juster +feeling of what is due to the dignity of human nature, or better understand +the behaviour which it behoves a man to adopt towards his fellow beings. +I have said that it is one of the few countries in Europe where poverty +is not treated with contempt, and I may add, where the wealthy are not +blindly idolized. In Spain the very beggar does not feel himself +a degraded being, for he kisses no one’s feet, and knows not what +it is to be cuffed or spitten upon; and in Spain the duke or the marquis +can scarcely entertain a very overweening opinion of his own consequence, +as he finds no one, with perhaps the exception of his French valet, +to fawn upon or flatter him.<br> +<br> +During my stay at Salamanca, I took measures that the word of God might +become generally known in this celebrated city. The principal +bookseller of the town, Blanco, a man of great wealth and respectability, +consented to become my agent here, and I in consequence deposited in +his shop a certain number of New Testaments. He was the proprietor +of a small printing press, where the official bulletin of the place +was published. For this bulletin I prepared an advertisement of +the work, in which, amongst other things, I said that the New Testament +was the only guide to salvation; I also spoke of the Bible Society, +and the great pecuniary sacrifices which it was making with the view +of proclaiming Christ crucified, and of making his doctrine known. +This step will perhaps be considered by some as too bold, but I was +not aware that I could take any more calculated to arouse the attention +of the people - a considerable point. I also ordered numbers of +the same advertisement to be struck off in the shape of bills, which +I caused to be stuck up in various parts of the town. I had great +hope that by means of these a considerable number of New Testaments +would be sold. I intended to repeat this experiment in Valladolid, +Leon, St. Jago, and all the principal towns which I visited, and to +distribute them likewise as I rode along: the children of Spain would +thus be brought to know that such a work as the New Testament is in +existence, a fact of which not five in one hundred were then aware, +notwithstanding their so frequently-repeated boasts of their Catholicity +and Christianity.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Gaoleress.<br> +<br> +On Saturday, the tenth of June, I left Salamanca for Valladolid. +As the village where we intended to rest was only five leagues distant, +we did not sally forth till midday was past. There was a haze +in the heavens which overcast the sun, nearly hiding his countenance +from our view. My friend, Mr. Patrick Cantwell, of the Irish College, +was kind enough to ride with me part of the way. He was mounted +on a most sorry-looking hired mule, which, I expected would be unable +to keep pace with the spirited horses of myself and man, for he seemed +to be twin brother of the mule of Gil Perez, on which his nephew made +his celebrated journey from Oviedo to Peñaflor. I was, +however, very much mistaken. The creature on being mounted instantly +set off at that rapid walk which I have so often admired in Spanish +mules, and which no horse can emulate. Our more stately animals +were speedily left in the rear, and we were continually obliged to break +into a trot to follow the singular quadruped, who, ever and anon, would +lift his head high in the air, curl up his lip, and show his yellow +teeth, as if he were laughing at us, as perhaps he was. It chanced +that none of us was well acquainted with the road; indeed, I could see +nothing which was fairly entitled to that appellation. The way +from Salamanca to Valladolid is amongst a medley of bridle-paths and +drift-ways, where discrimination is very difficult. It was not +long before we were bewildered, and travelled over more ground than +was strictly necessary. However, as men and women frequently passed +on donkeys and little ponies, we were not too proud to be set right +by them, and by dint of diligent inquiry we at length arrived at Pitiegua, +four leagues from Salamanca, a small village, containing about fifty +families, consisting of mud huts, and situated in the midst of dusty +plains, where corn was growing in abundance. We asked for the +house of the cura, an old man whom I had seen the day before at the +Irish College, and who, on being informed that I was about to depart +for Valladolid, had exacted from me a promise that I would not pass +through his village without paying him a visit and partaking of his +hospitality.<br> +<br> +A woman directed us to a cottage somewhat superior in appearance to +those contiguous. It had a small portico, which, if I remember +well, was overgrown with a vine. We knocked loud and long at the +door, but received no answer; the voice of man was silent, and not even +a dog barked. The truth was, that the old curate was taking his +siesta, and so were his whole family, which consisted of one ancient +female and a cat. The good man was at last disturbed by our noise +and vociferation, for we were hungry, and consequently impatient. +Leaping from his couch, he came running to the door in great hurry and +confusion, and perceiving us, he made many apologies for being asleep +at a period when, he said, he ought to have been on the lookout for +his invited guest. He embraced me very affectionately and conducted +me into his parlour, an apartment of tolerable size, hung round with +shelves, which were crowded with books. At one end there was a +kind of table or desk covered with black leather, with a large easy +chair, into which he pushed me, as I, with the true eagerness of a bibliomaniac, +was about to inspect his shelves; saying, with considerable vehemence, +that there was nothing there worthy of the attention of an Englishman, +for that his whole stock consisted of breviaries and dry Catholic treatises +on divinity.<br> +<br> +His care now was to furnish us with refreshments. In a twinkling, +with the assistance of his old attendant, he placed on the table several +plates of cakes and confectionery, and a number of large uncouth glass +bottles, which I thought bore a strong resemblance to those of Schiedam, +and indeed they were the very same. “There,” said +he, rubbing his hands; “I thank God that it is in my power to +treat you in a way which will be agreeable to you. In those bottles +there is Hollands thirty years old”; and producing two large tumblers, +he continued, “fill, my friends, and drink, drink it every drop +if you please, for it is of little use to myself, who seldom drink aught +but water. I know that you islanders love it, and cannot live +without it; therefore, since it does you good, I am only sorry that +there is no more.”<br> +<br> +Observing that we contented ourselves with merely tasting it, he looked +at us with astonishment, and inquired the reason of our not drinking. +We told him that we seldom drank ardent spirits; and I added, that as +for myself, I seldom tasted even wine, but like himself, was content +with the use of water. He appeared somewhat incredulous, but told +us to do exactly what we pleased, and to ask for what was agreeable +to us. We told him that we had not dined, and should be glad of +some substantial refreshment. “I am afraid,” said +he, “that I have nothing in the house which will suit you; however, +we will go and see.”<br> +<br> +Thereupon he led us through a small yard at the back part of his house, +which might have been called a garden, or orchard, if it had displayed +either trees or flowers; but it produced nothing but grass, which was +growing in luxuriance. At one end was a large pigeon-house, which +we all entered: “for,” said the curate, “if we could +find some nice delicate pigeons they would afford you an excellent dinner.” +We were, however, disappointed; for after rummaging the nests, we only +found very young ones, unfitted for our purpose. The good man +became very melancholy, and said he had some misgivings that we should +have to depart dinnerless. Leaving the pigeon-house, he conducted +us to a place where there were several skeps of bees, round which multitudes +of the busy insects were hovering, filling the air with their music. +“Next to my fellow creatures,” said he, “there is +nothing which I love so dearly as these bees; it is one of my delights +to sit watching them, and listening to their murmur.” We +next went to several unfurnished rooms, fronting the yard, in one of +which were hanging several flitches of bacon, beneath which he stopped, +and looking up, gazed intently upon them. We told him that if +he had nothing better to offer, we should be very glad to eat some slices +of this bacon, especially if some eggs were added. “To tell +the truth,” said he, “I have nothing better, and if you +can content yourselves with such fare I shall be very happy; as for +eggs you can have as many as you wish, and perfectly fresh, for my hens +lay every day.”<br> +<br> +So, after every thing was prepared and arranged to our satisfaction, +we sat down to dine on the bacon and eggs, in a small room, not the +one to which he had ushered us at first, but on the other side of the +doorway. The good curate, though he ate nothing, having taken +his meal long before, sat at the head of the table, and the repast was +enlivened by his chat. “There, my friends,” said he, +“where you are now seated, once sat Wellington and Crawford, after +they had beat the French at Arapiles, and rescued us from the thraldom +of those wicked people. I never respected my house so much as +I have done since they honoured it with their presence. They were +heroes, and one was a demigod.” He then burst into a most +eloquent panegyric of El Gran Lord, as he termed him, which I should +be very happy to translate, were my pen capable of rendering into English +the robust thundering sentences of his powerful Castilian. I had +till then considered him a plain uninformed old man, almost simple, +and as incapable of much emotion as a tortoise within its shell; but +he had become at once inspired: his eyes were replete with a bright +fire, and every muscle of his face was quivering. The little silk +skull-cap which he wore, according to the custom of the Catholic clergy, +moved up and down with his agitation, 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 church, and who to a child-like simplicity +unite immense energy and power of mind, - equally adapted to guide a +scanty flock of ignorant rustics in some obscure village in Italy or +Spain, as to convert millions of heathens on the shores of Japan, China, +and Paraguay.<br> +<br> +He was a thin spare man, of about sixty-five, and was dressed in a black +cloak of very coarse materials, nor were his other garments of superior +quality. This plainness, however, in the appearance of his outward +man was by no means the result of poverty; quite the contrary. +The benefice was a very plentiful one, and placed at his disposal annually +a sum of at least eight hundred dollars, of which the eighth part was +more than sufficient to defray the expenses of his house and himself; +the rest was devoted entirely to the purest acts of charity. He +fed the hungry wanderer, and dispatched him singing on his way, with +meat in his wallet and a peseta in his purse, and his parishioners, +when in need of money, had only to repair to his study and were sure +of an immediate supply. He was, indeed, the banker of the village, +and what he lent he neither expected nor wished to be returned. +Though under the necessity of making frequent journeys to Salamanca, +he kept no mule, but contented himself with an ass, borrowed from the +neighbouring miller. “I once kept a mule,” said he, +“but some years since it was removed without my permission by +a traveller whom I had housed for the night: for in that alcove I keep +two clean beds for the use of the wayfaring, and I shall be very much +pleased if yourself and friend will occupy them, and tarry with me till +the morning.”<br> +<br> +But I was eager to continue my journey, and my friend was no less anxious +to return to Salamanca. Upon taking leave of the hospitable curate, +I presented him with a copy of the New Testament. He received +it without uttering a single word, and placed it on one of the shelves +of his study; but I observed him nodding significantly to the Irish +student, perhaps as much as to say, “Your friend loses no opportunity +of propagating his book”; for he was well aware who I was. +I shall not speedily forget the truly good presbyter, Anthonio Garcia +de Aguilar, Cura of Pitiegua.<br> +<br> +We reached Pedroso shortly before nightfall. It was a small village +containing about thirty houses, and intersected by a rivulet, or as +it is called a regata. On its banks women and maidens were washing +their linen and singing couplets; the church stood lone and solitary +on the farther side. We inquired for the posada, and were shown +a cottage differing nothing from the rest in general appearance. +We called at the door in vain, as it is not the custom of Castile for +the people of these halting places to go out to welcome their visitors: +at last we dismounted and entered the house, demanding of a sullen-looking +woman where we were to place the horses. She said there was a +stable within the house, but we could not put the animals there as it +contained malos machos <i>(savage mules) </i>belonging to two travellers +who would certainly fight with our horses, and then there would be a +funcion, which would tear the house down. She then pointed to +an outhouse across the way, saying that we could stable them there. +We entered this place, which we found full of filth and swine, with +a door without a lock. I thought of the fate of the cura’s +mule, and was unwilling to trust the horses in such a place, abandoning +them to the mercy of any robber in the neighbourhood. I therefore +entered the house, and said resolutely, that I was determined to place +them in the stable. Two men were squatted on the ground, with +an immense bowl of stewed hare before them, on which they were supping; +these were the travelling merchants, the masters of the mutes. +I passed on to the stable, one of the men saying softly, “Yes, +yes, go in and see what will befall.” I had no sooner entered +the stable than I heard a horrid discordant cry, something between a +bray and a yell, and the largest of the machos, tearing his head from +the manger to which he was fastened, his eyes shooting flames, and breathing +a whirlwind from his nostrils, flung himself on my stallion. The +horse, as savage as himself, reared on his hind legs, and after the +fashion of an English pugilist, repaid the other with a pat on the forehead, +which nearly felled him. A combat instantly ensued, and I thought +that the words of the sullen woman would be verified by the house being +torn to pieces. It ended by my seizing the mute by the halter, +at the risk of my limbs, and hanging upon him with all my weight, whilst +Antonio, with much difficulty, removed the horse. The man who +had been standing at the entrance now came forward, saying, “This +would not have happened if you had taken good advice.” 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 morning, +he replied, “True, true, you have perhaps done right.” +He then refastened his macho, adding for additional security a piece +of whipcord, which he said rendered escape impossible.<br> +<br> +After supper I roamed about the village. I addressed two or three +labourers whom I found standing at their doors; they appeared, however, +exceedingly reserved, and with a gruff “<i>buenas noches</i>” +turned into their houses without inviting me to enter. I at last +found my way to the church porch, where I continued some time in meditation. +At last I bethought myself of retiring to rest; before departing, however, +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 Salamanca. +On returning to the house, I found the two travelling merchants enjoying +profound slumber on various mantas or mule-cloths stretched on the floor. +“You are a French merchant, I suppose, Caballero,” said +a man, who it seemed was the master of the house, and whom I had not +before seen. “You are a French merchant, I suppose, and +are on the way to the fair of Medina.” “I am neither +Frenchman nor merchant,” I replied, “and though I purpose +passing through Medina, it is not with the view of attending the fair.” +“Then you are one of the Irish Christians from Salamanca, Caballero,” +said the man; “I hear you come from that town.” “Why +do you call them <i>Irish Christians</i>?” I replied. “Are +there pagans in their country?” “We call them Christians,” +said the man, “to distinguish them from the Irish English, who +are worse than pagans, who are Jews and heretics.” I made +no answer, but passed on to the room which had been prepared for me, +and from which, the door being ajar, I heard the following conversation +passing between the innkeeper and his wife:-<br> +<br> +<i>Innkeeper</i>. - Muger, it appears to me that we have evil guests +in the house.<br> +<br> +<i>Wife</i>. - You mean the last comers, the Caballero and his servant. +Yes, I never saw worse countenances in my life.<br> +<br> +<i>Innkeeper</i>. - I do not like the servant, and still less the master. +He has neither formality nor politeness: he tells me that he is not +French, and when I spoke to him of the Irish Christians, he did not +seem to belong to them. I more than suspect that he is a heretic +or a Jew at least.<br> +<br> +<i>Wife</i>. - Perhaps they are both. Maria Santissima! what shall +we do to purify the house when they are gone?<br> +<br> +<i>Innkeeper</i>. - O, as for that matter, we must of course charge +it in the cuenta.<br> +<br> +I slept soundly, and rather late in the morning arose and breakfasted, +and paid the bill, in which, by its extravagance, I found the purification +had not been forgotten. The travelling merchants had departed +at daybreak. We now led forth the horses, and mounted; there were +several people at the door staring at us. “What is the meaning +of this?” said I to Antonio.<br> +<br> +“It is whispered that we are no Christians,” said Antonio; +“they have come to cross themselves at our departure.”<br> +<br> +In effect, the moment that we rode forward a dozen hands at least were +busied in this evil-averting ceremony. Antonio instantly turned +and crossed himself in the Greek fashion, - much more complex and difficult +than the Catholic.<br> +<br> +“<i>Mirad que Santiguo! que Santiguo de los demonios</i>!” +<a name="citation15"></a><a href="#footnote15">{15}</a> exclaimed many +voices, whilst for fear of consequences we hastened away.<br> +<br> +The day was exceedingly hot, and we wended our way slowly along the +plains of Old Castile. With all that pertains to Spain, vastness +and sublimity are associated: grand are its mountains, and no less grand +are its plains, which seem of boundless extent, but which are not tame +unbroken flats, like the steppes of Russia. Rough and uneven ground +is continually occurring: here a deep ravine and gully worn by the wintry +torrent; yonder an eminence not unfrequently craggy and savage, at whose +top appears the lone solitary village. There is little that is +blithesome and cheerful, but much that is melancholy. A few solitary +rustics are occasionally seen toiling in the fields - fields without +limit or boundary, where the green oak, the elm or the ash are unknown; +where only the sad and desolate pine displays its pyramid-like form, +and where no grass is to be found. And who are the travellers +of these districts? For the most part arrieros, with their long +trains of mules hung with monotonous tinkling bells. Behold them +with their brown faces, brown dresses, and broad slouched hats; - the +arrieros, the true lords of the roads of Spain, and to whom more respect +is paid in these dusty ways than to dukes and condes; - the arrieros, +sullen, proud, and rarely courteous, whose deep voices may be sometimes +heard at the distance of a mile, either cheering the sluggish animals, +or shortening the dreary way with savage and dissonant songs.<br> +<br> +Late in the afternoon, we reached Medina del Campo, formerly one of +the principal cities of Spain, though at present an inconsiderable place. +Immense ruins surround it in every direction, attesting the former grandeur +of this “city of the plain.” The great square or market-place +is a remarkable spot, surrounded by a heavy massive piazza, over which +rise black buildings of great antiquity. We found the town crowded +with people awaiting the fair, which was to be held in a day or two. +We experienced some difficulty in obtaining admission into the posada, +which was chiefly occupied by Catalans from Valladolid. These +people not only brought with them their merchandise but their wives +and children. Some of them appeared to be people of the worst +description: there was one in particular, a burly savage-looking fellow, +of about forty, whose conduct was atrocious; he sat with his wife, or +perhaps concubine, at the door of a room which opened upon the court: +he was continually venting horrible and obscene oaths, both in Spanish +and Catalan. The woman was remarkably handsome, but robust and +seemingly as savage as himself; her conversation likewise was as frightful +as his own. Both seemed to be under the influence of an incomprehensible +fury. At last, upon some observation from the woman, he started +up, and drawing a long knife from his girdle, stabbed at her naked bosom; +she, however, interposed the palm of her hand, which was much cut. +He stood for a moment viewing the blood trickling upon the ground, whilst +she held up her wounded hand, then with an astounding oath he hurried +up the court to the Plaza. I went up to the woman and said, “What +is the cause of this? I hope the ruffian has not seriously injured +you.” She turned her countenance upon me with the glance +of a demon, and at last with a sneer of contempt exclaimed, “<i>Carals</i>, +<i>que es eso</i>? Cannot a Catalan gentleman be conversing with +his lady upon their own private affairs without being interrupted by +you?” She then bound up her hand with a handkerchief, and +going into the room brought a small table to the door, on which she +placed several things as if for the evening’s repast, and then +sat down on a stool: presently returned the Catalan, and without a word +took his seat on the threshold; then, as if nothing had occurred, the +extraordinary couple commenced eating and drinking, interlarding their +meal with oaths and jests.<br> +<br> +We spent the night at Medina, and departing early next morning, passed +through much the same country as the day before, until about noon we +reached a small venta, distant half a league from the Duero; here we +reposed ourselves during the heat of the day, and then remounting, crossed +the river by a handsome stone bridge, and directed our course to Valladolid. +The banks of the Duero in this place have much beauty: they abound with +trees and brushwood, amongst which, as we passed along, various birds +were singing melodiously. A delicious coolness proceeded from +the water, which in some parts brawled over stones or rippled fleetly +over white sand, and in others glided softly over blue pools of considerable +depth. By the side of one of these last, sat a woman of about +thirty, neatly dressed as a peasant; she was gazing upon the water into +which she occasionally flung flowers and twigs of trees. I stopped +for a moment to ask a question; she, however, neither looked up nor +answered, but continued gazing at the water as if lost to consciousness +of all beside. “Who is that woman?” said I to a shepherd, +whom I met the moment after. “She is mad, <i>la pobrecita</i>,” +said he; “she lost her child about a month ago in that pool, and +she has been mad ever since; they are going to send her to Valladolid, +to the Casa de los Locos. There are many who perish every year +in the eddies of the Duero; it is a bad river; <i>vaya usted con la +Virgen, Caballero</i>.” So I rode on through the pinares, +or thin scanty pine forests, which skirt the way to Valladolid in this +direction.<br> +<br> +Valladolid is seated in the midst of an immense valley, or rather hollow +which seems to have been scooped by some mighty convulsion out of the +plain ground of Castile. The eminences which appear in the neighbourhood +are not properly high grounds, but are rather the sides of this hollow. +They are jagged and precipitous, and exhibit a strange and uncouth appearance. +Volcanic force seems at some distant period to have been busy in these +districts. Valladolid abounds with convents, at present deserted, +which afford some of the finest specimens of architecture in Spain. +The principal church, though rather ancient, is unfinished: it was intended +to be a building of vast size, but the means of the founders were insufficient +to carry out their plan: it is built of rough granite. Valladolid +is a manufacturing town, but the commerce is chiefly in the hands of +the Catalans, of whom there is a colony of nearly three hundred established +here. It possesses a beautiful alameda, or public walk, through +which flows the river Escurva. The population is said to amount +to sixty thousand souls.<br> +<br> +We put up at the Posada de las Diligencias, a very magnificent edifice: +this posada, however, we were glad to quit on the second day after our +arrival, the accommodation being of the most wretched description, and +the incivility of the people great; the master of the house, an immense +tall fellow, with huge moustaches and an assumed military air, being +far too high a cavalier to attend to the wants of his guests, with whom, +it is true, he did not appear to be overburdened, as I saw no one but +Antonio and myself. He was a leading man amongst the national +guards of Valladolid, and delighted in parading about the city on a +clumsy steed, which he kept in a subterranean stable.<br> +<br> +Our next quarters were at the Trojan Horse, an ancient posada, kept +by a native of the Basque provinces, who at least was not above his +business. We found everything in confusion at Valladolid, a visit +from the factious being speedily expected. All the gates were +blockaded, and various forts had been built to cover the approaches +to the city. Shortly after our departure the Carlists actually +did arrive, under the command of the Biscayan chief, Zariategui. +They experienced no opposition; the staunchest nationals retiring to +the principal fort, which they, however, speedily surrendered, not a +gun being fired throughout the affair. As for my friend the hero +of the inn, on the first rumour of the approach of the enemy, he mounted +his horse and rode off, and was never subsequently heard of. On +our return to Valladolid, we found the inn in other and better hands, +those of a Frenchman from Bayonne, from whom we received as much civility +as we had experienced rudeness from his predecessor.<br> +<br> +In a few days I formed the acquaintance of the bookseller of the place, +a kind-hearted simple man, who willingly undertook the charge of vending +the Testaments which I brought.<br> +<br> +I found literature of every description at the lowest ebb at Valladolid. +My newly-acquired friend merely carried on bookselling in connexion +with other business; it being, as he assured me, in itself quite insufficient +to afford him a livelihood. During the week, however, that I continued +in this city, a considerable number of copies were disposed of, and +a fair prospect opened that many more would be demanded. To call +attention to my books, I had recourse to the same plan which I had adopted +at Salamanca, the affixing of advertisements to the walls. Before +leaving the city, I gave orders that these should be renewed every week; +from pursuing which course I expected that much manifold good would +accrue, as the people would have continual opportunities of learning +that a book which contains the living word was in existence, and within +their reach, which might induce them to secure it and consult it even +unto salvation.<br> +<br> +In Valladolid I found both an English and Scotch College. From +my obliging friends, the Irish at Salamanca, I bore a letter of introduction +to the rector of the latter. I found this college an old gloomy +edifice, situated in a retired street. The rector was dressed +in the habiliments of a Spanish ecclesiastic, a character which he was +evidently ambitious of assuming. There was something dry and cold +in his manner, and nothing of that generous warmth and eager hospitality +which had so captivated me in the fine Irish rector of Salamanca; he +was, however, civil and polite, and offered to show me the curiosities +of the place. He evidently knew who I was, and on that account +was, perhaps, more reserved than he otherwise would have been: not a +word passed between us on religious matters, which we seemed to avoid +by common consent. Under the auspices of this gentleman, I visited +the college of the Philippine Missions, which stands beyond the gate +of the city, where I was introduced to the superior, a fine old man +of seventy, very stout, in the habiliments of a friar. There was +an air of placid benignity on his countenance which highly interested +me: his words were few and simple, and he seemed to have bid adieu to +all worldly passions. One little weakness was, however, still +clinging to him.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - This is a noble edifice in which you dwell, Father; +I should think it would contain at least two hundred students.<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - More, my son; it is intended for more hundreds than +it now contains single individuals.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I observe that some rude attempts have been made to +fortify it; the walls are pierced with loopholes in every direction.<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - The nationals of Valladolid visited us a few days ago, +and committed much useless damage; they were rather rude, and threatened +me with their clubs: poor men, poor men.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I suppose that even these missions, which are certainly +intended for a noble end, experience the sad effects of the present +convulsed state of Spain?<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - But too true: we at present receive no assistance from +the government, and are left to the Lord and ourselves.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - How many aspirants for the mission are you at present +instructing?<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - Not one, my son; not one. They are all fled. +The flock is scattered and the shepherd left alone.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Your reverence has doubtless taken an active part in +the mission abroad?<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - I was forty years in the Philippines, my son, forty +years amongst the Indians. Ah me! how I love those Indians of +the Philippines.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Can your reverence discourse in the language of the +Indians?<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - No, my son. We teach the Indians Castilian. +There is no better language, I believe. We teach them Castilian, +and the adoration of the Virgin. What more need they know?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what did your reverence think of the Philippines +as a country?<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - I was forty years in the Philippines, but I know little +of the country. I do not like the country. I love the Indians. +The country is not very bad; it is, however, not worth Castile.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Is your reverence a Castilian?<br> +<br> +<i>Rector</i>. - I am an <i>Old</i> Castilian, my son.<br> +<br> +From the house of the Philippine Missions my friend conducted me to +the English college; this establishment seemed in every respect to be +on a more magnificent scale than its Scottish sister. In the latter +there were few pupils, scarcely six or seven, I believe, whilst in the +English seminary I was informed that between thirty and forty were receiving +their education. It is a beautiful building, with a small but +splendid church, and a handsome library. The situation is light +and airy: it stands by itself in an unfrequented part of the city, and, +with genuine English exclusiveness, is surrounded by a high wall, which +encloses a delicious garden. This is by far the most remarkable +establishment of the kind in the Peninsula, and I believe the most prosperous. +From the cursory view which I enjoyed of its interior, I of course cannot +be expected to know much of its economy. I could not, however, +fall to be struck with the order, neatness, and system which pervaded +it. There was, however, an air of severe monastic discipline, +though I am far from asserting that such actually existed. We +were attended throughout by the sub-rector, the principal being absent. +Of all the curiosities of this college, the most remarkable is the picture +gallery, which contains neither more nor less than the portraits of +a variety of scholars of this house who eventually suffered martyrdom +in England, in the exercise of their vocation in the angry times of +the Sixth Edward and fierce Elizabeth. Yes, in this very house +were many of those pale smiling half-foreign priests educated, who, +like stealthy grimalkins, traversed green England in all directions; +crept into old halls beneath umbrageous rookeries, fanning the dying +embers of Popery, with no other hope nor perhaps wish than to perish +disembowelled by the bloody hands of the executioner, amongst the yells +of a rabble as bigoted as themselves: priests like Bedingfield and Garnet, +and many others who have left a name in English story. Doubtless +many a history, only the more wonderful for being true, could be wrought +out of the archives of the English Popish seminary at Valladolid.<br> +<br> +There was no lack of guests at the Trojan Horse, where we had taken +up our abode at Valladolid. Amongst others who arrived during +my sojourn was a robust buxom dame, exceedingly well dressed in black +silk, with a costly mantilla. She was accompanied by a very handsome, +but sullen and malicious-looking urchin of about fifteen, who appeared +to be her son. She came from Toro, a place about a day’s +journey from Valladolid, and celebrated for its wine. One night, +as we were seated in the court of the inn enjoying the fresco, the following +conversation ensued between us.<br> +<br> +<i>Lady</i>. - Vaya, vaya, what a tiresome place is Valladolid! +How different from Toro.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I should have thought that it is at least as agreeable +as Toro, which is not a third part so large.<br> +<br> +<i>Lady</i>. - As agreeable as Toro! Vaya, vaya! Were you +ever in the prison of Toro, Sir Cavalier?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I have never had that honour; the prison is generally +the last place which I think of visiting.<br> +<br> +<i>Lady</i>. - See the difference of tastes: I have been to see the +prison of Valladolid, and it seems as tiresome as the town.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Of course, if grief and tediousness exist anywhere, +you will find them in the prison.<br> +<br> +<i>Lady</i>. - Not in that of Toro.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What does that of Toro possess to distinguish it from +all others?<br> +<br> +<i>Lady</i>. - What does it possess? Vaya! Am I not the +carcelera? Is not my husband the alcayde? Is not that son +of mine a child of the prison?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I beg your pardon, I was not aware of that circumstance; +it of course makes much difference.<br> +<br> +<i>Lady</i>. - I believe you. I am a daughter of that prison, +my father was alcayde, and my son might hope to be so, were he not a +fool.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - His countenance then belies him strangely: I should +be loth to purchase that youngster for a fool.<br> +<br> +<i>Gaoleress</i>. - You would have a fine bargain if you did; he has +more picardias than any Calabozero in Toro. What I mean is, that +he does not take to the prison as he ought to do, considering what his +fathers were before him. He has too much pride - too many fancies; +and he has at length persuaded me to bring him to Valladolid, where +I have arranged with a merchant who lives in the Plaza to take him on +trial. I wish he may not find his way to the prison: if he do, +he will find that being a prisoner is a very different thing from being +a son of the prison.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - As there is so much merriment at Toro, you of course +attend to the comfort of your prisoners.<br> +<br> +<i>Gaoleress</i>. - Yes, we are very kind to them; I mean to those who +are caballeros; but as for those with vermin and miseria, what can we +do? It is a merry prison that of Toro; we allow as much wine to +enter as the prisoners can purchase and pay duty for. This of +Valladolid is not half so gay: there is no prison like Toro. I +learned there to play on the guitar. An Andalusian cavalier taught +me to touch the guitar and to sing à la Gitana. Poor fellow, +he was my first novio. Juanito, bring me the guitar, that I may +play this gentleman a tune of Andalusia.<br> +<br> +The carcelera had a fine voice, and touched the favourite instrument +of the Spaniards in a truly masterly manner. I remained listening +to her performance for nearly an hour, when I retired to my apartment +and my repose. I believe that she continued playing and singing +during the greater part of the night, for as I occasionally awoke I +could still hear her; and, even in my slumbers, the strings were ringing +in my ears.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Dueñas - Children of Egypt - Jockeyism - The Baggage Pony - The +Fall - Palencia - Carlist Priests - The Lookout - Priestly Sincerity +- Leon - Antonio alarmed - Heat and Dust.<br> +<br> +After a sojourn of about ten days at Valladolid, we directed our course +towards Leon. We arrived about noon at Dueñas, a town at +the distance of six short leagues from Valladolid. It is in every +respect a singular place: it stands on a rising ground, and directly +above it towers a steep conical mountain of calcareous earth, crowned +by a ruined castle. Around Dueñas are seen a multitude +of caves scooped in the high banks and secured with strong doors. +These are cellars, in which is deposited the wine, of which abundance +is grown in the neighbourhood, and which is chiefly sold to the Navarrese +and the mountaineers of Santander, who arrive in cars drawn by oxen, +and convey it away in large quantities. We put up at a mean posada +in the suburb for the purpose of refreshing our horses. Several +cavalry soldiers were quartered there, who instantly came forth, and +began, with the eyes of connoisseurs, to inspect my Andalusian entero. +“A capital horse that would be for our troop,” said the +corporal; “what a chest he has. By what right do you travel +with that horse, Señor, when so many are wanted for the Queen’s +service? He belongs to the requiso.” “I travel +with him by right of purchase, and being an Englishman,” I replied. +“Oh, your worship is an Englishman,” answered the corporal; +“that, indeed, alters the matter; the English in Spain are allowed +to do what they please with their own, which is more than the Spaniards +are. Cavalier, I have seen your countrymen in the Basque provinces; +Vaya, what riders! what horses! They do not fight badly either. +But their chief skill is in riding: I have seen them dash over barrancos +to get at the factious, who thought themselves quite secure, and then +they would fall upon them on a sudden and kill them to a man. +In truth, your worship, this is a fine horse, I must look at his teeth.”<br> +<br> +I looked at the corporal - his nose and eyes were in the horse’s +mouth: the rest of the party, who might amount to six or seven, were +not less busily engaged. One was examining his forefeet, another +his hind; one fellow was pulling at his tail with all his might, while +another pinched the windpipe, for the purpose of discovering whether +the animal was at all touched there. At last perceiving that the +corporal was about to remove the saddle that he might examine the back +of the animal, I exclaimed:-<br> +<br> +“Stay, ye chabés of Egypt, ye forget that ye are hundunares, +and are no longer paruguing grastes in the chardy.”<br> +<br> +The corporal at these words turned his face full upon me, and so did +all the rest. Yes, sure enough, there were the countenances of +Egypt, and the fixed filmy stare of eye. We continued looking +at each other for a minute at least, when the corporal, a villainous-looking +fellow, at last said, in the richest gypsy whine imaginable, “the +erray know us, the poor Caloré! And he an Englishman! +Bullati! I should not have thought that there was e’er a +Busno would know us in these parts, where Gitanos are never seen. +Yes, your worship is right; we are all here of the blood of the Caloré; +we are from Melegrana (Granada), your worship; they took us from thence +and sent us to the wars. Your worship is right, the sight of that +horse made us believe we were at home again in the mercado of Granada; +he is a countryman of ours, a real Andalou. Por dios, your worship, +sell us that horse; we are poor Caloré, but we can buy him.”<br> +<br> +“You forget that you are soldiers,” said I. “How +should you buy my horse?”<br> +<br> +“We are soldiers, your worship,” said the corporal, “but +we are still Caloré; we buy and sell bestis; the captain of our +troop is in league with us. We have been to the wars, but not +to fight; we left that to the Busné. We have kept together, +and like true Caloré, have stood back to back. We have +made money in the wars, your worship. <i>No tenga usted cuidao +</i>(be under no apprehension). We can buy your horse.”<br> +<br> +Here he pulled out a purse, which contained at least ten ounces of gold.<br> +<br> +“If I were willing to sell,” I replied, “what would +you give me for that horse?”<br> +<br> +“Then your worship wishes to sell your horse - that alters the +matter. We will give ten dollars for your worship’s horse. +He is good for nothing.”<br> +<br> +“How is this?” said I. “You this moment told +me he was a fine horse - an Andalusian, and a countryman of yours.”<br> +<br> +“No, Señor! we did not say that he was an Andalou. +We said he was an Estremou, and the worst of his kind. He is eighteen +years old, your worship, short-winded and galled.”<br> +<br> +“I do not wish to sell my horse,” said I; “quite the +contrary; I had rather buy than sell.”<br> +<br> +“Your worship does not wish to sell your horse,” said the +Gypsy. “Stay, your worship, we will give sixty dollars for +your worship’s horse.”<br> +<br> +“I would not sell him for two hundred and sixty. Meclis! +Meclis! say no more. I know your Gypsy tricks. I will have +no dealings with you.”<br> +<br> +“Did I not hear your worship say that you wished to buy a horse?” +said the Gypsy.<br> +<br> +“I do not want to buy a horse,” said I; “if I need +any thing, it is a pony to carry our baggage; but it is getting late. +Antonio, pay the reckoning.”<br> +<br> +“Stay, your worship, do not be in a hurry,” said the Gypsy: +“I have got the very pony which will suit you.”<br> +<br> +Without waiting for my answer, he hurried into the stable, from whence +he presently returned, leading an animal by a halter. It was a +pony of about thirteen hands high, of a dark red colour; it was very +much galled all over, the marks of ropes and thongs being visible on +its hide. The figure, however, was good, and there was an extraordinary +brightness in its eye.<br> +<br> +“There, your worship,” said the Gypsy; “there is the +best pony in all Spain.”<br> +<br> +“What do you mean by showing me this wretched creature?” +said I.<br> +<br> +“This wretched creature,” said the Gypsy, “is a better +horse than your Andalou!”<br> +<br> +“Perhaps you would not exchange,” said I, smiling.<br> +<br> +“Señor, what I say is, that he shall run with your Andalou, +and beat him!”<br> +<br> +“He looks feeble,” said I; “his work is well nigh +done.”<br> +<br> +“Feeble as he is, Señor, you could not manage him; no, +nor any Englishman in Spain.”<br> +<br> +I looked at the creature again, and was still more struck with its figure. +I was in need of a pony to relieve occasionally the horse of Antonio +in carrying the baggage which we had brought from Madrid, and though +the condition of this was wretched, I thought that by kind treatment +I might possibly soon bring him round.<br> +<br> +“May I mount this animal?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“He is a baggage pony, Señor, and is ill to mount. +He will suffer none but myself to mount him, who am his master. +When he once commences running, nothing will stop him but the sea. +He springs over hills and mountains, and leaves them behind in a moment. +If you will mount him, Señor, suffer me to fetch a bridle, for +you can never hold him in with the halter.”<br> +<br> +“This is nonsense,” said I. “You pretend that +he is spirited in order to enhance the price. I tell you his work +is done.”<br> +<br> +I took the halter in my hand and mounted. I was no sooner on his +back than the creature, who had before stood stone still, without displaying +the slightest inclination to move, and who in fact gave no farther indication +of existence than occasionally rolling his eyes and pricking up an ear, +sprang forward like a racehorse, at a most desperate gallop. I +had expected that he might kick or fling himself down on the ground, +in order to get rid of his burden, but for this escapade I was quite +unprepared. I had no difficulty, however, in keeping on his back, +having been accustomed from my childhood to ride without a saddle. +To stop him, however, baffled all my endeavours, and I almost began +to pay credit to the words of the Gypsy, who had said that he would +run on until he reached the sea. I had, however, a strong arm, +and I tugged at the halter until I compelled him to turn slightly his +neck, which from its stiffness might almost have been of wood; he, however, +did not abate his speed for a moment. On the left side of the +road down which he was dashing was a deep trench, just where the road +took a turn towards the right, and over this he sprang in a sideward +direction; the halter broke with the effort, the pony shot forward like +an arrow, whilst I fell back into the dust.<br> +<br> +“Señor!” said the Gypsy, coming up with the most +serious countenance in the world, “I told you not to mount that +animal unless well bridled and bitted. He is a baggage pony, and +will suffer none to mount his back, with the exception of myself who +feed him.” (Here he whistled, and the animal, who was scurring +over the field, and occasionally kicking up his heels, instantly returned +with a gentle neigh.) “Now, your worship, see how gentle +he is. He is a capital baggage pony, and will carry all you have +over the hills of Galicia.”<br> +<br> +“What do you ask for him?” said I.<br> +<br> +“Señor, as your worship is an Englishman, and a good ginete, +and, moreover, understands the ways of the Caloré, and their +tricks and their language also, I will sell him to you a bargain. +I will take two hundred and sixty dollars for him and no less.”<br> +<br> +“That is a large sum,” said I.<br> +<br> +“No, Señor, not at all, considering that he is a baggage +pony, and belongs to the troop, and is not mine to sell.”<br> +<br> +Two hours’ ride brought us to Palencia, a fine old town, beautifully +situated on the Carrion, and famous for its trade in wool. We +put up at the best posada which the place afforded, and I forthwith +proceeded to visit one of the principal merchants of the town, to whom +I was recommended by my banker in Madrid. I was told, however, +that he was taking his siesta. “Then I had better take my +own,” said I, and returned to the posada. In the evening +I went again, when I saw him. He was a short bulky man about thirty, +and received me at first with some degree of bluntness; his manner, +however, presently became more kind, and at last he scarcely appeared +to know how to show me sufficient civility. His brother had just +arrived from Santander, and to him he introduced me. This last +was a highly-intelligent person, and had passed many years of his life +in England. They both insisted upon showing me the town, and, +indeed, led me all over it, and about the neighbourhood. I particularly +admired the cathedral, a light, elegant, but ancient Gothic edifice. +Whilst we walked about the aisles, the evening sun, pouring its mellow +rays through the arched windows, illumined some beautiful paintings +of Murillo, with which the sacred edifice is adorned. From the +church my friends conducted me to a fulling mill in the neighbourhood, +by a picturesque walk. There was no lack either of trees or water, +and I remarked, that the environs of Palencia were amongst the most +pleasant places that I had ever seen.<br> +<br> +Tired at last with rambling, we repaired to a coffee-house, where they +regaled me with chocolate and sweet-meats. Such was their hospitality; +and of hospitality of this simple and agreeable kind there is much in +Spain.<br> +<br> +On the next day we pursued our journey, a dreary one, for the most part, +over bleak and barren plains, interspersed with silent and cheerless +towns and villages, which stood at the distance of two or three leagues +from each other. About midday we obtained a dim and distant view +of an immense range of mountains, which are in fact those which bound +Castile on the north. The day, however, became dim and obscure, +and we speedily lost sight of them. A hollow wind now arose and +blew over these desolate plains with violence, wafting clouds of dust +into our faces; the rays of the sun were few, and those red and angry. +I was tired of my journey, and when about four we reached -, a large +village, half way between Palencia and Leon, I declared my intention +of stopping for the night. I scarcely ever saw a more desolate +place than this same town or village of -. The houses were for +the most part large, but the walls were of mud, like those of barns. +We saw no person in the long winding street to direct us to the venta, +or posada, till at last, at the farther end of the place, we descried +two black figures standing at a door, of whom, on making inquiry, we +learned that the door at which they stood was that of the house we were +in quest of. There was something strange in the appearance of +these two beings, who seemed the genii of the place. One was a +small slim man, about fifty, with sharp, ill-natured features. +He was dressed in coarse black worsted stockings, black breeches, and +an ample black coat with long trailing skirts. I should at once +have taken him for an ecclesiastic, but for his hat, which had nothing +clerical about it, being a pinched diminutive beaver. His companion +was of low stature, and a much younger man. He was dressed in +similar fashion, save that he wore a dark blue cloak. Both carried +walking sticks in their hands, and kept hovering about the door, now +within and now without, occasionally looking up the road, as if they +expected some one.<br> +<br> +“Trust me, mon maître,” said Antonio to me, in French, +“those two fellows are Carlist priests, and are awaiting the arrival +of the Pretender. <i>Les imbeciles</i>!”<br> +<br> +We conducted our horses to the stable, to which we were shown by the +woman of the house. “Who are those men?” said I to +her.<br> +<br> +“The eldest is head curate to our pueblo,” said she; “the +other is brother to my husband. Pobrecito! he was a friar in our +convent before it was shut up and the brethren driven forth.”<br> +<br> +We returned to the door. “I suppose, gentlemen,” said +the curate, “that you are Catalans. Do you bring any news +from that kingdom?”<br> +<br> +“Why do you suppose we are Catalans?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“Because I heard you this moment conversing in that language.”<br> +<br> +“I bring no news from Catalonia,” said I. “I +believe, however, that the greater part of that principality is in the +hands of the Carlists.”<br> +<br> +“Ahem, brother Pedro! This gentleman says that the greater +part of Catalonia is in the hands of the royalists. Pray, sir, +where may Don Carlos be at present with his army?”<br> +<br> +“He may be coming down the road this moment,” said I, “for +what I know;” and, stepping out, I looked up the way.<br> +<br> +The two figures were at my side in a moment; Antonio followed, and we +all four looked intently up the road.<br> +<br> +“Do you see anything?” said I at last to Antonio.<br> +<br> +“<i>Non, mon maitre</i>.”<br> +<br> +“Do you see anything, sir?” said I to the curate.<br> +<br> +“I see nothing,” said the curate, stretching out his neck.<br> +<br> +“I see nothing,” said Pedro, the ex-friar; “I see +nothing but the dust, which is becoming every moment more blinding.”<br> +<br> +“I shall go in, then,” said I. “Indeed, it is +scarcely prudent to be standing here looking out for the Pretender: +should the nationals of the town hear of it, they might perhaps shoot +us.”<br> +<br> +“Ahem,” said the curate, following me; “there are +no nationals in this place: I would fain see what inhabitant would dare +become a national. When the inhabitants of this place were ordered +to take up arms as nationals, they refused to a man, and on that account +we had to pay a mulet; therefore, friend, you may speak out if you have +anything to communicate; we are all of your opinion here.”<br> +<br> +“I am of no opinion at all,” said I, “save that I +want my supper. I am neither for Rey nor Roque. You say +that I am a Catalan, and you know that Catalans think only of their +own affairs.”<br> +<br> +In the evening I strolled by myself about the village, which I found +still more forlorn and melancholy than it at first appeared; perhaps, +however, it had been a place of consequence in its time. In one +corner of it I found the ruins of a large clumsy castle, chiefly built +of flint stones: into these ruins I attempted to penetrate, but the +entrance was secured by a gate. From the castle I found my way +to the convent, a sad desolate place, formerly the residence of mendicant +brothers of the order of St. Francis. I was about to return to +the inn, when I heard a loud buzz of voices, and, following the sound, +presently reached a kind of meadow, where, upon a small knoll, sat a +priest in full canonicals, reading in a loud voice a newspaper, while +around him, either erect or seated on the grass, were assembled about +fifty vecinos, for the most part dressed in long cloaks, amongst whom +I discovered my two friends the curate and friar. A fine knot +of Carlist quid-nuncs, said I to myself, and turned away to another +part of the meadow, where the cattle of the village were grazing. +The curate, on observing me, detached himself instantly from the group, +and followed. “I am told you want a pony,” said he; +“there now is mine feeding amongst those horses, the best in all +the kingdom of Leon.” He then began with all the volubility +of a chalan to descant on the points of the animal. Presently +the friar joined us, who, observing his opportunity, pulled me by the +sleeve and whispered, “Have nothing to do with the curate, master, +he is the greatest thief in the neighbourhood; if you want a pony, my +brother has a much better, which he will dispose of cheaper.” +“I shall wait till I arrive at Leon,” I exclaimed, and walked +away, musing on priestly friendship and sincerity.<br> +<br> +From - to Leon, a distance of eight leagues, the country rapidly improved: +we passed over several small streams, and occasionally found ourselves +amongst meadows in which grass was growing in the richest luxuriance. +The sun shone out brightly, and I hailed his re-appearance with joy, +though the heat of his beams was oppressive. On arriving within +two leagues of Leon, we passed numerous cars and waggons, and bands +of people with horses and mules, all hastening to the celebrated fair +which is held in the city on St. John’s or Mid-summer day, and +which took place within three days after our arrival. This fair, +though principally intended for the sale of horses, is frequented by +merchants from many parts of Spain, who attend with goods of various +kinds, and amongst them I remarked many of the Catalans whom I had previously +seen at Medina and Valladolid.<br> +<br> +There is nothing remarkable in Leon, which is an old gloomy town, with +the exception of its cathedral, in many respects a counterpart of the +church of Palencia, exhibiting the same light and elegant architecture, +but, unlike its beautiful sister, unadorned with splendid paintings. +The situation of Leon is highly pleasant, in the midst of a blooming +country, abounding with trees, and watered by many streams, which have +their source in the mighty mountains in the neighbourhood. It +is, however, by no means a healthy place, especially in summer, when +the heats raise noxious exhalations from the waters, generating many +kinds of disorders, especially fevers.<br> +<br> +I had scarcely been at Leon three days when I was seized with a fever, +against which I thought the strength even of my constitution would have +yielded, for it wore me almost to a skeleton, and when it departed, +at the end of about a week, left me in such a deplorable state of weakness +that I was scarcely able to make the slightest exertion. I had, +however, previously persuaded a bookseller to undertake the charge of +vending the Testaments, and had published my advertisements as usual, +though without very sanguine hope of success, as Leon is a place where +the inhabitants, with very few exceptions, are furious Carlists, and +ignorant and blinded followers of the old papal church. It is, +moreover, a bishop’s see, which was once enjoyed by the prime +counsellor of Don Carlos, whose fierce and bigoted spirit still seems +to pervade the place. Scarcely had the advertisements appeared, +when the clergy were in motion. They went from house to house, +banning and cursing, and denouncing misery to whomsoever should either +purchase or read “the accursed books,” which had been sent +into the country by heretics for the purpose of perverting the innocent +minds of the population. They did more; they commenced a process +against the bookseller in the ecclesiastical court. Fortunately +this court is not at present in the possession of much authority; and +the bookseller, a bold and determined man, set them at defiance, and +went so far as to affix an advertisement to the gate of the very cathedral. +Notwithstanding the cry raised against the book, several copies were +sold at Leon: two were purchased by ex-friars, and the same number by +parochial priests from neighbouring villages. I believe the whole +number disposed of during my stay amounted to fifteen; so that my visit +to this dark corner was not altogether in vain, as the seed of the gospel +has been sown, though sparingly. But the palpable darkness which +envelops Leon is truly lamentable, and the ignorance of the people is +so great, that printed charms and incantations against Satan and his +host, and against every kind of misfortune, are publicly sold in the +shops, and are in great demand. Such are the results of Popery, +a delusion which, more than any other, has tended to debase and brutalize +the human mind.<br> +<br> +I had scarcely risen from my bed where the fever had cast me, when I +found that Antonio had become alarmed. He informed me that he +had seen several soldiers in the uniform of Don Carlos lurking at the +door of the posada, and that they had been making inquiries concerning +me.<br> +<br> +It was indeed a singular fact connected with Leon, that upwards of fifty +of these fellows, who had on various accounts left the ranks of the +Pretender, were walking about the streets dressed in his livery, and +with all the confidence which the certainty of protection from the local +authorities could afford them should any one be disposed to interrupt +them.<br> +<br> +I learned moreover from Antonio, that the person in whose house we were +living was a notorious “alcahuete,” or spy to the robbers +in the neighbourhood, and that unless we took our departure speedily +and unexpectedly, we should to a certainty be plundered on the road. +I did not pay much attention to these hints, but my desire to quit Leon +was great, as I was convinced that as long as I continued there I should +be unable to regain my health and vigour.<br> +<br> +Accordingly, at three in the morning, we departed for Galicia. +We had scarcely proceeded half a league when we were overtaken by a +thunder-storm of tremendous violence. We were at that time in +the midst of a wood which extends to some distance in the direction +in which we were going. The trees were bowed almost to the ground +by the wind or torn up by the roots, whilst the earth was ploughed up +by the lightning, which burst all around and nearly blinded us. +The spirited Andalusian on which I rode became furious, and bounded +into the air as if possessed. Owing to my state of weakness, I +had the greatest difficulty in maintaining my seat, and avoiding a fall +which might have been fatal. A tremendous discharge of rain followed +the storm, which swelled the brooks and streams and flooded the surrounding +country, causing much damage amongst the corn. After riding about +five leagues, we began to enter the mountainous district which surrounds +Astorga: the heat now became almost suffocating; swarms of flies began +to make their appearance, and settling down upon the horses, stung them +almost to madness, whilst the road was very flinty and trying. +It was with great difficulty that we reached Astorga, covered with mud +and dust, our tongues cleaving to our palates with thirst.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Astorga - The Inn - The Maragatos - The Habits of the Maragatos - The +Statue.<br> +<br> +We went to a posada in the suburbs, the only one, indeed, which the +place afforded. The courtyard was full of arrieros and carriers, +brawling loudly; the master of the house was fighting with two of his +customers, and universal confusion reigned around. As I dismounted +I received the contents of a wineglass in my face, of which greeting, +as it was probably intended for another, I took no notice. Antonio, +however, was not so patient, for on being struck with a cudgel, he instantly +returned the salute with his whip, scarifying the countenance of a carman. +In my endeavours to separate these two antagonists, my horse broke loose, +and rushing amongst the promiscuous crowd, overturned several individuals +and committed no little damage. It was a long time before peace +was restored: at last we were shown to a tolerably decent chamber. +We had, however, no sooner taken possession of it, than the waggon from +Madrid arrived on its way to Coruña, filled with dusty travellers, +consisting of women, children, invalid officers and the like. +We were now forthwith dislodged, and our baggage flung into the yard. +On our complaining of this treatment, we were told that we were two +vagabonds whom nobody knew; who had come without an arriero, and had +already set the whole house in confusion. As a great favour, however, +we were at length permitted to take up our abode in a ruinous building +down the yard, adjoining the stable, and filled with rats and vermin. +Here there was an old bed with a tester, and with this wretched accommodation +we were glad to content ourselves, for I could proceed no farther, and +was burnt with fever. The heat of the place was intolerable, and +I sat on the staircase with my head between my hands, gasping for breath: +soon appeared Antonio with vinegar and water, which I drank and felt +relieved.<br> +<br> +We continued in this suburb three days, during the greatest part of +which time I was stretched on the tester bed. I once or twice +contrived to make my way into the town, but found no bookseller, nor +any person willing to undertake the charge of disposing of my Testaments. +The people were brutal, stupid, and uncivil, and I returned to my tester +bed fatigued and dispirited. Here I lay listening from time to +time to the sweet chimes which rang from the clock of the old cathedral. +The master of the house never came near me, nor indeed, once inquired +about me. Beneath the care of Antonio, however, I speedily waxed +stronger. “<i>Mon maître</i>,” said he to me +one evening, “I see you are better; let us quit this bad town +and worse posada to-morrow morning. <i>Allons, mon</i> <i>maitre! +Il est temps de nous mettre en chemin pour Lugo</i> <i>et Galice</i>.”<br> +<br> +Before proceeding, however, to narrate what befell us in this journey +to Lugo and Galicia, it will perhaps not be amiss to say a few words +concerning Astorga and its vicinity. It is a walled town, containing +about five or six thousand inhabitants, with a cathedral and college, +which last is, however, at present deserted. It is situated on +the confines, and may be called the capital of a tract of land called +the country of the Maragatos, which occupies about three square leagues, +and has for its north-western boundary a mountain called Telleno, the +loftiest of a chain of hills which have their origin near the mouth +of the river Minho, and are connected with the immense range which constitutes +the frontier of the Asturias and Guipuscoa.<br> +<br> +The land is ungrateful and barren, and niggardly repays the toil of +the cultivator, being for the most part rocky, with a slight sprinkling +of red brick earth.<br> +<br> +The Maragatos are perhaps the most singular caste to be found amongst +the chequered population of Spain. They have their own peculiar +customs and dress, and never intermarry with the Spaniards. Their +name is a clue to their origin, as it signifies, “Moorish Goths,” +and at the present day their garb differs but little from that of the +Moors of Barbary, as it consists of a long tight jacket, secured at +the waist by a broad girdle, loose short trousers which terminate at +the knee, and boots and gaiters. Their heads are shaven, a slight +fringe of hair being only left at the lower part. If they wore +the turban or barret, they could scarcely be distinguished from the +Moors in dress, but in lieu thereof they wear the sombrero, or broad +slouching hat of Spain. There can be little doubt that they are +a remnant of those Goths who sided with the Moors on their invasion +of Spain, and who adopted their religion, customs, and manner of dress, +which, with the exception of the first, are still to a considerable +degree retained by them. It is, however, evident that their blood +has at no time mingled with that of the wild children of the desert, +for scarcely amongst the hills of Norway would you find figures and +faces more essentially Gothic than those of the Maragatos. They +are strong athletic men, but loutish and heavy, and their features, +though for the most part well formed, are vacant and devoid of expression. +They are slow and plain of speech, and those eloquent and imaginative +sallies so common in the conversation of other Spaniards, seldom or +never escape them; they have, moreover, a coarse thick pronunciation, +and when you hear them speak, you almost imagine that it is some German +or English peasant attempting to express himself in the language of +the Peninsula. They are constitutionally phlegmatic, and it is +very difficult to arouse their anger; but they are dangerous and desperate +when once incensed; and a person who knew them well, told me that he +would rather face ten Valencians, people infamous for their ferocity +and blood-thirstiness, than confront one angry Maragato, sluggish and +stupid though he be on other occasions.<br> +<br> +The men scarcely ever occupy themselves in husbandry, which they abandon +to the women, who plough the flinty fields and gather in the scanty +harvests. Their husbands and sons are far differently employed: +for they are a nation of arrieros or carriers, and almost esteem it +a disgrace to follow any other profession. On every road of Spain, +particularly those north of the mountains which divide the two Castiles, +may be seen gangs of fives and sixes of these people lolling or sleeping +beneath the broiling sun, on gigantic and heavily laden mutes and mules. +In a word, almost the entire commerce of nearly one half of Spain passes +through the hands of the Maragatos, whose fidelity to their trust is +such, 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 +Madrid; knowing well that it would not be their fault were it not delivered +safe and undiminished, even of a grain, and that bold must be the thieves +who would seek to wrest it from the far feared Maragatos, who would +cling to it whilst they could stand, and would cover it with their bodies +when they fell in the act of loading or discharging their long carbines.<br> +<br> +But they are far from being disinterested, and if they are the most +trustworthy of all the arrieros of Spain, they in general demand for +the transport of articles a sum at least double to what others of the +trade would esteem a reasonable recompense: by this means they accumulate +large sums of money, notwithstanding that they indulge themselves in +far superior fare to that which contents in general the parsimonious +Spaniard; - another argument in favour of their pure Gothic descent; +for the Maragatos, like true men of the north, delight in swilling liquors +and battening upon gross and luscious meats, which help to swell out +their tall and goodly figures. Many of them have died possessed +of considerable riches, part of which they have not unfrequently bequeathed +to the erection or embellishment of religious houses.<br> +<br> +On the east end of the cathedral of Astorga, which towers over the lofty +and precipitous wall, a colossal figure of lead may be seen on the roof. +It is the statue of a Maragato carrier who endowed the cathedral with +a large sum. He is in his national dress, but his head is averted +from the lands of his fathers, and whilst he waves in his hand a species +of flag, he seems to be summoning his race from their unfruitful region +to other climes, where a richer field is open to their industry and +enterprise.<br> +<br> +I spoke to several of these men respecting the all-important subject +of religion; but I found “their hearts gross, and their ears dull +of hearing, and their eyes closed.” There was one in particular +to whom I showed the New Testament, and whom I addressed for a considerable +time. He listened or seemed to listen patiently, taking occasionally +copious draughts from an immense jug of whitish wine which stood between +his knees. After I had concluded he said, “To-morrow I set +out for Lugo, whither, I am told, yourself are going. If you wish +to send your chest, I have no objection to take it at so much (naming +an extravagant price). As for what you have told me, I understand +little of it, and believe not a word of it; but in respect to the books +which you have shown me, I will take three or four. I shall not +read them, it is true, but I have no doubt that I can sell them at a +higher price than you demand.”<br> +<br> +So much for the Maragatos.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXIV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 - Villafrancs.<br> +<br> +It was four o’clock of a beautiful morning when we sallied from +Astorga, or rather from its suburbs, in which we had been lodged: we +directed our course to the north, in the direction of Galicia. +Leaving the mountain Telleno on our left, we passed along the eastern +skirts of the land of the Maragatos, over broken uneven ground, enlivened +here and there by small green valleys and runnels of water. Several +of the Maragatan women, mounted on donkeys, passed us on their way to +Astorga, whither they were carrying vegetables. We saw others +in the fields handling their rude ploughs, drawn by lean oxen. +We likewise passed through a small village, in which we, however, saw +no living soul. Near this village we entered the high road which +leads direct from Madrid to Coruña, and at last, having travelled +near four leagues, we came to a species of pass, formed on our left +by a huge lumpish hill (one of those which descend from the great mountain +Telleno), and on our right by one of much less altitude. In the +middle of this pass, which was of considerable breadth, a noble view +opened itself to us. Before us, at the distance of about a league +and a half, rose the mighty frontier chain, of which I have spoken before; +its blue sides and broken and picturesque peaks still wearing a thin +veil of the morning mist, which the fierce rays of the sun were fast +dispelling. It seemed an enormous barrier, threatening to oppose +our farther progress, and it reminded me of the fables respecting the +children of Magog, who are said to reside in remotest Tartary, behind +a gigantic wall of rocks, which can only be passed by a gate of steel +a thousand cubits in height.<br> +<br> +We shortly after arrived at Manzanal, a village consisting of wretched +huts, and exhibiting every sign of poverty and misery. It was +now time to refresh ourselves and horses, and we accordingly put up +at a venta, the last habitation in the village, where, though we found +barley for the animals, we had much difficulty in procuring anything +for ourselves. I was at length fortunate enough to obtain a large +jug of milk, for there were plenty of cows in the neighbourhood, feeding +in a picturesque valley which we had passed by, where was abundance +of grass, and trees, and a rivulet broken by tiny cascades. The +jug might contain about half a gallon, but I emptied it in a few minutes, +for the thirst of fever was still burning within me, though I was destitute +of appetite. The venta had something the appearance of a German +baiting-house. It consisted of an immense stable, from which was +partitioned a kind of kitchen and a place where the family slept. +The master, a robust young man, lolled on a large solid stone bench, +which stood within the door. He was very inquisitive respecting +news, but I could afford him none; whereupon he became communicative, +and gave me the history of his life, the sum of which was, that he had +been a courier in the Basque provinces, but about a year since had been +dispatched to this village, where he kept the post-house. He was +an enthusiastic liberal, and spoke in bitter terms of the surrounding +population, who, he said, were all Carlists and friends of the friars. +I paid little attention to his discourse, for I was looking at a Maragato +lad of about fourteen, who served in the house as a kind of ostler. +I asked the master if we were still in the land of the Maragatos; but +he told me that we had left it behind nearly a league, and that the +lad was an orphan and was serving until he could rake up a sufficient +capital to become an arriero. I addressed several questions to +the boy, but the urchin looked sullenly in my face, and either answered +by monosyllables or was doggedly silent. I asked him if he could +read. “Yes,” said he, “as much as that brute +of yours who is tearing down the manger.”<br> +<br> +Quitting Manzanal, we continued our course. We soon arrived at +the verge of a deep valley amongst mountains, not those of the chain +which we had seen before us, and which we now left to the right, but +those of the Telleno range, just before they unite with that chain. +Round the sides of this valley, which exhibited something of the appearance +of a horse-shoe, wound the road in a circuitous manner; just before +us, however, and diverging from the road, lay a footpath which seemed, +by a gradual descent, to lead across the valley, and to rejoin the road +on the other side, at the distance of about a furlong; and into this +we struck in order to avoid the circuit.<br> +<br> +We had not gone far before we met two Galicians, on their way to cut +the harvests of Castile. One of them shouted, “Cavalier, +turn back: in a moment you will be amongst precipices, where your horses +will break their necks, for we ourselves could scarcely climb them on +foot.” The other cried, “Cavalier, proceed, but be +careful, and your horses, if sure-footed, will run no great danger: +my comrade is a fool.” A violent dispute instantly ensued +between the two mountaineers, each supporting his opinion with loud +oaths and curses; but without stopping to see the result, I passed on, +but the path was now filled with stones and huge slaty rocks, on which +my horse was continually slipping. I likewise heard the sound +of water in a deep gorge, which I had hitherto not perceived, and I +soon saw that it would be worse than madness to proceed. I turned +my horse, and was hastening to regain the path which I had left, when +Antonio, my faithful Greek, pointed out to me a meadow by which, he +said, we might regain the high road much lower down than if we returned +on our steps. The meadow was brilliant with short green grass, +and in the middle there was a small rivulet of water. I spurred +my horse on, expecting to be in the high road in a moment; the horse, +however, snorted and stared wildly, and was evidently unwilling to cross +the seemingly inviting spot. I thought that the scent of a wolf, +or some other wild animal might have disturbed him, but was soon undeceived +by his sinking up to the knees in a bog. The animal uttered a +shrill sharp neigh, and exhibited every sign of the greatest terror, +making at the same time great efforts to extricate himself, and plunging +forward, but every moment sinking deeper. At last he arrived where +a small vein of rock showed itself: on this he placed his fore feet, +and with one tremendous exertion freed himself, from the deceitful soil, +springing over the rivulet and alighting on comparatively firm ground, +where he stood panting, his heaving sides covered with a foamy sweat. +Antonio, who had observed the whole scene, afraid to venture forward, +returned by the path by which we came, and shortly afterwards rejoined +me. This adventure brought to my recollection the meadow with +its footpath which tempted Christian from the straight road to heaven, +and finally conducted him to the dominions of the giant Despair.<br> +<br> +We now began to descend the valley by a broad and excellent carretera +or carriage road, which was cut out of the steep side of the mountain +on our right. On our left was the gorge, down which tumbled the +runnel of water which I have before mentioned. The road was tortuous, +and at every turn the scene became more picturesque. The gorge +gradually widened, and the brook at its bottom, fed by a multitude of +springs, increased in volume and in sound, but it was soon far beneath +us, pursuing its headlong course till it reached level ground, where +it flowed in the midst of a beautiful but confined prairie. There +was something sylvan and savage in the mountains on the farther side, +clad from foot to pinnacle with trees, so closely growing that the eye +was unable to obtain a glimpse of the hill sides, which were uneven +with ravines and gulleys, the haunts of the wolf, the wild boar, and +the corso, or mountain-stag; the latter of which, as I was informed +by a peasant who was driving a car of oxen, frequently descended to +feed in the prairie, and were there shot for the sake of their skins, +for their flesh, being strong and disagreeable, is held in no account.<br> +<br> +But notwithstanding the wildness of these regions, the handiworks of +man were visible. The sides of the gorge, though precipitous, +were yellow with little fields of barley, and we saw a hamlet and church +down in the prairie below, whilst merry songs ascended to our ears from +where the mowers were toiling with their scythes, cutting the luxuriant +and abundant grass. I could scarcely believe that I was in Spain, +in general so brown, so arid and cheerless, and I almost fancied myself +in Greece, in that land of ancient glory, whose mountain and forest +scenery Theocritus has so well described.<br> +<br> +At the bottom of the valley we entered a small village, washed by the +brook, which had now swelled almost to a stream. A more romantic +situation I had never witnessed. It was surrounded, and almost +overhung by mountains, and embowered in trees of various kinds; waters +sounded, nightingales sang, and the cuckoo’s full note boomed +from the distant branches, but the village was miserable. The +huts were built of slate stones, of which the neighbouring hills seemed +to be principally composed, and roofed with the same, but not in the +neat tidy manner of English houses, for the slates were of all sizes, +and seemed to be flung on in confusion. We were spent with heat +and thirst, and sitting down on a stone bench, I entreated a woman to +give me a little water. The woman said she would, but added that +she expected to be paid for it. Antonio, on hearing this, became +highly incensed, and speaking Greek, Turkish, and Spanish, invoked the +vengeance of the Panhagia on the heartless woman, saying, “If +I were to offer a Mahometan gold for a draught of water he would dash +it in my face; and you are a Catholic, with the stream running at your +door.” I told him to be silent, and giving the woman two +cuartos, repeated my request, whereupon she took a pitcher, and going +to the stream filled it with water. It tasted muddy and disagreeable, +but it drowned the fever which was devouring me.<br> +<br> +We again remounted and proceeded on our way, which, for a considerable +distance, lay along the margin of the stream, which now fell in small +cataracts, now brawled over stones, and at other times ran dark and +silent through deep pools overhung with tall willows, - pools which +seemed to abound with the finny tribe, for large trout frequently sprang +from the water, catching the brilliant fly which skimmed along its deceitful +surface. The scene was delightful. The sun was rolling high +in the firmament, casting from its orb of fire the most glorious rays, +so that the atmosphere was flickering with their splendour, but their +fierceness was either warded off by the shadow of the trees or rendered +innocuous by the refreshing coolness which rose from the waters, or +by the gentle breezes which murmured at intervals over the meadows, +“fanning the cheek or raising the hair” of the wanderer. +The hills gradually receded, till at last we entered a plain where tall +grass was waving, and mighty chestnut trees, in full blossom, spread +out their giant and umbrageous boughs. Beneath many stood cars, +the tired oxen prostrate on the ground, the crossbar of the poll which +they support pressing heavily on their heads, whilst their drivers were +either employed in cooking, or were enjoying a delicious siesta in the +grass and shade. 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 Christ. They stared at one another, and then at me, till +at last a young man, who was dangling a long gun in his hands as he +reclined, demanded of me what it was, at the same time inquiring whether +I was a Catalan, “for you speak hoarse,” said he, “and +are tall and fair like that family.” I sat down amongst +them and said that I was no Catalan, but that I came from a spot in +the Western Sea, many leagues distant, to sell that book at half the +price it cost; and that their souls’ welfare depended on their +being acquainted with it. I then explained to them the nature +of the New Testament, and read to them the parable of the Sower. +They stared at each other again, but said that they were poor, and could +not buy books. I rose, mounted, and was going away, saying to +them: “Peace bide with you.” Whereupon the young man +with the gun rose, and saying, “<i>Caspita!</i> this is odd,” +snatched the book from my hand and gave me the price I had demanded.<br> +<br> +Perhaps the whole world might be searched in vain for a spot whose natural +charms could rival those of this plain or valley of Bembibre, as it +is called, with its wall of mighty mountains, its spreading chestnut +trees, and its groves of oaks and willows, which clothe the banks of +its stream, a tributary to the Minho. True it is, that when I +passed through it, the candle of heaven was blazing in full splendour, +and everything lighted by its rays looked gay, glad, and blessed. +Whether it would have filled me with the same feelings of admiration +if viewed beneath another sky, I will not pretend to determine; but +it certainly possesses advantages which at no time could fail to delight, +for it exhibits all the peaceful beauties of an English landscape blended +with something wild and grand, and I thought within myself that he must +be a restless dissatisfied man, who, born amongst those scenes, would +wish to quit them. At the time I would have desired no better +fate than that of a shepherd on the prairies, or a hunter in the hills +of Bembibre.<br> +<br> +Three hours passed away and we were in another situation. We had +halted and refreshed ourselves and horses at Bembibre, a village of +mud and slate, and which possessed little to attract attention: we were +now ascending, for the road was over one of the extreme ledges of those +frontier hills which I have before so often mentioned; but the aspect +of heaven had blackened, clouds were rolling rapidly from the west over +the mountains, and a cold wind was moaning dismally. “There +is a storm travelling through the air,” said a peasant, whom we +overtook, mounted on a wretched mule; “and the Asturians had better +be on the lookout, for it is speeding in their direction.” +He had scarce spoken, when a light, so vivid and dazzling that it seemed +as if the whole lustre of the fiery element were concentrated in it, +broke around us, filling the whole atmosphere, and covering rock, tree +and mountain with a glare not to be described. The mule of the +peasant tumbled prostrate, while the horse I rode reared himself perpendicularly, +and turning round, dashed down the hill at headlong speed, which for +some time it was impossible to cheek. The lightning was followed +by a peal almost as terrible, but distant, for it sounded hollow and +deep; the hills, however, caught up its voice, seemingly repeating it +from summit to summit, till it was lost in interminable space. +Other flashes and peals succeeded, but slight in comparison, and a few +drops of rain descended. The body of the tempest seemed to be +over another region. “A hundred families are weeping where +that bolt fell,” said the peasant when I rejoined him, “for +its blaze has blinded my mule at six leagues’ distance.” +He was leading the animal by the bridle, as its sight was evidently +affected. “Were the friars still in their nest above there,” +he continued, “I should say that this was their doing, for they +are the cause of all the miseries of the land.”<br> +<br> +I raised my eyes in the direction in which he pointed. Half way +up the mountain, over whose foot we were wending, jutted forth a black +frightful crag, which at an immense altitude overhung the road, and +seemed to threaten destruction. It resembled one of those ledges +of the rocky mountains in the picture of the Deluge, up to which the +terrified fugitives have scrambled from the eager pursuit of the savage +and tremendous billows, and from whence they gaze down in horror, whilst +above them rise still higher and giddier heights, to which they seem +unable to climb. Built on the very edge of this crag, stood an +edifice, seemingly devoted to the purposes of religion, as I could discern +the spire of a church rearing itself high over wall and roof. +“That is the house of the Virgin of the Rocks,” said the +peasant, “and it was lately full of friars, but they have been +thrust out, and the only inmates now are owls and ravens.” +I replied, that their life in such a bleak exposed abode could not have +been very enviable, as in winter they must have incurred great risk +of perishing with cold. “By no means,” said he; “they +had the best of wood for their braseros and chimneys, and the best of +wine to warm them at their meals, which were not the most sparing. +Moreover, they had another convent down in the vale yonder, to which +they could retire at their pleasure.” On my asking him the +reason of his antipathy to the friars, he replied, that he had been +their vassal, and that they had deprived him every year of the flower +of what he possessed. Discoursing in this manner, we reached a +village just below the convent, where he left me, having first pointed +out to me a house of stone, with an image over the door, which, he said, +once also belonged to the canalla (<i>rabble</i>) above.<br> +<br> +The sun was setting fast, and eager to reach Villafranca, where I had +determined on resting, and which was still distant three leagues and +a half, I made no halt at this place. The road was now down a +rapid and crooked descent, which terminated in a valley, at the bottom +of which was a long and narrow bridge; beneath it rolled a river, descending +from a wide pass between two mountains, for the chain was here cleft, +probably by some convulsion of nature. I looked up the pass, and +on the hills on both sides. Far above, on my right, but standing +forth bold and clear, and catching the last rays of the sun, was the +Convent of the Precipices, whilst directly over against it, on the farther +side of the valley, rose the perpendicular side of the rival hill, which, +to a considerable extent intercepting the light, flung its black shadow +over the upper end of the pass, involving it in mysterious darkness. +Emerging from the centre of this gloom, with thundering sound, dashed +a river, white with foam, and bearing along with it huge stones and +branches of trees, for it was the wild Sil hurrying to the ocean from +its cradle in the heart of the Asturian hills, and probably swollen +by the recent rains.<br> +<br> +Hours again passed away. It was now night, and we were in the +midst of woodlands, feeling our way, for the darkness was so great that +I could scarcely see the length of a yard before my horse’s head. +The animal seemed uneasy, and would frequently stop short, prick up +his ears, and utter a low mournful whine. Flashes of sheet lightning +frequently illumined the black sky, and flung a momentary glare over +our path. No sound interrupted the stillness of the night, except +the slow tramp of the horses’ hoofs, and occasionally the croaking +of frogs from some pool or morass. I now bethought me that I was +in Spain, the chosen land of the two fiends, assassination and plunder, +and how easily two tired and unarmed wanderers might become their victims.<br> +<br> +We at last cleared the woodlands, and after proceeding a short distance, +the horse gave a joyous neigh, and broke into a smart trot. A +barking of dogs speedily reached my ears, and we seemed to be approaching +some town or village. In effect we were close to Cacabelos, a +town about five miles distant from Villafranca.<br> +<br> +It was near eleven at night, 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 Villafranca, exposing ourselves to all the horrors +of darkness in a lonely and unknown road. My mind was soon made +up on this point; but I reckoned without my host, for at the first posada +which I attempted to enter, I was told that we could not be accommodated, +and still less our horses, as the stable was full of water. At +the second, and there were but two, I was answered from the window by +a gruff voice, nearly in the words of the Scripture: “Trouble +me not; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I +cannot arise to let you in.” Indeed, we had no particular +desire to enter, as it appeared a wretched hovel, though the poor horses +pawed piteously against the door, and seemed to crave admittance.<br> +<br> +We had now no choice but to resume our doleful way to Villafranca, which, +we were told, was a short league distant, though it proved a league +and a half. We found it no easy matter to quit the town, for we +were bewildered amongst its labyrinths, and could not find the outlet. +A lad about eighteen was, however, persuaded, by the promise of a peseta, +to guide us: whereupon he led us by many turnings to a bridge, which +he told us to cross, and to follow the road, which was that of Villafranca; +he then, having received his fee, hastened from us.<br> +<br> +We followed his directions, not, however, without a suspicion that he +might be deceiving us. The night had settled darker down upon +us, so that it was impossible to distinguish any object, however nigh. +The lightning had become more faint and rare. We heard the rustling +of trees, and occasionally the barking of dogs, which last sound, however, +soon ceased, and we were in the midst of night and silence. My +horse, either from weariness, or the badness of the road, frequently +stumbled; whereupon I dismounted, and leading him by the bridle, soon +left Antonio far in the rear.<br> +<br> +I had proceeded in this manner a considerable way, when a circumstance +occurred of a character well suited to the time and place.<br> +<br> +I was again amidst trees and bushes, when the horse stopping short, +nearly pulled me back. I know not how it was, but fear suddenly +came over me, which, though in darkness and in solitude, I had not felt +before. I was about to urge the animal forward, when I heard a +noise at my right hand, and listened attentively. It seemed to +be that of a person or persons forcing their way through branches and +brushwood. It soon ceased, and I heard feet on the road. +It was the short staggering kind of tread of people carrying a very +heavy substance, nearly too much for their strength, and I thought I +heard the hurried breathing of men over-fatigued. There was a +short pause, during which I conceived they were resting in the middle +of the road; then the stamping recommenced, until it reached the other +side, when I again heard a similar rustling amidst branches; it continued +for some time and died gradually away.<br> +<br> +I continued my road, musing on what had just occurred, and forming conjectures +as to the cause. The lightning resumed its flashing, and I saw +that I was approaching tall black mountains.<br> +<br> +This nocturnal journey endured so long that I almost lost all hope of +reaching the town, and had closed my eyes in a doze, though I still +trudged on mechanically, leading the horse. Suddenly a voice at +a slight distance before me roared out, “<i>Quien vive</i>?” +for I had at last found my way to Villafranca. It proceeded from +the sentry in the suburb, one of those singular half soldiers half guerillas, +called Miguelets, who are in general employed by the Spanish government +to clear the roads of robbers. I gave the usual answer, “<i>Espana</i>,” +and went up to the place where he stood. After a little conversation, +I sat down on a stone, awaiting the arrival of Antonio, who was long +in making his appearance. On his arrival, I asked if any one had +passed him on the road, but he replied that he had seen nothing. +The night, or rather the morning, was still very dark, though a small +corner of the moon was occasionally visible. On our inquiring +the way to the gate, the Miguelet directed us down a street to the left, +which we followed. The street was steep, we could see no gate, +and our progress was soon stopped by houses and wall. We knocked +at the gates of two or three of these houses (in the upper stories of +which lights were burning), for the purpose of being set right, but +we were either disregarded or not heard. A horrid squalling of +cats, from the tops of the houses and dark corners, saluted our ears, +and I thought of the night arrival of Don Quixote and his squire at +Toboso, and their vain search amongst the deserted streets for the palace +of Dulcinea. At length we saw light and heard voices in a cottage +at the other side of a kind of ditch. Leading the horses over, +we called at the door, which was opened by an aged man, who appeared +by his dress to be a baker, as indeed he proved, which accounted for +his being up at so late an hour. On begging him to show us the +way into the town, he led us up a very narrow alley at the end of his +cottage, saying that he would likewise conduct us to the posada.<br> +<br> +The alley led directly to what appeared to be the market-place, at a +corner house of which our guide stopped and knocked. After a long +pause an upper window was opened, and a female voice demanded who we +were. The old man replied, that two travellers had arrived who +were in need of lodging. “I cannot be disturbed at this +time of night,” said the woman; “they will be wanting supper, +and there is nothing in the house; they must go elsewhere.” +She was going to shut the window, but I cried that we wanted no supper, +but merely resting place for ourselves and horses - that we had come +that day from Astorga, and were dying with fatigue. “Who +is that speaking?” cried the woman. “Surely that is +the voice of Gil, the German clock-maker from Pontevedra. Welcome, +old companion; you are come at the right time, for my own is out of +order. I am sorry I have kept you waiting, but I will admit you +in a moment.”<br> +<br> +The window was slammed to, presently a light shone through the crevices +of the door, a key turned in the lock, and we were admitted.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Villafranca - The Pass - Gallegan Simplicity - The Frontier Guard - +The Horse-shoe - Gallegan Peculiarities - A Word on Language - The Courier +- Wretched Cabins - Host and Guests - Andalusians.<br> +<br> +“Ave Maria,” said the woman; “whom have we here? +This is not Gil the clock-maker.” “Whether it be Gil +or Juan,” said I, “we are in need of your hospitality, and +can pay for it.” Our first care was to stable the horses, +who were much exhausted. We then went in search of some accommodation +for ourselves. The house was large and commodious, and having +tasted a little water, I stretched myself on the floor of one of the +rooms on some mattresses which the woman produced, and in less than +a minute was sound asleep.<br> +<br> +The sun was shining bright when I awoke. I walked forth into the +market-place, which was crowded with people, I looked up, and could +see the peaks of tall black mountains peeping over the tops of the houses. +The town lay in a deep hollow, and appeared to be surrounded by hills +on almost every side. “<i>Quel pays barbare</i>!” +said Antonio, who now joined me; “the farther we go, my master, +the wilder everything looks. I am half afraid to venture into +Galicia; they tell me that to get to it we must clamber up those hills: +the horses will founder.” Leaving the market-place I ascended +the wall of the town, and endeavoured to discover the gate by which +we should have entered the preceding night; but I was not more successful +in the bright sunshine than in the darkness. The town in the direction +of Astorga appeared to be hermetically sealed.<br> +<br> +I was eager to enter Galicia, and finding that the horses were to a +certain extent recovered from the fatigue of the journey of the preceding +day, we again mounted and proceeded on our way. Crossing a bridge, +we presently found ourselves in a deep gorge amongst the mountains, +down which rushed an impetuous rivulet, overhung by the high road which +leads into Galicia. We were in the far-famed pass of Fuencebadon.<br> +<br> +It is impossible to describe this pass or the circumjacent region, which +contains some of the most extraordinary scenery in all Spain; a feeble +and imperfect outline is all that I can hope to effect. The traveller +who ascends it follows for nearly a league the course of the torrent, +whose banks are in some places precipitous, and in others slope down +to the waters, and are covered with lofty trees, oaks, poplars, and +chestnuts. Small villages are at first continually seen, with +low walls, and roofs formed of immense slates, the eaves nearly touching +the ground; these hamlets, however, gradually become less frequent as +the path grows more steep and narrow, until they finally cease at a +short distance before the spot is attained where the rivulet is abandoned, +and is no more seen, though its tributaries may yet be heard in many +a gully, or descried in tiny rills dashing down the steeps. Everything +here is wild, strange, and beautiful: the hill up which winds the path +towers above on the right, whilst on the farther side of a profound +ravine rises an immense mountain, to whose extreme altitudes the eye +is scarcely able to attain; but the most singular feature of this pass +are the hanging fields or meadows which cover its sides. In these, +as I passed, the grass was growing luxuriantly, and in many the mowers +were plying their scythes, though it seemed scarcely possible that their +feet could find support on ground so precipitous: above and below were +drift-ways, so small as to seem threads along the mountain side. +A car, drawn by oxen, is creeping round yon airy eminence; the nearer +wheel is actually hanging over the horrid descent; giddiness seizes +the brain, and the eye is rapidly withdrawn. A cloud intervenes, +and when again you turn to watch their progress, the objects of your +anxiety have disappeared. Still more narrow becomes the path along +which you yourself are toiling, and its turns more frequent. You +have already come a distance of two leagues, and still one-third of +the ascent remains unsurmounted. You are not yet in Galicia; and +you still hear Castilian, coarse and unpolished, it is true, spoken +in the miserable cabins placed in the sequestered nooks which you pass +by in your route.