271 Spanish Highways and 'Byways. QSept. 



firing their carbines in impotent anger, they gallopped back down the 

 hill. As Henriquez saw the danger diminish, his valour proportionately 

 increased ; and 1 had some difficulty in persuading him that it would be 

 better to pursue our route than to follow them across the hills, whither 

 we had the pleasure of seeing them direct their course. Our horses 

 were so completely jaded that we drove them before us down the hill, 

 and pushed on as hard as we could for the Tagus, across which there 

 was a ferry, and hoped to indemnify ourselves for our toil by a good 

 supper and a night's rest at Almaraz. It was just dark when we reached 

 the ferry. 



The raft was on the opposite side, but we saw no signs of a ferryman. 

 We called loudly for some time, and at last saw a light glimmer from 

 the opening door of a cabin on the summit of a small hill on the opposite 

 shore. This was from the functionary himself who, instead of coming to 

 our assistance, inquired, in no very gentle terms, what we were bawling 

 about. This being speedily made known to him, he informed us that he 

 never descended the hill but once, having made a vow to that effect, 

 when he was, one night, defrauded of his fare, by late travellers like 

 ourselves. We implored him to dispense for once with so inhuman a 

 resolve ; for that we were almost dead with hunger and toil, and were, 

 moreover, pursued by robbers. " I can't help that," coolly replied this 

 modern edition of the Stygian ferryman, " it is far better that they should 

 cut your throats, than that I should break my vow ;" with which conso- 

 latory remark he slammed the door of his hut, and left us to our medita- 

 tions. These were not of the most agreeable kind — our horses v/ere in a 

 most distressed condition, and to add to the distress, my servant was 

 taken seriously ill. There was a wretched hovel near, under which I 

 placed the horse-furniture, and tying the animals together, I commended 

 them to their fare. Never did I pass so miserable a night, for though 

 wrapped in our cloaks, beneath the hovel, no sleep closed our eyelids. 

 My servant did nothing but sigh and groan, and my occasional ejacula- 

 tions were neither of so submissive, nor so innocent a character. At last 

 daylight, in some measure, relieved our sufferings, by bringing the ferry- 

 raft, by which we and our horses, they having had nothing to eat but a 

 few prickly thistles, were quickly conveyed across. I was compelled to 

 walk to Almaraz to breakfast, my horse not being able to carry me, and 

 my servant being too ill to dismount. 



Having recruited our strength at Almaraz, we pursued our route to 

 Talavera de la Reyna, and passed the villages of La Calzada and Oro- 

 paza, at which latter place, on an eminence, stood an old castle, as I 

 understood, a royal residence, commanding a most beautiful and exten- 

 sive prospect over the adjacent country. Indeed the neighbourhood of 

 our whole route from Almaraz was exceedingly fertile, and abounded 

 with cornj wine and oil. At night we reached Torrabella, and the next 

 day passed over a flat covmtry, covered with oak timber and corn fields, 

 imtil we arrived at the range of small hills which form part of the site 

 of the celebrated battle of Talavera. It was a sanguinary day, and the 

 success of the action was so equivocal that it was confidently claimed by 

 both parties. Our cavalry suffered greatly from a covered ravine, into 

 which the foremost ranks were precipitated at the charge. It is said 

 that Lord Portarlington, then in the 23d Dragoons, saved his life by the 

 gallantry of his charger, who cleared the foss at a single leap, and 

 taking a short course on the other side, rejoined the remains of his regi- 



