1831.] Spanish High-way* and By-ways. 609 



silver, which he informed me was secreted, and saved from falling into 

 the hands of the French. 



Near the mosque, raised on an artificial rock, from which flows a stream 

 of water, stands a lofty pillar, on which is erected a statue of the arch- 

 angel Raphael,beautifully carved in wood,. Underneath is an inscription 

 in the Castillian language" I swear to you by Jesus Christ crucified, 

 that I am Raphael the angel whom God has placed as a guard over this 

 city/' I continued my route to Seville, passing through several German 

 towns, once flourishing and populous, and a charming country, which it is 

 impossible even for a despotic government and a bigotted priesthood to 

 destroy. This is considered about the warmest part of Spain. The cot- 

 ton-plant is cultivated with success, and the aloe rears its beautiful blos- 

 soms with a vigour and luxuriance hardly surpassed in the tropical 

 regions of America. 



Our approach to the capital was marked by groups of peasantry 

 eagerly making their way as though to the scene of some promised en- 

 joyment. It was a lively and picturesque sight to see the swarthy An- 

 dalusian clothed in the various colours of his holyday attire, and the 

 women with their laughing black eyes and their dark braided hair, some 

 on mules and others on foot, pressing forward with a joyousness and 

 hilarity as though care and toil were utterly unknown to them. It 

 was Sunday morning, and I found the day, a festival here, was to be 

 honoured with one of those grand national spectacles, the bull-fights. I 

 had heard much of these exhibitions, and therefore was glad to have an 

 opportunity of witnessing one, particularly as the bulls of Andalusia 

 were esteemed the fiercest, and their adversaries the most expert in 

 Spain. I entered Seville about eleven o'clock, and proceeded to hear 

 grand mass at the cathedral. After the service I was conducted through 

 this sumptuous edifice, where, amongst other rich and valuable relics, was 

 shewn me the silver tables presented by Alphonso the Wise. Beneath 

 a large tablet of stone in this cathedral lie the remains of the son of 

 Christopher Columbus who bequeathed to the church a library of 

 20,000 volumes, which has since been increased by various donations. 

 About three o'clock, crowds began to assemble at the Plaza de los Toros, 

 or the amphitheatre, the exhibition being announced to the public by 

 bills describing the breed of the bulls and the persons engaged in the per- 

 formance. Shortly after a company of soldiers marched through the 

 streets, accompanied by a full band playing some national airs, as, " Tra- 

 gula, Tragula," which was then the favourite anthem and entering the 

 Plaza de los Toros, the band were placed near the box occupied by the 

 magistracy. A party of dragoons kept the ground. In the meantime, 

 the amphitheatre was filling rapidly. The boxes were occupied by 

 families of distinction, and by four o'clock every avenue was completely 

 crowded. A herald who stood opposite the centre box then sounded 

 a blast, and immediately the military, who were in the arena, formed in 

 line and marched from one side to the other, forcing all those persons to 

 their seats who were not already placed. Directly the arena was cleared 

 another trumpet announced the approach of the performers in the forth- 

 coming spectacle. The cortege was preceded by a herald dressed in 

 black, wearing a short cloak and ruff, with Spanish hat and ostrich 

 feathers. He was followed by the four picadors mounted and seated in 

 curious Moorish saddles. They were dressed in jackets superbly em- 

 broidered with gold and silver, wearing a round straw hat profusely 



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



