1831.] Spanish Highways and Byways. 279 



rises on the right, and is covered with pretty villages, here and there 

 interspersed with convents and churches ; on the left is seen a boundless 

 plain, which is lost in the horizon, and a huge pyramidical stone, appar- 

 ently detached by some charm, from the group before mentioned, raises 

 its giant head, and forms a conspicuous object for a considerable 

 distance. 



We arrived at Madrid by the gate of Burgos, and 1 having submitted to 

 the usual examination of passport and baggage, we were graciously per- 

 mitted to proceed to our quarters, in the street of Alcala, to the dwelling 

 of a certain Italian, who e e ps the Posada San Fernando. Here I enter- 

 ed into the necessary agreement with my host for the usual accommoda- 

 tions, after which, I met Mr. Thomas, by whose representation I visited 

 Madrid. Mr. Thomas informed me that the government and the inha- 

 bitants of Azuagua, intended to offer me an estate in Estremadura, on 

 condition that I should reside there, and endeavour to improve the method 

 of sorting and washing the wools of that province, which are well known 

 to be of a more dingy appearance than those of any other part of Spain. 

 I had a long conversation with Mr. Thomas on the subject, whom I 

 found to be an intelligent and enterprising gentleman , he was moreover 

 a great favorite with his Catholic Majesty, to whom he had free access. 

 He related me the following anecdote of an interview with the King of 

 Spain. When he presented the memorial for the grant of an estate in Estre- 

 madura, to Ferdinand, the king placed it, with a number of other docu- 

 ments in his right-hand pocket. Mr. Thomas having been previously in- 

 formed that the memory of his majesty was exceedingly treacherous, with 

 respect to all documents that found their way into that particular recep- 

 tacle, after a little conversation ventured to address him on the subject. 

 ff Pray may I take the liberty of inquiring, into which pocket has your 

 Majesty placed my memorial ?" " Why, Thomas," replied the king, ' l does 

 that make any difference ?" " Every thing to me, please your Majesty/' 

 returned the merchant, * f for if you would favour me by transferring it 

 to the left-hand pocket, which I observe is empty, it would have a better 

 chance of attracting your majesty's notice/' The king laughed. "-Well,, 

 then, Thomas, I believe I must send you away in a good temper," and 

 he transferred the memorial to the favoured side. Mr. Thomas found 

 shortly afterwards the estate was conveyed to him, which his son now 

 possesses. 



From the representation made to me by Mr. Thomas, I was induced 

 to believe that in Estremadura the golden fleece was to be obtained ; I 

 therefore determined to visit the province and judge for myself. I pur- 

 chased a handsome Andalusian horse of one the king's equerries, for 

 forty-five dollars, and equipped him for the journey with a singular kind 

 of long saddle or pad, made for the convenience of carrying and strap- 

 ping on all my camp equipage, and necessary cooking utensils ; a bridle 

 manta, and a pair of alforja, or large pockets, (which are curiously 

 manufactured of wool, wrought in many colours, and serve to carry 

 provisions), a pair of holster pipes, and the whole surmounted by a 

 black sheep's skin, for a covering to my saddle and baggage. When 

 every thing was ready for my departure, intelligence arrived that the 

 yellow fever had broken out, and was making such ravages in Cadiz 

 and Seville, that a cordon of troops was placed for security as far as 

 Azuagua: I therefore deferred my expedition till the spring. 



