To the Valued Friends who witnessed, and whom a congeniality of taste led to enjoy with me, the scenes herein described—whose wearied limbs have sought repose upon the same hard floor—whose spoons have been dipped in the same Gazpacho, I dedicate these pages.

In the course of our perigrinations we have often observed to each other,

“Hæc olim meminisse juvabit.”

C. ROCHFORT SCOTT.

Woolwich, 26th October.

CONTENTS
OF
T H E F I R S T V O L U M E.

———

[PREFATORY CHAPTER]
PAGE

Containing little more than an Invocation—A Dissertation—AChoice of Miseries—A Bill of Fare—And a Receipt for makinga Favourite Spanish Dish

[1]
[CHAPTER I]

Gibraltar—Forbidden Ground—Derivation of the Name—CuriousProvisions of the Treaty of Utrecht—Extraction of Saints withouta Miracle—Demoniacal Possessions—Beauty of the Scenery—Agremensof the Garrison—Its Importance to Great Britain,but Impolicy of making it a Free Port to all Nations—LamentableChanges—Sketch of the Character of the Mountaineers ofRonda—English Quixotism—Political Opinions of the DifferentClasses in Spain

[21]
[CHAPTER II]

San Roque—Singular Title of “the City Authorities”—Situation—Climate—Thelate Sir George Don, Lieutenant Governor ofGibraltar—Anecdote Illustrative of the Character of the SpanishGovernment—Society of Spain—The Tertulia—The VariousCircles of Spanish Society Tested by Smoking—Erroneous Notionsof English Liberty and Religion—Startling Lental Ceremonies

[41]
[CHAPTER III]

Country in the Vicinity of San Roque—Ruins of the AncientCity of Carteia—Field of Battle of Alphonso the Eleventh—Journeyto Ronda—Forest of Almoraima—Mouth of the Lions—FineScenery—Town of Gaucin—A Spanish Inn—OldCastle at Gaucin—Interior of an Andalusian Posada—SpanishHumour—Mountain Wine

[59]
[CHAPTER IV]

Journey to Ronda Continued—A Word on the Passport and Billof Health Nuisances, and Spanish Custom-House Officers—RomanticScenery—Splendid View—Benadalid—Atajate—FirstView of the Vale of Ronda—A Dissertation on Adventures,to make up for their absence—Ludicrous Instance of theEffects of Putting the Cart before the Horse

[83]
[CHAPTER V]

The Basin of Ronda—Sources of the River Guadiara—RemarkableChasm through which it flows—City of Ronda—Date ofits Foundation—Former Names—General Description—Castle—Bridges—SplendidScenery—Public Buildings—Amphitheatre—Population—Trade—Smuggling—WretchedState ofthe Commerce, Manufactures, and Internal Communications ofSpain, and Evils and Inconvenience resulting therefrom—RareProductions of the Basin of Ronda—Amenity of its Climate—Agremensof the City—Excellent Society—Character of its Inhabitants

[99]
[CHAPTER VI]

Ronda Fair—Spanish Peasantry—Various Costumes—Jockeys andHorses—Lovely view from the New Alameda—Bull Fights—Defenceof the Spanish Ladies—Manner of Driving the Bullsinto the Town—First Entrance of the Bull—The FrightenedWaterseller—The Mina, or Excavated Staircase—Ruins ofAcinippo—The Cueva del Gato—The Bridge of the Fairy

[121]
[CHAPTER VII]

Legend of the Fairy’s bridge

[150]
[CHAPTER VIII]

Departure for Malaga—Scenery on and Dangers of the Road toEl Burgo—Fine View from Casarabonela—An IndependentInnkeeper—A Spanish Battle, attended with more Decisive Resultsthan usual—Description of Casarabonela—Comeliness ofits Washing Nymphs—Road to Malaga—River Guadaljorce—Sigilaof the Romans—Cartama

[178]
[CHAPTER IX]

Unprepossessing Appearance of Malaga—Dread of Yellow Fever—TheAlameda—Derivation of the City’s Name, and Sketch ofits History—The Gibralfaro and Alcazaba—Cathedral—CigarManufactory—Calculation of the Supply and Consumption ofCigars in Spain—Malaga Figures—Population—Trade—WineHarbour—Society—Visit to El Retiro—The Fandango andCachuca

[199]
[CHAPTER X]

Choice of Routes between Malaga and Granada—Road to Velez—Malaga—Observationson that Town—Continuation of Journeyto Granada—Fertile Valley of the River Velez—Venta ofAlcaucin—Zafaraya Mountains—Alhama—Description of thatPlace and of its Thermal Baths—Cacin—Venta of Huelma—Salt-pansof La Mala—First View of Granada and its Vega—Situationof the City—Its Salubrity—Ancient Names—Becomesthe Capital of the Last Moslem Kingdom of Spain—FineApproach to the Modern City—It is the most purely MoorishTown in Spain—Cause of the Decadence of the Arts under theMoors of Granada, and of the easy Conquest of the City—Destructionof the Moorish Literature on the Capture of theCity by the Spaniards

[217]
[CHAPTER XI]

The Alhambra and Generalife—Other Reliques of the Moorscontained within the City—The Cathedral of Granada—Chapelof the Catholic Kings—Antiquity of the Church of Eliberi—Tombof Gonzalvo de Cordoba—Churches of San Juan DeDios and San Domingo—Carthusian Convent—Hermita DeSan Anton

[239]
[CHAPTER XII]

Granada continued—The Zacatin—Market Place—Bazaar—Population—TheGranadinos-Their Predilection for the FrenchCostume—Love of Masked Balls—Madame Martinez de laRosa’s Tertulia—An English Country Dance metamorphosed—Specimenof Spanish Taste in fitting up Country Houses—TheMarques de Montijo—Anecdote of the Late King and the Condede Teba—Constitutional Enthusiasm of Granada—Ends in Smoke—MilitarySchools—Observations on the Spanish Army—Departurefor Cordoba—Pinos de la Puente—Puerto de Lope—Moclin—Alcalala Real—Spanish Peasants—Manner of computingDistance—Baena—Not the Roman Town of Ulia—Castroel Rio—Occupied by a Cavalry Regiment—Valuable Friend—Curiosityof the Spanish Officers—Ditto of our New Acquaintance—Influenceof “Sherris Sack”—He relates his History—Continuationof our Journey to Cordoba—First View of thatCity

[265]
[CHAPTER XIII]

Blas el Guerrillero.—A Bandit’s Story

[300]
[CHAPTER XIV]

Blas el Guerrillero—continued

[333]
[CHAPTER XV]

Blas el Guerrillero—continued

[364]
[CHAPTER XVI]

Blas el Guerrillero—continued

[396]
[CHAPTER XVII]

Cordoba—Bridge over the Guadalquivir—Mills—Quay—SpanishProjects—Foundation of the City—Establishment of the WesternCaliphat—Capture of Cordoba by San Fernando—The Mezquita—Bishop’sPalace—Market Place—Grand Religious Procession—Anecdoteof the late Bishop of Malaga and the Tragala

[410]

[Appendix]

[431]

———

ILLUSTRATIONS.