138 GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



Cisco, but lie gave np the business on account of having no cus- 

 tomers. 



After a good dinner with the consul we made our arrange- 

 ments for departure to-morrow by the steamer for Alicante. I 

 found that no steamer goes to Portugal, as they would have to 

 stay in quarantine, as the yellow fever has broken out in the south 

 of France. I was disappointed, as I intended to visit Oporto; 

 but then the vine disease is universal, and I may have introduced 

 it into our state. 



Septemher 29. — After paying our bills, which were very high, 

 we started for the steamer. Mr. Hancock accompanied us, but 

 before sent his clerk, Don Luis, to the police-office and French 

 consul, to have our passports go through all the annoying formal- 

 ities ; but, as Don Luis had no breakfast, and not finding the con- 

 sul at home, he gave the passports to the porter. He returned 

 in a short time, and found that the porter had taken a trip in the 

 country, taking the passports with him. This annoyed Don Luis; 

 but, like a prudent general, he made out two others, had them 

 vised, and came down just in time for the consul to sign them, 

 Mr. Hancock " blew up" Don Luis for leaving the passports, bade 

 us adieu, and we jumped into the boat just in time. The many 

 attentions I have received from Mr. Hancock will ever keep him 

 in my remembrance. 



I may here mention that all the harbors in the south, as Genoa, 

 Marseilles, Malaga, etc., have no wharf, but you are obliged to 

 embark in small boats. This makes it very inconvenient, partic- 

 ularly for ladies. The shipping is very close together, and in 

 passing along one is often inundated with slop-water. It is really 

 astonishing how little progress these people are making. We 

 started at twelve o'clock precisely in an iron steamer, the Paris. 

 "We kept close to the shore, passing the fertile valley of Malaga, 

 and sailed by her high mountains, all covered with vines and vil- 

 las. Soon, however, steep, rocky, barren mountains took the place 

 of the beautiful fertile vaUeys. Night set in, and with it a furi- 

 ous wind, which kept increasing so much that nearly all the pas- 

 sengers were sea-sick, and the steamer was delayed full ten hours, 

 arriving at Alicante at eleven o'clock at night. 



October 1. — The steamer remaining two days, it gave me an 

 opportunity of examining the neighborhood, and engaging such 

 vines and trees as the country possesses. First I went to the 

 market, where I found some grapes which I do not yet possess. 



