86 Unexplored Spain 



Virgeu " suffices at once to appease incipient angers, should such 

 arise. Thousands of horses and donkeys, moreover, are allowed 

 to roam about untended and unguarded, as there is no danger of 

 their being stolen. 



The Virgin of the Rocio, it appears, specialises in accidents, 

 and many votive pictures hung within the shrine illustrate the 

 nature of her miracles. One man is depicted falling headlong 

 from a fifth-storey window, another from a lofty pine, a third 

 drowning in a torrential flood ; a lady is thrown by a mule, 

 another run over by a cart, a lad caught by an infuriated bull ; 

 a beatific-looking person stands harmless amidst fiery forked 

 lightning — apparently enjoying it. From all these and other 

 appalling forms of death, the survivors, having been saved by 

 the Virgin's miraculous interposition, have piously contributed 

 pictorial evidence of the various occurrences. 



A somewhat gruesome relic records the incident that a 

 mother having vowed that should her daughter be restored to 

 life, she should walk to Rocio in her grave-clothes — and there the 

 said clothes lie as evidence of that miracle. 



The festival above described is celebrated each spring at 

 Pentecost. There is, however, a second yearly pilgrimage into 

 Rocio which orioinated in this wise. 



In 1810 when the French occupied this country, the village 

 of Almonte was held by two troops of cavalry who were engaged 

 in impressing recruits from among the neighbouring peasantry. 

 These naturally objected to serve the enemy, but many were 

 terrorised into obedience. Bolder spirits there were, however, 

 and these, to the number of thirty -six, resolved to strike a 

 blow for freedom. Having assembled in the thick woods outside 

 Almonte, at two o'clock one afternoon they fell upon the un- 

 suspecting French and, ere these could defend themselves, many 

 were killed and others made prisoners. Finally the French 

 commander was shot dead on his own doorstep. " The villagers 

 of Almonte were horrified at what had occurred, for. although 

 they had had no hand in the matter, they felt sure they would 

 have to bear the blame " — so runs a Spanish account. 



The few French troopers who had escaped fied to Seville, 

 reported the aftair, and (wrongly) incriminated the villagers of 

 Almonte — precisely as those worthies had foreseen. The General 



