8 CORRESPONDENCE OF RAY. 



Saragossa and Toulouse, wliere I heard Seignor La Stan- 

 nosa has a very famous Museum; the bookseller that 

 told me of it, said it would take up several days to see 

 all the rarities ; but very likely it is much lesser than the 

 fame. From Xvesca to Toulouse, where they say there is 

 a cave that hardens bodies into a mummy. In this 

 journey, before you come to Vict, as I remember, you 

 will pass by Aulot, where in divers caves there is spira- 

 culums of air, caused, as they imagine there, by the fall- 

 ing of water. From Cardona I went to Portosa, where I 

 saw a mine of marble, which they call jasper. From 

 Portosa to Valentia ; Gandia, where I saw the sugar canes 

 and sugar mills ; Chativer, where there is an aqueduct 

 made by the Moors ; Caravac, where there is a cross that 

 came down from Heaven; Granada, where there is a 

 palace of the Moors that well deserves a joiu-ney of a 

 dozen leagues. Thence to Seville, where I attempted in 

 vain to get a passport for Portugal. I thought then to 

 have gone to Gales, from thence to Tangier, and from 

 Tangier to Lisbon, which was the best way to get into 

 Portugal; but being discouraged by my mule's ill fortune, 

 and the time of the year, I faced about, and returning by 

 land * * * * Toledo, Madrid, Burgos, Vittoria, St. Se- 

 bastian, Bayonne, Bourdeaux, Blais, Sainctes, Poictiers, 

 Amboise, Blois, Orleans, and got hither almost a fortnight 

 since. This journey of almost a thousand miles I came 

 all alone, having agreed with my merchant to leave liim 

 either at Seville or Lisbon ; and, I thank God, escaped 

 very well all along : but at Vittoria and the passage near 

 St. Sebastian was basely troubled with searchers. If you 

 come that way you must manifest your money, at least 

 all your silver, and take a pass. Between Bayonne and 

 Bourdeaux I got a great many notions about the making 

 of tm-pentine, rosin, pitch, and Yonderone, which I think 

 is tar, the country being full of pines. About Bayonne 

 and St. Sebastian they catch a great many whales every 

 winter; I got there some uncertain notions about the 

 Sperma Ceti. The buying of horses and mules is an excel- 



