~‘and some brandy for supper. 
1811.J 
rising with a peak, sixor eight inches; 
which, on a trot, ora descent, is apt to 
‘strike the body in no very pleasant man- 
ner; on the hind part of the saddle is a 
slanting projection to suit the position of 
the thigh, and somewhat to: wedge the 
rider into a seat where he is more or less 
confined. The motion ofriding naturally 
€auses unusual fatigue, from this con- 
Struction, to those who are not accus- 
tomed to such saddles; but the Spaniard 
cannot be prevailed on to adopt a more 
commodious fashion. 
It had been dark an hour before we 
arrived in the town, and we found that 
we had not rode three miles an hour 
during the day; but considering that 
much, rain had lately fallen, we were 
fortutiate to get on as we did; the rivers 
having swelled considerably, which 
obliged us often to traverse the banks 
to find a fordable passage. We entered 
the town by a bridge, but it was so dark 
that we could not see it, and we trusted 
to our mules to discover the way over 
fragments of rock that lay by the side of 
the river. At the inn we were soon 
visited by an old officer, who came.to 
examine our passports and luggage; he 
gladly accepted a few rials, a segar, and 
a bumper of our wine. The room pro- 
vided for our accommodation was about 
eight feet square, without a window, a 
table or chair; we were furnished with a 
Jamp, and we converted our port- 
manteaus into a table and seats; and 
were fortunate to get a few boiled eggs 
In- this 
* room we slept on straw mattresses, spread 
on the brick-floor, and covered ourselves 
with our cleaks, while the muskitoes and 
fleas tormented us in our slumbers, until 
an hour before sun-rise, when the mu- 
leteer announced the.time for departure. 
Tt was a star-light morning; the frogs 
Ahad not ceased their croaking, and the 
old officer renewed his visit. We sat off, 
dark as it was, and gave the reins to the 
steeds who scrambled instinctively over a 
path on the side of a hill, which none of 
-us could discern. 
Soon after day-light we saw a building 
where an aqueduct worked several grist- 
mills, that were built over each other ; 
the fall of water being conveyed froin the 
upper one to the lower, with some in- 
~genuity in the contrivance. 
The country now became more cul- 
‘tivated than the part passed on the pre- 
ceding day; but we had no other beaten 
road than sheep-walks, amid the heatb, 
‘the broom, and other shrubs, which 
Journal of a recent Voyage to Cadiz. 
539 
abound on the plains, On descending 
the high land near the mountains. of 
Conil, which, is on the coast, our muleteer 
missed his direction, and we got within 
hearing of the sea; we were indebted ta 
a poor-looking-fellow who was watching 
some goats, for correcting this inistake, 
and were obliged to dismount in order to 
descend with safety; our mules and ours 
selves getting down the precipice as well 
as we could, 
We presently had a view of Chiclana, 
and of Medina Sidonia; the latter is a 
considerable town, but we did not pass 
through it; and the territory around, it 
belongs to a duke of that name, who is 
also the Marquis of Villa Franca. His 
estates are among those doomed to con- , 
fiscation by Buonaparte; and the Junta 
have represented this nobleman, as 
“among those who have the most con- 
tributed to the just cause of their beloved 
Ferdinand ; for since the beginning of the 
present revolution, he has given the sun 
of fifty thousand rials monthly, (upwards 
of six hundred pounds: sterling,) to the 
support of the armies.” 
On this estate are extensive plantations 
of the pine, which do not however grow 
to much perfection, as they are cultivated 
chiefly for the purpose of making char- 
coal; we saw a number of men engaged 
in this occupation, and I observed that 
the trees are not rooted up; but a stump 
is left about a foot and a half from the 
.ground, from which project shoots that 
are left to grow, until they are large 
enough for the same use as the old tree. 
I mentioned Chiclana to you in a 
former letter; and having passed it, as 
also the flying-bridge, we arrived at the 
Isla de Leon, and were detained at the 
barrier a considerable time, while we 
were examined by a priest, and other 
persons, who endorsed our passports, 
which cost each of us about one shilling. 
On getting into the town we were again 
examined, but with more politeness, and 
we met with no farther interruption until 
the same ceremony was required at the 
barrier here, where we arrived early in 
the afternoon, 
As akinv’s messenger is about to dee 
part in aday or two for England, I shall 
send this by him, and T intend to take 
my passage home by the next packet. 
I shall therefore conclude this last letter 
with an extract by way of summary, 
frou: Padre Du Chesne’s Compendio of 
the History of this Country, which you 
will probably say is the exaggerated de 
scription of an enthusiastic author. 
“This 
