0(a)tium 



These suspicions, which were of course eminently absurd 

 and unstable-minded, wore off as our little beasts, recovering 

 the use of their legs (but not the serenity of their minds), 

 began to prance, and kick, and rear, and jump bodily three 

 or four feet up in the air, greatly endangering the equilibrium 

 of the cloaks, and manias^ and alforjas^ piled upon their 

 backs. 



The Moor, at last, in an extra fit of violence, managed to 

 throw himself down, and scatter all that was on him in the 

 dust. It occurred to us, as we had got out of the town, that 

 if we were to mount, eleven stone or so additional on their 

 backs might add to the gravity of their deportment. This 

 succeeded very tolerably, and having passed the Spanish 

 lines (where they did not search us, I am happy to say, for I 

 had a lot of Cavendish tobacco), we came to deep sandy 

 roads, which soon took the extra shine out of our animals, 

 whom a crapulence of British corn, without any work, had 

 thus stimulated to rebellion — oats being much stronger 

 food than their accustomed barley. 



Turning back for a farewell glance at the Rock, it struck 

 us that it was rather in the form of a tomahawk, and it was 

 suggested that it might as well have been called Scalpe instead 

 of Calpe. The handle is, of course, the low end at the south. 

 However, it was the sharp-notched edge seen in perspective 

 which gave the idea. 



The deep sandy road along which we were riding was, in 

 fact, the beach of the sea, and for firmer footing I wanted to 

 ride on the narrow rim of wet sand left by the slight ebb : 

 but to this the Moor, for whose sole benefit the design 

 had been entertained, resolutely objected, being strongly of 

 opinion that some of the waves that kept bellowing and 

 smacking their foamy lips, would certainly eat him up 

 at a mouthful if he gave them a chance. 



198 



