on the journey which I was about to undertake, and on the rickety 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, not very comfortably. In a minute
or two Mr. Southern 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, Mr. Villiers, had
come to. Being apprehensive that alone and unassisted I should
experience considerable 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 despatch 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
myself, whenever I should appear in their respective districts, all the
protection, encouragement, and assistance I should stand in need of, as a
friend of Mr. Villiers, and a person in the success of whose enterprise
he himself took the warmest interest.
I could scarcely believe my ears 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 is the first instance of a British
Ambassador having made the cause of the Bible Society a national one, or
indeed to favour 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 has
probably illumined his mind on this point. Honour be to him: I hope that
by his means our institution will shortly possess many agents in Spain
with far more power and opportunity than I myself can ever expect to
possess, who will scatter abroad the seed of the Gospel, and make of a
barren and thirsty wilderness a green and smiling corn-field.
The next day verified the prediction of the barber. I had to a
considerable degree lost my cough and fever, though, owing to the great
loss of blood, I was very feeble and weak. Precisely at twelve o'clock
myself and man rode forth from the gate of Saint Vincent, 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 twenty-five miles. The journey to Salamanca occupied four
days, and I disposed of five Testaments by the way.
Since my arrival at Salamanca I have been taking measures that the Word
of God may become generally known in this place, so celebrated in many
respects. The principal bookseller of the town, Blanco, a man of great
wealth and respectability, has consented to become our agent here, and I
have deposited in his shop a certain number of New Testaments. He is the
proprietor of a small printing press, where the official bulletin of the
place is published. For this bulletin I have prepared an advertisement
of the work, in which amongst other things I have said that the New
Testament is the only guide to salvation. I have also spoken of the
Bible Society, and the great pecuniary sacrifices which it is 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
am not aware that I can take any more calculated to arouse the attention
of the people--a considerable point. I have also ordered numbers of the
same advertisement to be struck off in the shape of bills which I am
causing to be stuck up in various parts of the town. I have great hope
that by means of these a considerable number of New Testaments will be
sold. I shall repeat this experiment in Valladolid, Leon, St. Jago, and
all the principal towns which it is my intention to visit in my
wanderings, and I shall likewise distribute them as I ride along. The
children of Spain will 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
are at present aware, notwithstanding their so frequently repeated boasts
of their Catholicity and Christianity.
I carry with me the Gospel of St. Luke in the Cantabrian or Basque
language. It is my intention to print this little book, either at San
Sebastian or Pamplona; as it would be unwise not to avail myself of so
favourable an opportunity of circulating it as my visit to the provinces
where the language is spoken will afford me. I have examined it with
much attention, and find it a very faithful version. The only objection
which can be brought against it is that Spanish words are frequently used
to express ideas for which there are equivalents in Basque; but this
language, as spoken at present in Spain, is very corrupt, and a work
written entirely in the Basque of Larramendi's Dictionary would be
intelligible to very few. I have read passages from it to the men of
Guipuscoa, who assured me that they had no difficulty in understanding
it, and that it was written in the colloquial style of their province.
G. B.
To the Rev. A. Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. July 25, 1837)
ASTORGA, 5_th_ _July_, 1837.
REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--I avail myself of the present opportunity of giving
an account of what has befallen me since I last wrote to you from
Salamanca, which I shortly after quitted. By that time my advertisements
had been affixed in all parts of the city, and several New Testaments had
been sold; I myself had the pleasure of seeing three despatched in less
than a quarter of an hour that I remained in the shop. From Salamanca I
proceeded to Valladolid, distant about twenty-five leagues, where I
employed the same means which I had adopted at Salamanca for the
promulgation of God's Word. I must here observe that Valladolid is a
place where literature of every description is at the lowest ebb, and
bookselling there is merely carried on in connexion with other business,
it being in itself quite insufficient to afford a livelihood to those who
pursue it. Nevertheless during the five days that I continued there my
labours were so far favoured that twenty copies were disposed of, and a
fair prospect opened that many more would be demanded. Before leaving I
gave orders that the advertisements should be renewed every week, as
evil-disposed, persons probably of the Carlist or Papist party, had
defaced or torn down a great number of those which had been put up. From
pursuing this course I expect that much and manifold good will accrue, as
the people of these parts will have continual opportunities of
acquainting themselves that a book which contains the _living word_ is in
existence and within their reach, which may induce them to secure it and
consult it even unto salvation.