<br> +<br> +Shortly before we reached the summit of the pass thick mists began to +envelop the tops of the hills, and a drizzling rain descended. +“These mists,” said Antonio, “are what the Gallegans +call bretima; and it is said there is never any lack of them in their +country.” “Have you ever visited the country before?” +I demanded. “Non, mon maître; but I have frequently +lived in houses where the domestics were in part Gallegans, on which +account I know not a little of their ways, and even something of their +language.” “Is the opinion which you have formed of +them at all in their favour?” I inquired. “By no means, +mon maître; the men in general seem clownish and simple, yet they +are capable of deceiving the most clever filou of Paris; and as for +the women, it is impossible to live in the same house with them, more +especially if they are Camareras, and wait upon the Señora; they +are continually breeding dissensions and disputes in the house, and +telling tales of the other domestics. I have already lost two +or three excellent situations in Madrid, solely owing to these Gallegan +chambermaids. We have now come to the frontier, mon maître, +for such I conceive this village to be.”<br> +<br> +We entered the village, which stood on the summit of the mountain, and +as our horses and ourselves were by this time much fatigued, we looked +round for a place in which to obtain refreshment. Close by the +gate stood a building which, from the circumstance of a mule or two +and a wretched pony standing before it, we concluded was the posada, +as in effect it proved to be. We entered: several soldiers were +lolling on heaps of coarse hay, with which the place, which much resembled +a stable, was half filled. All were exceedingly ill-looking fellows, +and very dirty. They were conversing with each other in a strange-sounding +dialect, which I supposed to be Gallegan. Scarcely did they perceive +us when two or three of them, starting from their couch, ran up to Antonio, +whom they welcomed with much affection, calling him <i>companheiro</i>. +“How came you to know these men?” I demanded in French. +“<i>Ces messieurs sont presque tous de ma connoissance</i>,” +he replied, “<i>et, entre nous, ce sont des veritables</i> <i>vauriens</i>; +they are almost all robbers and assassins. That fellow, with one +eye, who is the corporal, escaped a little time ago from Madrid, more +than suspected of being concerned in an affair of poisoning; but he +is safe enough here in his own country, and is placed to guard the frontier, +as you see; but we must treat them civilly, mon maître; we must +give them wine, or they will be offended. I know them, mon maître +- I know them. Here, hostess, bring an azumbre of wine.”<br> +<br> +Whilst Antonio was engaged in treating his friends, I led the horses +to the stable; this was through the house, inn, or whatever it might +be called. The stable was a wretched shed, in which the horses +sank to their fetlocks in mud and puddle. On inquiring for barley, +I was told that I was now in Galicia, where barley was not used for +provender, and was very rare. I was offered in lieu of it Indian +corn, which, however, the horses ate without hesitation. There +was no straw to be had; coarse hay, half green, being the substitute. +By trampling about in the mud of the stable my horse soon lost a shoe, +for which I searched in vain. “Is there a blacksmith in +the village?” I demanded of a shock-headed fellow who officiated +as ostler.<br> +<br> +<i>Ostler</i>. - Si, Senhor; but I suppose you have brought horse-shoes +with you, or that large beast of yours cannot be shod in this village.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What do you mean? Is the blacksmith unequal to +his trade? Cannot he put on a horse-shoe?<br> +<br> +<i>Ostler</i>. - Si, Senhor; he can put on a horse-shoe if you give +it him; but there are no horse-shoes in Galicia, at least in these parts.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Is it not customary then to shoe the horses in Galicia?<br> +<br> +<i>Ostler</i>. - Senhor, there are no horses in Galicia, there are only +ponies; and those who bring horses to Galicia, and none but madmen ever +do, must bring shoes to fit them; only shoes of ponies are to be found +here.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What do you mean by saying that only madmen bring horses +to Galicia?<br> +<br> +<i>Ostler</i>. - Senhor, no horse can stand the food of Galicia and +the mountains of Galicia long, without falling sick; and then if he +does not die at once, he will cost you in farriers more than he is worth; +besides, a horse is of no use here, and cannot perform amongst the broken +ground the tenth part of the service which a little pony mare can. +By the by, Senhor, I perceive that yours is an entire horse; now out +of twenty ponies that you see on the roads of Galicia, nineteen are +mares; the males are sent down into Castile to be sold. Senhor, +your horse will become heated on our roads, and will catch the bad glanders, +for which there is no remedy. Senhor, a man must be mad to bring +any horse to Galicia, but twice mad to bring an entero, as you have +done.<br> +<br> +“A strange country this of Galicia,” said I, and went to +consult with Antonio.<br> +<br> +It appeared that the information of the ostler was literally true with +regard to the horse-shoe; at least the blacksmith of the village, to +whom we conducted the animal, confessed his inability to shoe him, having +none that would fit his hoof: he said it was very probable that we should +be obliged to lead the animal to Lugo, which, being a cavalry station, +we might perhaps find there what we wanted. He added, however, +that the greatest part of the cavalry soldiers were mounted on the ponies +of the country, the mortality amongst the horses brought from the level +ground into Galicia being frightful. Lugo was ten leagues distant: +there seemed, however, to be no remedy at hand but patience, and, having +refreshed ourselves, we proceeded, leading our horses by the bridle.<br> +<br> +We were now on level ground, being upon the very top of one of the highest +mountains in Galicia. This level continued for about a league, +when we began to descend. Before we had crossed the plain, which +was overgrown with furze and brushwood, we came suddenly upon half a +dozen fellows armed with muskets and wearing a tattered uniform. +We at first supposed them to be banditti: they were, however, only a +party of soldiers who had been detached from the station we had just +quitted to escort one of the provincial posts or couriers. They +were clamorous for cigars, but offered us no farther incivility. +Having no cigars to bestow, I gave them in lieu thereof a small piece +of silver. Two of the worst looking were very eager to be permitted +to escort us to Nogales, the village where we proposed to spend the +night. “By no means permit them, mon maître,” +said Antonio, “they are two famous assassins of my acquaintance; +I have known them at Madrid: in the first ravine they will shoot and +plunder us.” I therefore civilly declined their offer and +departed. “You seem to be acquainted with all the cut-throats +in Galicia,” said I to Antonio, as we descended the hill.<br> +<br> +“With respect to those two fellows,” he replied, “I +knew them when I lived as cook in the family of General Q-, who is a +Gallegan: they were sworn friends of the repostero. All the Gallegans +in Madrid know each other, whether high or low makes no difference; +there, at least, they are all good friends, and assist each other on +all imaginable occasions; and if there be a Gallegan domestic in a house, +the kitchen is sure to be filled with his countrymen, as the cook frequently +knows to his cost, for they generally contrive to eat up any little +perquisites which he may have reserved for himself and family.”<br> +<br> +Somewhat less than half way down the mountain we reached a small village. +On observing a blacksmith’s shop, we stopped, in the faint hope +of finding a shoe for the horse, who, for want of one, was rapidly becoming +lame. To our great joy we found that the smith was in possession +of one single horse-shoe, which some time previously he had found upon +the way. This, after undergoing much hammering and alteration, +was pronounced by the Gallegan vulcan to be capable of serving in lieu +of a better; whereupon we again mounted, and slowly continued our descent.<br> +<br> +Shortly ere sunset we arrived at Nogales, a hamlet situate in a narrow +valley at the foot of the mountain, in traversing which we had spent +the day. Nothing could be more picturesque than the appearance +of this spot: steep hills, thickly clad with groves and forests of chestnuts, +surrounded it on every side; the village itself was almost embowered +in trees, and close beside it ran a purling brook. Here we found +a tolerably large and commodious posada.<br> +<br> +I was languid and fatigued, but felt little desire to sleep. Antonio +cooked our supper, or rather his own, for I had no appetite. I +sat by the door, gazing on the wood-covered heights above me, or on +the waters of the rivulet, occasionally listening to the people who +lounged about the house, conversing in the country dialect. What +a strange tongue is the Gallegan, with its half singing half whining +accent, and with its confused jumble of words from many languages, but +chiefly from the Spanish and Portuguese. “Can you understand +this conversation?” I demanded of Antonio, who had by this time +rejoined me. “I cannot, mon maître,” he replied; +“I have acquired at various times a great many words amongst the +Gallegan domestics in the kitchens where I have officiated as cook, +but am quite unable to understand any long conversation. I have +heard the Gallegans say that in no two villages is it spoken in one +and the same manner, and that very frequently they do not understand +each other. The worst of this language is, that everybody on first +hearing it thinks that nothing is more easy than to understand it, as +words are continually occurring which he has heard before: but these +merely serve to bewilder and puzzle him, causing him to misunderstand +everything that is said; whereas, if he were totally ignorant of the +tongue, he would occasionally give a shrewd guess at what was meant, +as I myself frequently do when I hear Basque spoken, though the only +word which I know of that language is <i>jaunguicoa</i>.”<br> +<br> +As the night closed in I retired to bed, where I remained four or five +hours, restless and tossing about; the fever of Leon still clinging +to my system. It was considerably past midnight when, just as +I was sinking into a slumber, I was aroused by a confused noise in the +village, and the glare of lights through the lattice of the window of +the room where I lay; presently entered Antonio, half dressed. +“Mon maître,” said he, “the grand post from +Madrid to Coruña has just arrived in the village, attended by +a considerable escort, and an immense number of travellers. The +road they say, between here and Lugo, is infested with robbers and Carlists, +who are committing all kinds of atrocities; let us, therefore, avail +ourselves of the opportunity, and by midday to-morrow we shall find +ourselves safe in Lugo.” On hearing these words, I instantly +sprang out of bed and dressed myself, telling Antonio to prepare the +horses with all speed.<br> +<br> +We were soon mounted and in the street, amidst a confused throng of +men and quadrupeds. The light of a couple of flambeaux, which +were borne before the courier, shone on the arms of several soldiers, +seemingly drawn up on either side of the road; the darkness, however, +prevented me from distinguishing objects very clearly. The courier +himself was mounted on a little shaggy pony; before and behind him were +two immense portmanteaux, or leather sacks, the ends of which nearly +touched the ground. For about a quarter of an hour there was much +hubbub, shouting, and trampling, at the end of which period the order +was given to proceed. Scarcely had we left the village when the +flambeaux were extinguished, and we were left in almost total darkness; +for some time we were amongst woods and trees, as was evident from the +rustling of leaves on every side. My horse was very uneasy and +neighed fearfully, occasionally raising himself bolt upright. +“If your horse is not more quiet, cavalier, we shall be obliged +to shoot him,” said a voice in an Andalusian accent; “he +disturbs the whole cavalcade.” “That would be a pity, +sergeant,” I replied, “for he is a Cordovese by the four +sides; he is not used to the ways of this barbarous country.” +“Oh, he is a Cordovese,” said the voice, “vaya, I +did not know that; I am from Cordova myself. Pobrecito! let me +pat him - yes, I know by his coat that he is my countryman - shoot him, +indeed! vaya, I would fain see the Gallegan devil who would dare to +harm him. Barbarous country, <i>io lo creo</i>: neither oil nor +olives, bread nor barley. You have been at Cordova. Vaya; +oblige me, cavalier, by taking this cigar.”<br> +<br> +In this manner we proceeded for several hours, up hill and down dale, +but generally at a very slow pace. The soldiers who escorted us from +time to time sang patriotic songs, breathing love and attachment to +the young Queen Isabel, and detestation of the grim tyrant Carlos. +One of the stanzas which reached my ears, ran something in the following +style:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“Don Carlos is a hoary churl,<br> +Of cruel heart and cold;<br> +But Isabel’s a harmless girl,<br> +Of only six years old.”<br> +<br> +<br> +At last the day began to break, and I found myself amidst a train of +two or three hundred people, some on foot, but the greater part mounted, +either on mules or the pony mares: I could not distinguish a single +horse except my own and Antonio’s. A few soldiers were thinly +scattered along the road. The country was hilly, but less mountainous +and picturesque than the one which we had traversed the preceding day; +it was for the most part partitioned into small fields, which were planted +with maize. At the distance of every two or three leagues we changed +our escort, at some village where was stationed a detachment. +The villages were mostly an assemblage of wretched cabins; the roofs +were thatched, dank, and moist, and not unfrequently covered with rank +vegetation. There were dunghills before the doors, and no lack +of pools and puddles. Immense swine were stalking about, intermingled +with naked children. The interior of the cabins corresponded with +their external appearance: they were filled with filth and misery.<br> +<br> +We reached Lugo about two hours past noon: during the last two or three +leagues, I became so overpowered with weariness, the result of want +of sleep and my late illness, that I was continually dozing in my saddle, +so that I took but little notice of what was passing. We put up +at a large posada without the wall of the town, built upon a steep bank, +and commanding an extensive view of the country towards the east. +Shortly after our arrival, the rain began to descend in torrents, and +continued without intermission during the next two days, which was, +however, to me but a slight source of regret, as I passed the entire +time in bed, and I may almost say in slumber. On the evening of +the third day I arose.<br> +<br> +There was much bustle in the house, caused by the arrival of a family +from Coruña; they came in a large jaunting car, escorted by four +carabineers. The family was rather numerous, consisting of a father, +son, and eleven daughters, the eldest of whom might be about eighteen. +A shabby-looking fellow, dressed in a jerkin and wearing a high-crowned +hat, attended as domestic. They arrived very wet and shivering, +and all seemed very disconsolate, especially the father, who was a well-looking +middle-aged man. “Can we be accommodated?” he demanded +in a gentle voice of the man of the house; “can we be accommodated +in this fonda?”<br> +<br> +“Certainly, your worship,” replied the other; “our +house is large. How many apartments does your worship require +for your family?”<br> +<br> +“One will be sufficient,” replied the stranger.<br> +<br> +The host, who was a gouty personage and leaned upon a stick, looked +for a moment at the traveller, then at every member of his family, not +forgetting the domestic, and, without any farther comment than a slight +shrug, led the way to the door of an apartment containing two or three +flock beds, and which on my arrival I had objected to as being small, +dark, and incommodious; this he flung open, and demanded whether it +would serve.<br> +<br> +“It is rather small,” replied the gentleman; “I think, +however, that it will do.”<br> +<br> +“I am glad of it,” replied the host. “Shall +we make any preparations for the supper of your worship and family?”<br> +<br> +“No, I thank you,” replied the stranger, “my own domestic +will prepare the slight refreshment we are in need of.”<br> +<br> +The key was delivered to the domestic, and the whole family ensconced +themselves in their apartment: before, however, this was effected, the +escort were dismissed, the principal carabineer being presented with +a peseta. The man stood surveying the gratuity for about half +a minute, as it glittered in the palm of his hand; then with an abrupt +<i>Vamos</i>! he turned upon his heel, and without a word of salutation +to any person, departed with the men under his command.<br> +<br> +“Who can these strangers be?” said I to the host, as we +sat together in a large corridor open on one side, and which occupied +the entire front of the house.<br> +<br> +“I know not,” he replied, “but by their escort I suppose +they are people holding some official situation. They are not +of this province, however, and I more than suspect them to be Andalusians.”<br> +<br> +In a few minutes the door of the apartment occupied by the strangers +was opened, and the domestic appeared bearing a cruse in his hand. +“Pray, Señor Patron,” demanded he, “where can +I buy some oil?”<br> +<br> +“There is oil in the house,” replied the host, “if +you want to purchase any; but if, as is probable, you suppose that we +shall gain a cuarto by selling it, you will find some over the way. +It is as I suspected,” continued the host, when the man had departed +on his errand, “they are Andalusians, and are about to make what +they call gaspacho, on which they will all sup. Oh, the meanness +of these Andalusians! they are come here to suck the vitals of Galicia, +and yet envy the poor innkeeper the gain of a cuarto in the oil which +they require for their gaspacho. I tell you one thing, master, +when that fellow returns, and demands bread and garlic to mix with the +oil, I will tell him there is none in the house: as he has bought the +oil abroad, so he may the bread and garlic; aye, and the water too for +that matter.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXVI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Moore.<br> +<br> +At Lugo I found a wealthy bookseller, to whom I brought a letter of +recommendation from Madrid. He willingly undertook the sale of +my books. The Lord deigned to favour my feeble exertions in his +cause at Lugo. I brought thither thirty Testaments, all of which +were disposed of in one day; the bishop of the place, for Lugo is an +episcopal see, purchasing two copies for himself, whilst several priests +and ex-friars, instead of following the example of their brethren at +Leon, by persecuting the work, spoke well of it and recommended its +perusal. I was much grieved that my stock of these holy books +was exhausted, there being a great demand; and had I been able to supply +them, quadruple the quantity might have been sold during the few days +that I continued at Lugo.<br> +<br> +Lugo contains about six thousand inhabitants. It is situated on +lofty ground, and is defended by ancient walls. It possesses no +very remarkable edifice, and the cathedral church itself is a small +mean building. In the centre of the town is the principal square, +a light cheerful place, not surrounded by those heavy cumbrous buildings +with which the Spaniards both in ancient and modern times have encircled +their plazas. It is singular enough that Lugo, at present a place +of very little importance, should at one period have been the capital +of Spain: yet such it was in the time of the Romans, who, as they were +a people not much guided by caprice, had doubtless very excellent reasons +for the preference which they gave to the locality.<br> +<br> +There are many Roman remains in the vicinity of this place, the most +remarkable of which are the ruins of the ancient medicinal baths, which +stand on the southern side of the river Minho, which creeps through +the valley beneath the town. The Minho in this place is a dark +and sullen stream, with high, precipitous, and thickly wooded banks.<br> +<br> +One evening I visited the baths, accompanied by my friend the bookseller. +They had been built over warm springs which flow into the river. +Notwithstanding their ruinous condition, they were crowded with sick, +hoping to derive benefit from the waters, which are still famed for +their sanative power. These patients exhibited a strange spectacle +as, wrapped in flannel gowns much resembling shrouds, they lay immersed +in the tepid waters amongst disjointed stones, and overhung with steam +and reek.<br> +<br> +Three or four days after my arrival I was seated in the corridor which, +as I have already observed, occupied the entire front of the house. +The sky was unclouded, and the sun shone most gloriously, enlivening +every object around. Presently the door of the apartment in which +the strangers were lodged opened, and forth walked the whole family, +with the exception of the father, who, I presumed, was absent on business. +The shabby domestic brought up the rear, and on leaving the apartment, +carefully locked the door, and secured the key in his pocket. +The one son and the eleven daughters were all dressed remarkably well: +the boy something after the English fashion, in jacket and trousers, +the young ladies in spotless white: they were, upon the whole, a very +good-looking family, with dark eyes and olive complexions, but the eldest +daughter was remarkably handsome. They arranged themselves upon +the benches of the corridor, the shabby domestic sitting down amongst +them without any ceremony whatever. They continued for some time +in silence, gazing with disconsolate looks upon the houses of the suburb +and the dark walls of the town, until the eldest daughter, or señorita +as she was called, broke silence with an “<i>Ay Dios mio</i>!”<br> +<br> +<i>Domestic</i>. - <i>Ay Dios mio! </i>we have found our way to a pretty +country.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I really can see nothing so very bad in the country, +which is by nature the richest in all Spain, and the most abundant. +True it is that the generality of the inhabitants are wretchedly poor, +but they themselves are to blame, and not the country.<br> +<br> +<i>Domestic</i>. - Cavalier, the country is a horrible one, say nothing +to the contrary. We are all frightened, the young ladies, the +young gentleman, and myself; even his worship is frightened, and says +that we are come to this country for our sins. It rains every +day, and this is almost the first time that we have seen the sun since +our arrival, it rains continually, and one cannot step out without being +up to the ankles in fango; and then, again, there is not a house to +be found.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I scarcely understand you. There appears to be +no lack of houses in this neighbourhood.<br> +<br> +<i>Domestic</i>. - Excuse me, sir. His worship hired yesterday +a house, for which he engaged to pay fourteen pence daily; but when +the señorita saw it, she wept, and said it was no house, but +a hog-sty, so his worship paid one day’s rent and renounced his +bargain. Fourteen pence a day! why, in our country, we can have +a palace for that money.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - From what country do you come?<br> +<br> +<i>Domestic</i>. - Cavalier, you appear to be a decent gentleman, and +I will tell you our history. We are from Andalusia, and his worship +was last year receiver-general for Granada: his salary was fourteen +thousand rials, with which we contrived to live very commodiously - +attending the bull funcions regularly, or if there were no bulls, we +went to see the novillos, and now and then to the opera. In a +word, sir, we had our diversions and felt at our ease; so much so, that +his worship was actually thinking of purchasing a pony for the young +gentleman, who is fourteen, and must learn to ride now or never. +Cavalier, the ministry was changed, and the new corners, who were no +friends to his worship, deprived him of his situation. Cavalier, +they removed us from that blessed country of Granada, where our salary +was fourteen thousand rials, and sent us to Galicia, to this fatal town +of Lugo, where his worship is compelled to serve for ten thousand, which +is quite insufficient to maintain us in our former comforts. Good-bye, +I trow, to bull funcions, and novillos, and the opera. Good-bye +to the hope of a horse for the young gentleman. Cavalier, I grow +desperate: hold your tongue, for God’s sake! for I can talk no +more.”<br> +<br> +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 daughters, one son, and a domestic.<br> +<br> +We staid one week at Lugo, and then directed our steps to Coruña, +about twelve leagues distant. We arose before daybreak in order +to avail ourselves of the escort of the general post, in whose company +we travelled upwards of six leagues. There was much talk of robbers, +and flying parties of the factious, on which account our escort was +considerable. At the distance of five or six leagues from Lugo, +our guard, in lieu of regular soldiers, consisted of a body of about +fifty Miguelets. They had all the appearance of banditti, but +a finer body of ferocious fellows I never saw. They were all men +in the prime of life, mostly of tall stature, and of Herculean brawn +and limbs. They wore huge whiskers, and walked with a fanfaronading +air, as if they courted danger, and despised it. In every respect +they stood in contrast to the soldiers who had hitherto escorted us, +who were mere feeble boys from sixteen to eighteen years of age, and +possessed of neither energy nor activity. The proper dress of +the Miguelet, if it resembles anything military, is something akin to +that anciently used by the English marines. They wear a peculiar +kind of hat, and generally leggings, or gaiters, and their arms are +the gun and bayonet. The colour of their dress is mostly dark +brown. They observe little or no discipline whether on a march +or in the field of action. They are excellent irregular troops, +and when on actual service are particularly useful as skirmishers. +Their proper duty, however, is to officiate as a species of police, +and to clear the roads of robbers, for which duty they are in one respect +admirably calculated, having been generally robbers themselves at one +period of their lives. Why these people are called Miguelets it +is not easy to say, but it is probable that they have derived this appellation +from the name of their original leader. I regret that the paucity +of my own information will not allow me to enter into farther particulars +with respect to this corps, concerning which I have little doubt that +many remarkable things might be said.<br> +<br> +Becoming weary of the slow travelling of the post, I determined to brave +all risk, and to push forward. In this, however, I was guilty +of no slight imprudence, as by so doing I was near falling into the +hands of robbers. Two fellows suddenly confronted me with presented +carbines, which they probably intended to discharge into my body, but +they took fright at the noise of Antonio’s horse, who was following +a little way behind. The affair occurred at the bridge of Castellanos, +a spot notorious for robbery and murder, and well adapted for both, +for it stands at the bottom of a deep dell surrounded by wild desolate +hills. Only a quarter of an hour previous I had passed three ghastly +heads stuck on poles standing by the wayside; they were those of a captain +of banditti and two of his accomplices, who had been seized and executed +about two months before. Their principal haunt was the vicinity +of the bridge, and it was their practice to cast the bodies of the murdered +into the deep black water which runs rapidly beneath. Those three +heads will always live in my remembrance, particularly that of the captain, +which stood on a higher pole than the other two: the long hair was waving +in the wind, and the blackened, distorted features were grinning in +the sun. The fellows whom I met wore the relics of the band.<br> +<br> +We arrived at Betanzos late in the afternoon. This town stands +on a creek at some distance from the sea, and about three leagues from +Coruña. It is surrounded on three sides by lofty hills. +The weather during the greater part of the day had been dull and lowering, +and we found the atmosphere of Betanzos insupportably close and heavy. +Sour and disagreeable odours assailed our olfactory organs from all +sides. The streets were filthy - so were the houses, and especially +the posada. We entered the stable; it was strewed with rotten +sea-weeds and other rubbish, in which pigs were wallowing; huge and +loathsome flies were buzzing around. “What a pest-house!” +I exclaimed. But we could find no other stable, and were therefore +obliged to tether the unhappy animals to the filthy mangers. The +only provender that could be obtained was Indian corn. At nightfall +I led them to drink at a small river which passes through Betanzos. +My entero swallowed the water greedily; but as we returned towards the +inn, I observed that he was sad, and that his head drooped. He +had scarcely reached the stall, when a deep hoarse cough assailed him. +I remembered the words of the ostler in the mountains, “the man +must be mad who brings a horse to Galicia, and doubly so he who brings +an entero.” During the greater part of the day the animal +had been much heated, walking amidst a throng of at least a hundred +pony mares. He now began to shiver violently. I procured +a quart of anise brandy, with which, assisted by Antonio, I rubbed his +body for nearly an hour, till his coat was covered with a white foam; +but his cough increased perceptibly, his eyes were becoming fixed, and +his members rigid. “There is no remedy but bleeding,” +said I. “Run for a farrier.” The farrier came. +“You must bleed the horse,” I shouted; “take from +him an azumbre of blood.” The farrier looked at the animal, +and made for the door. “Where are you going?” I demanded. +“Home,” he replied. “But we want you here.” +“I know you do,” was his answer; “and on that account +I am going.” “But you must bleed the horse, or he +will die.” “I know he will,” said the farrier, +“but I will not bleed him.” “Why?” I demanded. +“I will not bleed him, but under one condition.” “What +is that?” “What is it! - that you pay me an ounce +of gold.” “Run for the red morocco case,” said +I to Antonio. It was brought; I took out a large fleam, and with +the assistance of a stone, drove it into the principal artery horse’s +leg. The blood at first refused to flow; with much rubbing, it +began to trickle, and then to stream; it continued so for half an hour. +“The horse is fainting, mon maître,” said Antonio. +“Hold him up,” said I, “and in another ten minutes +we will stop the vein.”<br> +<br> +I closed the vein, and whilst doing so I looked up into the farrier’s +face, arching my eyebrows.<br> +<br> +“Carracho! what an evil wizard,” muttered the farrier, as +he walked away. “If I had my knife here I would stick him.” +We bled the horse again, during the night, which second bleeding I believe +saved him. Towards morning he began to eat his food.<br> +<br> +The next day we departed for Coruña, leading our horses by the +bridle: the day was magnificent, and our walk delightful. We passed +along beneath tall umbrageous trees, which skirted the road from Betanzos +to within a short distance of Coruña. Nothing could be +more smiling and cheerful than the appearance of the country around. +Vines were growing in abundance in the vicinity of the villages through +which we passed, whilst millions of maize plants upreared their tall +stalks and displayed their broad green leaves in the fields. After +walking about three hours, we obtained a view of the bay of Coruña, +in which, even at the distance of a league, we could distinguish three +or four immense ships riding at anchor. “Can these vessels +belong to Spain?” I demanded of myself. In the very +next village, however, we were informed that the preceding evening an +English squadron had arrived, for what reason nobody could say. +“However,” continued our informant, “they have doubtless +some design upon Galicia. These foreigners are the ruin of Spain.”<br> +<br> +We put up in what is called the Calle Real, in an excellent fonda, or +posada, kept by a short, thick, comical-looking person, a Genoese by +birth. He was married to a tall, ugly, but good-tempered Basque +woman, by whom he had been blessed with a son and daughter. His +wife, however, had it seems of late summoned all her female relations +from Guipuscoa, who now filled the house to the number of nine, officiating +as chambermaids, cooks, and scullions: they were all very ugly, but +good-natured, and of immense volubility of tongue. Throughout +the whole day the house resounded with their excellent Basque and very +bad Castilian. The Genoese, on the contrary, spoke little, for +which he might have assigned a good reason; he had lived thirty years +in Spain, and had forgotten his own language without acquiring Spanish, +which he spoke very imperfectly.<br> +<br> +We found Coruña full of bustle and life, owing to the arrival +of the English squadron. On the following day, however, it departed, +being bound for the Mediterranean on a short cruise, whereupon matters +instantly returned to their usual course.<br> +<br> +I had a dépot of five hundred Testaments at Coruña, from +which it was my intention to supply the principal towns of Galicia. +Immediately on my arrival I published advertisements, according to my +usual practice, and the book obtained a tolerable sale - seven or eight +copies per day on the average. Some people, perhaps, on perusing +these details, will be tempted to exclaim, “These are small matters, +and scarcely worthy of being mentioned.” But let such bethink +them, that till within a few months previous to the time of which I +am speaking, the very existence of the gospel was almost unknown in +Spain, and that it must necessarily be a difficult task to induce a +people like the Spaniards, who read very little, to purchase a work +like the New Testament, which, though of paramount importance to the +soul, affords but slight prospect of amusement to the frivolous and +carnally minded. I hoped that the present was the dawning of better +and more enlightened times, and rejoiced in the idea that Testaments, +though but few in number, were being sold in unfortunate benighted Spain, +from Madrid to the furthermost parts of Galicia, a distance of nearly +four hundred miles.<br> +<br> +Coruña stands on a peninsula, having on one side the sea, and +on the other the celebrated bay, generally called the Groyne. +It is divided into the old and new town, the latter of which was at +one time probably a mere suburb. The old town is a desolate ruinous +place, separated from the new by a wide moat. The modern town +is a much more agreeable spot, and contains one magnificent street, +the Calle Real, where the principal merchants reside. One singular +feature of this street is, that it is laid entirely with flags of marble, +along which troop ponies and cars as if it were a common pavement.<br> +<br> +It is a saying amongst the inhabitants of Coruña, that in their +town there is a street so clean, that puchera may be eaten off it without +the slightest inconvenience. This may certainly be the fact after +one of those rains which so frequently drench Galicia, when the appearance +of the pavement of the street is particularly brilliant. Coruña +was at one time a place of considerable commerce, the greater part of +which has latterly departed to Santander, a town which stands a considerable +distance down the Bay of Biscay.<br> +<br> +“Are you going to Saint James, Giorgio? If so, you will +perhaps convey a message to my poor countryman,” said a voice +to me one morning in broken English, as I was standing at the door of +my posada, in the royal street of Coruña.<br> +<br> +I looked round and perceived a man standing near me at the door of a +shop contiguous to the inn. He appeared to be about sixty-five, +with a pale face and remarkably red nose. He was dressed in a +loose green great coat, in his mouth was a long clay pipe, in his hand +a long painted stick.<br> +<br> +“Who are you, and who is your countryman?” I demanded; “I +do not know you.”<br> +<br> +“I know you, however,” replied the man; “you purchased +the first knife that I ever sold in the market-place of N-.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Ah, I remember you now, Luigi Piozzi; and well do I +remember also, how, when a boy, twenty years ago, I used to repair to +your stall, and listen to you and your countrymen discoursing in Milanese.<br> +<br> +<i>Luigi</i>. - Ah, those were happy times to me. Oh, how they +rushed back on my remembrance when I saw you ride up to the door of +the posada. I instantly went in, closed my shop, lay down upon +my bed and wept.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I see no reason why you should so much regret those +times. I knew you formerly in England as an itinerant pedlar, +and occasionally as master of a stall in the market-place of a country +town. I now find you in a seaport of Spain, the proprietor, seemingly, +of a considerable shop. I cannot see why you should regret the +difference.<br> +<br> +<i>Luigi </i>(dashing his pipe on the ground). - Regret the difference! +Do you know one thing? England is the heaven of the Piedmontese +and Milanese, and especially those of Como. We never lie down +to rest but we dream of it, whether we are in our own country or in +a foreign land, as I am now. Regret the difference, Giorgio! +Do I hear such words from your lips, and you an Englishman? I +would rather be the poorest tramper on the roads of England, than lord +of all within ten leagues of the shore of the lake of Como, and much +the same say all my countrymen who have visited England, wherever they +now be. Regret the difference! I have ten letters, from +as many countrymen in America, who say they are rich and thriving, and +principal men and merchants; but every night, when their heads are reposing +on their pillows, their souls <i>auslandra, </i>hurrying away to England, +and its green lanes and farm-yards. And there they are with their +boxes on the ground, displaying their looking-glasses and other goods +to the honest rustics and their dames and their daughters, and selling +away and chaffering and laughing just as of old. And there they +are again at nightfall in the hedge alehouses, eating their toasted +cheese and their bread, and drinking the Suffolk ale, and listening +to the roaring song and merry jest of the labourers. Now, if they +regret England so who are in America, which they own to be a happy country, +and good for those of Piedmont and of Como, how much more must I regret +it, when, after the lapse of so many years, I find myself in Spain, +in this frightful town of Coruña, driving a ruinous trade, and +where months pass by without my seeing a single English face, or hearing +a word of the blessed English tongue.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - With such a predilection for England, what could have +induced you to leave it and come to Spain?<br> +<br> +<i>Luigi</i>. - I will tell you: about sixteen years ago a universal +desire seized our people in England to become something more than they +had hitherto been, pedlars and trampers; they wished, moreover, for +mankind are never satisfied, to see other countries: so the greater +part forsook England. Where formerly there had been ten, at present +scarcely lingers one. Almost all went to America, which, as I +told you before, is a happy country, and specially good for us men of +Como. Well, all my comrades and relations passed over the sea +to the West. I, too, was bent on travelling; but whither? +Instead of going towards the West with the rest, to a country where +they have all thriven, I must needs come by myself to this land of Spain; +a country in which no foreigner settles without dying of a broken heart +sooner or later. I had an idea in my head that I could make a +fortune at once, by bringing a cargo of common English goods, like those +which I had been in the habit of selling amongst the villagers of England. +So I freighted half a ship with such goods, for I had been successful +in England in my little speculations, and I arrived at Coruña. +Here at once my vexations began: disappointment followed disappointment. +It was with the utmost difficulty that I could obtain permission to +land my goods, and this only at a considerable sacrifice in bribes and +the like; and when I had established myself here, I found that the place +was one of no trade, and that my goods went off very slowly, and scarcely +at prime cost. I wished to remove to another place, but was informed +that, in that case, I must leave my goods behind, unless I offered fresh +bribes, which would have ruined me; and in this way I have gone on for +fourteen years, selling scarcely enough to pay for my shop and to support +myself. And so I shall doubtless continue till I die, or my goods +are exhausted. In an evil day I left England and came to Spain.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Did you not say that you had a countryman at St. James?<br> +<br> +<i>Luigi</i>. - Yes, a poor honest fellow, who, like myself, by some +strange chance found his way to Galicia. I sometimes contrive +to send him a few goods, which he sells at St. James at a greater profit +than I can here. He is a happy fellow, for he has never been in +England, and knows not the difference between the two countries. +Oh, the green English hedgerows! and the alehouses! and, what is much +more, the fair dealing and security. I have travelled all over +England and never met with ill usage, except once down in the north +amongst the Papists, upon my telling them to leave all their mummeries +and go to the parish church as I did, and as all my countrymen in England +did; for know one thing, Signor Giorgio, not one of us who have lived +in England, whether Piedmontese or men of Como, but wished well to the +Protestant religion, if he had not actually become a member of it.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What do you propose to do at present, Luigi? +What are your prospects?<br> +<br> +<i>Luigi</i>. - My prospects are a blank, Giorgio; my prospects are +a blank. I propose nothing but to die in Coruña, perhaps +in the hospital, if they will admit me. Years ago I thought of +fleeing, even if I left all behind me, and either returning to England, +or betaking myself to America; but it is too late now, Giorgio, it is +too late. When I first lost all hope, I took to drinking, to which +I was never before inclined, and I am now what I suppose you see.<br> +<br> +“There is hope in the Gospel,” said I, “even for you. +I will send you one.”<br> +<br> +There is a small battery of the old town which fronts the east, and +whose wall is washed by the waters of the bay. It is a sweet spot, +and the prospect which opens from it is extensive. The battery +itself may be about eighty yards square; some young trees are springing +up about it, and it is rather a favourite resort of the people of Coruña.<br> +<br> +In the centre of this battery stands the tomb of Moore, built by the +chivalrous French, in commemoration of the fall of their heroic antagonist. +It is oblong and surmounted by a slab, and on either side bears one +of the simple and sublime epitaphs for which our rivals are celebrated, +and which stand in such powerful contrast with the bloated and bombastic +inscriptions which deform the walls of Westminster Abbey:<br> +<br> +<br> +“JOHN MOORE,<br> +LEADER OF THE ENGLISH ARMIES,<br> +SLAIN IN BATTLE,<br> +1809.”<br> +<br> +<br> +The tomb itself is of marble, and around it is a quadrangular wall, +breast high, of rough Gallegan granite; close to each corner rises from +the earth the breech of an immense brass cannon, intended to keep the +wall compact and close. These outer erections are, however, not +the work of the French, but of the English government.<br> +<br> +Yes, there lies the hero, almost within sight of the glorious hill where +he turned upon his pursuers like a lion at bay and terminated his career. +Many acquire immortality without seeking it, and die before its first +ray has gilded their name; of these was Moore. The harassed general, +flying through Castile with his dispirited troops before a fierce and +terrible enemy, little dreamed that he was on the point of attaining +that for which many a better, greater, though certainly not braver man, +had sighed in vain. His very misfortunes were the means which +secured him immortal fame; his disastrous route, bloody death, and finally +his tomb on a foreign strand, far from kin and friends. There +is scarcely a Spaniard but has heard of this tomb, and speaks of it +with a strange kind of awe. Immense treasures are said to have +been buried with the heretic general, though for what purpose no one +pretends to guess. The demons of the clouds, if we may trust the +Gallegans, followed the English in their flight, and assailed them with +water-spouts as they toiled up the steep winding paths of Fuencebadon; +whilst legends the most wild are related of the manner in which the +stout soldier fell. Yes, even in Spain, immortality has already +crowned the head of Moore; - Spain, the land of oblivion, where the +Guadalete <a name="citation16"></a><a href="#footnote16">{16}</a> flows.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXVII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Compostella - Rey Romero - The Treasure-seeker - Hopeful Project - The +Church of Refuge - Hidden Riches - The Canon - Spirit of Localism - +The Leper - Bones of St. James.<br> +<br> +At the commencement of August, I found myself at St. James of Compostella. +To this place I travelled from Coruña with the courier or weekly +post, who was escorted by a strong party of soldiers, in consequence +of the distracted state of the country, which was overrun with banditti. +From Coruña to St. James, the distance is but ten leagues; the +journey, however, endured for a day and a half. It was a pleasant +one, through a most beautiful country, with a rich variety of hill and +dale; the road was in many places shaded with various kinds of trees +clad in most luxuriant foliage. Hundreds of travellers, both on +foot and on horseback, availed themselves of the security which the +escort afforded: the dread of banditti was strong. During the +journey two or three alarms were given; we, however, reached Saint James +without having been attacked.<br> +<br> +Saint James stands on a pleasant level amidst mountains: the most extraordinary +of these is a conical hill, called the Pico Sacro, or Sacred Peak, connected +with which are many wonderful legends. A beautiful old town is +Saint James, containing about twenty thousand inhabitants. Time +has been when, with the single exception of Rome, it was the most celebrated +resort of pilgrims in the world; its cathedral being said to contain +the bones of Saint James the elder, the child of the thunder, who, according +to the legend of the Romish church, first preached the Gospel in Spain. +Its glory, however, as a place of pilgrimage is rapidly passing away.<br> +<br> +The cathedral, though a work of various periods, and exhibiting various +styles of architecture, is a majestic venerable pile, in every respect +calculated to excite awe and admiration; indeed, it is almost impossible +to walk its long dusky aisles, and hear the solemn music and the noble +chanting, and inhale the incense of the mighty censers, which are at +times swung so high by machinery as to smite the vaulted roof, whilst +gigantic tapers glitter here and there amongst the gloom, from the shrine +of many a saint, before which the worshippers are kneeling, breathing +forth their prayers and petitions for help, love, and mercy, and entertain +a doubt that we are treading the floor of a house where God delighteth +to dwell. Yet the Lord is distant from that house; he hears not, +he sees not, or if he do, it is with anger. What availeth that +solemn music, that noble chanting, that incense of sweet savour? +What availeth kneeling before that grand altar of silver, surmounted +by that figure with its silver hat and breast-plate, the emblem of one +who, though an apostle and confessor, was at best an unprofitable servant? +What availeth hoping for remission of sin by trusting in the merits +of one who possessed none, or by paying homage to others who were born +and nurtured in sin, and who alone, by the exercise of a lively faith +granted from above, could hope to preserve themselves from the wrath +of the Almighty?<br> +<br> +Rise from your knees, ye children of Compostella, or if ye bend, let +it be to the Almighty alone, and no longer on the eve of your patron’s +day address him in the following strain, however sublime it may sound:<br> +<br> +<br> +“Thou shield of that faith which in Spain we revere,<br> +Thou scourge of each foeman who dares to draw near;<br> +Whom the Son of that God who the elements tames,<br> +Called child of the thunder, immortal Saint James!<br> +<br> +“From the blessed asylum of glory intense,<br> +Upon us thy sovereign influence dispense;<br> +And list to the praises our gratitude aims<br> +To offer up worthily, mighty Saint James.<br> +<br> +“To thee fervent thanks Spain shall ever outpour;<br> +In thy name though she glory, she glories yet more<br> +In thy thrice-hallowed corse, which the sanctuary claims<br> +Of high Compostella, O, blessed Saint James.<br> +<br> +“When heathen impiety, loathsome and dread,<br> +With a chaos of darkness our Spain overspread,<br> +Thou wast the first light which dispell’d with its flames<br> +The hell-born obscurity, glorious Saint James!<br> +<br> +“And when terrible wars had nigh wasted our force,<br> +All bright ‘midst the battle we saw thee on horse,<br> +Fierce scattering the hosts, whom their fury proclaims<br> +To be warriors of Islam, victorious Saint James.<br> +<br> +“Beneath thy direction, stretch’d prone at thy feet,<br> +With hearts low and humble, this day we intreat<br> +Thou wilt strengthen the hope which enlivens our frames,<br> +The hope of thy favour and presence, Saint James.<br> +<br> +“Then praise to the Son and the Father above,<br> +And to that Holy Spirit which springs from their love;<br> +To that bright emanation whose vividness shames<br> +The sun’s burst of splendour, and praise to Saint James.”<br> +<br> +<br> +At Saint James I met with a kind and cordial coadjutor in my biblical +labours in the bookseller of the place, Rey Romero, a man of about sixty. +This excellent individual, who was both wealthy and respected, took +up the matter with an enthusiasm which doubtless emanated from on high, +losing no opportunity of recommending my book to those who entered his +shop, which was in the Azabacheria, and was a very splendid and commodious +establishment. In many instances, when the peasants of the neighbourhood +came with an intention of purchasing some of the foolish popular story-books +of Spain, he persuaded them to carry home Testaments instead, assuring +them that the sacred volume was a better, more instructive, and even +far more entertaining book than those they came in quest of. He +speedily conceived a great fancy for me, and regularly came to visit +me every evening at my posada, and accompanied me in my walks about +the town and the environs. He was a man of considerable information, +and though of much simplicity, possessed a kind of good-natured humour +which was frequently highly diverting.<br> +<br> +I was walking late one night alone in the Alameda of Saint James, considering +in what direction I should next bend my course, for I had been already +ten days in this place; the moon was shining gloriously, and illumined +every object around to a considerable distance. The Alameda was +quite deserted; everybody, with the exception of myself, having for +some time retired. I sat down on a bench and continued my reflections, +which were suddenly interrupted by a heavy stumping sound. Turning +my eyes in the direction from which it proceeded, I perceived what at +first appeared a shapeless bulk slowly advancing: nearer and nearer +it drew, and I could now distinguish the outline of a man dressed in +coarse brown garments, a kind of Andalusian hat, and using as a staff +the long peeled branch of a tree. He had now arrived opposite +the bench where I was seated, when, stopping, he took off his hat and +demanded charity in uncouth tones and in a strange jargon, which had +some resemblance to the Catalan. The moon shone on grey locks +and on a ruddy weather-beaten countenance which I at once recognized: +“Benedict Mol,” said I, “is it possible that I see +you at Compostella?”<br> +<br> +“Och, mein Gott, es ist der Herr!” replied Benedict. +“Och, what good fortune, that the Herr is the first person I meet +at Compostella.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I can scarcely believe my eyes. Do you mean to +say that you have just arrived at this place?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Ow yes<i>, </i>I am this moment arrived. I +have walked all the long way from Madrid.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What motive could possibly bring you such a distance?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Ow, I am come for the schatz - the treasure. +I told you at Madrid that I was coming; and now I have met you here, +I have no doubt that I shall find it, the schatz.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - In what manner did you support yourself by the way?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Ow, I begged, I bettled, and so contrived to pick +up some cuartos; and when I reached Toro, I worked at my trade of soap-making +for a time, till the people said I knew nothing about it, and drove +me out of the town. So I went on and begged and bettled till I +arrived at Orense, which is in this country of Galicia. Ow, I +do not like this country of Galicia at all.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Why not?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Why! because here they all beg and bettle, and have +scarce anything for themselves, much less for me whom they know to be +a foreign man. O the misery of Galicia. When I arrive at +night at one of their pigsties, which they call posadas, and ask for +bread to eat in the name of God, and straw to lie down in, they curse +me, and say there is neither bread nor straw in Galicia; and sure enough, +since I have been here I have seen neither, only something that they +call broa, and a kind of reedy rubbish with which they litter the horses: +all my bones are sore since I entered Galicia.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And yet you have come to this country, which you call +so miserable, in search of treasure?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Ow yaw, but the schatz is buried; it is not above +ground; there is no money above ground in Galicia. I must dig +it up; and when I have dug it up I will purchase a coach with six mules, +and ride out of Galicia to Lucerne; and if the Herr pleases to go with +me, he shall be welcome to go with me and the schatz.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I am afraid that you have come on a desperate errand. +What do you propose to do? Have you any money?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Not a cuart; but I do not care now I have arrived +at Saint James. The schatz is nigh; and I have, moreover, seen +you, which is a good sign; it tells me that the schatz is still here. +I shall go to the best posada in the place, and live like a duke till +I have an opportunity of digging up the schatz, when I will pay all +scores.<br> +<br> +“Do nothing of the kind,” I replied; “find out some +place in which to sleep, and endeavour to seek some employment. +In the mean time, here is a trifle with which to support yourself; but +as for the treasure which you have come to seek, I believe it only exists +in your own imagination.” I gave him a dollar and departed.<br> +<br> +I have never enjoyed more charming walks than in the neighbourhood of +Saint James. In these I was almost invariably accompanied by my +friend the good old bookseller. The streams are numerous, and +along their wooded banks we were in the habit of straying and enjoying +the delicious summer evenings of this part of Spain. Religion +generally formed the topic of our conversation, but we not unfrequently +talked of the foreign lands which I had visited, and at other times +of matters which related particularly to my companion. “We +booksellers of Spain,” said he, “are all liberals; we are +no friends to the monkish system. How indeed should we be friends +to it? It fosters darkness, whilst we live by disseminating light. +We love our profession, and have all more or less suffered for it; many +of us, in the times of terror, were hanged for selling an innocent translation +from the French or English. Shortly after the Constitution was +put down by Angouleme and the French bayonets, I was obliged to flee +from Saint James and take refuge in the wildest part of Galicia, near +Corcuvion. Had I not possessed good friends, I should not have +been alive now; as it was, it cost me a considerable sum of money to +arrange matters. Whilst I was away, my shop was in charge of the +ecclesiastical officers. They frequently told my wife that I ought +to be burnt for the books which I had sold. Thanks be to God, +those times are past, and I hope they will never return.”<br> +<br> +Once, as we were walking through the streets of Saint James, he stopped +before a church and looked at it attentively. As there was nothing +remarkable in the appearance of this edifice, I asked him what motive +he had for taking such notice of it. “In the days of the +friars,” said he, “this church was one of refuge, to which +if the worst criminals escaped, they were safe. All were protected +there save the negros, as they called us liberals.” “Even +murderers, I suppose?” said I. “Murderers!” +he answered, “far worse criminals than they. By the by, +I have heard that you English entertain the utmost abhorrence of murder. +Do you in reality consider it a crime of very great magnitude?” +“How should we not,” I replied; “for every other crime +some reparation can be made; but if we take away life, we take away +all. A ray of hope with respect to this world may occasionally +enliven the bosom of any other criminal, but how can the murderer hope?” +“The friars were of another way of thinking,” replied the +old man; “they always looked upon murder as a friolera; but not +so the crime of marrying your first cousin without dispensation, for +which, if we believe them, there is scarcely any atonement either in +this world or the next.”<br> +<br> +Two or three days after this, as we were seated in my apartment in the +posada, engaged in conversation, the door was opened by Antonio, who, +with a smile on his countenance, said that there was a foreign <i>gentleman +</i>below, who desired to speak with me. “Show him up,” +I replied; whereupon almost instantly appeared Benedict Mol.<br> +<br> +“This is a most extraordinary person,” said I to the bookseller. +“You Galicians, in general, leave your country in quest of money; +he, on the contrary, is come hither to find some.”<br> +<br> +<i>Rey Romero</i>. - And he is right. Galicia is by nature the +richest province in Spain, but the inhabitants are very stupid, and +know not how to turn the blessings which surround them to any account; +but as a proof of what may be made out of Galicia, see how rich the +Catalans become who have settled down here and formed establishments. +There are riches all around us, upon the earth and in the earth.<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Ow yaw, in the earth, that is what I say. There +is much more treasure below the earth than above it.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Since I last saw you, have you discovered the place +in which you say the treasure is deposited?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - O yes, I know all about it now. It is buried +‘neath the sacristy in the church of San Roque.<br> +<br> +Myself. - How have you been able to make that discovery?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - I will tell you: the day after my arrival I walked +about all the city in quest of the church, but could find none which +at all answered to the signs which my comrade who died in the hospital +gave me. I entered several, and looked about, but all in vain; +I could not find the place which I had in my mind’s eye. +At last the people with whom I lodge, and to whom I told my business, +advised me to send for a meiga.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - A meiga! What is that?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Ow! a haxweib, a witch; the Gallegos call them so +in their jargon, of which I can scarcely understand a word. So +I consented, and they sent for the meiga. Och! what a weib is +that meiga! I never saw such a woman; she is as large as myself, +and has a face as round and red as the sun. She asked me a great +many questions in her Gallegan, and when I had told her all she wanted +to know, she pulled out a pack of cards and laid them on the table in +a particular manner, and then she said that the treasure was in the +church of San Roque; and sure enough, when I went to that church, it +answered in every respect to the signs of my comrade who died in the +hospital. O she is a powerful hax, that meiga; she is well known +in the neighbourhood, and has done much harm to the cattle. I +gave her half the dollar I had from you for her trouble.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Then you acted like a simpleton; she has grossly deceived +you. But even suppose that the treasure is really deposited in +the church you mention, it is not probable that you will be permitted +to remove the floor of the sacristy to search for it.<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Ow, the matter is already well advanced. Yesterday +I went to one of the canons to confess myself and to receive absolution +and benediction; not that I regard these things much, but I thought +this would be the best means of broaching the matter, so I confessed +myself, and then I spoke of my travels to the canon, and at last I told +him of the treasure, and proposed that if he assisted me we should share +it between us. Ow, I wish you had seen him; he entered at once +into the affair, and said that it might turn out a very profitable speculation: +and he shook me by the hand, and said that I was an honest Swiss and +a good Catholic. 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 together. This he refused to do.<br> +<br> +<i>Rey Romero</i>. - Of that I have no doubt: trust one of our canons +for not committing himself so far until he sees very good reason. +These tales of treasure are at present rather too stale: we have heard +of them ever since the time of the Moors.<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - He advised me to go to the Captain General and obtain +permission to make excavations, in which case he promised to assist +me to the utmost of his power.<br> +<br> +Thereupon the Swiss departed, and I neither saw nor heard anything farther +of him during the time that I continued at Saint James.<br> +<br> +The bookseller was never weary of showing me about his native town, +of which he was enthusiastically fond. Indeed, I have never seen +the spirit of localism, which is so prevalent throughout Spain, more +strong than at Saint James. If their town did but flourish, the +Santiagians seemed to care but little if all others in Galicia perished. +Their antipathy to the town of Coruña was unbounded, 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 Coruña. Whether this change was advisable or not, +it is not for me, who am a foreigner, to say; my private opinion, however, +is by no means favourable to the alteration. Saint James is one +of the most central towns in Galicia, with large and populous communities +on every side of it, whereas Coruña stands in a corner, at a +considerable distance from the rest. “It is a pity that +the vecinos of Coruña cannot contrive to steal away from us our +cathedral, even as they have done our government,” said a Santiagian; +“then, indeed, they would be able to cut some figure. As +it is, they have not a church fit to say mass in.” “A +great pity, too, that they cannot remove our hospital,” would +another exclaim; “as it is, they are obliged to send us their +sick, poor wretches. I always think that the sick of Coruña +have more ill-favoured countenances than those from other places; but +what good can come from Coruña?”<br> +<br> +Accompanied by the bookseller, I visited this hospital, in which, however, +I did not remain long; the wretchedness and uncleanliness which I observed +speedily driving me away. Saint James, indeed, is the grand lazar-house +for all the rest of Galicia, which accounts for the prodigious number +of horrible objects to be seen in its streets, who have for the most +part arrived in the hope of procuring medical assistance, which, from +what I could learn, is very scantily and inefficiently administered. +Amongst these unhappy wretches I occasionally observed the terrible +leper, and instantly fled from him with a “God help thee,” +as if I had been a Jew of old. Galicia is the only province of +Spain where cases of leprosy are still frequent; a convincing proof +this, that the disease is the result of foul feeding, and an inattention +to cleanliness, as the Gallegans, with regard to the comforts of life +and civilized habits, are confessedly far behind all the other natives +of Spain.<br> +<br> +“Besides a general hospital we have likewise a leper-house,” +said the bookseller. “Shall I show it you? We have +everything at Saint James. There is nothing lacking; the very +leper finds an inn here.” “I have no objection to +your showing me the house,” I replied, “but it must be at +a distance, for enter it I will not.” Thereupon he conducted +me down the road which leads towards Padron and Vigo, and pointing to +two or three huts, exclaimed “That is our leper-house.” +“It appears a miserable place,” I replied: “what accommodation +may there be for the patients, and who attends to their wants?” +“They are left to themselves,” answered the bookseller, +“and probably sometimes perish from neglect: the place at one +time was endowed and had rents which were appropriated to its support, +but even these have been sequestered during the late troubles. +At present, the least unclean of the lepers generally takes his station +by the road side, and begs for the rest. See there he is now.”<br> +<br> +And sure enough the leper in his shining scales, and half naked, was +seated beneath a ruined wall. We dropped money into the hat of +the unhappy being, and passed on.<br> +<br> +“A bad disorder that,” said my friend. “I confess +that I, who have seen so many of them, am by no means fond of the company +of lepers. Indeed, I wish that they would never enter my shop, +as they occasionally do to beg. Nothing is more infectious, as +I have heard, than leprosy: there is one very virulent species, however, +which is particularly dreaded here, the elephantine: those who die of +it should, according to law, be burnt, and their ashes scattered to +the winds: for if the body of such a leper be interred in the field +of the dead, the disorder is forthwith communicated to all the corses +even below the earth. Such, at least, is our idea in these parts. +Lawsuits are at present pending from the circumstance of elephantides +having been buried with the other dead. Sad is leprosy in all +its forms, but most so when elephantine.”<br> +<br> +“Talking of corses,” said I, “do you believe that +the bones of St. James are veritably interred at Compostella?”<br> +<br> +“What can I say,” replied the old man; “you know as +much of the matter as myself. Beneath the high altar is a large +stone slab or lid, which is said to cover the mouth of a profound well, +at the bottom of which it is believed that the bones of the saint are +interred; though why they should be placed at the bottom of a well, +is a mystery which I cannot fathom. One of the officers of the +church told me that at one time he and another kept watch in the church +during the night, one of the chapels having shortly before been broken +open and a sacrilege committed. At the dead of night, finding +the time hang heavy on their hands, they took a crowbar and removed +the slab and looked down into the abyss below; it was dark as the grave; +whereupon they affixed a weight to the end of a long rope and lowered +it down. At a very great depth it seemed to strike against something +dull and solid like lead: they supposed it might be a coffin; perhaps +it was, but whose is the question.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXVIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Governor.<br> +<br> +After a stay of about a fortnight at Saint James, we again mounted our +horses and proceeded in the direction of Vigo. As we did not leave +Saint James till late in the afternoon, we travelled that day no farther +than Padron, a distance of only three leagues. This place is a +small port, situate at the extremity of a firth which communicates with +the sea. It is called for brevity’s sake, Padron, but its +proper appellation is Villa del Padron, or the town of the patron saint; +it having been, according to the legend, the principal residence of +Saint James during his stay in Galicia. By the Romans it was termed +Iria Flavia. It is a flourishing little town, and carries on rather +an extensive commerce, some of its tiny barks occasionally finding their +way across the Bay of Biscay, and even so far as the Thames and London.<br> +<br> +There is a curious anecdote connected with the skippers of Padron, which +can scarcely be considered as out of place here, as it relates to the +circulation of the Scriptures. I was one day in the shop of my +friend the bookseller at Saint James, when a stout good-humoured-looking +priest entered. He took up one of my Testaments, and forthwith +burst into a violent fit of laughter. “What is the matter?” +demanded the bookseller. “The sight of this book reminds +me of a circumstance”: replied the other, “about twenty +years ago, when the English first took it into their heads to be very +zealous in converting us Spaniards to their own way of thinking, they +distributed a great number of books of this kind amongst the Spaniards +who chanced to be in London; some of them fell into the hands of certain +skippers of Padron, and these good folks, on their return to Galicia, +were observed to have become on a sudden exceedingly opinionated and +fond of dispute. It was scarcely possible to make an assertion +in their hearing without receiving a flat contradiction, especially +when religious subjects were brought on the carpet. ‘It +is false,’ they would say; ‘Saint Paul, in such a chapter +and in such a verse, says exactly the contrary.’ ‘What +can you know concerning what Saint Paul or any other saint has written?’ +the priests would ask them. ‘Much more than you think,’ +they replied; ‘we are no longer to be kept in darkness and ignorance +respecting these matters:’ and then they would produce their books +and read paragraphs, making such comments that every person was scandalized; +they cared nothing about the Pope, and even spoke with irreverence of +the bones of Saint James. However, the matter was soon bruited +about, and a commission was dispatched from our see to collect the books +and burn them. This was effected, and the skippers were either +punished or reprimanded, since which I have heard nothing more of them. +I could not forbear laughing when I saw these books; they instantly +brought to my mind the skippers of Padron and their religious disputations.”<br> +<br> +Our next day’s journey brought us to Pontevedra. As there +was no talk of robbers in these parts, we travelled without any escort +and alone. The road was beautiful and picturesque, though somewhat +solitary, especially after we had left behind us the small town of Caldas. +There is more than one place of this name in Spain; the one of which +I am speaking is distinguished from the rest by being called Caldas +de los Reyes, or the warm baths of the kings. It will not be amiss +to observe that the Spanish <i>Caldas </i>is synonymous with the Moorish +<i>Alhama</i>, a word of frequent occurrence both in Spanish and African +topography. Caldas seemed by no means undeserving of its name: +it stands on a confluence of springs, and the place when we arrived +was crowded with people who had come to enjoy the benefit of the waters. +In the course of my travels I have observed that wherever warm springs +are found, vestiges of volcanoes are sure to be nigh; the smooth black +precipice, the divided mountain, or huge rocks standing by themselves +on the plain or on the hill side, as if Titans had been playing at bowls. +This last feature occurs near Caldas de los Reyes, the side of the mountain +which overhangs it in the direction of the south being covered with +immense granite stones, apparently at some ancient period eructed from +the bowels of the earth. From Caldas to Pontevedra the route was +hilly and fatiguing, the heat was intense, and those clouds of flies, +which constitute one of the pests of Galicia, 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 insects. Whilst travelling in Galicia at this period +of the year on horseback, it is always advisable to carry a fine net +for the protection of the animal, a sure and commodious means of defence, +which appears, however, to be utterly unknown in Galicia, where, perhaps, +it is more wanted than in any other part of the world.<br> +<br> +Pontevedra, upon the whole, is certainly entitled to the appellation +of a magnificent town, some of its public edifices, especially the convents, +being such as are nowhere to be found but in Spain and Italy. +It is surrounded by a wall of hewn stone, and stands at the end of a +creek into which the river Levroz disembogues. It is said to have +been founded by a colony of Greeks, whose captain was no less a personage +than Teucer the Telemonian. It was in former times a place of +considerable commerce; and near its port are to be seen the ruins of +a farol, or lighthouse, said to be of great antiquity. The port, +however, is at a considerable distance from the town, and is shallow +and incommodious. The whole country in the neighbourhood of Pontevedra +is inconceivably delicious, abounding with fruits of every description, +especially grapes, which in the proper season are seen hanging from +the “parras” in luscious luxuriance. An old Andalusian +author has said that it produces as many oranges and citron trees as +the neighbourhood of Cordova. Its oranges are, however, by no +means good, and cannot compete with those of Andalusia. The Pontevedrians +boast that their land produces two crops every year, and that whilst +they are gathering in one they may be seen ploughing and sowing another. +They may well be proud of their country, which is certainly a highly +favoured spot.<br> +<br> +The town itself is in a state of great decay, and notwithstanding the +magnificence of its public edifices, we found more than the usual amount +of Galician filth and misery. The posada was one of the most wretched +description, and to mend the matter, the hostess was a most intolerable +scold and shrew. Antonio having found fault with the quality of +some provision which she produced, she cursed him most immoderately +in the country language, which was the only one she spoke, and threatened, +if he attempted to breed any disturbance in her house, to turn the horses, +himself, and his master forthwith out of doors. Socrates himself, +however, could not have conducted himself on this occasion with greater +forbearance than Antonio, who shrugged his shoulders, muttered something +in Greek, and then was silent.<br> +<br> +“Where does the notary public live?” I demanded. Now +the notary public vended books, and to this personage I was recommended +by my friend at Saint James. A boy conducted me to the house of +Señor Garcia, for such was his name. I found him a brisk, +active, talkative little man of forty. He undertook with great +alacrity the sale of my Testaments, and in a twinkling sold two to a +client who was waiting in the office, and appeared to be from the country. +He was an enthusiastic patriot, but of course in a local sense, for +he cared for no other country than Pontevedra.<br> +<br> +“Those fellows of Vigo,” said he, “say their town +is a better one than ours, and that it is more deserving to be the capital +of this part of Galicia. Did you ever hear such folly? I +tell you what, friend, I should not care if Vigo were burnt, and all +the fools and rascals within it. Would you ever think of comparing +Vigo with Pontevedra?”<br> +<br> +“I don’t know,” I replied; “I have never been +at Vigo, but I have heard say that the bay of Vigo is the finest in +the world.”<br> +<br> +“Bay! my good sir. Bay! yes, the rascals have a bay, and +it is that bay of theirs which has robbed us all our commerce. +But what needs the capital of a district with a bay? It is public +edifices that it wants, where the provincial deputies can meet to transact +their business; now, so far from there being a commodious public edifice, +there is not a decent house in all Vigo. Bay! yes, they have a +bay, but have they water fit to drink? Have they a fountain? +Yes, they have, and the water is so brackish that it would burst the +stomach of a horse. I hope, my dear sir, that you have not come +all this distance to take the part of such a gang of pirates as those +of Vigo.”<br> +<br> +“I am not come to take their part,” I replied; “indeed, +I was not aware that they wanted my assistance in this dispute. +I am merely carrying to them the New Testament, of which they evidently +stand in much need, if they are such knaves and scoundrels as you represent +them.”<br> +<br> +“Represent them, my dear sir. Does not the matter speak +for itself? Do they not say that their town is better than ours, +more fit to be the capital of a district, <i>que</i> <i>disparate! que +briboneria! </i>(what folly! what rascality!)”<br> +<br> +“Is there a bookseller’s shop at Vigo?” I inquired.<br> +<br> +“There was one,” he replied, “kept by an insane barber. +I am glad, for your sake, that it is broken up, and the fellow vanished; +he would have played you one of two tricks; he would either have cut +your throat with his razor, under pretence of shaving you, or have taken +your books and never have accounted to you for the proceeds. Bay! +I never could see what right such an owl’s nest as Vigo has to +a bay.”<br> +<br> +No person could exhibit greater kindness to another, than did the notary +public to myself, as soon as I had convinced him that I had no intention +of siding with the men of Vigo against Pontevedra. It was now +six o’clock in the evening, and he forthwith conducted me to a +confectioner’s shop, where he treated me with an iced cream and +a small cup of chocolate. From hence we walked about the city, +the notary showing the various edifices, especially, the Convent of +the Jesuits: “See that front,” said he, “what do you +think of it?”<br> +<br> +I expressed to him the admiration which I really felt, and by so doing +entirely won the good notary’s heart: “I suppose there is +nothing like that at Vigo?” said I. He looked at me for +a moment, winked, gave a short triumphant chuckle, and then proceeded +on his way, walking at a tremendous rate. The Señor Garcia +was dressed in all respects as an English notary might be: he wore a +white hat, brown frock coat, drab breeches buttoned at the knees, white +stockings, and well blacked shoes. But I never saw an English +notary walk so fast: it could scarcely be called walking: it seemed +more like a succession of galvanic leaps and bounds. I found it +impossible to keep up with him: “Where are you conducting me?” +I at last demanded, quite breathless.<br> +<br> +“To the house of the cleverest man in Spain,” he replied, +“to whom I intend to introduce you; for you must not think that +Pontevedra has nothing to boast of but its splendid edifices and its +beautiful country; it produces more illustrious minds than any other +town in Spain. Did you ever hear of the grand Tamerlane?”<br> +<br> +“Oh, yes,” said I, “but he did not come from Pontevedra +or its neighbourhood: he came from the steppes of Tartary, near the +river Oxus.”<br> +<br> +“I know he did,” replied the notary, “but what I mean +to say is, that when Enrique the Third wanted an ambassador to send +to that African, the only man he could find suited to the enterprise +was a knight of Pontevedra, Don - by name. Let the men of Vigo +contradict that fact if they can.”<br> +<br> +We entered a large portal and ascended a splendid staircase, at the +top of which the notary knocked at a small door: “Who is the gentleman +to whom you are about to introduce me?” demanded I.<br> +<br> +“It is the advocate -,” replied Garcia; “he is the +cleverest man in Spain, and understands all languages and sciences.”<br> +<br> +We were admitted by a respectable-looking female, to all appearance +a housekeeper, who, on being questioned, informed us that the Advocate +was at home, and forthwith conducted us to an immense room, or rather +library, the walls being covered with books, except in two or three +places, where hung some fine pictures of the ancient Spanish school. +There was a rich mellow light in the apartment, streaming through a +window of stained glass, which looked to the west. Behind the +table sat the Advocate, on whom I looked with no little interest: his +forehead was high and wrinkled, and there was much gravity on his features, +which were quite Spanish. He was dressed in a long robe, and might +be about sixty; he sat reading behind a large table, and on our entrance +half raised himself and bowed slightly.<br> +<br> +The notary public saluted him most profoundly, and, in an under voice, +hoped that he might be permitted to introduce a friend of his, an English +gentleman, who was travelling through Galicia.<br> +<br> +“I am very glad to see him,” said the Advocate, “but +I hope he speaks Castilian, else we can have but little communication; +for, although I can read both French and Latin, I cannot speak them.”<br> +<br> +“He speaks, sir, almost as good Spanish,” said the notary, +“as a native of Pontevedra.”<br> +<br> +“The natives of Pontevedra,” I replied, “appear to +be better versed in Gallegan than in Castilian, for the greater part +of the conversation which I hear in the streets is carried on in the +former dialect.”<br> +<br> +“The last gentleman which my friend Garcia introduced to me,” +said the Advocate, “was a Portuguese, who spoke little or no Spanish. +It is said that the Gallegan and Portuguese are very similar, but when +we attempted to converse in the two languages, we found it impossible. +I understood little of what he said, whilst my Gallegan was quite unintelligible +to him. Can you understand our country dialect?” he continued.<br> +<br> +“Very little of it,” I replied; “which I believe chiefly +proceeds from the peculiar accent and uncouth enunciation of the Gallegans, +for their language is certainly almost entirely composed of Spanish +and Portuguese words.”<br> +<br> +“So you are an Englishman,” said the Advocate. “Your +countrymen have committed much damage in times past in these regions, +if we may trust our histories.”<br> +<br> +“Yes,” said I, “they sank your galleons and burnt +your finest men-of-war in Vigo Bay, and, under old Cobham, levied a +contribution of forty thousand pounds sterling on this very town of +Pontevedra.”<br> +<br> +“Any foreign power,” interrupted the notary public, “has +a clear right to attack Vigo, but I cannot conceive what plea your countrymen +could urge for distressing Pontevedra, which is a respectable town, +and could never have offended them.”<br> +<br> +“Señor Cavalier,” said the Advocate, “I will +show you my library. Here is a curious work, a collection of poems, +written mostly in Gallegan, by the curate of Fruime. He is our +national poet, and we are very proud of him.”<br> +<br> +We stopped upwards of an hour with the Advocate, whose conversation, +if it did not convince me that he was the cleverest man in Spain, was, +upon the whole, highly interesting, and who certainly possessed an extensive +store of general information, though he was by no means the profound +philologist which the notary had represented him to be.<br> +<br> +When I was about to depart from Pontevedra in the afternoon of the next +day, the Señor Garcia stood by the side of my horse, and having +embraced me, thrust a small pamphlet into my hand: “This book,” +said he, “contains a description of Pontevedra. Wherever +you go, speak well of Pontevedra.” I nodded. “Stay,” +said he, “my dear friend, I have heard of your society, and will +do my best to further its views. I am quite disinterested, but +if at any future time you should have an opportunity of speaking in +print of Señor Garcia, the notary public of Pontevedra, - you +understand me, - I wish you would do so.”<br> +<br> +“I will,” said I.<br> +<br> +It was a pleasant afternoon’s ride from Pontevedra to Vigo, the +distance being only four leagues. As we approached the latter +town, the country became exceedingly mountainous, though scarcely anything +could exceed the beauty of the surrounding scenery. The sides +of the hills were for the most part clothed with luxuriant forests, +even to the very summits, though occasionally a flinty and naked peak +would present itself, rising to the clouds. As the evening came +on, the route along which we advanced became very gloomy, the hills +and forests enwrapping it in deep shade. It appeared, however, +to be well frequented: numerous cars were creaking along it, and both +horsemen and pedestrians were continually passing us. The villages +were frequent. Vines, supported on parras, were growing, if possible, +in still greater abundance than in the neighbourhood of Pontevedra. +Life and activity seemed to pervade everything. The hum of insects, +the cheerful bark of dogs, the rude songs of Galicia, were blended together +in pleasant symphony. So delicious was my ride, that I almost +regretted when we entered the gate of Vigo.<br> +<br> +The town occupies the lower part of a lofty hill, which, as it ascends, +becomes extremely steep and precipitous, and the top of which is crowned +with a strong fort or castle. It is a small compact place, surrounded +with low walls, the streets are narrow, steep, and winding, and in the +middle of the town is a small square.<br> +<br> +There is rather an extensive faubourg extending along the shore of the +bay. We found an excellent posada, kept by a man and woman from +the Basque provinces, who were both civil and intelligent. The +town seemed to be crowded, and resounded with noise and merriment. +The people were making a wretched attempt at an illumination, in consequence +of some victory lately gained, or pretended to have been gained, over +the forces of the Pretender. Military uniforms were glancing about +in every direction. To increase the bustle, a troop of Portuguese +players had lately arrived from Oporto, and their first representation +was to take place this evening. “Is the play to be performed +in Spanish?” I demanded. “No,” was the reply; +“and on that account every person is so eager to go; which would +not be the case if it were in a language which they could understand.”<br> +<br> +On the morning of the next day I was seated at breakfast in a large +apartment which looked out upon the Plaza Mayor, or great square of +the good town of Vigo. The sun was shining very brilliantly, and +all around looked lively and gay. Presently a stranger entered, +and bowing profoundly, stationed himself at the window, where he remained +a considerable time in silence. He was a man of very remarkable +appearance, of about thirty-five. His features were of perfect +symmetry, and I may almost say, of perfect beauty. His hair was +the darkest I had ever seen, glossy and shining; his eyes large, black, +and melancholy; but that which most struck me was his complexion. +It might be called olive, it is true, but it was a livid olive. +He was dressed in the very first style of French fashion. Around +his neck was a massive gold chain, while upon his fingers were large +rings, in one of which was set a magnificent ruby. Who can that +man be? thought I; - Spaniard or Portuguese, perhaps a Creole. +I asked him an indifferent question in Spanish, to which he forthwith +replied in that language, but his accent convinced me that he was neither +Spaniard nor Portuguese.<br> +<br> +“I presume I am speaking to an Englishman, sir?” said he, +in as good English as it was possible for one not an Englishman to speak.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - You know me to be an Englishman; but I should find +some difficulty in guessing to what country you belong.<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - May I take a seat?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - A singular question. Have you not as much right +to sit in the public apartment of an inn as myself?<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - I am not certain of that. The people here are +not in general very gratified at seeing me seated by their side.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Perhaps owing to your political opinions, or to some +crime which it may have been your misfortune to commit?<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - I have no political opinions, and I am not aware +that I ever committed any particular crime, - I am hated for my country +and my religion.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Perhaps I am speaking to a Protestant, like myself?<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - I am no Protestant. If I were, they would be +cautious here of showing their dislike, for I should then have a government +and a consul to protect me. I am a Jew - a Barbary Jew, a subject +of Abderrahman.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - If that be the case, you can scarcely complain of being +looked upon with dislike in this country, since in Barbary the Jews +are slaves.<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - In most parts, I grant you, but not where I was born, +which was far up the country, near the deserts. There the Jews +are free, and are feared, and are as valiant men as the Moslems themselves; +as able to tame the steed, or to fire the gun. The Jews of our +tribe are not slaves, and I like not to be treated as a slave either +by Christian or Moor.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Your history must be a curious one, I would fain hear +it.<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - My history I shall tell to no one. I have travelled +much, I have been in commerce and have thriven. I am at present +established in Portugal, but I love not the people of Catholic countries, +and least of all these of Spain. I have lately experienced the +most shameful injustice in the Aduana of this town, and when I complained, +they laughed at me and called me Jew. Wherever he turns, the Jew +is reviled, save in your country, and on that account my blood always +warms when I see an Englishman. You are a stranger here. +Can I do aught for you? You may command me.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I thank you heartily, but I am in need of no assistance.<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - Have you any bills, I will accept them if you have?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I have no need of assistance; but you may do me a favour +by accepting of a book.<br> +<br> +<i>Stranger</i>. - I will receive it with thanks. I know what +it is. What a singular people? The same dress, the same +look, the same book. Pelham gave me one in Egypt. Farewell! +Your Jesus was a good man, perhaps a prophet; but . . . farewell!<br> +<br> +Well may the people of Pontevedra envy the natives of Vigo their bay, +with which, in many respects, none other in the world can compare. +On every side it is defended by steep and sublime hills, save on the +part of the west, where is the outlet to the Atlantic; but in the midst +of this outlet, up towers a huge rocky wall, or island, which breaks +the swell, and prevents the billows of the western sea from pouring +through in full violence. On either side of this island is a passage, +so broad, that navies might pass through at all times in safety. +The bay itself is oblong, running far into the land, and so capacious, +that a thousand sail of the line might ride in it uncrowded. The +waters are dark, still, and deep, without quicksands or shallows, so +that the proudest man-of-war might lie within a stone’s throw +of the town ramparts without any fear of injuring her keel.<br> +<br> +Of many a strange event, and of many a mighty preparation has this bay +been the scene. It was here that the bulky dragons of the grand +armada were mustered, and it was from hence that, fraught with the pomp, +power, and terror of old Spain, the monster fleet, spreading its enormous +sails to the wind, and bent on the ruin of the Lutheran isle, proudly +steered; - that fleet, to build and man which half the forests of Galicia +had been felled, and all the mariners impressed from the thousand bays +and creeks of the stern Cantabrian shore. It was here that the +united flags of Holland and England triumphed over the pride of Spain +and France; when the burning timbers of exploded war-ships soared above +the tops of the Gallegan hills, and blazing galleons sank with their +treasure chests whilst drifting in the direction of Sampayo. It +was on the shores of this bay that the English guards first emptied +Spanish bodegas, whilst the bombs of Cobham were crushing the roofs +of the castle of Castro, and the vecinos of Pontevedra buried their +doubloons in cellars, and flying posts were conveying to Lugo and Orensee +the news of the heretic invasion and the disaster of Vigo. All +these events occurred to my mind as I stood far up the hill, at a short +distance from the fort, surveying the bay.<br> +<br> +“What are you doing there, Cavalier?” roared several voices. +“Stay, Carracho! if you attempt to run we will shoot you!” +I looked round and saw three or four fellows in dirty uniforms, to all +appearance soldiers, just above me, on a winding path, which led up +the hill. Their muskets were pointed at me. “What +am I doing? Nothing, as you see,” said I, “save looking +at the bay; and as for running, this is by no means ground for a course.” +“You are our prisoner,” said they, “and you must come +with us to the fort.” “I was just thinking of going +there,” I replied, “before you thus kindly invited me. +The fort is the very spot I was desirous of seeing.” I thereupon +climbed up to the place where they stood, when they instantly surrounded +me, and with this escort I was marched into the fort, which might have +been a strong place in its time, but was now rather ruinous. “You +are suspected of being a spy,” said the corporal, who walked in +front. “Indeed,” said I. “Yes,” +replied the corporal, “and several spies have lately been taken +and shot.”<br> +<br> +Upon one of the parapets of the fort stood a young man, dressed as a +subaltern officer, and to this personage I was introduced. “We +have been watching you this half hour,” said he, “as you +were taking observations.” “Then you gave yourselves +much useless trouble,” said I. “I am an Englishman, +and was merely looking at the bay. Have the kindness now to show +me the fort.” . . .<br> +<br> +After some conversation, he said, “I wish to be civil to people +of your nation, you may therefore consider yourself at liberty.” +I bowed, made my exit, and proceeded down the hill. Just before +I entered the town, however, the corporal, who had followed me unperceived, +tapped me on the shoulder. “You must go with me to the governor,” +said he. “With all my heart,” I replied. The +governor was shaving, when we were shown up to him. He was in +his shirt sleeves, and held a razor in his hand. He looked very +ill-natured, which was perhaps owing to his being thus interrupted in +his toilet. He asked me two or three questions, and on learning +that I had a passport, and was the bearer of a letter to the English +consul, he told me that I was at liberty to depart. So I bowed +to the governor of the town, as I had done to the governor of the fort, +and making my exit proceeded to my inn.<br> +<br> +At Vigo I accomplished but little in the way of distribution, and after +a sojourn of a few days, I returned in the direction of Saint James.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXIX<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Pillow.<br> +<br> +I arrived at Padron late in the evening, on my return from Pontevedra +and Vigo. It was my intention at this place to send my servant +and horses forward to Santiago, and to hire a guide to Cape Finisterra. +It would be difficult to assign any plausible reason for the ardent +desire which I entertained to visit this place; 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 World, and I thought +that to convey the Gospel to a place so wild and remote, might perhaps +be considered an acceptable pilgrimage in the eyes of my Maker. +True it is that but one copy remained of those which I had brought with +me on this last journey, but this reflection, far from discouraging +me in my projected enterprise, produced the contrary effect, as I called +to mind that ever since the Lord revealed himself to man, it has seemed +good to him to accomplish the greatest ends by apparently the most insufficient +means; 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 Madrid.<br> +<br> +I was aware that my own horses were quite incompetent to reach Finisterra, +as the roads or paths lie through stony ravines, and over rough and +shaggy hills, and therefore determined to leave them behind with Antonio, +whom I was unwilling to expose to the fatigues of such a journey. +I lost no time in sending for an alquilador, or person who lets out +horses, and informing him of my intention. He said he had an excellent +mountain pony at my disposal, and that he himself would accompany me, +but at the same time observed, that it was a terrible journey for man +and horse, and that he expected to be paid accordingly. I consented +to give him what he demanded, but on the express condition that he would +perform his promise of attending me himself, as I was unwilling to trust +myself four or five days amongst the hills with any low fellow of the +town whom he might select, and who it was very possible might play me +some evil turn. He replied by the term invariably used by the +Spaniards when they see doubt or distrust exhibited. “<i>No +tenga usted cuidao</i>,” I will go myself. Having thus arranged +the matter perfectly satisfactorily, as I thought, I partook of a slight +supper, and shortly afterwards retired to repose.<br> +<br> +I had requested the alquilador to call me the next morning at three +o’clock; he however did not make his appearance till five, having, +I suppose, overslept himself, which was indeed my own case. I +arose in a hurry, dressed, put a few things in a bag, not forgetting +the Testament which I had resolved to present to the inhabitants of +Finisterra. I then sallied forth and saw my friend the alquilador, +who was holding by the bridle the pony or jaco which was destined to +carry me in my expedition. It was a beautiful little animal, apparently +strong and full of life, without one single white hair in its whole +body, which was black as the plumage of the crow.<br> +<br> +Behind it stood a strange-looking figure of the biped species, to whom, +however, at the moment, I paid little attention, but of whom I shall +have plenty to say in the sequel.