CHAPTER XV 



We stayed three days in Ronda — descended into the 

 chasm — sketched the flight of Moorish mills (through 

 which, one after another, the headlong torrent plunges down 

 into the valley), and the high and heavy freestone bridge 

 which joins the cleft-rock summits on which stand the old 

 and new town. 



There are certainly some " cleverish " precipices here- 

 about. From the bluffs at the edge of the new town one 

 can throw a stone down six or seven hundred feet into the 

 valley. One day, I was kneeling with my face over the 

 edge to set off paper parachutes, when both my pistols 

 slipped out of my faja^ and clashed on the rock, within a few 

 inches of the brink. They did not, luckily, go over, for I 

 grabbed them in the nick of time ; but it quite gave me a 

 turn, and I gave up letting off paper parachutes for fear of 

 tumbling over myself. 



The day before we left, we felt a desire for meat, which 

 we had not eaten for some time, living on eggs and choco- 

 late and salad. We sallied forth to the shambles. It was 

 late, and we only found one old woman. She, however, had 

 a whole sheep, lately killed. We got a choice cut, which 

 Harry carried off under his cloak in his fingers ; while I 

 went to the vegetable market over the bridge, and bought 

 half a peck of potatoes. The latter I sliced thin with 

 my dagger, while he haggled the mutton into tatters. He 



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