I reminded mine host, that he had said he was a “distinguished officer,” and had called him “his friend."—“Si, señor, es verdad;[94] but the fact is, he followed me up stairs, and I knew he was at the door, listening to what I might say.”
I very much doubted the truth of his asseverations, and my doubts were confirmed by my never afterwards seeing the constitutional officer about the premises; but, to prevent a repetition of such introductions, I begged to be allowed the privilege of choosing my own associates, telling him, indeed, that my further stay at his house would depend upon it. I still, however, continued to look upon the fellow as a spy, until the mad attempt made by Torrijos to bring about a revolution, not very long afterwards, led me to think that my visiter’s overture might really have been seriously intended.
Manilba is distant about seven miles from Estepona. The first part of the road thither lies through productive vineyards; the latter along the sea-shore, on reaching which it falls into the road from Gibraltar to Malaga.
Not many years since Estepona was a mere fishing village, built under the protection of one of the casa fuertes that guard the coast; but the fort stands now in the midst of a thriving town, containing 6000 inhabitants.
The fish taken here finds a ready sale in the Serranía, whither it is conveyed in a half-salted state, on the backs of mules or asses. The Sardina frequents this coast in great numbers; it is a delicious fish, of the herring kind, but more delicately flavoured.
The environs of Estepona are very fruitful; and oranges and lemons are exported thence to a large amount—the greater portion to England. The place is distant twenty-five miles from Gibraltar (by the road), and sixteen from Marbella. To the latter the road is very good.
A most delightful ride offers itself to return from hence to the baths of Manilba, by way of Casares. The road, for the first few miles, keeps under the deeply seamed and pine-clad side of the Sierra Bermeja, and then, leaving the mountain-path to Gaucin (mentioned in a preceding chapter) to the right, enters an intersected country, winding along the edge of several deep ravines, shaded by groves of chesnut-trees, and reaches Casares very unexpectedly; leaving a large convent, situated on the side of a steep bank, on the left, just before entering the narrow, rock-bound town.
The road from Casares to the baths has already been described, but two other routes offer themselves from that town to reach Manilba. The more direct of these keeps the fissure in which the hedionda is situated on the right; the other makes a wide circuit round the Sierra de Utrera, and leaves the baths on the left. By the former the distance is five and a half, by the latter seven miles.
CHAPTER VIII.
A SHOOTING PARTY TO THE MOUNTAINS—OUR ITALIAN PIQUEUR, DAMIEN BERRIO—SOME ACCOUNT OF HIS PREVIOUS LIFE—LOS BARRIOS—THE BEAUTIFUL MAID, AND THE MAIDEN’S LEVELLING SIRE—ROAD TO SANONA—PREPARATIONS AGAINST BANDITS—ARRIVAL AT THE CASERIA—DESCRIPTION OF ITS OWNER AND ACCOMMODATIONS—FINE SCENERY—A BATIDA.