The steamer Alecto brought me from Malta to Gibraltar; we coasted
along the African shore, sighting Algiers, with its high walls and
whitewashed buildings, crowned by its citadel. I was struck with awe
and admiration at the sight of the renowned rock of Gibraltar, whose
defences entitle it to be called the key of the Mediterranean. I
climbed up zigzag roads and stairways, and was shown immense galleries
excavated out of the solid rock, which terminate in the battery called
“St. George’s Hall.” Higher up, at the height of thirteen hundred feet,
is the rock gun. The number of cannon employed in all the general
defences is said to be eight hundred. On the summit, or Telegraph
Hill, we partook of refreshments, and looking over a register kept
for visitors, I was amused at their comments: “No monkeys visible
to-day.” “Where are all the monkeys?” “Lots of monkeys to-day.” I
looked over the parapet wall, and, sure enough, the fine weather had
brought out thirty-nine or forty, who were scrambling and chattering
among the branches of the scrub trees. It is the only spot in Europe
where they are found; heavy penalties prevent killing them, but the
dogs sometimes destroy them when they descend to rob the gardens below.
St. Michael’s Cave is curious for its stalactites, and came in as an
additional attraction. The view from the summit over the straits and
the African coast, the Spanish town of Algesiras, on the opposite side
of the bay, the neutral ground, the walled and fortified city below,
was of the most enjoyable character. The alemedas, or promenades, are
well laid out, and planted with trees and flowers, which give them a
cheerful appearance. The birthday of Queen Victoria was the occasion of
grand demonstrations on shore and on shipboard. At mid-day the roar of
cannons from the vessels of war, in which our own ship Brandywine took
part, and the discharge of thirty-two pounders from the rock galleries,
produced such a concussion that my inkstand trembled while I wrote. The
night illumination of the eighty-four gun-ship Formidable, and others,
was magnificent.
The tents and camp of the General, covered with devices and
transparencies, produced a fine effect, and the bursting of rockets
lighted up the countenances of the dancing multitude upon the Alemeda.
Eight hours’ steaming took me to Malaga, just in time for the festival
of Corpus Christi. Our passengers were mostly Moors in Arab dress,
Spaniards with steeple-crowned hats and fantastic round jackets,
contrabandists in embroidered boots and leggings, provided with goods
for their traffic. A grand procession, military and civic, priests,
men, and boys with lighted candles, preceded by the crucifix, passed
through the narrow streets, and made a long circuit. The balconies
covered with flags and drapery of gay colors, and filled with the
beautiful senoritas of the true Andalusian type, could not help but
add to the attraction. Groups of fascinating creatures with black lace
mantillas, fan in hand, giving it that peculiar twirl belonging to the
race, were kneeling upon the rugs on the cathedral pave, and casting
their captivating glances (perhaps unconsciously) upon the passing
strangers. My fellow-traveller, the Spanish Consul from Gibraltar, was
_en route_ for Grenada; he had opposed the contraband trade, and
was afraid of an attack.
Our miserable diligence was drawn by eight mules with rope traces; the
driver guides the wheel mules with nose-straps only, without bits, and
at times jumps down beside them, whipping up and crying out lustily; so
they dash along the rugged roads and on the banks of precipices at the
imminent risk of one’s life.
The first venta had flat stone floor, a rude table with benches, and a
poor breakfast. The chambers were bare walls, no chairs, no bedstead;
the people slept upon mats with no notion of comfort. The country has
been disturbed by civil wars for the past seven years. Assassinations
are frequent, caused by political intrigue, or love affairs. The first
night we found ourselves at the town of Loza, situated in a picturesque
country, in the midst of luxurious groves and gardens on the south
side of a rocky gorge, through which a small river forces its way
after passing the rich valley of Grenada. The place is celebrated for
two sieges under Ferdinand and Isabella, in 1487, and was taken, it
is asserted, through the cowardice of Bobadil. Our accommodations had
improved.
We passed the Duke of Wellington’s estate, given for services during
the Peninsular War; it is a pretty vega, or valley, with a village of
cottages. Not far from this place an English party had been robbed.
