Before reaching Casares, the mountain, along the side of which the road is conducted, falls suddenly several hundred feet, and a narrow ledge connects it with the conical mound more to the south, whereon the castle is perched. The town occupies the summit of this connecting link—which in one part is so narrow as to afford little more than the space sufficient for one street—but extends, also, some way round the bases and up the rude sides of the two impending heights, thus assuming the shape of an hour-glass.
Having reached the Plaza,—and a tolerably spacious one it is considering the little ground the town has to spare for embellishments,—we looked about for the usual signs of a venta, but, failing in discovering any, applied to the bystanders for information, who, pointing to a wretched hovel, on the wall of which was painted a shield, bearing, in heraldic language, gules, a bottle sable, told us it was the only Ventorillo[62] in the town.
Now, though it is a common saying that “good wine needs no bush,” we had yet to learn that dirty floors need no broom; and, unwilling to be the first to gain experience in the matter, we determined, after a minute examination of the house, to present ourselves to the Alcalde, and, in virtue of our passports, ask his “aid and assistance” in procuring better quarters.
The unusual sight of a party of strange travellers had brought that important personage himself into the market-place, who, collecting round him the principal householders of the town, forthwith laid our distressing case before them, and, in his turn, asked for aid and assistance in the shape of advice.
Our papers were accordingly handed round the standing council, and, having been minutely inspected, turned upside down, the lion and unicorn duly admired, the great seal of the Governor of Gibraltar examined with eyes of astonishment, and the question asked “Son Ingleses?”[63] (which was excusable, considering the absurdity of giving passports in French to English travellers in Spain) a shrug of the shoulders seemed all that the Alcalde was likely to get in the way of advice, or we in the lieu of board and lodging.
Guessing at last, by the oft-repeated question concerning our nationality, “De que pie cojeaba el negocio";[64] we took occasion to signify to the conclave, that a few dollars would most willingly be paid for any inconvenience the putting us up for the night might occasion. Our prospects immediately brightened; each had now “una salita,” that he could very well spare for a night or so ... “we had our own mantas, so that we should require but mattresses to lie down upon—and as for stabling, that there was no loss for"—in fact, the only difficulty appeared to be, how the Alcalde should avoid giving offence to a dozen, by selecting one to confer the favour of our company upon.
He saw the delicacy of his position, and hesitated—“he himself, indeed, had a spare room, but ...” here a portly personage, clothed in a black silk cassock, and sheltered by an ample shovel hat, stepped forward to relieve the embarrassed functionary from his dilemma; and giving him a nod, and us a beckon, drew his toga up behind, and walked off at a brisk pace towards the castle hill.
The claims of El Señor Cura—for such our conductor proved to be—no one presumed to dispute; so making our bow to the Alcalde, who assured us that
Quien a buen arbol se arrima
buena sombra le cobija,[65]
we followed the footsteps of the worthy member of the Church Hospitaliar, without further colloquy.