We soon attained a great elevation, crossing a pass between the Peñon de Sancho and the main sierra on our left. The view, looking back towards Cadiz, is magnificent, and the scenery for the next four miles continues to be of the most splendid kind, the road being conducted along the side of the great sierra Monteron, and by the pass of La Brocha to the sierra Cantarera.
The road is by no means so bad as, from the name it bears, we were prepared to expect; in fact, there are many others in the Serranía of a far more infernal character. After riding about four hours—a distance of twelve miles—we reached a verdant little vale, enclosed on all sides by rude mountains, wherein the Celemin takes its rise, and whence it wends its way through a deep and thickly wooded ravine to the south. This gullet is called the Garganta de los Estudientes, from the circumstance, as our guide informed us, of some scholars having ventured down it who never afterwards were heard of—to which story Damien listened with great dismay.
We halted at this delightful spot for half an hour, as well to breathe our horses as to examine the contents of Damien’s alforjas, who took his meal, pistol in hand, for fear of a surprise. Continuing our journey, we had to traverse some more very difficult country, the views from which were now towards Ximena, Casares, Gibraltar, and the Mediterranean; including an occasional peep of Castellar, as we advanced to the eastward.
At four miles and a half from our resting-place, the road branches into two, the left proceeding to Ximena (five miles and a half), the other leading toward Estepona, and the towns bordering the Mediterranean. Taking the latter path, in about two hours we reached the river Sogarganta, along the right bank of which is conducted the main road from Ximena to Gibraltar.
Damien’s countenance brightened on his once more finding himself in “un pays reconnu,” and, turning joyfully into the well-known track, he struck up one of his most scherzosa arias; the heretofore dreaded Boca de Leones and Almoraima forest (which we had yet to pass), being robbed of their terrors by the superior dangers we had safely surmounted; and, in the words of the favourite poet of his country,
"Dopo sorte si funesta
Sarà placida quest alma
E godrà—tornata in calma—
I perigli rammentar."
CHAPTER XI.
DEPARTURE FOR MADRID—CORDON DRAWN ROUND THE CHOLERA—RONDA—ROAD TO CORDOBA—TEBA—ERRONEOUS POSITION OF THE PLACE ON THE SPANISH MAPS—ITS LOCALITY AGREES WITH THAT OF ATEGUA, AS DESCRIBED BY HIRTIUS, AND THE COURSE OF THE RIVER GUADALJORCE WITH THAT OF THE SALSUS—ROAD TO CAMPILLOS—THE ENGLISH-LOVING INNKEEPER AND HIS WIFE—AN ALCALDE’S DINNER SPOILT—FUENTE DE PIEDRA—ASTAPA—PUENTE DON GONZALO—RAMBLA—CORDOBA—MEETING WITH AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.
THE next and last excursion of which I purpose extracting some account from my notebook, was commenced with the intention of proceeding from Gibraltar to Madrid, late in the autumn of the year 1833; at which time, the cholera having broken out in various parts of the kingdom of Seville, it was necessary to “shape a course” that should not subject my companion and self to the purifying process of a lazaret; a rigid quarantine system having been adopted by the other kingdoms bordering the infected territory.