<br> +<br> +Having asked the horse-lender whether he was ready to proceed, and being +answered in the affirmative, I bade adieu to Antonio, and putting the +pony in motion, we hastened out of the town, taking at first the road +which leads towards Santiago. Observing that the figure which +I have previously alluded to was following close at our heels, I asked +the alquilador who it was, and the reason of its following us; to which +he replied that it was a servant of his, who would proceed a little +way with us and then return. So on we went at a rapid rate, till +we were within a quarter of a mile of the Convent of the Esclavitud, +a little beyond which he had informed me that we should have to turn +off from the high road; but here he suddenly stopped short, and in a +moment we were all at a standstill. I questioned the guide as +to the reason of this, but received no answer. The fellow’s +eyes were directed to the ground, and he seemed to be counting with +the most intense solicitude the prints of the hoofs of the oxen, mules, +and horses in the dust of the road. I repeated my demand in a +louder voice; when, after a considerable pause, he somewhat elevated +his eyes, without however looking me in the face, and said that he believed +that I entertained the idea that he himself was to guide me to Finisterra, +which if I did, he was very sorry for, the thing being quite impossible, +as he was perfectly ignorant of the way, and, moreover, incapable of +performing such a journey over rough and difficult ground, as he was +no longer the man he had been, and over and above all that, he was engaged +that day to accompany a gentleman to Pontevedra, who was at that moment +expecting him. “But,” continued he, “as I am +always desirous of behaving like a caballero to everybody, I have taken +measures to prevent your being disappointed. This person,” +pointing to the figure, “I have engaged to accompany you. +He is a most trustworthy person, and is well acquainted with the route +to Finisterra, having been thither several times with this very jaco +on which you are mounted. He will, besides, be an agreeable companion +to you on the way, as he speaks French and English very well, and has +been all over the world.” The fellow ceased speaking at +last; and I was so struck with his craft, impudence, and villainy, that +some time elapsed before I could find an answer. I then reproached +him in the bitterest terms for his breach of promise, and said that +I was much tempted to return to the town instantly, complain of him +to the alcalde, and have him punished at any expense. To which +he replied, “Sir Cavalier, by so doing you will be nothing nearer +Finisterra, to which you seem so eager to get. Take my advice, +spur on the jaco, for you see it is getting late, and it is twelve long +leagues from hence to Corcuvion, where you must pass the night; and +from thence to Finisterra is no trifle. As for the man, <i>no +tenga</i> <i>usted cuidao, </i>he is the best guide in all Galicia, +speaks English and French, and will bear you pleasant company.”<br> +<br> +By this time I had reflected that by returning to Padron I should indeed +be only wasting time, and that by endeavouring to have the fellow punished, +no benefit would accrue to me; moreover, as he seemed to be a scoundrel +in every sense of the word, I might as well proceed in the company of +any person as in his. I therefore signified my intention of proceeding, +and told him to go back in the Lord’s name, and repent of his +sins. But having gained one point, he thought he had best attempt +another; so placing himself about a yard before the jaco, he said that +the price which I had agreed to pay him for the loan of his horse (which +by the by was the full sum he had demanded) was by no means sufficient, +and that before I proceeded I must promise him two dollars more, adding +that he was either drunk or mad when he had made such a bargain. +I was now thoroughly incensed, and without a moment’s reflection, +spurred the jaco, which flung him down in the dust, and passed over +him. Looking back at the distance of a hundred yards, I saw him +standing in the same place, his hat on the ground, gazing after us, +and crossing himself most devoutly. His servant, or whatever he +was, far from offering any assistance to his principal, no sooner saw +the jaco in motion than he ran on by its side, without word or comment, +farther than striking himself lustily on the thigh with his right palm. +We soon passed the Esclavitud, and presently afterwards turned to the +left into a stony broken path leading to fields of maze. We passed +by several farm-houses, and at last arrived at a dingle, the sides of +which were plentifully overgrown with dwarf oaks, and which slanted +down to a small dark river shaded with trees, which we crossed by a +rude bridge. By this time I had had sufficient time to scan my +odd companion from head to foot. His utmost height, had he made +the most of himself, might perhaps have amounted to five feet one inch; +but he seemed somewhat inclined to stoop. Nature had gifted him +with an immense head and placed it clean upon his shoulders, for amongst +the items of his composition it did not appear that a neck had been +included. Arms long and brawny swung at his sides, and the whole +of his frame was as strong built and powerful as a wrestler’s; +his body was supported by a pair of short but very nimble legs. +His face was very long, and would have borne some slight resemblance +to a human countenance, had the nose been more visible, for its place +seemed to have been entirely occupied by a wry mouth and large staring +eyes. His dress consisted of three articles: an old and tattered +hat of the Portuguese kind, broad at the crown and narrow at the eaves, +something which appeared to be a shirt, and dirty canvas trousers. +Willing to enter into conversation with him, and remembering that the +alquilador had informed me that he spoke languages, I asked him, in +English, if he had always acted in the capacity of guide? Whereupon +he turned his eyes with a singular expression upon my face, gave a loud +laugh, a long leap, and clapped his hands thrice above his head. +Perceiving that he did not understand me, I repeated my demand in French, +and was again answered by the laugh, leap, and clapping. At last +he said in broken Spanish, “Master mine, speak Spanish in God’s +name, and I can understand you, and still better if you speak Gallegan, +but I can promise no more. I heard what the alquilador told you, +but he is the greatest embustero in the whole land, and deceived you +then as he did when he promised to accompany you. I serve him +for my sins; but it was an evil hour when I left the deep sea and turned +guide.” He then informed me that he was a native of Padron, +and a mariner by profession, having spent the greater part of his life +in the Spanish navy, in which service he had visited Cuba and many parts +of the Spanish Americas, adding, “when my master told you that +I should bear you pleasant company by the way, it was the only word +of truth that has come from his mouth for a month; and long before you +reach Finisterra you will have rejoiced that the servant, and not the +master, went with you: he is dull and heavy, but I am what you see.” +He then gave two or three first-rate summersets, again laughed loudly, +and clapped his hands. “You would scarcely think,” +he continued, “that I drove that little pony yesterday heavily +laden all the way from Coruña. We arrived at Padron at +two o’clock this morning; but we are nevertheless both willing +and able to undertake a fresh journey. <i>No tenga usted cuidao, +</i>as my master said, no one ever complains of that pony or of me.” +In this kind of discourse we proceeded a considerable way through a +very picturesque country, until we reached a beautiful village at the +skirt of a mountain. “This village,” said my guide, +“is called Los Angeles, because its church was built long since +by the angels; they placed a beam of gold beneath it, which they brought +down from heaven, and which was once a rafter of God’s own house. +It runs all the way under the ground from hence to the cathedral of +Compostella.”<br> +<br> +Passing through the village, which he likewise informed me possessed +baths, and was much visited by the people of Santiago, we shaped our +course to the north-west, and by so doing doubled a mountain which rose +majestically over our heads, its top crowned with bare and broken rocks, +whilst on our right, on the other side of a spacious valley, was a high +range, connected with the mountains to the northward of Saint James. +On the summit of this range rose high embattled towers, which my guide +informed me were those of Altamira, an ancient and ruined castle, formerly +the principal residence in this province of the counts of that name. +Turning now due west, we were soon at the bottom of a steep and rugged +pass, which led to more elevated regions. The ascent cost us nearly +half an hour, and the difficulties of the ground were such, that I more +than once congratulated myself on having left my own horses behind, +and being mounted on the gallant little pony which, accustomed to such +paths, scrambled bravely forward, and eventually brought us in safety +to the top of the ascent.<br> +<br> +Here we entered a Gallegan cabin, or choza, for the purpose of refreshing +the animal and ourselves. The quadruped ate some maize, whilst +we two bipeds regaled ourselves on some broa and aguardiente, which +a woman whom we found in the hut placed before us. I walked out +for a few minutes to observe the aspect of the country, and on my return +found my guide fast asleep on the bench where I had left him. +He sat bolt upright, his back supported against the wall, and his legs +pendulous, within three inches of the ground, being too short to reach +it. I remained gazing upon him for at least five minutes, whilst +he enjoyed slumbers seemingly as quiet and profound as those of death +itself. 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 convents. There was not the slightest gleam +of vitality in his countenance, which for colour and rigidity might +have been of stone, and which was as rude and battered as one of the +stone heads at Icolmkill, which have braved the winds of twelve hundred +years. I continued gazing on his face till I became almost alarmed, +concluding that life might have departed from its harassed and fatigued +tenement. On my shaking him rather roughly by the shoulder he +slowly awoke, opening his eyes with a stare and then closing them again. +For a few moments he was evidently unconscious of where he was. +On my shouting to him, however, and inquiring whether he intended to +sleep all day instead of conducting me to Finisterra, he dropped upon +his legs, snatched up his hat, which lay on the table, and instantly +ran out of the door, exclaiming, “Yes, yes, I remember - follow +me, captain, and I will lead you to Finisterra in no time.” +I looked after him, and perceived that he was hurrying at a considerable +pace in the direction in which we had hitherto been proceeding. +“Stop,” said I, “stop! will you leave me here with +the pony? Stop, we have not paid the reckoning. Stop!” +He, however, never turned his head for a moment, and in less than a +minute was out of sight. The pony, which was tied to a crib at +one end of the cabin, began now to neigh terrifically, to plunge, and +to erect its tail and mane in a most singular manner. It tore +and strained at the halter till I was apprehensive that strangulation +would ensue. “Woman,” I exclaimed, “where are +you, and what is the meaning of all this?” But the hostess +had likewise disappeared, and though I ran about the choza, shouting +myself hoarse, no answer was returned. The pony still continued +to scream and to strain at the halter more violently than ever. +“Am I beset with lunatics?” I cried, and flinging down a +peseta on the table, unloosed the halter, and attempted to introduce +the bit into the mouth of the animal. This, however, I found impossible +to effect. Released from the halter, the pony made at once for +the door, in spite of all the efforts which I could make to detain it. +“If you abandon me,” said I, “I am in a pretty situation; +but there is a remedy for everything!” with which words I sprang +into the saddle, and in a moment more the creature was bearing me at +a rapid gallop in the direction, as I supposed, of Finisterra. +My position, however diverting to the reader, was rather critical to +myself. I was on the back of a spirited animal, over which I had +no control, dashing along a dangerous and unknown path. I could +not discover the slightest vestige of my guide, nor did I pass anyone +from whom I could derive any information. Indeed, the speed of +the animal was so great, that even in the event of my meeting or overtaking +a passenger, I could scarcely have hoped to exchange a word with him. +“Is the pony trained to this work?” said I mentally. +“Is he carrying me to some den of banditti, where my throat will +be cut, or does he follow his master by instinct?” Both +of these suspicions I however soon abandoned; the pony’s speed +relaxed, he appeared to have lost the road. He looked about uneasily: +at last, coming to a sandy spot, he put his nostrils to the ground, +and then suddenly flung himself down, and wallowed in true pony fashion. +I was not hurt, and instantly made use of this opportunity to slip the +bit into his mouth, which previously had been dangling beneath his neck; +I then remounted in quest of the road.<br> +<br> +This I soon found, and continued my way for a considerable time. +The path lay over a moor, patched heath and furze, and here and there +strewn with large stones, or rather rocks. The sun had risen high +in the firmament, and burned fiercely. I passed several people, +men and women, who gazed at me with surprise, wondering, probably, what +a person of my appearance could be about without a guide in so strange +a place. I inquired of two females whom I met whether they had +seen my guide; but they either did not or would not understand me, and +exchanging a few words with each other, in one of the hundred dialects +of the Gallegan, passed on. Having crossed the moor, I came rather +abruptly upon a convent, overhanging a deep ravine, at the bottom of +which brawled a rapid stream.<br> +<br> +It was a beautiful and picturesque spot: the sides of the ravine were +thickly clothed with wood, and on the other side a tall, black hill +uplifted itself. The edifice was large, and apparently deserted. +Passing by it, I presently reached a small village, as deserted, to +all appearance, as the convent, for I saw not a single individual, nor +so much as a dog to welcome me with his bark. I proceeded, however, +until I reached a fountain, the waters of which gushed from a stone +pillar into a trough. Seated upon this last, his arms folded, +and his eyes fixed upon the neighbouring mountain, I beheld a figure +which still frequently recurs to my thoughts, especially when asleep +and oppressed by the nightmare. This figure was my runaway guide.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Good day to you, my gentleman. The weather is +hot, and yonder water appears delicious. I am almost tempted to +dismount and regale myself with a slight draught.<br> +<br> +<i>Guide</i>. - Your worship can do no better. The day is, as +you say, hot; you can do no better than drink a little of this water. +I have myself just drunk. I would not, however, advise you to +give that pony any, it appears heated and blown.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - It may well be so. I have been galloping at least +two leagues in pursuit of a fellow who engaged to guide me to Finisterra, +but who deserted me in a most singular manner, so much so, that I almost +believe him to be a thief, and no true man. You do not happen +to have seen him?<br> +<br> +<i>Guide</i>. - What kind of a man might he be?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - A short, thick fellow, very much like yourself, with +a hump upon his back, and, excuse me, of a very ill-favoured countenance.<br> +<br> +<i>Guide</i>. - Ha<i>, </i>ha! I know him. He ran with me +to this fountain, where he has just left me. That man, Sir Cavalier, +is no thief. If he is any thing at all, he is a Nuveiro, - a fellow +who rides upon the clouds, and is occasionally whisked away by a gust +of wind. Should you ever travel with that man again, never allow +him more than one glass of anise at a time, or he will infallibly mount +into the clouds and leave you, and then he will ride and run till he +comes to a water brook, or knocks his head against a fountain - then +one draught, and he is himself again. So you are going to Finisterra, +Sir Cavalier. Now it is singular enough, that a cavalier much +of your appearance engaged me to conduct him there this morning. +I however lost him on the way. So it appears to me our best plan +to travel together until you find your own guide and I find my own master.<br> +<br> +It might be about two o’clock in the afternoon, that we reached +a long and ruinous bridge, seemingly of great antiquity, and which, +as I was informed by my guide, was called the bridge of Don Alonzo. +It crossed a species of creek, or rather frith, for the sea was at no +considerable distance, and the small town of Noyo lay at our right. +“When we have crossed that bridge, captain,” said my guide, +“we shall be in an unknown country, for I have never been farther +than Noyo, and as for Finisterra, so far from having been there, I never +heard of such a place; and though I have inquired of two or three people +since we have been upon this expedition, they know as little about it +as I do. Taking all things, however, into consideration, it appears +to me that the best thing we can do is to push forward to Corcuvion, +which is five mad leagues from hence, and which we may perhaps reach +ere nightfall, if we can find the way or get any one to direct us; for, +as I told you before, I know nothing about it.” “To +fine hands have I confided myself,” said I: “however, we +had best, as you say, push forward to Corcuvion, where, peradventure, +we may hear something of Finisterra, and find a guide to conduct us.” +Whereupon, with a hop, skip, and a jump, he again set forward at a rapid +pace, stopping occasionally at a choza, for the purpose, I suppose, +of making inquiries, though I understood scarcely anything of the jargon +in which he addressed the people, and in which they answered him.<br> +<br> +We were soon in an extremely wild and hilly country, scrambling up and +down ravines, wading brooks, and scratching our hands and faces with +brambles, on which grew a plentiful crop of wild mulberries, to gather +some of which we occasionally made a stop. Owing to the roughness +of the way we made no great progress. The pony followed close +at the back of the guide, so near, indeed, that its nose almost touched +his shoulder. The country grew wilder and wilder, and since we +had passed a water mill, we had lost all trace of human habitation. +The mill stood at the bottom of a valley shaded by large trees, and +its wheels were turning with a dismal and monotonous noise. “Do +you think we shall reach Corcuvion to-night?” said I to the guide, +as we emerged from this valley to a savage moor, which appeared of almost +boundless extent.<br> +<br> +<i>Guide</i>. - I do not, I do not. We shall in no manner reach +Corcuvion to-night, and I by no means like the appearance of this moor. +The sun is rapidly sinking, and then, if there come on a haze, we shall +meet the Estadéa.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What do you mean by the Estadéa?<br> +<br> +<i>Guide</i>. - What do I mean by the Estadéa? My master +asks me what I mean by the Estadinha. <a name="citation17"></a><a href="#footnote17">{17}</a> +I have met the Estadinha but once, and it was upon a moor something +like this. I was in company with several women, and a thick haze +came on, and suddenly a thousand lights shone above our heads in the +haze, and there was a wild cry, and the women fell to the ground screaming +Estadéa! Estadéa! and I myself fell to the ground +crying out Estadinha! The Estadéa are the spirits of the +dead which ride upon the haze, bearing candles in their hands. +I tell you frankly, my master, that if we meet the assembly of the souls, +I shall leave you at once, and then I shall run and run till I drown +myself in the sea, somewhere about Muros. We shall not reach Corcuvion +this night; my only hope is that we may find some choza upon these moors, +where we may hide our heads from the Estadinha.<br> +<br> +The night overtook us ere we had traversed the moor; there was, however, +no haze, to the great joy of my guide, and a corner of the moon partially +illumined our steps. Our situation, however, was dreary enough: +we were upon the wildest heath of the wildest province of Spain, ignorant +of our way, and directing our course we scarcely knew whither, for my +guide repeatedly declared to me, that he did not believe that such a +place as Finisterra existed, or if it did exist, it was some bleak mountain +pointed out in a map. When I reflected on the character of this +guide, I derived but little comfort or encouragement: he was at best +evidently half witted, and was by his own confession occasionally seized +with paroxysms which differed from madness in no essential respect; +his wild escapade in the morning of nearly three leagues, without any +apparent cause, and lastly his superstitious and frantic fears of meeting +the souls of the dead upon this heath, in which event he intended, as +he himself said, to desert me and make for the sea, operated rather +powerfully upon my nerves. I likewise considered that it was quite +possible that we might be in the route neither of Finisterra nor Corcuvion, +and I therefore determined to enter the first cabin at which we should +arrive, in preference to running the risk of breaking our necks by tumbling +down some pit or precipice. No cabin, however, appeared in sight: +the moor seemed interminable, and we wandered on until the moon disappeared, +and we were left in almost total darkness.<br> +<br> +At length we arrived at the foot of a steep ascent, up which a rough +and broken pathway appeared to lead.<br> +<br> +“Can this be our way?” said I to the guide.<br> +<br> +“There appears to be no other for us, captain,” replied +the man; “let us ascend it by all means, and when we are it the +top, if the sea be in the neighbourhood we shall see it.”<br> +<br> +I then dismounted, for to ride up such a pass in such darkness would +have been madness. We clambered up in a line, first the guide, +next the pony, with his nose as usual on his master’s shoulder, +of whom he seemed passionately fond, and I bringing up the rear, with +my left hand grasping the animal’s tail. We had many a stumble, +and more than one fall: once, indeed, we were all rolling down the side +of the hill together. In about twenty minutes we reached the summit, +and looked around us, but no sea was visible: a black moor, indistinctly +seen, seemed to spread on every side.<br> +<br> +“We shall have to take up our quarters here till morning,” +said I.<br> +<br> +Suddenly my guide seized me by the hand: “There is lume, Senhor,” +said he, “there is lume.” I looked in the direction +in which he pointed, and, after straining my eyes for some time, imagined +that I perceived, far below and at some distance, a faint glow. +“That is lume,” shouted the guide, “and it proceeds +from the chimney of a choza.”<br> +<br> +On descending the eminence, we roamed about for a considerable time, +until we at last found ourselves in the midst of about six or eight +black huts. “Knock at the door of one of these,” said +I to the guide, “and inquire of the people whether they can shelter +us for the night.” He did so, and a man presently made his +appearance, bearing in his hand a lighted firebrand.<br> +<br> +“Can you shelter a Cavalheiro from the night and the Estadéa?” +said my guide.<br> +<br> +“From both, I thank God,” said the man, who was an athletic +figure, without shoes and stockings, and who, upon the whole, put me +much in mind of a Munster peasant from the bogs. “Pray enter, +gentlemen, we can accommodate you both and your cavalgadura besides.”<br> +<br> +We entered the choza, which consisted of three compartments; in the +first we found straw, in the second cattle and ponies, and in the third +the family, consisting of the father and mother of the man who admitted +us, and his wife and children.<br> +<br> +“You are a Catalan, sir Cavalier, and are going to your countryman +at Corcuvion,” said the man in tolerable Spanish. “Ah, +you are brave people, you Catalans, and fine establishments you have +on the Gallegan shores; pity that you take all the money out of the +country.”<br> +<br> +Now, under all circumstances, I had not the slightest objection to pass +for a Catalan; and I rather rejoiced that these wild people should suppose +that I had powerful friends and countrymen in the neighbourhood who +were, perhaps, expecting me. I therefore favoured their mistake, +and began with a harsh Catalan accent to talk of the fish of Galicia, +and the high duties on salt. The eye of my guide was upon me for +an instant, with a singular expression, half serious, half droll; he +however said nothing, but slapped his thigh as usual, and with a spring +nearly touched the roof of the cabin with his grotesque head. +Upon inquiry, I discovered that we were still two long leagues distant +from Corcuvion, and that the road lay over moor and hill, and was hard +to find. Our host now demanded whether we were hungry, and upon +being answered in the affirmative, produced about a dozen eggs and some +bacon. Whilst our supper was cooking, a long conversation ensued +between my guide and the family, but as it was carried on in Gallegan, +I tried in vain to understand it. I believe, however, that it +principally related to witches and witchcraft, as the Estadéa +was frequently mentioned. After supper I demanded where I could +rest: whereupon the host pointed to a trap-door in the roof, saying +that above there was a loft where I could sleep by myself, and have +clean straw. For curiosity’s sake, I asked whether there +was such a thing as a bed in the cabin.<br> +<br> +“No,” replied the man; “nor nearer than Corcuvion. +I never entered one in my life, nor any one of my family: we sleep around +the hearth, or among the straw with the cattle.”<br> +<br> +I was too old a traveller to complain, but forthwith ascended by a ladder +into a species of loft, tolerably large and nearly empty, where I placed +my cloak beneath my head, and lay down on the boards, which I preferred +to the straw, for more reasons than one. I heard the people below +talking in Gallegan for a considerable time, and could see the gleams +of the fire through the interstices of the floor. The voices, +however, gradually died away, the fire sank low and could no longer +be distinguished. I dozed, started, dozed again, and dropped finally +into a profound sleep, from which I was only roused by the crowing of +the second cock.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXX<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Passport? - The Beach - A Mighty +Liberal - The Handmaid - The Grand Baintham - Eccentric Book - Hospitality.<br> +<br> +It was a beautiful autumnal morning when we left the choza and pursued +our way to Corcuvion. I satisfied our host by presenting him with +a couple of pesetas, and he requested as a favour, that if on our return +we passed that way, and were overtaken by the night, we would again +take up our abode beneath his roof. This I promised, at the same +time determining to do my best to guard against the contingency; as +sleeping in the loft of a Gallegan hut, though preferable to passing +the night on a moor or mountain, is anything but desirable.<br> +<br> +So we again started at a rapid pace along rough bridle-ways and footpaths, +amidst furze and brushwood. In about an hour we obtained a view +of the sea, and directed by a lad, whom we found on the moor employed +in tending a few miserable sheep, we bent our course to the north-west, +and at length reached the brow of an eminence, where we stopped for +some time to survey the prospect which opened before us.<br> +<br> +It was not without reason that the Latins gave the name of Finnisterrae +to this district. We had arrived exactly at such a place as in +my boyhood I had pictured to myself as the termination of the world, +beyond which there was a wild sea, or abyss, or chaos. I now saw +far before me an immense ocean, and below me a long and irregular line +of lofty and precipitous coast. Certainly in the whole world there +is no bolder coast than the Gallegan shore, from the debouchement of +the Minho to Cape Finisterra. It consists of a granite wall of +savage mountains, for the most part serrated at the top, and occasionally +broken, where bays and firths like those of Vigo and Pontevedra intervene, +running deep into the land. These bays and firths are invariably +of an immense depth, and sufficiently capacious to shelter the navies +of the proudest maritime nations.<br> +<br> +There is an air of stern and savage grandeur in everything around, which +strongly captivates the imagination. This savage coast is the +first glimpse of Spain which the voyager from the north catches, or +he who has ploughed his way across the wide Atlantic: and well does +it seem to realize all his visions of this strange land. “Yes,” +he exclaims, “this is indeed Spain - stern flinty Spain - land +emblematic of those spirits to which she has given birth. From +what land but that before me could have proceeded those portentous beings, +who astounded the Old World and filled the New with horror and blood: +Alba and Philip, Cortez and Pizarro: stern colossal spectres looming +through the gloom of bygone years, like yonder granite mountains through +the haze, upon the eye of the mariner. Yes, yonder is indeed Spain; +flinty, indomitable Spain; land emblematic of its sons!”<br> +<br> +As for myself, when I viewed that wide ocean and its savage shore, I +cried, “Such is the grave, and such are its terrific sides; those +moors and wilds, over which I have passed, are the rough and dreary +journey of life. Cheered with hope, we struggle along through +all the difficulties of moor, bog, and mountain, to arrive at - what? +The grave and its dreary sides. Oh, may hope not desert us in +the last hour: hope in the Redeemer and in God!”<br> +<br> +We descended from the eminence, and again lost sight of the sea amidst +ravines and dingles, amongst which patches of pine were occasionally +seen. Continuing to descend, we at last came, not to the sea, +but to the extremity of a long narrow firth, where stood a village or +hamlet; whilst at a small distance, on the Western side of the firth, +appeared one considerably larger, which was indeed almost entitled to +the appellation of town. This last was Corcuvion; the first, if +I forget not, was called Ria de Silla. We hastened on to Corcuvion, +where I bade my guide make inquiries respecting Finisterra. He +entered the door of a wine-house, from which proceeded much noise and +vociferation, and presently returned, informing me that the village +of Finisterra was distant about a league and a half. A man, evidently +in a state of intoxication, followed him to the door: “Are you +bound for Finisterra, Cavalheiros?” he shouted.<br> +<br> +“Yes, my friend,” I replied, “we are going thither.”<br> +<br> +“Then you are going amongst a flock of drunkards (<i>fato de barrachos</i>),”<i> +</i>he answered. “Take care that they do not play you a +trick.”<br> +<br> +We passed on, and striking across a sandy peninsula at the back of the +town, soon reached the shore of an immense bay, the north-westernmost +end of which was formed by the far-famed cape of Finisterra, which we +now saw before us stretching far into the sea.<br> +<br> +Along a beach of dazzling white sand, we advanced towards the cape, +the bourne of our journey. The sun was shining brightly, and every +object was illumined by his beams. The sea lay before us like +a vast mirror, and the waves which broke upon the shore were so tiny +as scarcely to produce a murmur. On we sped along the deep winding +bay, overhung by gigantic hills and mountains. Strange recollections +began to throng upon my mind. It was upon this beach that, according +to the tradition of all ancient Christendom, Saint James, the patron +saint of Spain, preached the Gospel to the heathen Spaniards. +Upon this beach had once stood an immense commercial city, the proudest +in all Spain. This now desolate bay had once resounded with the +voices of myriads, when the keels and commerce of all the then known +world were wafted to Duyo.<br> +<br> +“What is the name of this village?” said I to a woman, as +we passed by five or six ruinous houses at the bend of the bay, ere +we entered upon the peninsula of Finisterra.<br> +<br> +“This is no village,” said the Gallegan, “this is +no village, Sir Cavalier, this is a city, this is Duyo.”<br> +<br> +So much for the glory of the world! These huts were all that the +roaring sea and the tooth of time had left of Duyo, the great city! +Onward now to Finisterra.<br> +<br> +It was midday when we reached the village of Finisterra, consisting +of about one hundred houses, and built on the southern side of the peninsula, +just before it rises into the huge bluff head which is called the Cape. +We sought in vain for an inn or venta, where we might stable our beast; +at one moment we thought that we had found one, and had even tied the +animal to the manger. Upon our going out, however, he was instantly +untied and driven forth into the street. The few people whom we +saw appeared to gaze upon us in a singular manner. We, however, +took little notice of these circumstances, and proceeded along the straggling +street until we found shelter in the house of a Castilian shopkeeper, +whom some chance had brought to this corner of Galicia, - this end of +the world. Our first care was to feed the animal, who now began +to exhibit considerable symptoms of fatigue. We then requested +some refreshment for ourselves; and in about an hour a tolerably savoury +fish, weighing about three pounds, and fresh from the bay, was prepared +for us by an old woman who appeared to officiate as housekeeper. +Having finished our meal, I and my uncouth companion went forth and +prepared to ascend the mountain.<br> +<br> +We stopped to examine a small dismantled fort or battery facing the +bay; and whilst engaged in this examination, it more than once occurred +to me that we were ourselves the objects of scrutiny and investigation: +indeed I caught a glimpse of more than one countenance peering upon +us through the holes and chasms of the walls. We now commenced +ascending Finisterra; and making numerous and long detours, we wound +our way up its flinty sides. The sun had reached the top of heaven, +whence he showered upon us perpendicularly his brightest and fiercest +rays. My boots were torn, my feet cut, and the perspiration streamed +from my brow. To my guide, however, the ascent appeared to be +neither toilsome nor difficult. The heat of the day for him had +no terrors, no moisture was wrung from his tanned countenance; he drew +not one short breath; and hopped upon the stones and rocks with all +the provoking agility of a mountain goat. Before we had accomplished +one half of the ascent, I felt myself quite exhausted. I reeled +and staggered. “Cheer up, master mine, be of good cheer, +and have no care,” said the guide. “Yonder I see a +wall of stones; lie down beneath it in the shade.” He put +his long and strong arm round my waist, and though his stature compared +with mine was that of a dwarf, he supported me, as if I had been a child, +to a rude wall which seemed to traverse the greatest part of the hill, +and served probably as a kind of boundary. It was difficult to +find a shady spot: at last he perceived a small chasm, perhaps scooped +by some shepherd as a couch, in which to enjoy his siesta. In +this he laid me gently down, and taking off his enormous hat, commenced +farming me with great assiduity. By degrees I revived, and after +having rested for a considerable time, I again attempted the ascent, +which, with the assistance of my guide, I at length accomplished.<br> +<br> +We were now standing at a great altitude between two bays: the wilderness +of waters before us. Of all the ten thousand barks which annually +plough those seas in sight of that old cape, not one was to be descried. +It was a blue shiny waste, broken by no object save the black head of +a spermaceti whale, which would occasionally show itself at the top, +casting up thin jets of brine. The principal bay, that of Finisterra, +as far as the entrance, was beautifully variegated by an immense shoal +of sardinhas, on whose extreme skirts the monster was probably feasting. +From the northern side of the cape we looked down upon a smaller bay, +the shore of which was overhung by rocks of various and grotesque shapes; +this is called the outer bay, or, in the language of the country, <i>Praia +do mar de</i> <i>fora: </i>a fearful place in seasons of wind and tempest, +when the long swell of the Atlantic pouring in, is broken into surf +and foam by the sunken rocks with which it abounds. Even in the +calmest day there is a rumbling and a hollow roar in that bay which +fill the heart with uneasy sensations.<br> +<br> +On all sides there was grandeur and sublimity. After gazing from +the summit of the Cape for nearly an hour we descended.<br> +<br> +On reaching the house where we had taken up our temporary habitation, +we perceived that the portal was occupied by several men, some of whom +were reclining on the floor drinking wine out of small earthen pans, +which are much used in this part of Galicia. With a civil salutation +I passed on, and ascended the staircase to the room in which we had +taken our repast. Here there was a rude and dirty bed, on which +I flung myself, exhausted with fatigue. I determined to take a +little repose, and in the evening to call the people of the place together, +to read a few chapters of the Scripture, and then to address them with +a little Christian exhortation. I was soon asleep, but my slumbers +were by no means tranquil. I thought I was surrounded with difficulties +of various kinds amongst rocks and ravines, vainly endeavouring to extricate +myself; uncouth visages showed themselves amidst the trees and in the +hollows, thrusting out cloven tongues and uttering angry cries. +I looked around for my guide, but could not find him; methought, however, +that I heard his voice down a deep dingle. He appeared to be talking +of me. How long I might have continued in these wild dreams I +know not. I was suddenly, however, seized roughly by the shoulder +and nearly dragged from the bed. I looked up in amazement, and +by the light of the descending sun I beheld hanging over me a wild and +uncouth figure; it was that of an elderly man, built as strong as a +giant, with much beard and whiskers, and huge bushy eyebrows, dressed +in the habiliments of a fisherman; in his hand was a rusty musket.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Who are you and what do you want?<br> +<br> +<i>Figure</i>. - Who I am matters but little. Get up and follow +me; it is you I want.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - By what authority do you thus presume to interfere +with me?<br> +<br> +<i>Figure</i>. - By the authority of the justicia of Finisterra. +Follow me peaceably, Calros, or it will be the worse for you.<br> +<br> +“Calros,” said I, “what does the person mean?” +I thought it, however, most prudent to obey his command, and followed +him down the staircase. The shop and the portal were now thronged +with the inhabitants of Finisterra, men, women, and children; the latter +for the most part in a state of nudity, and with bodies wet and dripping, +having been probably summoned in haste from their gambols in the brine. +Through this crowd the figure whom I have attempted to describe pushed +his way with an air of authority.<br> +<br> +On arriving in the street, he laid his heavy hand upon my arm, not roughly +however. “It is Calros! it is Calros!” said a hundred +voices; “he has come to Finisterra at last, and the justicia have +now got hold of him.” Wondering what all this could mean, +I attended my strange conductor down the street. As we proceeded, +the crowd increased every moment, following and vociferating. +Even the sick were brought to the door to obtain a view of what was +going forward and a glance at the redoubtable Calros. I was particularly +struck by the eagerness displayed by one man, a cripple, who, in spite +of the entreaties of his wife, mixed with the crowd, and having lost +his crutch, hopped forward on one leg, exclaiming, - “<i>Carracho!</i> +<i>tambien voy yo</i>!”<br> +<br> +We at last reached a house of rather larger size than the rest; my guide +having led me into a long low room, placed me in the middle of the floor, +and then hurrying to the door, he endeavoured to repulse the crowd who +strove to enter with us. This he effected, though not without +considerable difficulty, being once or twice compelled to have recourse +to the butt of his musket, to drive back unauthorized intruders. +I now looked round the room. It was rather scantily furnished: +I could see nothing but some tubs and barrels, the mast of a boat, and +a sail or two. Seated upon the tubs were three or four men coarsely +dressed, like fishermen or shipwrights. The principal personage +was a surly ill-tempered-looking fellow of about thirty-five, whom eventually +I discovered to be the alcalde of Finisterra, and lord of the house +in which we now were. In a corner I caught a glimpse of my guide, +who was evidently in durance, two stout fishermen standing before him, +one with a musket and the other with a boat-hook. After I had +looked about me for a minute, the alcalde, giving his whiskers a twist, +thus addressed me:-<br> +<br> +“Who are you, where is your passport, and what brings you to Finisterra?”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I am an Englishman. Here is my passport, and +I came to see Finisterra.<br> +<br> +This reply seemed to discomfit them for a moment. They looked +at each other, then at my passport. At length the alcalde, striking +it with his finger, bellowed forth:<br> +<br> +“This is no Spanish passport; it appears to be written in French.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I have already told you that I am a foreigner. +I of course carry a foreign passport.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - Then you mean to assert that you are not Calros Rey.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I never heard before of such a king, nor indeed of +such a name.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - Hark to the fellow: he has the audacity to say that +he has never heard of Calros the pretender, who calls himself king.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - If you mean by Calros, the pretender Don Carlos, all +I can reply is, that you can scarcely be serious. You might as +well assert that yonder poor fellow, my guide, whom I see you have made +prisoner, is his nephew, the infante Don Sebastian.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - See, you have betrayed yourself; that is the very +person we suppose him to be.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - It is true that they are both hunchbacks. But +how can I be like Don Carlos? I have nothing the appearance of +a Spaniard, and am nearly a foot taller than the pretender.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - That makes no difference; you of course carry many +waistcoats about you, by means of which you disguise yourself, and appear +tall or low according to your pleasure.<br> +<br> +This last was so conclusive an argument that I had of course nothing +to reply to it. The alcalde looked around him in triumph, as if +he had made some notable discovery. “Yes, it is Calros; +it is Calros,” said the crowd at the door. “It will +be as well to have these men shot instantly,” continued the alcalde; +“if they are not the two pretenders, they are at any rate two +of the factious.”<br> +<br> +“I am by no means certain that they are either one or the other,” +said a gruff voice.<br> +<br> +The justicia of Finisterra turned their eyes in the direction from which +these words proceeded, and so did I. Our glances rested upon the +figure who held watch at the door. He had planted the barrel of +his musket on the floor, and was now leaning his chin against the butt.<br> +<br> +“I am by no means certain that they are either one or the other,” +repeated he, advancing forward. “I have been examining this +man,” pointing to myself, “and listening whilst he spoke, +and it appears to me that after all he may prove an Englishman; he has +their very look and voice. Who knows the English better than Antonio +de la Trava, and who has a better right? Has he not sailed in +their ships; has he not eaten their biscuit; and did he not stand by +Nelson when he was shot dead?”<br> +<br> +Here the alcalde became violently incensed. “He is no more +an Englishman than yourself,” he exclaimed; “if he were +an Englishman would he have come in this manner, skulking across the +land? Not so I trow. He would have come in a ship, recommended +to some of us, or to the Catalans. He would have come to trade, +to buy; but nobody knows him in Finisterra, nor does he know anybody: +and the first thing, moreover, that he does when he reaches this place +is to inspect the fort, and to ascend the mountain where, no doubt, +he has been marking out a camp. What brings him to Finisterra +if he is neither Calros nor a bribon of a faccioso?”<br> +<br> +I felt that there was a good deal of justice in some of these remarks, +and I was aware, for the first time, that I had, indeed, committed a +great imprudence in coming to this wild place, and among these barbarous +people, without being able to assign any motive which could appear at +all valid in their eyes. 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 contained, and +of obtaining information respecting the character and condition of the +inhabitants. He could understand no such motives. “What +did you ascend the mountain for?” “To see prospects.” +“Disparate! I have lived at Finisterra forty years and never ascended +that mountain. I would not do it in a day like this for two ounces +of gold. You went to take altitudes, and to mark out a camp.” +I had, however, a staunch friend in old Antonio, who insisted, from +his knowledge of the English, that all I had said might very possibly +be true. “The English,” said he, “have more +money than they know what to do with, and on that account they wander +all over the world, paying dearly for what no other people care a groat +for.” He then proceeded, notwithstanding the frowns of the +alcalde, to examine me in the English language. His own entire +knowledge of this tongue was confined to two words - <i>knife</i> and +<i>fork</i>, which words I rendered into Spanish by their equivalents, +and was forthwith pronounced an Englishman by the old fellow, who, brandishing +his musket, exclaimed:-<br> +<br> +“This man is not Calros; he is what he declares himself to be, +an Englishman, and whosoever seeks to injure him, shall have to do with +Antonio de la Trava el valiente de Finisterra.” No person +sought to impugn this verdict, and it was at length determined that +I should be sent to Corcuvion, to be examined by the alcalde mayor of +the district. “But,” said the alcalde of Finisterra, +“what is to be done with the other fellow? He at least is +no Englishman. Bring him forward, and let us hear what he has +to say for himself. Now, fellow, who are you, and what is your +master?”<br> +<br> +<i>Guide</i>. - I am Sebastianillo, a poor broken mariner of Padron, +and my master for the present is the gentleman whom you see, the most +valiant and wealthy of all the English. He has two ships at Vigo +laden with riches. I told you so when you first seized me up there +in our posada.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - Where is your passport?<br> +<br> +<i>Guide</i>. - I have no passport. Who would think of bringing +a passport to such a place as this, where I don’t suppose there +are two individuals who can read? I have no passport; my master’s +passport of course includes me.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - It does not. And since you have no passport, +and have confessed that your name is Sebastian, you shall be shot. +Antonio de la Trava, do you and the musketeers lead this Sebastianillo +forth, and shoot him before the door.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio de la Trava</i>. - With much pleasure, Señor Alcalde, +since you order it. With respect to this fellow, I shall not trouble +myself to interfere. He at least is no Englishman. He has +more the look of a wizard or nuveiro; one of those devils who raise +storms and sink launches. Moreover, he says he is from Padron, +and those of that place are all thieves and drunkards. They once +played me a trick, and I would gladly be at the shooting of the whole +pueblo.<br> +<br> +I now interfered, and said that if they shot the guide they must shoot +me too; expatiating at the same time on the cruelty and barbarity of +taking away the life of a poor unfortunate fellow who, as might be seen +at the first glance, was only half witted; adding, moreover, that if +any person was guilty in this case it was myself, as the other could +only be considered in the light of a servant acting under my orders.<br> +<br> +“The safest plan after all,” said the alcalde, “appears +to be, to send you both prisoners to Corcuvion, where the head alcalde +can dispose of you as he thinks proper. You must, however, pay +for your escort; 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 town.” +“As for that matter,” said Antonio, “I will take charge +of them both. I am the valiente of Finisterra, and fear no two +men living. Moreover, I am sure that the captain here will make +it worth my while, else he is no Englishman. Therefore let us +be quick and set out for Corcuvion at once, as it is getting late. +First of all, however, captain, I must search you and your baggage. +You have no arms, of course? But it is best to make all sure.”<br> +<br> +Long ere it was dark I found myself again on the pony, in company with +my guide, wending our way along the beach in the direction of Corcuvion. +Antonio de la Trava tramped heavily on before, his musket on his shoulder.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Are you not afraid, Antonio, to be thus alone with +two prisoners, one of whom is on horseback? If we were to try, +I think we could overpower you.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio de la Trava</i>. - I am the valiente do Finisterra, and I +fear no odds.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Why do you call yourself the valiente of Finisterra?<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio de la Trava</i>. - The whole district call me so. When +the French came to Finisterra, and demolished the fort, three perished +by my hand. I stood on the mountain, up where I saw you scrambling +to-day. I continued firing at the enemy, until three detached +themselves in pursuit of me. The fools! two perished amongst the +rocks by the fire of this musket, and as for the third, I beat his head +to pieces with the stock. It is on that account that they call +me the valiente of Finisterra.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - How came you to serve with the English fleet? +I think I heard you say that you were present when Nelson fell.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio de la Trava</i>. - I was captured by your countrymen, captain; +and as I had been a sailor from my childhood, they were glad of my services. +I was nine months with them, and assisted at Trafalgar. I saw +the English admiral die. You have something of his face, and your +voice, when you spoke, sounded in my ears like his own. I love +the English, and on that account I saved you. Think not that I +would toil along these sands with you if you were one of my own countrymen. +Here we are at Duyo, captain. Shall we refresh?<br> +<br> +We did refresh, or rather Antonio de la Trava refreshed, swallowing +pan after pan of wine, with a thirst which seemed unquenchable. +“That man was a greater wizard than myself,” whispered Sebastian, +my guide, “who told us that the drunkards of Finisterra would +play us a trick.” At length the old hero of the Cape slowly +rose, saying, that we must hasten on to Corcuvion, or the night would +overtake us by the way.<br> +<br> +“What kind of person is the alcalde to whom you are conducting +me?” said I.<br> +<br> +“Oh, very different from him of Finisterra,” replied Antonio. +“This is a young Señorito, lately arrived from Madrid. +He is not even a Gallegan. He is a mighty liberal, and it is owing +chiefly to his orders that we have lately been so much on the alert. +It is said that the Carlists are meditating a descent on these parts +of Galicia. Let them only come to Finisterra, we are liberals +there to a man, and the old valiente is ready to play the same part +as in the time of the French. But, as I was telling you before, +the alcalde to whom I am conducting you is a young man, and very learned, +and if he thinks proper, he can speak English to you, even better than +myself, notwithstanding I was a friend of Nelson, and fought by his +side at Trafalgar.”<br> +<br> +It was dark night before we reached Corcuvion. Antonio again stopped +to refresh at a wine-shop, after which he conducted us to the house +of the alcalde. His steps were by this time not particularly steady, +and on arriving at the gate of the house, he stumbled over the threshold +and fell. He got up with an oath, and instantly commenced thundering +at the door with the stock of his musket. “Who is it?” +at length demanded a soft female voice in Gallegan. “The +valiente of Finisterra,” replied Antonio; whereupon the gate was +unlocked, and we beheld before us a very pretty female with a candle +in her hand. “What brings you here so late, Antonio?” +she inquired. “I bring two prisoners, mi pulida,” +replied Antonio. “Ave Maria!” she exclaimed, “I +hope they will do no harm.” “I will answer for one,” +replied the old man; “but, as for the other, he is a nuveiro, +and has sunk more ships than all his brethren in Galicia. But +be not afraid, my beauty,” he continued, as the female made the +sign of the cross: “first lock the gate, and then show me the +way to the alcalde. I have much to tell him.” The +gate was locked, and bidding us stay below in the courtyard, Antonio +followed the young woman up a stone stair, whilst we remained in darkness +below.<br> +<br> +After the lapse of about a quarter of an hour we again saw the candle +gleam upon the staircase, and the young female appeared. Coming +up to me, she advanced the candle to my features, on which she gazed +very intently. After a long scrutiny she went to my guide, and +having surveyed him still more fixedly, she turned to me, and said, +in her best Spanish, “Senhor Cavalier, I congratulate you on your +servant. He is the best-looking mozo in all Galicia. Vaya! +if he had but a coat to his back, and did not go barefoot, I would accept +him at once as a novio; but I have unfortunately made a vow never to +marry a poor man, but only one who has got a heavy purse and can buy +me fine clothes. So you are a Carlist, I suppose? Vaya! +I do not like you the worse for that. But, being so, how went +you to Finisterra, where they are all Christinos and negros? Why +did you not go to my village? None would have meddled with you +there. Those of my village are of a different stamp to the drunkards +of Finisterra. Those of my village never interfere with honest +people. Vaya! how I hate that drunkard of Finisterra who brought +you, he is so old and ugly; were it not for the love which I bear to +the Senhor Alcalde, I would at once unlock the gate and bid you go forth, +you and your servant, the buen mozo.”<br> +<br> +Antonio now descended. “Follow me,” said he; “his +worship the alcalde will be ready to receive you in a moment.” +Sebastian and myself followed him upstairs to a room where, seated behind +a table, we beheld a young man of low stature but handsome features +and very fashionably dressed. He appeared to be inditing a letter, +which, when he had concluded, he delivered to a secretary to be transcribed. +He then looked at me for a moment fixedly, and the following conversation +ensued between us:-<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - I see that you are an Englishman, and my friend Antonio +here informs me that you have been arrested at Finisterra.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - He tells you true; and but for him I believe that I +should have fallen by the hands of those savage fishermen.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - The inhabitants of Finisterra are brave, and are all +liberals. Allow me to look at your passport? Yes, all in +form. Truly it was very ridiculous that they should have arrested +you as a Carlist.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Not only as a Carlist, but as Don Carlos himself.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - Oh! most ridiculous; mistake a countryman of the grand +Baintham for such a Goth!<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Excuse me, Sir, you speak of the grand somebody.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - The grand Baintham. He who has invented laws +for all the world. I hope shortly to see them adopted in this +unhappy country of ours.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Oh! you mean Jeremy Bentham. Yes! a very remarkable +man in his way.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - In his way! In all ways. The most universal +genius which the world ever produced:- a Solon, a Plato, and a Lope +de Vega.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I have never read his writings. I have no doubt +that he was a Solon; and as you say, a Plato. I should scarcely +have thought, however, that he could be ranked as a poet with Lope de +Vega.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - How surprising! I see, indeed, that you know +nothing of his writings, though an Englishman. Now, here am I, +a simple alcalde of Galicia, yet I possess all the writings of Baintham +on that shelf, and I study them day and night.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - You doubtless, Sir, possess the English Language.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - I do. I mean that part of it which is contained +in the writings of Baintham. I am most truly glad to see a countryman +of his in these Gothic wildernesses. I understand and appreciate +your motives for visiting them: excuse the incivility and rudeness which +you have experienced. But we will endeavour to make you reparation. +You are this moment free: but it is late; I must find you a lodging +for the night. I know one close by which will just suit you. +Let us repair thither this moment. Stay, I think I see a book +in your hand.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - The New Testament.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - What book is that?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - A portion of the sacred writings, the Bible.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - Why do you carry such a book with you?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - One of my principal motives in visiting Finisterra +was to carry this book to that wild place.<br> +<br> +<i>Alcalde</i>. - Ha, ha! how very singular. Yes, I remember. +I have heard that the English highly prize this eccentric book. +How very singular that the countrymen of the grand Baintham should set +any value upon that old monkish book.<br> +<br> +It was now late at night, and my new friend attended me to the lodging +which he had destined for me, and which was at the house of a respectable +old female, where I found a clean and comfortable room. On the +way I slipped a gratuity into the hand of Antonio, and on my arrival, +formally, and in the presence of the alcalde, presented him with the +Testament, which I requested he would carry back to Finisterra, and +keep in remembrance of the Englishman in whose behalf he had so effectually +interposed.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - I will do so, your worship; and when the winds blow +from the north-west, preventing our launches from putting to sea, I +will read your present. Farewell, my captain, and when you next +come to Finisterra I hope it will be in a valiant English bark, with +plenty of contrabando on board, and not across the country on a pony, +in company with nuveiros and men of Padron.<br> +<br> +Presently arrived the handmaid of the alcalde with a basket, which she +took into the kitchen, where she prepared an excellent supper for her +master’s friend. On its being served up the alcalde bade +me farewell, having first demanded whether he could in any way forward +my plans.<br> +<br> +“I return to Saint James to-morrow,” I replied, “and +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 Corcuvion.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Coruna - Crossing the Bay - Ferrol - The Dockyard - Where are we now? +- Greek Ambassador - Lantern-light - The Ravine - Viveiro - Evening +- Marsh and Quagmire - Fair Words and Fair Money - The Leathern Girth +- Eyes of Lynx - The Knavish Guide.<br> +<br> +From Corcuvion I returned to Saint James and Coruña, and now +began to make preparation for directing my course to the Asturias. +In the first place I parted with my Andalusian horse, which I considered +unfit for the long and mountainous journey I was about to undertake; +his constitution having become much debilitated from his Gallegan travels. +Owing to horses being exceedingly scarce at Coruña, I had no +difficulty in disposing of him at a far higher price than he originally +cost me. A young and wealthy merchant of Coruña, who was +a national guardsman, became enamoured of his glossy skin and long mane +and tail. For my own part, I was glad to part with him for more +reasons than one; he was both vicious and savage, and was continually +getting me into scrapes in the stables of the posadas where we slept +or baited. An old Castilian peasant, whose pony he had maltreated, +once said to me, “Sir Cavalier, if you have any love or respect +for yourself, get rid I beseech you of that beast, who is capable of +proving the ruin of a kingdom.” So I left him behind at +Coruña, where I subsequently learned that he became glandered +and died. Peace to his memory!<br> +<br> +From Coruña I crossed the bay to Ferrol, whilst Antonio with +our remaining horse followed by land, a rather toilsome and circuitous +journey, although the distance by water is scarcely three leagues. +I was very sea-sick during the passage, and lay almost senseless at +the bottom of the small launch in which I had embarked, and which was +crowded with people. The wind was adverse, and the water rough. +We could make no sail, but were impelled along by the oars of five or +six stout mariners, who sang all the while Gallegan ditties. Suddenly +the sea appeared to have become quite smooth, and my sickness at once +deserted me. I rose upon my feet and looked around. We were +in one of the strangest places imaginable. A long and narrow passage +overhung on either side by a stupendous barrier of black and threatening +rocks. The line of the coast was here divided by a natural cleft, +yet so straight and regular that it seemed not the work of chance but +design. The water was dark and sullen, and of immense depth. +This passage, which is about a mile in length, is the entrance to a +broad basin, at whose farther extremity stands the town of Ferrol.<br> +<br> +Sadness came upon me as soon as I entered this place. Grass was +growing in the streets, and misery and distress stared me in the face +on every side. Ferrol is the grand naval arsenal of Spain, and +has shared in the ruin of the once splendid Spanish navy: it is no longer +thronged with those thousand shipwrights who prepared for sea the tremendous +three-deckers and long frigates, the greater part of which were destroyed +at Trafalgar. Only a few ill-paid and half-starved workmen still +linger about, scarcely sufficient to repair any guarda costa which may +put in dismantled by the fire of some English smuggling schooner from +Gibraltar. Half the inhabitants of Ferrol beg their bread; and +amongst these, as it is said, are not unfrequently found retired naval +officers, many of them maimed or otherwise wounded, who are left to +pine in indigence; their pensions or salaries having been allowed to +run three or four years in arrear, owing to the exigencies of the times. +A crowd of importunate beggars followed me to the posada, and even attempted +to penetrate to the apartment to which I was conducted. “Who +are you?” said I to a woman who flung herself at my feet, and +who bore in her countenance evident marks of former gentility. +“A widow, sir,” she replied, in very good French; “a +widow of a brave officer, once admiral of this port.” The +misery and degradation of modern Spain are nowhere so strikingly manifested +as at Ferrol.<br> +<br> +Yet even here there is still much to admire. Notwithstanding its +present state of desolation, it contains some good streets, and abounds +with handsome houses. The alameda is planted with nearly a thousand +elms, of which almost all are magnificent trees, and the poor Ferrolese, +with the genuine spirit of localism so prevalent in Spain, boast that +their town contains a better public walk than Madrid, of whose prado, +when they compare the two, they speak in terms of unmitigated contempt. +At one end of this alameda stands the church, the only one in Ferrol. +To this church I repaired the day after my arrival, which was Sunday. +I found it quite insufficient to contain the number of worshippers who, +chiefly from the country, not only crowded the interior, but, bare-headed, +were upon their knees before the door to a considerable distance down +the walk.<br> +<br> +Parallel with the alameda extends the wall of the naval arsenal and +dock. I spent several hours in walking about these places, to +visit which it is necessary to procure a written permission from the +captain-general of Ferrol. They filled me with astonishment. +I have seen the royal dockyards of Russia and England, but for grandeur +of design and costliness of execution, they cannot for a moment compare +with these wonderful monuments of the bygone naval pomp of Spain. +I shall not attempt to describe them, but content myself with observing, +that the oblong basin, which is surrounded with a granite mole, is capacious +enough to permit a hundred first-rates to lie conveniently in ordinary: +but instead of such a force, I saw only a sixty-gun frigate and two +brigs lying in this basin, and to this inconsiderable number of vessels +is the present war marine of Spain reduced.<br> +<br> +I waited for the arrival of Antonio two or three days at Ferrol, and +still he came not: late one evening, however, as I was looking down +the street, I perceived him advancing, leading our only horse by the +bridle. He informed me that, at about three leagues from Coruña, +the heat of the weather and the flies had so distressed the animal that +it had fallen down in a kind of fit, from which it had been only relieved +by copious bleeding, on which account he had been compelled to halt +for a day upon the road. The horse was evidently in a very feeble +state; and had a strange rattling in its throat, which alarmed me it +first. I however administered some remedies, and in a few days +deemed him sufficiently recovered to proceed.<br> +<br> +We accordingly started from Ferrol; having first hired a pony for myself, +and a guide who was to attend us as far as Rivadeo, twenty leagues from +Ferrol, and on the confines of the Asturias. The day at first +was fine, but ere we reached Novales, a distance of three leagues, the +sky became overcast, and a mist descended, accompanied by a drizzling +rain. The country through which we passed was very picturesque. +At about two in the afternoon we could descry through the mist the small +fishing town of Santa Marta on our left, with its beautiful bay. +Travelling along the summit of a line of hills, we presently entered +a chestnut forest, which appeared to be without limit: the rain still +descended, and kept up a ceaseless pattering among the broad green leaves. +“This is the commencement of the autumnal rains,” said the +guide. “Many is the wetting that you will get, my masters, +before you reach Oviedo.” “Have you ever been as far +as Oviedo?” I demanded. “No,” he replied, “and +once only to Rivadeo, the place to which I am now conducting you, and +I tell you frankly that we shall soon be in wildernesses where the way +is hard to find, especially at night, and amidst rain and waters. +I wish I were fairly back to Ferrol, for I like not this route, which +is the worst in Galicia, in more respects than one; but where my master’s +pony goes, there must I go too; such is the life of us guides.” +I shrugged my shoulders at this intelligence, which was by no means +cheering, but made no answer. At length, about nightfall, we emerged +from the forest, and presently descended into a deep valley at the foot +of lofty hills.<br> +<br> +“Where are we now?” I demanded of the guide, as we crossed +a rude bridge at the bottom of the valley, down which a rivulet swollen +by the rain foamed and roared. “In the valley of Coisa doiro,” +he replied; “and it is my advice that we stay here for the night, +and do not venture among those hills, through which lies the path to +Viveiro; for as soon as we get there, adios! I shall be bewildered, +which will prove the destruction of us all.” “Is there +a village nigh?” “Yes, the village is right before +us, and we shall be there in a moment.” We soon reached +the village, which stood amongst some tall trees at the entrance of +a pass which led up amongst the hills. Antonio dismounted and +entered two or three of the cabins, but presently came to me, saying, +“We cannot stay here, mon maître, without being devoured +by vermin; we had better be amongst the hills than in this place; there +is neither fire nor light in these cabins, and the rain is streaming +through the roofs.” The guide, however, refused to proceed: +“I could scarcely find my way amongst those hills by daylight,” +he cried, surlily, “much less at night, midst storm and bretima.” +We procured some wine and maize bread from one of the cottages. +Whilst we were partaking of these, Antonio said, “Mon maître, +the best thing we can do in our present situation, is to hire some fellow +of this village to conduct us through the hills to Viveiro. There +are no beds in this place, and if we lie down in the litter in our damp +clothes we shall catch a tertian of Galicia. Our present guide +is of no service, we must therefore find another to do his duty.” +Without waiting for a reply, he flung down the crust of broa which he +was munching and disappeared. I subsequently learned that he went +to the cottage of the alcalde, and demanded, in the Queen’s name, +a guide for the Greek ambassador, who was benighted on his way to the +Asturias. In about ten minutes I again saw him, attended by the +local functionary, who, to my surprise, made me a profound bow, and +stood bare-headed in the rain. “His excellency,” shouted +Antonio, “is in need of a guide to Viveiro. People of our +description are not compelled to pay for any service which they may +require; however, as his excellency has bowels of compassion, he is +willing to give three pesetas to any competent person who will accompany +him to Viveiro, and as much bread and wine as he can eat and drink on +his arrival.” “His excellency shall be served,” +said the alcalde; “however, as the way is long and the path is +bad, and there is much bretima amongst the hills, it appears to me that, +besides the bread and wine, his excellency can do no less than offer +four pesetas to the guide who may be willing to accompany him to Viveiro; +and I know no one better than my own son-in-law, Juanito.” +“Content, señor alcalde,” I replied; “produce +the guide, and the extra peseta shall be forthcoming in due season.”<br> +<br> +Soon appeared Juanito with a lantern in his hand. We instantly +set forward. The two guides began conversing in Gallegan. +“Mon maître,” said Antonio, “this new scoundrel +is asking the old one what he thinks we have got in our portmanteaus.” +Then, without awaiting my answer, he shouted, “Pistols, ye barbarians! +Pistols, as ye shall learn to your cost, if you do not cease speaking +in that gibberish and converse in Castilian.” The Gallegans +were silent, and presently the first guide dropped behind, whilst the +other with the lantern moved before. “Keep in the rear,” +said Antonio to the former, “and at a distance: know one thing +moreover, that I can see behind as well as before. Mon maître,” +said he to me, “I don’t suppose these fellows will attempt +to do us any harm, more especially as they do not know each other; it +is well, however, to separate them, for this is a time and place which +might tempt any one to commit robbery and murder too.”<br> +<br> +The rain still continued to fall uninterruptedly, the path was rugged +and precipitous, and the night was so dark that we could only see indistinctly +the hills which surrounded us. Once or twice our guide seemed +to have lost his way: he stopped, muttered to himself, raised his lantern +on high, and would then walk slowly and hesitatingly forward. +In this manner we proceeded for three or four hours, when I asked the +guide how far we were from Viveiro. “I do not know exactly +where we are, your worship,” he replied, “though I believe +we are in the route. We can scarcely, however, be less than two +mad leagues from Viveiro.” “Then we shall not arrive +there before morning,” interrupted Antonio, “for a mad league +of Galicia means at least two of Castile; and perhaps we are doomed +never to arrive there, if the way thither leads down this precipice.” +As he spoke, the guide seemed to descend into the bowels of the earth. +“Stop,” said I, “where are you going?” +“To Viveiro, Senhor,” replied the fellow; “this is +the way to Viveiro, there is no other; I now know where we are.” +The light of the lantern shone upon the dark red features of the guide, +who had turned round to reply, as he stood some yards down the side +of a dingle or ravine overgrown with thick trees, beneath whose leafy +branches a frightfully steep path descended. I dismounted from +the pony, and delivering the bridle to the other guide, said, “Here +is your master’s horse, if you please you may load him down that +abyss, but as for myself I wash my hands of the matter.” +The fellow, without a word of reply, vaulted into the saddle, and with +<i>a vamos, Perico</i>! to the pony, impelled the creature to the descent. +“Come, Senhor,” said he with the lantern, “there is +no time to be lost, my light will be presently extinguished, and this +is the worst bit in the whole road.” I thought it very probable +that he was about to lead us to some den of cut-throats, where we might +be sacrificed; but taking courage, I seized our own horse by the bridle, +and followed the fellow down the ravine amidst rocks and brambles. +The descent lasted nearly ten minutes, and ere we had entirely accomplished +it, the light in the lantern went out, and we remained in nearly total +darkness.<br> +<br> +Encouraged, however, by the guide, who assured us there was no danger, +we at length reached the bottom of the ravine; here we encountered a +rill of water, through which we were compelled to wade as high as the +knee. In the midst of the water I looked up and caught a glimpse +of the heavens through the branches of the trees, which all around clothed +the shelving sides of the ravine and completely embowered the channel +of the stream: to a place more strange and replete with gloom and horror +no benighted traveller ever found his way. After a short pause +we commenced scaling the opposite bank, which we did not find so steep +as the other, and a few minutes’ exertion brought us to the top.<br> +<br> +Shortly afterwards the rain abated, and the moon arising cast a dim +light through the watery mists; the way had become less precipitous, +and in about two hours we descended to the shore of an extensive creek, +along which we proceeded till we reached a spot where many boats and +barges lay with their keels upward upon the sand. Presently we +beheld before us the walls of Viveiro, upon which the moon was shedding +its sickly lustre. We entered by a lofty and seemingly ruinous +archway, and the guide conducted us at once to the posada.<br> +<br> +Every person in Viveiro appeared to be buried in profound slumber; not +so much as a dog saluted us with his bark. After much knocking +we were admitted into the posada, a large and dilapidated edifice. +We had scarcely housed ourselves and horses when the rain began to fall +with yet more violence than before, attended with much thunder and lightning. +Antonio and I, exhausted with fatigue, betook ourselves to flock beds +in a ruinous chamber, into which the rain penetrated through many a +cranny, whilst the guides ate bread and drank wine till the morning.<br> +<br> +When I arose I was gladdened by the sight of a fine day. Antonio +forthwith prepared a savoury breakfast of stewed fowl, of which we stood +in much need after the ten league journey of the preceding day over +the ways which I have attempted to describe. I then walked out +to view the town, which consists of little more than one long street, +on the side of a steep mountain thickly clad with forests and fruit +trees. At about ten we continued our journey, accompanied by our +first guide, the other having returned to Coisa doiro some hours previously.<br> +<br> +Our route throughout this day was almost constantly within sight of +the shores of the Cantabrian sea, whose windings we followed. +The country was barren, and in many parts covered with huge stones: +cultivated spots, however, were to be seen, where vines were growing. +We met with but few human habitations. We however journeyed on +cheerfully, for the sun was once more shining in full brightness, gilding +the wild moors, and shining upon the waters of the distant sea, which +lay in unruffled calmness.<br> +<br> +At evening fall we were in the neighbourhood of the shore, with a range +of wood-covered hills on our right. Our guide led us towards a +creek bordered by a marsh, but he soon stopped and declared that he +did not know whither he was conducting us.<br> +<br> +“Mon maitre,” said Antonio, “let us be our own guides; +it is, as you see, of no use to depend upon this fellow, whose whole +science consists in leading people into quagmires.”<br> +<br> +We therefore turned aside and proceeded along the marsh for a considerable +distance, till we reached a narrow path which led us into a thick wood, +where we soon became completely bewildered. On a sudden, after +wandering about a considerable time, we heard the noise of water, and +presently the clack of a wheel. Following the sound, we arrived +at a low stone mill, built over a brook; here we stopped and shouted, +but no answer was returned. “The place is deserted,” +said Antonio; “here, however, is a path, which, if we follow it, +will doubtless lead us to some human habitation.” So we +went along the path, which, in about ten minutes, brought us to the +door of a cabin, in which we saw lights. Antonio dismounted and +opened the door: “Is there any one here who can conduct us to +Rivadeo?” he demanded.<br> +<br> +“Senhor,” answered a voice, “Rivadeo is more than +five leagues from here, and, moreover, there is a river to cross!”<br> +<br> +“Then to the next village,” continued Antonio.<br> +<br> +“I am a vecino of the next village, which is on the way to Rivadeo,” +said another voice, “and I will lead you thither, if you will +give me fair words, and, what is better, fair money.”<br> +<br> +A man now came forth, holding in his hand a large stick. He strode +sturdily before us, and in less than half an hour led us out of the +wood. In another half hour he brought us to a group of cabins +situated near the sea; he pointed to one of these, and having received +a peseta, bade us farewell.<br> +<br> +The people of the cottage willingly consented to receive us for the +night: it was much more cleanly and commodious than the wretched huts +of the Gallegan peasantry in general. The ground floor consisted +of a keeping room and stable, whilst above was a long loft, in which +were some neat and comfortable flock beds. I observed several +masts and sails of boats. The family consisted of two brothers +with their wives and families; one was a fisherman, but the other, who +appeared to be the principal person, informed me that he had resided +for many years in service at Madrid, and having amassed a small sum, +he had at length returned to his native village, where he had purchased +some land which he farmed. All the family used the Castilian language +in their common discourse, and on inquiry I learned that the Gallegan +was not much spoken in that neighbourhood. I have forgotten the +name of this village, which is situated on the estuary of the Foz, which +rolls down from Mondonedo. In the morning we crossed this estuary +in a large boat with our horses, and about noon arrived at Rivadeo.<br> +<br> +“Now, your worship,” said the guide who had accompanied +us from Ferrol, “I have brought you as far as I bargained, and +a hard journey it has been; I therefore hope you will suffer Perico +and myself to remain here to-night at your expense, and to-morrow we +will go back; at present we are both sorely tired.”<br> +<br> +“I never mounted a better pony than Perico,” said I, “and +never met with a worse guide than yourself. You appear to be perfectly +ignorant of the country, and have done nothing but bring us into difficulties. +You may, however, stay here for the night, as you say you are tired, +and to-morrow you may return to Ferrol, where I counsel you to adopt +some other trade.” This was said at the door of the posada +of Rivadeo.<br> +<br> +“Shall I lead the horses to a stable?” said the fellow.<br> +<br> +“As you please,” said I.<br> +<br> +Antonio looked after him for a moment, as he was leading the animals +away, and then shaking his head followed slowly after. In about +a quarter of an hour he returned, laden with the furniture of our own +horse, and with a smile upon his countenance: “Mon maître,” +said he, “I have throughout the journey had a bad opinion of this +fellow, and now I have detected him: his motive in requesting permission +to stay, was a desire to purloin something from us. He was very +officious in the stable about our horse, and I now miss the new leathern +girth which secured the saddle, and which I observed him looking at +frequently on the road. He has by this time doubtless hid it somewhere; +we are quite secure of him, however, for he has not yet received the +hire for the pony, nor the gratuity for himself.”<br> +<br> +The guide returned just as he had concluded speaking. Dishonesty +is always suspicious. The fellow cast a glance upon us, and probably +beholding in our countenances something which he did not like, he suddenly +said, “Give me the horse-hire and my own propina, for Perico and +I wish to be off instantly.”<br> +<br> +“How is this?” said I; “I thought you and Perico were +both fatigued, and wished to rest here for the night; you have soon +recovered from your weariness.”<br> +<br> +“I have thought over the matter,” said the fellow, “and +my master will be angry if I loiter here: pay us, therefore, and let +us go.”<br> +<br> +“Certainly,” said I, “if you wish it. Is the +horse furniture all right?”<br> +<br> +“Quite so,” said he; “I delivered it all to your servant.”<br> +<br> +“It is all here,” said Antonio, “with the exception +of the leathern girth.”<br> +<br> +“I have not got it,” said the guide.<br> +<br> +“Of course not,” said I. “Let us proceed to +the stable, we shall perhaps find it there.”<br> +<br> +To the stable we went, which we searched through: no girth, however, +was forthcoming. “He has got it buckled round his middle +beneath his pantaloons, mon maître,” said Antonio, whose +eyes were moving about like those of a lynx; “I saw the protuberance +as he stooped down. However, let us take no notice: he is here +surrounded by his countrymen, who, if we were to seize him, might perhaps +take his part. As I said before, he is in our power, as we have +not paid him.”<br> +<br> +The fellow now began to talk in Gallegan to the by-standers (several +persons having collected), wishing the Denho to take him if he knew +anything of the missing property. Nobody, however, seemed inclined +to take his part; and those who listened, only shrugged their shoulders. +We returned to the portal of the posada, the fellow following us, clamouring +for the horse-hire and propina. We made him no answer, and at +length he went away, threatening to apply to the justicia; in about +ten minutes, however, he came running back with the girth in his hand: +“I have just found it,” said he, “in the street: your +servant dropped it.”<br> +<br> +I took the leather and proceeded very deliberately to count out the +sum to which the horse-hire amounted, and having delivered it to him +in the presence of witnesses, I said, “During the whole journey +you have been of no service to us whatever; nevertheless, you have fared +like ourselves, and have had all you could desire to eat and drink. +I intended, on your leaving us, to present you, moreover, with a propina +of two dollars; but since, notwithstanding our kind treatment, you endeavoured +to pillage us, I will not give you a cuarto: go, therefore, about your +business.”<br> +<br> +All the audience expressed their satisfaction at this sentence, and +told him that he had been rightly served, and that he was a disgrace +to Galicia. Two or three women crossed themselves, and asked him +if he was not afraid that the Denho, whom he had invoked, would take +him away. At last, a respectable-looking man said to him: “Are +you not ashamed to have attempted to rob two innocent strangers?”<br> +<br> +“Strangers!” roared the fellow, who was by this time foaming +with rage; “Innocent strangers, carracho! they know more of Spain +and Galicia too than the whole of us. Oh, Denho, that servant +is no man but a wizard, a nuveiro. - Where is Perico?”<br> +<br> +He mounted Perico, and proceeded forthwith to another posada. +The tale, however, of his dishonesty had gone before him, and no person +would house him; whereupon he returned on his steps, and seeing me looking +out of the window of the house, he gave a savage shout, and shaking +his fist at me, galloped out of the town, the people pursuing him with +hootings and revilings.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Martin of Rivadeo - The Factious Mare - Asturians - Luarca - The Seven +Bellotas - Hermits - The Asturian’s Tale - Strange Guests - The +Big Servant - Batuschca<br> +<br> +“What may your business be?” said I to a short, thick, merry-faced +fellow in a velveteen jerkin and canvas pantaloons, who made his way +into my apartment, in the dusk of the evening.<br> +<br> +“I am Martin of Rivadeo, your worship,” replied the man, +“an alquilador by profession; I am told that you want a horse +for your journey into the Asturias to-morrow, and of course a guide: +now, if that be the case, I counsel you to hire myself and mare.”<br> +<br> +“I am become tired of guides,” I replied; “so much +so that I was thinking of purchasing a pony, and proceeding without +any guide at all. The last which we had was an infamous character.”<br> +<br> +“So I have been told, your worship, and it was well for the bribon +that I was not in Rivadeo when the affair to which you allude occurred. +But he was gone with the pony Perico before I came back, or I would +have bled the fellow to a certainty with my knife. He is a disgrace +to the profession, which is one of the most honourable and ancient in +the world. Perico himself must have been ashamed of him, for Perico, +though a pony, is a gentleman, one of many capacities, and well known +upon the roads. He is only inferior to my mare.”<br> +<br> +“Are you well acquainted with the road to Oviedo?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“I am not, your worship; that is, no farther than Luarca, which +is the first day’s journey. I do not wish to deceive you, +therefore let me go with you no farther than that place; though perhaps +I might serve for the whole journey, for though I am unacquainted with +the country, I have a tongue in my head, and nimble feet to run and +ask questions. I will, however, answer for myself no farther than +Luarca, where you can please yourselves. Your being strangers +is what makes me wish to accompany you, for I like the conversation +of strangers, from whom I am sure to gain information both entertaining +and profitable. I wish, moreover, to convince you that we guides +of Galicia are not all thieves, which I am sure you will not suppose +if you only permit me to accompany you as far as Luarca.”<br> +<br> +I was so much struck with the fellow’s good humour and frankness, +and more especially by the originality of character displayed in almost +every sentence which he uttered, that I readily engaged him to guide +us to Luarca; whereupon he left me, promising to be ready with his mare +at eight next morning.<br> +<br> +Rivadeo is one of the principal seaports of Galicia, and is admirably +situated for commerce, on a deep firth, into which the river Mirando +debouches. It contains many magnificent buildings, and an extensive +square or plaza, which is planted with trees. I observed several +vessels in the harbour; and the population, which is rather numerous, +exhibited none of those marks of misery and dejection which I had lately +observed among the Ferrolese.<br> +<br> +On the morrow Martin of Rivadeo made his appearance at the appointed +hour with his mare. It was a lean haggard animal, not much larger +than a pony; it had good points, however, and was very clean in its +hinder legs, and Martin insisted that it was the best animal of its +kind in all Spain. “It is a factious mare,” said he, +“and I believe an Alavese. When the Carlists came here it +fell lame, and they left it behind, and I purchased it for a dollar. +It is not lame now, however, as you shall soon see.”<br> +<br> +We had now reached the firth which divides Galicia from the Asturias. +A kind of barge was lying about two yards from the side of the quay, +waiting to take us over. Towards this Martin led his mare, and +giving an encouraging shout, the creature without any hesitation sprang +over the intervening space into the barge. “I told you she +was a facciosa,” said Martin; “none but a factious animal +would have taken such a leap.”<br> +<br> +We all embarked in the barge and crossed over the firth, which is in +this place nearly a mile broad, to Castro Pol, the first town in the +Asturias. I now mounted the factious mare, whilst Antonio followed +on my own horse. Martin led the way, exchanging jests with every +person whom he met on the road, and occasionally enlivening the way +with an extemporaneous song.<br> +<br> +We were now in the Asturias, and about noon we reached Navias, a small +fishing town, situate on a ria or firth; in the neighbourhood are ragged +mountains, called the Sierra de Buron, which stand in the shape of a +semi-circle. We saw a small vessel in the harbour, which we subsequently +learned was from the Basque provinces, come for a cargo of cider or +sagadua, the beverage so dearly loved by the Basques. As we passed +along the narrow street, Antonio was hailed with an “Ola” +from a species of shop in which three men, apparently shoemakers, were +seated. He stopped for some time to converse with them, and when +he joined us at the posada where we halted, I asked him who they were: +“Mon maître,” said he, “<i>ce</i> <i>sont des +messieurs de ma connoissance</i>. I have been fellow servant at +different times with all three; and I tell you beforehand, that we shall +scarcely pass through a village in this country where I shall not find +an acquaintance. All the Asturians, at some period of their lives, +make a journey to Madrid, where, if they can obtain a situation, they +remain until they have scraped up sufficient to turn to advantage in +their own country; and as I have served in all the great houses in Madrid, +I am acquainted with the greatest part of them. I have nothing +to say against the Asturians, save that they are close and penurious +whilst at service; but they are not thieves, neither at home nor abroad, +and though we must have our wits about us in their country, I have heard +we may travel from one end of it to the other without the slightest +fear of being either robbed or ill treated, which is not the case in +Galicia, where we were always in danger of having our throats cut.”<br> +<br> +Leaving Navias, we proceeded through a wild desolate country, till we +reached the pass of Baralla, which lies up the side of a huge wall of +rocks, which at a distance appear of a light green colour, though perfectly +bare of herbage or plants of any description.<br> +<br> +“This pass,” said Martin of Rivadeo, “bears a very +evil reputation, and I should not like to travel it after sunset. +It is not infested by robbers, but by things much worse, the duendes +of two friars of Saint Francis. It is said that in the old time, +long before the convents were suppressed, two friars of the order of +Saint Francis left their convent to beg; it chanced that they were very +successful, but as they were returning at nightfall, by this pass, they +had a quarrel about what they had collected, each insisting that he +had done his duty better than the other; at last, from high words they +fell to abuse, and from abuse to blows. What do you think these +demons of friars did? They took off their cloaks, and at the end +of each they made a knot, in which they placed a large stone, and with +these they thrashed and belaboured each other till both fell dead. +Master, I know not which are the worst plagues, friars, curates, or +sparrows:<br> +<br> +<br> +“May the Lord God preserve us from evil birds three:<br> +From all friars and curates and sparrows that be;<br> +For the sparrows eat up all the corn that we sow,<br> +The friars drink down all the wine that we grow,<br> +Whilst the curates have all the fair dames at their nod:<br> +From these three evil curses preserve us, Lord God.”<br> +<br> +<br> +In about two hours from this time we reached Luarca, the situation of +which is most singular. It stands in a deep hollow, whose sides +are so precipitous that it is impossible to descry the town until you +stand just above it. At the northern extremity of this hollow +is a small harbour, the sea entering it by a narrow cleft. We +found a large and comfortable posada, and by the advice of Martin, made +inquiry for a fresh guide and horse; we were informed, however, that +all the horses of the place were absent, and that if we waited for their +return, we must tarry for two days. “I had a presentiment,” +said Martin, “when we entered Luarca, that we were not doomed +to part at present. You must now hire my mare and me as far as +Giyon, from whence there is a conveyance to Oviedo. To tell you +the truth, I am by no means sorry that the guides are absent, for I +am pleased with your company, as I make no doubt you are with mine. +I will now go and write a letter to my wife at Rivadeo, informing her +that she must not expect to see me back for several days.” +He then went out of the room singing the following stanza:<br> +<br> +<br> +“A handless man a letter did write,<br> +A dumb dictated it word for word:<br> +The person who read it had lost his sight,<br> +And deaf was he who listened and heard.”<br> +<br> +<br> +Early the next morning we emerged from the hollow of Luarca; about an +hour’s riding brought us to Caneiro, a deep and romantic valley +of rocks, shaded by tall chestnut trees. Through the midst of +this valley rushes a rapid stream, which we crossed in a boat. +“There is not such a stream for trout in all the Asturias,” +said the ferryman; “look down into the waters and observe the +large stones over which it flows; now in the proper season and in fine +weather, you cannot see those stones for the multitude of fish which +cover them.”<br> +<br> +Leaving the valley behind us, we entered into a wild and dreary country, +stony and mountainous. The day was dull and gloomy, and all around +looked sad and melancholy. “Are we in the way for Giyon +and Oviedo?” demanded Martin of an ancient female, who stood at +the door of a cottage.<br> +<br> +“For Giyon and Oviedo!” replied the crone; “many is +the weary step you will have to make before you reach Giyon and Oviedo. +You must first of all crack the bellotas: you are just below them.”<br> +<br> +“What does she mean by cracking the bellotas?” demanded +I of Martin of Rivadeo.<br> +<br> +“Did your worship never hear of the seven bellotas?” replied +our guide. “I can scarcely tell you what they are, as I +have never seen them; I believe they are seven hills which we have to +cross, and are called bellotas from some resemblance to acorns which +it is fancied they bear. I have often heard of these acorns, and +am not sorry that I have now an opportunity of seeing them, though it +is said that they are rather hard things for horses to digest.”<br> +<br> +The Asturian mountains in this part rise to a considerable altitude. +They consist for the most part of dark granite, covered here and there +with a thin layer of earth. They approach very near to the sea, +to which they slope down in broken ridges, between which are deep and +precipitous defiles, each with its rivulet, the tribute of the hills +to the salt flood. The road traverses these defiles. There +are seven of them, which are called, in the language of the country, +<i>Las siete bellotas. </i>Of all these, the most terrible is +the midmost, down which rolls an impetuous torrent. At the upper +end of it rises a precipitous wall of rock, black as soot, to the height +of several hundred yards; its top, as we passed, was enveloped with +a veil of bretima. From this gorge branch off, on either side, +small dingles or glens, some of them so overgrown with trees and copse-wood, +that the eye is unable to penetrate the obscurity beyond a few yards.<br> +<br> +“Fine places would some of these dingles prove for hermitages,” +said I to Martin of Rivadeo. “Holy men might lead a happy +life there on roots and water, and pass many years absorbed in heavenly +contemplation, without ever being disturbed by the noise and turmoil +of the world.”<br> +<br> +“True, your worship,” replied Martin; “and perhaps +on that very account there are no hermitages in the barrancos of the +seven bellotas. Our hermits had little inclination for roots and +water, and had no kind of objection to be occasionally disturbed in +their meditations. Vaya! I never yet saw a hermitage that was +not hard by some rich town or village, or was not a regular resort for +all the idle people in the neighbourhood. Hermits are not fond +of living in dingles, amongst wolves and foxes; for how in that case +could they dispose of their poultry? A hermit of my acquaintance +left, when he died, a fortune of seven hundred dollars to his niece, +the greatest part of which he scraped up by fattening turkeys.”<br> +<br> +At the top of this bellota we found a wretched venta, where we refreshed +ourselves, and then continued our journey. Late in the afternoon +we cleared the last of these difficult passes. The wind began +now to rise, bearing on its wings a drizzling rain. We passed +by Soto Luino, and shaping our course through a wild but picturesque +country, we found ourselves about nightfall at the foot of a steep hill, +up which led a narrow bridle-way, amidst a grove of lofty trees. +Long before we had reached the top it had become quite dark, and the +rain had increased considerably. We stumbled along in the obscurity, +leading our horses, which were occasionally down on their knees, owing +to the slipperiness of the path. At last we accomplished the ascent +in safety, and pushing briskly forward, we found ourselves, in about +half an hour, at the entrance of Muros, a large village situated just +on the declivity of the farther side of the hill.<br> +<br> +A blazing fire in the posada soon dried our wet garments, and in some +degree recompensed us for the fatigues which we had undergone in scrambling +up the bellotas. A rather singular place was this same posada +of Muros. It was a large rambling house, with a spacious kitchen, +or common room, on the ground floor. Above stairs was a large +dining-apartment, with an immense oak table, and furnished with cumbrous +leathern chairs with high backs, apparently three centuries old at least. +Communicating with this apartment was a wooden gallery, open to the +air, which led to a small chamber, in which I was destined to sleep, +and which contained an old-fashioned tester-bed with curtains. +It was just one of those inns which romance writers are so fond of introducing +in their descriptions, especially when the scene of adventure lies in +Spain. The host was a talkative Asturian.