1831.] [ 601 ] 



SPANISH HIGH-WAYS AND BY-WAYS. N. II.* 



MY intended journey into Estremadura, from Madrid, was postponed 

 in consequence of the yellow fever appearing in some of the districts 

 through which I had to travel. That my time, therefore, might not be 

 unprofitably spent, I determined to retrace my steps to Bristol, to report 

 to those who were interested in my journey what I had already done, 

 and to consult with them upon the ulterior objects of our speculation. It 

 was then agreed from circumstances unnecessary to mention here that 

 I should decline the offer of the Spanish government, and not accept the 

 grant of land offered me in Estremadura, but avail myself of their per- 

 mission to inspect the Rio Tinto copper mines, then idle from want of 

 capital of whose extent and value extravagant rumours had been circu- 

 lated. I arrived early in the spring at Bayonne, oil my return to Madrid, 

 and received from Captain Harvey, the British consul, my little Andalu- 

 sian horse, which he had kindly taken charge of during my absence in 

 England. My servant I despatched to Irun, the Spanish frontier town, 

 by a singular conveyance, termed, " a la cacole," which is a large sad- 

 dle, placed on a horse, to which are affixed two seats or chairs, back to 

 back, of course intended to carry two passengers. Each horse is at- 

 tended by a woman, who in the event of having a single passenger, 

 mounts the vacant seat, and preserves the equilibrium. Horses thus 

 equipped and attended are frequently hired for long journeys, 

 though it appeared to me to be rather an unsocial conveyance for a 

 distance. I now fitted up my little horse much in the same manner 

 as I had done on my journey from Madrid, for I proposed making a 

 circuit of nearly three thousand miles, and the traveller through the 

 by-roads of Spain can hardly expect to meet with many comforts on his 

 journey. Under my saddle I placed a small blanket, and a sheet, sewn 

 together, leaving an opening through which it might be stuffed with 

 short straw, and serve as a bed. Before and behind the saddle my 

 baggage was packed, covered with black sheep-skins ; and my alforjas, 

 or pockets, were slung across, containing a small kettle, sugar, tea, soap, 

 and other things which might be difficult to procure. Thus mounted, 

 with good pistols in my holsters, my gun slung at my back, and a brace 

 of capital spaniels by my side, I bid adieu to my good friend the consul, 

 who did riot scruple to tell me that he thought there was every chance 

 of my closing the account of my journey very speedily. 



The brigands of the Pyrenees, that they might ensure to themselves 

 the safe conduct of travellers, had burnt all the regular coaches, thus 

 obliging them to seek individual modes of conveyance, that their law- 

 less contributions might be levied with less difficulty. These circum- 

 stances had been explained to me, with a few additional particulars ; 

 but as my determination to explore was stronger than my fears, I was 

 not diverted from my original design. There is something exciting in 

 this mode of travelling. Few persons choose to resign their personal 

 comfort, and court the risk which must ever attend on such expeditions, 

 without some more urgent stimulus than a love of novelty. But to be 

 thrown on my own resources in a strange country and amongst strange 

 people, was not disagreeable to me. I preferred visiting by-places, where 

 few travellers had been before, to following the steps of others, and merely 



* Extracted from the Note-Book of Sir Paul Baghot. 

 M.M. New Series VOL. XI. No. 66. 4 H 