Three horsemen, with long carabines, a brace of pistols, and dirks
each, presented themselves and asked them politely to get out and
prostrate themselves upon their faces, while one of the number stood
guard until the luggage was ransacked. They were then offered some of
their own cigars, a drink of aguardiente, and left in the usual gallant
manner--“_Vaya con Dios_.” Some eight miles from Grenada, we
passed the small walled town of Santa Fè, built by Ferdinand during the
siege of Grenada.
We had made the seventy-six miles from Malaga, and now saw the
magnificent valley for miles in extent, the snow-capped mountains
of the Sierra Nevada, with the rivers Dano and Genil forcing their
passages out of them. Once Grenada was the pride and glory of the
Moors; now it is the admiration of every traveller.
We found a quiet retreat upon the summit of the Alhambra hill,
near a lofty tower commanding an extensive view of the city below.
The unfinished palace of Charles V., and the palace of the Moorish
sovereigns stood hard by. A description of the Alhambra, with its
beautiful architecture, the court of the lions, its marble-paved halls,
its arabesque walls and ceilings, and the many objects of admiration, I
shall not attempt to describe. The cathedral, containing the monuments
of Ferdinand and Isabella, the archduke Philip and his wife Joanna, has
many attractions. The church of San Juan de Dios is rich in marble. The
road to Cordova, a distance of eighty-four miles, we made on mule-back,
there being no carriage roads. The first night we slept in a venta,
upon a brick floor, among horses, mules, drivers, and others of bandit
appearance. We were almost devoured by fleas; there were no beds or
other accommodations. I find it worse, if possible, than a Turkish
khan. We procured here an escort through the wild heath and across
the mountain paths, the roads being infested with robbers. Our guides
were old cut-throats, and were considered the safest, as they were to
be well paid if they piloted us through in safety; they knew all the
haunts of the bandits. At Alcala-el-Real we found a posada well fitted
up, and the landlady reminded me of a Dutch housewife for cleanliness,
which we were prepared to appreciate.
We made a tarry at Byena, and proceeded then to Cordova, and were
rejoiced to arrive, as it is not pleasant to grasp one’s pistol in the
night at the sound of some slight noise in the bush, not knowing what
moment you may be pounced upon.
Passing through some of the small villages, the people looked so
wretched one could almost excuse an attack. In other portions of
the country the peasants looked well, returning from the fields of
ripened grain. We escaped with one arrest, only, from highwaymen. One
fine-looking, but swarthy, heavy-whiskered fellow, clad in velvet, with
knee-breeches and leather-strapped leggings, pointed hat and feather,
long carabine, and pistols in his belt, who carried a whistle to call
his comrades, descended slowly from a craggy eminence, greeted our
guides, and made his demand, which being extremely moderate we readily
granted, and passed on without further molestation.
A part of the journey our guide suggested riding by night, and lying by
during the day, thereby escaping the heat, and dodging the highwaymen.
We started at six P.M. and halted at seven A.M., partook of a miserable
breakfast, stretched our mattresses upon a cement floor, encircled with
double streaks of olive oil to keep the fleas from jumping across,
closed the shutters to darken the room, and reposed until the hour
for dinner, after which mounted our mules again. Cordova is dull and
lifeless, a large city in decay; the greatest curiosity is the Moorish
mosque of eight hundred and thirty-four columns, now converted into a
Catholic church. Approaching the city the country is well cultivated,
and the gardens of pomegranates in blossom were quite pretty. How
delightful it is for the traveller, while quite alone and exposed to
danger, to meet with a familiar face. A singular rencontre took place
near Cordova. We had abandoned our mule and taken the diligence, when
we were met by a vehicle escorted by gensd’armes, who inquired if we
had been interrupted by bandits, when to my surprise out jumped a
Frenchman, whom I had last met among the ruins of Thebes and Karnak.
“Bonjour, Monsieur. D’où venez-vous? Où allez-vous?” he cried out. I
had scarcely time to greet him and reply, when off dashed our animals,
and I have seen him perhaps for the last time. From Cordova I came to
Seville, rejoiced to find comfortable quarters, get a bath, and put
myself in the hands of il barbiero di Sevilla. The services of Figaro
were only required in hair-cropping, as the natural Turkish and Arab
eight months’ growth of beard could be still worn with impunity, but
once in England the heavy crop must be harvested, or the little urchins
will set up a cry.
