8 BUEKOQUEROS. RIDES. [chap. i. 



BURROQDEROS. 



The person who gets up one of these parties sends round 

 invitations to his friends to join him on a certain day to ride 

 to a given point. A rendezvous is assigned, at which the 

 riders assemble, each followed by his faithful burroquero. 

 The burroqueros are a fine set of fellows, whose duty it is to 

 took after you and your horse, to carry the coats you take to 

 fortify yourself against the mountain mists, an umbrella to 

 shield you from the sun, a rcibo, as they call it, or cow's tail 

 fastened on to the end of a stick, to brush the venomous flies 

 off your horse, shoes and nails for the same animal in case 

 he should require them : add to all this a basket containing 

 a cold chicken, sandwiches, fruit, pies, liquors, as the case 

 may be, and it is wonderful the poor fellows get on at all ; 

 but if you are told that not only do they go the whole nine 

 hours, more or less, without complaining, but often keep 

 pace with you on the worst of roads, or rather tracks, at a good 

 round gallop, holding on by your horse's tail as you fly up tbe 

 most precipitous hills, you may be disposed to disbelief. So 

 it is, however, and you could no more persuade one of them 

 to stay behind, go home, or forsake his charge, than you could 

 separate a shepherd from his flock. 



RIDES. 



The first ride in every new place is always the most strik- 

 ing, but perhaps not the most pleasing, for I believe more 

 pleasure is derived from the study of what we know than from 

 the transient though more glowing charm of novelty. With 

 Madeira this is particularly the case. There, you are put on 

 a horse shod in such a way as you never saw before; you ride 

 on such roads as, I may safely say, you have never had any 



