1831.] Spanish Hightvaijs and Byways. 659 



out tree or shrub to be seen near it for many miles. The Posada was 

 pretty well filled with travellers, and I met there a party of Migniones. 

 This is a corps of a thousand chosen men, who are posted along- the 

 northern provinces of Spain, to prevent smuggling. They were attired 

 in a short scarlet jacket and cap, with breeches of a darker colour, and 

 sandals on their feet. They wore the capa slung across the shoulder, 

 and carried a cutlass and a brace of horse pistols. They were proceed- 

 ing to Sarragossa, and I joined company with them for safety as the 

 road was dangerous. At the extremity of the mountain is an excellent 

 view of Sarragossa, in the plain below, with the snow-capped Pyrenees in 

 the distance. We crossed the grand canal, which was commenced in 

 1520, and was to have joined the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean 

 Sea ; but only one hundred and twenty miles of this magnificent work is 

 completed. The next object of interest is an old castle, which was 

 formerly a Sloorish palace ; it afterwards served the kings of Arragon, 

 and then became the Inquisition. It is now used as barracks for sol- 

 diers. Near the castle flows the river Ebro which we followed till we 

 reached the gates of the city. 



The ancient and distinguished city of Sarragossa derives its principal 

 importance from the heroic defence made by its inhabitants against 

 56,000 of the chosen troops of France, commanded by the first generals 

 of the age. The defence was conducted by Palafox, who has immor- 

 talized his name and that of his city. With only 9,000 regular troops, 

 in an unfortified town, and in addition to the horrors of a bombardment, 

 struggling against famine and pestilence, did he maintain his post 

 against Marshal ]\Ioncey with his victorious legion-;, and Mortier with 

 his grenadiers, who hardly knew what it was to have a check. Colonel 

 Napier gives a good account of the siege, though he hardly does justice 

 to the Spaniards. 



On my return to Madrid I called on General Ballasteros, who in- 

 formed me the French had taken Cadiz, and the constitution was no 

 more. As the king was at liberty, the regency at Madrid had ceased. 

 This intelligence created great excitement in the city ; but as the news 

 was not official, the lieges were slow in lighting up ; rejoicing, on rumour 

 only, they found, on a former occasion, to be an expensive and unpro- 

 fitable business. The next day, however, Avhen the glorious event of 

 the French troops having marched as conquerors through the kingdom 

 was announced by salvos of their artillery, the usual display of tapestry 

 bedizened the windows of the citizens, the usual number of candles 

 displayed their loyalty, and a proijortionate quantity of wine was drunk 

 to make their royal enthusiasm more res])ectably clamorous. It would be 

 well, if, in an account of that period, there was nothing of a darker 

 nature to record — unfortunately there are many; and the blackest of 

 the catalogue is the death of General Riego. 



Previous to the fall of Cadiz, Riego marched with his division to 

 Malaga, to effect a junction with Ballasteros, intending to make head 

 with tlieir united corps against the common enemy. But Ballasteros 

 had been tampered with by the Frencli, and Riego was betrayed. 

 lie made his escape from IMalaga, acconqianied only by his two aides- 

 de-camp, Captain IMathews and an Italian officer, and took the road 

 towards Cordova. Having arj-ivcd at a small vcnia, they perceived that 

 before they could resume tlieir flight, it would be necessary to liave their 

 horses shod. A boy was therefore found, and despatched to a neigh-« 



