386 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
the kind. It was thus only I should be enabled to. stop 
where I liked upon the road and to penetrate. into districts 
never visited by the carriers (arrieros). I engaged the ser- 
vices of a man from the environs of Velez, whose name was 
Antonio, a thorough specimen of the Andalusian peasant; he 
was always lively and talkative, singing his ballads as he went 
and in excellent spirits, except when I compelled him, to go 
with me upon the mountains, which he held in most devout 
detestation. 
We set off from Malaga at eleven in the forenoon, clad, like 
the people of the country, with a peaked somórero on our 
heads, cartridge-box at the girdle and musket on the shoul- 
der. This garb, which is always worn by travellers, whether 
townsfolk or peasantry, is remarkably convenient, allowing 
people to go about without exciting any curiosity ; while the 
sight of a coat and beaver hat never fails to raise a commotion 
in every village, and. sets the dogs barking, and inasmuch as it 
is considered to mark the wearer as an Englishman, it affords 
an unfavourable badge for attracting the attention of plunde- : 
rers. After quitting the city, we traversed a monotonous part 
of the Vega lying between the sea on the right hand and a 
line of sandy hills on the left. The fields presented not the 
slightest shadow, and the deficiency of water causes perfect 
sterility in the dry years. The waters of the Guadaljora 
might be brought hither with little difficulty or expense. 
noticed Galium glomeratum (Desf.), Cichorium. divaricatum, — 
Scolymus maculatus, and S. Hispanicus. The road was €en- 
livened by numerous parties of peasants on their way to the B 
city, coming from the large villages of Coin, Alhaurin: and i 
Churriana and Torremolinos, where all the bread used m — 
Malaga is made, because of the excellent. quality. of ther — 
water. We soon fell in-with the Guadalhorce or Rio;de Mæ — 
laga, a large stream which rises near Antequera and is brought — 
over the ruins of an aqueduct and bridge of Roman construc : 
tion. Most. of the arches having fallen, the: pillars chiefly | 
remain, their massy shafts entwined with shrubs and climb- a 
ing plants. These long ruins, which may be seen in many - 