<br> +<br> +The wind still howled, and the rain descended in torrents. I sat +before the fire in a very drowsy state, from which I was presently aroused +by the conversation of the host. “Señor,” said +he, “it is now three years since I beheld foreigners in my house. +I remember it was about this time of the year, and just such a night +as this, that two men on horseback arrived here. What was singular, +they came without any guide. Two more strange-looking individuals +I never yet beheld with eye-sight. I shall never forget them. +The one was as tall as a giant, with much tawny moustache, like the +coat of a badger, growing about his mouth. He had a huge ruddy +face, and looked dull and stupid, as he no doubt was, for when I spoke +to him, he did not seem to understand, and answered in a jabber, valgame +Dios! so wild and strange, that I remained staring at him with mouth +and eyes open. The other was neither tall nor red-faced, nor had +he hair about his mouth, and, indeed, he had very little upon his head. +He was very diminutive, and looked like a jorobado (<i>hunchback</i>); +but, valgame Dios! such eyes, like wild cats’, so sharp and full +of malice. He spoke as good Spanish as I myself do, and yet he +was no Spaniard. A Spaniard never looked like that man. +He was dressed in a zamarra, with much silver and embroidery, and wore +an Andalusian hat, and I soon found that he was master, and that the +other was servant.<br> +<br> +“Valgame Dios! what an evil disposition had that same foreign +jorobado, and yet he had much grace, much humour, and said occasionally +to me such comical things, that I was fit to die of laughter. +So he sat down to supper in the room above, and I may as well tell you +here, that he slept in the same chamber where your worship will sleep +to-night, and his servant waited behind his chair. Well, I had +curiosity, so I sat myself down at the table too, without asking leave. +Why should I? I was in my own house, and an Asturian is fit company +for a king, and is often of better blood. Oh, what a strange supper +was that. If the servant made the slightest mistake in helping +him, up would start the jorobado, jump upon his chair, and seizing the +big giant by the hair, would cuff him on both sides of the face, till +I was afraid his teeth would have fallen out. The giant, however, +did not seem to care about it much. He was used to it, I suppose. +Valgame Dios! if he had been a Spaniard, he would not have submitted +to it so patiently. But what surprised me most was, that after +beating his servant, the master would sit down, and the next moment +would begin conversing and laughing with him as if nothing had happened, +and the giant also would laugh and converse with his master, for all +the world as if he had not been beaten.<br> +<br> +“You may well suppose, Señor, that I understood nothing +of their discourse, for it was all in that strange unchristian tongue +in which the giant answered me when I spoke to him; the sound of it +is still ringing in my ears. It was nothing like other languages. +Not like Bascuen, not like the language in which your worship speaks +to my namesake Signor Antonio here. Valgame Dios! I can +compare it to nothing but the sound a person makes when he rinses his +mouth with water. There is one word which I think I still remember, +for it was continually proceeding from the giant’s lips, but his +master never used it.<br> +<br> +“But the strangest part of the story is yet to be told. +The supper was ended, and the night was rather advanced, the rain still +beat against the windows, even as it does at this moment. Suddenly +the jorobado pulled out his watch. Valgame Dios! such a watch! +I will tell you one thing, Señor, that I could purchase all the +Asturias, and Muros besides, with the brilliants which shone about the +sides of that same watch: the room wanted no lamp, I trow, so great +was the splendour which they cast. So the jorobado looked at his +watch, and then said to me, I shall go to rest. He then took the +lamp and went through the gallery to his room, followed by his big servant. +Well, Señor, I cleared away the things, and then waited below +for the servant, for whom I had prepared a comfortable bed, close by +my own. Señor, I waited patiently for an hour, till at +last my patience was exhausted, and I ascended to the supper apartment, +and passed through the gallery till I came to the door of the strange +guest. Señor, what do you think I saw at the door?”<br> +<br> +“How should I know?” I replied. “His riding +boots perhaps.”<br> +<br> +“No, Señor, I did not see his riding boots; but, stretched +on the floor with his head against the door, so that it was impossible +to open it without disturbing him, lay the big servant fast asleep, +his immense legs reaching nearly the whole length of the gallery. +I crossed myself, as well I might, for the wind was howling even as +it is now, and the rain was rushing down into the gallery in torrents; +yet there lay the big servant fast asleep, without any covering, without +any pillow, not even a log, stretched out before his master’s +door.<br> +<br> +“Señor, I got little rest that night, for I said to myself, +I have evil wizards in my house, folks who are not human. Once +or twice I went up and peeped into the gallery, but there still lay +the big servant fast asleep, so I crossed myself and returned to my +bed again.”<br> +<br> +“Well,” said I, “and what occurred next day?”<br> +<br> +“Nothing particular occurred next day: the jorobado came down +and said comical things to me in good Spanish, and the big servant came +down, but whatever he said, and he did not say much, I understood not, +for it was in that disastrous jabber. They stayed with me throughout +the day till after supper-time, and then the jorobado gave me a gold +ounce, and mounting their horses, they both departed as strangely as +they had come, in the dark night, I know not whither.”<br> +<br> +“Is that all?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“No, Señor, it is not all; for I was right in supposing +them evil brujos: the very next day an express arrived and a great search +was made after them, and I was arrested for having harboured them. +This occurred just after the present wars had commenced. It was +said they were spies and emissaries of I don’t know what nation, +and that they had been in all parts of the Asturias, holding conferences +with some of the disaffected. They escaped, however, and were +never heard of more, though the animals which they rode were found without +their riders, wandering amongst the hills; they were common ponies, +and were of no value. As for the brujos, it is believed that they +embarked in some small vessel which was lying concealed in one of the +rias of the coast.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - What was the word which you continually heard proceeding +from the lips of the big servant, and which you think you can remember?<br> +<br> +<i>Host</i>. - Señor, it is now three years since I heard it, +and at times I can remember it and at others not; sometimes I have started +up in my sleep repeating it. Stay, Señor, I have it now +at the point of my tongue: it was Patusca.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Batuschca, you mean; the men were Russians.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Oviedo - The Ten Gentlemen - The Swiss again - Modest Request - The +Robbers - Episcopal Benevolence - The Cathedral - Portrait of Feijoo.<br> +<br> +I must now take a considerable stride in my journey, no less than from +Muros to Oviedo, contenting myself with observing, that we proceeded +from Muros to Velez, and from thence to Giyon, where our guide Martin +bade us farewell, and returned with his mare to Rivadeo. The honest +fellow did not part without many expressions of regret, indeed he even +expressed a desire that I should take him and his mare into my service; +“for,” said he, “I have a great desire to run through +all Spain, and even the world; and I am sure I shall never have a better +opportunity than by attaching myself to your worship’s skirts.” +On my reminding him, however, of his wife and family, for he had both, +he said, “True, true, I had forgotten them: happy the guide whose +only wife and family are a mare and foal.”<br> +<br> +Oviedo is about three leagues from Giyon. Antonio rode the horse, +whilst I proceeded thither in a kind of diligence which runs daily between +the two towns. The road is good, but mountainous. I arrived +safely at the capital of the Asturias, although at a rather unpropitious +season, for the din of war was at the gate, and there was the cry of +the captains and the shouting. Castile, at the time of which I +am writing, was in the hands of the Carlists, who had captured and plundered +Valladolid in much the same manner as they had Segovia some time before. +They were every day expected to march on Oviedo, in which case they +might perhaps have experienced some resistance, a considerable body +of troops being stationed there, who had erected some redoubts, and +strongly fortified several of the convents, especially that of Santa +Clara de la Vega. All minds were in a state of feverish anxiety +and suspense, more especially as no intelligence arrived from Madrid, +which by the last accounts was said to be occupied by the bands of Cabrera +and Palillos.<br> +<br> +So it came to pass that one night I found myself in the ancient town +of Oviedo, in a very large, scantily-furnished, and remote room in an +ancient posada, formerly a palace of the counts of Santa Cruz. +It was past ten, and the rain was descending in torrents. I was +writing, but suddenly ceased on hearing numerous footsteps ascending +the creaking stairs which led to my apartment. The door was flung +open, and in walked nine men of tall stature, marshalled by a little +hunchbacked personage. They were all muffled in the long cloaks +of Spain, but I instantly knew by their demeanour that they were caballeros, +or gentlemen. They placed themselves in a rank before the table +where I was sitting. Suddenly and simultaneously they all flung +back their cloaks, and I perceived that every one bore a book in his +hand; a book which I knew full well. After a pause, which I was +unable to break, for I sat lost in astonishment, and almost conceived +myself to be visited by apparitions, the hunchback, advancing somewhat +before the rest, said in soft silvery tones, “Señor Cavalier, +was it you who brought this book to the Asturias?” I now +supposed that they were the civil authorities of the place come to take +me into custody, and, rising from my seat, I exclaimed, “It certainly +was I, and it is my glory to have done so; the book is the New Testament +of God: I wish it was in my power to bring a million.” “I +heartily wish so too,” said the little personage with a sigh. +“Be under no apprehension, Sir Cavalier, these gentlemen are my +friends; we have just purchased these books in the shop where you placed +them for sale, and have taken the liberty of calling upon you, in order +to return you our thanks for the treasure you have brought us. +I hope you can furnish us with the Old Testament also.” +I replied that I was sorry to inform him that at present it was entirely +out of my power to comply with his wish, as I had no Old Testaments +in my possession, but did not despair of procuring some speedily from +England. He then asked me a great many questions concerning my +biblical travels in Spain, and my success, and the views entertained +by the Society, with respect to Spain, adding that he hoped we should +pay particular attention to the Asturias, which he assured me was the +best ground in the Peninsula for our labour. After about half +an hour’s conversation, he suddenly said, in the English language, +“Good night, Sir,” wrapped his cloak around him, and walked +out as he had come. His companions, who had hitherto not uttered +a word, all repeated “Good night, Sir,” and, adjusting their +cloaks, followed him.<br> +<br> +In order to explain this strange scene, I must state that in the morning +I had visited the petty bookseller of the place, Longoria, and having +arranged preliminaries with him, I sent him in the evening a package +of forty Testaments, all I possessed, with some advertisements. +At the time he assured me that, though he was willing to undertake the +sale, there was, nevertheless, not a prospect of success, as a whole +month had elapsed since he had sold a book of any description, on account +of the uncertainty of the times, and the poverty which pervaded the +land; I therefore felt much dispirited. This incident, however, +admonished me not to be cast down when things look gloomiest, as the +hand of the Lord is generally then most busy; that men may learn to +perceive, that whatever good is accomplished is not their work but his.<br> +<br> +Two or three days after this adventure, I was once more seated in my +large scantily-furnished room; it was about ten, of a dark melancholy +morning, and the autumnal rain was again falling. I had just breakfasted, +and was about to sit down to my journal, when the door was flung open +and in bounded Antonio.<br> +<br> +“Mon maître,” said he, quite breathless, “who +do you think has arrived?”<br> +<br> +“The pretender, I suppose,” said I, in some trepidation; +“if so, we are prisoners.”<br> +<br> +“Bah, bah!” said Antonio, “it is not the pretender, +but one worth twenty of him; it is the Swiss of Saint James.”<br> +<br> +“Benedict Mol, the Swiss!” said I, “What! has he found +the treasure? But how did he come? How is he dressed?”<br> +<br> +“Mon maître,” said Antonio, “he came on foot +if we may judge by his shoes, through which his toes are sticking; and +as for his dress, he is in most villainous apparel.”<br> +<br> +“There must be some mystery in this,” said I; “where +is he at present?”<br> +<br> +“Below, mon maître,” replied Antonio; “he came +in quest of us. But I no sooner saw him, than I hurried away to +let you know.”<br> +<br> +In a few minutes Benedict Mol found his way up stairs; he was, as Antonio +had remarked, in most villainous apparel, and nearly barefooted; his +old Andalusian hat was dripping with rain.<br> +<br> +“Och, lieber herr,” said Benedict, “how rejoiced I +am to see you again. Oh, the sight of your countenance almost +repays me for all the miseries I have undergone since I parted with +you at Saint James.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I can scarcely believe that I really see you here at +Oviedo. What motive can have induced you to come to such an out-of-the-way +place from such an immense distance?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Lieber herr, I will sit down and tell you all that +has befallen me. Some few days after I saw you last, the canonigo +persuaded me to go to the captain-general to apply for permission to +disinter the schatz, and also to crave assistance. So I saw the +captain-general, who at first received me very kindly, asked me several +questions, and told me to come again. So I continued visiting +him till he would see me no longer, and do what I might I could not +obtain a glance of him. The canon now became impatient, more especially +as he had given me a few pesetas out of the charities of the church. +He frequently called me a bribon and impostor. At last, one morning +I went to him, and said that I had proposed to return to Madrid, in +order to lay the matter before the government, and requested that he +would give me a certificate to the effect that I had performed a pilgrimage +to Saint James, which I imagined would be of assistance to me upon the +way, as it would enable me to beg with some colour of authority. +He no sooner heard this request, than, without saying a word or allowing +me a moment to put myself on my defence, he sprang upon me like a tiger, +grasping my throat so hard that I thought he would have strangled me. +I am a Swiss, however, and a man of Lucerne, and when I had recovered +myself a little, I had no difficulty in flinging him off; I then threatened +him with my staff and went away. He followed me to the gate with +the most horrid curses, saying that if I presumed to return again, he +would have me thrown at once into prison as a thief and a heretic. +So I went in quest of yourself, lieber herr, but they told me that you +were departed for Coruña; I then set out for Coruña after +you.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what befell you on the road?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - I will tell you: about half-way between Saint James +and Coruña, as I was walking along, thinking of the schatz, I +heard a loud galloping, and looking around me I saw two men on horseback +coming across the field with the swiftness of the wind, and making directly +for me. Lieber Gott, said I, these are thieves, these are factious; +and so they were. They came up to me in a moment and bade me stand, +so I flung down my staff, took off my hat and saluted them. “Good +day, caballeros,” said I to them. “Good day, countryman,” +said they to me, and then we stood staring at each other for more than +a minute. Lieber himmel, I never saw such robbers; so finely dressed, +so well armed, and mounted so bravely on two fiery little hakkas, that +looked as if they could have taken wing and flown up into the clouds! +So we continued staring at each other, till at last one asked me who +I was, whence I came, and where I was going. “Gentlemen,” +said I, “I am a Swiss, I have been to Saint James to perform a +religious vow, and am now returning to my own country.” +I said not a word about the treasure, for I was afraid that they would +have shot me at once, conceiving that I carried part of it about me. +“Have you any money?” they demanded. “Gentlemen,” +I replied, “you see how I travel on foot, with my shoes torn to +pieces; I should not do so if I had money. I will not deceive +you, however, I have a peseta and a few cuartos,” and thereupon +I took out what I had and offered it to them. “Fellow,” +said they, “we are caballeros of Galicia, and do not take pesetas, +much less cuartos. Of what opinion are you? Are you for +the queen?” “No, gentlemen,” said I, “I +am not for the queen, but, at the same time, allow me to tell you that +I am not for the king either; I know nothing about the matter; I am +a Swiss, and fight neither for nor against anybody unless I am paid.” +This made them laugh, and then they questioned me about Saint James, +and the troops there, and the captain-general; and not to disoblige +them, I told them all I knew and much more. Then one of them, +who looked the fiercest and most determined, took his trombone in his +hand, and pointing it at me, said, “Had you been a Spaniard, we +would have blown your head to shivers, for we should have thought you +a spy, but we see you are a foreigner, and believe what you have said; +take, therefore, this peseta and go your way, but beware that you tell +nobody any thing about us, for if you do, carracho!” He +then discharged his trombone just over my head, so that for a moment +I thought myself shot, and then with an awful shout, they both galloped +away, their horses leaping over the barrancos, as if possessed with +many devils.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what happened to you on your arrival at Coruña?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - When I arrived at Coruña, I inquired after +yourself, lieber herr, and they informed me that, only the day before +my arrival, you had departed for Oviedo: and when I heard that, my heart +died within me, for I was now at the far end of Galicia, without a friend +to help me. For a day or two I knew not what to do; at last I +determined to make for the frontier of France, passing through Oviedo +in the way, where I hoped to see you and ask counsel of you. So +I begged and bettled among the Germans of Coruña. I, however, +got very little from them, only a few cuarts, less than the thieves +had given me on the road from Saint James, and with these I departed +for the Asturias by the way of Mondonedo. Och, what a town is +that, full of canons, priests, and pfaffen, all of them more Carlist +than Carlos himself.<br> +<br> +One day I went to the bishop’s palace and spoke to him, telling +him I was a pilgrim from Saint James, and requesting assistance. +He told me, however, that he could not relieve me, and as for my being +a pilgrim from Saint James, he was glad of it, and hoped that it would +be of service to my soul. So I left Mondonedo, and got amongst +the wild mountains, begging and betting at the door of every choza that +I passed, telling all I saw that I was a pilgrim from Saint James, and +showing my passport in proof that I had been there. Lieber herr, +no person gave me a cuart, nor even a piece of broa, and both Gallegans +and Asturians laughed at Saint James, and told me that his name was +no longer a passport in Spain. I should have starved if I had +not sometimes plucked an ear or two out of the maize fields; I likewise +gathered grapes from the parras and berries from the brambles, and in +this manner I subsisted till I arrived at the bellotas, where I slaughtered +a stray kid which I met, and devoured part of the flesh raw, so great +was my hunger. It made me, however, very ill, and for two days +I lay in a barranco half dead and unable to help myself; it was a mercy +that I was not devoured by the wolves. I then struck across the +country for Oviedo: how I reached it I do not know; I was like one walking +in a dream. Last night I slept in an empty hog-sty about two leagues +from here, and ere I left it, I fell down on my knees and prayed to +God that I might find you, lieber herr, for you were my last hope.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And what do you propose to do at present?<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - What can I say, lieber herr? I know not what +to do. I will be guided in everything by your counsel.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - I shall remain at Oviedo a few days longer, during +which time you can lodge at this posada, and endeavour to recover from +the fatigue of your disastrous journeys; perhaps before I depart, we +may hit on some plan to extricate you from your present difficulties.<br> +<br> +Oviedo contains about fifteen thousand inhabitants. It is picturesquely +situated between two mountains, Morcin and Naranco; the former is very +high and rugged, and during the greater part of the year is covered +with snow; the sides of the latter are cultivated and planted with vines. +The principal ornament of the town is the cathedral, the tower of which +is exceedingly lofty, and is perhaps one of the purest specimens of +Gothic architecture at present in existence. The interior of the +cathedral is neat and appropriate, but simple and unadorned. I +observed but one picture, the Conversion of Saint Paul. One of +the chapels is a cemetery, in which rest the bones of eleven Gothic +kings; to whose souls be peace.<br> +<br> +I bore a letter of recommendation from Coruña to a merchant of +Oviedo. This person received me very courteously, and generally +devoted some portion of every day to showing me the remarkable things +of Oviedo.<br> +<br> +One morning he thus addressed me: “You have doubtless heard of +Feijoo, the celebrated philosophic monk of the order of Saint Benedict, +whose writings have so much tended to remove the popular fallacies and +superstitions so long cherished in Spain; he is buried in one of our +convents, where he passed a considerable portion of his life. +Come with me and I will show you his portrait. Carlos Tercero, +our great king, sent his own painter from Madrid to execute it. +It is now in the possession of a friend of mine, Don Ramon Valdez, an +advocate.”<br> +<br> +Thereupon he led me to the house of Don Ramon Valdez, who very politely +exhibited the portrait of Feijoo. It was circular in shape, about +a foot in diameter, and was surrounded by a little brass frame, something +like the rim of a barber’s basin. The countenance was large +and massive but fine, the eyebrows knit, the eyes sharp and penetrating, +nose aquiline. On the head was a silken skull-cap; the collar +of the coat or vest was just perceptible. The painting was decidedly +good, and struck me as being one of the very best specimens of modern +Spanish art which I had hitherto seen.<br> +<br> +A day or two after this I said to Benedict Mol, “to-morrow I start +from hence for Santander. It is therefore high time that you decide +upon some course, whether to return to Madrid or to make the best of +your way to France, and from thence proceed to your own country.”<br> +<br> +“Lieber herr,” said Benedict, “I will follow you to +Santander by short journeys, for I am unable to make long ones amongst +these hills; and when I am there, peradventure I may find some means +of passing into France. It is a great comfort, in my horrible +journeys, to think that I am travelling over the ground which yourself +have trodden, and to hope that I am proceeding to rejoin you once more. +This hope kept me alive in the bellotas, and without it I should never +have reached Oviedo. I will quit Spain as soon as possible, and +betake me to Lucerne, though it is a hard thing to leave the schatz +behind me in the land of the Gallegans.”<br> +<br> +Thereupon I presented him with a few dollars.<br> +<br> +“A strange man is this Benedict,” said Antonio to me next +morning, as, accompanied by a guide, we sallied forth from Oviedo; “a +strange man, mon maître, is this same Benedict. A strange +life has he led, and a strange death he will die, - it is written on +his countenance. That he will leave Spain I do not believe, or +if he leave it, it will be only to return, for he is bewitched about +this treasure. Last night he sent for a sorciere, whom he consulted +in my presence; and she told him that he was doomed to possess it, but +that first of all he must cross water. She cautioned him likewise +against an enemy, which he supposes must be the canon of Saint James. +I have often heard people speak of the avidity of the Swiss for money, +and here is a proof of it. I would not undergo what Benedict has +suffered in these last journeys of his, to possess all the treasures +in Spain.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXIV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Irishman.<br> +<br> +So we left Oviedo and directed our course towards Santander. The +man who accompanied us as guide, and from whom I hired the pony on which +I rode, had been recommended to me by my friend the merchant of Oviedo. +He proved, however, a lazy indolent fellow; he was generally loitering +two or three hundred yards in our rear, and instead of enlivening the +way with song and tale, like our late guide, Martin of Rivadeo, he scarcely +ever opened his lips, save to tell us not to go so fast, or that I should +burst his pony if I spurred him so. He was thievish withal, and +though he had engaged to make the journey <i>seco</i>, that is, to defray +the charges of himself and beast, he contrived throughout to keep both +at our expense. When journeying in Spain, it is invariably the +cheapest plan to agree to maintain the guide and his horse or mule, +for by so doing the hire is diminished at least one third, and the bills +upon the road are seldom increased: whereas, in the other case, he pockets +the difference, and yet goes shot free, and at the expense of the traveller, +through the connivance of the innkeepers, who have a kind of fellow +feeling with the guides.<br> +<br> +Late in the afternoon we reached Villa Viciosa, a small dirty town, +at the distance of eight leagues from Oviedo: it stands beside a creek +which communicates with the Bay of Biscay. It is sometimes called +La Capital de las Avellanas, or the capital of the Filberts, from the +immense quantity of this fruit which is grown in the neighbourhood; +and the greatest part of which is exported to England. As we drew +nigh we overtook numerous cars laden with avellanas proceeding in the +direction of the town. I was informed that several small English +vessels were lying in the harbour. Singular as it may seem, however, +notwithstanding we were in the capital of the Avellanas, it was with +the utmost difficulty that I procured a scanty handful for my dessert, +and of these more than one half were decayed. The people of the +house informed me that the nuts were intended for exportation, and that +they never dreamt either of partaking of them themselves or of offering +them to their guests.<br> +<br> +At an early hour on the following day we reached Colunga, a beautiful +village on a rising ground, thickly planted with chestnut trees. +It is celebrated, at least in the Asturias, as being the birth-place +of Arguelles, the father of the Spanish constitution.<br> +<br> +As we dismounted at the door of the posada, where we intended to refresh +ourselves, a person who was leaning out of an upper window uttered an +exclamation and disappeared. We were yet at the door, when the +same individual came running forth and cast himself on the neck of Antonio. +He was a good-looking young man, apparently about five and twenty, genteelly +dressed, with a Montero cap on his head. Antonio looked at him +for a moment, and then with a <i>Ah, Monsieur, est ce bien vous?</i> +shook him affectionately by the hand. The stranger then motioned +him to follow him, and they forthwith proceeded to the room above.<br> +<br> +Wondering what this could mean, I sat down to my morning repast. +Nearly an hour elapsed, and still Antonio did not make his appearance; +through the boards, however, which composed the ceiling of the kitchen +where I sat, I could hear the voices of himself and his acquaintance, +and thought that I could occasionally distinguish the sound of broken +sobs and groans; at last there was a long pause. I became impatient, +and was about to summon Antonio, when he made his appearance, but unaccompanied +by the stranger. “What, in the name of all that is singular,” +I demanded, “have you been about? Who is that man?” +“Mon maître,” said Antonio, “<i>c’est +un monsieur de ma</i> <i>connoissance. </i>With your permission +I will now take a mouthful, and as we journey along I will tell you +all that I know of him.”<br> +<br> +“Monsieur,” said Antonio, as we rode out of Colunga, “you +are anxious to know the history of the gentleman whom you saw embrace +me at the inn. Know, mon maître, that these Carlist and +Christino wars have been the cause of much misery and misfortune in +this country, but a being so thoroughly unfortunate as that poor young +gentleman of the inn, I do not believe is to be found in Spain, and +his misfortunes proceed entirely from the spirit of party and faction +which for some time past has been so prevalent.<br> +<br> +“Mon maître, as I have often told you, I have lived in many +houses and served many masters, and it chanced that about ten years +ago I served the father of this gentleman, who was then a mere boy. +It was a very high family, for monsieur the father was a general in +the army, and a man of large possessions. The family consisted +of the general, his lady, and two sons; the youngest of whom is the +person you have just seen, the other was several years older. +Pardieu! I felt myself very comfortable in that house, and every individual +of the family had all kind of complaisance for me. It is singular +enough, that though I have been turned out of so many families, I was +never turned out of that; and though I left it thrice, it was of my +own free will. I became dissatisfied with the other servants or +with the dog or the cat. The last time I left was on account of +the quail which was hung out of the window of madame, and which waked +me in the morning with its call. <i>Eh bien, mon maitre, </i>things +went on in this way during the three years that I continued in the family, +out and in; at the end of which time it was determined that the young +gentleman should travel, and it was proposed that I should attend him +as valet; this I wished very much to do. However, par malheur, +I was at this time very much dissatisfied with madame his mother about +the quail, and I insisted that before I accompanied him the bird should +be slaughtered for the kitchen. To this madame would by no means +consent; and even the young gentleman, who had always taken my part +on other occasions, said that I was unreasonable: so I left the house +in a huff, and never entered it again.<br> +<br> +“<i>Eh bien, mon maitre, </i>the young gentleman went upon his +travels, and continued abroad several years; and from the time of his +departure until we met him at Colunga, I have not set eyes upon, nor +indeed heard of him. I have heard enough, however, of his family; +of monsieur the father, of madame, and of the brother, who was an officer +of cavalry. A short time before the troubles, I mean before the +death of Ferdinand, monsieur the father was appointed captain-general +of Coruña. Now monsieur, though a good master, was rather +a proud man, and fond of discipline and all that kind of thing, and +of obedience. He was, moreover, no friend to the populace, to +the canaille, and he had a particular aversion to the nationals. +So when Ferdinand died, it was whispered about at Coruña, that +the general was no liberal, and that he was a better friend to Carlos +than to Christina. <i>Eh bien, </i>it chanced that there was a +grand fete, or festival at Coruña, on the water; and the nationals +were there, and the soldiers. And I know not how it befell, but +there was an emeute, and the nationals laid hands on monsieur the general, +and tying a rope round his neck, flung him overboard from the barge +in which he was, and then dragged him astern about the harbour until +he was drowned. They then went to his house and pillaged it, and +so ill-treated madame, who at that time happened to be enceinte, that +in a few hours she expired.<br> +<br> +“I tell you what, mon maître, when I heard of the misfortune +of madame and the general, you would scarcely believe it, but I actually +shed tears, and was sorry that I had parted with them in unkindness +on account of that pernicious quail.<br> +<br> +“<i>Eh bien, mon maitre, nous poursuivrons notre histoire</i>. +The eldest son, as I told you before, was a cavalry officer and a man +of resolution, and when he heard of the death of his father and mother, +he vowed revenge. Poor fellow! but what does he do but desert, +with two or three discontented spirits of his troop, and going to the +frontier of Galicia, he raised a small faction, and proclaimed Don Carlos. +For some little time he did considerable damage to the liberals, burning +and destroying their possessions, and putting to death several nationals +that fell into his hands. However, this did not last long, his +faction was soon dispersed, and he himself taken and hanged, and his +head stuck on a pole.<br> +<br> +“<i>Nous sommes deja presque au bout. </i>When we arrived +at the inn, the young man took me above, as you saw, and there for some +time he could do nothing but weep and sob. His story is soon told:- +he returned from his travels, and the first intelligence which awaited +him on his arrival in Spain was, that his father was drowned, his mother +dead, and his brother hanged, and, moreover, all the possessions of +his family confiscated. This was not all: wherever he went, he +found himself considered in the light of a factious and discontented +person, and was frequently assailed by the nationals with blows of sabres +and cudgels. He applied to his relations, and some of these, who +were of the Carlist persuasion, advised him to betake himself to the +army of Don Carlos, and the Pretender himself, who was a friend of his +father, and remembered the services of his brother, offered to give +him a command in his army. But, mon maître, as I told you +before, he was a pacific young gentleman, and as mild as a lamb, and +hated the idea of shedding blood. He was, moreover, not of the +Carlist opinion, for during his studies he had read books written a +long time ago by countrymen of mine, all about republics and liberties, +and the rights of man, so that he was much more inclined to the liberal +than the Carlist system; he therefore declined the offer of Don Carlos, +whereupon all his relations deserted him, whilst the liberals hunted +him from one place to another like a wild beast. At last, he sold +some little property which still remained to him, and with the proceeds +he came to this remote place of Colunga, where no one knew him, and +where he has been residing for several months, in a most melancholy +manner, with no other amusement than that which he derives from a book +or two, or occasionally hunting a leveret with his spaniel.<br> +<br> +“He asked me for counsel, but I had none to give him, and could +only weep with him. At last he said, ‘Dear Antonio, I see +there is no remedy. You say your master is below, beg him, I pray, +to stay till to-morrow, and we will send for the maidens of the neighbourhood, +and for a violin and a bagpipe, and we will dance and cast away care +for a moment.’ And then he said something in old Greek, +which I scarcely understood, but which I think was equivalent to, ‘Let +us eat, drink, and be merry, for to-morrow we die!’<br> +<br> +“<i>Eh bien, mon maitre, </i>I told him that you were a serious +gentleman who never took any amusement, and that you were in a hurry. +Whereupon he wept again, and embraced me and bade me farewell. +And now, mon maître, I have told you the history of the young +man of the inn.”<br> +<br> +We slept at Ribida de Sela, and the next day, at noon, arrived at Llanes. +Our route lay between the coast and an immense range of mountains, which +rose up like huge ramparts at about a league’s distance from the +sea. The ground over which we passed was tolerably level, and +seemingly well cultivated. There was no lack of vines and trees, +whilst at short intervals rose the cortijos of the proprietors, - square +stone buildings surrounded with an outer wall. Llanes is an old +town, formerly of considerable strength. In its neighbourhood +is the convent of San Cilorio, one of the largest monastic edifices +in all Spain. It is now deserted, and stands lone and desolate +upon one of the peninsulas of the Cantabrian shore. Leaving Llanes, +we soon entered one of the most dreary and barren regions imaginable, +a region of rock and stone, where neither grass nor trees were to be +seen. Night overtook us in these places. We wandered on, +however, until we reached a small village, termed Santo Colombo. +Here we passed the night, in the house of a carabineer of the revenue, +a tall athletic figure who met us at the gate armed with a gun. +He was a Castilian, and with all that ceremonious formality and grave +politeness for which his countrymen were at one time so celebrated. +He chid his wife for conversing with her handmaid about the concerns +of the house before us. “Barbara,” said he, “this +is not conversation calculated to interest the strange cavaliers; hold +your peace, or go aside with the muchacha.” In the morning +he refused any remuneration for his hospitality. “I am a +caballero,” said he, “even as yourselves. It is not +my custom to admit people into my house for the sake of lucre. +I received you because you were benighted and the posada distant.”<br> +<br> +Rising early in the morning, we pursued our way through a country equally +stony and dreary as that which we had entered upon the preceding day. +In about four hours we reached San Vincente, a large dilapidated town, +chiefly inhabited by miserable fishermen. It retains, however, +many remarkable relics of former magnificence: the bridge, which bestrides +the broad and deep firth, on which stands the town, has no less than +thirty-two arches, and is built of grey granite. It is very ancient, +and in some part in so ruinous a condition as to be dangerous.<br> +<br> +Leaving San Vincente behind us, we travelled for some leagues on the +sea-shore, crossing occasionally a narrow inlet or firth. The +country at last began to improve, and in the neighbourhood of Santillana +was both beautiful and fertile. About a league before we reached +the country of Gil Blas, we passed through an extensive wood, in which +were rocks and precipices; it was exactly such a place as that in which +the cave of Rolando was situated, as described in the novel. This +wood has an evil name, and our guide informed us that robberies were +occasionally committed in it. No adventure, however, befell us, +and we reached Santillana at about six in the evening.<br> +<br> +We did not enter the town, but halted at a large venta or posada at +the entrance, before which stood an immense ash tree. We had scarcely +housed ourselves when a tremendous storm of rain and wind commenced, +accompanied with thunder and lightning, which continued without much +interruption for several hours, and the effects of which were visible +in our journey of the following day, the streams over which we passed +being much swollen, and several trees lying uptorn by the wayside. +Santillana contains four thousand inhabitants, and is six short leagues’ +distance from Santander, where we arrived early the next day.<br> +<br> +Nothing could exhibit a stronger contrast to the desolate tracts and +the half ruined towns through which we had lately passed, than the bustle +and activity of Santander, which, though it stands on the confines of +the Basque provinces, the stronghold of the Pretender, is almost the +only city in Spain which has not suffered by the Carlist wars. +Till the close of the last century it was little better than an obscure +fishing town, but it has of late years almost entirely engrossed the +commerce of the Spanish transatlantic possessions, especially of the +Havannah. The consequence of which has been, that whilst Santander +has rapidly increased in wealth and magnificence, both Coruña +and Cadiz have been as rapidly hastening to decay. At present +it possesses a noble quay, on which stands a line of stately edifices, +far exceeding in splendour the palaces of the aristocracy at Madrid. +These are built in the French style, and are chiefly occupied by the +merchants. The population of Santander is estimated at sixty thousand +souls.<br> +<br> +On the day of my arrival I dined at the table d’hote of the principal +inn, kept by a Genoese. The company was very miscellaneous, French, +Germans, and Spaniards, all speaking in their respective languages, +whilst at the ends of the table, confronting each other, sat two Catalan +merchants, one of whom weighed nearly twenty stone, grunting across +the board in their harsh dialect. Long, however, before dinner +was concluded, the conversation was entirely engrossed and the attention +of all present directed to an individual who sat on one side of the +bulky Catalan. He was a thin man of about the middle height, with +a remarkably red face, and something in his eyes which, if not a squint, +bore a striking resemblance to it. He was dressed in a blue military +frock, and seemed to take much more pleasure in haranguing than in the +fare which was set before him. He spoke perfectly good Spanish, +yet his voice betrayed something of a foreign accent. For a long +time he descanted with immense volubility on war and all its circumstances, +freely criticising the conduct of the generals, both Carlists and Christinos, +in the present struggle, till at last he exclaimed, “Had I but +twenty thousand men allowed me by the government, I would bring the +war to a conclusion in six months.”<br> +<br> +“Pardon me, Sir,” said a Spaniard who sat at the table, +“the curiosity which induces me to request the favour of your +distinguished name.”<br> +<br> +“I am Flinter,” replied the individual in the military frock, +“a name which is in the mouth of every man, woman, and child in +Spain. I am Flinter the Irishman, just escaped from the Basque +provinces and the claws of Don Carlos. On the decease of Ferdinand +I declared for Isabella, esteeming it the duty of every good cavalier +and Irishman in the Spanish service to do so. You have all heard +of my exploits, and permit me to tell you they would have been yet more +glorious had not jealousy been at work and cramped my means. Two +years ago I was despatched to Estremadura, to organize the militias. +The bands of Gomez and Cabrera entered the province and spread devastation +around. They found me, however, at my post; and had I been properly +seconded by those under my command, the two rebels would never have +returned to their master to boast of their success. I stood behind +my intrenchments. A man advanced and summoned us to surrender. +‘Who are you?’ I demanded. ‘I am Cabrera,’ +he replied; ‘and I am Flinter,’ I retorted, flourishing +my sabre; ‘retire to your battalions or you will forthwith die +the death.’ He was awed and did as I commanded. In +an hour we surrendered. I was led a prisoner to the Basque provinces; +and the Carlists rejoiced in the capture they had made, for the name +of Flinter had long sounded amongst the Carlist ranks. I was flung +into a loathsome dungeon, where I remained twenty months. I was +cold; I was naked; but I did not on that account despond, my spirit +was too indomitable for such weakness. My keeper at last pitied +my misfortunes. He said that ‘it grieved him to see so valiant +a man perish in inglorious confinement.’ We laid a plan +to escape together; disguises were provided, and we made the attempt. +We passed unobserved till we arrived at the Carlist lines above Bilbao; +there we were stopped. My presence of mind, however, did not desert +me. I was disguised as a carman, as a Catalan, and the coolness +of my answers deceived my interrogators. We were permitted to +pass, and soon were safe within the walls of Bilbao. There was +an illumination that night in the town, for the lion had burst his toils, +Flinter had escaped, and was once more returned to re-animate a drooping +cause. I have just arrived at Santander on my way to Madrid, where +I intend to ask of the government a command, with twenty thousand men.”<br> +<br> +Poor Flinter! a braver heart and a move gasconading mouth were surely +never united in the same body. He proceeded to Madrid, and through +the influence of the British ambassador, who was his friend, he obtained +the command of a small division, with which he contrived to surprise +and defeat, in the neighbourhood of Toledo, a body of the Carlists, +commanded by Orejita, whose numbers more than trebled his own. +In reward for this exploit he was persecuted by the government, which, +at that time, was the moderado or juste milieu, with the most relentless +animosity; the prime minister, Ofalia, supporting with all his influence +numerous and ridiculous accusations of plunder and robbery brought against +the too-successful general by the Carlist canons of Toledo. He +was likewise charged with a dereliction of duty, in having permitted, +after the battle of Valdepeñas, which he likewise won in the +most gallant manner, the Carlist force to take possession of the mines +of Almaden, although the government, who were bent on his ruin, had +done all in their power to prevent him from following up his successes +by denying him the slightest supplies and reinforcements. The +fruits of victory thus wrested from him, his hopes blighted, a morbid +melancholy seized upon the Irishman; he resigned his command, and in +less than ten months from the period when I saw him at Santander, afforded +his dastardly and malignant enemies a triumph which satisfied even them, +by cutting his own throat with a razor.<br> +<br> +Ardent spirits of foreign climes, who hope to distinguish yourselves +in the service of Spain, and to earn honours and rewards, remember the +fate of Columbus, and of another as brave and as ardent - Flinter!<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Departure from Santander - The Night Alarm - The Black Pass.<br> +<br> +I had ordered two hundred Testaments to be sent to Santander from Madrid: +I found, however, to my great sorrow, that they had not arrived, and +I supposed that they had either been seized on the way by the Carlists, +or that my letter had miscarried. I then thought of applying to +England for a supply, but I abandoned the idea for two reasons. +In the first place, I should have to remain idly loitering, at least +a month, before I could receive them, at a place where every article +was excessively dear; and, secondly, I was very unwell, and unable to +procure medical advice at Santander. Ever since I left Coruña, +I had been afflicted with a terrible dysentery, and latterly with an +ophthalmia, the result of the other malady. I therefore determined +on returning to Madrid. To effect this, however, seemed no very +easy task. Parties of the army of Don Carlos, which, in a partial +degree, had been routed in Castile, were hovering about the country +through which I should have to pass, more especially in that part called +“The Mountains,” so that all communication had ceased between +Santander and the southern districts. Nevertheless, I determined +to trust as usual in the Almighty and to risk the danger. I purchased, +therefore, a small horse, and sallied forth with Antonio.<br> +<br> +Before departing, however, 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 Madrid; and, having arranged +matters to my satisfaction, I committed myself to Providence. +I will not dwell long on this journey of three hundred miles. +We were in the midst of the fire, yet, strange to say, escaped without +a hair of our heads being singed. Robberies, murders, and all +kinds of atrocities were perpetrated before, behind, and on both sides +of us, but not so much as a dog barked at us, though in one instance +a plan had been laid to intercept us. About four leagues from +Santander, whilst we were baiting our horses at a village hostelry, +I saw a fellow run off after having held a whispering conversation with +a boy who was dealing out barley to us. I instantly inquired of +the latter what the man had said to him, but only obtained an evasive +answer. It appeared afterwards that the conversation was about +ourselves. Two or three leagues farther there was an inn and village +where we had proposed staying, and indeed had expressed our intention +of doing so; but on arriving there, finding that the sun was still far +from its bourne, I determined to proceed farther, expecting to meet +with a resting-place at the distance of a league; though I was mistaken, +as we found none until we reached Montaneda, nine leagues and a half +from Santander, where was stationed a small detachment of soldiers. +At the dead of night we were aroused from our sleep by a cry that the +factious were not far off. A messenger had arrived from the alcalde +of the village where we had previously intended staying, who stated +that a party of Carlists had just surprised that place, and were searching +for an English spy, whom they supposed to be at the inn. The officer +commanding the soldiers upon hearing this, not deeming his own situation +a safe one, instantly drew off his men, falling back on a stronger party +stationed in a fortified village near at hand. As for ourselves, +we saddled our horses and continued our way in the dark. Had the +Carlists succeeded in apprehending me, I should instantly have been +shot, and my body cast on the rocks to feed the vultures and wolves. +But “it was not so written,” said Antonio, who, like many +of his countrymen, was a fatalist. The next night we had another +singular escape: we had arrived near the entrance of a horrible pass +called “El puerto de la puente de las tablas,” or the pass +of the bridge of planks, which wound through a black and frightful mountain, +on the farther side of which was the town of Oñas, where we meant +to tarry for the night. The sun had set about a quarter of an +hour. Suddenly a man, with his face covered with blood, rushed +out of the pass. “Turn back, sir,” he said, “in +the name of God; there are murderers in that pass; they have just robbed +me of my mule and all I possess, and I have hardly escaped with life +from their hands.” I scarcely know why, but I made him no +answer and proceeded; indeed I was so weary and unwell that I cared +not what became of me. We entered; the rocks rose perpendicularly, +right and left, entirely intercepting the scanty twilight, so that the +darkness of the grave, or rather the blackness of the valley of the +shadow of death reigned around us, and we knew not where we went, but +trusted to the instinct of the horses, who moved on with their heads +close to the ground. The only sound which we heard was the plash +of a stream, which tumbled down the pass. I expected every moment +to feel a knife at my throat, but “<i>it was not so written</i>.” +We threaded the pass without meeting a human being, and within three +quarters of an hour after the time we entered it, we found ourselves +within the posada of the town of Oñas, which was filled with +troops and armed peasants expecting an attack from the grand Carlist +army, which was near at hand.<br> +<br> +Well, we reached Burgos in safety; we reached Valladolid in safety; +we passed the Guadarama in safety; and were at length safely housed +in Madrid. People said we had been very lucky; Antonio said, “It +was so written”; but I say, Glory be to the Lord for his mercies +vouchsafed to us.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXVI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Servant.<br> +<br> +During my journey in the northern provinces of Spain, which occupied +a considerable portion of the year 1837, I had accomplished but a slight +portion of what I proposed to myself to effect in the outset. +Insignificant are the results of man’s labours compared with the +swelling ideas of his presumption; something, however, had been effected +by the journey, which I had just concluded. The New Testament +of Christ was now enjoying a quiet sale in the principal towns of the +north, and I had secured the friendly interest and co-operation of the +booksellers of those parts, particularly of him the most considerable +of them all, old Rey of Compostella. I had, moreover, disposed +of a considerable number of Testaments with my own hands, to private +individuals, entirely of the lower class, namely, muleteers, carmen, +contrabandistas, etc., so that upon the whole I had abundant cause for +gratitude and thanksgiving.<br> +<br> +I did not find our affairs in a very prosperous state at Madrid, few +copies having been sold in the booksellers’ shops, yet what could +be rationally expected during these latter times? Don Carlos, +with a large army, had been at the gates; plunder and massacre had been +expected; so that people were too much occupied in forming plans to +secure their lives and property, to give much attention to reading of +any description.<br> +<br> +The enemy, however, had now retired to his strongholds in Alava and +Guipuscoa. I hoped that brighter days were dawning, and that the +work, under my own superintendence, would, with God’s blessing, +prosper in the capital of Spain. How far the result corresponded +with my expectations will be seen in the sequel. During my absence +in the north, a total change of ministers had occurred. The liberal +party had been ousted from the cabinet, and in their place had entered +individuals attached to the moderado or court party: unfortunately, +however, for my prospects, they consisted of persons with whom I had +no acquaintance whatever, and with whom my former friends, Galiano and +Isturitz, had little or no influence. These gentlemen were now +regularly laid on the shelf, and their political career appeared to +be terminated for ever.<br> +<br> +From the present ministry I could expect but little; they consisted +of men, the greater part of whom had been either courtiers or employés +of the deceased King Ferdinand, who were friends to absolutism, and +by no means inclined to do or to favour anything calculated to give +offence to the court of Rome, which they were anxious to conciliate, +hoping that eventually it might be induced to recognize the young queen, +not as the constitutional but as the absolute Queen Isabella the Second.<br> +<br> +Such was the party which continued in power throughout the remainder +of my sojourn in Spain, and which persecuted me less from rancour and +malice than from policy. It was not until the conclusion of the +war of the succession that it lost the ascendancy, when it sank to the +ground with its patroness the queen-mother, before the dictatorship +of Espartero.<br> +<br> +The first step which I took after my return to Madrid, towards circulating +the Scriptures, was a very bold one. It was neither more nor less +than the establishment of a shop for the sale of Testaments. This +shop was situated in the Calle del Principe, a respectable and well-frequented +street in the neighbourhood of the Square of Cervantes. I furnished +it handsomely with glass cases and chandeliers, and procured an acute +Gallegan of the name of Pepe Calzado, to superintend the business, who +gave me weekly a faithful account of the copies sold.<br> +<br> +“How strangely times alter,” said I, the second day subsequent +to the opening of my establishment, as I stood on the opposite side +of the street, leaning against the wall with folded arms, surveying +my shop, on the windows of which were painted in large yellow characters, +<i>Despacho de la Sociedad Biblica y Estrangera</i>; “how strangely +times alter; here have I been during the last eight months running about +old Popish Spain, distributing Testaments, as agent of what the Papists +call an heretical society, and have neither been stoned nor burnt; and +here am I now in the capital, 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 abomination; +and yet no one interferes with me. Pope of Rome! Pope of +Rome! look to thyself. That shop may be closed; but oh! what a +sign of the times, that it has been permitted to exist for one day. +It appears to me, my Father, that the days of your sway are numbered +in Spain; that you will not be permitted much longer to plunder her, +to scoff at her, and to scourge her with scorpions, as in bygone periods. +See I not the hand on the wall? See I not in yonder letters a +‘Mene, mene, Tekel, Upharsin’? Look to thyself, Batuschca.”<br> +<br> +And I remained for two hours, leaning against the wall, staring at the +shop.<br> +<br> +A short time after the establishment of the despacho at Madrid, I once +more mounted the saddle, and, attended by Antonio, rode over to Toledo, +for the purpose of circulating the Scriptures, sending beforehand by +a muleteer a cargo of one hundred Testaments. I instantly addressed +myself to the principal bookseller of the place, whom from the circumstance +of his living in a town so abounding with canons, priests, and ex-friars +as Toledo, I expected to find a Carlist, or a <i>servile </i>at least. +I was never more mistaken in my life; on entering the shop, which was +very large and commodious, I beheld a stout athletic man, dressed in +a kind of cavalry uniform, with a helmet on his head, and an immense +sabre in his hand: this was the bookseller himself, who I soon found +was an officer in the national cavalry. Upon learning who I was, +he shook me heartily by the hand, and said that nothing would give him +greater pleasure than taking charge of the books, which he would endeavour +to circulate to the utmost of his ability.<br> +<br> +“Will not your doing so bring you into odium with the clergy?”<br> +<br> +“Ca!” said he; “who cares? I am rich, and so +was my father before me. I do not depend on them, they cannot +hate me more than they do already, for I make no secret of my opinions. +I have just returned from an expedition,” said he; “my brother +nationals and myself have, for the last three days, been occupied in +hunting down the factious and thieves of the neighbourhood; we have +killed three and brought in several prisoners. Who cares for the +cowardly priests? I am a liberal, Don Jorge, and a friend of your +countryman, Flinter. Many is the Carlist guerilla-curate and robber-friar +whom I have assisted him to catch. I am rejoiced to hear that +he has just been appointed captain-general of Toledo; there will be +fine doings here when he arrives, Don Jorge. We will make the +clergy shake between us, I assure you.”<br> +<br> +Toledo was formerly the capital of Spain. Its population at present +is barely fifteen thousand souls, though, in the time of the Romans, +and also during the Middle Ages, it is said to have amounted to between +two and three hundred thousand. It is situated about twelve leagues +(forty miles) westward of Madrid, and is built upon a steep rocky hill, +round which flows the Tagus, on all sides but the north. It still +possesses a great many remarkable edifices, notwithstanding that it +has long since fallen into decay. Its cathedral is the most magnificent +of Spain, and is the see of the primate. In the tower of this +cathedral is the famous bell of Toledo, the largest in the world with +the exception of the monster bell of Moscow, which I have also seen. +It weighs 1,543 arrobes, or 37,032 pounds. It has, however, a +disagreeable sound, owing to a cleft in its side. Toledo could +once boast the finest pictures in Spain, but many were stolen or destroyed +by the French during the Peninsular war, and still more have lately +been removed by order of the government. Perhaps the most remarkable +one still remains; I allude to that which represents the burial of the +Count of Orgaz, the masterpiece of Domenico, the Greek, a most extraordinary +genius, some of whose productions possess merit of a very high order. +The picture in question is in the little parish church of San Tome, +at the bottom of the aisle, on the left side of the altar. Could +it be purchased, I should say it would be cheap at five thousand pounds.<br> +<br> +Amongst the many remarkable things which meet the eye of the curious +observer at Toledo, is the manufactory of arms, where are wrought the +swords, spears, and other weapons intended for the army, with the exception +of fire-arms, which mostly come from abroad.<br> +<br> +In old times, as is well known, the sword-blades of Toledo were held +in great estimation, and were transmitted as merchandise throughout +Christendom. The present manufactory, or fabrica, as it is called, +is a handsome modern edifice, situated without the wall of the city, +on a plain contiguous to the river, with which it communicates by a +small canal. It is said that the water and the sand of the Tagus +are essential for the proper tempering of the swords. I asked +some of the principal workmen whether, at the present day, they could +manufacture weapons of equal value to those of former days, and whether +the secret had been lost.<br> +<br> +“Ca!” said they, “the swords of Toledo were never +so good as those which we are daily making. It is ridiculous enough +to see strangers coming here to purchase old swords, the greater part +of which are mere rubbish, and never made at Toledo, yet for such they +will give a large price, whilst they would grudge two dollars for this +jewel, which was made but yesterday”; thereupon putting into my +hand a middle-sized rapier. “Your worship,” said they, +“seems to have a strong arm, prove its temper against the stone +wall; - thrust boldly and fear not.”<br> +<br> +I <i>have </i>a strong arm and dashed the point with my utmost force +against the solid granite: my arm was numbed to the shoulder from the +violence of the concussion, and continued so for nearly a week, but +the sword appeared not to be at all blunted, or to have suffered in +any respect.<br> +<br> +“A better sword than that,” said an ancient workman, a native +of Old Castile, “never transfixed Moor out yonder on the sagra.”<br> +<br> +During my stay at Toledo, I lodged at the Posada de los Caballeros, +which signifies the inn of the gentlemen, which name, in some respects, +is certainly well deserved, for there are many palaces far less magnificent +than this inn of Toledo. By magnificence it must not be supposed, +however, that I allude to costliness of furniture, or any kind of luxury +which pervaded the culinary department. The rooms were as empty +as those of Spanish inns generally are, and the fare, though good in +its kind, was plain and homely; but I have seldom seen a more imposing +edifice. It was of immense size, consisting of several stories, +and was built something in the Moorish taste, with a quadrangular court +in the centre, beneath which was an immense algibe or tank, serving +as a reservoir for rain-water. All the houses in Toledo are supplied +with tanks of this description, into which the waters in the rainy season +flow from the roofs through pipes. No other water is used for +drinking; that of the Tagus, not being considered salubrious, is only +used for purposes of cleanliness, being conveyed up the steep narrow +streets on donkeys in large stone jars. The city, standing on +a rocky mountain, has no wells. As for the rain-water, it deposits +a sediment in the tank, and becomes very sweet and potable: these tanks +are cleaned out: twice every year. During the summer, at which +time the heat in this part of Spain is intense, the families spend the +greater part of the day in the courts, which are overhung with a linen +awning, the heat of the atmosphere being tempered by the coolness arising +from the tank below, which answers the same purpose as the fountain +in the southern provinces of Spain.<br> +<br> +I spent about a week at Toledo, during which time several copies of +the Testament were disposed of in the shop of my friend the bookseller. +Several priests took it up from the mostrador on which it lay, examined +it, but made no remarks; none of them purchased it. My friend +showed me through his house, almost every apartment of which was lined +from roof to floor with books, many of which were highly valuable. +He told me that he possessed the best collection in Spain of the ancient +literature of the country. He was, however, less proud of his +library than his stud; finding that I had some acquaintance with horses, +his liking for me and also his respect considerably increased. +“All I have,” said he, “is at your service; I see +you are a man after my own heart. When you are disposed to ride +out upon the sagra, you have only to apply to my groom, who will forthwith +saddle you my famed Cordovese entero; I purchased him from the stables +at Aranjuez, when the royal stud was broken up. There is but one +other man to whom I would lend him, and that man is Flinter.”<br> +<br> +At Toledo I met with a forlorn Gypsy woman and her son, a lad of about +fourteen years of age; she was not a native of the place, but had come +from La Mancha, her husband having been cast into the prison of Toledo +on a charge of mule-stealing: the crime had been proved against him, +and in a few days he was to depart for Malaga, with the chain of galley +slaves. He was quite destitute of money, and his wife was now +in Toledo, earning a few cuartos by telling fortunes about the streets, +to support him in prison. She told me that it was her intention +to follow him to Malaga, where she hoped to be able to effect his escape. +What an instance of conjugal affection; and yet the affection here was +all on one side, as is too frequently the case. Her husband was +a worthless scoundrel, who had previously abandoned her and betaken +himself to Madrid, where he had long lived in concubinage with the notorious +she-thug Aurora, at whose instigation he had committed the robbery for +which he was now held in durance. “Should your husband escape +from Malaga, in what direction will he fly?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“To the chim of the Corahai, my son; to the land of the Moors, +to be a soldier of the Moorish king.”<br> +<br> +“And what will become of yourself?” I inquired; “think +you that he will take you with him?”<br> +<br> +“He will leave me on the shore, my son, and as soon as he has +crossed the black pawnee, he will forget me and never think of me more.”<br> +<br> +“And knowing his ingratitude, why should you give yourself so +much trouble about him?”<br> +<br> +“Am I not his romi, my son, and am I not bound by the law of the +Cales to assist him to the last? Should he return from the land +of the Corahai at the end of a hundred years, and should find me alive, +and should say, I am hungry, little wife, go forth and steal or tell +bahi, I must do it, for he is the rom and I the romi.”<br> +<br> +On my return to Madrid, I found the despacho still open: various Testaments +had been sold, though the number was by no means considerable: the work +had to labour under great disadvantage, from the ignorance of the people +at large with respect to its tenor and contents. It was no wonder, +then, that little interest was felt respecting it. To call, however, +public attention to the despacho, I printed three thousand advertisements +on paper, yellow, blue, and crimson, with which I almost covered the +sides of the streets, and besides this, inserted an account of it in +all the journals and periodicals; the consequence was, that in a short +time almost every person in Madrid was aware of its existence. +Such exertions in London or Paris would probably have ensured the sale +of the entire edition of the New Testament within a few days. +In Madrid, however, the result was not quite so flattering; for after +the establishment had been open an entire month, the copies disposed +of barely amounted to one hundred.<br> +<br> +These proceedings of mine did not fail to cause a great sensation: the +priests and their partisans were teeming with malice and fury, which, +for some time, however, they thought proper to exhibit only in words; +it being their opinion that I was favoured by the ambassador and by +the British government; but there was no attempt, however atrocious, +that might not be expected from their malignity; and were it right and +seemly for me, the most insignificant of worms, to make such a comparison, +I might say, like Paul at Ephesus, I was fighting with wild beasts.<br> +<br> +On the last day of the year 1837, my servant Antonio thus addressed +me: “Mon maître, it is necessary that I leave you for a +time. Ever since we have returned from our journeys, I have become +unsettled and dissatisfied with the house, the furniture, and with Donna +Marequita. I have therefore engaged myself as cook in the house +of the Count of -, where I am to receive four dollars per month less +than what your worship gives me. I am fond of change, though it +be for the worse. Adieu, mon maître, may you be as well +served as you deserve; should you chance, however, to have any pressing +need <i>de mes soins,</i> send for me without hesitation, and I will +at once give my new master warning, if I am still with him, and come +to you.”<br> +<br> +Thus was I deprived for a time of the services of Antonio. I continued +for a few days without a domestic, at the end of which time I hired +a certain Cantabrian or Basque, a native of the village of Hernani, +in Guipuscoa, who was strongly recommended to me.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXVII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Euscarra - Basque not Irish - Sanskrit and Tartar Dialects - A Vowel +Language - Popular Poetry - The Basques - Their Persons - Basque Women.<br> +<br> +I now entered upon the year 1838, perhaps the most eventful of all those +which I passed in Spain. The despacho still continued open, with +a somewhat increasing sale. Having at this time little of particular +moment with which to occupy myself, I committed to the press two works, +which for some time past had been in the course of preparation. +These were the Gospel of St. Luke in the Spanish Gypsy and the Euscarra +languages.<br> +<br> +With respect to the Gypsy Gospel I have little to say, having already +spoken of it in a former work (<i>The</i> <i>Zincali</i>): it was translated +by myself, together with the greater part of the New Testament, during +my long intercourse with the Spanish Gypsies. Concerning the Luke +in Euscarra, however, it will be as well to be more particular, and +to avail myself of the present opportunity to say a few words concerning +the language in which it was written, and the people for whom it was +intended.<br> +<br> +The Euscarra, then, is the proper term for a certain speech or language, +supposed to have been at one time prevalent throughout Spain, but which +is at present confined to certain districts, both on the French and +Spanish side of the Pyrenees, which are laved by the waters of the Cantabrian +Gulf or Bay of Biscay. This language is commonly known as the +Basque or Biscayan, which words are mere modifications of the word Euscarra, +the consonant B having been prefixed for the sake of euphony. +Much that is vague, erroneous, and hypothetical, has been said and written +concerning this tongue. The Basques assert that it was not only +the original language of Spain, but also of the world, and that from +it all other languages are derived; but the Basques are a very ignorant +people, and know nothing of the philosophy of language. Very little +importance, therefore, need be attached to any opinion of theirs on +such a subject. A few amongst them, however, who affect some degree +of learning, contend, that it is neither more nor less than a dialect +of the Phoenician, and, that the Basques are the descendants of a Phoenician +colony, established at the foot of the Pyrenees at a very remote period. +Of this theory, or rather conjecture, as it is unsubstantiated by the +slightest proof, it is needless to take further notice than to observe +that, provided the Phoenician language, as many of the <i>truly learned</i> +have supposed and almost proved, was a dialect of the Hebrew, or closely +allied to it, it were as unreasonable to suppose that the Basque is +derived from it, as that the Kamschatdale and Cherokee are dialects +of the Greek or Latin.<br> +<br> +There is, however, another opinion with respect to the Basque which +deserves more especial notice, from the circumstance of its being extensively +entertained amongst the literati of various countries of Europe, more +especially England. I allude to the Celtic origin of this tongue, +and its close connexion with the most cultivated of all the Celtic dialects, +the Irish. People who pretend to be well conversant with the subject, +have even gone so far as to assert, that so little difference exists +between the Basque and Irish tongues, that individuals of the two nations, +when they meet together, find no difficulty in understanding each other, +with no other means of communication than their respective languages; +in a word, that there is scarcely a greater difference between the two +than between the French and the Spanish Basque. Such similarity, +however, though so strongly insisted upon, by no means exists in fact, +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 Irish.<br> +<br> +The Irish, like most other European languages, is a dialect of the Sanskrit, +a <i>remote </i>one, as may well be supposed. The corner of the +western world in which it is still preserved being, of all countries +in Europe, the most distant from the proper home of the parent tongue. +It is still, however, a dialect of that venerable and most original +speech, not so closely resembling it, it is true, as the English, Danish, +and those which belong to what is called the Gothic family, and far +less than those of the Sclavonian; for, the nearer we approach to the +East, in equal degree the assimilation of languages to this parent stock +becomes more clear and distinct; but still a dialect, agreeing with +the Sanskrit in structure, in the arrangement of words, and in many +instances in the words themselves, which, however modified, may still +be recognized as Sanskrit. But what is the Basque, and to what +family does it properly pertain?<br> +<br> +To two great Asiatic languages, all the dialects spoken at present in +Europe may be traced. These two, if not now spoken, still exist +in books, and are, moreover, the languages of two of the principal religions +of the East. I allude to the Tibetian and Sanskrit - the sacred +languages of the followers of Buddh and Bramah. These tongues, +though they possess many words in common, which is easily to be accounted +for by their close proximity, are properly distinct, being widely different +in structure. In what this difference consists, I have neither +time nor inclination to state; suffice it to say that the Celtic, Gothic, +and Sclavonian dialects in Europe belong to the Sanskrit family, even +as in the East the Persian, and to a less degree the Arabic, Hebrew, +etc.; whilst to the Tibetian or Tartar family in Asia pertain the Mandchou +and Mongolian, the Calmuc and the Turkish of the Caspian Sea; and in +Europe, the Hungarian and the Basque <i>partially.<br> +<br> +</i>Indeed this latter language is a strange anomaly, so that upon the +whole it is less difficult to say what it is not, than what it is. +It abounds with Sanskrit words to such a degree that its surface seems +strewn with them. Yet would it be wrong to term it a Sanskrit +dialect, for in the collocation of these words the Tartar form is most +decidedly observable. A considerable proportion of Tartar words +is likewise to be found in this language, though perhaps not in equal +number to the terms derived from the Sanskrit. Of these Tartar +etymons I shall at present content myself with citing one, though, if +necessary, it were easy to adduce hundreds. This word is <i>Jauna, +</i>or as it is pronounced, <i>Khauna, </i>a word in constant use amongst +the Basques, and which is the <i>Khan </i>of the Mongols and Mandchous, +and of the same signification - Lord.<br> +<br> +Having closely examined the subject in all its various bearings, and +having weighed what is to be said on one side against what is to be +advanced on the other, I am inclined to rank the Basque rather amongst +the Tartar than the Sanskrit dialects. Whoever should have an +opportunity of comparing the enunciation of the Basques and Tartars +would, from that alone, even if he understood them not, come to the +conclusion that their respective languages were formed on the same principles. +In both occur periods seemingly interminable, during which the voice +gradually ascends to a climax, and then gradually sinks down.<br> +<br> +I have spoken of the surprising number of Sanskrit words contained in +the Basque language, specimens of some of which will be found below. +It is remarkable enough, that in the greater part of the derivatives +from the Sanskrit the Basque has dropped the initial consonant, so that +the word commences with a vowel. The Basque, indeed, may be said +to be almost a vowel language; the number of consonants employed being +comparatively few: perhaps eight words out of ten commence and terminate +with a vowel, owing to which it is a language to the highest degree +soft and melodious, far excelling in this respect any other language +in Europe, not even excepting the Italian.<br> +<br> +Here follow a few specimens of Basque words with the Sanskrit roots +in juxtaposition:-<br> +<br> +<br> +BASQUE. SANSKRIT.<br> +Ardoa Sandhána <i> Wine.<br> +</i>Arratsa Ratri <i>Night.<br> +</i>Beguia Akshi +<i>Eye.<br> +</i>Choria Chiria <i>Bird.<br> +</i>Chacurra Cucura <i>Dog</i>.<br> +Erreguiña Rani <i>Queen</i>.<br> +Icusi Iksha <i>To +see.<br> +</i>Iru Treya + <i>Three.<br> +</i>Jan (Khan) Khana <i>To eat.<br> +</i>Uria Puri + <i>City</i>.<br> +Urruti Dura <i>Far.<br> +<br> +<br> +</i>Such is the tongue in which I brought out Saint Luke’s Gospel +at Madrid. The translation I procured originally from a Basque +physician of the name of Oteiza. Previous to being sent to the +press, the version had lain nearly two years in my possession, during +which time, and particularly during my travels, I lost no opportunity +of submitting it to the inspection of those who were considered competent +scholars in the Euscarra. It did not entirely please me; but it +was in vain to seek for a better translation.<br> +<br> +In my early youth I had obtained a slight acquaintance with the Euscarra, +as it exists in books. This acquaintance I considerably increased +during my stay in Spain; and by occasionally mingling with Basques, +was enabled to understand the spoken language to a certain extent, and +even to speak it, but always with considerable hesitation; for to speak +Basque, even tolerably, it is necessary to have lived in the country +from a very early period. So great are the difficulties attending +it, and so strange are its peculiarities, that it is very rare to find +a foreigner possessed of any considerable skill in the oral language, +and the Spaniards consider the obstacles so formidable that they have +a proverb to the effect that Satan once lived seven years in Biscay, +and then departed, finding himself unable either to understand or to +make himself understood.<br> +<br> +There are few inducements to the study of this language. In the +first place, the acquisition of it is by no means necessary even to +those who reside in the countries where it is spoken; the Spanish being +generally understood throughout the Basque provinces pertaining to Spain, +and the French in those pertaining to France.<br> +<br> +In the second place, neither dialect is in possession of any peculiar +literature capable of repaying the toil of the student. There +are various books extant both in French and Spanish Basque, but these +consist entirely of Popish devotion, and are for the most part translations.<br> +<br> +It will, perhaps, here be asked whether the Basques do not possess popular +poetry, like most other nations, however small and inconsiderable. +They have certainly no lack of songs, ballads, and stanzas, but of a +character by no means entitled to the appellation of poetry. I +have noted down from recitation a considerable portion of what they +call their poetry, but the only tolerable specimen of verse which I +ever discovered amongst them was the following stanza, which, after +all, is not entitled to very high praise:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“Ichasoa urac aundi,<br> +Estu ondoric agueri -<br> +Pasaco ninsaqueni andic<br> +Maitea icustea gatic.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<i>i.e</i>. “The waters of the sea are vast, and their bottom +cannot be seen: but over them I will pass, that I may behold my love.”<br> +<br> +The Basques are a singing rather than a poetical people. Notwithstanding +the facility with which their tongue lends itself to the composition +of verse, they have never produced among them a poet with the slightest +pretensions to reputation; but their voices are singularly sweet, and +they are known to excel in musical composition. It is the opinion +of a certain author, the Abbé D’Ilharce, who has written +about them, that they derived the name <i>Cantabri, </i>by which they +were known to the Romans, from <i>Khantor-ber, </i>signifying sweet +singers. They possess much music of their own, some of which is +said to be exceedingly ancient. Of this music specimens were published +at Donostian (San Sebastian) in the year 1826, edited by a certain Juan +Ignacio Iztueta. These consist of wild and thrilling marches, +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 Romans, +and subsequently with the Moors. Whilst listening to them it is +easy to suppose oneself in the close vicinity of some desperate encounter. +We seem to hear the charge of cavalry on the sounding plain, the clash +of swords, and the rushing of men down the gorges of hills. This +music is accompanied with words, but such words! Nothing can be +imagined more stupid, commonplace, and uninteresting. So far from +being martial, they relate to everyday incidents and appear to have +no connexion whatever with the music. They are evidently of modern +date.<br> +<br> +In person the Basques are of the middle size, and are active and athletic. +They are in general of fair complexions and handsome features, and in +appearance bear no slight resemblance to certain Tartar tribes of the +Caucasus. Their bravery is unquestionable, and they are considered +as the best soldiery belonging to the Spanish crown: a fact highly corroborative +of the supposition that they are of Tartar origin, the Tartars being +of all races the most warlike, and amongst whom the most remarkable +conquerors have been produced. They are faithful and honest, and +capable of much disinterested attachment; kind and hospitable to strangers; +all of which points are far from being at variance with the Tartan character. +But they are somewhat dull, and their capacities are by no means of +a high order, and in these respects they again resemble the Tartars.<br> +<br> +No people on earth are prouder than the Basques, but theirs is a kind +of republican pride. They have no nobility amongst them, and no +one will acknowledge a superior. The poorest carman is as proud +as the governor of Tolosa. “He is more powerful than I,” +he will say, “but I am of as good blood; perhaps hereafter I may +become a governor myself.” They abhor servitude, at least +out of their own country; and though circumstances frequently oblige +them to seek masters, it is very rare to find them filling the places +of common domestics; they are stewards, secretaries, accountants, etc. +True it is, that it was my own fortune to obtain a Basque domestic; +but then he always treated me more as an equal than a master, would +sit down in my presence, give me his advice unasked, and enter into +conversation with me at all times and occasions. Did I check him! +Certainly not! For in that case he would have left me, and a more +faithful creature I never knew. His fate was a mournful one, as +will appear in the sequel.<br> +<br> +I have said that the Basques abhor servitude, and are rarely to be found +serving as domestics amongst the Spaniards. I allude, however, +merely to the males. The females, on the contrary, have no objection +whatever to enter houses as servants. Women, indeed, amongst the +Basques are not looked upon with all the esteem which they deserve, +and are considered as fitted for little else than to perform menial +offices, even as in the East, where they are viewed in the light of +servants and slaves. The Basque females differ widely in character +from the men; they are quick and vivacious, and have in general much +more talent. They are famous for their skill as cooks, and in +most respectable houses of Madrid a Biscayan female may be found in +the kitchen, queen supreme of the culinary department.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXVIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Prohibition - Gospel Persecuted - Charge of Sorcery - Ofalia.<br> +<br> +About the middle of January a swoop was made upon me by my enemies, +in the shape of a peremptory prohibition from the political governor +of Madrid to sell any more New Testaments. This measure by no +means took me by surprise, as I had for some time previously been expecting +something of the kind, on account of the political sentiments of the +ministers then in power. I forthwith paid a visit to Sir George +Villiers, informing him of what had occurred. He promised to do +all he could to cause the prohibition to be withdrawn. Unfortunately +at this time he had not much influence, having opposed with all his +might the entrance of the moderado ministry to power, and the nomination +of Ofalia to the presidency of the cabinet. I, however, never +lost confidence in the Almighty, in whose cause I was engaged.<br> +<br> +Matters were going on very well before this check. The demand +for Testaments was becoming considerable, so much so, that the clergy +were alarmed, and this step was the consequence. But they had +previously recourse to another, well worthy of them, they attempted +to act upon my fears. One of the ruffians of Madrid, called Manolos, +came up to me one night, in a dark street, and told me that unless I +discontinued selling my “Jewish books,” I should have a +knife “<i>nailed in my heart</i>”; but I told him to go +home, say his prayers, and tell his employers that I pitied them; whereupon +he turned away with an oath. A few days after, I received an order +to send two copies of the Testament to the office of the political governor, +with which I complied, and in less than twenty-four hours an alguazil +arrived at the shop with a notice prohibiting the further sale of the +work.<br> +<br> +One circumstance rejoiced me. Singular as it may appear, the authorities +took no measures to cause my little despacho to be closed, and I received +no prohibition respecting the sale of any work but the New Testament, +and as the Gospel of Saint Luke, in Romany and Basque, would within +a short time be ready for delivery, I hoped to carry on matters in a +small way till better times should arrive.<br> +<br> +I was advised to erase from the shop windows the words “Despacho +of the British and Foreign Bible Society.” This, however, +I refused to do. Those words had tended very much to call attention, +which was my grand object. Had I attempted to conduct things in +an underhand manner, I should, at the time of which I am speaking, scarcely +have sold thirty copies in Madrid, instead of nearly three hundred. +People who know me not, may be disposed to call me rash; but I am far +from being so, as I never adopt a venturous course when any other is +open to me. I am not, however, a person to be terrified by any +danger, when I see that braving it is the only way to achieve an object.<br> +<br> +The booksellers were unwilling to sell my work; I was compelled to establish +a shop of my own. Every shop in Madrid has a name. What +name could I give it but the true one? I was not ashamed of my +cause or my colours. I hoisted them, and fought beneath them not +without success.<br> +<br> +The priestly party in Madrid, in the meantime, spared no effort to vilify +me. They started a publication called <i>The Friend of the Christian +Religion, </i>in which a stupid but furious attack upon me appeared, +which I, however, treated with the contempt it deserved. But not +satisfied with this, they endeavoured to incite the populace against +me, by telling them that I was a sorcerer, and a companion of Gypsies +and witches, and their agents even called me so in the streets. +That I was an associate of Gypsies and fortune-tellers I do not deny. +Why should I be ashamed of their company when my Master mingled with +publicans and thieves? Many of the Gypsy race came frequently +to visit me; received instruction, and heard parts of the Gospel read +to them in their own language, and when they were hungry and faint, +I gave them to eat and drink. This might be deemed sorcery in +Spain, but I am not without hope that it will be otherwise estimated +in England, and had I perished at this period, I think there are some +who would have been disposed to acknowledge that I had not lived altogether +in vain (always as an instrument of the “Most Highest”), +having been permitted to turn one of the most valuable books of God +into the speech of the most degraded of his creatures.<br> +<br> +In the meantime I endeavoured to enter into negotiations with the ministry, +for the purpose of obtaining permission to sell the New Testament in +Madrid, and the nullification of the prohibition. I experienced, +however, great opposition, which I was unable to surmount. Several +of the ultra-popish bishops, then resident in Madrid, had denounced +the Bible, the Bible Society, and myself. Nevertheless, notwithstanding +their powerful and united efforts, they were unable to effect their +principal object, namely, my expulsion from Madrid and Spain. +The Count Ofalia, notwithstanding he had permitted himself to be made +the instrument, to a certain extent, of these people, would not consent +to be pushed to such a length. Throughout this affair, I cannot +find words sufficiently strong to do justice to the zeal and interest +which Sir George Villiers displayed in the cause of the Testament. +He had various interviews with Ofalia on the subject, and in these he +expressed to him his sense of the injustice and tyranny which had been +practised in this instance towards his countryman.<br> +<br> +Ofalia had been moved by these remonstrances, and more than once promised +to do all in his power to oblige Sir George; but then the bishops again +beset him, and playing upon his political if not religious fears, prevented +him from acting a just, honest, and honourable part. At the desire +of Sir George Villiers, I drew up a brief account of the Bible Society, +and an exposition of its views, especially in respect to Spain, which +he presented with his own hands to the Count. I shall not trouble +the reader by inserting this memorial, but content myself with observing, +that I made no attempts to flatter and cajole, but expressed myself +honestly and frankly, as a Christian ought. Ofalia, on reading +it, said, “What a pity that this is a Protestant society, and +that all its members are not Catholics.”<br> +<br> +A few days subsequently, to my great astonishment, he sent a message +to me by a friend, requesting that I would send him a copy of my Gypsy +Gospel. I may as well here state, that the fame of this work, +though not yet published, had already spread like wildfire through Madrid, +and every person was passionately eager to possess a copy; indeed, several +grandees of Spain sent messages with similar requests, all of which +I however denied. I instantly resolved to take advantage of this +overture on the part of Count Ofalia, and to call on him myself. +I therefore caused a copy of the Gospel to be handsomely bound, and +proceeding to the palace, was instantly admitted to him. He was +a dusky, diminutive person, between fifty and sixty years of age, with +false hair and teeth, but exceedingly gentlemanly manners. He +received me with great affability, and thanked me for my present; but +on my proceeding to speak of the New Testament, he told me that the +subject was surrounded with difficulties, and that the great body of +the clergy had taken up the matter against me; he conjured me, however, +to be patient and peaceable, in which case he said he would endeavour +to devise some plan to satisfy me. Amongst other things, he observed +that the bishops hated a sectarian more than an Atheist. Whereupon +I replied, that, like the Pharisees of old, they cared more for the +gold of the temple than the temple itself. Throughout the whole +of our interview he evidently laboured under great fear, and was continually +looking behind and around him, seemingly in dread of being overheard, +which brought to my mind an expression of a friend of mine, that if +there be any truth in metempsychosis, the soul of Count Ofalia must +have originally belonged to a mouse. We parted in kindness, and +I went away, wondering by what strange chance this poor man had become +prime minister of a country like Spain.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XXXIX<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Two Gospels - The Alguazil - The Warrant - The Good Maria - The +Arrest - Sent to Prison - Reflections - The Reception - The Prison Room +- Redress Demanded.<br> +<br> +At length the Gospel of Saint Luke in the Gypsy language was in a state +of readiness. I therefore deposited a certain number of copies +in the despacho, and announced them for sale. The Basque, which +was by this time also printed, was likewise advertised. For this +last work there was little demand. Not so, however, for the Gypsy +Luke, of which I could have easily disposed of the whole edition in +less than a fortnight. Long, however, before this period had expired, +the clergy were up in arms. “Sorcery!” said one bishop. +“There is more in this than we can dive into,” exclaimed +a second. “He will convert all Spain by means of the Gypsy +language,” cried a third. And then came the usual chorus +on such occasions, of <i>Que infamia! Que picardia</i>! +At last, having consulted together, away they hurried to their tool +the corregidor, or, according to the modern term, the gefe politico +of Madrid. I have forgotten the name of this worthy, of whom I +had myself no personal knowledge whatever. Judging from his actions, +however, and from common report, I should say that he was a stupid wrong-headed +creature, savage withal - a melange of borrico, mule, and wolf. +Having an inveterate antipathy to all foreigners, he lent a willing +ear to the complaint of my accusers, and forthwith gave orders to make +a seizure of all the copies of the Gypsy Gospel which could be found +in the despacho. The consequence was, that a numerous body of +alguazils directed their steps to the Calle del principe; some thirty +copies of the book in question were pounced upon, and about the same +number of Saint Luke in Basque. With this spoil these satellites +returned in triumph to the gefatura politica, where they divided the +copies of the Gypsy volume amongst themselves, selling subsequently +the greater number at a large price, the book being in the greatest +demand, and thus becoming unintentionally agents of an heretical society. +But every one must live by his trade, say these people, and they lose +no opportunity of making their words good, by disposing to the best +advantage of any booty which falls into their hands. As no person +cared about the Basque Gospel, it was safely stowed away, with other +unmarketable captures, in the warehouses of the office.<br> +<br> +The Gypsy Gospels had now been seized, at least as many as were exposed +for sale in the despacho. The corregidor and his friends, however, +were of opinion that many more might be obtained by means of a little +management. Fellows, therefore, hangers-on of the police office, +were daily dispatched to the shop in all kinds of disguises, inquiring, +with great seeming anxiety, for “Gypsy books,” and offering +high prices for copies. They, however, returned to their employers +empty-handed. My Gallegan was on his guard, informing all who +made inquiries, that books of no description would be sold at the establishment +for the present. Which was in truth the case, as I had given him +particular orders to sell no more under any pretence whatever.<br> +<br> +I got no credit, however, for my frank dealing. The corregidor +and his confederates could not persuade themselves but that by some +means mysterious and unknown to them, I was daily selling hundreds of +these Gypsy books, which were to revolutionize the country, and annihilate +the power of the Father of Rome. A plan was therefore resolved +upon, 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 Scriptures, either in Gypsy or +in any other language.<br> +<br> +It was on the morning of the first of May, if I forget not, that an +unknown individual made his appearance in my apartment as I was seated +at breakfast; he was a mean-looking fellow, about the middle stature, +with a countenance on which knave was written in legible characters. +The hostess ushered him in, and then withdrew. I did not like +the appearance of my visitor, but assuming some degree of courtesy, +I requested him to sit down, and demanded his business. “I +come from his excellency the political chief of Madrid,” he replied, +“and my business is to inform you that his excellency is perfectly +aware of your proceedings, 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 sell.” “Is he so,” I replied; “pray +let him do so forthwith, but what need of giving me information?” +“Perhaps,” continued the fellow, “you think his worship +has no witnesses; know, however, that he has many, and respectable ones +too.” “Doubtless,” I replied, “and from +the respectability of your own appearance, you are perhaps one of them. +But you are occupying my time unprofitably; begone, therefore, and tell +whoever sent you, that I have by no means a high opinion of his wisdom.” +“I shall go when I please,” retorted the fellow; “do +you know to whom you are speaking? Are you aware that if I think +fit I can search your apartment, yes, even below your bed? What +have we here,” he continued; and commenced with his stick poking +a heap of papers which lay upon a chair; “what have we here; are +these also papers of the Gypsies?” I instantly determined +upon submitting no longer to this behaviour, and taking the fellow by +the arm, led him out of the apartment, and then still holding him, conducted +him downstairs from the third floor in which I lived, into the street, +looking him steadfastly in the face the whole while.<br> +<br> +The fellow had left his sombrero on the table, which I dispatched to +him by the landlady, who delivered it into his hand as he stood in the +street staring with distended eyes at the balcony of my apartment.<br> +<br> +“A trampa has been laid for you, Don Jorge,” said Maria +Diaz, when she had reascended from the street; “that corchete +came here with no other intention than to have a dispute with you; out +of every word you have said he will make a long history, as is the custom +with these people: indeed he said, as I handed him his hat, that ere +twenty-four hours were over, you should see the inside of the prison +of Madrid.”