618 ANDALUSIAN SKETCHES. 



34th infantry of the line on guard, I was at once admitted. My 

 British uniform, he said, was sufficient, and rendered unnecessary the 

 usual delays and inconveniences which travellers generally expe- 

 rience on entering fortresses. A close and friendly intercourse had 

 arisen between the officers of the army of the Due D'Angouleme, 

 and those of the garrison of Gibraltar. On every occasion of the 

 mutual visits, marked civilities were exchanged. 



I remained some days at Cadiz, and then determined to proceed to 

 Seville by the " Bcetis," a commodious steam-boat, which performs 

 the passage in about fourteen hours. It is occasionally crowded with 

 persons of all classes, but on the morning I allude to, the only cabin- 

 passengers besides myself were an elderly Spanish gentleman and 

 his daughter : he appeared to be an invalid. Immediately on em- 

 barking he laid down upon one of the numerous sofas with which the 

 only cabin was furnished, and the young lady sat beside him in 

 anxious attendance. During the first six hours of our voyage I oc- 

 cupied myself upon deck, enjoying the charming coast scenery, as 

 the steamer stood out of Cadiz Bay, rounded the points of Rota and 

 Chipiona, and crossing the dangerous bar at its mouth, entered the 

 river Guadalquivir. The heat of the noon-day sun induced me to 

 retire below and recline upon a couch. For a time after my entrance 

 into the cabin, my fellow-passengers were silent, and I was nearly 

 asleep. Gradually I became sensible that a conversation in a low 

 murmuring tone was kept up by them. At length the words of the 

 lady were distinct. 



" Do not, my beloved father, talk thus. You will recover. Ere 

 many hours have passed we shall again be in our own house, my 

 dear mother's care will restore you to health." He made a faint 

 reply. The audible sobs of the weeping daughter induced me to 

 rise. I was about to return to the deck and cease to intrude upon 

 the sorrows of this evidently unhappy family, when a thrilling 

 piercing shriek from the lady caused me to rush towards them. 



" He is dying ! he is dead I" she exclaimed with frantic gesture. 

 I looked upon the old man, and it indeed appeared to me that life 

 was ebbing fast. I hastily disencumbered him of his cloak, loosed 

 his cravat and vest, and took his hand. It betokened approaching 

 dissolution, and yet he seemed to revive. He looked at me and 

 spoke : 



"Who are you, kind stranger, that thus troubles yourself for a 

 wretched old man ?" 



" An Englishman," I replied, and stammered an apology for 

 intruding my assistance. 



" Then God be praised !" rejoined the dying man, only attending 

 to the first part of my reply ; " Amalia is safe. You will protect 

 her. You will conduct her this night to her mother. I am 

 content. I know the honour of the English. All will be well." 

 He grasped my hand convulsively whilst he uttered these words 

 I could only answer by an assenting pressure. He did not speak 

 again, and in a few moments all was over. I performed the 

 last sad offices for the dead. I closed his eyes, covered the body 

 with the cloak, and carried the insensible Amalia to a distant 



