SPAIN: WINE, RAISINS, AND OLIVES. 129 



mother's lap, took half of his mother's seat and half of mine, which 

 was already not too large before. However, I managed to squeeze 

 myself some way. The heat was intense, and the dust intolera- 

 ble, for it was as line as it was penetrating. Away we went, fol- 

 lowed by four or five little girls and boys, who ran alongside of 

 the diligence begging. The girls gave up in about three fourths 

 of a mile ; the boys held out longer, and one of them ran for at 

 least four miles. We had thrown out to them some coppers from 

 time to time. Neither the girls nor boys wore shoes. 



Our way led us near to the railway which was being built ; we 

 saw hundreds of men and women working on it. They all of 

 them had on their backs a basket hardly holding four to five gal- 

 lons ; they would creep snail-like to where the dirt was found, fif- 

 teen to twenty yards off, leisurely fill the basket, and then return 

 in a manner so slow that the slowest man in America would be- 

 come desperate. When they arrived at the place where the load 

 was to be deposited, they threw it down, but always in the most 

 careful manner. These railway contractors seem not to have the 

 least practical idea ; had they one, they would have all this trans- 

 portation done by machinery. We passed several other places 

 where they were also working, but all in the same snail-like way. 



The mountains are all barren ; not a tree can be seen. Now 

 and then we passed a miserable village filled with beggars. You 

 can not walk, stand, or sit any where without being besieged by 

 them. It is the most annoying thing that can be imagined ; they 

 will not be contented with a simple refusal, but will obstinately 

 follow you up wherever you go. 



We at last reached the top of the mountain, where we found a 

 table-land. It was here that we saw the ancient Moorish town 

 of Carolina. It is a thriving village, and surrounded, as far as 

 the eye can reach, by olive-trees ; these furnish a most pleasing 

 contrast with the barren country through which we had passed 

 since we left Bayonne. 



We were several hours passing through this really beautiful 

 country, when we arrived at the place where we were to dine. 

 Victoria, I believe, was the name of the place. I succeeded, in 

 spite of their numbers, in making my way through the beggars, 

 and coming to the kitchen. I seized upon the first thing which 

 fell under my hands and looked like a wash-bowl. After wash- 

 ing my face, I was lucky enough to find a clean corner to wipe it. 

 Our dinner was a Spanish one. What was wanting in dishes 



I 