While in Egypt an anecdote was related of an old man who had been
impressed in the army from his native village. Mehemet Ali had adopted
the custom of shaving the soldiery. It was found he had passed the age
for service, and was told he might go: “Yes,” he replied, “go, where
shall I go?” “To your village,” was the answer. “The boys and girls of
my village will hoot at me,” he exclaimed, “give me back my beard or
allow me to remain until it grows.” Such is the value of a beard in
oriental countries. The next acquisition was a valet de place, whose
duty is to point out all the remarkable sights of the city, which, when
Spain possessed America, was considered the wealthiest of the realm.
The cathedral is one of the finest in Spain, of the Moro-Gothic style;
its stained glass historical windows, and its sacristy and other
decorations demand attention. The secret councils of the Inquisition
were held there. From the summit of la Giralda, the tower built by
the Moors, two hundred and fifty years before, and taken by king
Ferdinand, at a height of two hundred and sixty-four feet, one has
a fine view of the city and suburbs, lying upon the banks of the
Guadalquiver. The Alcazar, or Moorish palace, built fifty years before
the conquest of Seville, with its arabesque and beautiful colored
ceilings, bears resemblance to the Alhambra of Granada. Several days
were passed pleasantly and agreeably in the old city. I gazed at
its fine Murillo paintings, strolled upon its Alemedas, plucked its
delicious oranges in shady gardens, peeped into its theatres, saw its
tobacco factory, a monopoly in Spain, where two thousand women and
six hundred men are employed making cigars and snuff. I then came
down the river to the seaport of Cadiz. The banks of the stream are
low; large droves of cattle were seen grazing--and many orange and
lemon groves. We passed St. Mary’s with Xeres in the background; the
latter is celebrated for its sherry wine. Cadiz, while Spain was in
possession of her American colonies, ranked next in wealth to Seville,
but has declined notwithstanding its free port. The houses are lofty,
spacious, well-built; the streets narrow, to protect from the sun’s
rays; they are well-paved, clean, and pretty. The ramparts are planted
with rows of trees overlooking the park. The large squares of San
Antonio and Constitucion, in the centre of the city, are where ices,
love, and scandal occupy the fair sex until midnight. The steamer
Royal Tar brought me to Lisbon, the Portuguese capital. Steaming up
the broad river Tagus, the first coup d’œil of the city, with its
long quays, public buildings, and handsome streets upon its banks, is
prepossessing, but in climbing its precipitous hills, built even to the
summit, one finds many narrow and filthy streets and lanes, offensive
both to the eye and olfactories.
The sights of the city were done up with usual assiduity. The Royal
Palace, yet unfinished, occupied by Don Miguel during his short sway,
the prominent churches of the city, remarkable for works of art, the
Alemeda, the great opera house, and the gigantic aqueduct of the city,
all received their share of attention.
We drove to Cintra, the royal country residence, which was some three
or four hours’ distance. Our party mounted donkeys, whose heads were
dressed with flowers by their drivers, and off we started for the
Moorish castle, which is now in course of reparation, situated upon a
precipitous height, affording a fine view. The vineyards of Collares
were visited, and their products tested. The cork-wood forests where
the trees had been stripped of their bark were examined. The waters of
the iron spring were not as acceptable as delicious oranges from the
hands of a Portuguese beauty, whose charms were not heightened by her
white head-handkerchief and capuchin cloak, comparing unfavorably with
the black mantilla and beautiful eyes of the Andalusians. We visited
the palace, met the king, mounted on a beautiful bay horse, who bowed
politely as he galloped over the lawn. The queen was plainly clad,
a fleshy lady, riding upon a donkey, her infant in a pannier upon a
second, accompanied by a train of liveried servants, altogether a novel
cortege.
The excursion was a delightful one. I embarked for England, sighting
Oporto, touching at Vigo, and landed at Southampton. I went to London,
thence to Liverpool, crossed over to Ireland, visited Dublin, Newry,
and Belfast; crossed again from Donaghadee to Portpatrick in Scotland;
went along the coast to Ayrshire, upon the banks of the Doon, to the
former thatched cottage of the poet Burns, thence up to Greenock, and
Glasgow, and across by rail to Edinburgh.
I shall return by another route to Liverpool, and embark for the United
States, when I can commune verbally about the magnificent countries
passed through.