SPAIN; WINE, RAISINS, AND OLIVES. 123 



and we were made to understand that a merchandise train would 

 carry us to Madrid. 



The passengers at first seemed to like the delay, for they had 

 had nothing to eat for sixteen hours, and they thought it would 

 be a fine opportunity to refill their empty stomachs. We all ran 

 to the depot like so many famished wolves. But what was our 

 disappointment when they informed us that the station was quite 

 new, and that there was nothing eatable to be had. After a long 

 hunt, we found, in a corner, a woman who sold aguardiente and 

 some bad water. 



Dear reader, you ought to have seen the faces of the Johnny 

 Bulls, the Johnny Crapauds, your Yankee commissioner, and his 

 starved secretary. The scale had turned ; the chevaliers of the 

 bull-fight would have burst into a laugh had they seen our ludi- 

 crous expressions. How we did "bless" the conductors and man- 

 agers in general, and ours in particular! We walked up and 

 down the yard in a rage, dining on the dust our feet kicked up, 

 and having the beauty of the moon for dessert. At last the Span- 

 ish hour arrived which is marked two on my watch, and we were 

 packed into the baggage train. Our diligence was along with us. 

 The whistle blew, and we started. 



Our train got in at the Madrid station at one o'clock in the 

 morning. Here we again got into our diligence, and were wheel- 

 ed to the ofiice of the company in the city. The Custom-house 

 oflicers detained us for a while, after which, to our great relief, 

 we were allowed to go. 



We went to the Hotel des Ambassadeurs. Of course, every 

 one was asleep. We managed, however, to get a room, and the 

 waiter, seeing our forlorn looks, brought us a bottle of wine, and 

 then, with great mystery, drew from his pocket two cakes, called 

 ladies' fingers^ from their size, no doubt, and, putting them beside 

 the wine, told us that no charge would be made for them. Fa- 

 tigued with our fifty-six hours' ride, we crawled into our beds, 

 sure that we would not have the nightmare from an overcharged 

 stomach. 



Septemher 23. — After ten o'clock A.M. we took a carriage and 

 drove to the residence of the American minister, but found that 

 he, his family, and secretary were at Lagrange, the summer resi- 

 dence of the queen. From here we drove round the city, visit- 

 ing the palace, the gardens, the promenades, the Prado, etc. We 

 also visited the fair, which was being held on the continuation of 

 the Prado, on the edge of the city. 