<br> +<br> +In effect, during the course of the morning, I was told that a warrant +had been issued for my apprehension. The prospect of incarceration, +however, did not fill me with much dismay; an adventurous life and inveterate +habits of wandering having long familiarized me to situations of every +kind, so much so as to feel myself quite as comfortable in a prison +as in the gilded chamber of palaces; indeed more so, as in the former +place I can always add to my store of useful information, whereas in +the latter, ennui frequently assails me. I had, moreover, been +thinking for some time past of paying a visit to the prison, partly +in the hope of being able to say a few words of Christian instruction +to the criminals, and partly with the view of making certain investigations +in the robber language of Spain, a subject about which I had long felt +much curiosity; indeed, I had already made application for admittance +into the Carcel de la Corte, but had found the matter surrounded with +difficulties, as my friend Ofalia would have said. I rather rejoiced +then in the opportunity which was now about to present itself of entering +the prison, not in the character of a visitor for an hour, but as a +martyr, and as one suffering in the holy cause of religion. I +was determined, however, to disappoint my enemies for that day at least, +and to render null the threat of the alguazil, that I should be imprisoned +within twenty-four hours. I therefore took up my abode for the +rest of the day in a celebrated French tavern in the Calle del Caballero +de Gracia, which, as it was one of the most fashionable and public places +in Madrid, I naturally concluded was one of the last where the corregidor +would think of seeking me.<br> +<br> +About ten at night, Maria Diaz, to whom I had communicated the place +of my retreat, arrived with her son, Juan Lopez. “O señor,” +said she on seeing me, “they are already in quest of you; the +alcalde of the barrio, with a large comitiva of alguazils and such like +people, have just been at our house with a warrant for your imprisonment +from the corregidor. They searched the whole house, and were much +disappointed at not finding you. Wo is me, what will they do when +they catch you?” “Be under no apprehensions, good +Maria,” said I; “you forget that I am an Englishman, and +so it seems does the corregidor. Whenever he catches me, depend +upon it he will be glad enough to let me go. For the present, +however, we will permit him to follow his own course, for the spirit +of folly seems to have seized him.”<br> +<br> +I slept at the tavern, and in the forenoon of the following day repaired +to the embassy, where I had an interview with Sir George, to whom I +related every circumstance of the affair. He said that he could +scarcely believe that the corregidor entertained any serious intentions +of imprisoning me: in the first place, because I had committed no offence; +and in the second, because I was not under the jurisdiction of that +functionary, but under that of the captain-general, who was alone empowered +to decide upon matters which relate to foreigners, and before whom I +must be brought in the presence of the consul of my nation. “However,” +said he, “there is no knowing to what length these jacks in office +may go. I therefore advise you, if you are under any apprehension, +to remain as my guest at the embassy for a few days, for here you will +be quite safe.” I assured him that I was under no apprehension +whatever, having long been accustomed to adventures of this kind. +From the apartment of Sir George, I proceeded to that of the first secretary +of embassy, Mr. Southern, with whom I entered into conversation. +I had scarcely been there a minute when my servant Francisco rushed +in, much out of breath, and in violent agitation, exclaiming in Basque, +“Niri jauna (<i>master mine</i>), the alguaziloac and the corchetoac, +and all the other lapurrac <i>(thieves) </i>are again at the house. +They seem half mad, and not being able to find you, are searching your +papers, thinking, I suppose, that you are hid among them.” +Mr. Southern here interrupting him, inquired of me what all this meant. +Whereupon I told him, saying at the same time, that it was my intention +to proceed at once to my lodgings. “But perhaps these fellows +will arrest you,” said Mr. S., “before we can interfere.” +“I must take my chance as to that,” I replied, and presently +afterwards departed.<br> +<br> +Ere, however, I had reached the middle of the street of Alcala, two +fellows came up to me, and telling me that I was their prisoner, commanded +me to follow them to the office of the corregidor. They were in +fact alguazils, who, suspecting that I might enter or come out of the +embassy, had stationed themselves in the neighbourhood. I instantly +turned round to Francisco, and told him in Basque to return to the embassy +and to relate there to the secretary what had just occurred. The +poor fellow set off like lightning, turning half round, however, to +shake his fist, and to vent a Basque execration at the two lapurrac, +as he called the alguazils.<br> +<br> +They conducted me to the gefatura or office of the corregidor, where +they ushered me into a large room, and motioned me to sit down on a +wooden bench. They then stationed themselves on each side of me: +there were at least twenty people in the apartment beside ourselves, +evidently from their appearance officials of the establishment. +They were all well dressed, for the most part in the French fashion, +in round hats, coats, and pantaloons, and yet they looked what in reality +they were, Spanish alguazils, spies, and informers, and Gil Blas, could +he have waked from his sleep of two centuries, would, notwithstanding +the change of fashion, have had no difficulty in recognizing them. +They glanced at me as they stood lounging about the room; they gathered +themselves together in a circle and began conversing in whispers. +I heard one of them say, “he understands the seven Gypsy jargons.” +Then presently another, evidently from his language an Andalusian, said, +“<i>Es muy diestro </i>(he is very skilful), and can ride a horse +and dart a knife full as well as if he came from my own country.” +Thereupon they all turned round and regarded me with a species of interest, +evidently mingled with respect, which most assuredly they would not +have exhibited had they conceived that I was merely an honest man bearing +witness in a righteous cause.<br> +<br> +I waited patiently on the bench at least one hour, expecting every moment +to be summoned before my lord the corregidor. I suppose, however, +that I was not deemed worthy of being permitted to see so exalted a +personage, for at the end of that time, an elderly man, one however +evidently of the alguazil genus, came into the room and advanced directly +towards me. “Stand up,” said he. I obeyed. +“What is your name?” he demanded. I told him. +“Then,” he replied, exhibiting a paper which he held in +his hand, “Señor, it is the will of his excellency the +corregidor that you be forthwith sent to prison.”<br> +<br> +He looked at me steadfastly as he spoke, perhaps expecting that I should +sink into the earth at the formidable name of prison; I however only +smiled. He then delivered the paper, which I suppose was the warrant +for my committal, into the hand of one of my two captors, and obeying +a sign which they made, I followed them.<br> +<br> +I subsequently learned that the secretary of legation, Mr. Southern, +had been dispatched by Sir George, as soon as the latter had obtained +information of my arrest, and had been waiting at the office during +the greater part of the time that I was there. He had demanded +an audience of the corregidor, in which he had intended to have remonstrated +with him, and pointed out to him the danger to which he was subjecting +himself by the rash step which he was taking. The sullen functionary, +however, had refused to see him, thinking, perhaps, that to listen to +reason would be a dereliction of dignity: by this conduct, however, +he most effectually served me, as no person, after such a specimen of +uncalled-for insolence, felt disposed to question the violence and injustice +which had been practised towards me.<br> +<br> +The alguazils conducted me across the Plaza Mayor to the Carcel de la +Corte, or prison of the court, as it is called. Whilst going across +the square, I remembered that this was the place where, in “the +good old times,” the Inquisition of Spain was in the habit of +holding its solemn <i>Autos da fe, </i>and I cast my eye to the balcony +of the city hall, where at the most solemn of them all, the last of +the Austrian line in Spain sat, and after some thirty heretics, of both +sexes, had been burnt by fours and by fives, wiped his face, perspiring +with heat, and black with smoke, and calmly inquired, “No hay +mas?” for which exemplary proof of patience he was much applauded +by his priests and confessors, who subsequently poisoned him. +“And here am I,” thought I, “who have done more to +wound Popery, than all the poor Christian martyrs that ever suffered +in this accursed square, merely sent to prison, from which I am sure +to be liberated in a few days, with credit and applause. Pope +of Rome! I believe you to be as malicious as ever, but you are sadly +deficient in power. You are become paralytic, Batuschca, and your +club has degenerated to a crutch.”<br> +<br> +We arrived at the prison, which stands in a narrow street not far from +the great square. We entered a dusky passage, at the end of which +was a wicket door. My conductors knocked, a fierce visage peered +through the wicket; there was an exchange of words, and in a few moments +I found myself within the prison of Madrid, in a kind of corridor which +overlooked at a considerable altitude what appeared to be a court, from +which arose a hubbub of voices, and occasionally wild shouts and cries. +Within the corridor which served as a kind of office, were several people; +one of them sat behind a desk, and to him the alguazils went up, and +after discoursing with him some time in low tones, delivered the warrant +into his hands. He perused it with attention, then rising he advanced +to me. What a figure! He was about forty years of age, and +his height might have amounted to some six feet two inches, had he not +been curved much after the fashion of the letter S. No weazel +ever appeared lanker, and he looked as if a breath of air would have +been sufficient to blow him away; his face might certainly have been +called handsome, had it not been for its extraordinary and portentous +meagreness; his nose was like an eagle’s bill, his teeth white +as ivory, his eyes black (Oh how black!) and fraught with a strange +expression, his skin was dark, and the hair of his head like the plumage +of the raven. A deep quiet smile dwelt continually on his features; +but with all the quiet it was a cruel smile, such a one as would have +graced the countenance of a Nero. “<i>Mais en revanche</i> +<i>personne n’etoit plus honnete</i>.” “Caballero,” +said he, “allow me to introduce myself to you as the alcayde of +this prison. I perceive by this paper that I am to have the honour +of your company for a time, a short time doubtless, beneath this roof; +I hope you will banish every apprehension from your mind. I am +charged to treat you with all the respect which is due to the illustrious +nation to which you belong, and which a cavalier of such exalted category +as yourself is entitled to expect. A needless charge, it is true, +as I should only have been too happy of my own accord to have afforded +you every comfort and attention. Caballero, you will rather consider +yourself here as a guest than a prisoner; you will be permitted to roam +over every part of this house whenever you think proper. You will +find matters here not altogether below the attention of a philosophic +mind! Pray, issue whatever commands you may think fit to the turnkeys +and officials, even as if they were your own servants. I will +now have the honour of conducting you to your apartment - the only one +at present unoccupied. We invariably reserve it for cavaliers +of distinction. I am happy to say that my orders are again in +consonance with my inclination. No charge whatever will be made +for it to you, though the daily hire of it is not unfrequently an ounce +of gold. I entreat you, therefore, to follow me, cavalier, who +am at all times and seasons the most obedient and devoted of your servants.” +Here he took off his hat and bowed profoundly.<br> +<br> +Such was the speech of the alcayde of the prison of Madrid; a speech +delivered in pure sonorous Castilian, with calmness, gravity, and almost +with dignity; a speech which would have done honour to a gentleman of +high birth, to Monsieur Basompierre, of the Old Bastile, receiving an +Italian prince, or the high constable of the Tower an English duke attainted +of high treason. Now, who in the name of wonder was this alcayde?<br> +<br> +One of the greatest rascals in all Spain. A fellow who had more +than once by his grasping cupidity, and by his curtailment of the miserable +rations of the prisoners, caused an insurrection in the court below +only to be repressed by bloodshed, and by summoning military aid; a +fellow of low birth, who, only five years previous, had been <i>drummer +</i>to a band of royalist volunteers!<br> +<br> +But Spain is the land of extraordinary characters.<br> +<br> +I followed the alcayde to the end of the corridor, where was a massive +grated door, on each side of which sat a grim fellow of a turnkey. +The door was opened, and turning to the right we proceeded down another +corridor, in which were many people walking about, whom I subsequently +discovered to be prisoners like myself, but for political offences. +At the end of this corridor, which extended the whole length of the +patio, we turned into another, and the first apartment in this was the +one destined for myself. It was large and lofty, but totally destitute +of every species of furniture, with the exception of a huge wooden pitcher, +intended to hold my daily allowance of water. “Caballero,” +said the alcayde, “the apartment is without furniture, as you +see. It is already the third hour of the tarde, I therefore advise +you to lose no time in sending to your lodgings for a bed and whatever +you may stand in need of, the llavero here shall do your bidding. +Caballero, adieu till I see you again.”<br> +<br> +I followed his advice, and writing a note in pencil to Maria Diaz, I +dispatched it by the llavero, and then sitting down on the wooden pitcher, +I fell into a reverie, which continued for a considerable time.<br> +<br> +Night arrived, and so did Maria Diaz, attended by two porters and Francisco, +all loaded with furniture. A lamp was lighted, charcoal was kindled +in the brasero, and the prison gloom was to a certain degree dispelled.<br> +<br> +I now left my seat on the pitcher, and sitting down on a chair, proceeded +to dispatch some wine and viands, which my good hostess had not forgotten +to bring with her. Suddenly Mr. Southern entered. He laughed +heartily at finding me engaged in the manner I have described. +“B-,” said he, “you are the man to get through the +world, for you appear to take all things coolly, and as matters of course. +That, however, which most surprises me with respect to you is, your +having so many friends; here you are in prison, surrounded by people +ministering to your comforts. Your very servant is your friend, +instead of being your worst enemy, as is usually the case. That +Basque of yours is a noble fellow. I shall never forget how he +spoke for you, when he came running to the embassy to inform us of your +arrest. He interested both Sir George and myself in the highest +degree: should you ever wish to part with him, I hope you will give +me the refusal of his services. But now to other matters.” +He then informed me that Sir George had already sent in an official +note to Ofalia, demanding redress for such a wanton outrage on the person +of a British subject. “You must remain in prison,” +said he, “to-night, but depend upon it that to-morrow, if you +are disposed, you may quit in triumph.” “I am by no +means disposed for any such thing,” I replied. “They +have put me in prison for their pleasure, and I intend to remain here +for my own.” “If the confinement is not irksome to +you,” said Mr. Southern, “I think, indeed, it will be your +wisest plan; the government have committed themselves sadly with regard +to you; and, to speak plainly, we are by no means sorry for it. +They have on more than one occasion treated ourselves very cavalierly, +and we have now, if you continue firm, an excellent opportunity of humbling +their insolence. I will instantly acquaint Sir George with your +determination, and you shall hear from us early on the morrow.” +He then bade me farewell; and flinging myself on my bed, I was soon +asleep in the prison of Madrid.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XL<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Ofalia - The Juez - Carcel do 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 Glory.<br> +<br> +Ofalia quickly perceived that the imprisonment of a British subject +in a manner so illegal as that which had attended my own, was likely +to be followed by rather serious consequences. Whether he himself +had at all encouraged the corregidor in his behaviour towards me, it +is impossible to say; the probability is that he had not: the latter, +however, was an officer of his own appointing, for whose actions himself +and the government were to a certain extent responsible. Sir George +had already made a very strong remonstrance upon the subject, 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 subjected. Ofalia’s reply was, that immediate +measures should be taken for my liberation, and that it would be my +own fault if I remained in prison. He forthwith ordered a juez +de la primera instancia, a kind of solicitor-general, to wait upon me, +who was instructed to hear my account of the affair, and then to dismiss +me with an admonition to be cautious for the future. My friends +of the embassy, however, had advised me how to act in such a case. +Accordingly, when the juez on the second night of my imprisonment made +his appearance at the prison, and summoned me before him, I went, but +on his proceeding to question me, I absolutely refused to answer. +“I deny your right to put any questions to me,” said I; +“I entertain, however, no feelings of disrespect to the government +or to yourself, Caballero Juez; but I have been illegally imprisoned. +So accomplished a jurist as yourself cannot fail to be aware that, according +to the laws of Spain, I, as a foreigner, could not be committed to prison +for the offence with which I had been charged, without previously being +conducted before the captain-general of this royal city, whose duty +it is to protect foreigners, and see that the laws of hospitality are +not violated in their persons.”<br> +<br> +<i>Juez</i>. - Come, come, Don Jorge, I see what you are aiming at; +but listen to reason: I will not now speak to you as a juez but as a +friend who wishes you well, and who entertains a profound reverence +for the British nation. This is a foolish affair altogether; I +will not deny that the political chief acted somewhat hastily on the +information of a person not perhaps altogether worthy of credit. +No great damage, however, has been done to you, and to a man of the +world like yourself, a little adventure of this kind is rather calculated +to afford amusement than anything else. Now be advised, forget +what has happened; you know that it is the part and duty of a Christian +to forgive; so, Don Jorge, I advise you to leave this place forthwith. +I dare say you are getting tired of it. You are this moment free +to depart; repair at once to your lodgings, where, I promise you, that +no one shall be permitted to interrupt you for the future. It +is getting late, and the prison doors will speedily be closed for the +night. <i>Vamos, Don Jorge, a la casa, a la posada!<br> +<br> +Myself</i>. - “But Paul said unto them, they have beaten us openly +uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do +they thrust us out privily? Nay, verily: but let them come themselves +and fetch us out.”<br> +<br> +I then bowed to the juez, who shrugged his shoulders and took snuff. +On leaving the apartment I turned to the alcayde, who stood at the door: +“Take notice,” said I, “that I will not quit this +prison till I have received full satisfaction for being sent hither +uncondemned. You may expel me if you please, but any attempt to +do so shall be resisted with all the bodily strength of which I am possessed.”<br> +<br> +“Your worship is right,” said the alcayde with a bow, but +in a low voice.<br> +<br> +Sir George, on hearing of this affair, sent me a letter in which he +highly commanded my resolution not to leave the prison for the present, +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 tolerable.<br> +<br> +I will now leave for the present my own immediate affairs, and proceed +to give some account of the prison of Madrid and its inmates.<br> +<br> +The Carcel de la Corte, where I now was, though the principal prison +of Madrid, is one which certainly in no respect does credit to the capital +of Spain. Whether it was originally intended for the purpose to +which it is at present applied, I have no opportunity of knowing. +The chances, however, are, that it was not; 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 vogue. +Castles, convents, and deserted palaces, have in all countries, at different +times, been converted into prisons, which practice still holds good +upon the greater part of the continent, and more particularly in Spain +and Italy, which accounts, to a certain extent, for the insecurity of +the prisons, and the misery, want of cleanliness, and unhealthiness +which in general pervade them.<br> +<br> +I shall not attempt to enter into a particular description of the prison +of Madrid, indeed it would be quite impossible to describe so irregular +and rambling an edifice. Its principal features consisted of two +courts, the one behind the other, intended for the great body of the +prisoners to take air and recreation in. Three large vaulted dungeons +or calabozos occupied three sides of this court, immediately below the +corridors of which I have already spoken. These dungeons were +roomy enough to contain respectively from one hundred to one hundred +and fifty prisoners, who were at night secured therein with lock and +bar, but during the day were permitted to roam about the courts as they +thought fit. The second court was considerably larger than the +first, though it contained but two dungeons, horribly filthy and disgusting +places; this second court being used for the reception of the lower +grades of thieves. Of the two dungeons one was, if possible, yet +more horrible than the other; it was called the gallineria, or chicken +coop, and within it every night were pent up the young fry of the prison, +wretched boys from seven to fifteen years of age, the greater part almost +in a state of nudity. The common bed of all the inmates of these +dungeons was the ground, between which and their bodies nothing intervened, +save occasionally a manta or horse-cloth, or perhaps a small mattress; +this latter luxury was, however, of exceedingly rare occurrence.<br> +<br> +Besides the calabozos connected with the courts, were other dungeons +in various parts of the prison; some of them quite dark, intended for +the reception of those whom it might be deemed expedient to treat with +peculiar severity. There was likewise a ward set apart for females. +Connected with the principal corridor were many small apartments, where +resided prisoners confined for debt or for political offences. +And, lastly, there was a small capilla or chapel, in which prisoners +cast for death passed the last three days of their existence in company +of their ghostly advisers.<br> +<br> +I shall not soon forget my first Sunday in prison. Sunday is the +gala day of the prison, at least of that of Madrid, and whatever robber +finery is to be found within it, is sure to be exhibited on that day +of holiness. There is not a set of people in the world more vain +than robbers in general, more fond of cutting a figure whenever they +have an opportunity, and of attracting the eyes of their fellow creatures +by the gallantry of their appearance. The famous Sheppard of olden +times delighted in sporting a suit of Genoese velvet, and when he appeared +in public generally wore a silver-hilted sword at his side; whilst Vaux +and Hayward, heroes of a later day, were the best dressed men on the +pavé of London. Many of the Italian bandits go splendidly +decorated, and the very Gypsy robber has a feeling for the charms of +dress; the cap alone of the Haram Pasha, or leader of the cannibal Gypsy +band which infested Hungary towards the conclusion of the last century, +was adorned with gold and jewels to the value of four thousand guilders. +Observe, ye vain and frivolous, how vanity and crime harmonize. +The Spanish robbers are as fond of this species of display as their +brethren of other lands, and, whether in prison or out of it, are never +so happy as when, decked out in a profusion of white linen, they can +loll in the sun, or walk jauntily up and down.<br> +<br> +Snow-white linen, indeed, constitutes the principal feature in the robber +foppery of Spain. Neither coat nor jacket is worn over the shirt, +the sleeves of which are wide and flowing, only a waistcoat of green +or blue silk, with an abundance of silver buttons, which are intended +more for show than use, as the vest is seldom buttoned. Then there +are wide trousers, something after the Turkish fashion; around the waist +is a crimson faja or girdle, and about the head is tied a gaudily coloured +handkerchief from the loom of Barcelona; light pumps and silk stockings +complete the robber’s array. This dress is picturesque enough, +and well adapted to the fine sunshiny weather of the Peninsula; there +is a dash of effeminacy about it, however, hardly in keeping with the +robber’s desperate trade. It must not, however, be supposed +that it is every robber who can indulge in all this luxury; there are +various grades of thieves, some poor enough, with scarcely a rag to +cover them. Perhaps in the crowded prison of Madrid, there were +not more than twenty who exhibited the dress which I have attempted +to describe above; these were <i>jente de</i> <i>reputacion, </i>tip-top +thieves, mostly young fellows, who, though they had no money of their +own, were supported in prison by their majas and amigas, females of +a certain class, who form friendships with robbers, and whose glory +and delight it is to administer to the vanity of these fellows with +the wages of their own shame and abasement. These females supplied +their cortejos with the snowy linen, washed, perhaps, by their own hands +in the waters of the Manzanares, for the display of the Sunday, when +they would themselves make their appearance dressed à la maja, +and from the corridors would gaze with admiring eyes upon the robbers +vapouring about in the court below.<br> +<br> +Amongst those of the snowy linen who most particularly attracted my +attention, were a father and son; the former was a tall athletic figure +of about thirty, by profession a housebreaker, and celebrated throughout +Madrid for the peculiar dexterity which he exhibited in his calling. +He was now in prison for a rather atrocious murder committed in the +dead of night, in a house at Caramanchel, in which his only accomplice +was his son, a child under seven years of age. “The apple,” +as the Danes say, “had not fallen far from the tree”; the +imp was in every respect the counterpart of the father, though in miniature. +He, too, wore the robber shirt sleeves, the robber waistcoat with the +silver buttons, the robber kerchief round his brow, and, ridiculous +enough, a long Manchegan knife in the crimson faja. He was evidently +the pride of the ruffian father, who took all imaginable care of this +chick of the gallows, would dandle him on his knee, and would occasionally +take the cigar from his own moustached lips and insert it in the urchin’s +mouth. The boy was the pet of the court, for the father was one +of the valientes of the prison, and those who feared his prowess, and +wished to pay their court to him, were always fondling the child. +What an enigma is this world of ours! How dark and mysterious +are the sources of what is called crime and virtue! If that infant +wretch become eventually a murderer like his father, is he to blame? +Fondled by robbers, already dressed as a robber, born of a robber, whose +own history was perhaps similar. Is it right?<br> +<br> +O, man, man, seek not to dive into the mystery of moral good and evil; +confess thyself a worm, cast thyself on the earth, and murmur with thy +lips in the dust, Jesus, Jesus!<br> +<br> +What most surprised me with respect to the prisoners, was their good +behaviour; I call it good when all things are taken into consideration, +and when I compare it with that of the general class of prisoners in +foreign lands. They had their occasional bursts of wild gaiety, +their occasional quarrels, which they were in the habit of settling +in a corner of the inferior court with their long knives; the result +not unfrequently being death, or a dreadful gash in the face or the +abdomen; but, upon the whole, their conduct was infinitely superior +to what might have been expected from the inmates of such a place. +Yet this was not the result of coercion, or any particular care which +was exercised over them; for perhaps in no part of the world are prisoners +so left to themselves and so utterly neglected as in Spain: the authorities +having no farther anxiety about them, than to prevent their escape; +not the slightest attention being paid to their moral conduct and not +a thought bestowed upon their health, comfort or mental improvement, +whilst within the walls. Yet in this prison of Madrid, and I may +say in Spanish prisons in general, for I have been an inmate of more +than one, the ears of the visitor are never shocked with horrid blasphemy +and obscenity, as in those of some other countries, and more particularly +in civilized France; nor are his eyes outraged and himself insulted, +as he would assuredly be, were he to look down upon the courts from +the galleries of the Bicetre. And yet in this prison of Madrid +were some of the most desperate characters in Spain: ruffians who had +committed acts of cruelly and atrocity sufficient to make the flesh +shudder. But gravity and sedateness are the leading characteristics +of the Spaniards, and the very robber, except in those moments when +he is engaged in his occupation, and then no one is more sanguinary, +pitiless, and wolfishly eager for booty, is a being who can be courteous +and affable, and who takes pleasure in conducting himself with sobriety +and decorum.<br> +<br> +Happily, perhaps, for me, that my acquaintance with the ruffians of +Spain commenced and ended in the towns about which I wandered, and in +the prisons into which I was cast for the Gospel’s sake, and that, +notwithstanding my long and frequent journeys, I never came in contact +with them on the road or in the despoblado.<br> +<br> +The most ill-conditioned being in the prison was a Frenchman, though +probably the most remarkable. He was about sixty years of age, +of the middle stature, but thin and meagre, like most of his countrymen; +he had a villainously-formed head, according to all the rules of craniology, +and his features were full of evil expression. He wore no hat, +and his clothes, though in appearance nearly new, were of the coarsest +description. He generally kept aloof from the rest, and would +stand for hours together leaning against the walls with his arms folded, +glaring sullenly on what was passing before him. He was not one +of the professed valientes, for his age prevented his assuming so distinguished +a character, and yet all the rest appeared to hold him in a certain +awe: perhaps they feared his tongue, which he occasionally exerted in +pouring forth withering curses on those who incurred his displeasure. +He spoke perfectly good Spanish, and to my great surprise excellent +Basque, in which he was in the habit of conversing with Francisco, who, +lolling from the window of my apartment, would exchange jests and witticisms +with the prisoners in the court below, with whom he was a great favourite.<br> +<br> +One day when I was in the patio, to which I had free admission whenever +I pleased, by permission of the alcayde, I went up to the Frenchman, +who stood in his usual posture, leaning against the wall, and offered +him a cigar. I do not smoke myself, but it will never do to mix +among the lower classes of Spain unless you have a cigar to present +occasionally. The man glared at me ferociously for a moment, and +appeared to be on the point of refusing my offer with perhaps a hideous +execration. I repeated it, however, pressing my hand against my +heart, whereupon suddenly the grim features relaxed, and with a genuine +French grimace, and a low bow, he accepted the cigar, exclaiming, “<i>Ah, +Monsieur, pardon, mais c’est faire trop</i> <i>d’honneur +a un pauvre diable comme moi</i>.”<br> +<br> +“Not at all,” said I, “we are both fellow prisoners +in a foreign land, and being so we ought to countenance each other. +I hope that whenever I have need of your co-operation in this prison +you will afford it me.”<br> +<br> +“Ah, Monsieur,” exclaimed the Frenchman in rapture, “<i>vous +avez bien raison; il faut que les eirangers se donnent</i> <i>la main +dans ce . </i>. <i>. pays de barbares. Tenez</i>,” he added, +in a whisper, “if you have any plan for escaping, and require +my assistance, I have an arm and a knife at your service: you may trust +me, and that is more than you could any of these <i>sacres gens ici</i>,” +glancing fiercely round at his fellow prisoners.<br> +<br> +“You appear to be no friend to Spain and the Spaniards,” +said I. “I conclude that you have experienced injustice +at their hands. For what have they immured you in this place?”<br> +<br> +“<i>Pour rien du tout, c’est a dire pour une bagatelle</i>; +but what can you expect from such animals? For what are you imprisoned? +Did I not hear say for Gypsyism and sorcery?”<br> +<br> +“Perhaps you are here for your opinions?”<br> +<br> +“<i>Ah, mon Dieu, non; je ne suis pas homme a semblable</i> <i>betise</i>. +I have no opinions. <i>Je faisois </i>. . . <i>mais ce</i> <i>n’importe; +je me trouve ici, ou je creve de faim</i>.”<br> +<br> +“I am sorry to see a brave man in such a distressed condition,” +said I; “have you nothing to subsist upon beyond the prison allowance? +Have you no friends?”<br> +<br> +“Friends in this country, you mock me; here one has no friends, +unless one buy them. I am bursting with hunger; since I have been +here I have sold the clothes off my back, that I might eat, for the +prison allowance will not support nature, and of half of that we are +robbed by the Batu, as they call the barbarian of a governor. +<i>Les haillons </i>which now cover me were given by two or three devotees +who sometimes visit here. I would sell them if they would fetch +aught. I have not a sou, and for want of a few crowns I shall +be garroted within a month unless I can escape, though, as I told you +before, I have done nothing, a mere bagatelle; but the worst crimes +in Spain are poverty and misery.”<br> +<br> +“I have heard you speak Basque, are you from French Biscay?”<br> +<br> +“I am from Bordeaux, Monsieur; but I have lived much on the Landes +and in Biscay, <i>travaillant a mon</i> <i>metier</i>. I see by +your look that you wish to know my history. I shall not tell it +you. It contains nothing that is remarkable. See, I have +smoked out your cigar; you may give me another, and add a dollar if +you please, <i>nous sommes creves ici de faim. </i>I would not +say as much to a Spaniard, but I have a respect for your countrymen; +I know much of them; I have met them at Maida and the other place.” +<a name="citation18"></a><a href="#footnote18">{18}</a><br> +<br> +“Nothing remarkable in his history!” Why, or I greatly +err, one chapter of his life, had it been written, 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 sea. A soldier! +what a tale could that man have told of marches and retreats, of battles +lost and won, towns sacked, convents plundered; perhaps he had seen +the flames of Moscow ascending to the clouds, and had “tried his +strength with nature in the wintry desert,” pelted by the snow-storm, +and bitten by the tremendous cold of Russia: and what could he mean +by plying his trade in Biscay and the Landes, but that he had been a +robber in those wild regions, of which the latter is more infamous for +brigandage and crime than any other part of the French territory. +Nothing remarkable in his history! then what history in the world contains +aught that is remarkable?<br> +<br> +I gave him the cigar and dollar: he received them, and then once more +folding his arms, leaned back against the wall and appeared to sink +gradually into one of his reveries. I looked him in the face and +spoke to him, but he did not seem either to hear or see me. His +mind was perhaps wandering in that dreadful valley of the shadow, into +which the children of earth, whilst living, occasionally find their +way; that dreadful region where there is no water, where hope dwelleth +not, where nothing lives but the undying worm. This valley is +the facsimile of hell, and he who has entered it, has experienced here +on earth for a time what the spirits of the condemned are doomed to +suffer through ages without end.<br> +<br> +He was executed about a month from this time. The bagatelle for +which he was confined was robbery and murder by the following strange +device. In concert with two others, he hired a large house in +an unfrequented part of the town, to which place he would order tradesmen +to convey valuable articles, which were to be paid for on delivery; +those who attended paid for their credulity with the loss of their lives +and property. Two or three had fallen into the snare. I +wished much to have had some private conversation with this desperate +man, and in consequence begged of the alcayde to allow him to dine with +me in my own apartment; whereupon Monsieur Basompierre, for so I will +take the liberty of calling the governor, his real name having escaped +my memory, took off his hat, and, with his usual smile and bow, replied +in purest Castilian, “English Cavalier, and I hope I may add friend, +pardon me, that it is quite out of my power to gratify your request, +founded, I have no doubt, on the most admirable sentiments of philosophy. +Any of the other gentlemen beneath my care shall, at any time you desire +it, be permitted to wait upon you in your apartment. I will even +go so far as to cause their irons, if irons they wear, to be knocked +off in order that they may partake of your refection with that comfort +which is seemly and convenient: but to the gentleman in question I must +object; he is the most evil disposed of the whole of this family, and +would most assuredly breed a funcion either in your apartment or in +the corridor, by an attempt to escape. Cavalier, <i>me pesa, </i>but +I cannot accede to your request. But with respect to any other +gentleman, I shall be most happy, even Balseiro, who, though strange +things are told of him, still knows how to comport himself, and in whose +behaviour there is something both of formality and politeness, shall +this day share your hospitality if you desire it, Cavalier.”<br> +<br> +Of Balseiro I have already had occasion to speak in the former part +of this narrative. He was now confined in an upper story of the +prison, in a strong room, with several other malefactors. He had +been found guilty of aiding and assisting one Pepe Candelas, a thief +of no inconsiderable renown, in a desperate robbery perpetrated in open +daylight upon no less a personage than the queen’s milliner, a +Frenchwoman, whom they bound in her own shop, from which they took goods +and money to the amount of five or six thousand dollars. Candelas +had already expiated his crime on the scaffold, but Balseiro, who was +said to be by far the worst ruffian of the two, had by dint of money, +an ally which his comrade did not possess, contrived to save his own +life; the punishment of death, to which he was originally sentenced, +having been commuted to twenty years’ hard labour in the presidio +of Malaga. I visited this worthy and conversed with him for some +time through the wicket of the dungeon. He recognized me, and +reminded me of the victory which I had once obtained over him, in the +trial of our respective skill in the crabbed Gitano, at which Sevilla +the bull-fighter was umpire.<br> +<br> +Upon my telling him that I was sorry to see him in such a situation, +he replied that it was an affair of no manner of consequence, as within +six weeks he should be conducted to the presidio, from which, with the +assistance of a few ounces distributed among the guards, he could at +any time escape. “But whither would you flee?” I demanded. +“Can I not flee to the land of the Moors,” replied Balseiro, +“or to the English in the camp of Gibraltar; or, if I prefer it, +cannot I return to this foro <i>(city), </i>and live as I have hitherto +done, choring the gachos <i>(robbing the natives);</i> what is to hinder +me? Madrid is large, and Balseiro has plenty of friends, especially +among the lumias (<i>women</i>),” he added with a smile. +I spoke to him of his ill-fated accomplice Candelas; whereupon his face +assumed a horrible expression. “I hope he is in torment,” +exclaimed the robber. The friendship of the unrighteous is never +of long duration; the two worthies had it seems quarrelled in prison; +Candelas having accused the other of bad faith and an undue appropriation +to his own use of the <i>corpus delicti </i>in various robberies which +they had committed in company.<br> +<br> +I cannot refrain from relating the subsequent history of this Balseiro. +Shortly after my own liberation, too impatient to wait until the presidio +should afford him a chance of regaining his liberty, he in company with +some other convicts broke through the roof of the prison and escaped. +He instantly resumed his former habits, committing several daring robberies, +both within and without the walls of Madrid. I now come to his +last, I may call it his master crime, a singular piece of atrocious +villainy. Dissatisfied with the proceeds of street robbery and +house-breaking, he determined upon a bold stroke, by which he hoped +to acquire money sufficient to support him in some foreign land in luxury +and splendour.<br> +<br> +There was a certain comptroller of the queen’s household, by name +Gabiria, a Basque by birth, and a man of immense possessions: this individual +had two sons, handsome boys, between twelve and fourteen years of age, +whom I had frequently seen, and indeed conversed with, in my walks on +the bank of the Manzanares, which was their favourite promenade. +These children, at the time of which I am speaking, were receiving their +education at a certain seminary in Madrid. Balseiro, being well +acquainted with the father’s affection for his children, determined +to make it subservient to his own rapacity. He formed a plan which +was neither more nor less than to steal the children, and not to restore +them to their parent until he had received an enormous ransom. +This plan was partly carried into execution: two associates of Balseiro +well dressed drove up to the door of the seminary, where the children +were, and, by means of a forged letter, purporting to be written by +the father, induced the schoolmaster to permit the boys to accompany +them for a country jaunt, as they pretended. About five leagues +from Madrid, Balseiro had a cave in a wild unfrequented spot between +the Escurial and a village called Torre Lodones: to this cave the children +were conducted, where they remained in durance under the custody of +the two accomplices; Balseiro in the meantime remaining in Madrid for +the purpose of conducting negotiations with the father. The father, +however, was a man of considerable energy, and instead of acceding to +the terms of the ruffian, communicated in a letter, instantly took the +most vigorous measures for the recovery of his children. Horse +and foot were sent out to scour the country, and in less than a week +the children were found near the cave, having been abandoned by their +keepers, who had taken fright on hearing of the decided measures which +had been resorted to; they were, however, speedily arrested and identified +by the boys as their ravishers. Balseiro perceiving that Madrid +was becoming too hot to hold him, attempted to escape, but whether to +the camp of Gibraltar or to the land of the Moor, I know not; he was +recognized, however, at a village in the neighbourhood of Madrid, and +being apprehended, was forthwith conducted to the capital, where he +shortly after terminated his existence on the scaffold, with his two +associates; Gabiria and his children being present at the ghastly scene, +which they surveyed from a chariot at their ease.<br> +<br> +Such was the end of Balseiro, of whom I should certainly not have said +so much, but for the affair of the crabbed Gitano. Poor wretch! +he acquired that species of immortality which is the object of the aspirations +of many a Spanish thief, whilst vapouring about in the patio, dressed +in the snowy linen; the rape of the children of Gabiria made him at +once the pet of the fraternity. A celebrated robber, with whom +I was subsequently imprisoned at Seville, spoke his eulogy in the following +manner. -<br> +<br> +“Balseiro was a very good subject, and an honest man. He +was the head of our family, Don Jorge; we shall never see his like again; +pity that he did not sack the parné (<i>money</i>), and escape +to the camp of the Moor, Don Jorge.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Maria Diaz - Priestly Vituperation - Antonio’s Visit - Antonio +at Service - A Scene - Benedict Mol - Wandering in Spain - The Four +Evangiles.<br> +<br> +“Well,” said I to Maria Diaz on the third morning after +my imprisonment, “what do the people of Madrid say to this affair +of mine?”<br> +<br> +“I do not know what the people of Madrid in general say about +it, probably they do not take much interest in it; indeed, imprisonments +at the present time are such common matters that people seem to be quite +indifferent to them; the priests, however, are in no slight commotion, +and confess that they have committed an imprudent thing in causing you +to be arrested by their friend the corregidor of Madrid.”<br> +<br> +“How is that?” I inquired. “Are they afraid +that their friend will be punished?”<br> +<br> +“Not so, Señor,” replied Maria; “slight grief +indeed would it cause them, however great the trouble in which he had +involved himself on their account; for this description of people have +no affection, and would not care if all their friends were hanged, provided +they themselves escaped. But they say that they have acted imprudently +in sending you to prison, inasmuch as by so doing they have given you +an opportunity of carrying a plan of yours into execution. ‘This +fellow is a bribon,’ say they, ‘and has commenced tampering +with the prisoners; they have taught him their language, which he already +speaks as well as if he were a son of the prison. As soon as he +comes out he will publish a thieves’ gospel, which will still +be a more dangerous affair than the Gypsy one, for the Gypsies are few, +but the thieves! woe is us; we shall all be Lutheranized. What +infamy, what rascality! It was a trick of his own. He was +always eager to get into prison, and now in evil hour we have sent him +there, <i>el bribonazo;</i> there will be no safety for Spain until +he is hanged; he ought to be sent to the four hells, where at his leisure +he might translate his fatal gospels into the language of the demons.’ +“<br> +<br> +“I but said three words to the alcayde of the prison,” said +I, “relative to the jargon used by the children of the prison.”<br> +<br> +“Three words! Don Jorge; and what may not be made out of +three words? You have lived amongst us to little purpose if you +think we require more than three words to build a system with: 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 thieves, had learnt their language, and had written a book which +was to overturn Spain, open to the English the gates of Cadiz, give +Mendizabal all the church plate and jewels, and to Don Martin Luther +the archiepiscopal palace of Toledo.”<br> +<br> +Late in the afternoon of a rather gloomy day, as I was sitting in the +apartment which the alcayde had allotted me, I heard a rap at the door. +“Who is that?” I exclaimed. “<i>C’est +moi, mon maitre</i>,” cried a well-known voice, and presently +in walked Antonio Buchini, dressed in the same style as when I first +introduced him to the reader, namely, in a handsome but rather faded +French surtout, vest and pantaloons, with a diminutive hat in one hand, +and holding in the other a long and slender cane.<br> +<br> +“<i>Bon jour, mon maitre</i>,” said the Greek; then glancing +around the apartment, he continued, “I am glad to find you so +well lodged. If I remember right, mon maître, we have slept +in worse places during our wanderings in Galicia and Castile.”<br> +<br> +“You are quite right, Antonio,” I replied; “I am very +comfortable. Well, this is kind of you to visit your ancient master, +more especially now he is in the toils; I hope, however, that by so +doing you will not offend your present employer. His dinner hour +must be at hand; why are not you in the kitchen?”<br> +<br> +“Of what employer are you speaking, mon maître?” demanded +Antonio.<br> +<br> +“Of whom should I speak but Count -, to serve whom you abandoned +me, being tempted by an offer of a monthly salary less by four dollars +than that which I was giving you.”<br> +<br> +“Your worship brings an affair to my remembrance which I had long +since forgotten. I have at present no other master than yourself, +Monsieur Georges, for I shall always consider you as my master, though +I may not enjoy the felicity of waiting upon you.”<br> +<br> +“You have left the Count, then,” said I, “after remaining +three days in the house, according to your usual practice.”<br> +<br> +“Not three hours, mon maître,” replied Antonio; “but +I will tell you the circumstances. Soon after I left you I repaired +to the house of Monsieur le Comte; I entered the kitchen, and looked +about me. I cannot say that I had much reason to be dissatisfied +with what I saw; the kitchen was large and commodious, and every thing +appeared neat and in its proper place, and the domestics civil and courteous; +yet I know not how it was, the idea at once rushed into my mind that +the house was by no means suited to me, and that I was not destined +to stay there long; so hanging my haversac upon a nail, and sitting +down on the dresser, I commenced singing a Greek song, as I am in the +habit of doing when dissatisfied. The domestics came about me +asking questions; I made them no answer, however, and continued singing +till the hour for preparing the dinner drew nigh, when I suddenly sprang +on the floor and was not long in thrusting them all out of the kitchen, +telling them that they had no business there at such a season; I then +at once entered upon my functions. I exerted myself, mon maître, +I exerted myself, and was preparing a repast which would have done me +honour; there was, indeed, some company expected that day, and I therefore +determined to show my employer that nothing was beyond the capacity +of his Greek cook. <i>Eh</i> <i>bien, </i>mon maître, all +was going on remarkably well, and I felt almost reconciled to my new +situation, when who should rush into the kitchen but <i>le fils de la +maison</i>, my young master, an ugly urchin of thirteen years or thereabouts; +he bore in his hand a manchet of bread, which, after prying about for +a moment, he proceeded to dip in the pan where some delicate woodcocks +were in the course of preparation. You know, mon maître, +how sensitive I am on certain points, for I am no Spaniard but a Greek, +and have principles of honour. Without a moment’s hesitation +I took my young master by the shoulders, and hurrying him to the door, +dismissed him in the manner which he deserved; squalling loudly, he +hurried away to the upper part of the house. I continued my labours, +but ere three minutes had elapsed, I heard a dreadful confusion above +stairs, <i>on faisoit une horrible</i> <i>tintamarre, </i>and I could +occasionally distinguish oaths and execrations: presently doors were +flung open, and there was an awful rushing downstairs, a gallopade. +It was my lord the count, his lady, and my young master, followed by +a regular bevy of women and filles de chambre. Far in advance +of all, however, was my lord with a drawn sword in his hand, shouting, +‘Where is the wretch who has dishonoured my son, where is he? +He shall die forthwith.’ I know not how it was, mon maître, +but I just then chanced to spill a large bowl of garbanzos, which were +intended for the puchera of the following day. They were uncooked, +and were as hard as marbles; these I dashed upon the floor, and the +greater part of them fell just about the doorway. <i>Eh bien, +</i>mon maître, in another moment in bounded the count, his eyes +sparkling like coals, and, as I have already said, with a rapier in +his hand. ‘<i>Tenez,</i> <i>gueux enrage</i>,’ he +screamed, making a desperate lunge at me, but ere the words were out +of his mouth, his foot slipping on the pease, he fell forward with great +violence at his full length, and his weapon flew out of his hand, <i>comme +une fleche. </i>You should have heard the outcry which ensued +- there was a terrible confusion: the count lay upon the floor to all +appearance stunned; I took no notice, however, continuing busily employed. +They at last raised him up, and assisted him till he came to himself, +though very pale and much shaken. He asked for his sword: all +eyes were now turned upon me, and I saw that a general attack was meditated. +Suddenly I took a large caserolle from the fire in which various eggs +were frying; this I held out at arm’s length peering at it along +my arm as if I were curiously inspecting it; my right foot advanced +and the other thrown back as far as possible. All stood still, +imagining, doubtless, that I was about to perform some grand operation, +and so I was; for suddenly the sinister leg advancing, with one rapid +<i>coup de pied, </i>I sent the caserolle and its contents flying over +my head, so that they struck the wall far behind me. This was +to let them know that I had broken my staff and had shaken the dust +off my feet; so casting upon the count the peculiar glance of the Sceirote +cooks when they feel themselves insulted, and extending my mouth on +either side nearly as far as the ears, I took down my haversac and departed, +singing as I went the song of the ancient Demos, who, when dying, asked +for his supper, and water wherewith to lave his hands:<br> +<br> +<br> +Ο ηλιος εβασιλευε, +κι ο Δημος διαταζε.<br> +Συρτε, παιδια +μου, ’σ το νερον +ψωμι να φατ' αποψε.<br> +<br> +<br> +And in this manner, mon maître, I left the house of the Count +of - .”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And a fine account you have given of yourself; by your +own confession, your behaviour was most atrocious. Were it not +for the many marks of courage and fidelity which you have exhibited +in my service, I would from this moment hold no farther communication +with you.<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - <i>Mais qu’ est ce que vous voudriez, mon maitre</i>? +Am I not a Greek, full of honour and sensibility? 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 bread. +Non, non, mon maître, you are too noble to require that, and what +is more, <i>too just. </i>But we will talk of other things. +Mon maître, I came not alone; there is one now waiting in the +corridor anxious to speak to you.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Who is it?<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - One whom you have met, mon maître, in various +and strange places.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - But who is it?<br> +<br> +<i>Antonio</i>. - One who will come to a strange end, <i>for so it is +written</i>. The most extraordinary of all the Swiss, he of Saint +James, - <i>Der</i> <i>schatz graber.<br> +<br> +Myself</i>. - Not Benedict Mol?<br> +<br> +“<i>Yaw, mein lieber herr</i>,” said Benedict, pushing open +the door which stood ajar; “it is myself. I met Herr Anton +in the street, and hearing that you were in this place, I came with +him to visit you.”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - And in the name of all that is singular, how is it +that I see you in Madrid again? I thought that by this time you +were returned to your own country.<br> +<br> +<i>Benedict</i>. - Fear not, lieber herr, I shall return thither in +good time; but not on foot, but with mules and coach. The schatz +is still yonder, waiting to be dug up, and now I have better hope than +ever: plenty of friends, plenty of money. See you not how I am +dressed, lieber herr?<br> +<br> +And verily his habiliments were of a much more respectable appearance +than any which he had sported on former occasions. His coat and +pantaloons, which were of light green, were nearly new. On his +head he still wore an Andalusian hat, but the present one was neither +old nor shabby, but fresh and glossy, and of immense altitude of cone: +whilst in his hand, instead of the ragged staff which I had observed +at Saint James and Oviedo, he now carried a huge bamboo rattan, surmounted +by the grim head of either a bear or lion, curiously cut out of pewter.<br> +<br> +“You have all the appearance of a treasure seeker returned from +a successful expedition,” I exclaimed.<br> +<br> +“Or rather,” interrupted Antonio, “of one who has +ceased to trade on his own bottom, and now goes seeking treasures at +the cost and expense of others.”<br> +<br> +I questioned the Swiss minutely concerning his adventures since I last +saw him, when I left him at Oviedo to pursue my route to Santander. +From his answers I gathered that he had followed me to the latter place; +he was, however, a long time in performing the journey, being weak from +hunger and privation. At Santander he could hear no tidings of +me, and by this time the trifle which he had received from me was completely +exhausted. He now thought of making his way into France, but was +afraid to venture through the disturbed provinces, lest he should fall +into the hands of the Carlists, who he conceived might shoot him as +a spy. No one relieving him at Santander, he departed and begged +his way till he found himself in some part of Aragon, but where he scarcely +knew. “My misery was so great,” said Bennet, “that +I nearly lost my senses. Oh, the horror of wandering about the +savage hills and wide plains of Spain, without money and without hope! +Sometimes I became desperate, when I found myself amongst rocks and +barrancos, perhaps after having tasted no food from sunrise to sunset, +and then I would raise my staff towards the sky and shake it, crying, +lieber herr Gott, ach lieber herr Gott, you must help me now or never; +if you tarry, I am lost; you must help me now, now! And once when +I was raving in this manner, methought I heard a voice, nay I am sure +I heard it, sounding from the hollow of a rock, clear and strong; and +it cried, ‘Der schatz, der schatz, it is not yet dug up; to Madrid, +to Madrid. The way to the schatz is through Madrid.’ +And then the thought of the schatz once more rushed into my mind, and +I reflected how happy I might be, could I but dig up the schatz. +No more begging, then, no more wandering amidst horrid mountains and +deserts; so I brandished my staff, and my body and my limbs became full +of new and surprising strength, and I strode forward, and was not long +before I reached the high road; and then I begged and bettled as I best +could, until I reached Madrid.”<br> +<br> +“And what has befallen you since you reached Madrid?” I +inquired. “Did you find the treasure in the streets?”<br> +<br> +On a sudden Bennet became reserved and taciturn, which the more surprised +me, as, up to the present moment, he had at all times been remarkably +communicative with respect to his affairs and prospects. From +what I could learn from his broken hints and innuendoes, it appeared +that, since his arrival at Madrid, he had fallen into the hands of certain +people who had treated him with kindness, and provided him with both +money and clothes; not from disinterested motives, however, but having +an eye to the treasure. “They expect great things from me,” +said the Swiss; “and perhaps, after all, it would have been more +profitable to have dug up the treasure without their assistance, always +provided that were possible.” Who his new friends were, +he either knew not or would not tell me, save that they were people +in power. He said something about Queen Christina and an oath +which he had taken in the presence of a bishop on the crucifix and “the +four Evangiles.” I thought that his head was turned, and +forbore questioning. Just before taking his departure, he observed +“Lieber herr, pardon me for not being quite frank towards you, +to whom I owe so much, but I dare not; I am not now my own man. +It is, moreover, an evil thing at all times to say a word about treasure +before you have secured it. There was once a man in my own country, +who dug deep into the earth until he arrived at a copper vessel which +contained a schatz. Seizing it by the handle, he merely exclaimed +in his transport, ‘I have it’; that was enough, however: +down sank the kettle, though the handle remained in his grasp. +That was all he ever got for his trouble and digging. Farewell, +lieber herr, I shall speedily be sent back to Saint James to dig up +the schatz; but I will visit you ere I go - farewell.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 +Fiction.<br> +<br> +I remained about three weeks in the prison of Madrid, and then left +it. If I had possessed any pride, or harboured any rancour against +the party who had consigned me to durance, the manner in which I was +restored to liberty would no doubt have been highly gratifying to those +evil passions; the government having acknowledged, by a document transmitted +to Sir George, that I had been incarcerated on insufficient grounds, +and that no stigma attached itself to me from the imprisonment I had +undergone; at the same time agreeing to defray all the expenses to which +I had been subjected throughout the progress of this affair.<br> +<br> +It moreover expressed its willingness to dismiss the individual owing +to whose information I had been first arrested, namely, the corchete +or police officer who had visited me in my apartments in the Calle de +Santiago, and behaved himself in the manner which I have described in +a former chapter. I declined, however, to avail myself of this +condescension of the government, more especially as I was informed that +the individual in question had a wife and family, who, if he were disgraced, +would be at once reduced to want. I moreover considered that, +in what he had done and said, he had probably only obeyed some private +orders which he had received; I therefore freely forgave him, and if +he does not retain his situation at the present moment, it is certainly +no fault of mine.<br> +<br> +I likewise refused to accept any compensation for my expenses, which +were considerable. It is probable that many persons in my situation +would have acted very differently in this respect, and I am far from +saying that herein I acted discreetly or laudably; but I was averse +to receive money from people such as those of which the Spanish government +was composed, people whom I confess I heartily despised, and I was unwilling +to afford them an opportunity of saying that after they had imprisoned +an Englishman unjustly, and without a cause, he condescended to receive +money at their hands. In a word, I confess my own weakness; I +was willing that they should continue my debtors, and have little doubt +that they had not the slightest objection to remain so; they kept their +money, and probably laughed in their sleeves at my want of common sense.<br> +<br> +The heaviest loss which resulted from my confinement, and for which +no indemnification could be either offered or received, was in the death +of my affectionate and faithful Basque Francisco, who having attended +me during the whole time of my imprisonment, caught the pestilential +typhus or gaol fever, which was then raging in the Carcel de la Corte, +of which he expired within a few days subsequent to my liberation. +His death occurred late one evening; the next morning as I was lying +in bed ruminating on my loss, and wondering of what nation my next servant +would be, I heard a noise which seemed to be that of a person employed +vigorously in cleaning boots or shoes, and at intervals a strange discordant +voice singing snatches of a song in some unknown language: wondering +who it could be, I rang the bell.<br> +<br> +“Did you ring, mon maître,” said Antonio, appearing +at the door with one of his arms deeply buried in a boot.<br> +<br> +“I certainly did ring,” said I, “but I scarcely expected +that you would have answered the summons.”<br> +<br> +“<i>Mais pourquoi non, mon maitre</i>?” cried Antonio. +“Who should serve you now but myself? <i>N’est pas +que</i> <i>le sieur Francois est mort</i>? And did I not say, +as soon as I heard of his departure, I shall return to my functions +<i>chez mon maitre, </i>Monsieur Georges?”<br> +<br> +“I suppose you had no other employment, and on that account you +came.”<br> +<br> +“<i>Au contraire, mon maitre</i>,” replied the Greek, “I +had just engaged myself at the house of the Duke of Frias, from whom +I was to receive ten dollars per month more than I shall accept from +your worship; but on hearing that you were without a domestic, I forthwith +told the Duke, though it was late at night, that he would not suit me, +and here I am.”<br> +<br> +“I shall not receive you in this manner,” said I; “return +to the Duke, apologize for your behaviour, request your dismission in +a regular way; and then if his grace is willing to part with you, as +will most probably be the case, I shall be happy to avail myself of +your services.”<br> +<br> +It is reasonable to expect that after having been subjected to an imprisonment +which my enemies themselves admitted to be unjust, I should in future +experience more liberal treatment at their hands than that which they +had hitherto adopted towards me. The sole object of my ambition +at this time was to procure toleration for the sale of the Gospel in +this unhappy and distracted kingdom, and to have attained this end I +would not only have consented to twenty such imprisonments in succession, +as that which I had undergone, but would gladly have sacrificed life +itself. I soon perceived, however, that I was likely to gain nothing +by my incarceration; on the contrary, I had become an object of personal +dislike to the government since the termination of this affair, which +it was probable I had never been before; their pride and vanity were +humbled by the concessions which they had been obliged to make in order +to avoid a rupture with England. This dislike they were now determined +to gratify, by thwarting my views as much as possible. I had an +interview with Ofalia on the subject uppermost in my mind: I found him +morose and snappish. “It will be for your interest to be +still,” said he; “beware! you have already thrown the whole +corte into confusion; beware, I repeat; another time you may not escape +so easily.” “Perhaps not,” I replied, “and +perhaps I do not wish it; it is a pleasant thing to be persecuted for +the Gospel’s sake. I now take the liberty of inquiring whether, +if I attempt to circulate the word of God, I am to be interrupted.” +“Of course,” exclaimed Ofalia; “the church forbids +such circulation.” “I shall make the attempt, however,” +I exclaimed. “Do you mean what you say?” demanded +Ofalia, arching his eyebrows and elongating his mouth. “Yes,” +I continued, “I shall make the attempt in every village in Spain +to which I can penetrate.”<br> +<br> +Throughout my residence in Spain the clergy were the party from which +I experienced the strongest opposition; and it was at their instigation +that the government originally adopted those measures which prevented +any extensive circulation of the sacred volume through the land. +I shall not detain the course of my narrative with reflections as to +the state of a church, which, though it pretends to be founded on Scripture, +would yet keep the light of Scripture from all mankind, if possible. +But Rome is fully aware that she is not a Christian church, and having +no desire to become so, she acts prudently in keeping from the eyes +of her followers the page which would reveal to them the truths of Christianity. +Her agents and minions throughout Spain exerted themselves to the utmost +to render my humble labours abortive, and to vilify the work which I +was attempting to disseminate. All the ignorant and fanatical +clergy (the great majority) were opposed to it, and all those who were +anxious to keep on good terms with the court of Rome were loud in their +cry against it. There was, however, one section of the clergy, +a small one, it is true, 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 end: these were such as professed +liberalism, which is supposed to mean a disposition to adopt any reform +both in civil and church matters, which may be deemed conducive to the +weal of the country. Not a few amongst the Spanish clergy were +supporters of this principle, or at least declared themselves so, some +doubtless for their own advancement, hoping to turn the spirit of the +times to their own personal profit; others, it is to be hoped, from +conviction, and a pure love of the principle itself. Amongst these +were to be found, at the time of which I am speaking, several bishops. +It is worthy of remark, however, that of all these not one but owed +his office, not to the Pope, who disowned them one and all, but to the +Queen Regent, the professed head of liberalism throughout all Spain. +It is not, therefore, 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 liberalism; and surely such +an one was a circulation of the Scriptures. I derived but little +assistance from their good will, however, supposing that they entertained +some, as they never took any decided stand nor lifted up their voices +in a bold and positive manner, denouncing the conduct of those who would +withhold the light of Scripture from the world. At one time I +hoped by their instrumentality to accomplish much in Spain in the Gospel +cause; but I was soon undeceived, and became convinced that reliance +on what they would effect, was like placing the hand on a staff of reed +which will only lacerate the flesh. More than once some of them +sent messages to me, expressive of their esteem, and assuring me how +much the cause of the Gospel was dear to their hearts. I even +received an intimation that a visit from me would be agreeable to the +Archbishop of Toledo, the Primate of Spain.<br> +<br> +Of this personage I can say but little, his early history being entirely +unknown to me. At the death of Ferdinand, I believe, he was Bishop +of Mallorca, a small insignificant see, of very scanty revenues, which +perhaps he had no objection to exchange for one more wealthy; it is +probable, however, that had he proved a devoted servant of the Pope, +and consequently a supporter of legitimacy, he would have continued +to the day of his death to fill the episcopal chair of Mallorca; but +he was said to be a liberal, and the Queen Regent thought fit to bestow +upon him the dignity of Archbishop of Toledo, by which he became the +head of the Spanish church. The Pope, it is true, had refused +to ratify the nomination, on which account all good Catholics were still +bound to consider him as Bishop of Mallorca, and not as Primate of Spain. +He however received the revenues belonging to the see, which, though +only a shadow of what they originally were, were still considerable, +and lived in the primate’s palace at Madrid, so that if he were +not archbishop <i>de jure, </i>he was what many people would have considered +much better, archbishop <i>de facto.<br> +<br> +</i>Hearing that this personage was a personal friend of Ofalia, who +was said to entertain a very high regard for him, I determined upon +paying him a visit, and accordingly one morning betook myself to the +palace in which he resided. I experienced no difficulty in obtaining +an interview, being forthwith conducted to his presence by a common +kind of footman, an Asturian, I believe, whom I found seated on a stone +bench in the entrance hall. When I was introduced the Archbishop +was alone, seated behind a table in a large apartment, a kind of drawing-room; +he was plainly dressed, in a black cassock and silken cap; on his finger, +however, glittered a superb amethyst, the lustre of which was truly +dazzling. He rose for a moment as I advanced, and motioned me +to a chair with his hand. He might be about sixty years of age; +his figure was very tall, but he stooped considerably, evidently from +feebleness, and the pallid hue of ill health overspread his emaciated +features. When he had reseated himself, he dropped his head, and +appeared to be looking on the table before him.<br> +<br> +“I suppose your lordship knows who I am?” said I, at last +breaking silence.<br> +<br> +The Archbishop bent his head towards the right shoulder, in a somewhat +equivocal manner, but said nothing.<br> +<br> +“I am he whom the Manolos of Madrid call Don Jorgito el Ingles; +I am just come out of prison, whither I was sent for circulating my +Lord’s Gospel in this kingdom of Spain?”<br> +<br> +The Archbishop made the same equivocal motion with his head, but still +said nothing.<br> +<br> +“I was informed that your lordship was desirous of seeing me, +and on that account I have paid you this visit.”<br> +<br> +“I did not send for you,” said the Archbishop, suddenly +raising his head with a startled look.<br> +<br> +“Perhaps not: I was, however, given to understand that my presence +would be agreeable; but as that does not seem to be the case, I will +leave.”<br> +<br> +“Since you are come, I am very glad to see you.”<br> +<br> +“I am very glad to hear it,” said I, reseating myself; “and +since I am here, we may as well talk of an all-important matter, the +circulation of the Scripture. Does your lordship see any way by +which an end so desirable might be brought about?”<br> +<br> +“No,” said the Archbishop faintly.<br> +<br> +“Does not your lordship think that a knowledge of the Scripture +would work inestimable benefit in these realms?”<br> +<br> +“I don’t know.”<br> +<br> +“Is it probable that the government may be induced to consent +to the circulation?”<br> +<br> +“How should I know?” and the Archbishop looked me in the +face.<br> +<br> +I looked in the face of the Archbishop; there was an expression of helplessness +in it, which almost amounted to dotage. “Dear me,” +thought I, “whom have I come to on an errand like mine? +Poor man, you are not fitted to play the part of Martin Luther, and +least of all in Spain. I wonder why your friends selected you +to be Archbishop of Toledo; they thought perhaps that you would do neither +good nor harm, and made choice of you, as they sometimes do primates +in my own country, for your incapacity. You do not seem very happy +in your present situation; no very easy stall this of yours. You +were more comfortable, I trow, when you were the poor Bishop of Mallorca; +could enjoy your puchera then without fear that the salt would turn +out sublimate. No fear then of being smothered in your bed. +A siesta is a pleasant thing when one is not subject to be disturbed +by ‘the sudden fear.’ I wonder whether they have poisoned +you already,” I continued, half aloud, as I kept my eyes fixed +on his countenance, which methought was becoming ghastly.<br> +<br> +“Did you speak, Don Jorge?” demanded the Archbishop.<br> +<br> +“That is a fine brilliant on your lordship’s hand,” +said I.<br> +<br> +“You are fond of brilliants, Don Jorge,” said the Archbishop, +his features brightening up; “vaya! so am I; they are pretty things. +Do you understand them?”<br> +<br> +“I do,” said I, “and I never saw a finer brilliant +than your own, one excepted; it belonged to an acquaintance of mine, +a Tartar Khan. He did not bear it on his finger, however; it stood +in the frontlet of his horse, where it shone like a star. He called +it Daoud Scharr, which, being interpreted, meaneth <i>light of war</i>.”<br> +<br> +“Vaya!” said the Archbishop, “how very extraordinary; +I am glad you are fond of brilliants, Don Jorge. Speaking of horses, +reminds me that I have frequently seen you on horseback. Vaya! +how you ride; it is dangerous to be in your way.”<br> +<br> +“Is your lordship fond of equestrian exercise?”<br> +<br> +“By no means, Don Jorge; I do not like horses; it is not the practice +of the church to ride on horseback. We prefer mules: they are +the quieter animals; I fear horses, they kick so violently.”<br> +<br> +“The kick of a horse is death,” said I, “if it touches +a vital part. I am not, however, of your lordship’s opinion +with respect to mules: a good ginete may retain his seat on a horse +however vicious, but a mule - vaya! when a false mule <i>tira por detras</i>, +I do not believe that the Father of the Church himself could keep the +saddle a moment, however sharp his bit.”<br> +<br> +As I was going away, I said, “And with respect to the Gospel, +your lordship; what am I to understand?”<br> +<br> +“<i>No se</i>,” said the Archbishop, again bending his head +towards the right shoulder, whilst his features resumed their former +vacant expression. And thus terminated my interview with the Archbishop +of Toledo.<br> +<br> +“It appears to me,” said I to Maria Diaz, on returning home; +“it appears to me, Marequita mia, that if the Gospel in Spain +is to wait for toleration until these liberal bishops and archbishops +come forward boldly in its behalf, it will have to tarry a considerable +time.”<br> +<br> +“I am much of your worship’s opinion,” answered Maria; +“a fine thing, truly, it would be to wait till they exerted themselves +in its behalf. Ca! the idea makes me smile: was your worship ever +innocent enough to suppose that they cared one tittle about the Gospel +or its cause? Vaya! they are true priests, and had only self-interest +in view in their advances to you. The Holy Father disowns them, +and they would now fain, by awaking his fears and jealousy, bring him +to some terms; but let him once acknowledge them and see whether they +would admit you to their palaces or hold any intercourse with you: ‘Forth +with the fellow,’ they would say; ‘vaya! is he not a Lutheran? +Is he not an enemy to the Church? <i>A la horca, a la horca</i>!’ +I know this family better than you do, Don Jorge.”<br> +<br> +“It is useless tarrying,” said I; “nothing, however, +can be done in Madrid. I cannot sell the work at the despacho, +and I have just received intelligence that all the copies exposed for +sale in the libraries in the different parts of Spain which I visited, +have been sequestrated by order of the government. My resolution +is taken: I shall mount my horses, which are neighing in the stable, +and betake myself to the villages and plains of dusty Spain. <i>Al +campo, al campo</i>: ‘Ride forth because of the word of righteousness, +and thy right hand shall show thee terrible things.’ I will +ride forth, Maria.”<br> +<br> +“Your worship can do no better; and allow me here to tell you, +that for every single book you might sell in a despacho in the city, +you may dispose of one hundred amongst the villages, always provided +you offer them cheap: for in the country money is rather scant. +Vaya! should I not know? am I not a villager myself, a villana from +the Sagra? Ride forth, therefore; your horses are neighing in +the stall, as your worship says, and you might almost have added that +the Señor Antonio is neighing in the house. He says he +has nothing to do, on which account he is once more dissatisfied and +unsettled. He finds fault with everything, but more particularly +with myself. This morning I saluted him, and he made me no reply, +but twisted his mouth in a manner very uncommon in this land of Spain.”<br> +<br> +“A thought strikes me,” said I; “you have mentioned +the Sagra; why should not I commence my labours amongst the villages +of that district?”<br> +<br> +“Your worship can do no better,” replied Maria; “the +harvest is just over there, and you will find the people comparatively +unemployed, with leisure to attend and listen to you; and if you follow +my advice, you will establish yourself at Villa Seca, in the house of +my fathers, where at present lives my lord and husband. Go, therefore, +to Villa Seca in the first place, and from thence you can sally forth +with the Señor Antonio upon your excursions. Peradventure, +my husband will accompany you; and if so, you will find him highly useful. +The people of Villa Seca are civil and courteous, your worship; when +they address a foreigner they speak to him at the top of their voice +and in Gallegan.”<br> +<br> +“In Gallegan!” I exclaimed.<br> +<br> +“They all understand a few words of Gallegan, which they have +acquired from the mountaineers, who occasionally assist them in cutting +the harvest, and as Gallegan is the only foreign language they know, +they deem it but polite to address a foreigner in that tongue. +Vaya! it is not a bad village, that of Villa Seca, nor are the people; +the only ill-conditioned person living there is his reverence the curate.”<br> +<br> +I was not long in making preparations for my enterprise. A considerable +stock of Testaments were sent forward by an arriero, I myself followed +the next day. Before my departure, however, I received a Benedict +Mol.<br> +<br> +“I am come to bid you farewell, lieber herr; I return to Compostella.”<br> +<br> +“On what errand?”<br> +<br> +“To dig up the schatz, lieber herr. For what else should +I go? For what have I lived until now, but that I may dig up the +schatz in the end?”<br> +<br> +“You might have lived for something better,” I exclaimed. +“I wish you success, however. But on what grounds do you +hope? Have you obtained permission to dig? Surely you remember +your former trials in Galicia?”<br> +<br> +“I have not forgotten them, lieber herr, nor the journey to Oviedo, +nor ‘the seven acorns,’ nor the fight with death in the +barranco. But I must accomplish my destiny. I go now to +Galicia, as is becoming a Swiss, at the expense of the government, with +coach and mule, I mean in the galera. I am to have all the help +I require, so that I can dig down to the earth’s centre if I think +fit. I - but I must not tell your worship, for I am sworn on ‘the +four Evangiles’ not to tell.”<br> +<br> +“Well, Benedict, I have nothing to say, save that I hope you will +succeed in your digging.”<br> +<br> +“Thank you, lieber herr, thank you; and now farewell. Succeed! +I shall succeed!” Here he stopped short, started, and looking +upon me with an expression of countenance almost wild, he exclaimed: +“Heiliger Gott! I forgot one thing. Suppose I should +not find the treasure after all.”<br> +<br> +“Very rationally said; pity, though, that you did not think of +that contingency till now. I tell you, my friend, that you have +engaged in a most desperate undertaking. It is true that you may +find a treasure. The chances are, however, a hundred to one that +you do not, and in that event, what will be your situation? You +will be looked upon as an impostor, and the consequences may be horrible +to you. Remember where you are, and amongst whom you are. +The Spaniards are a credulous people, but let them once suspect that +they have been imposed upon, and above all laughed at, and their thirst +for vengeance knows no limit. Think not that your innocence will +avail you. That you are no impostor I feel convinced; but they +would never believe it. It is not too late. Return your +fine clothes and magic rattan to those from whom you had them. +Put on your old garments, grasp your ragged staff, and come with me +to the Sagra, to assist in circulating the illustrious Gospel amongst +the rustics on the Tagus’ bank.”<br> +<br> +Benedict mused for a moment, then shaking his head, he cried, “No, +no, I must accomplish my destiny. The schatz is not yet dug up. +So said the voice in the barranco. To-morrow to Compostella. +I shall find it - the schatz - it is still there - it <i>must </i>be +there.”<br> +<br> +He went, and I never saw him more. What I heard, however, was +extraordinary enough. It appeared that the government had listened +to his tale, and had been so struck with Bennet’s exaggerated +description of the buried treasure, that they imagined that, by a little +trouble and outlay, gold and diamonds might be dug up at Saint James +sufficient to enrich themselves and to pay off the national debt of +Spain. The Swiss returned to Compostella “like a duke,” +to use his own words. The affair, which had at first been kept +a profound secret, was speedily divulged. It was, indeed, resolved +that the investigation, which involved consequences of so much importance, +should take place in a manner the most public and imposing. A +solemn festival was drawing nigh, and it was deemed expedient that the +search should take place on that day. The day arrived. All +the bells in Compostella pealed. The whole populace thronged from +their houses, a thousand troops were drawn up in the square, the expectation +of all was wound up to the highest pitch. A procession directed +its course to the church of San Roque; at its head was the captain-general +and the Swiss, brandishing in his hand the magic rattan, close behind +walked the <i>meiga, </i>the Gallegan witch-wife, by whom the treasure-seeker +had been originally guided in the search; numerous masons brought up +the rear, bearing implements to break up the ground. The procession +enters the church, they pass through it in solemn march, they find themselves +in a vaulted passage. The Swiss looks around. “Dig +here,” said he suddenly. “Yes, dig here,” said +the meiga. The masons labour, the floor is broken up, - a horrible +and fetid odour arises. . . .<br> +<br> +Enough; no treasure was found, and my warning to the unfortunate Swiss +turned out but too prophetic. He was forthwith seized and flung +into the horrid prison of Saint James, amidst the execrations of thousands, +who would have gladly torn him limb from limb.<br> +<br> +The affair did not terminate here. The political opponents of +the government did not allow so favourable an opportunity to escape +for launching the shafts of ridicule. The Moderados were taunted +in the cortes for their avarice and credulity, whilst the liberal press +wafted on its wings through Spain the story of the treasure-hunt at +Saint James.<br> +<br> +“After all, it was a <i>trampa </i>of Don Jorge’s,” +said one of my enemies. “That fellow is at the bottom of +half the picardias which happen in Spain.”<br> +<br> +Eager to learn the fate of the Swiss, I wrote to my old friend Rey Romero, +at Compostella. In his answer he states: “I saw the Swiss +in prison, to which place he sent for me, craving my assistance, for +the sake of the friendship which I bore to you. But how could +I help him? He was speedily after removed from Saint James, I +know not whither. It is said that he disappeared on the road.”<br> +<br> +Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. Where in the whole cycle +of romance shall we find anything more wild, grotesque, and sad, than +the easily-authenticated history of Benedict Mol, the treasure-digger +of Saint James?<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Scriptures.<br> +<br> +It was one of the most fiercely hot days in which I ever braved the +sun, when I arrived at Villa Seca. The heat in the shade must +have amounted at least to one hundred degrees, and the entire atmosphere +seemed to consist of flickering flame. At a place called Leganez, +six leagues from Madrid, and about half way to Toledo, we diverged from +the highway, bending our course seemingly towards the south-east. +We rode over what are called plains in Spain, but which, in any other +part of the world, would be called undulating and broken ground. +The crops of corn and barley had already disappeared. The last +vestiges discoverable being here and there a few sheaves, which the +labourers were occupied in removing to their garners in the villages. +The country could scarcely be called beautiful, being perfectly naked, +exhibiting neither trees nor verdure. It was not, however, without +its pretensions to grandeur and magnificence, like every part of Spain. +The most prominent objects were two huge calcareous hills or rather +one cleft in twain, which towered up on high; the summit of the nearest +being surmounted by the ruins of an ancient castle, that of Villaluenga. +About an hour past noon we reached Villa Seca.<br> +<br> +We found it a large village, containing about seven hundred inhabitants, +and surrounded by a mud wall. A plaza, or market-place, stood +in the midst, one side of which is occupied by what is called a palace, +a clumsy quadrangular building of two stories, belonging to some noble +family, the lords of the neighbouring soil. It was deserted, however, +being only occupied by a kind of steward, who stored up in its chambers +the grain which he received as rent from the tenants and villanos who +farmed the surrounding district.<br> +<br> +The village stands at the distance of about a quarter of a league from +the bank of the Tagus, which even here, in the heart of Spain, is a +beautiful stream, not navigable, however, on account of the sandbanks, +which in many places assume the appearance of small islands, and are +covered with trees and brushwood. The village derives its supply +of water entirely from the river, having none of its own; such at least +as is potable, the water of its wells being all brackish, on which account +it is probably termed Villa Seca, which signifies “the dry hamlet.” +The inhabitants are said to have been originally Moors; certain it is, +that various customs are observable here highly favourable to such a +supposition. Amongst others, a very curious one; it is deemed +infamous for a woman of Villa Seca to go across the market-place, or +to be seen there, though they have no hesitation in showing themselves +in the streets and lanes. A deep-rooted hostility exists between +the inhabitants of this place and those of a neighbouring village, called +Vargas; they rarely speak when they meet, and never intermarry. +There is a vague tradition that the people of the latter place are old +Christians, and it is highly probable that these neighbours were originally +of widely different blood; those of Villa Seca being of particularly +dark complexions, whilst the indwellers of Vargas are light and fair. +Thus the old feud between Moor and Christian is still kept up in the +nineteenth century in Spain.<br> +<br> +Drenched in perspiration, which fell from our brows like rain, we arrived +at the door of Juan Lopez, the husband of Maria Diaz. Having heard +of our intention to pay him a visit, he was expecting us, and cordially +welcomed us to his habitation, which, like a genuine Moorish house, +consisted only of one story. It was amply large, however, with +a court and stable. All the apartments were deliciously cool. +The floors were of brick or stone, and the narrow and trellised windows, +which were without glass, scarcely permitted a ray of sun to penetrate +into the interior.<br> +<br> +A puchera had been prepared in expectation of our arrival; the heat +had not taken away my appetite, and it was not long before I did full +justice to this the standard dish of Spain. Whilst I ate, Lopez +played upon the guitar, singing occasionally snatches of Andalusian +songs. He was a short, merry-faced, active fellow, whom I had +frequently seen at Madrid, and was a good specimen of the Spanish labrador +or yeoman. Though far from possessing the ability and intellect +of his wife, Maria Diaz, he was by no means deficient in shrewdness +and understanding. He was, moreover, honest and disinterested, +and performed good service in the Gospel cause, as will presently appear.<br> +<br> +When the repast was concluded, Lopez thus addressed me:- “Señor +Don Jorge, your arrival in our village has already caused a sensation, +more especially as these are times of war and tumult, and every person +is afraid of another, and we dwell here close on the confines of the +factious country; for, as you well know, the greater part of La Mancha +is in the hands of the Carlinos and thieves, parties of whom frequently +show themselves on the other side of the river: on which account the +alcalde of this city, with the other grave and notable people thereof, +are desirous of seeing your worship, and conversing with you, and of +examining your passport.” “It is well,” said +I; “let us forthwith pay a visit to these worthy people.” +Whereupon he conducted me across the plaza, to the house of the alcalde, +where I found the rustic dignitary seated in the passage, enjoying the +refreshing coolness of a draught of air which rushed through. +He was an elderly man, of about sixty, with nothing remarkable in his +appearance or his features, which latter were placid and good-humoured. +There were several people with him, amongst whom was the surgeon of +the place, a tall and immensely bulky man, an Alavese by birth, from +the town of Vitoria. There was also a red fiery-faced individual, +with a nose very much turned on one side, who was the blacksmith of +the village, and was called in general El Tuerto, from the circumstance +of his having but one eye. Making the assembly a low bow, I pulled +out my passport, and thus addressed them:-<br> +<br> +“Grave men and cavaliers of this city of Villa Seca, as I am a +stranger, of whom it is not possible that you should know anything, +I have deemed it my duty to present myself before you, and to tell you +who I am. Know, then, that I am an Englishman of good blood and +fathers, travelling in these countries for my own profit and diversion, +and for that of other people also. I have now found my way to +Villa Seca, where I propose to stay some time, doing that which may +be deemed convenient; sometimes riding across the plain, and sometimes +bathing myself in the waters of the river, which are reported to be +of advantage in times of heat, I therefore beg that, during my sojourn +in this capital, 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 life, and are disposed to be buxom and obedient +to the customs and laws of the republic.”<br> +<br> +“He speaks well,” said the alcalde, glancing around.<br> +<br> +“Yes, he speaks well,” said the bulky Alavese; “there +is no denying it.”<br> +<br> +“I never heard any one speak better,” cried the blacksmith, +starting up from a stool on which he was seated. “Vaya! +he is a big man and a fair complexioned like myself. I like him, +and have a horse that will just suit him; one that is the flower of +Spain, and is eight inches above the mark.”<br> +<br> +I then, with another bow, presented my passport to the alcalde, who, +with a gentle motion of his hand, appeared to decline taking it, at +the same time saying, “It is not necessary.” “Oh, +not at all,” exclaimed the surgeon. “The housekeepers +of Villa Seca know how to comport themselves with formality,” +observed the blacksmith. “They would be very loth to harbour +any suspicion against a cavalier so courteous and well spoken.” +Knowing, however, that this refusal amounted to nothing, and that it +merely formed part of a polite ceremonial, I proffered the passport +a second time, whereupon it was instantly taken, and in a moment the +eyes of all present were bent upon it with intense curiosity. +It was examined from top to bottom, and turned round repeatedly, and +though it is not probable that an individual present understood a word +of it, it being written in French, it gave nevertheless universal satisfaction; +and when the alcalde, carefully folding it up, returned it to me, they +all observed that they had never seen a better passport in their lives, +or one which spake in higher terms of the bearer.<br> +<br> +Who was it said that “Cervantes sneered Spain’s chivalry +away?” I know not; and the author of such a line scarcely +deserves to be remembered. How the rage for scribbling tempts +people at the present day to write about lands and nations of which +they know nothing, or worse than nothing. Vaya! It is not +from having seen a bull-fight at Seville or Madrid, or having spent +a handful of ounces at a posada in either of those places, kept perhaps +by a Genoese or a Frenchman, that you are competent to write about such +a people as the Spaniards, and to tell the world how they think, how +they speak, and how they act! Spain’s chivalry sneered away! +Why, there is every probability that the great body of the Spanish nation +speak, think, and live precisely as their forefathers did six centuries +ago.<br> +<br> +In the evening the blacksmith, or, as he would be called in Spanish, +El Herrador, made his appearance at the door of Lopez on horseback. +“Vamos, Don Jorge,” he shouted. “Come with me, +if your worship is disposed for a ride. I am going to bathe my +horse in the Tagus by the bridge of Azeca.” I instantly +saddled my jaca Cordovesa, and joining him, we rode out of the village, +directing our course across the plain towards the river. “Did +you ever see such a horse as this of mine, Don Jorge?” he demanded. +“Is he not a jewel - an alaja?” And in truth the horse was +a noble and gallant creature, in height at least sixteen hands, broad-chested, +but of clean and elegant limbs. His neck was superbly arched, +and his head towered on high like that of a swan. In colour he +was a bright chestnut, save his flowing mane and tail, which were almost +black. I expressed my admiration, whereupon the herrador, in high +spirits, pressed his heels to the creature’s sides, and flinging +the bridle on its neck, speeded over the plain with prodigious swiftness, +shouting the old Spanish cry, Cierra! I attempted to keep up with +him, but had not a chance. “I call him the flower of Spain,” +said the herrador, rejoining me. “Purchase him, Don Jorge, +his price is but three thousand reals. <a name="citation19"></a><a href="#footnote19">{19}</a> +I would not sell him for double that sum, but the Carlist thieves have +their eyes upon him, and I am apprehensive that they will some day make +a dash across the river and break into Villa Seca, all to get possession +of my horse, ‘The Flower of Spain.’”<br> +<br> +It may be as well to observe here, that within a month from this period, +my friend the herrador, not being able to find a regular purchaser for +his steed, entered into negotiations with the aforesaid thieves respecting +him, and finally disposed of the animal to their leader, receiving not +the three thousand reals he demanded, but an entire herd of horned cattle, +probably driven from the plains of La Mancha. For this transaction, +which was neither more nor less than high treason, he was cast into +the prison of Toledo, where, however, he did not continue long; for +during a short visit to Villa Seca, which I made in the spring of the +following year, I found him alcalde of that “republic.”<br> +<br> +We arrived at the bridge of Azeca, which is about half a league from +Villa Seca; close beside it is a large water-mill, standing upon a dam +which crosses the river. Dismounting from his steed, the herrador +proceeded to divest it of the saddle, then causing it to enter the mill-pool, +he led it by means of a cord to a particular spot, where the water reached +half way up its neck, then fastening a cord to a post on the bank, he +left the animal standing in the pool. I thought I could do no +better than follow his example, and accordingly procuring a rope from +the mill, I led my own horse into the water. “It will refresh +their blood, Don Jorge,” said the herrador; “let us leave +them there for an hour, whilst we go and divert ourselves.”<br> +<br> +Near the bridge, on the side of the river on which we were, was a kind +of guard-house, where were three carbineers of the revenue, who collected +the tolls of the bridge; we entered into conversation with them: “Is +not this a dangerous position of yours,” said I to one of them, +who was a Catalan; “close beside the factious country? Surely +it would not be difficult for a body of the Carlinos or bandits to dash +across the bridge and make prisoners of you all.”