CHAP. XVII. A SPANISH SURVEY. 391 



under the wide porch, beneath the shadow of the 

 church, were seated nearly all the inhabitants of the 

 place. They were dressed in their holiday attire. 

 The bright bits of red and amber colour in the dresses 

 of the women, and the gay sashes of the men, formed 

 a striking picture, on which the travellers gazed in 

 silent admiration. It was something entirely novel 

 and unexpected. Beside the villagers sat two vener- 

 able old men, whose canonical hats indicated their 

 quality as village pastors. Two groups of young 

 women and children were dancing outside the porch 

 to the accompaniment of a simple pipe ; and within a 

 hundred yards of them, some of the youths of the 

 village were disporting themselves in athletic exer- 

 cises ; the whole being carried on beneath the fostering 

 care of the old church, and with the sanction of its 

 ministers. It was a beautiful scene, and deeply moved 

 the travellers as they approached the principal group. 

 The villagers greeted them courteously, supplied their 

 present wants, and pressed upon them some fine melons, 

 brought from their adjoining gardens. Mr. Stephenson 

 used afterwards to look back upon that simple scene, 

 and speak of it as one of the most charming pastorals he 

 had ever witnessed. 



They shortly reached the site of the proposed railway, 

 passing through Irun, St. Sebastian, St. Andero, and 

 Bilbao, at which places they met deputations of the 

 principal inhabitants who were interested in the sub- 

 ject of their journey. At Raynosa Mr. Stephenson 

 carefully examined the mountain passes and ravines 

 through which a railway could be made. He rose 

 at break of day, and surveyed until the darkness set 

 in ; and frequently his resting-place at night was the 

 floor of some miserable hovel. He was thus laboriously 

 occupied for ten days, after which he proceeded across 

 the province of Old Castile towards Madrid, surveying 

 as lie went. The proposed plan included the purchase 



