Moron 



galloped so confidently into the fray. We proceeded, and 

 were within about a league of the broad-topped citadel of 

 Moron, when the Moor become unruly and troublesome, 

 and in the little misunderstanding which ensued, my saddle 

 slipped round and rolled me off. The bridle, which I still 

 held in my hand, also slipped off, as tugging hard with 

 outstretched nose he got his ears squeezed through and 

 galloped away. 



Harry, who had just had a good deal of trouble with the 

 ponies, and who had a just right to complain of my manage- 

 ment in letting the little beast get away (for I had lost my 

 temper over the Moor's troublesome caperings, and laid 

 about his head and ears with my switch), did not say any- 

 thing about what I ought or ought not to have done, but 

 with great patience and good humour galloped back on the 

 Cid after the runaway. 



I carried his alforjas and mine to a little gully in the 

 dehesa^ whence, through the rustling reeds and palmitas, I 

 could see the ramparts of Moron. I wrote my journal, and 

 grubbed up what I supposed to be a palmita-root with my 

 navaja (clasp-knife). 



When I had eaten it, I found by the top that it was a 

 sort of lily, which might be rank poison for anything I 

 knew ; for, in my anxiety to get at the root, I had neglected 

 to examine the leaves, which bore only so slight and general 

 a resemblance to those of the palmita, that I wondered how 

 I could have been so stupid. I then did a little sketch of 

 Moron, as it appeared through the reeds, which carried 

 me on without impatience to Harry's return with the 

 ponies. 



We rode up into the town, which is quaint, antique, and 

 compact, and got to the Posada de los Caballeros^ a very 

 good sample of a queer old massive posada. The stables 