<br> +<br> +“It would be easy enough at any moment, Cavalier,” replied +the Catalan; “we are, however, all in the hands of God, and he +has preserved us hitherto, and perhaps still will. True it is +that one of our number, for there were four of us originally, fell the +other day into the hands of the canaille: he had wandered across the +bridge amongst the thickets with his gun in search of a hare or rabbit, +when three or four of them fell upon him and put him to death in a manner +too horrible to relate. But patience! every man who lives must +die. I shall not sleep the worse to-night because I may chance +to be hacked by the knives of these malvados to-morrow. Cavalier, +I am from Barcelona, and have seen there mariners of your nation; this +is not so good a country as Barcelona. Paciencia! Cavalier, +if you will step into our house, I will give you a glass of water; we +have some that is cool, for we dug a deep hole in the earth and buried +there our pitcher; it is cool, as I told you, but the water of Castile +is not like that of Catalonia.”<br> +<br> +The moon had arisen when we mounted our horses to return to the village, +and the rays of the beauteous luminary danced merrily on the rushing +waters of the Tagus, silvered the plain over which we were passing, +and bathed in a flood of brightness the bold sides of the calcareous +hill of Villaluenga and the antique ruins which crowned its brow. +“Why is that place called the Castle of Villaluenga?” I +demanded.<br> +<br> +“From a village of that name, which stands on the other side of +the hill, Don Jorge,” replied the herrador. “Vaya! +it is a strange place, that castle; some say it was built by the Moors +in the old times, and some by the Christians when they first laid siege +to Toledo. It is not inhabited now, save by rabbits, which breed +there in abundance amongst the long grass and broken stones, and by +eagles and vultures, which build on the tops of the towers; I occasionally +go there with my gun to shoot a rabbit. On a fine day you may +descry both Toledo and Madrid from its walls. I cannot say I like +the place, it is so dreary and melancholy. The hill on which it +stands is all of chalk, and is very difficult of ascent. I heard +my grandame say that once, when she was a girl, a cloud of smoke burst +from that hill, and that flames of fire were seen, just as if it contained +a volcano, as perhaps it does, Don Jorge.”<br> +<br> +The grand work of Scripture circulation soon commenced in the Sagra. +Notwithstanding the heat of the weather, I rode about in all directions. +It was well that heat agrees with my constitution, otherwise it would +have been impossible to effect anything in this season, when the very +arrieros frequently fall dead from their mules, smitten by sun-stroke. +I had an excellent assistant in Antonio, who, disregarding the heat +like myself, and afraid of nothing, visited several villages with remarkable +success. “Mon maître,” said he, “I wish +to show you that nothing is beyond my capacity.” But he +who put the labours of us both to shame, was my host, Juan Lopez, whom +it had pleased the Lord to render favourable to the cause. “Don +Jorge,” said he, “<i>io quiero engancharme con usted</i> +(I wish to enlist with you); I am a liberal, and a foe to superstition; +I will take the field, and, if necessary, will follow you to the end +of the world; <i>Viva Ingalaterra; viva el Evangelio</i>.” +Thus saying, he put a large bundle of Testaments into a satchel, and +springing upon the crupper of his grey donkey, he cried “<i>Arrhe +burra</i>,” and hastened away. I sat down to my journal.<br> +<br> +Ere I had finished writing, I heard the voice of the burra in the courtyard, +and going out, I found my host returned. He had disposed of his +whole cargo of twenty Testaments at the village of Vargas, distant from +Villa Seca about a league. Eight poor harvest men, who were refreshing +themselves at the door of a wine-house, purchased each a copy, whilst +the village schoolmaster secured the rest for the little ones beneath +his care, lamenting, at the same time, the great difficulty he had long +experienced in obtaining religious books, owing to their scarcity and +extravagant price. Many other persons were also anxious to purchase +Testaments, but Lopez was unable to supply them: at his departure, they +requested him to return within a few days.<br> +<br> +I was aware that I was playing rather a daring game, and that it was +very possible that, when I least expected it, I might be seized, tied +to the tail of a mule, and dragged either to the prison of Toledo or +Madrid. Yet such a prospect did not discourage me in the least, +but rather urged me to persevere; for at this time, without the slightest +wish to gratify myself, I could say that I was eager to lay down my +life for the cause, and whether a bandit’s bullet, or the gaol +fever brought my career to a close, was a matter of indifference to +me; I was not then a stricken man: “Ride on because of the word +of righteousness,” was my cry.<br> +<br> +The news of the arrival of the book of life soon spread like wildfire +through the villages of the Sagra of Toledo, and wherever my people +and myself directed our course we found the inhabitants disposed to +receive our merchandize; it was even called for where not exhibited. +One night as I was bathing myself and horse in the Tagus, a knot of +people gathered on the bank, crying, “Come out of the water, Englishman, +and give us books; we have got our money in our hands.” +The poor creatures then held out their hands, filled with cuartos, a +copper coin of the value of the farthing, but unfortunately I had no +Testaments to give them. Antonio, however, who was at a short +distance, having exhibited one, it was instantly torn from his hands +by the people, and a scuffle ensued to obtain possession of it. +It very frequently occurred, that the poor labourers in the neighbourhood, +being eager to obtain Testaments, and having no money to offer us in +exchange, brought various articles to our habitation as equivalents; +for example, rabbits, fruit and barley, and I made a point never to +disappoint them, as such articles were of utility either for our own +consumption or that of the horses.<br> +<br> +In Villa Seca there was a school in which fifty-seven children were +taught the first rudiments of education. One morning the schoolmaster, +a tall slim figure of about sixty, bearing on his head one of the peaked +hats of Andalusia, and wrapped, notwithstanding the excessive heat of +the weather, in a long cloak, made his appearance; and having seated +himself, requested to be shown one of our books. Having delivered +it to him, he remained examining it for nearly half an hour, without +uttering a word. At last he laid it down with a sigh, and said +that he should be very happy to purchase some of these books for his +school, but from their appearance, especially from the quality of the +paper and binding, he was apprehensive that to pay for them would exceed +the means of the parents of his pupils, as they were almost destitute +of money, being poor labourers. He then commenced blaming the +government, which he said established schools without affording the +necessary books, adding that in his school there were but two books +for the use of all his pupils, and these he confessed contained but +little good. I asked him what he considered the Testaments were +worth? He said, “Señor Cavalier, to speak frankly, +I have in other times paid twelve reals for books inferior to yours +in every respect, but I assure you that my poor pupils would be utterly +unable to pay the half of that sum.” I replied, “I +will sell you as many as you please for three reals each, I am acquainted +with the poverty of the land, and my friends and myself, in affording +the people the means of spiritual instruction have no wish to curtail +their scanty bread.” He replied: “Bendito sea Dios,” +(<i>blessed be God</i>,) and could scarcely believe his ears. +He instantly purchased a dozen, expending, as he said, all the money +he possessed, with the exception of a few cuartos. The introduction +of the word of God into the country schools of Spain is therefore begun, +and I humbly hope that it will prove one of those events, which the +Bible Society, after the lapse of years, will have most reason to remember +with joy and gratitude to the Almighty.<br> +<br> +An old peasant is reading in the portico. Eighty-four years have +passed over his head, and he is almost entirely deaf; nevertheless he +is reading aloud the second of Matthew: three days since he bespoke +a Testament, but not being able to raise the money, he has not redeemed +it until the present moment. He has just brought thirty farthings; +as I survey the silvery hair which overshadows his sunburnt countenance, +the words of the song occurred to me, “Lord, now lettest thou +thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have +seen thy salvation.”<br> +<br> +I experienced much grave kindness and simple hospitality from the good +people of Villa Seca during my sojourn amongst them. I had at +this time so won their hearts by the “formality” of my behaviour +and language, that I firmly believe they would have resisted to the +knife any attempt which might have been made to arrest or otherwise +maltreat me. He who wishes to become acquainted with the genuine +Spaniard, must seek him not in seaports and large towns, but in lone +and remote villages, like those of the Sagra. There he will find +all that gravity of deportment and chivalry of disposition which Cervantes +is said to have sneered away; and there he will hear, in everyday conversation, +those grandiose expressions, which, when met with in the romances of +chivalry, are scoffed at as ridiculous exaggerations.<br> +<br> +I had one enemy in the village - it was the curate.<br> +<br> +“The fellow is a heretic and a scoundrel,” said he one day +in the conclave. “He never enters the church, and is poisoning +the minds of the people with his Lutheran books. Let him be bound +and sent to Toledo, or turned out of the village at least.”<br> +<br> +“I will have nothing of the kind,” said the alcalde, who +was said to be a Carlist. “If he has his opinions, I have +mine too. He has conducted himself with politeness. Why +should I interfere with him? He has been courteous to my daughter, +and has presented her with a volume. Que viva! and with respect +to his being a Lutheran, I have heard say that amongst the Lutherans +there are sons of as good fathers as here. He appears to me a +caballero. He speaks well.”<br> +<br> +“There is no denying it,” said the surgeon.<br> +<br> +“Who speaks <i>so</i> well?” shouted the herrador. +“And, who has more formality? Vaya! did he not praise my +horse, ‘The Flower of Spain’? Did he not say that +in the whole of Ingalaterra there was not a better? Did he not +assure me, moreover, that if he were to remain in Spain he would purchase +it, giving me my own price? Turn him out, indeed! Is he +not of my own blood, is he not fair-complexioned? Who shall turn +him out when I, ‘the one-eyed,’ say no?”<br> +<br> +In connection with the circulation of the Scriptures I will now relate +an anecdote not altogether divested of singularity. I have already +spoken of the water-mill by the bridge of Azeca. I had formed +acquaintance with the tenant of this mill, who was known in the neighbourhood +by the name of Don Antero. One day, taking me into a retired place, +he asked me, to my great astonishment, whether I would sell him a thousand +Testaments at the price at which I was disposing of them to the peasantry; +saying, if I would consent he would pay me immediately. In fact, +he put his hand into his pocket, and pulled it out filled with gold +ounces. I asked him what was his reason for wishing to make so +considerable a purchase. Whereupon he informed me that he had +a relation in Toledo whom he wished to establish, and that he was of +opinion that his best plan would be to hire him a shop there and furnish +it with Testaments. I told him that he must think of nothing of +the kind, as probably the books would be seized on the first attempt +to introduce them into Toledo, as the priests and canons were much averse +to their distribution.<br> +<br> +He was not disconcerted, however, and said his relation could travel, +as I myself was doing, and dispose of them to the peasants with profit +to himself. I confess I was inclined at first to accept his offer, +but at length declined it, as I did not wish to expose a poor man to +the risk of losing money, goods, and perhaps liberty and life. +I was likewise averse to the books being offered to the peasantry at +an advanced price, being aware that they could not afford it, and the +books, by such an attempt, would lose a considerable part of that influence +which they then enjoyed; for their cheapness struck the minds of the +people, 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 +famishing, or the spring which suddenly gushed from the flinty rocks +to assuage their thirst in the wilderness.<br> +<br> +At this time a peasant was continually passing and repassing between +Villa Seca and Madrid, bringing us cargoes of Testaments on a burrico. +We continued our labours until the greater part of the villages of the +Sagra were well supplied with books, more especially those of Vargas, +Coveja, Mocejon, Villaluenga, Villa Seca, and Yungler. Hearing +at last that our proceedings were known at Toledo, and were causing +considerable alarm, we returned to Madrid.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLIV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Aranjuez - A Warning - A Night Adventure - A Fresh Expedition - Segovia +- Abades - Factions Curas - Lopez in Prison - Rescue of Lopez.<br> +<br> +The success which had attended our efforts in the Sagra of Toledo speedily +urged me on to a new enterprise. I now determined to direct my +course to La Mancha, and to distribute the word amongst the villages +of that province. Lopez, who had already performed such important +services in the Sagra, had accompanied us to Madrid, and was eager to +take part in this new expedition. We determined in the first place +to proceed to Aranjuez, where we hoped to obtain some information which +might prove of utility in the further regulation of our movements; Aranjuez +being but a slight distance from the frontier of La Mancha and the high +road into that province passing directly through it. We accordingly +sallied forth from Madrid, selling from twenty to forty Testaments in +every village which lay in our way, until we arrived at Aranjuez, to +which place we had forwarded a large supply of books.<br> +<br> +A lovely spot is Aranjuez, though in desolation: here the Tagus flows +through a delicious valley, perhaps the most fertile in Spain; and here +upsprang, in Spain’s better days, a little city, with a small +but beautiful palace shaded by enormous trees, where royalty delighted +to forget its cares. Here Ferdinand the Seventh spent his latter +days, surrounded by lovely señoras and Andalusian bull-fighters: +but as the German Schiller has it in one of his tragedies:<br> +<br> +<br> +“The happy days in fair Aranjuez,<br> +Are past and gone.”<br> +<br> +<br> +When the sensual king went to his dread account, royalty deserted it, +and it soon fell into decay. Intriguing counters no longer crowd +its halls; its spacious circus, where Manchegan bulls once roared in +rage and agony, is now closed, and the light tinkling of guitars is +no longer heard amidst its groves and gardens.<br> +<br> +At Aranjuez I made a sojourn of three days, during which time Antonio, +Lopez, and myself visited every house in the town. We found a +vast deal of poverty and ignorance amongst the inhabitants, and experienced +some opposition: nevertheless it pleased the Almighty to permit us to +dispose of about eighty Testaments, which were purchased entirely by +the very poor people; those in easier circumstances paying no attention +to the word of God, but rather turning it to scoff and ridicule.<br> +<br> +One circumstance was very gratifying and cheering to me, namely, the +ocular proof which I possessed that the books which I had disposed of +were read, and with attention, by those to whom I sold them; and that +many others participated in their benefit. In the streets of Aranjuez, +and beneath the mighty cedars and gigantic elms and plantains which +compose its noble woods, I have frequently seen groups assembled listening +to individuals who, with the New Testament in their hands, were reading +aloud the comfortable words of salvation.<br> +<br> +It is probable that, had I remained a longer period at Aranjuez, I might +have sold many more of these divine books, but I was eager to gain La +Mancha and its sandy plains, and to conceal myself for a season amongst +its solitary villages, for I was apprehensive that a storm was gathering +around me; but when once through Ocaña, the frontier town, I +knew well that I should have nothing to fear from the Spanish authorities, +as their power ceased there, the rest of La Mancha being almost entirely +in the hands of the Carlists, and overrun by small parties of banditti, +from whom, however, I trusted that the Lord would preserve me. +I therefore departed for Ocaña, distant three leagues from Aranjuez.<br> +<br> +I started with Antonio at six in the evening, having early in the morning +sent forward Lopez with between two and three hundred Testaments. +We left the high road, and proceeded by a shorter way through wild hills +and over very broken and precipitous ground: being well mounted we found +ourselves just after sunset opposite Ocaña, which stands on a +steep hill. A deep valley lay between us and the town: we descended, +and came to a small bridge, which traverses a rivulet at the bottom +of the valley, at a very small distance from a kind of suburb. +We crossed the bridge, and were passing by a deserted house on our left +hand, when a man appeared from under the porch.<br> +<br> +What I am about to state will seem incomprehensible, but a singular +history and a singular people are connected with it: the man placed +himself before my horse so as to bar the way, and said “<i>Schophon</i>,” +which, in the Hebrew tongue, signifies a rabbit. I knew this word +to be one of the Jewish countersigns, and asked the man if he had any +thing to communicate? He said, “You must not enter the town, +for a net is prepared for you. The corregidor of Toledo, on whom +may all evil light, in order to give pleasure to the priests of Maria, +in whose face I spit, has ordered all the alcaldes of these parts, and +the escribanos and the corchetes to lay hands on you wherever they may +find you, and to send you, and your books, and all that pertains to +you to Toledo. Your servant was seized this morning in the town +above, as he was selling the writings in the streets, and they are now +awaiting your arrival in the posada; but I knew you from the accounts +of my brethren, and I have been waiting here four hours to give you +warning in order that your horse may turn his tail to your enemies, +and neigh in derision of them. Fear nothing for your servant, +for he is known to the alcalde, and will be set at liberty, but do you +flee, and may God attend you.” Having said this, he hurried +towards the town.<br> +<br> +I hesitated not a moment to take his advice, knowing full well that, +as my books had been taken possession of, I could do no more in that +quarter. We turned back in the direction of Aranjuez, the horses, +notwithstanding the nature of the ground, galloping at full speed; but +our adventures were not over. Midway, and about half a league +from the village of Antigola, we saw close to us on our left hand three +men on a low bank. As far as the darkness would permit us to distinguish, +they were naked, but each bore in his hand a long gun. These were +rateros, or the common assassins and robbers of the roads. We +halted and cried out, “Who goes there?” They replied, +“What’s that to you? pass by.” Their drift was +to fire at us from a position from which it would be impossible to miss. +We shouted, “If you do not instantly pass to the right side of +the road, we will tread you down between the horses’ hoofs.” +They hesitated and then obeyed, for all assassins are dastards, and +the least show of resolution daunts them. As we galloped past, +one cried, with an obscene oath, “Shall we fire?” +But another said, “No, no! there’s danger.” +We reached Aranjuez, where early next morning Lopez rejoined us, and +we returned to Madrid.<br> +<br> +I am sorry to state that two hundred Testaments were seized at Ocaña, +from whence, after being sealed up, they were despatched to Toledo. +Lopez informed me, that in two hours he could have sold them all, the +demand was so great. As it was, twenty-seven were disposed of +in less than ten minutes.<br> +<br> +“Ride on because of the word of righteousness.” Notwithstanding +the check which we had experienced at Ocaña, we were far from +being discouraged, and forthwith prepared ourselves for another expedition. +As we returned from Aranjeuz to Madrid, my eyes had frequently glanced +towards the mighty wall of mountains dividing the two Castiles, and +I said to myself, “Would it not be well to cross those hills, +and commence operations on the other side, even in Old Castile? +There I am unknown, and intelligence of my proceedings can scarcely +have been transmitted thither. Peradventure the enemy is asleep, +and before he has roused himself, I may have sown much of the precious +seed amongst the villages of the Old Castilians. To Castile, therefore, +to Castile la Vieja!” Accordingly, on the day after my arrival, +I despatched several cargoes of books to various places which I proposed +to visit, and sent forward Lopez and his donkey, well laden, with directions +to meet me on a particular day beneath a particular arch of the aqueduct +of Segovia. I likewise gave him orders to engage any persons willing +to co-operate with us in the circulation of the Scriptures, and who +might be likely to prove of utility in the enterprise. A more +useful assistant than Lopez in an expedition of this kind it was impossible +to have. He was not only well acquainted with the country, but +had friends, and even connexions on the other side of the hills, in +whose houses he assured me that we should at all times find a hearty +welcome. He departed in high spirits, exclaiming, “Be of +good cheer, Don Jorge; before we return we will have disposed of every +copy of your evangelic library. Down with the friars! Down +with superstition! Viva Ingalaterra, viva el Evangelio!”<br> +<br> +In a few days I followed with Antonio. We ascended the mountains +by the pass called Peña Cerrada, which lies about three leagues +to the eastward of that of Guadarama. It is very unfrequented, +the high road between the two Castiles passing through Guadarama. +It has, moreover, an evil name, being, according to common report, infested +with banditti. The sun was just setting when we reached the top +of the hills, and entered a thick and gloomy pine forest, which entirely +covers the mountains on the side of Old Castile. The descent soon +became so rapid and precipitous, that we were fain to dismount from +our horses and to drive them before us. Into the woods we plunged +deeper and deeper still; night-birds soon began to hoot and cry, and +millions of crickets commenced their shrill chirping above, below, and +around us. Occasionally, amidst the trees at a distance, we could +see blazes, as if from immense fires. “They are those of +the charcoal-burners, mon maître!” said Antonio; “we +will not go near them, however, for they are savage people, and half +bandits. Many is the traveller whom they have robbed and murdered +in these horrid wildernesses.”<br> +<br> +It was blackest night when we arrived at the foot of the mountains; +we were still, however, amidst woods and pine forests, which extended +for leagues in every direction. “We shall scarcely reach +Segovia to-night, mon maître,” said Antonio. And so +indeed it proved, for we became bewildered, and at last arrived where +two roads branched off in different directions, we took not the left +hand road, which would have conducted us to Segovia, but turned to the +right, in the direction of La Granja, where we arrived at midnight.<br> +<br> +We found the desolation of La Granja far greater than that of Aranjuez; +both had suffered from the absence of royalty, but the former to a degree +which was truly appalling. Nine-tenths of the inhabitants had +left this place, which, until the late military revolution, had been +the favourite residence of Christina. So great is the solitude +of La Granja, that wild boars from the neighbouring forests, and especially +from the beautiful pine-covered mountain which rises like a cone directly +behind the palace, frequently find their way into the streets and squares, +and whet their tusks against the pillars of the porticos.<br> +<br> +“Ride on because of the word of righteousness.” After +a stay of twenty-four hours at La Granja, we proceeded to Segovia. +The day had arrived on which I had appointed to meet Lopez. I +repaired to the aqueduct, and sat down beneath the hundred and seventh +arch, where I waited the greater part of the day, but he came not, whereupon +I rose and went into the city.<br> +<br> +At Segovia I tarried two days in the house of a friend, still I could +hear nothing of Lopez. At last, by the greatest chance in the +world, I heard from a peasant that there were men in the neighbourhood +of Abades selling books.<br> +<br> +Abades is about three leagues distant from Segovia, and upon receiving +this intelligence, I instantly departed for the former place, with three +donkeys laden with Testaments. I reached Abades at nightfall, +and found Lopez, with two peasants whom he had engaged, in the house +of the surgeon of the place, where I also took up my residence. +He had already disposed of a considerable number of Testaments in the +neighbourhood, and had that day commenced selling at Abades itself; +he had, however, been interrupted by two of the three curas of the village, +who, with horrid curses denounced the work, threatening eternal condemnation +to Lopez for selling it, and to any person who should purchase it; whereupon +Lopez, terrified, forbore until I should arrive. The third cura, +however, exerted himself to the utmost to persuade the people to provide +themselves with Testaments, telling them that his brethren were hypocrites +and false guides, who, by keeping them in ignorance of the word and +will of Christ, were leading them to the abyss. Upon receiving +this information, I instantly sallied forth to the market-place, and +that same night succeeded in disposing of upwards of thirty Testaments. +The next morning the house was entered by the two factious curas, but +upon my rising to confront them, they retreated, and I heard no more +of them, except that they publicly cursed me in the church more than +once, an event which, as no ill resulted from it, gave me little concern.<br> +<br> +I will not detail the events of the next week; suffice it to say that +arranging my forces in the most advantageous way, I succeeded, by God’s +assistance, in disposing of from five to six hundred Testaments amongst +the villages from one to seven leagues’ distance from Abades. +At the expiration of that period I received information that my proceedings +were known in Segovia, in which province Abades is situated, and that +an order was about to be sent to the alcalde to seize all books in my +possession. Whereupon, notwithstanding that it was late in the +evening, I decamped with all my people, and upwards of three hundred +Testaments, having a few hours previously received a fresh supply from +Madrid. That night we passed in the fields, and next morning proceeded +to Labajos, a village on the high road from Madrid to Valladolid. +In this place we offered no books for sale, but contented ourselves +with supplying the neighbouring villages with the word of God: we likewise +sold it in the highways.<br> +<br> +We had not been at Labajos a week, during which time we were remarkably +successful, when the Carlist chieftain, Balmaseda, at the head of his +cavalry, made his desperate inroad into the southern part of Old Castile, +dashing down like an avalanche from the pine-woods of Soria. I +was present at all the horrors which ensued, - the sack of Arrevalo, +and the forcible entry into Martin Muñoz. Amidst these +terrible scenes we continued our labours. Suddenly I lost Lopez +for three days, and suffered dreadful anxiety on his account, imagining +that he had been shot by the Carlists; at last I heard that he was in +prison at Villallos, three leagues distant. The steps which I +took to rescue him will be found detailed in a communication, which +I deemed it my duty to transmit to Lord William Hervey, who, in the +absence of Sir George Villiers, now became Earl of Clarendon, fulfilled +the duties of minister at Madrid:-<br> +<br> +<br> + LABAJOS, PROVINCE OF SEGOVIA,<br> + <i>August </i>23, 1838.<br> +<br> +My Lord, - I beg leave to call your attention to the following facts. +On the 21st inst. I received information that a person in my employ, +of the name of Juan Lopez, had been thrown into the prison of Villallos, +in the province of Avila, by order of the cura of that place. +The crime with which he was charged was selling the New Testament. +I was at that time at Labajos, in the province of Segovia, and the division +of the factious chieftain Balmaseda was in the immediate neighbourhood. +On the 22nd, I mounted my horse and rode to Villallos, a distance of +three leagues. On my arrival there, I found that Lopez had been +removed from the prison to a private house. An order had arrived +from the corregidor of Avila, commanding that the person of Lopez should +be set at liberty, and that the books which had been found in his possession +should be alone detained. Nevertheless, in direct opposition to +this order, (a copy of which I herewith transmit,) the alcalde of Villallos, +at the instigation of the cura, refused to permit the said Lopez to +quit the place, either to proceed to Avila or in any other direction. +It had been hinted to Lopez that as the factious were expected, it was +intended on their arrival to denounce him to them as a liberal, and +to cause him to be sacrificed. Taking these circumstances into +consideration, I deemed it my duty as a Christian and a gentleman, to +rescue my unfortunate servant from such lawless hands, and in consequence, +defying opposition, I bore him off, though entirely unarmed, through +a crowd of at least one hundred peasants. On leaving the place +I shouted, “<i>Viva Isabel Segunda</i>.”<br> +<br> +As it is my belief that the cura of Villallos is a person capable of +any infamy, I beg leave humbly to intreat your Lordship to cause a copy +of the above narration to be forwarded to the Spanish government. - +I have the honour to remain, My Lord, Your Lordship’s most obedient,<br> +<br> +GEORGE BORROW.<br> +<br> +To the Right Honourable<br> +LORD WILLIAM HERVEY.<br> +<br> +<br> +After the rescue of Lopez we proceeded in the work of distribution. +Suddenly, however, the symptoms of an approaching illness came over +me, which compelled us to return in all haste to Madrid. Arrived +there, I was attacked by a fever which confined me to my bed for several +weeks; occasional fits of delirium came over me, during one of which, +I imagined myself in the market-place of Martin Muños, engaged +in deadly struggle with the chieftain Balmaseda.<br> +<br> +The fever had scarcely departed, when a profound melancholy took possession +of me, which entirely disqualified me for active exertion. Change +of scene and air was recommended; I therefore returned to England.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Return to Spain - Seville - A Hoary Persecutor - Manchegan Prophetess +- Antonio’s Dream.<br> +<br> +On the 31st of December, 1838, I again visited Spain for the third time. +After staying a day or two at Cadiz I repaired to Seville, from which +place I proposed starting for Madrid with the mail post. Here +I tarried about a fortnight, enjoying the delicious climate of this +terrestrial Paradise, and the balmy breezes of the Andalusian winter, +even as I had done two years previously. Before leaving Seville, +I visited the bookseller, my correspondent, who informed me that seventy-six +copies of the hundred Testaments entrusted to his care had been placed +in embargo by the government last summer, and that they were at the +present time in the possession of the ecclesiastical governor, whereupon +I determined to visit this functionary also, with the view of making +inquiries concerning the property.<br> +<br> +He lived in a large house in the Pajaria, or straw-market. He +was a very old man, between seventy and eighty, and, like the generality +of those who wear the sacerdotal habit in this city, was a fierce persecuting +Papist. I imagine that he scarcely believed his ears when his +two grand-nephews, beautiful black-haired boys who were playing in the +courtyard, ran to inform him that an Englishman was waiting to speak +with him, as it is probable that I was the first heretic who ever ventured +into his habitation. I found him in a vaulted room, seated on +a lofty chair, with two sinister-looking secretaries, also in sacerdotal +habits, employed in writing at a table before him. 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 church.<br> +<br> +He rose as I entered, and gazed upon me with a countenance dark with +suspicion and dissatisfaction. He at last condescended to point +me to a sofa, and I proceeded to state to him my business. He +became much agitated when I mentioned the Testaments to him; but I no +sooner spoke of the Bible Society and told him who I was, than he could +contain himself no longer: with a stammering tongue, and with eyes flashing +fire like hot coals, he proceeded to rail against the society and myself, +saying that the aims of the first were atrocious, and that, as to myself, +he was surprised that, being once lodged in the prison of Madrid, I +had ever been permitted to quit it; adding, that it was disgraceful +in the government to allow a person of my character to roam about an +innocent and peaceful country, corrupting the minds of the ignorant +and unsuspicious. Far from allowing myself to be disconcerted +by his rude behaviour, I replied to him with all possible politeness, +and assured him that in this instance he had no reason to alarm himself, +as my sole motive in claiming the books in question, was to avail myself +of an opportunity which at present presented itself, of sending them +out of the country, which, indeed, I had been commanded to do by an +official notice. But nothing would soothe him, and he informed +me that he should not deliver up the books on any condition, save by +a positive order of the government. As the matter was by no means +an affair of consequence, I thought it wise not to persist, and also +prudent to take my leave before he requested me. I was followed +even down into the street by his niece and grand-nephews, who, during +the whole of the conversation, had listened at the door of the apartment +and heard every word.<br> +<br> +In passing through La Mancha, we staid for four hours at Manzanares, +a large village. I was standing in the market-place conversing +with a curate, when a frightful ragged object presented itself; it was +a girl about eighteen or nineteen, perfectly blind, a white film being +spread over her huge staring eyes. Her countenance was as yellow +as that of a Mulatto. I thought at first that she was a Gypsy, +and addressing myself to her, inquired in Gitano if she were of that +race; she understood me, but shaking her head, replied, that she was +something better than a Gitana, and could speak something better than +that jargon of witches; whereupon she commenced asking me several questions +in exceedingly good Latin. I was of course very much surprised, +but summoning all my Latinity, I called her Manchegan Prophetess, and +expressing my admiration for her learning, begged to be informed by +what means she became possessed of it. I must here observe that +a crowd instantly gathered around us, who, though they understood not +one word of our discourse, at every sentence of the girl shouted applause, +proud in the possession of a prophetess who could answer the Englishman.<br> +<br> +She informed me that she was born blind, and that a Jesuit priest had +taken compassion on her when she was a child, and had taught her the +holy language, in order that the attention and hearts of Christians +might be more easily turned towards her. I soon discovered that +he had taught her something more than Latin, for upon telling her that +I was an Englishman, she said that she had always loved Britain, which +was once the nursery of saints and sages, for example Bede and Alcuin, +Columba and Thomas of Canterbury; but she added those times had gone +by since the re-appearance of Semiramis (Elizabeth). Her Latin +was truly excellent, and when I, like a genuine Goth, spoke of Anglia +and Terra Vandalica (Andalusia), she corrected me by saying, that in +her language those places were called Britannia and Terra Betica. +When we had finished our discourse, a gathering was made for the prophetess, +the very poorest contributing something.<br> +<br> +After travelling four days and nights, we arrived at Madrid, without +having experienced the slightest accident, though it is but just to +observe, and always with gratitude to the Almighty, that the next mail +was stopped. A singular incident befell me immediately after my +arrival; on entering the arch of the posada called La Reyna, where I +intended to put up, I found myself encircled in a person’s arms, +and on turning round in amazement, beheld my Greek servant, Antonio. +He was haggard and ill-dressed, and his eyes seemed starting from their +sockets.<br> +<br> +As soon as we were alone he informed that since my departure he had +undergone great misery and destitution, having, during the whole period, +been unable to find a master in need of his services, so that he was +brought nearly to the verge of desperation; but that on the night immediately +preceding my arrival he had a dream, in which he saw me, mounted on +a black horse, ride up to the gate of the posada, and that on that account +he had been waiting there during the greater part of the day. +I do not pretend to offer an opinion concerning this narrative, which +is beyond the reach of my philosophy, and shall content myself with +observing that only two individuals in Madrid were aware of my arrival +in Spain. I was very glad to receive him again into my service, +as, notwithstanding his faults, he had in many instances proved of no +slight assistance to me in my wanderings and biblical labours.<br> +<br> +I was soon settled in my former lodgings, when one my first cares was +to pay a visit to Lord Clarendon. Amongst other things, he informed +me that he had received an official notice from the government, stating +the seizure of the New Testaments at Ocaña, the circumstances +relating to which I have described on a former occasion, and informing +him that unless steps were instantly taken to remove them from the country, +they would be destroyed at Toledo, to which place they had been conveyed. +I replied that I should give myself no trouble about the matter; and +that if the authorities of Toledo, civil or ecclesiastic, determined +upon burning these books, my only hope was that they would commit them +to the flames with all possible publicity, as by so doing they would +but manifest their own hellish rancour and their hostility to the word +of God.<br> +<br> +Being eager to resume my labours, I had no sooner arrived at Madrid +than I wrote to Lopez at Villa Seca, for the purpose of learning whether +he was inclined to co-operate in the work, as on former occasions. +In reply, he informed me that he was busily employed in his agricultural +pursuits: to supply his place, however, he sent over an elderly villager, +Victoriano Lopez by name, a distant relation of his own.<br> +<br> +What is a missionary in the heart of Spain without a horse? Which +consideration induced me now to purchase an Arabian of high caste, which +had been brought from Algiers by an officer of the French legion. +The name of this steed, the best I believe that ever issued from the +desert, was Sidi Habismilk.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLVI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Mass.<br> +<br> +In my last chapter, I stated that, immediately after my arrival at Madrid, +I proceeded to get everything in readiness for commencing operations +in the neighbourhood; and I soon entered upon my labours in reality. +Considerable success attended my feeble efforts in the good cause, for +which at present, after the lapse of some years, I still look back with +gratitude to the Almighty.<br> +<br> +All the villages within the distance of four leagues to the east of +Madrid, were visited in less than a fortnight, and Testaments to the +number of nearly two hundred disposed of. These villages for the +most part are very small, some of them consisting of not more than a +dozen houses, or I should rather say miserable cabins. I left +Antonio, my Greek, to superintend matters in Madrid, and proceeded with +Victoriano, the peasant from Villa Seca, in the direction which I have +already mentioned. We, however, soon parted company, and pursued +different routes.<br> +<br> +The first village at which I made an attempt was Cobenna, about three +leagues from Madrid. I was dressed in the fashion of the peasants +in the neighbourhood of Segovia, in Old Castile; namely, I had on my +head a species of leather helmet or montera, with a jacket and trousers +of the same material. I had the appearance of a person between +sixty and seventy years of age, and drove before me a borrico with a +sack of Testaments lying across its back. On nearing the village, +I met a genteel-looking young woman leading a little boy by the hand: +as I was about to pass her with the customary salutation of <i>vaya +usted con Dios, </i>she stopped, and after looking at me for a moment, +she said: “Uncle (<i>Tio</i>), what is that you have got on your +borrico? Is it soap?”<br> +<br> +“Yes,” I replied: “it is soap to wash souls clean.”<br> +<br> +She demanded what I meant; whereupon I told her that I carried cheap +and godly books for sale. On her requesting to see one, I produced +a copy from my pocket and handed it to her. She instantly commenced +reading with a loud voice, and continued so for at least ten minutes, +occasionally exclaiming: “<i>Que lectura tan bonita, que lectura +tan linda</i>!” What beautiful, what charming readings!” +At last, on my informing her that I was in a hurry, and could not wait +any longer, she said, “true, true,” and asked me the price +of the book: I told her “but three reals,” whereupon she +said, that though what I asked was very little, it was more than she +could afford to give, as there was little or no money in those parts. +I said I was sorry for it, but that I could not dispose of the books +for less than I had demanded, and accordingly, resuming it, wished her +farewell, and left her. I had not, however, proceeded thirty yards, +when the boy came running behind me, shouting, out of breath: “Stop, +uncle, the book, the book!” Upon overtaking me, he delivered +the three reals in copper, and seizing the Testament, ran back to her, +who I suppose was his sister, flourishing the book over his head with +great glee.<br> +<br> +On arriving at the village, I directed my steps to a house, around the +door of which I saw several people gathered, chiefly women. On +my displaying my books, their curiosity was instantly aroused, and every +person had speedily one in his hand, many reading aloud; however, after +waiting nearly an hour, I had disposed of but one copy, all complaining +bitterly of the distress of the times, and the almost total want of +money, though, at the same time, they acknowledged that the books were +wonderfully cheap, and appeared to be very good and Christian-like. +I was about to gather up my merchandise and depart, when on a sudden +the curate of the place made his appearance. After having examined +the book for some time with considerable attention, he asked me the +price of a copy, and upon my informing him that it was three reals, +he replied that the binding was worth more, and that he was much afraid +that I had stolen the books, and that it was perhaps his duty to send +me to prison as a suspicious character; but added, that the books were +good books, however they might be obtained, and concluded by purchasing +two copies. The poor people no sooner heard their curate recommend +the volumes, than all were eager to secure one, and hurried here and +there for the purpose of procuring money, so that between twenty and +thirty copies were sold almost in an instant. This adventure not +only affords an instance of the power still possessed by the Spanish +clergy over the minds of the people, but proves that such influence +is not always exerted in a manner favourable to the maintenance of ignorance +and superstition.<br> +<br> +In another village, on my showing a Testament to a woman, she said that +she had a child at school for whom she would like to purchase one, but +that she must first know whether the book was calculated to be of service +to him. She then went away, and presently returned with the schoolmaster, +followed by all the children under his care; she then, showing the schoolmaster +a book, inquired if it would answer for her son. The schoolmaster +called her a simpleton for asking such a question, and said that he +knew the book well, and there was not its equal in the world <i>(no +hay otro en el</i> <i>mundo</i>). He instantly purchased five +copies for his pupils, regretting that he had no more money, “for +if I had,” said he, “I would buy the whole cargo.” +Upon hearing this, the woman purchased four copies, namely, one for +her living son, another for her <i>deceased husband, </i>a third for +herself, and a fourth for her brother, whom she said she was expecting +home that night from Madrid.<br> +<br> +In this manner we proceeded; not, however, with uniform success. +In some villages the people were so poor and needy, that they had literally +no money; even in these, however, we managed to dispose of a few copies +in exchange for barley or refreshments. On entering one very small +hamlet, Victoriano was stopped by the curate, who, on learning what +he carried, told him that unless he instantly departed, he would cause +him to be imprisoned, and would write to Madrid in order to give information +of what was going on. The excursion lasted about eight days. +Immediately after my return, I dispatched Victoriano to Caramanchal, +a village at a short distance from Madrid, the only one towards the +west which had not been visited last year. He staid there about +an hour, and disposed of twelve copies, and then returned, as he was +exceedingly timid, and was afraid of being met by the thieves who swarm +on that road in the evening.<br> +<br> +Shortly after these events, a circumstance occurred which will perhaps +cause the English reader to smile, whilst, at the same time, it will +not fail to prove interesting, as affording an example of the feeling +prevalent in some of the lone villages of Spain with respect to innovation +and all that savours thereof, and the strange acts which are sometimes +committed by the real authorities and the priests, without the slightest +fear of being called to account; for as they live quite apart <a name="citation20"></a><a href="#footnote20">{20}</a> +from the rest of the world, they know no people greater than themselves, +and scarcely dream of a higher power than their own.<br> +<br> +I was about to make an excursion to Guadalajara, and the villages of +Alcarria, about seven leagues distant from Madrid; indeed I merely awaited +the return of Victoriano to sally forth; I having dispatched him in +that direction with a few Testaments, as a kind of explorer, in order +that, from his report as to the disposition manifested by the people +for purchasing, I might form a tolerably accurate opinion as to the +number of copies which it might be necessary to carry with me. +However, I heard nothing of him for a fortnight, at the end of which +period a letter was brought to me by a peasant, dated from the prison +of Fuente la Higuera, a village eight leagues from Madrid, in the Campiña +of Alcala: this letter, written, by Victoriano, gave me to understand +that he had been already eight days imprisoned, and that unless I could +find some means to extricate him, there was every probability of his +remaining in durance until he should perish with hunger, which he had +no doubt would occur as soon as his money was exhausted. From +what I afterwards learned, it appeared that, after passing the town +of Alcala, he had commenced distributing, and with considerable success. +His entire stock consisted of sixty-one Testaments, twenty-five of which +he sold without the slightest difficulty or interruption in the single +village of Arganza; the poor labourers showering blessings on his head +for providing them with such good books at an easy price.<br> +<br> +Not more than eighteen of his books remained, when he turned off the +high road towards Fuente la Higuera. This place was already tolerably +well known to him, he having visited it of old, when he travelled the +country in the capacity of a vendor of cacharras or earthen pans. +He subsequently stated that he felt some misgiving whilst on the way, +as the village had invariably borne a bad reputation. On his arrival, +after having put up his cavallejo or little pony at a posada, he proceeded +to the alcalde for the purpose of asking permission to sell the books, +which that dignitary immediately granted. He now entered a house +and sold a copy, and likewise a second. Emboldened by success, +he entered a third, which, it appeared, belonged to the barber-surgeon +of the village. This personage having just completed his dinner, +was seated in an arm chair within his doorway, when Victoriano made +his appearance. He was a man about thirty-five, of a savage truculent +countenance. On Victoriano’s offering him a Testament, he +took it in his hand to examine it, but no sooner did his eyes glance +over the title-page than he burst out into a loud laugh, exclaiming:- +“Ha, ha, Don Jorge Borrow, the English heretic, we have encountered +you at last. Glory to the Virgin and the Saints! We have +long been expecting you here, and at length you are arrived.” +He then inquired the price of the book, and on being told three reals, +he flung down two, and rushed out of the house with the Testament in +his hand.<br> +<br> +Victoriano now became alarmed, and determined upon leaving the place +as soon as possible. He therefore hurried back to the posada, +and having paid for the barley which his pony had consumed, went into +the stable, and placing the packsaddle on the animal’s back, was +about to lead it forth, when the alcalde of the village, the surgeon, +and twelve other men, some of whom were armed with muskets, suddenly +presented themselves. They instantly made Victoriano prisoner, +and after seizing the books and laying an embargo on the pony, proceeded +amidst much abuse to drag the captive to what they denominated their +prison, a low damp apartment with a little grated window, where they +locked him up and left him. At the expiration of three quarters +of an hour, they again appeared, and conducted him to the house of the +curate, where they sat down in conclave; the curate, who was a man stone +blind, presiding, whilst the sacristan officiated as secretary. +The surgeon having stated his accusation against the prisoner, namely, +that he had detected him in the fact of selling a version of the Scriptures +in the vulgar tongue, the curate proceeded to examine Victoriano, asking +him his name and place of residence, to which he replied that his name +was Victoriano Lopez, and that he was a native of Villa Seca, in the +Sagra of Toledo. The curate then demanded what religion he professed? +and whether he was a Mohometan, or freemason? and received for answer +that he was a Roman Catholic. I must here state, that Victoriano, +though sufficiently shrewd in his way, was a poor old labourer of sixty-four; +and until that moment had never heard either of Mahometans or freemasons. +The curate becoming now incensed, called him a <i>tunante </i>or scoundrel, +and added, you have sold your soul to a heretic; we have long been aware +of your proceedings, and those of your master. You are the same +Lopez, whom he last year rescued from the prison of Villallos, in the +province of Avila; I sincerely hope that he will attempt to do the same +thing here. “Yes, yes,” shouted the rest of the conclave, +“let him but venture here, and we will shed his heart’s +blood on our stones.” In this manner they went on for nearly +half an hour. At last they broke up the meeting, and conducted +Victoriano once more to his prison.<br> +<br> +During his confinement he lived tolerably well, being in possession +of money. His meals were sent him twice a day from the posada, +where his pony remained in embargo. Once or twice he asked permission +of the alcalde, who visited him every night and morning with his armed +guard, to purchase pen and paper, in order that he might write to Madrid; +but this favour was peremptorily refused him, and all the inhabitants +of the village were forbidden under terrible penalties to afford him +the means of writing, or to convey any message from him beyond the precincts +of the place, and two boys were stationed before the window of his cell +for the purpose of watching everything which might be conveyed to him.<br> +<br> +It happened one day that Victoriano, being in need of a pillow, sent +word to the people of the posada to send him his alforjas or saddlebags, +which they did. In these bags there chanced to be a kind of rope, +or, as it is called in Spanish, <i>soga</i>, with which he was in the +habit of fastening his satchel to the pony’s back. The urchins +seeing an end of this rope, hanging from the alforjas, instantly ran +to the alcalde to give him information. Late at evening, the alcalde +again visited the prisoner at the head of his twelve men as usual. +“<i>Buenas noches</i>,” said the alcalde. “<i>Buenas +noches tenga usted</i>,” replied Victoriano. “For +what purpose did you send for the soga this afternoon?” demanded +the functionary. “I sent for no soga,” said the prisoner, +“I sent for my alforjas to serve as a pillow, and it was sent +in them by chance.” “You are a false malicious knave,” +retorted the alcalde; “you intend to hang yourself, and by so +doing ruin us all, as your death would be laid at our door. Give +me the soga.” No greater insult can be offered to a Spaniard +than to tax him with an intention of committing suicide. Poor +Victoriano flew into a violent rage, and after calling the alcalde several +very uncivil names, he pulled the soga from his bags, flung it at his +head, and told him to take it home and use it for his own neck.<br> +<br> +At length the people of the posada took pity on the prisoner, perceiving +that he was very harshly treated for no crime at all; they therefore +determined to afford him an opportunity of informing his friends of +his situation, and accordingly sent him a pen and inkhorn, concealed +in a loaf of bread, and a piece of writing paper, pretending that the +latter was intended for cigars. So Victoriano wrote the letter; +but now ensued the difficulty of sending it to its destination, as no +person in the village dare have carried it for any reward. The +good people, however, persuaded a disbanded soldier from another village, +who chanced to be at Fuente la Higuera in quest of work, to charge himself +with it, assuring him that I would pay him well for his trouble. +The man, watching his opportunity, received the letter from Victoriano +at the window: and it was he who, after travelling on foot all night, +delivered it to me in safety at Madrid.<br> +<br> +I was now relieved from my anxiety, and had no fears for the result. +I instantly went to a friend who is in possession of large estates about +Guadalajara, in which province Fuente la Higuera is situated, who furnished +me with letters to the civil governor of Guadalajara and all the principal +authorities; these I delivered to Antonio, whom, at his own request, +I despatched on the errand of the prisoner’s liberation. +He first directed his course to Fuente la Higuera, where, entering the +alcalde’s house, he boldly told him what he had come about. +The alcalde expecting that I was at hand, with an army of Englishmen, +for the purpose of rescuing the prisoner, became greatly alarmed, and +instantly despatched his wife to summon his twelve men; however, on +Antonio’s assuring him that there was no intention of having recourse +to violence, he became more tranquil. In a short time Antonio +was summoned before the conclave and its blind sacerdotal president. +They at first attempted to frighten him by assuming a loud bullying +tone, and talking of the necessity of killing all strangers, and especially +the detested Don Jorge and his dependents. Antonio, however, who +was not a person apt to allow himself to be easily terrified, scoffed +at their threats, and showing them his letters to the authorities of +Guadalajara, said that he should proceed there on the morrow and denounce +their lawless conduct, adding that he was a Turkish subject, and that +should they dare to offer him the slightest incivility, he would write +to the sublime Porte, in comparison with whom the best kings in the +world were but worms, and who would not fail to avenge the wrongs of +any of his children, however distant, in a manner too terrible to be +mentioned. He then returned to his posada. The conclave +now proceeded to deliberate amongst themselves, and at last determined +to send their prisoner on the morrow to Guadalajara, and deliver him +into the hands of the civil governor.<br> +<br> +Nevertheless, in order to keep up a semblance of authority, they that +night placed two men armed at the door of the posada where Antonio was +lodged, as if he himself were a prisoner. These men, as often +as the clock struck the hour, shouted “Ave Maria! Death +to the heretics.” Early in the morning the alcalde presented +himself at the posada, but before entering he made an oration at the +door to the people in the street, saying, amongst other things, “Brethren, +these are the fellows who have come to rob us of our religion.” +He then went into Antonio’s apartment, and after saluting him +with great politeness, said, that as a royal or high mass was about +to be celebrated that morning, he had come to invite him to go to church +with him. Whereupon Antonio, though by no means a mass-goer, rose +and accompanied him, and remained two hours, as he told me, on his knees +on the cold stones, to his great discomfort; the eyes of the whole congregation +being fixed upon him during the time.<br> +<br> +After mass and breakfast, he departed for Guadalajara, Victoriano having +been already despatched under a guard. On his arrival, he presented +his letters to the individuals for whom they were intended. The +civil governor was convulsed with merriment on hearing Antonio’s +account of the adventure. Victoriano was set at liberty, and the +books were placed in embargo at Guadalajara; the governor stating, however, +that though it was his duty to detain them at present, they should be +sent to me whenever I chose to claim them; he moreover said that he +would do his best to cause the authorities of Fuente la Higuera to be +severely punished, as in the whole affair they had acted in the most +cruel tyrannical manner, for which they had no authority. Thus +terminated this affair, one of those little accidents which chequer +missionary life in Spain.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLVII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Luther.<br> +<br> +We proceeded in our task of distributing the Scriptures with various +success, until the middle of March, when I determined upon starting +for Talavera, for the purpose of seeing what it was possible to accomplish +in that town and the neighbourhood. I accordingly bent my course +in that direction, accompanied by Antonio and Victoriano. On our +way thither we stopped at Naval Carnero, a large village five leagues +to the west of Madrid, where I remained three days, sending forth Victoriano +to the circumjacent hamlets with small cargoes of Testaments. +Providence, however, which had hitherto so remarkably favoured us in +these rural excursions, now withdrew from us its support, and brought +them to a sudden termination; for in whatever place the sacred writings +were offered for sale, they were forthwith seized by persons who appeared +to be upon the watch; which events compelled me to alter my intention +of proceeding to Talavera and to return forthwith to Madrid.<br> +<br> +I subsequently learned that our proceedings on the other side of Madrid +having caused alarm amongst the heads of the clergy, they had made a +formal complaint to the government, who immediately sent orders to all +the alcaldes of the villages, great and small, in New Castile, to seize +the New Testament wherever it might be exposed for sale; 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 it. +An exact description of myself accompanied these orders, and the authorities +both civil and military were exhorted to be on their guard against me +and my arts and machinations; for, I as the document stated, was to-day +in one place, and to-morrow at twenty leagues’ distance.<br> +<br> +I was not much discouraged by this blow, which indeed did not come entirely +unexpected. I, however, determined to change the sphere of action, +and not expose the sacred volume to seizure at every step which I should +take to circulate it. In my late attempts, I had directed my attention +exclusively to the villages and small towns, in which it was quite easy +for the government to frustrate my efforts by means of circulars to +the local authorities, who would of course be on the alert, and whose +vigilance it would be impossible to baffle as every novelty which occurs +in a small place is forthwith bruited about. But the case would +be widely different amongst the crowds of the capital, where I could +pursue my labours with comparative secrecy. My present plan was +to abandon the rural districts, and to offer the sacred volume at Madrid, +from house to house, at the same low price as in the country. +This plan I forthwith put into execution.<br> +<br> +Having an extensive acquaintance amongst the lower orders, I selected +eight intelligent individuals to co-operate with me, amongst whom were +five women. All these I supplied with Testaments, and then sent +them forth to all the parishes in Madrid. The result of their +efforts more than answered my expectations. In less than fifteen +days after my return from Naval Carnero, nearly six hundred copies of +the life and words of Him of Nazareth had been sold in the streets and +alleys of Madrid; a fact which I hope I may be permitted to mention +with gladness and with decent triumph in the Lord.<br> +<br> +One of the richest streets is the Calle Montera, where reside the principal +merchants and shopkeepers of Madrid. It is, in fact, the street +of commerce, in which respect, and in being a favourite promenade, it +corresponds with the far-famed “Nefsky” of Saint Petersburg. +Every house in this street was supplied with its Testament, and the +same might be said with respect to the Puerto del Sol. Nay, in +some instances, every individual in the house, man and child, man-servant +and maid-servant, was furnished with a copy. My Greek, Antonio, +made wonderful exertions in this quarter; and it is but justice to say +that, but for his instrumentality, on many occasions, I might have been +by no means able to give so favourable an account of the spread of “the +Bible in Spain.” There was a time when I was in the habit +of saying “dark Madrid,” an expression which, I thank God, +I could now drop. It were scarcely just to call a city, “dark,” +in which thirteen hundred Testaments at least were in circulation, and +in daily use.<br> +<br> +It was now that I turned to account a supply of Bibles which I had received +from Barcelona, in sheets, at the commencement of the preceding year. +The demand for the entire Scriptures was great; indeed far greater than +I could answer, as the books were disposed of faster than they could +be bound by the man whom I employed for that purpose. Eight-and-twenty +copies were bespoken and paid for before delivery. Many of these +Bibles found their way into the best houses in Madrid. The Marquis +of - had a large family, but every individual of it, old and young, +was in possession of a Bible, and likewise a Testament, which, strange +to say, were recommended by the chaplain of the house. One of +my most zealous agents in the propagation of the Bible was an ecclesiastic. +He never walked out without carrying one beneath his gown, which he +offered to the first person he met whom he thought likely to purchase. +Another excellent assistant was an elderly gentleman of Navarre, enormously +rich, who was continually purchasing copies on his own account, which +he, as I was told, sent into his native province, for distribution amongst +his friends and the poor.<br> +<br> +On a certain night I had retired to rest rather more early than usual, +being slightly indisposed. I soon fell asleep, and had continued +so for some hours, when I was suddenly aroused by the opening of the +door of the small apartment in which I lay. I started up, and +beheld Maria Diaz, with a lamp in her hand, enter the room. I +observed that her features, which were in general peculiarly calm and +placid, wore a somewhat startled expression. “What is the +hour, and what brings you here?” I demanded.<br> +<br> +“Señor,” said she, closing the door, and coming up +to the bedside. “It is close upon midnight; but a messenger +belonging to the police has just entered the house and demanded to see +you. I told him that it was impossible, for that your worship +was in bed. Whereupon he sneezed in my face, and said that he +would see you if you were in your coffin. He has all the look +of a goblin, and has thrown me into a tremor. I am far from being +a timid person, as you are aware, Don Jorge; but I confess that I never +cast my eyes on these wretches of the police, but my heart dies away +within me! I know them but too well, and what they are capable +of.”<br> +<br> +“Pooh,” said I, “be under no apprehension, let him +come in, I fear him not, whether he be alguazil or hobgoblin. +Stand, however, at the doorway, that you may be a witness of what takes +place, as it is more than probable that he comes at this unreasonable +hour to create a disturbance, that he may have an opportunity of making +an unfavourable report to his principals, like the fellow on the former +occasion.”<br> +<br> +The hostess left the apartment, and I heard her say a word or two to +some one in the passage, whereupon there was a loud sneeze, and in a +moment after a singular figure appeared at the doorway. It was +that of a very old man, with long white hair, which escaped from beneath +the eaves of an exceedingly high-peaked hat. He stooped considerably, +and moved along with a shambling gait. I could not see much of +his face, which, as the landlady stood behind him with the lamp, was +consequently in deep shadow. I could observe, however, that his +eyes sparkled like those of a ferret. He advanced to the foot +of the bed, in which I was still lying, wondering what this strange +visit could mean; and there he stood gazing at me for a minute, at least, +without uttering a syllable. Suddenly, however, he protruded a +spare skinny hand from the cloak in which it had hitherto been enveloped, +and pointed with a short staff, tipped with metal, in the direction +of my face, as it he were commencing an exorcism. He appeared +to be about to speak, but his words, if he intended any, were stifled +in their birth by a sudden sternutation which escaped him, and which +was so violent that the hostess started back, exclaiming, “Ave +Maria purissima!” and nearly dropped the lamp in her alarm.<br> +<br> +“My good person,” said I, “what do you mean by this +foolish hobgoblinry? If you have anything to communicate do so +at once, and go about your business. I am unwell, and you are +depriving me of my repose.”<br> +<br> +“By the virtue of this staff,” said the old man, “and +the authority which it gives me to do and say that which is convenient, +I do command, order, and summon you to appear to-morrow, at the eleventh +hour at the office of my lord the corregidor of this village of Madrid, +in order that, standing before him humbly, and with befitting reverence, +you may listen to whatever he may have to say, or if necessary, may +yield yourself up to receive the castigation of any crimes which you +may have committed, whether trivial or enormous. <i>Tenez, compere</i>,” +he added, in most villainous French, “<i>voila mon affaire; voila +ce que je viens vous</i> <i>dire</i>.”<br> +<br> +Thereupon he glared at me for a moment, nodded his head twice, and replacing +his staff beneath is cloak, shambled out of the room, and with a valedictory +sneeze in the passage left the house.<br> +<br> +Precisely at eleven on the following day, I attended at the office of +the corregidor. He was not the individual whose anger I had incurred +on a former occasion, and who had thought proper to imprison me, but +another person, I believe a Catalan, whose name I have also forgotten. +Indeed, these civil employments were at this period given to-day and +taken away to-morrow, so that the person who held one of them for a +month might consider himself a functionary of long standing. I +was not kept waiting a moment, but as soon as I had announced myself, +was forthwith ushered into the presence of the corregidor, a good-looking, +portly, and well-dressed personage, seemingly about fifty. He +was writing at a desk when I entered, but almost immediately arose and +came towards me. He looked me full in the face, and I, nothing +abashed, kept my eyes fixed upon his. He had, perhaps, expected +a less independent bearing, and that I should have quaked and crouched +before him; but now, conceiving himself bearded in his own den, his +old Spanish leaven was forthwith stirred up. He plucked his whiskers +fiercely. “Escuchad,” said he, casting upon me a ferocious +glance, “I wish to ask you a question.”<br> +<br> +“Before I answer any question of your excellency,” said +I, “I shall take the liberty of putting one myself. What +law or reason is there that I, a peaceable individual and a foreigner, +should have my rest disturbed by <i>duendes</i> and hobgoblins sent +at midnight to summon me to appear at public offices like a criminal?”<br> +<br> +“You do not speak the truth,” shouted the corregidor; “the +person sent to summon you was neither duende nor hobgoblin, but one +of the most ancient and respectable officers of this casa, and so far +from being dispatched at midnight, it wanted twenty-five minutes to +that hour by my own watch when he left this office, and as your lodging +is not distant, he must have arrived there at least ten minutes before +midnight, so that you are by no means accurate, and are found wanting +in regard to truth.”<br> +<br> +“A distinction without a difference,” I replied. “For +my own part, if I am to be disturbed in my sleep, it is of little consequence +whether at midnight or ten minutes before that time; and with respect +to your messenger, although he might not be a hobgoblin, he had all +the appearance of one, and assuredly answered the purpose, by frightening +the woman of the house almost into fits by his hideous grimaces and +sneezing convulsions.”<br> +<br> +<i>Corregidor</i>. - You are a - I know not what. Do you know +that I have the power to imprison you?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - You have twenty alguazils at your beck and call, and +have of course the power, and so had your predecessor, who nearly lost +his situation by imprisoning me; but you know full well that you have +not the right, as I am not under your jurisdiction, but that of the +captain-general. If I have obeyed your summons, it was simply +because I had a curiosity to know what you wanted with me, and from +no other motive whatever. As for imprisoning me, I beg leave to +assure you, that you have my full consent to do so; the most polite +society in Madrid is to be found in the prison, and as I am at present +compiling a vocabulary of the language of the Madrilenian thieves, I +should have, in being imprisoned, an excellent opportunity of completing +it. There is much to be learnt even in the prison, for, as the +Gypsies say, “The dog that trots about finds a bone.”<br> +<br> +<i>Corregidor</i>. - Your words are not those of a Caballero. +Do you forget where you are, and in whose presence? Is this a +fitting place to talk of thieves and Gypsies in?<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Really I know of no place more fitting, unless it be +the prison. But we are wasting time, and I am anxious to know +for what I have been summoned; whether for crimes trivial or enormous, +as the messenger said.<br> +<br> +It was a long time before I could obtain the required information from +the incensed corregidor; at last, however, it came. It appeared +that a box of Testaments, which I had despatched to Naval Carnero, had +been seized by the local authorities, and having been detained there +for some time, was at last sent back to Madrid, intended as it now appeared, +for the hands of the corregidor. One day as it was lying at the +waggon-office, Antonio chanced to enter on some business of his own +and recognised the box, which he instantly claimed as my property, and +having paid the carriage, removed it to my warehouse. He had considered +the matter as of so little importance, that he had not as yet mentioned +it to me. The poor corregidor, however, had no doubt that it was +a deep-laid scheme to plunder and insult him. And now, working +himself up into almost a frenzy of excitement, he stamped on the ground, +exclaiming, “<i>Que</i> <i>picardia! Que infamia</i>!”<br> +<br> +The old system, thought I, of prejudging people and imputing to them +motives and actions of which they never dreamed. I then told him +frankly that I was entirely ignorant of the circumstance by which he +had felt himself aggrieved; 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 forwarded, I would cause it forthwith to be restored, although +it was my own property. “I have plenty more Testaments,” +said I, “and can afford to lose fifty or a hundred. I am +a man of peace, and wish not to have any dispute with the authorities +for the sake of an old chest and a cargo of books, whose united value +would scarcely amount to forty dollars.”<br> +<br> +He looked at me for a moment, as if in doubt of my sincerity, then, +again plucking his whiskers, he forthwith proceeded to attack me in +another quarter: “<i>Pero que</i> <i>infamia, que picardia! </i>to +come into Spain for the purpose of overturning the religion of the country. +What would you say if the Spaniards were to go to England and attempt +to overturn the Lutheranism established there?”<br> +<br> +“They would be most heartily welcome,” I replied; “more +especially if they would attempt to do so by circulating the Bible, +the book of Christians, even as the English are doing in Spain. +But your excellency is not perhaps aware that the Pope has a fair field +and fair play in England, and is permitted to make as many converts +from Lutheranism every day in the week as are disposed to go over to +him. He cannot boast, however, of much success; the people are +too fond of light to embrace darkness, and would smile at the idea of +exchanging their gospel privileges for the superstitious ceremonies +and observances of the church of Rome.”<br> +<br> +On my repeating my promise that the books and chest should be forthwith +restored, the corregidor declared himself satisfied, and all of a sudden +became excessively polite and condescending: he even went so far as +to say that he left it entirely with myself, whether to return the books +or not; “and,” continued he, “before you go, I wish +to tell you that my private opinion is, that it is highly advisable +in all countries to allow full and perfect tolerance in religious matters, +and to permit every religious system to stand or fall according to its +own merits.”<br> +<br> +Such were the concluding words of the corregidor of Madrid, which, whether +they expressed his private opinion or not, were certainly grounded on +sense and reason. I saluted him respectfully and retired, and +forthwith performed my promise with regard to the books; and thus terminated +this affair.<br> +<br> +It almost appeared to me at this time, that a religious reform was commencing +in Spain; indeed, matters had of late come to my knowledge, which, had +they been prophesied only a year before, I should have experienced much +difficulty in believing.<br> +<br> +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 curates, to about twenty children who attended, and who were +all provided with copies of the Society’s edition of Madrid, 1837. +The churches which I allude to, were those of San Gines and Santo Cruz. +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 Spain; but be this as +it may, I am certain that it amply recompensed me for all the anxiety +and unhappiness which I had undergone. I now felt that whenever +I should be compelled to discontinue my labours in the Peninsula, I +should retire without the slightest murmur, my heart being filled with +gratitude to the Lord for having permitted me, useless vessel as I was, +to see at least some of the seed springing up, which during two years +I had been casting on the stony ground of the interior of Spain.<br> +<br> +When I recollected the difficulties which had encompassed our path, +I could sometimes hardly credit all that the Almighty had permitted +us to accomplish within the last year. A large edition of the +New Testament had been almost entirely disposed of in the very centre +of Spain, in spite of the opposition and the furious cry of the sanguinary +priesthood and the edicts of a deceitful government, and a spirit of +religious inquiry excited, which I had fervent hope would sooner or +later lead to blessed and most important results. Till of late +the name most abhorred and dreaded in these parts of Spain, was that +of Martin Luther, who was in general considered as a species of demon, +a cousin-german to Belial and Beelzebub, who, under the guise of a man, +wrote and preached blasphemy against the Highest; yet, now strange to +say, this once abominated personage was spoken of with no slight degree +of respect. People with Bibles in their hands not unfrequently +visited me, inquiring with much earnestness, and with no slight degree +of simplicity, for the writings of the great Doctor Martin, whom, indeed, +some supposed to be still alive.<br> +<br> +It will be as well here to observe, that of all the names connected +with the Reformation, that of Luther is the only one known in Spain; +and let me add, that no controversial writings but his are likely to +be esteemed as possessing the slightest weight or authority, however +great their intrinsic merit may be. The common description of +tracts, written with the view of exposing the errors of popery, are +therefore not calculated to prove of much benefit in Spain, though it +is probable that much good might be accomplished by well-executed translations +of judicious selections from the works of Luther.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLVIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Bible.<br> +<br> +By the middle of April I had sold as many Testaments as I thought Madrid +would bear; I therefore called in my people, for I was afraid to overstock +the market, and to bring the book into contempt by making it too common. +I had, indeed, by this time, barely a thousand copies remaining of the +edition which I had printed two years previously; and with respect to +Bibles, every copy was by this time disposed of, though there was still +a great demand for them, which, of course, I was unable to satisfy.<br> +<br> +With the remaining copies of the Testament, I now determined to betake +myself to Seville, where little had hitherto been effected in the way +of circulation: my preparations were soon made. The roads were +at this time in a highly dangerous state, on which account I thought +to go along with a convoy, which was about to start for Andalusia. +Two days, however, before its departure, understanding that the number +of people who likewise proposed to avail themselves of it was likely +to be very great, and reflecting on the slowness of this way of travelling, +and moreover the insults to which civilians were frequently subjected +from the soldiers and petty officers, I determined to risk the journey +with the mail. This resolutions I carried into effect. Antonio, +whom I had resolved to take with me, and my two horses, departed with +the convoy, whilst in a few days I followed with the mail courier. +We travelled all the way without the slightest accident, my usual wonderful +good fortune accompanying us. I might well call it wonderful, +for I was running into the den of the lion; the whole of La Mancha, +with the exception of a few fortified places, being once more in the +hands of Palillos and his banditti, who, whenever it pleased them, stopped +the courier, burnt the vehicle and letters, murdered the paltry escort, +and carried away any chance passenger to the mountains, where an enormous +ransom was demanded, the alternative being four shots through the head, +as the Spaniards say.<br> +<br> +The upper part of Andalusia was becoming rapidly nearly as bad as La +Mancha. The last time the mail had passed, it was attacked at +the defile of La Rumblar by six mounted robbers; it was guarded by an +escort of as many soldiers, but the former suddenly galloped from behind +a solitary venda, and dashed the soldiers to the ground, who were taken +quite by surprise, the hoofs of the robbers’ horses making no +noise on account of the sandy nature of the ground. The soldiers +were instantly disarmed and bound to olive trees, with the exception +of two, who escaped amongst the rocks; they were then mocked and tormented +by the robbers, or rather fiends, for nearly half an hour, when they +were shot; the head of the corporal who commanded being blown to fragments +with a blunderbuss. The robbers then burned the coach, which they +accomplished by igniting the letters by means of the tow with which +they light their cigars. The life of the courier was saved by +one of them, who had formerly been his postillion; he was, however, +robbed and stripped. As we passed by the scene of the butchery, +the poor fellow wept, and, though a Spaniard, cursed Spain and the Spaniards, +saying that he intended shortly to pass over to the Moreria, to confess +Mahomet, and to learn the law of the Moors, for that any country and +religion were better than his own. He pointed to the tree where +the corporal had been tied; though much rain had fallen since, the ground +around was still saturated with blood, and a dog was gnawing a piece +of the unfortunate wretch’s skull. A friar travelled with +us the whole way from Madrid to Seville; he was of the missionaries, +and was going to the Philippine islands, to conquer <i>(para conquistar),</i> +for such was his word, by which I suppose he meant preaching to the +Indians. During the whole journey he exhibited every symptom of +the most abject fear, which operated upon him so that he became deadly +sick, and we were obliged to stop twice in the road and lay him amongst +the green corn. He said that if he fell into the hands of the +factious, he was a lost priest, for that they would first make him say +mass, and then blow him up with gunpowder. He had been professor +of philosophy, as he told me, in one of the convents (I think it was +San Thomas) of Madrid before their suppression, but appeared to be grossly +ignorant of the Scriptures, which he confounded with the works of Virgil.<br> +<br> +We stopped at Manzanares as usual; it was Sunday morning, and the market-place +was crowded with people. I was recognised in a moment, and twenty +pair of legs instantly hurried away in quest of the prophetess, who +presently made her appearance in the house to which we had retired to +breakfast. After many greetings on both sides, she proceeded, +in her Latin, to give me an account of all that had occurred in the +village since I had last been there, and of the atrocities of the factious +in the neighbourhood. I asked her to breakfast, and introduced +her to the friar, whom she addressed in this manner: “<i>Anne +Domine</i> <i>Reverendissime facis adhuc sacrificium</i>?” +But the friar did not understand her, and waxing angry, anathematized +her for a witch, and bade her begone. She was, however, not to +be disconcerted, and commenced singing, in extemporary Castilian verse, +the praises of friars and religious houses in general. On departing +I gave her a peseta, upon which she burst into tears, and intreated +that I would write to her if I reached Seville in safety.<br> +<br> +We did arrive at Seville in safety, and I took leave of the friar, telling +him that I hoped to meet him again at Philippi. As it was my intention +to remain at Seville for some months, I determined to hire a house, +in which I conceived I could live with more privacy, and at the same +time more economically than in a posada. It was not long before +I found one in every respect suited to me. It was situated in +the Plazuela de la Pila Seca, a retired part of the city, in the neighbourhood +of the cathedral, and at a short distance from the gate of Xeres; and +in this house, on the arrival of Antonio and the horses, which occurred +within a few days, I took up my abode.<br> +<br> +I was now once more in beautiful Seville and had soon ample time and +leisure to enjoy its delights and those of the surrounding country; +unfortunately, at the time of my arrival, and indeed for the next ensuing +fortnight, the heaven of Andalusia, in general so glorious, was overcast +with black clouds, which discharged tremendous showers of rain, such +as few of the Sevillians, according to their own account, had ever seen +before. This extraordinary weather had wrought no little damage +in the neighbourhood, causing the Guadalquivir, which, during the rainy +season, is a rapid and furious stream, to overflow its banks and to +threaten an inundation. It is true that intervals were occurring +when the sun made his appearance from his cloudy tabernacle, and with +his golden rays caused everything around to smile, enticing the butterfly +forth from the bush, and the lizard from the hollow tree, and I invariably +availed myself of these intervals to take a hasty promenade.<br> +<br> +O how pleasant it is, especially in springtide, to stray along the shores +of the Guadalquivir. Not far from the city, down the river, lies +a grove called Las Delicias, or the Delights. It consists of trees +of various kinds, but more especially of poplars and elms, and is traversed +by long shady walks. This grove is the favourite promenade of +the Sevillians, and there one occasionally sees assembled whatever the +town produces of beauty or gallantry. There wander the black-eyed +Andalusian dames and damsels, clad in their graceful silken mantillas; +and there gallops the Andalusian cavalier, on his long-tailed thick-maned +steed of Moorish ancestry. As the sun is descending, it is enchanting +to glance back from this place in the direction of the city; the prospect +is inexpressibly beautiful. Yonder in the distance, high and enormous, +stands the Golden Tower, now used as a toll-house, but the principal +bulwark of the city in the time of the Moors. It stands on the +shore of the river, like a giant keeping watch, and is the first edifice +which attracts the eye of the voyager as he moves up the stream to Seville. +On the other side, opposite the tower, stands the noble Augustine convent, +the ornament of the faubourg of Triana, whilst between the two edifices +rolls the broad Guadalquivir, bearing on its bosom a flotilla of barks +from Catalonia and Valencia. Farther up is seen the bridge of +boats which traverses the water. The principal object of this +prospect, however, is the Golden Tower, where the beams of the setting +sun seem to be concentrated as in a focus, so that it appears built +of pure gold, and probably from that circumstance received the name +which it now bears. Cold, cold must the heart be which can remain +insensible to the beauties of this magic scene, to do justice to which +the pencil of Claude himself were barely equal. Often have I shed +tears of rapture whilst I beheld it, and listened to the thrush and +the nightingale piping forth their melodious songs in the woods, and +inhaled the breeze laden with the perfume of the thousand orange gardens +of Seville:<br> +<br> +<br> +“Kennst du das land wo die citronem bluhen?”<br> +<br> +<br> +The interior of Seville scarcely corresponds with the exterior: the +streets are narrow, badly paved, and full of misery and beggary. +The houses are for the most part built in the Moorish fashion, with +a quadrangular patio or court in the centre, where stands a marble fountain, +constantly distilling limpid water. These courts, during the time +of the summer heats, are covered over with a canvas awning, and beneath +this the family sit during the greater part of the day. In many, +especially those belonging to the houses of the wealthy, are to be found +shrubs, orange trees, and all kinds of flowers, and perhaps a small +aviary, so that no situation can be conceived more delicious than to +lie here in the shade, hearkening to the song of the birds and the voice +of the fountain.<br> +<br> +Nothing is more calculated to interest the stranger as he wanders through +Seville, than a view of these courts obtained from the streets, through +the iron-grated door. Oft have I stopped to observe them, and +as often sighed that my fate did not permit me to reside in such an +Eden for the remainder of my days. On a former occasion, I have +spoken of the cathedral of Seville, but only in a brief and cursory +manner. It is perhaps the most magnificent cathedral in all Spain, +and though not so regular in its architecture as those of Toledo and +Burgos, is far more worthy of admiration when considered as a whole. +It is utterly impossible to wander through the long aisles, and to raise +one’s eyes to the richly inlaid roof, supported by colossal pillars, +without experiencing sensations of sacred awe, and deep astonishment. +It is true that the interior, like those of the generality of the Spanish +cathedrals, is somewhat dark and gloomy; yet it loses nothing by this +gloom, which, on the contrary, rather increases the solemnity of the +effect. Notre Dame of Paris is a noble building, yet to him who +has seen the Spanish cathedrals, and particularly this of Seville, it +almost appears trivial and mean, and more like a town-hall than a temple +of the Eternal. The Parisian cathedral is entirely destitute of +that solemn darkness and gloomy pomp which so abound in the Sevillian, +and is thus destitute of the principal requisite to a cathedral.<br> +<br> +In most of the chapels are to be found some of the very best pictures +of the Spanish school; and in particular many of the masterpieces of +Murillo, a native of Seville. Of all the pictures of this extraordinary +man, one of the least celebrated is that which has always wrought on +me the most profound impression. I allude to the Guardian Angel +<i>(Angel de la Guardia), </i>a small picture which stands at the bottom +of the church, and looks up the principal aisle. The angel, holding +a flaming sword in his right hand, is conducting the child. This +child is, in my opinion, the most wonderful of all the creations of +Murillo; the form is that of an infant about five years of age, and +the expression of the countenance is quite infantine, but the tread +- it is the tread of a conqueror, of a God, of the Creator of the universe; +and the earthly globe appears to tremble beneath its majesty.<br> +<br> +The service of the cathedral is in general well attended, especially +when it is known that a sermon is to be preached. All these sermons +are extemporaneous; some of them are edifying and faithful to the Scriptures. +I have often listened to them with pleasure, though I was much surprised +to remark, that when the preachers quoted from the Bible, their quotations +were almost invariably taken from the apocryphal writings. 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 devotion.<br> +<br> +I had flattered myself, previous to my departure from Madrid, that I +should experience but little difficulty in the circulation of the Gospel +in Andalusia, at least for a time, as the field was new, and myself +and the object of my mission less known and dreaded than in New Castile. +It appeared, however, that the government at Madrid had fulfilled its +threat, transmitting orders throughout Spain for the seizure of my books +wherever found. The Testaments that arrived from Madrid were seized +at the custom-house, to which place all goods on their arrival, even +from the interior, are carried, in order that a duty be imposed upon +them. Through the management of Antonio, however, I procured one +of the two chests, whilst the other was sent down to San Lucar, to be +embarked for a foreign land as soon as I could make arrangements for +that purpose.<br> +<br> +I did not permit myself to be discouraged by this slight <i>contretemps, +</i>although I heartily regretted the loss of the books which had been +seized, and which I could no longer hope to circulate in these parts, +where they were so much wanted; but I consoled myself with the reflection, +that I had still several hundred at my disposal, from the distribution +of which, if it pleased the Lord, a blessed harvest might still proceed.<br> +<br> +I did not commence operations for some time, for I was in a strange +place, and scarcely knew what course to pursue. I had no one to +assist me but poor Antonio, who was as ignorant of the place as myself. +Providence, however, soon sent me a coadjutor, in rather a singular +manner. I was standing in the courtyard of the Reyna Posada, where +I occasionally dined, when a man, singularly dressed and gigantically +tall, entered. My curiosity was excited, and I inquired of the +master of the house who he was. He informed me that he was a foreigner, +who had resided a considerable time in Seville, and he believed a Greek. +Upon hearing this, I instantly went up to the stranger, and accosted +him in the Greek language, in which, though I speak it very ill, I can +make myself understood. He replied in the same idiom, and, flattered +by the interest which I, a foreigner, expressed for his nation, was +not slow in communicating to me his history. He told me that his +name was Dionysius, that he was a native of Cephalonia, and had been +educated for the church, which, not suiting his temper, he had abandoned, +in order to follow the profession of the sea, for which he had an early +inclination. That after many adventures and changes of fortune, +he found himself one morning on the coast of Spain, a shipwrecked mariner, +and that, ashamed to return to his own country in poverty and distress, +he had remained in the Peninsula, residing chiefly at Seville, where +he now carried on a small trade in books. He said that he was +of the Greek religion, to which he professed strong attachment, and +soon discovering that I was a Protestant, spoke with unbounded abhorrence +of the papal system; nay of its followers in general, whom he called +Latins, and whom he charged with the ruin of his own country, inasmuch +as they sold it to the Turk. It instantly struck me, that this +individual would be an excellent assistant in the work which had brought +me to Seville, namely, the propagation of the eternal Gospel, and accordingly, +after some more conversation, in which he exhibited considerable learning, +I explained myself to him. He entered into my views with eagerness, +and in the sequel I had no reason to regret my confidence, he having +disposed of a considerable number of New Testaments, and even contrived +to send a certain number of copies to two small towns at some distance +from Seville.<br> +<br> +Another helper in the circulation of the Gospel I found in an aged professor +of music, who, with much stiffness and ceremoniousness, united much +that was excellent and admirable. This venerable individual, only +three days after I had made his acquaintance, brought me the price of +six Testaments and a Gypsy Gospel, which he had sold under the heat +of an Andalusian sun. What was his motive? A Christian one +truly. He said that his unfortunate countrymen, who were then +robbing and murdering each other, might probably be rendered better +by the reading of the Gospel, but could never be injured. Adding, +that many a man had been reformed by the Scriptures, but that no one +ever yet became a thief or assassin from its perusal.<br> +<br> +But my most extraordinary agent, was one whom I occasionally employed +in circulating the Scriptures amongst the lower classes. I might +have turned the services of this individual to far greater account had +the quantity of books at my disposal been greater; but they were now +diminishing rapidly, and as I had no hopes of a fresh supply, I was +almost tempted to be niggard of the few which remained. This agent +was a Greek bricklayer, by name Johannes Chrysostom, who had been introduced +to me by Dionysius. He was a native of the Morea, but had been +upwards of thirty-five years in Spain, so that he had almost entirely +lost his native language. Nevertheless, his attachment to his +own country was so strong that he considered whatever was not Greek +as utterly barbarous and bad. Though entirely destitute of education, +he had, by his strength of character, and by a kind of rude eloquence +which he possessed, obtained such a mastery over the minds of the labouring +classes of Seville, that they assented to almost everything he said, +notwithstanding the shocks which their prejudices were continually receiving. +So that, although he was a foreigner, he could at any time have become +the Massaniello of Seville. A more honest creature I never saw, +and I soon found that if I employed him, notwithstanding his eccentricities, +I might entertain perfect confidence that his actions would be no disparagement +to the book he vended.<br> +<br> +We were continually pressed for Bibles, which of course we could not +supply. Testaments were held in comparatively little esteem. +I had by this time made the discovery of a fact which it would have +been well had I been aware of three years before; but we live and learn. +I mean the inexpediency of printing Testaments, and Testaments alone, +for Catholic countries. The reason is plain: the Catholic, unused +to Scripture reading, finds a thousand things which he cannot possibly +understand in the New Testament, the foundation of which is the Old. +“Search the Scriptures, for they bear witness of me,” may +well be applied to this point. It may be replied, that New Testaments +separate are in great demand, and of infinite utility in England, but +England, thanks be to the Lord, is not a papal country; and though an +English labourer may read a Testament, and derive from it the most blessed +fruit, it does not follow that a Spanish or Italian peasant will enjoy +similar success, as he will find many dark things with which the other +is well acquainted, and competent to understand, being versed in the +Bible history from his childhood. I confess, however, that in +my summer campaign of the preceding year, I could not have accomplished +with Bibles what Providence permitted me to effect with Testaments, +the former being far too bulky for rural journeys.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER XLIX<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Solitary House - The Dehesa - Johannes Chrysostom - Manuel - Bookselling +at Seville - Dionysius and the Priests - Athens and Rome - Proselytism +- Seizure of Testaments - Departure from Seville.<br> +<br> +I have already stated, that I had hired an empty house in Seville, wherein +I proposed to reside for some months. It stood in a solitary situation, +occupying one side of a small square. It was built quite in the +beautiful taste of Andalusia, with a court paved with small slabs of +white and blue marble. In the middle of this court was a fountain +well supplied with the crystal lymph, the murmur of which, as it fell +from its slender pillar into an octangular basin, might be heard in +every apartment. The house itself was large and spacious, consisting +of two stories, and containing room sufficient for at least ten times +the number of inmates which now occupied it. I generally kept +during the day in the lower apartments, on account of the refreshing +coolness which pervaded them. In one of these was an immense stone +water-trough, ever overflowing with water from the fountain, in which +I immersed myself every morning. Such were the premises to which, +after having provided myself with a few indispensable articles of furniture, +I now retreated with Antonio and my two horses.