1831.] Spanish Highways and Byways. 271 



league, reached Hernani, where we rejoined our carriage. Before the 

 evening closed, we arrived at Tolosa, the capital of Guipuscoa. The 

 country through which we had travelled was particularly interesting ; 

 the mountains on each side of the road rose one above the other in 

 graceful outline, and were clothed to their summits with verdure ; the 

 valley was highly cultivated, and the river Oria meandered through the 

 meadows, sometimes forming picturesque cascades as it broke over 

 the huge stones and fragments of rock which occasionally impeded its 

 course. The posada, to which we were conducted by the mayoral, 

 though it bore the respected and gallant sign of the Cross of Malta, was 

 not one which the fastidious traveller would have chosen for his resting- 

 place. We soon foon found the interior was as comfortless as the exte- 

 rior was unpromising. The only room for the entertainment of guests 

 was a large dining-apartment, which contained a table and a few chairs, 

 and also several beds, placed in recesses or alcoves, as our domitory. 

 The fire-place in the kitchen was raised on a platform of bricks, and 

 the white curling vapour which issued therefrom was suffered to roam 

 about and make its exit from an aperture in the roof. The fire was made 

 up with the roots of old trees, covered with stable-litter ; and before 

 it were placed eight or ten earthen pots, containing hot water, puchero, 

 and other necessary articles, to regale the muleteer or other traveller. 



Our hostess was particularly attentive to the puchero, a standing dish 

 among Spaniards ; it is composed of a piece of fat pork, part of a fowl, 

 a bit of beef or mutton, Estremadura sausages, and a peculiar kind of 

 cabbage and garbauzos, or Spanish pea ; the whole mixed together with 

 oil, and seasoned with salt, red pepper, and garlic. Three fowls were 

 then put down to roast ; others were cut into small pieces, mixed in 

 a deep frying-pan, with oil, lard, salt, and red pepper, together with 

 some cloves of garlic pounded in a mortar. When this mixture had sim- 

 mered some time, a quantity of rice was added, and it remained on the 

 fire till the whole was of a fine brown colour. The cook then broke half 

 a dozen eggs into the pan, gave it another turn, and dished it up. By 

 this time the fowls were done, and we were summoned to supper. The 

 cloth was laid in our bed-room, where the different dishes were served ; 

 and if one may judge of their excellence by the degree of respect by 

 which they were regarded by my fellow-travellers, the most confirmed 

 gourmand might not have desired a better sample of cookery. As I was 

 but a young Spanish traveller, my stomach was not proof against the 

 abundance of oil and garlic. I, therefore, contented myself with some 

 of the roast fowl, which did not require either a knife or fork to separate ; 

 and the desert which followed our repast, consisting of grapes, figs, 

 almonds, raisins, and biscuits, and afterwards a cigar. 



We were aroused by the mayoral at an early hour, and, before pro- 

 ceeding on our journey, were served with a cup of chocolate, a thin 

 slice of bread, and a piece of frosted sugar. The bill was moderate ; 

 but I found there was another and much better posada in the town, 

 though we were brought to the Cross of Malta, in consequence of an 

 engagement of the mayoral to provide some of the passengers with 

 entertainment on the road, which of course he effected with as little cost 

 as possible. I have been thus circumstantial in describing the comforts 

 of inferior Spanish posadas, as it may be considered a fair sample of simi- 

 lar establishments throughout Spain. 



The country through which we travelled was much of the same 

 description as that we had passed the day preceding ; the mountains, 



