SPAIN : WINE, RAISINS, AND OLIVES. 127 



had not even noticed our delay — thanks to his comfortable coat. 

 The passengers delegated him to represent them to the conductor. 

 The Delcgado was so much taken by the gravity and importance 

 of the position, that he walked up to the conductor and demanded 

 an immediate start. The demand was followed by the desired 

 effect. A consultation was opened, and thus concluded : " Since 

 every passenger present apparently had his baggage, and since 

 every passenger in the diligence denied being the possessor of the 

 package in question, it was decided that the named package did 

 not belong to any of the passengers ; therefore, if left, the com- 

 pany would not be responsible for it." 



This decision was received with applause, and soon we were 

 galloping away. This delay, caused by these disputes, occupied 

 two and a half hours. Of course, myself and son, being the only 

 foreigners in the diligence, kept quiet. One reason for our not 

 interfering was the fact that we were Americans, who are held in 

 great dislike in this country. Even the deputy's face beamed 

 with smiles when we at last, started. 



"We had made but a few hundred yards when we were stopped 

 and counted head by head. Yankee-like, I stuck my head out 

 of the window to see what now was in .the wind. I saw the con- 

 ductor, driver, postillion, and an aid gathered around the door of 

 a house, disputing violently. In the door were two men — one a 

 gendarme, with his carbine ; the other with a paper in his hand. 

 The latter said, firmly, that we could not be allowed to proceed, 

 as we had one more person in the diligence than the law allows. 

 All wanted to speak at a time, so that a confusion ensued in which 

 none understood what the other said. Finally, the conductor suc- 

 ceeded in "getting the floor" alone. He remonstrated, saying 

 that the person who was too much was a young child sitting on 

 his mother's lap, and could not be separated from her; besides 

 this, as she had her husband, it would be cruel to separate them 

 from one another. Notwithstanding this eloquent ajDpeal to hu- 

 manity, the man with the paper remained inflexible. Nothing 

 could move him, until one passenger, far away from the boy, de- 

 clared that the child was very small, did not occupy any place, 

 since he was on his mother's lap, and that he was not at all 

 troublesome. At this declaration, and its unanimity (namely, one 

 man), the official yielded, and we went on. 



However, doubts soon arose in my mind whether the person 

 who so generously pleaded the cause of the boy had not better 