<br> +<br> +I was fortunate in the possession of these quadrupeds, inasmuch as it +afforded me an opportunity of enjoying to a greater extent the beauties +of the surrounding country. I know of few things in this life +more delicious than a ride in the spring or summer season in the neighbourhood +of Seville. My favourite one was in the direction of Xerez, over +the wide Dehesa, as it is called, which extends from Seville to the +gates of the former town, a distance of nearly fifty miles, with scarcely +a town or village intervening. The ground is irregular and broken, +and is for the most part covered with that species of brushwood called +carrasco, amongst which winds a bridle-path, by no means well defined, +chiefly trodden by the arrieros, with their long train of mules and +borricos. It is here that the balmy air of beautiful Andalusia +is to be inhaled in full perfection. Aromatic herbs and flowers +are growing in abundance, diffusing their perfume around. Here +dark and gloomy cares are dispelled as if by magic from the bosom, as +the eyes wander over the prospect, lighted by unequalled sunshine, in +which gaily-painted butterflies wanton, and green and golden Salamanquesas +lie extended, enjoying the luxurious warmth, and occasionally startling +the traveller, by springing up and making off with portentous speed +to the nearest coverts, whence they stare upon him with their sharp +and lustrous eyes. I repeat, that it is impossible to continue +melancholy in regions like these, and the ancient Greeks and Romans +were right in making them the site of their Elysian fields. Most +beautiful they are even in their present desolation, for the hand of +man has not cultivated them since the fatal era of the expulsion of +the Moors, which drained Andalusia of at least two thirds of its population.<br> +<br> +Every evening it was my custom to ride along the Dedesa, until the topmost +towers of Seville were no longer in sight. I then turned about, +and pressing my knees against the sides of Sidi Habismilk, my Arabian, +the fleet creature, to whom spur or lash had never been applied, would +set off in the direction of the town with the speed of a whirlwind, +seeming in his headlong course to devour the ground of the waste, until +he had left it behind, then dashing through the elm-covered road of +the Delicias, his thundering hoofs were soon heard beneath the vaulted +archway of the Puerta de Xerez, and in another moment he would stand +stone still before the door of my solitary house in the little silent +square of the Pila Seca.<br> +<br> +It is eight o’clock at night, I am returned from the Dehesa, and +am standing on the sotea, or flat roof of my house, enjoying the cool +breeze. Johannes Chrysostom has just arrived from his labour. +I have not spoken to him, but I hear him below in the courtyard, detailing +to Antonio the progress he has made in the last two days. He speaks +barbarous Greek, plentifully interlarded with Spanish words; but I gather +from his discourse, that he has already sold twelve Testaments among +his fellow labourers. I hear copper coin falling on the pavement, +and Antonio, who is not of a very Christian temper, reproving him for +not having brought the proceeds of the sale in silver. He now +asks for fifteen more, as he says the demand is becoming great, and +that he shall have no difficulty in disposing of them in the course +of the morrow, whilst pursuing his occupations. Antonio goes to +fetch them, and he now stands alone by the marble fountain, singing +a wild song, which I believe to be a hymn of his beloved Greek church. +Behold one of the helpers which the Lord has sent me in my Gospel labours +on the shores of the Guadalquivir.<br> +<br> +I lived in the greatest retirement during the whole time that I passed +at Seville, spending the greater part of each day in study, or in that +half-dreamy state of inactivity which is the natural effect of the influence +of a warm climate. There was little in the character of the people +around to induce me to enter much into society. The higher class +of the Andalusians are probably upon the whole the most vain and foolish +of human beings, with a taste for nothing but sensual amusements, foppery +in dress, and ribald discourse. Their insolence is only equalled +by their meanness, and their prodigality by their avarice. The +lower classes are a shade or two better than their superiors in station: +little, it is true, can be said for the tone of their morality; they +are overreaching, quarrelsome, and revengeful, but they are upon the +whole more courteous, and certainly not more ignorant.<br> +<br> +The Andalusians are in general held in the lowest estimation by the +rest of the Spaniards, even those in opulent circumstances finding some +difficulty at Madrid in procuring admission into respectable society, +where, if they find their way, they are invariably the objects of ridicule, +from the absurd airs and grimaces in which they indulge, - their tendency +to boasting and exaggeration, their curious accent, and the incorrect +manner in which they speak and pronounce the Castilian language.<br> +<br> +In a word, the Andalusians, in all estimable traits of character, are +as far below the other Spaniards as the country which they inhabit is +superior in beauty and fertility to the other provinces of Spain.<br> +<br> +Yet let it not for a moment be supposed that I have any intention of +asserting, that excellent and estimable individuals are not to be found +amongst the Andalusians; it was amongst <i>them</i> that I myself discovered +one, whom I have no hesitation in asserting to be the most extraordinary +character that has ever come within my sphere of knowledge; but this +was no scion of a noble or knightly house, “no wearer of soft +clothing,” no sleek highly-perfumed personage, none of the romanticos +who walk in languishing attitudes about the streets of Seville, with +long black hair hanging upon their shoulders in luxuriant curls; but +one of those whom the proud and unfeeling style the dregs of the populace, +a haggard, houseless, penniless man, in rags and tatters: I allude to +Manuel, the - what shall I call him? - seller of lottery tickets, driver +of death carts, or poet laureate in Gypsy songs? I wonder whether +thou art still living, my friend Manuel; thou gentleman of Nature’s +forming - honest, pure-minded, humble, yet dignified being! Art +thou still wandering through the courts of beautiful Safacoro, or on +the banks of the Len Baro, thine eyes fixed in vacancy, and thy mind +striving to recall some half-forgotten couplet of Luis Lobo; or art +thou gone to thy long rest, out beyond the Xeres gate within the wall +of the Campo Santo, to which in times of pest and sickness thou wast +wont to carry so many, Gypsy and Gentile, in thy cart of the tinkling +bell? Oft in the <i>reunions </i>of the lettered and learned in +this land of universal literature, when weary of the display of pedantry +and egotism, have I recurred with yearning to our Gypsy recitations +at the old house in the Pila Seca. Oft, when sickened by the high-wrought +professions of those who bear the cross in gilded chariots, have I thought +on thee, thy calm faith, without pretence, - thy patience in poverty, +and fortitude in affliction; and as oft, when thinking of my speedily +approaching end, have I wished that I might meet thee once again, and +that thy hands might help to bear me to “the dead man’s +acre” yonder on the sunny plain, O Manuel!<br> +<br> +My principal visitor was Dionysius, who seldom failed to make his appearance +every forenoon: the poor fellow came for sympathy and conversation. +It is difficult to imagine a situation more forlorn and isolated than +that of this man, - a Greek at Seville, with scarcely a single acquaintance, +and depending for subsistence on the miserable pittance to be derived +from selling a few books, for the most part hawked about from door to +door. “What could have first induced you to commence bookselling +in Seville?” said I to him, as he arrived one sultry day, heated +and fatigued, with a small bundle of books secured together by a leather +strap.<br> +<br> +<i>Dionysius</i>. - For want of a better employment, Kyrie, I have adopted +this most unprofitable and despised one. Oft have I regretted +not having been bred up as a shoe-maker, or having learnt in my youth +some other useful handicraft, for gladly would I follow it now. +Such, at least, would procure me the respect of my fellow-creatures +inasmuch as they needed me; but now all avoid me and look upon me with +contempt; for what have I to offer in this place that any one cares +about? Books in Seville! where no one reads, or at least nothing +but new romances, translated from the French, and obscenity. Books! +Would I were a Gypsy and could trim donkeys, for then I were at least +independent and were more respected than I am at present.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Of what kind of books does your stock in trade consist?<br> +<br> +<i>Dionysius</i>. - Of those not likely to suit the Seville market, +Kyrie; books of sterling and intrinsic value; many of them in ancient +Greek, which I picked up upon the dissolution of the convents, when +the contents of the libraries were hurled into the courtyards, and there +sold by the arrobe. I thought at first that I was about to make +a fortune, and in fact my books would be so in any other place; but +here I have offered an Elzevir for half a dollar in vain. I should +starve were it not for the strangers who occasionally purchase of me.<br> +<br> +<i>Myself. </i>- Seville is a large cathedral city, abounding with priests +and canons; surely one of these occasionally visit you to make purchases +of classic works, and books connected with ecclesiastical literature.<br> +<br> +<i>Dionysius</i>. - If you think so, Kyrie, you know little respecting +the ecclesiastics of Seville. I am acquainted with many of them, +and can assure you that a tribe of beings can scarcely be found with +a more confirmed aversion to intellectual pursuits of every kind. +Their reading is confined to newspapers, which they take up in the hope +of seeing that their friend Don Carlos is at length reinstated at Madrid; +but they prefer their chocolate and biscuits, and nap before dinner, +to the wisdom of Plato and the eloquence of Tully. They occasionally +visit me, but it is only to pass away a heavy hour in chattering nonsense. +Once on a time, three of them came, in the hope of making me a convert +to their Latin superstition. “Signior Donatio,” said +they, (for so they called me,) “how is it that an unprejudiced +person like yourself, a man really with some pretension to knowledge, +can still cling to this absurd religion of yours? Surely, after +having resided so many years in a civilised country like this of Spain, +it is high time to abandon your half-pagan form of worship, and to enter +the bosom of the church; now pray be advised, and you shall be none +the worse for it.” “Thank you, gentlemen,” I +replied, “for the interest you take in my welfare; I am always +open to conviction; let us proceed to discuss the subject. What +are the points of my religion which do not meet your approbation? +You are of course well acquainted with all our dogmas and ceremonies.” +“We know nothing about your religion, Signior Donatio, save that +it is a very absurd one, and therefore it is incumbent upon you, as +an unprejudiced and well-informed man, to renounce it.” +“But, gentlemen, if you know nothing of my religion, why call +it absurd? Surely it is not the part of unprejudiced people to +disparage that of which they are ignorant.” “But, +Signior Donatio, it is not the Catholic Apostolic Roman religion, is +it?” “It may be, gentlemen, for what you appear to +know of it; for your information, however, I will tell you that it is +not; it is the Greek Apostolic religion. I do not call it catholic, +for it is absurd to call that catholic which is not universally acknowledged.” +“But, Signior Donatio, does not the matter speak for itself? +What can a set of ignorant Greek barbarians know about religion? +If they set aside the authority of Rome, whence should they derive any +rational ideas of religion? whence should they get the gospel?” +“The Gospel, gentlemen? Allow me to show you a book, here +it is, what is your opinion of it?” “Signior Donatio, +what does this mean? What characters of the devil are these, are +they Moorish? Who is able to understand them?” “I +suppose your worships, being Roman priests, know something of Latin; +if you inspect the title-page to the bottom, you will find, in the language +of your own church, the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’ +in the original Greek, of which your vulgate is merely a translation, +and not a very correct one. With respect to the barbarism of Greece, +it appears that you are not aware that Athens was a city, and a famed +one, centuries before the first mud cabin of Rome was thatched, and +the Gypsy vagabonds who first peopled it, had escaped from the hands +of justice.” “Signior Donatio, you are an ignorant +heretic, and insolent withal, <i>what nonsense is this! </i>. . . .” +But I will not weary your ears, Kyrie, with all the absurdities which +the poor Latin <i>Papas</i> poured into mine; the burden of their song +being invariably, <i>what nonsense is this!</i> which was certainly +applicable enough to what they themselves were saying. Seeing, +however, that I was more than their match in religious controversy, +they fell foul of my country. “Spain is a better country +than Greece,” said one. “You never tasted bread before +you came to Spain,” cried another. “And little enough +since,” thought I. “You never before saw such a city +as Seville,” said the third. But then ensued the best part +of the comedy: my visitors chanced to be natives of three different +places; one was of Seville, another of Utrera, and the third of Miguel +Turra, a miserable village in La Mancha. At the mention of Seville, +the other two instantly began to sing the praises of their respective +places of birth; this brought on comparisons, and a violent dispute +was the consequence. Much abuse passed between them, whilst I +stood by, shrugged my shoulders, and said <i>tipotas</i>. <a name="citation21"></a><a href="#footnote21">{21}</a> +At last, as they were leaving the house, I said, “Who would have +thought, gentlemen, that the polemics of the Greek and Latin churches +were so closely connected with the comparative merits of Seville, Utrera, +and Miguel Turra?”<br> +<br> +<i>Myself</i>. - Is the spirit of proselytism very prevalent here? +Of what description of people do their converts generally consist?<br> +<br> +<i>Dionysius</i>. - I will tell you, Kyrie: the generality of their +converts consist of German or English Protestant adventurers, who come +here to settle, and in course of time take to themselves wives from +among the Spanish, prior to which it is necessary to become members +of the Latin church. A few are vagabond Jews, from Gibraltar or +Tangier, who have fled for their crimes into Spain, and who renounce +their faith to escape from starvation. These gentry, however, +it is necessary to pay, on which account the priests procure for them +padrinos or godfathers; these generally consist of rich devotees over +whom the priests have influence, and who esteem it a glory and a meritorious +act to assist in bringing back lost souls to the church. The neophyte +allows himself to be convinced on the promise of a peseta a day, which +is generally paid by the godfathers for the first year, but seldom for +a longer period. About forty years ago, however, they made a somewhat +notable convert. A civil war arose in Morocco, caused by the separate +pretensions of two brothers to the throne. One of these being +worsted, fled over to Spain, imploring the protection of Charles the +Fourth. He soon became an object of particular attention to the +priests, who were not slow in converting him, and induced Charles to +settle upon him a pension of a dollar per day. He died some few +years since in Seville, a despised vagabond. He left behind him +a son, who is at present a notary, and outwardly very devout, but a +greater hypocrite and picaroon does not exist. I would you could +see his face, Kyrie, it is that of Judas Iscariot. I think you +would say so, for you are a physiognomist. He lives next door +to me, and notwithstanding his pretensions to religion, is permitted +to remain in a state of great poverty.<br> +<br> +And now nothing farther for the present about Dionysius.<br> +<br> +About the middle of July our work was concluded at Seville, and for +the very efficient reason, that I had no more Testaments to sell; somewhat +more than two hundred having been circulated since my arrival.<br> +<br> +About ten days before the time of which I am speaking, I was visited +by various alguazils, accompanied by a kind of headborough, who made +a small seizure of Testaments and Gypsy Gospels, which happened to be +lying about. This visit was far from being disagreeable to me, +as I considered it to be a very satisfactory proof of the effect of +our exertions in Seville. I cannot help here relating an anecdote +- A day or two subsequent, having occasion to call at the house of the +headborough respecting my passport, I found him lying on his bed, for +it was the hour of siesta, reading intently one of the Testaments which +he had taken away, all of which, if he had obeyed his orders, would +have been deposited in the office of the civil governor. So intently, +indeed, was he engaged in reading, that he did not at first observe +my entrance; when he did, however, he sprang up in great confusion, +and locked the book up in his cabinet, whereupon I smiled, and told +him to be under no alarm, as I was glad to see him so usefully employed. +Recovering himself, he said that he had read the book nearly through, +and that he had found no harm in it, but, on the contrary, everything +to praise. Adding, he believed that the clergy must be possessed +with devils <i>(endemoniados) </i>to persecute it in the manner they +did.<br> +<br> +It was Sunday when the seizure was made, and I happened to be reading +the Liturgy. One of the alguazils, when going away, made an observation +respecting the very different manner in which the Protestants and Catholics +keep the Sabbath; the former being in their own houses reading good +books, and the latter abroad in the bull-ring, seeing the wild bulls +tear out the gory bowels of the poor horses. The bull amphitheatre +at Seville is the finest in all Spain, and is invariably on a Sunday +(the only day on which it is open) filled with applauding multitudes.<br> +<br> +I now made preparations for leaving Seville for a few months, my destination +being the coast of Barbary. Antonio, who did not wish to leave +Spain, in which were his wife and children, returned to Madrid, rejoicing +in a handsome gratuity with which I presented him. As it was my +intention to return to Seville, I left my house and horses in charge +of a friend in whom I could confide, and departed. The reasons +which induced me to visit Barbary will be seen in the following chapters.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER L<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 +Language.<br> +<br> +On the night of the 31st of July I departed from Seville upon my expendition, +going on board one of the steamers which ply on the Guadalquivir between +Seville and Cadiz.<br> +<br> +It was my intention to stop at San Lucar, for the purpose of recovering +the chest of Testaments which had been placed in embargo there, until +such time as they could be removed from the kingdom of Spain. +These Testaments I intended for distribution amongst the Christians +whom I hoped to meet on the shores of Barbary. San Lucar is about +fifteen leagues distant from Seville, at the entrance of the bay of +Cadiz, where the yellow waters of the Guadalquivir unite with the brine. +The steamer shot from the little quay, or wharf, at about half-past +nine, and then arose a loud cry, - it was the voices of those on board +and on shore wishing farewell to their friends. Amongst the tumult +I thought I could distinguish the accents of some friends of my own +who had accompanied me to the bank, and I instantly raised my own voice +louder than all. The night was very dark, so much so, indeed, +that as we passed along we could scarcely distinguish the trees which +cover the eastern shore of the river until it takes its first turn. +A calmazo had reigned during the day at Seville, by which is meant, +exceedingly sultry weather, unenlivened by the slightest breeze. +The night likewise was calm and sultry. As I had frequently made +the voyage of the Guadalquivir, ascending and descending this celebrated +river, I felt nothing of that restlessness and curiosity which people +experience in a strange place, whether in light or darkness, and being +acquainted with none of the other passengers, who were talking on the +deck, I thought my best plan would be to retire to the cabin and enjoy +some rest, if possible. The cabin was solitary and tolerably cool, +all its windows on either side being open for the admission of air. +Flinging myself on one of the cushioned benches, I was soon asleep, +in which state I continued for about two hours, when I was aroused by +the curious biting of a thousand bugs, which compelled me to seek the +deck, where, wrapping myself in my cloak, I again fell asleep. +It was near daybreak when I awoke; we were then about two leagues from +San Lucar. I arose and looked towards the east, watching the gradual +progress of dawn, first the dull light, then the streak, then the tinge, +then the bright flush, till at last the golden disk of that orb which +giveth day emerged from the abyss of immensity, and in a moment the +whole prospect was covered with brightness and glory. The land +smiled, the waters sparkled, the birds sang, and men arose from their +resting places and rejoiced: for it was day, and the sun was gone forth +on the errand of its Creator, the diffusion of light and gladness, and +the dispelling of darkness and sorrow.<br> +<br> +<br> +“Behold the morning sun<br> +Begins his glorious way;<br> +His beams through all the nations run,<br> +And life and light convey.<br> +<br> +“But where the Gospel comes,<br> +It spreads diviner light;<br> +It calls dead sinners from their tombs,<br> +And gives the blind their sight.”<br> +<br> +<br> +We now stopped before Bonanza: this is properly speaking the port of +San Lucar, although it is half a league distant from the latter place. +It is called Bonanza on account of its good anchorage, and its being +secured from the boisterous winds of the ocean; its literal meaning +is “fair weather.” It consists of several large white +buildings, principally government store-houses, and is inhabited by +the coast-guard, dependents on the custom-house, and a few fishermen. +A boat came off to receive those passengers whose destination was San +Lucar, and to bring on board about half a dozen who were bound for Cadiz: +I entered with the rest. 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 Andalusia. I replied that I admired both, +which evidently gave him great pleasure. The boatman now came +demanding two reals for conveying me on shore. I had no small +money, and offered him a dollar to change. He said that it was +impossible. I asked him what was to be done; whereupon he replied +uncivilly that he knew not, but could not lose time, and expected to +be paid instantly. The young Spaniard, observing my embarrassment, +took out two reals and paid the fellow. I thanked him heartily +for this act of civility, for which I felt really grateful; as there +are few situations more unpleasant than to be in a crowd in want of +change, whilst you are importuned by people for payment. A loose +character once told me that it was far preferable to be without money +at all, as you then knew what course to take. I subsequently met +the young Spaniard at Cadiz, and repaid him with thanks.<br> +<br> +A few cabriolets were waiting near the wharf, in order to convey us +to San Lucar. I ascended one, and we proceeded slowly along the +Playa or strand. This place is famous in the ancient novels of +Spain, of that class called Picaresque, or those devoted to the adventures +of notorious scoundrels, the father of which, as also of all others +of the same kind, in whatever language, is Lazarillo de Tormes. +Cervantes himself has immortalized this strand in the most amusing of +his smaller tales, La Ilustre Fregona. In a word, the strand of +San Lucar in ancient times, if not in modern, was a rendezvous for ruffians, +contrabandistas, and vagabonds of every, description, who nested there +in wooden sheds, which have now vanished. San Lucar itself was +always noted for the thievish propensities of its inhabitants - the +worst in all Andalusia. The roguish innkeeper in <i>Don Quixote</i> +perfected his education at San Lucar. All these recollections +crowded into my mind as we proceeded along the strand, which was beautifully +gilded by the Andalusian sun. We at last arrived nearly opposite +to San Lucar, which stands at some distance from the water side. +Here a lively spectacle presented itself to us: the shore was covered +with a multitude of females either dressing or undressing themselves, +while (I speak within bounds) hundreds were in the water sporting and +playing; some were close by the beach, stretched at their full length +on the sand and pebbles, allowing the little billows to dash over their +heads and bosoms; whilst others were swimming boldly out into the firth. +There was a confused hubbub of female cries, thin shrieks and shrill +laughter; couplets likewise were being sung, on what subject it is easy +to guess, for we were in sunny Andalusia, and what can its black-eyed +daughters think, speak, or sing of but <i>amor, amor, </i>which now +sounded from the land and the waters. Farther on along the beach +we perceived likewise a crowd of men bathing; we passed not by them, +but turned to the left up an alley or avenue which leads to San Lucar, +and which may be a quarter of a mile long. The view from hence +was truly magnificent; before us lay the town, occupying the side and +top of a tolerably high hill, extending from east to west. It +appeared to be of considerable size, and I was subsequently informed +that it contained at least twenty thousand inhabitants. Several +immense edifices and walls towered up in a style of grandeur, which +can be but feebly described by words; but the principal object was an +ancient castle towards the left. The houses were all white, and +would have shone brilliantly in the sun had it been higher, but at this +early hour they lay comparatively in shade. The <i>tout ensemble +</i>was very Moorish and oriental, and indeed in ancient times San Lucar +was a celebrated stronghold of the Moors, and next to Almeria, the most +frequented of their commercial places in Spain. Everything, indeed, +in these parts of Andalusia, is perfectly oriental. Behold the +heavens, as cloudless and as brightly azure as those of Ind; the fiery +sun which tans the fairest cheek in a moment, and which fills the air +with flickering flame; and O, remark the scenery and the vegetable productions. +The alley up which we were moving was planted on each side with that +remarkable tree or plant, for I know not which to call it, the giant +aloe, which is called in Spanish, <i>pita</i>, and in Moorish, <i>gurséan. +</i>It rises here to a height almost as magnificent as on the African +shore. Need I say that the stem, which springs up from the middle +of the bush of green blades, which shoot out from the root on all sides, +is as high as a palm-tree; and need I say, that those blades, which +are of an immense thickness at the root, are at the tip sharper than +the point of a spear, and would inflict a terrible wound on any animal +which might inadvertently rush against them?<br> +<br> +One of the first houses at San Lucar was the posada at which we stopped. +It confronted, with some others, the avenue up which we had come. +As it was still early, I betook myself to rest for a few hours, at the +end of which time I went out to visit Mr. Phillipi, the British vice-consul, +who was already acquainted with me by name, as I had been recommended +to him in a letter from a relation of his at Seville. Mr. Phillipi +was at home in his counting-house, and received me with much kindness +and civility. I told him the motive of my visit to San Lucar, +and requested his assistance towards obtaining the books from the custom-house, +in order to transport them out of the country, as I was very well acquainted +with the difficulties which every one has to encounter in Spain, who +has any business to transact with the government authorities. +He assured me that he should be most happy to assist me, and accordingly +despatched with me to the custom-house his head clerk, a person well +known and much respected at San Lucar.<br> +<br> +It may be as well here at once to give the history of these books, which +might otherwise tend to embarrass the narrative. They consisted +of a chest of Testaments in Spanish, and a small box of Saint Luke’s +Gospel in the Gitano or language of the Spanish Gypsies. I obtained +them from the custom-house at San Lucar, with a pass for that of Cadiz. +At Cadiz I was occupied two days, and also a person whom I employed, +in going through all the formalities, and in procuring the necessary +papers. The expense was great, as money was demanded at every +step I had to take, though I was simply complying in this instance with +the orders of the Spanish government in removing prohibited books from +Spain. The farce did not end until my arrival at Gibraltar, where +I paid the Spanish consul a dollar for certifying on the back of the +pass, which I had to return to Cadiz, that the books were arrived at +the former place. It is true that he never saw the books nor inquired +about them, but he received the money, for which he alone seemed to +be anxious.<br> +<br> +Whilst at the custom-house of San Lucar I was asked one or two questions +respecting the books contained in the chests: this afforded me some +opportunity of speaking of the New Testaments and the Bible Society. +What I said excited attention, and presently all the officers and dependents +of the house, great and small, were gathered around me, from the governor +to the porter. As it was necessary to open the boxes to inspect +their contents, we all proceeded to the courtyard, where, holding a +Testament in my hand, I recommended my discourse. I scarcely know +what I said; for I was much agitated, and hurried away by my feelings, +when I bethought me of the manner in which the word of God was persecuted +in this unhappy kingdom. My words evidently made impression, and +to my astonishment every person present pressed me for a copy. +I sold several within the walls of the custom-house. The object, +however, of most attention was the Gypsy Gospel, which was minutely +examined amidst smiles and exclamations of surprise; an individual every +now and then crying, “<i>Cosas</i> <i>de los Ingleses</i>.” +A bystander asked me whether I could speak the Gitano language. +I replied that I could not only speak it, but write it, and instantly +made a speech of about five minutes in the Gypsy tongue, which I had +no sooner concluded than all clapped their hands and simultaneously +shouted, “<i>Cosas de Ingalaterra</i>,” “<i>Cosas +de los Ingleses</i>.” I disposed of several copies of the +Gypsy Gospel likewise, and having now settled the business which had +brought me to the custom-house, I saluted my new friends and departed +with my books.<br> +<br> +I now revisited Mr. Phillipi, who, upon learning that it was my intention +to proceed to Cadiz next morning by the steamer, which would touch at +Bonanza at four o’clock, despatched the chests and my little luggage +to the latter place, where he likewise advised me to sleep, in order +that I might be in readiness to embark at that early hour. He +then introduced me to his family, his wife an English woman, and his +daughter an amiable and beautiful girl of about eighteen years of age, +whom I had previously seen at Seville; three or four other ladies from +Seville were likewise there on a visit, and for the purpose of sea-bathing. +After a few words in English between the lady of the house and myself, +we all commenced chatting in Spanish, which seemed to be the only language +understood or cared for by the rest of the company; indeed, who would +be so unreasonable as to expect Spanish females to speak any language +but their own, which, flexible and harmonious as it is, (far more so +I think than any other,) seemed at times quite inadequate to express +the wild sallies of their luxuriant imagination. Two hours fled +rapidly away in discourse, interrupted occasionally by music and song, +when I bade farewell to this delightful society, and strolled out to +view the town.<br> +<br> +It was now past noon, and the heat was exceedingly fierce: I saw scarcely +a living being in the streets, the stones of which burnt my feet through +the soles of my boots. I passed through the square of the Constitution, +which presents nothing particular to the eye of the stranger, and ascended +the hill to obtain a nearer view of the castle. It is a strong +heavy edifice of stone, with round towers, and, though deserted, appears +to be still in a tolerable state of preservation. I became tired +of gazing, and was retracing my steps, when I was accosted by two Gypsies, +who by some means had heard of my arrival. We exchanged some words +in Gitano, but they appeared to be very ignorant of the dialect, and +utterly unable to maintain a conversation in it. They were clamorous +for a gabicote, or book in the Gypsy tongue. I refused it them, +saying that they could turn it to no profitable account; but finding +that they could read, I promised them each a Testament in Spanish. +This offer, however, they refused with disdain, saying that they cared +for nothing written in the language of the Busné or Gentiles. +They then persisted in their demand, to which I at last yielded, being +unable to resist their importunity; whereupon they accompanied me to +the inn, and received what they so ardently desired.<br> +<br> +In the evening I was visited by Mr. Phillipi, who informed me that he +had ordered a cabriolet to call for me at the inn at eleven at night, +for the purpose of conveying me to Bonanza, and that a person there +who kept a small wine-house, and to whom the chests and other things +had been forwarded, would receive me for the night, though it was probable +that I should have to sleep on the floor. We then walked to the +beach, where there were a great number of bathers, all men. Amongst +them were some good swimmers; two, in particular, were out at a great +distance in the firth of the Guadalquivir, I should say at least a mile; +their heads could just be descried with the telescope. I was told +that they were friars. I wondered at what period of their lives +they had acquired their dexterity at natation. I hoped it was +not at a time when, according to their vows, they should have lived +for prayer, fasting, and mortification alone. Swimming is a noble +exercise, but it certainly does not tend to mortify either the flesh +or the spirit. As it was becoming dusk, we returned to the town, +when my friend bade me a kind farewell. I then retired to my apartment, +and passed some hours in meditation.<br> +<br> +It was night, ten o’clock; - eleven o’clock, and the cabriolet +was at the door. I got in, and we proceeded down the avenue and +along the shore, which was quite deserted. The waves sounded mournfully; +everything seemed to have changed since the morning. I even thought +that the horse’s feet sounded differently, as it trotted slowly +over the moist firm sand. The driver, however, was by no means +mournful, nor inclined to be silent long: he soon commenced asking me +an infinity of questions as to whence I came and whither I was bound. +Having given him what answers I thought most proper, I, in return, asked +him whether he was not afraid to drive along that beach, which had always +borne so bad a character, at so unseasonable an hour. Whereupon, +he looked around him, and seeing no person, he raised a shout of derision, +and said that a fellow with his whiskers feared not all the thieves +that ever walked the playa, and that no dozen men in San Lucar dare +to waylay any traveller whom they knew to be beneath his protection. +He was a good specimen of the Andalusian braggart. We soon saw +a light or two shining dimly before us; they proceeded from a few barks +and small vessels stranded on the sand close below Bonanza: amongst +them I distinguished two or three dusky figures. We were now at +our journey’s end, and stopped before the door of the place where +I was to lodge for the night. The driver, dismounting, knocked +loud and long, until the door was opened by an exceedingly stout man +of about sixty years of age; he held a dim light in his hand, and was +dressed in a red nightcap and dirty striped shirt. He admitted +us, without a word, into a very large long room with a clay floor. +A species of counter stood on one side near the door; behind it stood +a barrel or two, and against the wall, on shelves, many bottles of various +sizes. The smell of liquors and wine was very powerful. +I settled with the driver and gave him a gratuity, whereupon he asked +me for something to drink to my safe journey. I told him he could +call for whatever he pleased; whereupon he demanded a glass of aguardiente, +which the master of the house, who had stationed himself behind the +counter, handed him without saying a word. The fellow drank it +off at once, but made a great many wry faces after having swallowed +it, and, coughing, said that he made no doubt it was good liquor, as +it burnt his throat terribly. He then embraced me, went out, mounted +his cabriolet, and drove off.<br> +<br> +The old man with the red nightcap now moved slowly to the door, which +he bolted and otherwise secured; he then drew forward two benches, which +he placed together, and pointed to them as if to intimate to me that +there was my bed: he then blew out the candle and retired deeper into +the apartment, where I heard him lay himself down sighing and snorting. +There was now no farther light than what proceeded from a small earthen +pan on the floor, filled with water and oil, on which floated a small +piece of card with a lighted wick in the middle, which simple species +of lamp is called “mariposa.” I now laid my carpet +bag on the bench as a pillow, and flung myself down. I should +have been asleep instantly, but he of the red nightcap now commenced +snoring awfully, which brought to my mind that I had not yet commended +myself to my friend and Redeemer: I therefore prayed, and then sank +to repose.<br> +<br> +I was awakened more than once during the night by cats, and I believe +rats, leaping upon my body. At the last of these interruptions +I arose, and, approaching the mariposa, looked at my watch; it was half-past +three o’clock. I opened the door and looked out; whereupon +some fishermen entered clamouring for their morning draught: the old +man was soon on his feet serving them. One of the men said to +me that, if I was going by the steamer, I had better order my things +to the wharf without delay, as he had heard the vessel coming down the +river. I dispatched my luggage, and then demanded of the red nightcap +what I owed him. He replied “One real.” These +were the only two words which I heard proceed from his mouth: he was +certainly addicted to silence, and perhaps to philosophy, neither of +which are much practised in Andalusia. I now hurried to the wharf; +the steamer was not yet arrived, but I heard its thunder up the river +every moment becoming more distinct: there was mist and darkness upon +the face of the waters, and I felt awe as I listened to the approach +of the invisible monster booming through the stillness of the night. +It came at last in sight, plashed its way forward, stopped, and I was +soon on board. It was the Peninsula, the best boat on the Guadalquivir.<br> +<br> +What a wonderful production of art is a steamboat; and yet why should +we call it wonderful, if we consider its history. More than five +hundred years have elapsed since the idea of making one first originated; +but it was not until the close of the last century that the first, worthy +of the name, made its appearance on a Scottish river.<br> +<br> +During this long period of time, acute minds and skilful hands were +occasionally busied in attempting to remove those imperfections in the +machinery, which alone prevented a vessel being made capable of propelling +itself against wind and tide. All these attempts were successively +abandoned in despair, yet scarcely one was made which was perfectly +fruitless; each inventor leaving behind him some monument of his labour, +of which those who succeeded him took advantage, until at last a fortunate +thought or two, and a few more perfect arrangements, were all that were +wanting. The time arrived, and now, at length, the very Atlantic +is crossed by haughty steamers. Much has been said of the utility +of steam in spreading abroad civilization, and I think justly. +When the first steam vessels were seen on the Guadalquivir, about ten +years ago, the Sevillians ran to the banks of the river, crying “sorcery, +sorcery,” which idea was not a little favoured by the speculation +being an English one, and the boats, which were English built, being +provided with English engineers, as, indeed, they still are; no Spaniard +having been found capable of understanding the machinery. They +soon however, became accustomed to them, and the boats are in general +crowded with passengers. Fanatic and vain as the Sevillians still +are, and bigoted as they remain to their own customs, they know that +good, in one instance at least, can proceed from a foreign land, and +that land a land of heretics; inveterate prejudice has been shaken, +and we will hope that this is the dawn of their civilization.<br> +<br> +Whilst passing over the bay of Cadiz, I was reclining on one of the +benches on the deck, when the captain walked by in company with another +man; they stopped a short distance from me, and I heard the captain +ask the other, in a low voice, how many languages he spoke; he replied +“only one.” “That one,” said the captain, +“is of course the Christian”; by which name the Spaniards +style their own language in contradistinction to all others. “That +fellow,” continued the captain, “who is lying on the deck, +can speak Christian too, when it serves his purpose, but he speaks others, +which are by no means Christian: he can talk English, and I myself have +heard him chatter in Gitano with the Gypsies of Triana; he is now going +amongst the Moors, and when he arrives in their country, you will hear +him, should he be there, converse as fluently in their gibberish as +in Christiano, nay, better, for he is no Christian himself. He +has been several times on board my vessel already, but I do not like +him, as I consider that he carries something about with him which is +not good.”<br> +<br> +This worthy person, on my coming aboard the boat, had shaken me by the +hand and expressed his joy at seeing me again.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER LI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Prayer.<br> +<br> +Cadiz stands, as is well known, upon a long narrow neck of land stretching +out into the ocean, from whose bosom the town appears to rise, the salt +waters laving its walls on all sides save the east, where a sandy isthmus +connects it with the coast of Spain. The town, as it exists at +the present day, is of modern construction, and very unlike any other +town which is to be found in the Peninsula, being built with great regularity +and symmetry. The streets are numerous, and intersect each other, +for the most part, at right angles. They are very narrow in comparison +to the height of the houses, so that they are almost impervious to the +rays of the sun, except when at its midday altitude. The principal +street, however, is an exception, it being of some width. This +street, in which stands the Bolsa, or exchange, and which contains the +houses of the chief merchants and nobility, is the grand resort of loungers +as well as men of business during the early part of the day, and in +that respect resembles the Puerta del Sol at Madrid. It is connected +with the great square, which, though not of very considerable extent, +has many pretensions to magnificence, it being surrounded with large +imposing houses, and planted with fine trees, with marble seats below +them for the accommodation of the public. There are few public +edifices worthy of much attention: the chief church, indeed, might be +considered a fine monument of labour in some other countries, but in +Spain, the land of noble and gigantic cathedrals, it can be styled nothing +more than a decent place of worship; it is still in an unfinished state. +There is a public walk or alameda on the northern ramparts, which is +generally thronged in summer evenings: the green of its trees, when +viewed from the bay, affords an agreeable relief to the eye, dazzled +with the glare of the white buildings, for Cadiz is also a bright city. +It was once the wealthiest place in all Spain, but its prosperity has +of late years sadly diminished, and its inhabitants are continually +lamenting its ruined trade; on which account many are daily abandoning +it for Seville, where living at least is cheaper. There is still, +however, much life and bustle in the streets, which are adorned with +many splendid shops, several of which are in the style of Paris and +London. The present population is said to amount to eighty thousand +souls.<br> +<br> +It is not without reason that Cadiz has been called a strong town: the +fortifications on the land side, which were partly the work of the French +during the sway of Napoleon, are perfectly admirable, and seem impregnable: +towards the sea it is defended as much by nature as by art, water and +sunken rocks being no contemptible bulwarks. The defences of the +town, however, except the landward ones, afford melancholy proofs of +Spanish apathy and neglect, even when allowance is made for the present +peculiarly unhappy circumstances of the country. Scarcely a gun, +except a few dismounted ones, is to be seen on the fortifications, which +are rapidly falling to decay, so that this insulated stronghold is at +present almost at the mercy of any foreign nation which, upon any pretence, +or none at all, should seek to tear it from the grasp of its present +legitimate possessors, and convert it into a foreign colony.<br> +<br> +A few hours after my arrival, I waited upon Mr. B., the British consul-general +at Cadiz. His house, which is the corner one at the entrance of +the alameda, commands a noble prospect of the bay, and is very large +and magnificent. I had of course long been acquainted with Mr. +B. by reputation; I knew that for several years he had filled, with +advantage to his native country and with honour to himself, the distinguished +and highly responsible situation which he holds in Spain. I knew, +likewise, that he was a good and pious Christian, and, moreover, the +firm and enlightened friend of the Bible Society. Of all this +I was aware, but I had never yet enjoyed the advantage of being personally +acquainted with him. I saw him now for the first time, and was +much struck with his appearance. He is a tall, athletic, finely +built man, seemingly about forty-five or fifty; there is much dignity +in his countenance, which is, however, softened by an expression of +good humour truly engaging. His manner is frank and affable in +the extreme. I am not going to enter into minute details of our +interview, which was to me a very interesting one. He knew already +the leading parts of my history since my arrival in Spain, and made +several comments upon it, which displayed his intimate knowledge of +the situation of the country as regards ecclesiastical matters, and +the state of opinion respecting religious innovation.<br> +<br> +I was pleased to find that his ideas in many points accorded with my +own, and we were both decidedly of opinion that, notwithstanding the +great persecution and outcry which had lately been raised against the +Gospel, the battle was by no means lost, and that the holy cause might +yet triumph in Spain, if zeal united with discretion and Christian humility +were displayed by those called upon to uphold it.<br> +<br> +During the greater part of this and the following day, I was much occupied +at the custom-house, endeavouring to obtain the documents necessary +for the exportation of the Testaments. On the afternoon of Saturday, +I dined with Mr. B. and his family, an interesting group, - his lady, +his beautiful daughters, and his son, a fine intelligent young man. +Early the next morning, a steamer, the <i>Balear, </i>was to quit Cadiz +for Marseilles, touching on the way at Algeciras, Gibraltar, and various +other ports of Spain. I had engaged my passage on board her as +far as Gibraltar, having nothing farther to detain me at Cadiz; my business +with the custom-house having been brought at last to a termination, +though I believe I should never have got through it but for the kind +assistance of Mr. B. I quitted this excellent man and my other +charming friends at a late hour with regret. I believe that I +carried with me their very best wishes; and, in whatever part of the +world I, a poor wanderer in the Gospel’s cause, may chance to +be, I shall not unfrequently offer up sincere prayers for their happiness +and well-being.<br> +<br> +Before taking leave of Cadiz, I shall relate an anecdote of the British +consul, characteristic of him and the happy manner in which he contrives +to execute the most disagreeable duties of his situation. I was +in conversation with him in a parlour of his house, when we were interrupted +by the entrance of two very unexpected visitors: they were the captain +of a Liverpool merchant vessel and one of the crew. The latter +was a rough sailor, a Welshman, who could only express himself in very +imperfect English. They looked unutterable dislike and defiance +at each other. It appeared that the latter had refused to work, +and insisted on leaving the ship, and his master had in consequence +brought him before the consul, in order that, if he persisted, the consequences +might be detailed to him, which would be the forfeiture of his wages +and clothes. This was done; but the fellow became more and more +dogged, refusing ever to tread the same deck again with his captain, +who, he said, had called him “Greek, lazy lubberly Greek,” +which he would not bear. The word Greek rankled in the sailor’s +mind, and stung him to the very core. Mr. B., who seemed to be +perfectly acquainted with the character of Welshmen in general, who +are proverbially obstinate when opposition is offered to them, and who +saw at once that the dispute had arisen on foolish and trivial grounds, +now told the man, with a smile, that he would inform him of a way by +which he might gain the weather-gage of every one of them, consul and +captain and all, and secure his wages and clothes; which was by merely +going on board a brig of war of her Majesty, which was then lying in +the bay. The fellow said he was aware of this, and intended to +do so. His grim features, however, instantly relaxed in some degree, +and he looked more humanely upon his captain. Mr. B. then, addressing +himself to the latter, made some observations on the impropriety of +using the word Greek to a British sailor; not forgetting, at the same +time, to speak of the absolute necessity of obedience and discipline +on board every ship. His words produced such an effect, that in +a very little time the sailor held out his hand towards his captain, +and expressed his willingness to go on board with him and perform his +duty, adding, that the captain, upon the whole, was the best man in +the world. So they departed mutually pleased; the consul making +both of them promise to attend divine service at his house on the following +day.<br> +<br> +Sunday morning came, and I was on board the steamer by six o’clock. +As I ascended the side, the harsh sound of the Catalan dialect assailed +my ears. In fact, the vessel was Catalan built, and the captain +and crew were of that nation; the greater part of the passengers already +on board, or who subsequently arrived, appeared to be Catalans, and +seemed to vie with each other in producing disagreeable sounds. +A burly merchant, however, with a red face, peaked chin, sharp eyes, +and hooked nose, clearly bore off the palm; he conversed with astonishing +eagerness on seemingly the most indifferent subjects, or rather on no +subject at all; his voice would have sounded exactly like a coffee-mill +but for a vile nasal twang: he poured forth his Catalan incessantly +till we arrived at Gibraltar. Such people are never sea-sick, +though they frequently produce or aggravate the malady in others. +We did not get under way until past eight o’clock, for we waited +for the Governor of Algeciras, and started instantly on his coming on +board. He was a tall, thin, rigid figure of about seventy, with +a long, grave, wrinkled countenance; in a word, the very image of an +old Spanish grandee. We stood out of the bay, rounding the lofty +lighthouse, which stands on a ledge of rocks, and then bent our course +to the south, in the direction of the straits. It was a glorious +morning, a blue sunny sky and blue sunny ocean; or, rather, as my friend +Oehlenschlaeger has observed on a similar occasion, there appeared two +skies and two suns, one above and one below.<br> +<br> +Our progress was rather slow, notwithstanding the fineness of the weather, +probably owing to the tide being against us. In about two hours +we passed the Castle of Santa Petra, and at noon were in sight of Trafalgar. +The wind now freshened and was dead ahead; on which account we hugged +closely to the coast, in order to avoid as much as possible the strong +heavy sea which was pouring down from the Straits. We passed within +a very short distance of the Cape, a bold bluff foreland, but not of +any considerable height.<br> +<br> +It is impossible for an Englishman to pass by this place - the scene +of the most celebrated naval action on record - without emotion. +Here it was that the united navies of France and Spain were annihilated +by a far inferior force; but that force was British, and was directed +by one of the most remarkable men of the age, and perhaps the greatest +hero of any time. Huge fragments of wreck still frequently emerge +from the watery gulf whose billows chafe the rocky sides of Trafalgar: +they are relies of the enormous ships which were burnt and sunk on that +terrible day, when the heroic champion of Britain concluded his work +and died. I never heard but one individual venture to say a word +in disparagement of Nelson’s glory: it was a pert American, who +observed, that the British admiral was much overrated. “Can +that individual be overrated,” replied a stranger, “whose +every thought was bent on his country’s honour, who scarcely ever +fought without leaving a piece of his body in the fray, and who, not +to speak of minor triumphs, was victorious in two such actions as Aboukir +and Trafalgar?”<br> +<br> +We were now soon in sight of the Moorish coast, Cape Spartel appearing +dimly through mist and vapour on our right. A regular Levanter +had now come on, and the vessel pitched and tossed to a very considerable +degree. Most of the passengers were sea-sick; the governor, however, +and myself held out manfully: we sat on a bench together, and entered +into conversation respecting the Moors and their country. Torquemada +himself could not have spoken of both with more abhorrence. He +informed me that he had been frequently in several of the principal +Moorish towns of the coast, which he described as heaps of ruins: the +Moors themselves he called Caffres and wild beasts. He observed +that he had never been even at Tangier, where the people were most civilised, +without experiencing some insult, so great was the abhorrence of the +Moors to anything in the shape of a Christian. He added, however, +that they treated the English with comparative civility, and that they +had a saying among them to the effect that Englishman and Mahometan +were one and the same; he then looked particularly grave for a moment, +and, crossing himself, was silent. I guessed what was passing +in his mind:<br> +<br> +<br> +“From heretic boors,<br> +And Turkish Moors,<br> +Star of the sea,<br> +Gentle Marie,<br> +Deliver me!”<br> +<br> +<br> +At about three we were passing Tarifa, so frequently mentioned in the +history of the Moors and Christians. Who has not heard of Alonzo +Guzman the faithful, 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 monarch, who, with a host which is said to +have amounted to nearly half a million of men, had landed on the shores +of Andalusia, and threatened to bring all Spain once more beneath the +Moslem yoke? Certainly if there be a land and a spot where the +name of that good patriot is not sometimes mentioned and sung, that +land, that spot is modern Spain and modern Tarifa. I have heard +the ballad of Alonzo Guzman chanted in Danish, by a hind in the wilds +of Jutland; but once speaking of “the Faithful” to some +inhabitants of Tarifa, they replied that they had never heard of Guzman +the faithful of Tarifa, but were acquainted with Alonzo Guzman, “the +one-eyed” <i>(el tuerto), </i>and that he was one of the most +villainous arrieros on the Cadiz road.<br> +<br> +The voyage of these narrow seas can scarcely fail to be interesting +to the most apathetic individual, from the nature of the scenery which +presents itself to the eye on either side. The coasts are exceedingly +high and bold, especially that of Spain, which seems to overthrow the +Moorish; but opposite to Tarifa, the African continent, rounding towards +the south-west, assumes an air of sublimity and grandeur. A hoary +mountain is seen uplifting its summits above the clouds: it is Mount +Abyla, or as it is called in the Moorish tongue, Gibil Muza, or the +hill of Muza, from the circumstance of its containing the sepulchre +of a prophet of that name. This is one of the two excrescences +of nature on which the Old World bestowed the title of the Pillars of +Hercules. Its skirts and sides occupy the Moorish coast for many +leagues in more than one direction, 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 brine. Of the two hills or pillars, the most remarkable, when +viewed from afar, is the African one, Gibil Muza. It is the tallest +and bulkiest, and is visible at a greater distance; but scan them both +from near, and you feel that all your wonder is engrossed by the European +column. Gibil Muza is an immense shapeless mass, a wilderness +of rocks, with here and there a few trees and shrubs nodding from the +clefts of its precipices; it is uninhabited, save by wolves, wild swine, +and chattering monkeys, on which last account it is called by the Spaniards, +<i>Montana de las Monas </i>(the hill of the baboons); whilst, on the +contrary, Gibraltar, not to speak of the strange city which covers part +of it, a city inhabited by men of all nations and tongues, its batteries +and excavations, all of them miracles of art, is the most singular-looking +mountain in the world - a mountain which can neither be described by +pen nor pencil, and at which the eye is never satiated with gazing.<br> +<br> +It was near sunset, and we were crossing the bay of Gibraltar. +We had stopped at Algeciras, on the Spanish side, for the purpose of +landing the old governor and his suite, and delivering and receiving +letters.<br> +<br> +Algeciras is an ancient Moorish town, as the name denotes, which is +an Arabic word, and signifies “the place of the islands.” +It is situated at the water’s edge, with a lofty range of mountains +in the rear. It seemed a sad deserted place, as far as I could +judge at the distance of half a mile. In the harbour, however, +lay a Spanish frigate and French war brig. As we passed the former, +some of the Spaniards on board our steamer became boastful at the expense +of the English. It appeared that, a few weeks before, an English +vessel, suspected to be a contraband trader, was seen by this frigate +hovering about a bay on the Andalusian coast, in company with an English +frigate, the <i>Orestes. </i>The Spaniard dogged them for some +time, till one morning observing that the <i>Orestes </i>had disappeared, +he hoisted English colours, and made a signal to the trader to bear +down; the latter, deceived by the British ensign, and supposing that +the Spaniard was the friendly <i>Orestes, </i>instantly drew near, was +fired at and boarded, and proving in effect to be a contraband trader, +she was carried into port and delivered over to the Spanish authorities. +In a few days the captain of the <i>Orestes</i> hearing of this, and +incensed at the unwarrantable use made of the British flag, sent a boat +on board the frigate demanding that the vessel should be instantly restored, +as, if she was not, he would retake her by force; adding that he had +forty cannons on board. The captain of the Spanish frigate returned +for answer, that the trader was in the hands of the officers of the +customs, and was no longer at his disposal; that the captain of the +<i>Orestes </i>however, could do what he pleased, and that if he had +forty guns, he himself had forty-four; whereupon the <i>Orestes </i>thought +proper to bear away. Such at least was the Spanish account as +related by the journals. Observing the Spaniards to be in great +glee at the idea of one of their nation having frightened away the Englishman, +I exclaimed, “Gentlemen, all of you who suppose that an English +sea captain has been deterred from attacking a Spaniard, from an apprehension +of a superior force of four guns, remember, if you please, the fate +of the <i>Santissima Trinidad, </i>and be pleased also not to forget +that we are almost within cannon’s sound of Trafalgar.”<br> +<br> +It was neat sunset, I repeat, and we were crossing the bay of Gibraltar. +I stood on the prow of the vessel, with my eyes intently fixed on the +mountain fortress, which, though I had seen it several times before, +filled my mind with admiration and interest. Viewed from this +situation, it certainly, if it resembles any animate object in nature, +has something of the appearance of a terrible couchant lion, whose stupendous +head menaces Spain. Had I been dreaming, I should almost have +concluded it to be the genius of Africa, in the shape of its most puissant +monster, who had bounded over the sea from the clime of sand and sun, +bent on the destruction of the rival continent, more especially as the +hue of its stony sides, its crest and chine, is tawny even as that of +the hide of the desert king. A hostile lion has it almost invariably +proved to Spain, at least since it first began to play a part in history, +which was at the time when Tarik seized and fortified it. It has +for the most part been in the hands of foreigners: first the swarthy +and turbaned Moor possessed it, and it is now tenanted by a fair-haired +race from a distant isle. Though a part of Spain, it seems to +disavow the connexion, and at the end of a long narrow sandy isthmus, +almost level with the sea, raising its blasted and perpendicular brow +to denounce the crimes which deform the history of that fair and majestic +land.<br> +<br> +It was near sunset, I say it for the third time, and we were crossing +the bay of Gibraltar. Bay! it seemed no bay, but an inland sea, +surrounded on all sides by enchanted barriers, so strange, so wonderful +was the aspect of its coasts. Before us lay the impregnable hill; +on our right the African continent, with its grey Gibil Muza, and the +crag of Ceuta, to which last a solitary bark seemed steering its way; +behind us the town we had just quitted, with its mountain wall; on our +left the coast of Spain. The surface of the water was unruffled +by a wave, and as we rapidly glided on, the strange object which we +were approaching became momentarily more distinct and visible. +There, at the base of the mountain, and covering a small portion of +its side, lay the city, with its ramparts garnished with black guns +pointing significantly at its moles and harbours; above, seemingly on +every crag which could be made available for the purpose of defence +or destruction, peered batteries, pale and sepulchral-looking, as if +ominous of the fate which awaited any intrusive foe; whilst east and +west towards Africa and Spain, on the extreme points, rose castles, +towers, or atalaias which overcrowded the whole, and all the circumjacent +region, whether land or sea. Mighty and threatening appeared the +fortifications, and doubtless, viewed in any other situation, would +have alone occupied the mind and engrossed its wonder; but the hill, +the wondrous hill, was everywhere about them, beneath them, or above +them, overpowering their effect as a spectacle. Who, when he beholds +the enormous elephant, with his brandished trunk, dashing impetuously +to the war, sees the castle which he bears, or fears the javelins of +those whom he carries, however skilful and warlike they may be? +Never does God appear so great and powerful as when the works of his +hands stand in contrast with the labours of man. Survey the Escurial, +it is a proud work, but wonder if you can when you see the mountain +mocking it behind; survey that boast of Moorish kings, survey Granada +from its plain, and wonder if you can, for you see the Alpujarra mocking +it from behind. O what are the works of man compared with those +of the Lord? Even as man is compared with his creator. Man +builds pyramids, and God builds pyramids: the pyramids of man are heaps +of shingles, tiny hillocks on a sandy plain; the pyramids of the Lord +are Andes and Indian hills. Man builds walls and so does his Master; +but the walls of God are the black precipices of Gibraltar and Horneel, +eternal, indestructible, and not to be scaled; whilst those of man can +be climbed, can be broken by the wave or shattered by the lightning +or the powder blast. Would man display his power and grandeur +to advantage, let him flee far from the hills; for the broad pennants +of God, even his clouds, float upon the tops of the hills, and the majesty +of God is most manifest among the hills. Call Gibraltar the hill +of Tarik or Hercules if you will, but gaze upon it for a moment and +you will call it the hill of God. Tarik and the old giant may +have built upon it; but not all the dark race of whom Tarik was one, +nor all the giants of old renown of whom the other was one, could have +built up its crags or chiseled the enormous mass to its present shape.<br> +<br> +We dropped anchor not far from the mole. As we expected every +moment to hear the evening gun, after which no person is permitted to +enter the town, I was in trepidation lest I should be obliged to pass +the night on board the dirty Catalan steamer, which, as I had no occasion +to proceed farther in her, I was in great haste to quit. A boat +now drew nigh, with two individuals at the stern, one of whom, standing +up, demanded, in an authoritative voice, the name of the vessel, her +destination and cargo. Upon being answered, they came on board. +After some conversation with the captain, they were about to depart, +when I inquired whether I could accompany them on shore. The person +I addressed was a tall young man, with a fustian frock coat. He +had a long face, long nose, and wide mouth, with large restless eyes. +There was a grin on his countenance which seemed permanent, and had +it not been for his bronzed complexion, I should have declared him to +be a cockney, and nothing else. He was, however, no such thing, +but what is called a rock lizard, that is, a person born at Gibraltar +of English parents. Upon hearing my question, which was in Spanish, +he grinned more than ever, and inquired, in a strange accent, whether +I was a son of Gibraltar. I replied that I had not that honour, +but that I was a British subject. Whereupon he said that he should +make no difficulty in taking me ashore. We entered the boat, which +was rapidly rowed towards the land by four Genoese sailors. My +two companions chattered in their strange Spanish, he of the fustian +occasionally turning his countenance full upon me, the last grin appearing +ever more hideous than the preceding ones. We soon reached the +quay, where my name was noted down by a person who demanded my passport, +and I was then permitted to advance.<br> +<br> +It was now dusk, and I lost no time in crossing the drawbridge and entering +the long low archway which, passing under the rampart, communicates +with the town. Beneath this archway paced with measured tread, +tall red-coated sentinels with shouldered guns. There was no stopping, +no sauntering in these men. There was no laughter, no exchange +of light conversation with the passers by, but their bearing was that +of British soldiers, conscious of the duties of their station. +What a difference between them and the listless loiterers who stand +at guard at the gate of a Spanish garrisoned town.<br> +<br> +I now proceeded up the principal street, which runs with a gentle ascent +along the base of the hill. Accustomed for some months past to +the melancholy silence of Seville, I was almost deafened by the noise +and bustle which reigned around. It was Sunday night, and of course +no business was going on, but there were throngs of people passing up +and down. Here was a military guard proceeding along; here walked +a group of officers, there a knot of soldiers stood talking and laughing. +The greater part of the civilians appeared to be Spaniards, but there +was a large sprinkling of Jews in the dress of those of Barbary, and +here and there a turbaned Moor. There were gangs of sailors likewise, +Genoese, judging from the patois which they were speaking, though I +occasionally distinguished the sound of “tou logou sas,” +by which I knew there were Greeks at hand, and twice or thrice caught +a glimpse of the red cap and blue silken petticoats of the mariner from +the Romaic isles. On still I hurried, till I arrived at a well +known hostelry, close by a kind of square, in which stands the little +exchange of Gibraltar. Into this I ran and demanded lodging, receiving +a cheerful welcome from the genius of the place, who stood behind the +bar, and whom I shall perhaps have occasion subsequently to describe. +All the lower rooms were filled with men of the rock, burly men in general, +with swarthy complexions and English features, with white hats, white +jean jerkins, and white jean pantaloons. They were smoking pipes +and cigars, and drinking porter, wine and various other fluids, and +conversing in the rock Spanish, or rock English as the fit took them. +Dense was the smoke of tobacco, and great the din of voices, and I was +glad to hasten up stairs to an unoccupied apartment, where I was served +with some refreshment, of which I stood much in need.<br> +<br> +I was soon disturbed by the sound of martial music close below my windows. +I went down and stood at the door. A military band was marshalled +upon the little square before the exchange. It was preparing to +beat the retreat. After the prelude, which was admirably executed, +the tall leader gave a flourish with his stick, and strode forward up +the street, followed by the whole company of noble looking fellows and +a crowd of admiring listeners. The cymbals clashed, the horns +screamed, and the kettle-drum emitted its deep awful note, till the +old rock echoed again, and the hanging terraces of the town rang with +the stirring noise:<br> +<br> +<br> +“Dub-a-dub, dub-a-dub - thus go the drums,<br> +Tantara, tantara, the Englishman comes.”<br> +<br> +<br> +O England! long, long may it be ere the sun of thy glory sink beneath +the wave of darkness! Though gloomy and portentous clouds are +now gathering rapidly around thee, still, still may it please the Almighty +to disperse them, and to grant thee a futurity longer in duration and +still brighter in renown than thy past! Or if thy doom be at hand, +may that doom be a noble one, and worthy of her who has been styled +the Old Queen of the waters! May thou sink, if thou dost sink, +amidst blood and flame, with a mighty noise, causing more than one nation +to participate in thy downfall! Of all fates, may it please the +Lord to preserve thee from a disgraceful and a slow decay; becoming, +ere extinct, a scorn and a mockery for those selfsame foes who now, +though they envy and abhor thee, still fear thee, nay, even against +their will, honour and respect thee.<br> +<br> +Arouse thee, whilst yet there is time, and prepare thee for the combat +of life and death! Cast from thee the foul scurf which now encrusts +thy robust limbs, which deadens their force, and makes them heavy and +powerless! Cast from thee thy false philosophers, who would fain +decry what, next to the love of God, has hitherto been deemed most sacred, +the love of the mother land! Cast from thee thy false patriots, +who, under the. pretext of redressing the wrongs of the poor and weak, +seek to promote internal discord, so that thou mayest become only terrible +to thyself! And remove from thee the false prophets, who have +seen vanity and divined lies; who have daubed thy wall with untempered +mortar, that it may fall; who see visions of peace where there is no +peace; who have strengthened the hands of the wicked, and made the heart +of the righteous sad. O, do this, and fear not the result, for +either shall thy end be a majestic and an enviable one, or God shall +perpetuate thy reign upon the waters, thou old Queen!<br> +<br> +The above was part of a broken prayer for my native land, which, after +my usual thanksgiving, I breathed to the Almighty ere retiring to rest +that Sunday night at Gibraltar.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER LII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +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 Age.<br> +<br> +Perhaps it would have been impossible to have chosen a situation more +adapted for studying at my ease Gibraltar and its inhabitants, than +that which I found myself occupying about ten o’clock on the following +morning. Seated on a small bench just opposite the bar, close +by the door, in the passage of the hostelry at which I had taken up +my temporary abode, I enjoyed a view of the square of the exchange and +all that was going on there, and by merely raising my eyes, could gaze +at my leisure on the stupendous hill which towers above the town to +an altitude of some thousand feet. I could likewise observe every +person who entered or left the house, which is one of great resort, +being situated in the most-frequented place of the principal thoroughfare +of the town. My eyes were busy and so were my ears. Close +beside me stood my excellent friend Griffiths, the jolly hosteler, of +whom I take the present opportunity of saying a few words, though I +dare say he has been frequently described before, and by far better +pens. Let those who know him not figure to themselves a man of +about fifty, at least six feet in height, and weighing some eighteen +stone, an exceedingly florid countenance and good features, eyes full +of quickness and shrewdness, but at the same time beaming with good +nature. He wears white pantaloons, white frock, and white hat, +and is, indeed, all white, with the exception of his polished Wellingtons +and rubicund face. He carries a whip beneath his arm, which adds +wonderfully to the knowingness of his appearance, which is rather more +that of a gentleman who keeps an inn on the Newmarket road, “purely +for the love of travellers, and the money which they carry about them,” +than of a native of the rock. Nevertheless, he will tell you himself +that he is a rock lizard; and you will scarcely doubt it when, besides +his English, which is broad and vernacular, you hear him speak Spanish, +ay, and Genoese too, when necessary, and it is no child’s play +to speak the latter, which I myself could never master. He is +a good judge of horse-flesh, and occasionally sells a “bit of +a blood,” or a Barbary steed to a young hand, though he has no +objection to do business with an old one; for there is not a thin, crouching, +liver-faced lynx-eyed Jew of Fez capable of outwitting him in a bargain: +or cheating him out of one single pound of the fifty thousand sterling +which he possesses; and yet ever bear in mind that he is a good-natured +fellow to those who are disposed to behave honourably to him, and know +likewise that he will lend you money, if you are a gentleman, and are +in need of it; but depend upon it, if he refuse you, there is something +not altogether right about you, for Griffiths knows <i>his world</i>, +and is not to be made a fool of.<br> +<br> +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 rock. +The passage before the bar was frequently filled with officers, who +lounged in for a refreshment which the sultry heat of the weather rendered +necessary, or at least inviting; whilst not a few came galloping up +to the door on small Barbary horses, which are to be found in great +abundance at Gibraltar. All seemed to be on the best terms with +the host, with whom they occasionally discussed the merits of particular +steeds, and whose jokes they invariably received with unbounded approbation. +There was much in the demeanour and appearance of these young men, for +the greater part were quite young, which was highly interesting and +agreeable. Indeed, I believe it may be said of English officers +in general, that in personal appearance, and in polished manners, they +bear the palm from those of the same class over the world. True +it is, that the officers of the royal guard of Russia, especially of +the three noble regiments styled the Priberjensky, Simeonsky, and Finlansky +polks might fearlessly enter into competition in almost all points with +the flower of the British army; but it must be remembered, that those +regiments are officered by the choicest specimens of the Sclavonian +nobility, young men selected expressly for the splendour of their persons, +and for the superiority of their mental endowments; whilst, probably, +amongst all the fair-haired Angle-Saxons youths whom I now saw gathered +near me, there was not a single one of noble ancestry, nor of proud +and haughty name; and certainly, so far from having been selected to +flatter the pride and add to the pomp of a despot, they had been taken +indiscriminately from a mass of ardent aspirants for military glory, +and sent on their country’s service to a remote and unhealthy +colony. Nevertheless, they were such as their country might be +proud of, for gallant boys they looked, with courage on their brows, +beauty and health on their cheeks, and intelligence in their hazel eyes.<br> +<br> +Who is he who now stops before the door without entering, and addresses +a question to my host, who advances with a respectful salute? +He is no common man, or his appearance belies him strangely. His +dress is simple enough; a Spanish hat, with a peaked crown and broad +shadowy brim - the veritable sombrero - jean pantaloons and blue hussar +jacket; - but how well that dress becomes one of the most noble-looking +figures I ever beheld. I gazed upon him with strange respect and +admiration as he stood benignantly smiling and joking in good Spanish +with an impudent rock rascal, who held in his hand a huge bogamante, +or coarse carrion lobster, which he would fain have persuaded him to +purchase. He was almost gigantically tall, towering nearly three +inches above the burly host himself, yet athletically symmetrical, and +straight as the pine tree of Dovrefeld. He must have counted eleven +lustres, which cast an air of mature dignity over a countenance which +seemed to have been chiseled by some Grecian sculptor, and yet his hair +was black as the plume of the Norwegian raven, and so was the moustache +which curled above his well-formed lip. In the garb of Greece, +and in the camp before Troy, I should have taken him for Agamemnon. +“Is that man a general?” said I to a short queer-looking +personage, who sat by my side, intently studying a newspaper. +“That gentleman,” he whispered in a lisping accent, “is, +sir, the Lieutenant-Governor of Gibraltar.”<br> +<br> +On either side outside the door, squatting on the ground, or leaning +indolently against the walls, were some half dozen men of very singular +appearance. Their principal garment was a kind of blue gown, something +resembling the blouse worn by the peasants of the north of France, but +not so long; it was compressed around their waists by a leathern girdle, +and depended about half way down their thighs. Their legs were +bare, so that I had an opportunity of observing the calves, which appeared +unnaturally large. Upon the head they wore small skull-caps of +black wool. I asked the most athletic of these men, a dark-visaged +fellow of forty, who they were. He answered, “hamalos.” +This word I knew to be Arabic, in which tongue it signifies a porter; +and, indeed, the next moment, I saw a similar fellow staggering across +the square under an immense burden, almost sufficient to have broken +the back of a camel. On again addressing my swarthy friend, and +enquiring whence he came, he replied, that he was born at Mogadore, +in Barbary, but had passed the greatest part of his life at Gibraltar. +He added, that he was the “capitaz,” or head man of the +“hamalos” near the door. I now addressed him in the +Arabic of the East, though with scarcely the hope of being understood, +more especially as he had been so long from his own country. He +however answered very pertinently, his lips quivering with eagerness, +and his eyes sparkling with joy, though it was easy to perceive that +the Arabic, or rather the Moorish, was not the language in which he +was accustomed either to think or speak. His companions all gathered +round and listened with avidity, occasionally exclaiming, when anything +was said which they approved of: “<i>Wakhud rajil shereef hada, +min beled bel scharki</i>.” (A holy man this from the kingdoms +of the East.) At last I produced the shekel, which I invariably +carry about me as a pocket-piece, and asked the capitaz whether he had +ever seen that money before. He surveyed the censer and olive-branch +for a considerable time, and evidently knew not what to make of it. +At length he fell to inspecting the characters round about it on both +sides, and giving a cry, exclaimed to the other hamalos: “Brothers, +brothers, these are the letters of Solomon. This silver is blessed. +We must kiss this money.” He then put it upon his head, +pressed it to his eyes, and finally kissed it with enthusiasm as did +successively all his brethren. Then regaining it, he returned +it to me, with a low reverence. Griffiths subsequently informed +me, that the fellow refused to work during all the rest of the day, +and did nothing but smile, laugh, and talk to himself.<br> +<br> +“Allow me to offer you a glass of bitters, sir,” said the +queer-looking personage before mentioned; he was a corpulent man, very +short, and his legs particularly so. His dress consisted of a +greasy snuff-coloured coat, dirty white trousers, and dirtier stockings. +On his head he wore a rusty silk hat, the eaves of which had a tendency +to turn up before and behind. I had observed that, during my conversation +with the hamalos, he had several times uplifted his eyes from the newspaper, +and on the production of the shekel had grinned very significantly, +and had inspected it when in the hand of the capitaz. “Allow +me to offer you a glass of bitters,” said he; “I guessed +you was one of our people before you spoke to the hamalos. Sir, +it does my heart good to see a gentleman of your appearance not above +speaking to his poor brethren. It is what I do myself not unfrequently, +and I hope God will blot out my name, and that is Solomons, when I despise +them. I do not pretend to much Arabic myself, yet I understood +you tolerably well, and I liked your discourse much. You must +have a great deal of shillam eidri, nevertheless you startled me when +you asked the hamalo if he ever read the Torah; of course you meant +with the meforshim; poor as he is, I do not believe him becoresh enough +to read the Torah without the commentators. So help me, sir, I +believe you to be a Salamancan Jew; I am told there are still some of +the old families to be found there. Ever at Tudela, sir? not very +far from Salamanca, I believe; one of my own kindred once lived there: +a great traveller, sir, like yourself; went over all the world to look +for the Jews, - went to the top of Sinai. Anything that I can +do for you at Gibraltar, sir? Any commission; will execute it +as reasonably, and more expeditiously than any one else. My name +is Solomons. I am tolerably well known at Gibraltar; yes, sir, +and in the Crooked Friars, and, for that matter, in the Neuen Stein +Steg, at Hamburgh; so help me, sir, I think I once saw your face at +the fair at Bremen. Speak German, sir? though of course you do. +Allow me, sir, to offer you a glass of bitters. I wish, sir, they +were mayim, hayim for your sake, I do indeed, sir, I wish they were +living waters. Now, sir, do give me your opinion as to this matter +(lowering his voice and striking the newspaper). Do you not think +it is very hard that one Yudken should betray the other? When +I put my little secret beyad peluni, - you understand me, sir? - when +I entrust my poor secret to the custody of an individual, and that individual +a Jew, a Yudken, sir, I do not wish to be blown, indeed, I do not expect +it. In a word, what do you think of the <i>gold dust robbery</i>, +and what will be done to those unfortunate people, who I see are convicted?”<br> +<br> +That same day I made enquiry respecting the means of transferring myself +to Tangier, having no wish to prolong my stay at Gibraltar, where, though +it is an exceedingly interesting place to an observant traveller, I +had no particular business to detain me. In the evening I was +visited by a Jew, a native of Barbary, who informed me that he was secretary +to the master of a small Genoese bark which plied between Tangier and +Gibraltar. Upon his assuring me that the vessel would infallibly +start for the former place on the following evening, I agreed with him +for my passage. He said that as the wind was blowing from the +Levant quarter, the voyage would be a speedy one. Being desirous +now of disposing to the most advantage of the short time which I expected +to remain at Gibraltar, I determined upon visiting the excavations, +which I had as yet never seen, on the following morning, and accordingly +sent for and easily obtained the necessary permission.<br> +<br> +About six on Tuesday morning, I started on this expedition, attended +by a very intelligent good-looking lad of the Jewish persuasion, one +of two brothers who officiated at the inn in the capacity of valets +de place.<br> +<br> +The morning was dim and hazy, yet sultry to a degree. We ascended +a precipitous street, and proceeding in an easterly direction, soon +arrived in the vicinity of what is generally known by the name of the +Moorish Castle, a large tower, but so battered by the cannon balls discharged +against it in the famous siege, that it is at present little better +than a ruin; hundreds of round holes are to be seen in its sides, in +which, as it is said, the shot are still imbedded; here, at a species +of hut, we were joined by an artillery sergeant, who was to be our guide. +After saluting us, he led the way to a huge rock, where he unlocked +a gate at the entrance of a dark vaulted passage which passed under +it, emerging from which passage we found ourselves in a steep path, +or rather staircase, with walls on either side.<br> +<br> +We proceeded very leisurely, for hurry in such a situation would have +been of little avail, as we should have lost our breath in a minute’s +time. The soldier, perfectly well acquainted with the locality, +stalked along with measured steps, his eyes turned to the ground.<br> +<br> +I looked fully as much at that man as at the strange place where we +now were, and which was every moment becoming stranger. He was +a fine specimen of the yeoman turned soldier; indeed, the corps to which +he belonged consists almost entirely of that class. There he paces +along, tall, strong, ruddy, and chestnut-haired, an Englishman every +inch; behold him pacing along, sober, silent, and civil, a genuine English +soldier. I prize the sturdy Scot, I love the daring and impetuous +Irishman; I admire all the various races which constitute the population +of the British isles; yet I must say that, upon the whole, none are +so well adapted to ply the soldier’s hardy trade as the rural +sons of old England, so strong, so cool, yet, at the same time, animated +with so much hidden fire. Turn to the history of England and you +will at once perceive of what such men are capable; even at Hastings, +in the grey old time, under almost every disadvantage, weakened by a +recent and terrible conflict, without discipline, comparatively speaking, +and uncouthly armed, they all but vanquished the Norman chivalry. +Trace their deeds in France, which they twice subdued; and even follow +them to Spain, where they twanged the yew and raised the battle-axe, +and left behind them a name of glory at Inglis Mendi, a name that shall +last till fire consumes the Cantabrian hills. And, oh, in modern +times, trace the deeds of these gallant men all over the world, and +especially in France and Spain, and admire them, even as I did that +sober, silent, soldier-like man who was showing me the wonders of a +foreign mountain fortress, wrested by his countrymen from a powerful +and proud nation more than a century before, and of which he was now +a trusty and efficient guardian.<br> +<br> +We arrived close to the stupendous precipice, which rises abruptly above +the isthmus called the neutral ground, staring gauntly and horridly +at Spain, and immediately entered the excavations. They consist +of galleries scooped in the living rock at the distance of some twelve +feet from the outside, behind which they run the whole breadth of the +hill in this direction. In these galleries, at short distances, +are ragged yawning apertures, all formed by the hand of man, where stand +the cannon upon neat slightly-raised pavements of small flint stones, +each with its pyramid of bullets on one side, and on the other a box, +in which is stowed the gear which the gunner requires in the exercise +of his craft. Everything was in its place, everything in the nicest +English order, 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 side.<br> +<br> +There is not much variety in these places, one cavern and one gun resembling +the other. As for the guns, they are not of large calibre, indeed, +such are not needed here, where a pebble discharged from so great an +altitude would be fraught with death. On descending a shaft, however, +I observed, in one cave of special importance, two enormous carronades +looking with peculiar wickedness and malignity down a shelving rock, +which perhaps, although not without tremendous difficulty, might be +scaled. The mere wind of one of these huge guns would be sufficient +to topple over a thousand men. What sensations of dread and horror +must be awakened in the breast of a foe when this hollow rock, in the +day of siege, emits its flame, smoke, and thundering wind from a thousand +yawning holes; horror not inferior to that felt by the peasant of the +neighbourhood when Mongibello belches forth from all its orifices its +sulphureous fires.<br> +<br> +Emerging from the excavations, we proceeded to view various batteries. +I asked the sergeant whether his companions and himself were dexterous +at the use of the guns. He replied that these cannons were to +them what the fowling-piece is to the fowler, that they handled them +as easily, and, he believed, pointed them with more precision, as they +seldom or never missed an object within range of the shot. This +man never spoke until he was addressed, and then the answers which he +gave were replete with good sense, and in general well worded. +After our excursion, which lasted at least two hours, I made him a small +present, and took leave with a hearty shake of the hand.<br> +<br> +In the evening I prepared to go on board the vessel bound for Tangier, +trusting in what the Jewish secretary had told me as to its sailing. +Meeting him, however, accidentally in the street, he informed me that +it would not start until the following morning, advising me at the same +time to be on board at an early hour. I now roamed about the streets +until night was beginning to set in, and becoming weary, I was just +about to direct my steps to the inn, when I felt myself gently pulled +by the skirt. I was amidst a concourse of people who were gathered +around some Irish soldiers who were disputing, and I paid no attention; +but I was pulled again more forcibly than before, and I heard myself +addressed in a language which I had half forgotten, and which I scarcely +expected ever to hear again. I looked round, and lo! a tall figure +stood close to me and gazed in my face with anxious inquiring eyes. +On its head was the kauk or furred cap of Jerusalem; depending from +its shoulders, and almost trailing on the ground, was a broad blue mantle, +whilst kandrisa or Turkish trousers enveloped its nether limbs. +I gazed on the figure as wistfully as it gazed upon me. At first +the features appeared perfectly strange, and I was about to exclaim, +I know you not, when one or two lineaments struck me, and I cried, though +somewhat hesitatingly, “Surely this is Judah Lib.”<br> +<br> +I was in a steamer in the Baltic in the year ‘34, if I mistake +not. There was a drizzling rain and a high sea, when I observed +a young man of about two and twenty leaning in a melancholy attitude +against the side of the vessel. By his countenance I knew him +to be one of the Hebrew race, nevertheless there was something very +singular in his appearance, something which is rarely found amongst +that people, a certain air of nobleness which highly interested me. +I approached him, and in a few minutes we were in earnest conversation. +He spoke Polish and Jewish German indiscriminately. The story +which he related to me was highly extraordinary, yet I yielded implicit +credit to all his words, which came from his mouth with an air of sincerity +which precluded doubt; and, moreover, he could have no motive for deceiving +me. One idea, one object, engrossed him entirely: “My father,” +said he, in language which strongly marked his race, “was a native +of Galatia, a Jew of high caste, a learned man, for he knew Zohar, <a name="citation22"></a><a href="#footnote22">{22}</a> +and he was likewise skilled in medicine. When I was a child of +some eight years, he left Galatia, and taking his wife, who was my mother, +and myself with him, he bent his way unto the East, even to Jerusalem; +there he established himself as a merchant, for he was acquainted with +trade and the arts of getting money. He was much respected by +the Rabbins of Jerusalem, for he was a Polish man, and he knew more +Zohar and more secrets than the wisest of them. He made frequent +journeys, and was absent for weeks and for months, but he never exceeded +six moons. My father loved me, and he taught me part of what he +knew in the moments of his leisure. I assisted him in his trade, +but he took me not with him in his journeys. We had a shop at +Jerusalem, even a shop of commerce, where we sold the goods of the Nazarene, +and my mother and myself, and even a little sister who was born shortly +after our arrival at Jerusalem, all assisted my father in his commerce. +At length it came to pass, that on a particular time he told us that +he was going on a journey, and he embraced us and bade us farewell, +and he departed, whilst we continued at Jerusalem attending to the business. +We awaited his return, but months passed, even six months, and he came +not, and we wondered; and months passed, even other six passed, but +still he came not, nor did we hear any tidings of him, and our hearts +were filled with heaviness and sorrow. But when years, even two +years, were expired, I said to my mother, ‘I will go and seek +my father’; and she said, ‘Do so,’ and she gave me +her blessing, and I kissed my little sister, and I went forth as far +as Egypt, and there I heard tidings of my father, for people told me +he had been there, and they named the time, and they said that he had +passed from thence to the land of the Turk; so I myself followed to +the land of the Turk, even unto Constantinople. And when I arrived +there I again heard of my father, for he was well known amongst the +Jews, and they told me the time of his being there, and they added that +he had speculated and prospered, and departed from Constantinople, but +whither he went they knew not. So I reasoned within myself and +said, perhaps he may have gone to the land of his fathers, even unto +Galatia, to visit his kindred; so I determined to go there myself, and +I went, and I found our kindred, and I made myself known to them, and +they rejoiced to see me; but when I asked them for my father, they shook +their heads and could give me no intelligence; and they would fain have +had me tarry with them, but I would not, for the thought of my father +was working strong within me, and I could not rest. So I departed +and went to another country, even unto Russia, and I went deep into +that country, even as far as Kazan, and of all I met, whether Jew, or +Russ, or Tartar, I inquired for my father; but no one knew him, nor +had heard of him. So I turned back and here thou seest me; and +I now purpose going through all Germany and France, nay, through all +the world, until I have received intelligence of my father, for I cannot +rest until I know what is become of my father, for the thought of him +burneth in my brain like fire, even like the fire of Jehinnim.”<br> +<br> +Such was the individual whom I now saw again, after a lapse of five +years, in the streets of Gibraltar, in the dusk of the evening. +“Yes,” he replied, “I am Judah, surnamed the Lib. +Thou didst not recognise me, but I knew thee at once. I should +have known thee amongst a million, and not a day has passed since I +last saw thee, but I have thought on thee.” I was about +to reply, but he pulled me out of the crowd and led me into a shop where, +squatted on the floor, sat six or seven Jews cutting leather; he said +something to them which I did not understand, whereupon they bowed their +heads and followed their occupation, without taking any notice of us. +A singular figure had followed us to the door; it was a man dressed +in exceedingly shabby European garments, which exhibited nevertheless +the cut of a fashionable tailor. He seemed about fifty; his face, +which was very broad, was of a deep bronze colour; the features were +rugged, but exceedingly manly, and, notwithstanding they were those +of a Jew, exhibited no marks of cunning, but, on the contrary, much +simplicity and good nature. His form was about the middle height, +and tremendously athletic, the arms and back were literally those of +a Hercules squeezed into a modern surtout; the lower part of his face +was covered with a bushy beard, which depended half way down his breast. +This figure remained at the door, his eyes fixed upon myself and Judah.<br> +<br> +The first inquiry which I now addressed was “Have you heard of +your father?”<br> +<br> +“I have,” he replied. “When we parted, I proceeded +through many lands, and wherever I went I inquired of the people respecting +my father, but still they shook their heads, until I arrived at the +land of Tunis; and there I went to the head rabbi, and he told me that +he knew my father well, and that he had been there, even at Tunis, and +he named the time, and he said that from thence he departed for the +land of Fez; and he spoke much of my father and of his learning, and +he mentioned the Zohar, even that dark book which my father loved so +well; and he spoke yet more of my father’s wealth and his speculations, +in all of which it seems he had thriven. So I departed and I mounted +a ship, and I went into the land of Barbary, even unto Fez, and when +I arrived there I heard much intelligence of my father, but it was intelligence +which perhaps was worse than ignorance. For the Jews told me that +my father had been there, and had speculated and had thriven, and that +from thence he departed for Tafilaltz, which is the country of which +the Emperor, even Muley Abderrahman, is a native; and there he was still +prosperous, and his wealth in gold and silver was very great; and he +wished to go to a not far distant town, and he engaged certain Moors, +two in number, to accompany him and defend him and his treasures: and +the Moors were strong men, even makhasniah or soldiers; and they made +a covenant with my father, and they gave him their right hands, and +they swore to spill their blood rather than his should be shed. +And my father was encouraged and he waxed bold, and he departed with +them, even with the two false Moors. And when they arrived in +the uninhabited place, they smote my father, and they prevailed against +him, and they poured out his blood in the way, and they robbed him of +all he had, of his silks and his merchandise, and of the gold and silver +which he had made in his speculations, and they went to their own villages, +and there they sat themselves down and bought lands and houses, and +they rejoiced and they triumphed, and they made a merit of their deed, +saying, ‘We have killed an infidel, even an accursed Jew’; +and these things were notorious in Fez. And when I heard these +tidings my heart was sad, and I became like a child, and I wept; but +the fire of Jehinnim burned no longer in my brain, for I now knew what +was become of my father. At last I took comfort and I reasoned +with myself, saying, ‘Would it not be wise to go unto the Moorish +king and demand of him vengeance for my father’s death, and that +the spoilers be despoiled, and the treasure, even my father’s +treasure, be wrested from their hands and delivered up to me who am +his son?’ And the king of the Moors was not at that time +in Fez, but was absent in his wars; and I arose and followed him, even +unto Arbat, which is a seaport, and when I arrived there, lo! +I found him not, but his son was there, and men said unto me that to +speak unto the son was to speak unto the king, even Muley Abderrahman; +so I went in unto the king’s son, and I kneeled before him, and +I lifted up my voice and I said unto him what I had to say, and he looked +courteously upon me and said, ‘Truly thy tale is a sorrowful one, +and it maketh me sad; and what thou asketh, that will I grant, and thy +father’s death shall be avenged and the spoilers shall be despoiled; +and I will write thee a letter with my own hand unto the Pasha, even +the Pasha of Tafilaltz, and I will enjoin him to make inquiry into thy +matter, and that letter thou shalt thyself carry and deliver unto him.’ +And when I heard these words, my heart died within my bosom for very +fear, and I replied, ‘Not so, my lord; it is good that thou write +a letter unto the Pasha, even unto the Pasha of Tafilaltz, but that +letter will I not take, neither will I go to Tafilaltz, for no sooner +should I arrive there, and my errand be known, than the Moors would +arise and put me to death, either privily or publicly, for are not the +murderers of my father Moors; and am I aught but a Jew, though I be +a Polish man?’ And he looked benignantly, and he said, ‘Truly, +thou speakest wisely; I will write the letter, but thou shalt not take +it, for I will send it by other hands; therefore set thy heart at rest, +and doubt not that, if thy tale be true, thy father’s death shall +be avenged, and the treasure, or the value thereof, be recovered and +given up to thee; tell me, therefore, where wilt thou abide till then?’ +And I said unto him, ‘My lord, I will go into the land of Suz +and will tarry there.’ And he replied: ‘Do so, and +thou shalt hear speedily from me.’ So I arose and departed +and went into the land of Suz, even unto Sweerah, which the Nazarenes +call Mogadore; and waited with a troubled heart for intelligence from +the son of the Moorish king, but no intelligence came, and never since +that day have I heard from him, and it is now three years since I was +in his presence. And I sat me down at Mogadore, and I married +a wife, a daughter of our nation, and I wrote to my mother, even to +Jerusalem, and she sent me money, and with that I entered into commerce, +even as my father had done, and I speculated, and I was not successful +in my speculations, and I speedily lost all I had. And now I am +come to Gibraltar to speculate on the account of another, a merchant +of Mogadore, but I like not my occupation, he has deceived me; I am +going back, 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 me, even to me his son.”<br> +<br> +I listened with mute attention to the singular tale of this singular +man, and when he had concluded I remained a considerable time without +saying a word; at last he inquired what had brought me to Gibraltar. +I told him that I was merely a passer through on my way to Tangier, +for which place I expected to sail the following morning. Whereupon +he observed, that in the course of a week or two he expected to be there +also, when he hoped that we should meet, as he had much more to tell +me. “And peradventure,” he added, “you can afford +me counsel which will be profitable, for you are a person of experience, +versed in the ways of many nations; and when I look in your countenance, +heaven seems to open to me, for I think I see the countenance of a friend, +even of a brother.” He then bade me farewell, and departed; +the strange bearded man, who during our conversation had remained patiently +waiting at the door, following him. I remarked that there was +less wildness in his look than on the former occasion, but at the same +time, more melancholy, and his features were wrinkled like those of +an aged man, though he had not yet passed the prime of youth.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER LIII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Genoese Mariners - St. Michael’s Cave - Midnight Abysses - Young +American - A Slave Proprietor - The Fairy Man - Infidelity.<br> +<br> +Throughout the whole of that night it blew very hard, but as the wind +was in the Levant quarter, I had no apprehension of being detained longer +at Gibraltar on that account. I went on board the vessel at an +early hour, when I found the crew engaged in hauling the anchor close, +and making other preparations for sailing. They informed me that +we should probably start in an hour. That time however passed, +and we still remained where we were, and the captain continued on shore. +We formed one of a small flotilla of Genoese barks, the crews of which +seemed in their leisure moments to have no better means of amusing themselves +than the exchange of abusive language; a furious fusillade of this kind +presently commenced, in which the mate of our vessel particularly distinguished +himself; he was a grey-haired Genoese of sixty. Though not able +to speak their patois, I understood much of what was said; it was truly +shocking, and as they shouted it forth, judging from their violent gestures +and distorted features, you would have concluded them to be bitter enemies; +they were, however, nothing of the kind, but excellent friends all the +time, and indeed very good-humoured fellows at bottom. Oh, the +infirmities of human nature! When will man learn to become truly +Christian?<br> +<br> +I am upon the whole very fond of the Genoese; they have, it is true, +much ribaldry and many vices, but they are a brave and chivalrous people, +and have ever been so, and from them I have never experienced aught +but kindness and hospitality.<br> +<br> +After the lapse of another two hours, the Jew secretary arrived and +said something to the old mate, who grumbled much; then coming up to +me, he took off his hat and informed me that we were not to start that +day, saying at the same time that it was a shame to lose such a noble +wind, which would carry us to Tangier in three hours. “Patience,” +said I, and went on shore.<br> +<br> +I now strolled towards Saint Michael’s cave, in company with the +Jewish lad whom I have before mentioned.<br> +<br> +The way thither does not lie in the same direction as that which leads +to the excavations; these confront Spain, whilst the cave yawns in the +face of Africa. It lies nearly at the top of the mountain, several +hundred yards above the sea. We passed by the public walks, where +there are noble trees, and also by many small houses, situated delightfully +in gardens, and occupied by the officers of the garrison. It is +wrong to suppose Gibraltar a mere naked barren rock; it is not without +its beautiful spots - spots such as these, looking cool and refreshing, +with bright green foliage. The path soon became very steep, and +we left behind us the dwellings of man. The gale of the preceding +night had entirely ceased, and not a breath of air was stirring; the +midday sun shone in all its fierce glory, and the crags up which we +clambered were not unfrequently watered with the perspiration drops +which rained from our temples: at length we arrived at the cavern.<br> +<br> +The mouth is a yawning cleft in the side of the mountain, about twelve +feet high and as many wide; within there is a very rapid precipitous +descent for some fifty yards, where the cavern terminates in an abyss +which leads to unknown depths. The most remarkable object is a +natural column, which rises up something like the trunk of an enormous +oak, as if for the purpose of supporting the roof; it stands at a short +distance from the entrance, and gives a certain air of wildness and +singularity to that part of the cavern which is visible, which it would +otherwise not possess. The floor is exceedingly slippery, consisting +of soil which the continual drippings from the roof have saturated, +so that no slight precaution is necessary for him who treads it. +It is very dangerous to enter this place without a guide well acquainted +with it, as, besides the black pit at the extremity, holes which have +never been fathomed present themselves here and there, falling into +which the adventurer would be dashed to pieces. Whatever men may +please to say of this cave, one thing it seems to tell to all who approach +it, namely, that the hand of man has never been busy about it; there +is many a cave of nature’s forming, old as the earth on which +we exist, which nevertheless exhibits indications that man has turned +it to some account, and that it has been subjected more or less to his +modifying power; not so this cave of Gibraltar, for, judging from its +appearance, there is not the slightest reason for supposing that it +ever served for aught else than a den for foul night birds, reptiles, +and beasts of prey. It has been stated by some to have been used +in the days of paganism as a temple to the god Hercules, who, according +to the ancient tradition, raised the singular mass of crags now called +Gibraltar, and the mountain which confronts it on the African shores, +as columns which should say to all succeeding times that he had been +there, and had advanced no farther. Sufficient to observe, that +there is nothing within the cave which would authorize the adoption +of such an opinion, not even a platform on which an altar could have +stood, whilst a narrow path passes before it, leading to the summit +of the mountain. As I have myself never penetrated into its depths, +I can of course not pretend to describe them. Numerous have been +the individuals who, instigated by curiosity, have ventured down to +immense depths, hoping to discover an end, and indeed scarcely a week +passes without similar attempts being made either by the officers or +soldiers of the garrison, all of which have proved perfectly abortive. +No termination has ever been reached, nor any discoveries made to repay +the labour and frightful danger incurred; precipice succeeds precipice, +and abyss succeeds abyss, in apparently endless succession, with ledges +at intervals, which afford the adventurers opportunities for resting +themselves and affixing their rope-ladders for the purpose of descending +yet farther. What is, however, most mortifying and perplexing +is to observe that these abysses are not only before, but behind you, +and on every side; indeed, close within the entrance of the cave, on +the right, there is a gulf almost equally dark and full as threatening +as that which exists at the nether end, and perhaps contains within +itself as many gulfs and horrid caverns branching off in all directions. +Indeed, from what I have heard, I have come to the opinion, that the +whole hill of Gibraltar is honeycombed, and I have little doubt that, +were it cleft asunder, its interior would be found full of such abysses +of Erebus as those to which Saint Michael’s cave conducts. +Many valuable lives are lost every year in these horrible places; and +only a few weeks before my visit, two sergeants, brothers, had perished +in the gulf on the right hand side of the cave, having, when at a great +depth, slipped down a precipice. The body of one of these adventurous +men is even now rotting in the bowels of the mountain, preyed upon by +its blind and noisome worms; that of his brother was extricated. +Immediately after this horrible accident, a gate was placed before the +mouth of the cave, to prevent individuals, and especially the reckless +soldiers, from indulging in their extravagant curiosity. The lock, +however, was speedily forced, and at the period of my arrival the gate +swung idly upon its hinges.<br> +<br> +As I left the place, I thought that perhaps similar to this was the +cave of Horeb, where dwelt Elijah, when he heard the still small voice, +after the great and strong wind which rent the mountains and brake in +pieces the rocks before the Lord; the cave to the entrance of which +he went out and stood with his face wrapped in his mantle, when he heard +the voice say unto him, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” +(1 Kings xix. 11-13.)<br> +<br> +And what am I doing here, I inquired of myself as, vexed at my detention, +I descended into the town.<br> +<br> +That afternoon I dined in the company of a young American, a native +of South Carolina. I had frequently seen him before, as he had +been staying for some time at the inn previous to my arrival at Gibraltar. +His appearance was remarkable: he was low of stature, and exceedingly +slightly made; his features were pale but very well formed; he had a +magnificent head of crispy black hair, and as superb a pair of whiskers +of the same colour as I ever beheld. He wore a white hat, with +broad brim and particularly shallow crown, and was dressed in a light +yellow gingham frock striped with black, and ample trousers of calico, +in a word, his appearance was altogether queer and singular. On +my return from my ramble to the cave, I found that he had himself just +descended from the mountain, having since a very early hour been absent +exploring its wonders.<br> +<br> +A man of the rock asked him how he liked the excavations. “Liked +them,” said he; “you might just as well ask a person who +has just seen the Niagara Falls how he liked them - like is not the +word, mister.” The heat was suffocating, as it almost invariably +is in the town of Gibraltar, where rarely a breath of air is to be felt, +as it is sheltered from all winds. This led another individual +to inquire of him whether he did not think it exceedingly hot? +“Hot, sir,” he replied, “not at all: fine cotton gathering +weather as a man could wish for. We couldn’t beat it in +South Carolina, sir.” “You live in South Carolina, +sir - I hope, sir, you are not a slave proprietor,” said the short +fat Jewish personage in the snuff-coloured coat, who had offered me +the bitters on a previous occasion; “it is a terrible thing to +make slaves of poor people, simply because they happen to be black; +don’t you think so, sir?” “Think so, sir - no, +sir, I don’t think so - I glory in being a slave proprietor; have +four hundred black niggers on my estate - own estate, sir, near Charleston +- flog half a dozen of them before breakfast, merely for exercise. +Niggers only made to be flogged, sir: try to escape sometimes; set the +blood-hounds in their trail, catch them in a twinkling; used to hang +themselves formerly: the niggers thought that a sure way to return to +their own country and get clear of me: soon put a stop to that: told +them that if any more hanged themselves I’d hang myself too, follow +close behind them, and flog them in their own country ten times worse +than in mine. What do you think of that, friend?” +It was easy to perceive that there was more of fun than malice in this +eccentric little fellow, for his large grey eyes were sparkling with +good humour whilst he poured out these wild things. He was exceedingly +free of his money; and a dirty Irish woman, a soldier’s wife, +having entered with a basketful of small boxes and trinkets, made of +portions of the rock of Gibraltar, he purchased the greatest part of +her ware, giving her for every article the price (by no means inconsiderable) +which she demanded. He had glanced at me several times, and at +last I saw him stoop down and whisper something to the Jew, who replied +in an undertone, though with considerable earnestness “O dear +no, sir; perfectly mistaken, sir: is no American, sir:- from Salamanca, +sir; the gentleman is a Salamancan Spaniard.” The waiter +at length informed us that he had laid the table, and that perhaps it +would be agreeable to us to dine together: we instantly assented. +I found my new acquaintance in many respects a most agreeable companion: +he soon told me his history. He was a planter, and, from what +he hinted, just come to his property. He was part owner of a large +vessel which traded between Charleston and Gibraltar, and the yellow +fever having just broken out at the former place, he had determined +to take a trip (his first) to Europe in this ship; having, as he said, +already visited every state in the Union, and seen all that was to be +seen there. He described to me, in a very naïve and original +manner, his sensations on passing by Tarifa, which was the first walled +town he had ever seen. I related to him the history of that place, +to which he listened with great attention. He made divers attempts +to learn from me who I was; all of which I evaded, though he seemed +fully convinced that I was an American; and amongst other things asked +me whether my father had not been American consul at Seville. +What, however, most perplexed him was my understanding Moorish and Gaelic, +which he had heard me speak respectively to the hamalos and the Irish +woman, the latter of whom, as he said, had told him that I was a fairy +man. At last he introduced the subject of religion, and spoke +with much contempt of revelation, avowing himself a deist; he was evidently +very anxious to hear my opinion, but here again I evaded him, and contented +myself with asking him, whether he had ever read the Bible. He +said he had not; but that he was well acquainted with the writings of +Volney and Mirabeau. I made no answer; whereupon he added, that +it was by no means his habit to introduce such subjects, and that there +were very few persons to whom he would speak so unreservedly, but that +I had very much interested him, though our acquaintance had been short. +I replied, that he would scarcely have spoken at Boston in the manner +that I had just heard him, and that it was easy to perceive that he +was not a New Englander. “I assure you,” said he, +“I should as little have thought of speaking so at Charleston, +for if I held such conversation there, I should soon have had to speak +to myself.”<br> +<br> +Had I known less of deists than it has been my fortune to know, I should +perhaps have endeavoured to convince this young man of the erroneousness +of the ideas which he had adopted; but I was aware of all that he would +have urged in reply, and as the believer has no carnal arguments to +address to carnal reason upon this subject, I thought it best to avoid +disputation, which I felt sure would lead to no profitable result. +Faith is the free gift of God, and I do not believe that ever yet was +an infidel converted by means of after-dinner polemics. This was +the last evening of my sojourn in Gibraltar.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER LIV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Again on Board - The Strange Visage - The Hadji - Setting Sail - The +Two Jews - American Vessel - Tangier - Adun Oulem - The Struggle - The +Forbidden Thing.<br> +<br> +On Thursday, the 8th of August, I was again on board the Genoese bark, +at as early an hour as on the previous morning. After waiting, +however, two or three hours without any preparation being made for departing, +I was about to return to the shore once more, but the old Genoese mate +advised me to stay, assuring me that he had no doubt of our sailing +speedily, as all the cargo was on board, and we had nothing further +to detain us. I was reposing myself in the little cabin, when +I heard a boat strike against the side of the vessel, and some people +come on board. Presently a face peered in at the opening, strange +and wild. I was half asleep, and at first imagined I was dreaming, +for the face seemed more like that of a goat or an orge than of a human +being; its long beard almost touching my face as I lay extended in a +kind of berth. Starting up, however, I recognised the singular-looking +Jew whom I had seen in the company of Judah Lib. He recognised +me also, and nodding, bent his huge features into a smile. I arose +and went upon deck, where I found him in company with another Jew, a +young man in the dress of Barbary. They had just arrived in the +boat. I asked my friend of the beard who he was, from whence he +came, and where he was going? He answered, in broken Portuguese, +that he was returning from Lisbon, where he had been on business, to +Mogadore, of which place he was a native. He then looked me in +the face and smiled, and taking out a book from his pocket, in Hebrew +characters, fell to reading it; whereupon a Spanish sailor on board +observed that with such a beard and book he must needs be a sabio, or +sage. His companion was from Mequinez, and spoke only Arabic.<br> +<br> +A large boat now drew nigh, the stern of which was filled with Moors; +there might be about twelve, and the greater part evidently consisted +of persons of distinction, as they were dressed in all the pomp and +gallantry of the East, with snow-white turbans, jabadores of green silk +or scarlet cloth, and bedeyas rich with gold galloon. Some of +them were exceedingly fine men, and two amongst them, youths, were strikingly +handsome, and so far from exhibiting the dark swarthy countenance of +Moors in general, their complexions were of a delicate red and white. +The principal personage, and to whom all the rest paid much deference, +was a tall athletic man of about forty. He wore a vest of white +quilted cotton, and white kandrisa, whilst gracefully wound round his +body, and swathing the upper part of his head, was the balk, or white +flannel wrapping plaid always held in so much estimation by the Moors +from the earliest period of their history. His legs were bare +and his feet only protected from the ground by yellow slippers. +He displayed no farther ornament than one large gold ear-ring, from +which depended a pearl, evidently of great price. A noble black +beard, about a foot in length, touched his muscular breast. His +features were good, with the exception of the eyes, which were somewhat +small; their expression, however, was, evil; their glances were sullen; +and malignity and ill-nature were painted in every lineament of his +countenance, which seemed never to have been brightened with a smile. +The Spanish sailor, of whom I have already had occasion to speak, informed +me in a whisper, that he was a santuron, or big saint, and was so far +back on his way from Mecca; adding, that he was a merchant of immense +wealth. It soon appeared that the other Moors had merely attended +him on board through friendly politeness, as they all successively came +to bid him adieu, with the exception of two blacks, who were his attendants. +I observed that these blacks, when the Moors presented them their hands +at departing, invariably made an effort to press them to their lips, +which effort was as uniformly foiled, the Moors in every instance, by +a speedy and graceful movement, drawing back their hand locked in that +of the black, which they pressed against their own heart; as much as +to say, “though a negro and a slave you are a Moslem, and being +so, you art our brother - Allah knows no distinctions.” +The boatman now went up to the hadji, demanding payment, stating, at +the same time, that he had been on board three times on his account, +conveying his luggage. The sum which he demanded appeared exorbitant +to the hadji, who, forgetting that he was a saint, and fresh from Mecca, +fumed outrageously, and in broken Spanish called the boatman thief. +If there be any term of reproach which stings a Spaniard (and such was +the boatman) more than another, it is that one; and the fellow no sooner +heard it applied to himself, than with eyes sparkling with fury, he +put his fist to the hadji’s nose, and repaid the one opprobrious +name by at least ten others equally bad or worse. He would perhaps +have proceeded to acts of violence had he not been pulled away by the +other Moors, who led him aside, and I suppose either said or gave him +something which pacified him, as he soon got into his boat, and returned +with them on shore. The captain now arrived with his Jewish secretary, +and orders were given for setting sail.<br> +<br> +At a little past twelve we were steering out of the bay of Gibraltar; +the wind was in the right quarter, but for some time we did not make +much progress, lying almost becalmed beneath the lee of the hill; by +degrees, however, our progress became brisker, and in about an hour +we found ourselves careering smartly towards Tarifa.<br> +<br> +The Jew secretary stood at the helm, and indeed appeared to be the person +who commanded the vessel, and who issued out all the necessary orders, +which were executed under the superintendence of the old Genoese mate. +I now put some questions to the hadji, but he looked at me askance with +his sullen eye, pouted with his lip, and remained silent; as much as +to say, “Speak not to me, I am holier than thou.” +I found his negroes, however, far more conversable. One of them +was old and ugly, the other about twenty, and as well looking as it +is possible for a negro to be. His colour was perfect ebony, his +features exceedingly well formed and delicate, with the exception of +the lips, which were too full. The shape of his eyes was peculiar; +they were rather oblong than round, like those of an Egyptian figure. +Their expression was thoughtful and meditative. In every respect +he differed from his companion, even in colour, (though both were negroes,) +and was evidently a scion of some little known and superior race. +As he sat beneath the mast gazing at the sea, I thought he was misplaced, +and that he would have appeared to more advantage amidst boundless sands, +and beneath a date tree, and then he might have well represented a Jhin. +I asked him from whence he came, he replied that he was a native of +Fez, but that he had never known his parents. He had been brought +up, he added, in the family of his present master, whom he had followed +in the greater part of his travels, and with whom he had thrice visited +Mecca. I asked him if he liked being a slave? Whereupon +he replied, that he was a slave no longer, having been made free for +some time past, on account of his faithful services, as had likewise +his companion. He would have told me much more, but the hadji +called him away, and otherwise employed him, probably to prevent his +being contaminated by me.<br> +<br> +Thus avoided by the Moslems, I betook myself to the Jews, whom I found +nowise backward in cultivating an intimacy. The sage of the beard +told me his history, which in some respects reminded me of that of Judah +Lib, as it seemed that, a year or two previous, he had quitted Mogadore +in pursuit of his son, who had betaken himself to Portugal. On +the arrival, however, of the father at Lisbon, he discovered that the +fugitive had, a few days before, shipped himself for the Brazils. +Unlike Judah in quest of his father, he now became weary, and discontinued +the pursuit. The younger Jew from Mequinez was exceedingly gay +and lively as soon as he perceived that I was capable of understanding +him, and made me smile by his humorous account of Christian life, as +he had observed it at Gibraltar, where he had made a stay of about a +month. He then spoke of Mequinez, which, he said, was a Jennut, +or Paradise, compared with which Gibraltar was a sty of hogs. +So great, so universal is the love of country. I soon saw that +both these people believed me to be of their own nation; indeed, the +young one, who was much the most familiar, taxed me with being so, and +spoke of the infamy of denying my own blood. Shortly before our +arrival off Tarifa, universal hunger seemed to prevail amongst us. +The hadji and his negroes produced their store, and feasted on roast +fowls, the Jews ate grapes and bread, myself bread and cheese, whilst +the crew prepared a mess of anchovies. Two of them speedily came, +with a large portion, which they presented to me with the kindness of +brothers: I made no hesitation in accepting their present, and found +the anchovies delicious. As I sat between the Jews, I offered +them some, but they turned away their heads with disgust, and cried +<i>haloof</i> (hogsflesh). They at the same time, however, shook +me by the hand, and, uninvited, took a small portion of my bread. +I had a bottle of Cognac, which I had brought with me as a preventive +to sea sickness, and I presented it to them; but this they also refused, +exclaiming, <i>Haram</i> (it is forbidden). I said nothing.<br> +<br> +We were now close to the lighthouse of Tarifa, and turning the head +of the bark towards the west, we made directly for the coast of Africa. +The wind was now blowing very fresh, and as we had it almost in our +poop, we sprang along at a tremendous rate, the huge lateen sails threatening +every moment to drive us beneath the billows, which an adverse tide +raised up against us. Whilst scudding along in this manner, we +passed close under the stern of a large vessel bearing American colours; +she was tacking up the straits, and slowly winning her way against the +impetuous Levanter. As we passed under her, I observed the poop +crowded with people gazing at us; indeed, we must have offered a singular +spectacle to those on board, who, like my young American friend at Gibraltar, +were visiting the Old World for the first time. At the helm stood +the Jew; his whole figure enveloped in a gabardine, the cowl of which, +raised above his head, gave him almost the appearance of a spectre in +its shroud; whilst upon the deck, mixed with Europeans in various kinds +of dresses, all of them picturesque with the exception of my own, trod +the turbaned Moors, the haik of the hadji flapping loosely in the wind. +The view they obtained of us, however, could have been but momentary, +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 Alminàr, +and which constitutes the boundary point of the bay of Tangier towards +the east. There the wind dropped and our progress was again slow.<br> +<br> +For a considerable time Tangier had appeared in sight. Shortly +after standing away from Tarifa, we had descried it in the far distance, +when it showed like a white dove brooding on its nest. The sun +was setting behind the town when we dropped anchor in its harbour, amidst +half a dozen barks and felouks about the size of our own, the only vessels +which we saw. There stood Tangier before us, and a picturesque +town it was, occupying the sides and top of two hills, one of which, +bold and bluff, projects into the sea where the coast takes a sudden +and abrupt turn. Frowning and battlemented were its walls, either +perched on the top of precipitous rocks, whose base was washed by the +salt billows, or rising from the narrow strand which separates the hill +from the ocean.<br> +<br> +Yonder are two or three tiers of batteries, displaying heavy guns which +command the harbour; above them you see the terraces of the town rising +in succession like steps for giants. But all is white, perfectly +white, so that the whole seems cut out of an immense chalk rock, though +true it is that you behold here and there tall green trees springing +up from amidst the whiteness: perhaps they belong to Moorish gardens, +and beneath them even now peradventure is reclining many a dark-eyed +Leila, akin to the houries. Right before you is a high tower or +minaret, not white but curiously painted, which belongs to the principal +mosque of Tangier; a black banner waves upon it, for it is the feast +of Ashor. A noble beach of white sand fringes the bay from the +town to the foreland of Alminàr. To the east rise prodigious +hills and mountains; they are Gibil Muza and his chain; and yon tall +fellow is the peak of Tetuan; the grey mists of evening are enveloping +their sides. Such was Tangier, such its vicinity, as it appeared +to me whilst gazing from the Genoese bark.<br> +<br> +A boat was now lowered from the vessel, in which the captain, who was +charged with the mail from Gibraltar, the Jew secretary, and the hadji +and his attendant negroes departed for the shore. I would have +gone with them, but I was told that I could not land that night, as +ere my passport and bill of health could be examined, the gates would +be closed; so I remained on board with the crew and the two Jews. +The former prepared their supper, which consisted simply of pickled +tomatoes, the other provisions having been consumed. The old Genoese +brought me a portion, apologizing at the same time, for the plainness +of the fare. I accepted it with thanks, and told him that a million +better men than myself had a worse super. I never ate with more +appetite. As the night advanced, the Jews sang Hebrew hymns, and +when they had concluded, demanded of me why I was silent, so I lifted +up my voice and chanted Adun Oulem:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“Reigned the Universe’s Master, ere were earthly things +begun;<br> +When His mandate all created, Ruler was the name He won;<br> +And alone He’ll rule tremendous when all things are past and gone,<br> +He no equal has, nor consort, He, the singular and lone,<br> +Has no end and no beginning; His the sceptre, might and throne.<br> +He’s my God and living Saviour, rock to whom in need I run;<br> +He’s my banner and my refuge, fount of weal when called upon;<br> +In His hand I place my spirit at nightfall and rise of sun,<br> +And therewith my body also; God’s my God - I fear no one.”<br> +<br> +<br> +Darkness had now fallen over land and sea; not a sound was heard save +occasionally the distant barking of a dog from the shore, or some plaintive +Genoese ditty, which arose from a neighbouring bark. The town +seemed buried in silence and gloom, no light, not even that of a taper, +could be descried. Turning our eyes in the direction of Spain, +however, we perceived a magnificent conflagration seemingly enveloping +the side and head of one of the lofty mountains northward of Tarifa; +the blaze was redly reflected in the waters of the strait; either the +brushwood was burning or the Carboneros were plying their dusky toil. +The Jews now complained, of weariness, and the younger, uncording a +small mattress, spread it on the deck and sought repose. The sage +descended into the cabin, but he had scarcely time to lie down ere the +old mate, darting forward, dived in after him, and pulled him out by +the heels, for it was very shallow, and the descent was effected by +not more than two or three steps. After accomplishing this, he +called him many opprobrious names, and threatened him with his foot, +as he lay sprawling on the deck. “Think you,” said +he, “who are a dog and a Jew, and pay as a dog and a Jew; think +you to sleep in the cabin? Undeceive yourself, beast; that cabin +shall be slept in by none to-night but this Christian Cavallero.” +The sage made no reply, but arose from the deck and stroked his beard, +whilst the old Genoese proceeded in his philippic. Had the Jew +been disposed, he could have strangled the insulter in a moment, or +crushed him to death in his brawny arms, as I never remember to have +seen a figure so powerful and muscular; but he was evidently slow to +anger, and long-suffering; not a resentful word escaped him, and his +features retained their usual expression of benignant placidity.<br> +<br> +I now assured the mate that I had not the slightest objection to the +Jew’s sharing the cabin with me, but rather wished it, as there +was room for us both and for more. “Excuse me, Sir Cavalier,” +replied the Genoese, “but I swear to permit no such thing; you +are young and do not know this canaille as I do, who have been backward +and forward to this coast for twenty years; if the beast is cold, let +him sleep below the hatches as I and the rest shall, but that cabin +he shall not enter.” Observing that he was obstinate I retired, +and in a few minutes was in a sound sleep which lasted till daybreak. +Twice or thrice, indeed, I thought that a struggle was taking place +near me, but I was so overpowered with weariness, or “sleep drunken,” +as the Germans call it, that I was unable to arouse myself sufficiently +to discover what was going on; the truth is, that three times during +the night, the sage feeling himself uncomfortable in the open air by +the side of his companion, penetrated into the cabin, and was as many +times dragged out by his relentless old enemy, who, suspecting his intentions, +kept his eye upon him throughout the night.<br> +<br> +About five I arose; the sun was shining brightly and gloriously upon +town, bay, and mountain; the crew were already employed upon deck repairing +a sail which had been shivered in the wind of the preceding day. +The Jews sat disconsolate on the poop; they complained much of the cold +they had suffered in their exposed situation. Over the left eye +of the sage I observed a bloody cut, which he informed me he had received +from the old Genoese after he had dragged him out of the cabin for the +last time. I now produced my bottle of Cognac, begging that the +crew would partake of it as a slight return for their hospitality. +They thanked me, and the bottle went its round; it was last in the hands +of the old mate, who, after looking for a moment at the sage, raised +it to his mouth, where he kept it a considerable time longer than any +of his companions, after which he returned it to me with a low bow. +The sage now inquired what the bottle contained: I told him Cognac or +aguardiente, whereupon with some eagerness he begged that I would allow +him to take a draught. “How is this?” said I; “yesterday +you told me that it was a forbidden thing, an abomination.” +“Yesterday,” said he, “I was not aware that it was +brandy; I thought it wine, which assuredly is an abomination, and a +forbidden thing.” “Is it forbidden in the Torah?” +I inquired. “Is it forbidden in the law of God?” +“I know not,” said he, “but one thing I know, that +the sages have forbidden it.” “Sages like yourself,” +cried I with warmth; “sages like yourself, with long beards and +short understandings: the use of both drinks is permitted, but more +danger lurks in this bottle than in a tun of wine. Well said my +Lord the Nazarene, ‘ye strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel’; +but as you are cold and shivering, take the bottle and revive yourself +with a small portion of its contents.” He put it to his +lips and found not a single drop. The old Genoese grinned.<br> +<br> +“Bestia,” said he, “I saw by your looks that you wished +to drink of that bottle, and I said within me, even though I suffocate, +yet will I not leave one drop of the aguardiente of the Christian Cavalier +to be wasted on that Jew, on whose head may evil lightnings fall.”<br> +<br> +“Now, Sir Cavalier,” he continued, “you can go ashore; +these two sailors shall row you to the Mole, and convey your baggage +where you think proper; may the Virgin bless you wherever you go.”<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER LV<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Mole - The Two Moors - Djmah of Tangier - House of God - British +Consul - Curious Spectacle - The Moorish House - Joanna Correa - Ave +Maria.<br> +<br> +So we rode to the Mole and landed. This Mole consists at present +of nothing more than an immense number of large loose stones, which +run about five hundred yards into the bay; they are part of the ruins +of a magnificent pier which the English, who were the last foreign nation +which held Tangier, destroyed when they evacuated the place. The +Moors have never attempted to repair it; the surf at high water breaks +over it with great fury. I found it a difficult task to pick my +way over the slippery stones, and should once or twice have fallen but +for the kindness of the Genoese mariners. At last we reached the +beach, and were proceeding towards the gate of the town, when two persons, +Moors, came up to us. I almost started at sight of the first; +he was a huge old barbarian with a white uncombed beard, dirty turban, +haik, and trousers, naked legs, and immense splay feet, the heels of +which stood out a couple of inches at least behind his rusty black slippers.<br> +<br> +“That is the captain of the port,” said one of the Genoese; +“pay him respect.” I accordingly doffed my hat and +cried, “<i>Sba alkheir a sidi</i>” (Good-morning, my lord). +“Are you Englishmans?” shouted the old grisly giant. +“Englishmans, my lord,” I replied, and, advancing, presented +him my hand, which he nearly wrung off with his tremendous gripe. +The other Moor now addressed me in a jargon composed of English, Spanish, +and Arabic. A queer-looking personage was he also, but very different +in most respects from his companion, being shorter by a head at least, +and less complete by one eye, for the left orb of vision was closed, +leaving him, as the Spaniards style it, <i>tuerto; </i>he, however, +far outshone the other in cleanliness of turban, haik, and trousers. +From what he jabbered to me, I collected that he was the English consul’s +mahasni or soldier; that the consul, being aware of my arrival, had +dispatched him to conduct me to his house. He then motioned me +to follow him, which I did, the old port captain attending us to the +gate, when he turned aside into a building, which I judged to be a kind +of custom-house from the bales and boxes of every description piled +up before it. We passed the gate and proceeded up a steep and +winding ascent; on our left was a battery full of guns, pointing to +the sea, and on our right a massive wall, seemingly in part cut out +of the hill; a little higher up we arrived at an opening where stood +the mosque which I have already mentioned. As I gazed upon the +tower I said to myself, “Surely we have here a younger sister +of the Giralda of Seville.”<br> +<br> +I know not whether the resemblance between the two edifices has been +observed by any other individual; and perhaps there are those who would +assert that no resemblance exists, especially if, in forming an opinion, +they were much swayed by size and colour: the hue of the Giralda is +red, or rather vermilion, whilst that which predominates in the Djmah +of Tangier is green, the bricks of which it is built being of that colour; +though between them, at certain intervals, are placed others of a light +red tinge, so that the tower is beautifully variegated. With respect +to size, standing beside the giant witch of Seville, the Tangerine Djmah +would show like a ten-year sapling in the vicinity of the cedar of Lebanon, +whose trunk the tempests of five hundred years have worn. And +yet I will assert that the towers in other respects are one and the +same, and that the same mind and the same design are manifested in both; +the same shape do they exhibit, and the same marks have they on their +walls, even those mysterious arches graven on the superficies of the +bricks, emblematic of I know not what. The two structures may, +without any violence, be said to stand in the same relation to each +other as the ancient and modern Moors. The Giralda is the world’s +wonder, and the old Moor was all but the world’s conqueror. +The modern Moor is scarcely known, and who ever heard of the Tower of +Tangier? Yet examine it attentively, and you will find in that +tower much, very much, to admire, and certainly, if opportunity enable +you to consider the modern Moor as minutely, you will discover in him, +and in his actions, amongst much that is wild, uncouth, and barbarous, +not a little capable of amply rewarding laborious investigation.<br> +<br> +As we passed the mosque I stopped for a moment before the door, and +looked in upon the interior: I saw nothing but a quadrangular court +paved with painted tiles and exposed to the sky; on all sides were arched +piazzas, and in the middle was a fountain, at which several Moors were +performing their ablutions. I looked around for the abominable +thing, and found it not; no scarlet strumpet with a crown of false gold +sat nursing an ugly changeling in a niche. “Come here,” +said I, “papist, and take a lesson; here is a house of God, in +externals at least, such as a house of God should be: four walls, a +fountain, and the eternal firmament above, which mirrors his glory. +Dost thou build such houses to the God who hast said, ‘Thou shalt +make to thyself no graven image’? Fool, thy walls are stuck +with idols; thou callest a stone thy Father, and a piece of rotting +wood the Queen of Heaven. Fool, thou knowest not even the Ancient +of Days, and the very Moor can instruct thee. He at least knows +the Ancient of Days who has said, ‘Thou shalt have no other gods +but me.’”<br> +<br> +And as I said these words, I heard a cry like the roaring of a lion, +and an awful voice in the distance exclaim, “<i>Kapul</i> <i>Udbagh</i>”<i> +</i>(there is no god but one).<br> +<br> +We now turned to the left through a passage which passed under the tower, +and had scarcely proceeded a few steps, when I heard a prodigious hubbub +of infantine voices: I listened for a moment, and distinguished verses +of the Koran; it was a school. Another lesson for thee, papist. +Thou callest thyself a Christian, yet the book of Christ thou persecutest; +thou huntest it even to the sea-shore, compelling it to seek refuge +upon the billows of the sea. Fool, learn a lesson from the Moor, +who teaches his child to repeat with its first accents the most important +portions of the book of his law, and considers himself wise or foolish, +according as he is versed in or ignorant of that book; whilst thou, +blind slave, knowest not what the book of thy own law contains, nor +wishest to know: yet art thou not to be judged by thy own law? +Idolmonger, learn consistency from the Moor: he says that he shall be +judged after his own law, and therefore he prizes and gets by heart +the entire book of his law.<br> +<br> +We were now at the consul’s house, a large roomy habitation, built +in the English style. The soldier led me through a court into +a large hall hung with the skins of all kinds of ferocious animals, +from the kingly lion to the snarling jackal. Here I was received +by a Jew domestic, who conducted me at once to the consul, who was in +his library. He received me with the utmost frankness and genuine +kindness, and informed me that, having received a letter from his excellent +friend Mr. B., in which I was strongly recommended, he had already engaged +me a lodging in the house of a Spanish woman, who was, however, a British +subject, and with whom he believed that I should find myself as comfortable +as it was possible to be in such a place as Tangier. He then inquired +if I had any particular motive for visiting the place, 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 place. He smiled, and advised +me to proceed with considerable caution, which I promised to do. +We then discoursed on other subjects, and it was not long before I perceived +that I was in the company of a most accomplished scholar, especially +in the Greek and Latin classics; he appeared likewise to be thoroughly +acquainted with the Barbary empire and with the Moorish character.<br> +<br> +After half an hour’s conversation, exceedingly agreeable and instructive +to myself, I expressed a wish to proceed to my lodging: whereupon he +rang the bell, and the same Jewish domestic entering who had introduced +me, he said to him in the English language, “Take this gentleman +to the house of Joanna Correa, the Mahonese widow, and enjoin her, in +my name, to take care of him and attend to his comforts; by doing which +she will confirm me in the good opinion which I at present entertain +of her, and will increase my disposition to befriend her.”<br> +<br> +So, attended by the Jew, I now bent my steps to the lodging prepared +for me. Having ascended the street in which the house of the consul +was situated, we entered a small square which stands about half way +up the hill. This, my companion informed me, was the soc, or market-place. +A curious spectacle here presented itself. All round the square +were small wooden booths, which very much resembled large boxes turned +on their sides, the lid being supported above by a string. Before +each of these boxes was a species of counter, or rather one long counter +ran in front of the whole line, upon which were raisins, dates, and +small barrels of sugar, soap, and butter, and various other articles. +Within each box, in front of the counter, and about three feet from +the ground, sat a human being, with a blanket on its shoulders, a dirty +turban on its head, and ragged trousers, which descended as far as the +knee, though in some instances, I believe, these were entirely dispensed +with. In its hand it held a stick, to the end of which was affixed +a bunch of palm leaves, which it waved incessantly as a fan, for the +purpose of scaring from its goods the million flies which, engendered +by the Barbary sun, endeavoured to settle upon them. Behind it, +and on either side, were piles of the same kind of goods. <i>Shrit +hinai, shrit hinai,</i> (buy here, buy here), was continually proceeding +from its mouth. Such are the grocers of Tangier, such their shops.<br> +<br> +In the middle of the soc, upon the stones, were pyramids of melons and +sandias, (the water species), and also baskets filled with other kinds +of fruit, exposed for sale, whilst round cakes of bread were lying here +and there upon the stones, beside which sat on their hams the wildest-looking +beings that the most extravagant imagination ever conceived, the head +covered with an enormous straw hat, at least two yards in circumference, +the eaves of which, flapping down, completely concealed the face, whilst +the form was swathed in a blanket, from which occasionally were thrust +skinny arms and fingers. These were Moorish women, who were, I +believe, in all instances, old and ugly, judging from the countenances +of which I caught a glimpse as they lifted the eaves of their hats to +gaze on me as I passed, or to curse me for stamping on their bread. +The whole soc was full of peoples and there was abundance of bustle, +screaming, and vociferation, and as the sun, though the hour was still +early, was shining with the greatest brilliancy, I thought that I had +scarcely ever witnessed a livelier scene.<br> +<br> +Crossing the soc we entered a narrow street with the same kind of box-shops +on each side, some of which, however, were either unoccupied or not +yet opened, the lid being closed. We almost immediately turned +to the left, up a street somewhat similar, and my guide presently entered +the door of a low house, which stood at the corner of a little alley, +and which he informed me was the abode of Joanna Correa. We soon +stood in the midst of this habitation. I say the midst, as all +the Moorish houses are built with a small court in the middle. +This one was not more than ten feet square. It was open at the +top, and around it on three sides were apartments; on the fourth a small +staircase, which communicated with the upper story, half of which consisted +of a terrace looking down into the court, over the low walls of which +you enjoyed a prospect of the sea and a considerable part of the town. +The rest of the story was taken up by a long room, destined for myself, +and which opened upon the terrace by a pair of folding-doors. +At either end of this apartment stood a bed, extending transversely +from wall to wall, the canopy touching the ceiling. A table and +two or three chairs completed the furniture.<br> +<br> +I was so occupied in inspecting the house of Joanna Correa, that at +first I paid little attention to that lady herself. She now, however, +came up upon the terrace where my guide and myself were standing. +She was a woman about five and forty, with regular features, which had +once been handsome, but had received considerable injury from time, +and perhaps more from trouble. Two of her front teeth had disappeared, +but she still had fine black hair. As I looked upon her countenance, +I said within myself, if there be truth in physiognomy, thou art good +and gentle, O Joanna; and, indeed, 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 before. I believe +no warmer and more affectionate heart ever beat in human bosom than +in that of Joanna Correa, the Mahonese widow, and it was indexed by +features beaming with benevolence and good nature, though somewhat clouded +with melancholy.<br> +<br> +She informed me that she had been married to a Genoese, the master of +a felouk which passed between Gibraltar and Tangier, who had been dead +about four years, leaving her with a family of four children, the eldest +of which was a lad of thirteen; that she had experienced great difficulty +in providing for her family and herself since the death of her husband, +but that Providence had raised her up a few excellent friends, especially +the British consul; that besides letting lodgings to such travellers +as myself, she made bread which was in high esteem with the Moors, and +that she was likewise in partnership in the sale of liquors with an +old Genoese. She added, that this last person lived below in one +of the apartments; that he was a man of great ability and much learning, +but that she believed he was occasionally somewhat touched here, pointing +with her finger to her forehead, and she therefore hoped that I would +not be offended at anything extraordinary in his language or behaviour. +She then left me, as she said, to give orders for my breakfast; whereupon +the Jewish domestic, who had accompanied me from the consul, finding +that I was established in the house, departed.<br> +<br> +I speedily sat down to breakfast in an apartment on the left side of +the little wustuddur, the fare was excellent; tea, fried fish, eggs, +and grapes, not forgetting the celebrated bread of Joanna Correa. +I was waited upon by a tall Jewish youth of about twenty years, who +informed me that his name was Haim Ben Atar, that he was a native of +Fez, from whence his parents brought him at a very early age to Tangier, +where he had passed the greater part of his life principally in the +service of Joanna Correa, waiting upon those who, like myself, lodged +in the house. I had completed my meal, and was seated in the little +court, when I heard in the apartment opposite to that in which I had +breakfasted several sighs, which were succeeded by as many groans, and +then came “<i>Ave Maria, gratia plena, ora pro</i> <i>me</i>,” +and finally a croaking voice chanted:-<br> +<br> +<br> +“Gentem auferte perfidam<br> +Credentium de finibus,<br> +Ut Christo laudes debitas<br> +Persolvamus alacriter.”<br> +<br> +<br> +“That is the old Genoese,” whispered Haim Ben Atar, “praying +to his God, which he always does with particular devotion when he happens +to have gone to bed the preceding evening rather in liquor. He +has in his room a picture of Maria Buckra, before which he generally +burns a taper, and on her account he will never permit me to enter his +apartment. He once caught me looking at her, and I thought he +would have killed me, and since then he always keeps his chamber locked, +and carries the key in his pocket when he goes out. He hates both +Jew and Moor, and says that he is now living amongst them for his sins.”<br> +<br> +“They do not place tapers before pictures,” said I, and +strolled forth to see the wonders of the land.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER LVI<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +The Mahasni - Sin Samani - The Bazaar - Moorish Saints - See the Ayana! +- The Prickly Fig - Jewish Graves - The Place of Carcases - The Stable +Boy - Horses of the Moslem - Dar Dwag.<br> +<br> +I was standing in the market-place, a spectator of much the same scene +as I have already described, when a Moor came up to me and attempted +to utter a few words in Spanish. He was a tall elderly man, with +sharp but rather whimsical features, and might have been called good-looking, +had he not been one-eyed, a very common deformity in this country. +His body was swathed in an immense haik. Finding that I could +understand Moorish, he instantly began talking with immense volubility, +and I soon learned that he was a Mahasni. He expatiated diffusely +on the beauties of Tangier, of which he said he was a native, and at +last exclaimed, “Come, my sultan, come, my lord, and I will show +you many things which will gladden your eyes, and fill your heart with +sunshine; it were a shame in me, who have the advantage of being a son +of Tangier, to permit a stranger who comes from an island in the great +sea, as you tell me you do, for the purpose of seeing this blessed land, +to stand here in the soc with no one to guide him. By Allah, it +shall not be so. Make room for my sultan, make room for my lord,” +he continued, pushing his way through a crowd of men and children who +had gathered round us; “it is his highness’ pleasure to +go with me. This way, my lord, this way”; and he led the +way up the hill, walking at a tremendous rate and talking still faster. +“This street,” said he, “is the Siarrin, and its like +is not to be found in Tangier; observe how broad it is, even half the +breadth of the soc itself; here are the shops of the most considerable +merchants, where are sold precious articles of all kinds. Observe +those two men, they are Algerines and good Moslems; they fled from Zair +<i>(Algiers) </i>when the Nazarenes conquered it, not by force of fighting, +not by valour, as you may well suppose, but by gold; the Nazarenes only +conquer by gold. The Moor is good, the Moor is strong, who so +good and strong? but he fights not with gold, and therefore he lost +Zair.<br> +<br> +“Observe you those men seated on the benches by those portals: +they are Mahasniah, they are my brethren. See their haiks how +white, see their turbans how white. O that you could see their +swords in the day of war, for bright, bright are their swords. +Now they bear no swords. Wherefore should they? Is there +not peace in the land? See you him in the shop opposite? +That is the Pasha of Tangier, that is the Hamed Sin Samani, the under +Pasha of Tangier; the elder Pasha, my lord, is away on a journey; may +Allah send him a safe return. Yes, that is Hamed; he sits in his +hanutz as were he nought more than a merchant, yet life and death are +in his hands. There he dispenses justice, even as he dispenses +the essence of the rose and cochineal, and powder of cannon and sulphur; +and these two last he sells on the account of Abderrahman, my lord and +sultan, for none can sell powder and the sulphur dust in his land but +the sultan. Should you wish to purchase atar del nuar, should +you wish to purchase the essence of the rose, you must go to the hanutz +of Sin Samani, for there only you will get it pure; you must receive +it from no common Moor, but only from Hamed. May Allah bless Hamed. +The Mahasniah, my brethren, wait to do his orders, for wherever sits +the Pasha, there is a hall of judgment. See, now we are opposite +the bazaar; beneath yon gate is the court of the bazaar; what will you +not find in that bazaar? Silks from Fez you will find there; and +if you wish for sibat, if you wish for slippers for your feet, you must +seek them there, and there also are sold curious things from the towns +of the Nazarenes. Those large houses on our left are habitations +of Nazarene consuls; you have seen many such in your own land, therefore +why should you stay to look at them? Do you not admire this street +of the Siarrin? Whatever enters or goes out of Tangier by the +land passes through this street. Oh, the riches that pass through +this street! Behold those camels, what a long train; twenty, thirty, +a whole cafila descending the street. Wullah! I know those +camels, I know the driver. Good day, O Sidi Hassim, in how many +days from Fez? And now we are arrived at the wall, and we must +pass under this gate. This gate is called Bab del Faz; we are +now in the Soc de Barra.”<br> +<br> +The Soc de Barra is an open place beyond the upper wall of Tangier, +on the side of the hill. The ground is irregular and steep; there +are, however, some tolerably level spots. In this place, every +Thursday and Sunday morning, a species of mart is held, on which account +it is called Soc de Barra, or the outward market-place. Here and +there, near the town ditch, are subterranean pits with small orifices, +about the circumference of a chimney, which are generally covered with +a large stone, or stuffed with straw. These pits are granaries, +in which wheat, barley, and other species of grain intended for sale +are stored. On one side are two or three rude huts, or rather +sheds, beneath which keep watch the guardians of the corn. It +is very dangerous to pass over this hill at night, after the town gates +are closed, as at that time numerous large and ferocious dogs are let +loose, who would to a certainty pull down, and perhaps destroy, any +stranger who should draw nigh. Half way up the hill are seen four +white walls, inclosing a spot about ten feet square, where rest the +bones of Sidi Mokhfidh, a saint of celebrity, who died some fifteen +years ago. Here terminates the soc; the remainder of the hill +is called El Kawar, or the place of graves, being the common burying +ground of Tangier; the resting places of the dead are severally distinguished +by a few stones arranged so as to form an oblong circle. Near +Mokhfidh sleeps Sidi Gali; but the principal saint of Tangier lies interred +on the top of the hill, in the centre of a small plain. A beautiful +chapel or mosque, with vaulted roof, is erected there in his honour, +which is in general adorned with banners of various dyes. The +name of this saint is Mohammed el Hadge, and his memory is held in the +utmost veneration in Tangier and its vicinity. His death occurred +at the commencement of the present century.<br> +<br> +These details I either gathered at the time or on subsequent occasions. +On the north side of the soc, close by the town, is a wall with a gate. +“Come,” said the old Mahasni, giving a flourish with his +hand; “Come, and I will show you the garden of a Nazarene consul.” +I followed him through the gate, and found myself in a spacious garden +laid out in the European taste, and planted with lemon and pear trees, +and various kinds of aromatic shrubs. It was, however, evident +that the owner chiefly prided himself on his flowers, of which there +were numerous beds. There was a handsome summerhouse, and art +seemed to have exhausted itself in making the place complete.<br> +<br> +One thing was wanting, and its absence was strangely remarkable in a +garden at this time of the year; scarcely a leaf was to be seen. +The direst of all the plagues which devastated Egypt was now busy in +this part of Africa - the locust was at work, and in no place more fiercely +than in the particular spot where I was now standing. All around +looked blasted. The trees were brown and bald as in winter. +Nothing green save the fruits, especially the grapes, huge clusters +of which were depending from the “parras”; for the locust +touches not the fruit whilst a single leaf remains to be devoured. +As we passed along the walks these horrible insects flew against us +in every direction, and perished by hundreds beneath our feet. +“See the ayanas,” said the old Mahasni, “and hear +them eating. Powerful is the ayana, more powerful than the sultan +or the consul. Should the sultan send all his Mahasniah against +the ayana, should he send me with them, the ayana would say, ‘Ha! +ha!’ Powerful is the ayana! He fears not the consul. +A few weeks ago the consul said, ‘I am stronger than the ayana, +and I will extirpate him from the land.’ So he shouted through +the city, ‘O Tangerines! speed forth to fight the ayana, - destroy +him in the egg; for know that whosoever shall bring me one pound weight +of the eggs of the ayana, unto him will I give five reals of Spain; +there shall be no ayanas this year.’ So all Tangier rushed +forth to fight the ayana, and to collect the eggs which the ayana had +laid to hatch beneath the sand on the sides of the hills, and in the +roads, and in the plains. And my own child, who is seven years +old, went forth to fight the ayana, and he alone collected eggs to the +weight of five pounds, eggs which the ayana had placed beneath the sand, +and he carried them to the consul, and the consul paid the price. +And hundreds carried eggs to the consul, more or less, and the consul +paid them the price, and in less than three days the treasure chest +of the consul was exhausted. And then he cried, ‘Desist, +O Tangerines! perhaps we have destroyed the ayana, perhaps we have destroyed +them all.’ Ha! ha! Look around you, and beneath you, +and above you, and tell me whether the consul has destroyed the ayana. +Oh, powerful is the ayana! More powerful than the consul, more +powerful than the sultan and all his armies.”<br> +<br> +It will be as well to observe here, that within a week from this time +all the locusts had disappeared, no one knew how, only a few stragglers +remained. But for this providential deliverance, the fields and +gardens in the vicinity of Tangier would have been totally devastated. +These insects were of an immense size, and of a loathly aspect.<br> +<br> +We now passed over the see to the opposite side, where stand the huts +of the guardians. Here a species of lane presents itself, which +descends to the sea-shore; it is deep and precipitous, and resembles +a gully or ravine. The banks on either side are covered with the +tree which bears the prickly fig, called in Moorish, <i>Kermous del +Inde. </i>There is something wild and grotesque in the appearance +of this tree or plant, for I know not which to call it. Its stem, +though frequently of the thickness of a man’s body, has no head, +but divides itself, at a short distance from the ground, into many crooked +branches, which shoot in all directions, and bear green and uncouth +leaves, about half an inch in thickness, and which, if they resemble +anything, present the appearance of the fore fins of a seal, and consist +of multitudinous fibres. The fruit, which somewhat resembles a +pear, has a rough tegument covered with minute prickles, which instantly +enter the hand which touches them, however slightly, and are very difficult +to extract. I never remember to have seen vegetation in ranker +luxuriance than that which these fig-trees exhibited, nor upon the whole +a more singular spot. “Follow me,” said the Mahasni, +“and I will show you something which you will like to see.” +So he turned to the left, leading the way by a narrow path up the steep +bank, till we reached the summit of a hillock, separated by a deep ditch +from the wall of Tangier. The ground was thickly covered with +the trees already described, which spread their strange arms along the +surface, and whose thick leaves crushed beneath our feet as we walked +along. Amongst them I observed a large number of stone slabs lying +horizontally; they were rudely scrawled over with odd characters, which +I stooped down to inspect. “Are you Talib enough to read +those signs?” exclaimed the old Moor. “They are letters +of the accursed Jews; this is their mearrah, as they call it, and here +they inter their dead. Fools, they trust in Muza, when they might +believe in Mohammed, and therefore their dead shall burn everlastingly +in Jehinnim. See, my sultan, how fat is the soil of this mearrah +of the Jews; see what kermous grow here. When I was a boy I often +came to the mearrah of the Jews to eat kermous in the season of their +ripeness. The Moslem boys of Tangier love the kermous of the mearrah +of the Jews; but the Jews will not gather them. They say that +the waters of the springs which nourish the roots of these trees, pass +among the bodies of their dead, and for that reason it is an abomination +to taste of these fruits. Be this true, or be it not, one thing +is certain, in whatever manner nourished, good are the kermous which +grow in the mearrah of the Jews.”<br> +<br> +We returned to the lane by the same path by which we had come: as we +were descending it he said, “Know, my sultan, that the name of +the place where we now are, and which you say you like much, is Dar +Sinah <i>(the house of the</i> <i>trades). </i>You will ask me +why it bears that name, as you see neither house nor man, neither Moslem, +Nazarene, nor Jew, only our two selves; I will tell you, my sultan, +for who can tell you better than myself? Learn, I pray you, that +Tangier was not always what it is now, nor did it occupy always the +place which it does now. It stood yonder (pointing to the east) +on those hills above the shore, and ruins of houses are still to be +seen there, and the spot is called Old Tangier. So in the old +time, as I have heard say, this Dar Sinah was a street, whether without +or within the wall matters not, and there resided men of all trades; +smiths of gold and silver, and iron, and tin, and artificers of all +kinds: you had only to go to the Dar Sinah if you wished for anything +wrought, and there instantly you would find a master of the particular +craft. My sultan tells me he likes the look of Dar Sinah at the +present day; truly I know not why, especially as the kermous are not +yet in their ripeness nor fit to eat. If he likes Dar Sinah now, +how would my sultan have liked it in the olden time, when it was filled +with gold and silver, and iron and tin, and was noisy with the hammers, +and the masters and the cunning men? We are now arrived at the +Chali del Bahar (sea-shore). Take care, my sultan, we tread upon +bones.”<br> +<br> +We had emerged from the Dar Sinah, and the sea-shore was before us; +on a sudden we found ourselves amongst a multitude of bones of all kinds +of animals, and seemingly of all dates; some being blanched with time +and exposure to sun and wind, whilst to others the flesh still partly +clung; whole carcases were here, horses, asses, and even the uncouth +remains of a camel. Gaunt dogs were busy here, growling, tearing, +and gnawing; amongst whom, unintimidated, stalked the carrion vulture, +fiercely battening and even disputing with the brutes the garbage; whilst +the crow hovered overhead and croaked wistfully, or occasionally perched +upon some upturned rib bone. “See,” said the Mahasni, +“the kawar of the animals. My sultan has seen the kawar +of the Moslems and the mearrah of the Jews; and he sees here the kawar +of the animals. All the animals which die in Tangier by the hand +of God, horse, dog, or camel, are brought to this spot, and here they +putrefy or are devoured by the birds of the heaven or the wild creatures +that prowl on the chali. Come, my sultan, it is not good to remain +long in this place.”<br> +<br> +We were preparing to leave the spot, when we heard a galloping down +the Dar Sinah, and presently a horse and rider darted at full speed +from the mouth of the lane and appeared upon the strand; the horseman, +when he saw us, pulled up his steed with much difficulty, and joined +us. The horse was small but beautiful, a sorrel with long mane +and tail; had he been hoodwinked he might perhaps have been mistaken +for a Cordovese jaca; he was broad-chested, and rotund in his hind quarters, +and possessed much of the plumpness and sleekness which distinguish +that breed, but looking in his eyes you would have been undeceived in +a moment; a wild savage fire darted from the restless orbs, and so far +from exhibiting the docility of the other noble and loyal animal, he +occasionally plunged desperately, and could scarcely be restrained by +a strong curb and powerful arm from resuming his former headlong course. +The rider was a youth, apparently about eighteen, dressed as a European, +with a Montero cap on his head: he was athletically built, but with +lengthy limbs, his feet, for he rode without stirrups or saddle, reaching +almost to the ground; his complexion was almost as dark as that of a +Mulatto; his features very handsome, the eyes particularly so, but filled +with an expression which was bold and bad; and there was a disgusting +look of sensuality about the mouth. He addressed a few words to +the Mahasni, with whom he seemed to be well acquainted, inquiring who +I was. The old man answered, “O Jew, my sultan understands +our speech, thou hadst better address thyself to him.” The +lad then spoke to me in Arabic, but almost instantly dropping that language +proceeded to discourse in tolerable French. “I suppose you +are French,” said he with much familiarity, “shall you stay +long in Tangier?” Having received an answer, he proceeded, +“as you are an Englishman, you are doubtless fond of horses, know, +therefore, whenever you are disposed for a ride, I will accompany you, +and procure you horses. My name is Ephraim Fragey: I am stable-boy +to the Neapolitan consul, who prizes himself upon possessing the best +horses in Tangier; you shall mount any you please. Would you like +to try this little aoud (<i>stallion</i>)?” I thanked him, +but declined his offer for the present, asking him at the same time +how he had acquired the French language, and why he, a Jew, did not +appear in the dress of his brethren? “I am in the service +of a consul,” said he, “and my master obtained permission +that I might dress myself in this manner; and as to speaking French, +I have been to Marseilles and Naples, to which last place I conveyed +horses, presents from the Sultan. Besides French, I can speak +Italian.” He then dismounted, and holding the horse firmly +by the bridle with one hand, proceeded to undress himself, which having +accomplished, he mounted the animal and rode into the water. The +skin of his body was much akin in colour to that of a frog or toad, +but the frame was that of a young Titan. The horse took to the +water with great unwillingness, and at a small distance from the shore +commenced struggling with his rider, whom he twice dashed from his back; +the lad, however, clung to the bridle, and detained the animal. +All his efforts, however, being unavailing to ride him deeper in, he +fell to washing him strenuously with his hands, then leading him out, +he dressed himself and returned by the way he came.<br> +<br> +“Good are the horses of the Moslems,” said my old friend, +“where will you find such? They will descend rocky mountains +at full speed and neither trip nor fall, but you must be cautious with +the horses of the Moslems, and treat them with kindness, for the horses +of the Moslems are proud, and they like not being slaves. When +they are young and first mounted, jerk not their mouths with your bit, +for be sure if you do they will kill you; sooner or later, you will +perish beneath their feet. Good are our horses; and good our riders, +yea, very good are the Moslems at mounting the horse; who are like them? +I once saw a Frank rider compete with a Moslem on this beach, and at +first the Frank rider had it all his own way, and he passed the Moslem, +but the course was long, very long, and the horse of the Frank rider, +which was a Frank also, panted; but the horse of the Moslem panted not, +for he was a Moslem also, and the Moslem rider at last gave a cry and +the horse sprang forward and he overtook the Frank horse, and then the +Moslem rider stood up in his saddle. How did he stand? Truly +he stood on his head, and these eyes saw him; he stood on his head in +the saddle as he passed the Frank rider; and he cried ha! ha! as he +passed the Frank rider; and the Moslem horse cried ha! ha! as he passed +the Frank breed, and the Frank lost by a far distance. Good are +the Franks; good their horses; but better are the Moslems, and better +the horses of the Moslems.”<br> +<br> +We now directed our steps towards the town, but not by the path we came: +turning to the left under the hill of the mearrah, and along the strand, +we soon came to a rudely paved way with a steep ascent, which wound +beneath the wall of the town to a gate, before which, on one side, were +various little pits like graves, filled with water or lime. “This +is Dar Dwag,” said the Mahasni; “this is the house of the +bark, and to this house are brought the hides; all those which are prepared +for use in Tangier are brought to this house, and here they are cured +with lime, and bran, and bark, and herbs. And in this Dar Dwag +there are one hundred and forty pits; I have counted them myself; and +there were more which have now ceased to be, for the place is very ancient. +And these pits are hired not by one, nor by two, but by many people, +and whosoever list can rent one of these pits and cure the hides which +he may need; but the owner of all is one man, and his name is Cado Ableque. +And now my sultan has seen the house of the bark, and I will show him +nothing more this day; for to-day is Youm al Jumal (<i>Friday</i>), +and the gates will be presently shut whilst the Moslems perform their +devotions. So I will accompany my sultan to the guest house, and +there I will leave him for the present.”<br> +<br> +We accordingly passed through a gate, and ascending a street found ourselves +before the mosque where I had stood in the morning; in another minute +or two we were at the door of Joanna Correa. I now offered my +kind guide a piece of silver as a remuneration for his trouble, whereupon +he drew himself up and said:-<br> +<br> +“The silver of my sultan I will not take, for I consider that +I have done nothing to deserve it. We have not yet visited all +the wonderful things of this blessed town. On a future day I will +conduct my sultan to the castle of the governor, and to other places +which my sultan will be glad to see; and when we have seen all we can, +and my sultan is content with me, if at any time he see me in the soc +of a morning, with my basket in my hand, and he see nothing in that +basket, then is my sultan at liberty as a friend to put grapes in my +basket, or bread in my basket, or fish or meat in my basket. That +will I not refuse of my sultan, when I shall have done more for him +than I have now. But the silver of my sultan will I not take now +nor at any time.” He then waved his hand gently and departed.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +CHAPTER LVII<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Strange Trio - The Mulatto - The Peace-offering - Moors of Granada - +Vive la Guadeloupo - The Moors - Pascual Fava - Blind Algerine - The +Retreat.<br> +<br> +Three men were seated in the wustuddur of Joanna Correa, when I entered; +singular-looking men they all were, though perhaps three were never +gathered together more unlike to each other in all points. The +first on whom I cast my eye was a man about sixty, dressed in a grey +kerseymere coat with short lappets, yellow waistcoat, and wide coarse +canvas trousers; upon his head was a very broad dirty straw hat, and +in his hand he held a thick cane with ivory handle; his eyes were bleared +and squinting, his face rubicund, and his nose much carbuncled. +Beside him sat a good-looking black, who perhaps appeared more negro +than he really was, from the circumstance of his being dressed in spotless +white jean - jerkin, waistcoat, and pantaloons being all of that material: +his head gear consisted of a blue Montero cap. His eyes sparkled +like diamonds, and there was an indescribable expression of good humour +and fun upon his countenance. The third man was a Mulatto, and +by far the most remarkable personage of the group: he might be between +thirty and forty; his body was very long, and though uncouthly put together, +exhibited every mark of strength and vigour; it was cased in a ferioul +of red wool, a kind of garment which descends below the hips. +His long muscular and hairy arms were naked from the elbow, where the +sleeves of the ferioul terminate; his under limbs were short in comparison +with his body and arms; his legs were bare, but he wore blue kandrisa +as far as the knee; every features of his face was ugly, exceedingly +and bitterly ugly, and one of his eyes was sightless, being covered +with a white film. By his side on the ground was a large barrel, +seemingly a water-cask, which he occasionally seized with a finger and +thumb, and waved over his head as if it had been a quart pot. +Such was the trio who now occupied the wustuddur of Joanna Correa: and +I had scarcely time to remark what I have just recorded, when that good +lady entered from a back court with her handmaid Johar, or the pearl, +an ugly fat Jewish girl with an immense mole on her cheek.<br> +<br> +“<i>Que Dios remate tu nombre</i>,” exclaimed the Mulatto; +“may Allah blot out your name, Joanna, and may he likewise blot +out that of your maid Johar. It is more than fifteen minutes that +I have been seated here, after having poured out into the tinaja the +water which I brought from the fountain, and during all that time I +have waited in vain for one single word of civility from yourself or +from Johar. <i>Usted no tiene modo, </i>you have no manner with +you, nor more has Johar. This is the only house in Tangier where +I am not received with fitting love and respect, and yet I have done +more for you than for any other person. Have I not filled your +tinaja with water when other people have gone without a drop? +When even the consul and the interpreter of the consul had no water +to slake their thirst, have you not had enough to wash your wustuddur? +And what is my return? When I arrive in the heat of the day, I +have not one kind word spoken to me, nor so much as a glass of makhiah +offered to me; must I tell you all that I do for you, Joanna? +Truly I must, for you have no manner with you. Do I not come every +morning just at the third hour; and do I not knock at your door; and +do you not arise and let me in, and then do I not knead your bread in +your presence, whilst you lie in bed, and because I knead it, is not +yours the best bread in Tangier? For am I not the strongest man +in Tangier, and the most noble also?” Here he brandished +his barrel over his head, and his face looked almost demoniacal. +“Hear me, Joanna,” he continued, “you know that I +am the strongest man in Tangier, and I tell you again, for the thousandth +time, that I am the most noble. Who are the consuls? Who +is the Pasha? They are pashas and consuls now, but who were their +fathers? I know not, nor do they. But do I not know who +my fathers were? Were they not Moors of Garnata (<i>Granada</i>), +and is it not on that account that I am the strongest man in Tangier? +Yes, I am of the old Moors of Garnata, and my family has lived here, +as is well known, since Garnata was lost to the Nazarenes, and now I +am the only one of my family of the blood of the old Moors in all this +land, and on that account I am of nobler blood than the sultan, for +the sultan is not of the blood of the Moors of Garnata. Do you +laugh, Joanna? Does your maid Johar laugh? Am I not Hammin +Widdir, <i>el hombre</i> <i>mas valido de Tanger</i>? And is it +not true that I am of the blood of the Moors of Garnata? Deny +it, and I will kill you both, you and your maid Johar.”<br> +<br> +“You have been eating hashish and majoon, Hammin,” said +Joanna Correa, “and the Shaitan has entered into you, as he but +too frequently does. I have been busy, and so has Johar, or we +should have spoken to you before; however, mai doorshee <i>(it does +not signify), </i>I know how to pacify you now and at all times, will +you take some gin-bitters, or a glass of common makhiah?”<br> +<br> +“May you burst, O Joanna,” said the Mulatto, “and +may Johar also burst; I mean, may you both live many years, and know +neither pain nor sorrow. I will take the gin-bitters, O Joanna, +because they are stronger than the makhiah, which always appears to +me like water; and I like not water, though I carry it. Many thanks +to you, Joanna, here is health to you, Joanna, and to this good company.”<br> +<br> +She had handed him a large tumbler filled to the brim; he put it to +his nostrils, snuffled in the flavour, and then applying it to his mouth, +removed it not whilst one drop of the fluid remained. His features +gradually relaxed from their former angry expression, and looking particularly +amiable at Joanna, he at last said:<br> +<br> +“I hope that within a little time, O Joanna, you will be persuaded +that I am the strongest man in Tangier, and that I am sprung from the +blood of the Moors of Garnata, as then you will no longer refuse to +take me for a husband, you and your maid Johar, and to become Moors. +What a glory to you, after having been married to a Genoui, and given +birth to Genouillos, to receive for a husband a Moor like me, and to +bear him children of the blood of Garnata. What a glory too for +Johar, how much better than to marry a vile Jew, even like Hayim Ben +Atar, or your cook Sabia, both of whom I could strangle with two fingers, +for am I not Hammin Widdir Moro de Garnata, <i>el hombre mas</i> <i>valido +be Tanger</i>?” He then shouldered his barrel and departed.<br> +<br> +“Is that Mulatto really what he pretends to be?” said I +to Joanna; “is he a descendant of the Moors of Granada?”<br> +<br> +“He always talks about the Moors of Granada when he is mad with +majoon or aguardiente,” interrupted, in bad French, the old man +whom I have before described, and in the same croaking voice which I +had heard chanting in the morning. “Nevertheless it may +be true, and if he had not heard something of the kind from his parents, +he would never have imagined such a thing, for he is too stupid. +As I said before, it is by no means impossible: many of the families +of Granada settled down here when their town was taken by the Christians, +but the greater part went to Tunis. When I was there, I lodged +in the house of a Moor who called himself Zegri, and was always talking +of Granada and the things which his forefathers had done there. +He would moreover sit for hours singing romances of which I understood +not one word, praised be the mother of God, but which he said all related +to his family; there were hundreds of that name in Tunis, therefore +why should not this Hammin, this drunken water-carrier, be a Moor of +Granada also? He is ugly enough to be emperor of all the Moors. +O the accursed canaille, I have lived amongst them for my sins these +eight years, at Oran and here. Monsieur, do you not consider it +to be a hard case for an old man like myself, who am a Christian, to +live amongst a race who know not God, nor Christ, nor anything holy?”<br> +<br> +“What do you mean,” said I, “by asserting that the +Moors know not God? There is no people in the world who entertain +sublimer notions of the uncreated eternal God than the Moors, and no +people have ever shown themselves more zealous for his honour and glory; +their very zeal for the glory of God has been and is the chief obstacle +to their becoming Christians. They are afraid of compromising +his dignity by supposing that he ever condescended to become man. +And with respect to Christ, their ideas even of him are much more just +than those of the Papists, they say he is a mighty prophet, whilst, +according to the others, he is either a piece of bread or a helpless +infant. In many points of religion the Moors are wrong, dreadfully +wrong, but are the Papists less so? And one of their practices +sets them immeasurably below the Moors in the eyes of any unprejudiced +person: they bow down to idols, Christian idols if you like, but idols +still, things graven of wood and stone and brass, and from these things, +which can neither hear, nor speak, nor feel, they ask and expect to +obtain favours.”<br> +<br> +“<i>Vive la France, Vive la Guadeloupe</i>,” said the black, +with a good French accent. “In France and in Guadeloupe +there is no superstition, and they pay as much regard to the Bible as +to the Koran; I am now learning to read in order that I may understand +the writings of Voltaire, who, as I am told, has proved that both the +one and the other were written with the sole intention of deceiving +mankind. <i>O vive la France</i>! where will you find such an +enlightened country as France; and where will you find such a plentiful +country as France? Only one in the world, and that is Guadeloupe. +Is it not so, Monsieur Pascual? Were you ever at Marseilles? +<i>Ah quel bon pays est celui-la pour les</i> <i>vivres, pour les petits +poulets, pour les poulardes, pour les</i> <i>perdrix, pour les perdreaux, +pour les alouettes, pour les</i> <i>becasses, pour les becassines, enfin, +pour tout</i>.”<br> +<br> +“Pray, sir, are you a cook?” demanded I.<br> +<br> +“<i>Monsieur, je le suis pour vous rendre service, mon nom</i> +<i>c’est Gerard, et j’ai l’honneur d’etre chef +de cuisine chez</i> <i>monsieur le consul Hollandois. A present +je prie permission</i> <i>de vous saluer; il faut que j’aille +a la maison pour faire le</i> <i>diner de mon maitre</i>.”<br> +<br> +At four I went to dine with the British consul. Two other English +gentlemen were present, who had arrived at Tangier from Gibraltar about +ten days previously for a short excursion, and were now detained longer +than they wished by the Levant wind. They had already visited +the principal towns in Spain, and proposed spending the winter either +at Cadiz or Seville. One of them, Mr. -, struck me as being one +of the most remarkable men I had ever conversed with; he travelled not +for diversion nor instigated by curiosity, but merely with the hope +of doing spiritual good, chiefly by conversation. The consul soon +asked me what I thought of the Moors and their country. I told +him that what I had hitherto seen of both highly pleased me. He +said that were I to live amongst them ten years, as he had done, he +believed I should entertain a very different opinion; that no people +in the world were more false and cruel; that their government was one +of the vilest description, with which it was next to an impossibility +for any foreign power to hold amicable relations, as it invariably acted +with bad faith, and set at nought the most solemn treaties. That +British property and interests were every day subjected to ruin and +spoliation, and British subjects exposed to unheard-of vexations, without +the slightest hope of redress being afforded, save recourse was had +to force, the only argument to which the Moors were accessible. +He added, that towards the end of the preceding year an atrocious murder +had been perpetrated in Tangier: a Genoese family of three individuals +had perished, all of whom were British subjects, and entitled to the +protection of the British flag. The murderers were known, and +the principal one was even now in prison for the fact, yet all attempts +to bring him to condign punishment had hitherto proved abortive, as +he was a Moor, and his victims Christians. Finally he cautioned +me, not to take walks beyond the wall unaccompanied by a soldier, whom +he offered to provide for me should I desire it, as otherwise I incurred +great risk of being ill-treated by the Moors of the interior whom I +might meet, or perhaps murdered, 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 Nazarene, and appearing in a Nazarene dress. +He at length introduced the subject of the Gospel, and I was pleased +to learn that, during his residence in Tangier, he had distributed a +considerable quantity of Bibles amongst the natives in the Arabic language, +and that many of the learned men, or Talibs, had read the holy volume +with great interest, and that by this distribution, which, it is true, +was effected with much caution, no angry or unpleasant feeling had been +excited. He finally asked whether I had come with the intention +of circulating the Scripture amongst the Moors.<br> +<br> +I replied that I had no opportunity of doing so, as I had not one single +copy either in the Arable language or character. That the few +Testaments which were in my possession were in the Spanish language, +and were intended for circulation amongst the Christians of Tangier, +to whom they might be serviceable, as they all understood the language.<br> +<br> +It was night, and I was seated in the wustuddur of Joanna Correa, in +company with Pascual Fava the Genoese. The old man’s favourite +subject of discourse appeared to be religion, and he professed unbounded +love for the Saviour, and the deepest sense of gratitude for his miraculous +atonement for the sins of mankind. I should have listened to him +with pleasure had he not smelt very strongly of liquor, and by certain +incoherence of language and wildness of manner given indications of +being in some degree the worse for it. Suddenly two figures appeared +beneath the doorway; one was that of a bare-headed and bare-legged Moorish +boy of about ten years of age, dressed in a gelaba; he guided by the +hand an old man, whom I at once recognised as one of the Algerines, +the good Moslems of whom the old Mahasni had spoken in terms of praise +in the morning whilst we ascended the street of the Siarrin. He +was very short of stature and dirty in his dress; the lower part of +his face was covered with a stubbly white beard; before his eyes he +wore a large pair of spectacles, from which he evidently received but +little benefit, as he required the assistance of the guide at every +step. The two advanced a little way into the wustuddur and there +stopped. Pascual Fava no sooner beheld them, than assuming a jovial +air he started nimbly up, and leaning on his stick, for he had a bent +leg, limped to a cupboard, out of which he took a bottle and poured +out a glass of wine, singing in the broken kind of Spanish used by the +Moors of the coast:<br> +<br> +<br> +“Argelino,<br> +Moro fino,<br> +No beber vino,<br> +Ni comer tocino.”<br> +<br> +(Algerine,<br> +Moor so keen,<br> +No drink wine,<br> +No taste swine.)<br> +<br> +<br> +He then handed the wine to the old Moor, who drank it off, and then, +led by the boy, made for the door without saying a word.<br> +<br> +“<i>Hade mushe halal</i>,” (that is not lawful,) said I +to him with a loud voice.<br> +<br> +“<i>Cul shee halal</i>,” (everything is lawful,) said the +old Moor, turning his sightless and spectacled eyes in the direction +from which my voice reached him. “Of everything which God +has given, it is lawful for the children of God to partake.”<br> +<br> +“Who is that old man?” said I to Pascual Fava, after the +blind and the leader of the blind had departed. “Who is +he!” said Pascual; “who is he! He is a merchant now, +and keeps a shop in the Siarrin, but there was a time when no bloodier +pirate sailed out of Algier. That old blind wretch has cut more +throats than he has hairs in his beard. Before the French took +the place he was the rais or captain of a frigate, and many was the +poor Sardinian vessel which fell into his hands. After that affair +he fled to Tangier, and it is said that he brought with him a great +part of the booty which he had amassed in former times. Many other +Algerines came hither also, or to Tetuan, but he is the strangest guest +of them all. He keeps occasionally very extraordinary company +for a Moor, and is rather over intimate with the Jews. Well, that’s +no business of mine; only let him look to himself. If the Moors +should once suspect him, it were all over with him. Moors and +Jews, Jews and Moors! Oh my poor sins, my poor sins, that brought +me to live amongst them! -<br> +<br> +<br> +“‘Ave Maris stella,<br> +Dei Mater alma,<br> +Atque semper virgo,<br> +Felix cœli porta!’”<br> +<br> +<br> +He was proceeding in this manner when I was startled by the sound of +a musket.<br> +<br> +“That is the retreat,” said Pascual Fava. “It +is fired every night in the soc at half-past eight, and it is the signal +for suspending all business, and shutting up. I am now going to +close the doors, and whosoever knocks, I shall not admit them till I +know their voice. Since the murder of the poor Genoese last year, +we have all been particularly cautious.”<br> +<br> +Thus had passed Friday, the sacred day of the Moslems, and the first +which I had spent in Tangier. I observed that the Moors followed +their occupations as if the day had nothing particular in it. +Between twelve and one, the hour of prayer in the mosque, the gates +of the town were closed, and no one permitted either to enter or go +out. There is a tradition, current amongst them, that on this +day, and at this hour, their eternal enemies, the Nazarenes, will arrive +to take possession of their country; on which account they hold themselves +prepared against a surprisal.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +Footnote:<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote0"></a><a href="#citation0">{0}</a> “Om +Frands Gonzales, og Rodrik Cid.<br> +End siunges i Sierra Murene!”<br> +<i>Krönike Riim. </i>By Severin Grundtvig. Copenhagen, +1829.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote1"></a><a href="#citation1">{1}</a> Doing business, +doing business - he has much business to do.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote2"></a><a href="#citation2">{2}</a> The Gypsy +word for Antonio.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote3"></a><a href="#citation3">{3}</a> Devil.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote4"></a><a href="#citation4">{4}</a> “Say +nothing to him, my lad, he is a hog of an alguazil.”<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote5"></a><a href="#citation5">{5}</a> El Serrador, +a Carlist partisan, who about this period was much talked of in Spain.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote6"></a><a href="#citation6">{6}</a> At the last +attack on Warsaw, when the loss of the Russians amounted to upwards +of twenty thousand men, the soldiery mounted the breach, repeating in +measured chant, one of their popular songs: “Come, let us cut +the cabbage,” &c.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote7"></a><a href="#citation7">{7}</a> Twelve ounces +of bread, small pound, as given in the prison.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote8"></a><a href="#citation8">{8}</a> Witch. +Ger. Hexe.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote9"></a><a href="#citation9">{9}</a> A compound +of the modern Greek πεταλον, +and the Sanskrit <i>kara</i>, the literal meaning being <i>Lord</i> +of the horse-shoe (i.e. <i>maker</i>); it is one of the private cognominations +of “The Smiths,” an English Gypsy clan.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote10"></a><a href="#citation10">{10}</a> Of these +lines the following translation, in the style of the old English ballad, +will, perhaps, not be unacceptable:-<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote11"></a><a href="#citation11">{11}</a> “The +king arrived, the king arrived, and disembarked at Belem.” - <i>Miguelite +song.<br> +<br> +</i><a name="footnote12"></a><a href="#citation12">{12}</a> “How +should I know?”<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote13"></a><a href="#citation13">{13}</a> Qu. The +Epistle to the Romans.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote14"></a><a href="#citation14">{14}</a> This was +possibly the period when Admiral Duckworth attempted to force the passage +of the Dardanelles.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote15"></a><a href="#citation15">{15}</a> “See +the crossing! see what devilish crossing!”<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote16"></a><a href="#citation16">{16}</a> The ancient +<i>Lethe.<br> +<br> +</i><a name="footnote17"></a><a href="#citation17">{17}</a> <i>Inha</i>, +when affixed to words, serves as a diminutive. It is much in use +amongst the Gallegans.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote18"></a><a href="#citation18">{18}</a> Perhaps +Waterloo.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote19"></a><a href="#citation19">{19}</a> About +thirty pounds.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote20"></a><a href="#citation20">{20}</a> Κατα +τον τοπον και +α τροπος, as Antonio said.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote21"></a><a href="#citation21">{21}</a> Nothing +at all.<br> +<br> +<a name="footnote22"></a><a href="#citation22">{22}</a> A Rabbinical +book, very difficult to be understood, though written avowedly for the +purpose of elucidating many points connected with the religious ceremonies +of the Hebrews.<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<br> +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE BIBLE IN SPAIN ***<br> +<pre> + +******This file should be named tbisp10h.htm or tbisp10h.zip****** +Corrected EDITIONS of our EBooks get a new NUMBER, tbisp11h.htm +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, tbisp10ah.htm + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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