SPAIN : "SVINE, RAISINS, AND OLIVES. 117 



ed by a very fine bridge, newly built. The fortifications that lie 

 on both sides of the river seem quite strong. After exchanging 

 our money for Spanish coin, wo went and engaged our places in 

 the diligence office for the capital. Here we learned that the 

 stage was to leave at six o'clock. Among several other items of 

 disagreeable news, we were informed that it would take two nights 

 and two days to reach Madrid, and, what was as bad, very little 

 time was allowed to us for our meals. Besides this, we were told 

 by every one whom we questioned that the roads were bad. 



At ten o'clock a most sumptuous breakfast was served up. It 

 by far surpassed many of our holiday dinners at home, if not in 

 cooking, at least in variety. 



After breakfast I wrote up my journal, some correspondence, 

 then set out in search of a gunsmith to load my Colt's revolver, 

 for I feared that I might have some use for it in Spain. The 

 ticket-seller told me that it was pretty safe ; but, as I read on my 

 ticket, " Tlie Company is not responsible for any effects taken hy 

 armed force ^'' I thought "discretion the better part of valor," and 

 had my pistol well loaded. With an eight-inch " Colt," I thought 

 I might meet on pretty equal terms quite a considerable " armed 

 force." 



The Emperor Napoleon is at this moment in the bathing-place 

 of Biarritz, about twenty minutes' drive from here. To-day he is 

 expected to pass by Bayonne on his return to Paris, and all along 

 where he is to pass the road is decorated with flags, flowers, gar- 

 lands, and arches of triumph. Great enthusiasm is every where 

 shown, and, from all I here saw, he is very much loved in this 

 part of France. 



Precisely at six in the evening we started with the diligence. 

 There were about twenty passengers, and a quantity of large 

 trunks, some of which would hold the whole household furniture 

 of six families living out West. Besides these immense trunks 

 there were several dry-good boxes belonging to some merchant 

 passenger, whicH attained still greater dimensions. With all this 

 weight, the six powerful horses hitched to our diligence took us 

 along at a good sharp rate. At the first station we again took six 

 horses. When I speak of a diligence, let not my readers imagine 

 an American stage ; it difiers in every respect. 



The wheels are large and hea\'y ; the box, which is painted in 

 a tasty manner, is divided into four divisions, each having its own 

 entry and its own price. These divisions, naming them by the 



