It was on a fine clear morning, on the 7th of January, 1813, that we
departed from Coria. After marching for some hours, we passed the
boundaries of a thick olive forest, about a mile beyond which appeared
the large village of Monte Hermosa, so closely surrounded with trees,
that the chapel spire and tiled roofs of the houses were the only
discernible objects. Owing to the wildness and retirement of the
situation, most of the hamlets in the forest and among the hills, are
the haunts of numerous banditti, who infest the district for many
leagues round. These bands of lawless men are composed chiefly of
deserters from the Spanish army, joined by outcast peasants, who
forming into parties resort to those heights on any sudden alarm,
where concealed in caves among the rocks they lie secure from all
pursuit. Armed with carbines, knives and pistols, they sally forth
from their lurking-places by night, and not only plunder but
frequently assassinate the unwary travellers in a most barbarous and
cruel manner.
On the 17th of January I set out on a journey to Placentia, four
leagues from Monte Hermosa. Being advised to travel in company with
the country people, (who generally formed a numerous party,) on
account of the suspicious characters above alluded to, I joined the
cavalcade, and we all proceeded together. We crossed the Alagon by
means of a ponderous flat-bottomed machine, answering the purpose of a
ferry-boat, in which was also conveyed the mules, asses and baggage;
being safely landed on the opposite bank we trotted forward at a brisk
and lively pace, through the open and varied country. Having among our
party a number of good-humoured buxom wenches we got on very
pleasantly, for these sprightly damsels kept up such a round of
merriment and noisy clatter, with occasional singing, that dullness
and care with their attendant train of imps were forced to trudge it
by another route, since they could get no quarter with us. The
rustics, accustomed to exercise and hard Labour, kept up with us,
while they tramped heartily along on foot, and the women in
particular, being clean-limbed, light heeled, well made and healthy,
carried on with all sail ahead, to the no small surprise and
admiration of their companions and fellow-travellers. After passing
through a poor and hungry-looking village, we entered the wide and
dark forest of Carcaboso, where the road, hitherto level, became
broken and mountainous. As we approached Placentia the prospect had no
redeeming feature; all was desolate and bare, and, with the exception
of a few peasants here and there, as wild as the rocks upon which they
stood, nothing in the shape of a living creature was visible. We
descended a rough and winding path-way, (for it claimed no better
name,) towards an ancient bridge by which we crossed the Jerte, and
were quickly in the streets of the old town of Placentia.[27]
[27] It was in this town that a melancholy circumstance took
place on the parade of the 3rd regiment, or Old Buffs.
Lieutenant Annesley, of the grenadiers, was inspecting his
company, when one of the soldiers, watching his opportunity,
took his musket, and levelling it at the officer, shot him
through the heart.
Annesley was a long time in the Buffs, in which he was much
esteemed, and he was a remarkably good-looking young man,
from the south of Ireland.
The soldier who had a pique against the Lieutenant, for some
alleged ill-treatment, was a very different character, and
one of those discontented sort of fellows common in every
regiment; one who is usually termed by his companions a
lawyer. He was shot soon after at Placentia, pursuant to the
sentence of a General Court Martial.
On the receipt of my billet at the Casa Consistorial, I walked
thither, and found a cordial reception at the house of Francisco
Barona, where, being regaled in a most excellent way, I had cause to
rejoice at being quartered upon so generous a host.
The worthy Don was in the vale of years, and above seventy; but though
infirm he had all the sprightliness of youth, and was a most agreeable
and intelligent old gentleman.
His third wife, who soon made her appearance, was not more than
twenty, a smart and gaily dressed senora; and the expression of her
penetrating eyes afforded sufficient evidence that, as far as she was
concerned, full consent might be obtained to dissolve the partnership
between January and May, in order that a union more congenial to her
wishes might speedily be formed. A young Spanish officer called
frequently during my abode here, and from the state of affairs he
appeared to be the fortunate Lothario, who was destined to perform a
conspicuous part in the new treaty of alliance. Most sweetly did this
son of Mars smile on the charming Leonora, who on her part, while the
unsuspicious Don was fast asleep, and amusing the lovers with a nasal
chaunt, discharged not a few amorous glances, intended to intangle
still further the tender heart of her admiring swain.
On the 19th I pursued my journey homeward, accompanied, as before, by
a numerous host of natives, returning to their several places of
abode. As the night came on we again entered the forest, the
travellers both horse and foot getting into close column, in order
that they might be prepared to encounter any straggling party of
banditti, by which these woods are sometimes infested.
While day-light continued, jovial fun and peals of laughter resounded
on every side; but on the approach of darkness, the merriment and
cheerful song gradually died away, and the hitherto joyous spirits
were damped by the knowledge of having such troublesome neighbours in
the vicinity. The old hands told many a frightful tale of murders and
robberies which had been committed, serving to make the anxious
listener alive to fears which were considerably increased by the
frequent appearance of certain wooden crosses, erected on the spot
where some unfortunate victim had been slain. The young and
inexperienced, as well as those among the crowd who had not met with
any dangerous adventure, looked eagerly around amidst the gloom with
watchful eyes. Full of excitement and apprehension, they conjured up
an ambuscade at every clump of trees; a desperado, or assassin, armed
to the teeth, seemed to arise before the affrighted vision at every
turning of the road; until, at length, by the time we were nearly
clear through the lone and thickly-planted district, they were nearly
at their wits' end, and were quite convinced that they had narrowly
escaped a pilgrimage to the other world.
We fortunately gained the Alagon just as the ferry-boat was preparing
to leave the bank, and, about ten o'clock, got safe into the village,
after all our hair-breadth chances, without having had an interview
with the outlawed wanderers, who had acted wisely in keeping at an
awful distance, and not hazarding an attack upon our well-armed and
formidable party.
The peasantry of Monte Hermosa are a quiet industrious race, the men
are robust, black-looking fellows; their clothing is of brown cloth,
over which is thrown a sort of leather covering, with an aperture for
the head, worn to save the garments while occupied in the employment
of wood-cutting. The women, in consequence of the ample folds of their
numerous cloth coats, are wondrously capacious in the middle and lower
regions, and display as prominent a rotundity as the Hottentot Venus.
Had _circular sterns_ been then fashionable in our navy, Sir Robert
Seppings might have selected excellent models from among the females
of Monte Hermosa.
The inhabitants, old and young, usually assembled after sunset in
front of their houses, for the purpose of amusing themselves in a
variety of ways. Their music is that of the bandeiro, a clumsy
instrument, somewhat resembling a tambourine, though of a square form;
it is generally played on by some ill-favoured sybil, who, beating the
parchment with her skinny palm, produces a dull monotonous sound. When
this is accompanied by a brace of similar hideous gorgons,
catterwauling in doleful strains, the concert thus produced is not of
such a very tender nature as "to soften rocks or bend the knotted
oak," but a heavy hum-drum piece of discord, not unlike a funeral
howl, each stanza being finished with a tedious drone by way of
chorus, which has a strong relationship to the Scotch bag-pipes, and
serves the purpose of a narcotic upon the admiring spectators. To this
delightful harmony do the rustics trip, not on "the light fantastic
toe," but with a pavior's tread, slowly moving their limbs; the
stupid, sleepy and inanimate clodpoles waving at the same time their
hands from side to side, in a pendulous manner, and seeming ready to
fall into the arms of their equally lifeless partner.