Quitting Valladolid, I directed my route to Leon by the Palencia road;
the greatest part of the way was barren and uninteresting to a high
degree, consisting of wide dusty plains scantily sown with barley, but
unrelieved with trees or waters. The people are ignorant and brutal,
though they boast themselves to be Old Castilians, which is however not
the fact, as these desolate and benighted regions belong to what was once
the kingdom of Leon. Their inhospitality is so great that I have been
refused a glass of water in their villages, though I asked it in the name
of God; though I have subsequently obtained it by paying for it, for
their hearts can always be opened by the key of interest, though
inaccessible to every noble and generous sentiment. I suffered
dreadfully during this journey, as did likewise my man and horses, for
the heat was the fiercest which I have ever known, and resembled the
breath of the simoom or the air from an oven's mouth. Leon is
beautifully situated in a smiling blooming country abounding in grass and
trees, and watered by many streams which have their source in a mighty
chain of mountains in the neighbourhood, which traverse a great part of
Spain and are connected with the Pyrenees; but unfortunately it is
exceedingly unhealthy, for the heats of the summer-time raise noxious
exhalations from the waters, which generate all kinds of disorders,
especially fevers and tertian agues. It is the Feversham of Spain.
_Nomen cui infausta Fata dedere febris_ [sic].
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 fervent 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 councillor 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 on
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, who is 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 work 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 has not been altogether in vain, as the seed of
the Gospel has been sown, though sparingly. But the palpableness of the
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 brutalise the
human mind.
I had scarcely risen from the bed where the fever had cast me, when I
found that my servant had become alarmed; he informed me that he had seen
several soldiers in the uniform of Don Carlos knocking at the door of the
_posada_, and that they had been making enquiries concerning me. 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 the protection of the local authorities
could afford them, should any one be disposed to interrupt them. He
moreover informed me 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. Accordingly, at three o'clock in the morning of the fourth
(yesterday) we departed, taking the route for Lugo, a principal town in
the province of Galicia. We had scarcely proceeded half a league when we
were overtaken by a thunderstorm of tremendous violence. We were at that
time in the midst of a kind of wood which extends to some distance in
that direction. The trees were bowed to the ground or torn up by their
roots by the wind, whilst the ground was plowed up by the lightning which
burst all around and nearly blinded us. The horse which I rode upon,
which was a spirited Andalusian stallion, 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 in avoiding a fall which might have
been fatal. A tremendous discharge of rain followed the storm, which
swelled the brooks into streams and flooded the surrounding country,
causing great damage amongst the corn. After riding about five leagues
we began to enter the mountainous district which surrounds Astorga; the
road was flinty and very trying to the poor horses, who suffered much,
whilst the heat was suffocating. It was with the utmost difficulty that
we reached Astorga, covered with mud and dust and our tongues cleaving to
the roofs of our mouths from thirst. We were compelled to take up our
abode in a wretched hovel, full of pigs, vermin, and misery, and from
this place I write, for this morning I felt myself unable to proceed on
my journey, being exhausted with illness, fatigue and want of food, for
scarcely anything is to be obtained. But I return God thanks and glory
for being permitted to undergo these crosses and troubles for His Word's
sake. I would not exchange my present situation, unenviable as some may
think it, for a throne.
Pray excuse the style and writing of this letter, both are inevitably
bad. I hope in a few days to have reached Lugo, where I shall be more at
my ease.
GEORGE BORROW.
To the Rev. A. Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. 12th August 1837)
CORUNNA, 20_th_ _July_ [1837].
