1808.} 
baggage travelling in the midst, while ther 
dogs are posted on the vutside, to keep 
the sheep from wandering at too great a 
distance, or mingling with other flocks, 
in a similar state of progress. When 
night approaches, the shepherds pitch 
“their tent in some convenient spot, make 
their fire, and prepare their supper, while 
the sheep come and arrange themselves 
inacircle round the tent, and the dogs 
patrole on the outskirts of the camp, to 
watch the approach of strangers or ene- 
inies, but without making any idle noise ; 
‘taking care, however, when danger to 
the flock is apprehended, not only to at- 
tack the invader, but by their voice to 
alarm the shepherds and call them to 
their assistance. The approach of the 
dog explained to me the white appearance 
on the ground; I therefore gradually 
“changed my course away from the flock ; 
and it was not until [ had gone to a eon- 
siderable distance, that the faithful and 
Sagacious aninal, walking all the way by 
my side, between me and the sheep, satis- 
fied that Ehad no evil intentions against 
his charge, silently quitted me and return- 
ed to his post. 
Having, in a general way, satisfied my 
Curiosity respecung Numantia and. its 
environs, I resumed my tour, returning 
to Aguda, but paying a second visit to 
Muro, where I received from the curate 
of the parish a couple of brass coins of 
Trajan, and some of those ancient vitrified 
rings, of a blue colour with whitish spots, 
found in varions parts of Europe, called 
in some places snake-stones; but in Spaili 
Cuentas, that is counters, because they in 
some manner resemble the beads, by 
which Roman Catholics count the num- 
ber and order of the prayers and saluta- 
tions recited in running over the ehaplet 
er rosary. These cuentus and the coins 
had been found siace my former visit to 
to the place. 
By the word curate in the preceding 
paragraph, I do not vive a correct idea 
_ of the corresponding Spanish term cura; 
for the cura in Spain, like the curé in 
France, means properly the rectur of a 
parish, that is, the person charged with 
the cure of souls; and the English word 
curate should in French be rendered by 
vicaire, the title of the person appointed 
to discharge the duties of the parish~ in 
the room of him who enjoys the benefice, 
Tn Spain where the non-residence of the 
clergy is a thing’ unknown in the church, 
from the very dignified Cardinal-Arch- 
bishop of Toledo, down to the humble 
curate of Muro, thé ecclesiastical functions 
; 2 
Account of recent Travels in Spain. 23 
are so seldom performed by substitutions 
that the term vicar is scarcely understood, 
and the incumbent is constantly stiled e¢ 
sen or curd. 
Don Quixote’s bosom-friends and ca- 
binet-counsellurs have at all times beea 
styled by us, by the French, and by other 
nations, the curate and the barber: and 
these titles have received a sort of clas- 
sical authority. it would therefore be 
absurd to attempt to change them:,bue ° 
neither of them convey the idea of the 
Spanish terms used by Cervantes. The 
person we call the curate, was, in fact, 
the benificed incumbent of the parish; 
and he, named the barber, was, in fact, 
the surgeon-barber of the place. It is 
not a thing out of mind, since there ex- 
isted, even in London, the worshipful so» 
ciety of barber-surgeous; and in Spain, 
and in the South of Ttaly, it was, and in 
many places still is, usual for the person 
who was entrusted with the care and 
management of the beard, to be charged 
with the’ care and management of the 
more noble parts of the human body. In 
this country we are apt to confound the 
idea ofa barber with that of a hair-dress- 
er, called by the Spaniards a peluguera 
(corrupted fim perruguier) whose oc- 
cupation is held in so little repute, that, 
excepting in large towns where French 
fashions have been adopted, a Spaniard 
would think dimself highly insulted by bes 
ing supposed to exercise the trade. 
I should make an apology, Mr. Editor, 
for this long digression from the proper 
subject of my communication: but.as in 
describing countries with which we are 
but little acquainted, the slightest varia- 
tions from our own modes of thinking 
and acting, become of importance; and’ 
as indeed it is by remarking such discri+ 
minating shades of difference, that a true 
idea of such modes can. be formed, or 
couveyed to others; this digression will, 
[ trust, uot appear entirely unnecessary. 
I now resume my tour.—In the evena 
ing L arrived at Agreda, already men-, 
tioned, where I passed the night, and on’ 
the following morning pursued my jour= 
ney for Saragossa.» 
From Agreda the road runs easterly, 
for five leagues, (that is, five hours joure 
ney, at the step of the mule,) to Tara- 
zona, a town romantically situated on 
the sammit and st6pes of alittle hill, over’ 
the river Quelles, which running’ northe 
erly, falls into the Ebro. The country 
consists chiefly of a succession of smait 
eminences, covered with beath and other 
sluubs, but affording pasture for num- 
“Bers 