REVD. AND DEAR SIR,--My last letter was dated from Astorga, and I stated
that I was suffering from the relics of the fever which had assailed me
at Leon; in a day or two, however, I was sufficiently recovered to mount
my horse and proceed on my journey to Lugo. I shall send a regular
account of this journey next post, from which those at home, interested
in Bible proceedings in Spain, may gather some idea of this very strange
country and people. I arrived safely at Lugo, but much fatigued, for the
way thither lay through the wildest mountains and wildernesses. The Lord
deigned to favour my humble efforts at Lugo; I brought thither thirty
Testaments, all of which were disposed of in one day, the Bishop of the
place himself purchasing two copies, whilst several priests and 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, for there was a
great demand for them; and had I been able to supply them, quadruple the
quantity might have been sold [during] the four days that I remained at
Lugo.
Midway between Lugo and Corunna 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 my servant's horse, who was following a little way
behind. This affair occurred at the bridge 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 men], who had been seized and executed about two months
before. Their principal haunt was the vicinity of the bridge I have
already spoken of, and it was their practice to cast the bodies of the
murdered into the deep black water which runs rapidly beneath. These
three beads 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 were themselves of his band.
I have a depot of five hundred Testaments at Corunna, from which it is my
intention to supply the principal towns of Galicia. I have as usual
published my advertisements, and the work enjoys a tolerable sale--seven
or eight copies per day on the average. Perhaps some will say that these
are small matters and not worthy of being mentioned; but let these
bethink them that till within a few months 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 and who in general consider money expended in books of any kind as
cast away, to purchase a work like the New Testament, offering them
little prospect of amusement, and which, though the basis of all true
religion, they have never been told is useful as a guide to salvation.
Let us hope that the present is the dawning of better and more
enlightened times, and though little has been accomplished, still it is
more than nothing that Testaments are being sold in unhappy benighted
Spain, from Madrid to the northernmost part of Galicia, a distance of
nearly four hundred miles.
In about a fortnight I shall depart for Santiago, where I intend to pass
several days; then retracing my steps to Corunna I shall visit Ferrol,
whence I shall perhaps shape my course for Oviedo in the Asturias, either
along the seashore or by the mountain route, in which latter case I
should have to revisit Lugo. Every part of Galicia abounds with robbers
and factious, so that almost all travelling is at an end, and the road to
Santiago is so bad that no one is permitted to travel it unless in
company with the weekly post, which goes attended by a strong military
escort. This gives me some uneasiness, as the stallion I ride is so
vicious and furious that it is dangerous to bring him in contact with
other horses whom, with the exception of his companion, he invariably
attacks, getting me into all manner of scrapes. An old Castilian
peasant, whose pony he had maltreated, once said to me, 'Sir Cavalier, if
you have any love for yourself, get rid of that beast, who is capable of
proving the ruin of a kingdom.' But he is a gallant creature who seldom
tires, and he has borne me too far to permit me to think of parting with
him.
Since my arrival at Corunna I have received advice from my agent at
Valladolid that the forty copies which I deposited in his hands have been
sold, and that he was anxious for a fresh supply. I have accordingly
ordered fifty more to be sent him from Madrid. Since my departure from
the capital I have myself disposed of sixty-five, without including those
sold at Lugo and other places by means of the advertisements, on which I
principally rely, as they speak at all times whether I am present or
absent.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that throughout my journey I have
given away none of the books, having invariably received money for them,
viz., from 10 to 12 _reals_. The enemies of the Bible Society have
stated in several publications that it has no vent for the Bibles and
Testaments which it publishes in many foreign languages but by sending
them to the various countries, and there distributing them gratis or
selling them by auction, when they are bought for waste paper (see in
particular Wiseman's _Letters_). My conduct in this point has been
principally influenced by a desire to give, in the case of Spain at
least, the direct lie to this assertion, and this conduct I shall pursue
until I receive direct orders to abandon it. I will now conclude by
repeating that in a few days you will receive my journal, which will
prove more interesting than the above hasty scrawl.
I remain, etc.,
G. BORROW.
To the Rev. Andrew Brandram
(_Endorsed_: recd. Aug. 23, 1837)
_Journey from Astorga to Lugo_
Before proceeding to narrate what befell me in this journey, 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. 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 a red bricky earth. 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 this 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
trowsers 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. 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 in 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.