CH. II. TETUAN TO CEUTA. 51 



her figure appeared to be modelled on that of the nearest 

 Christian potentate, the unregretted Queen Isabella. The 

 men wore Jong blue coats of the dressing-gown pattern, 

 with white cotton stockings and slippers, and, if not 

 picturesque in appearance, showed to advantage beside 

 our host who, mindful of his dignity as interpreter to 

 the Consulate, appeared in European black frock coat 

 and trousers. The children were especially gorgeous in 

 head-dresses of crimson or purple velvet richly embroidered 

 in gold. During the evening there was an attempt at 

 dancing to the music of an accordion ; but the space was 

 too limited, and this was speedily given up. The party 

 continued, however, till a late hour, and midnight passed 

 before the sound of lively talk and laughter ceased in the 

 lower chambers of our house. 



On the morning of April 13 we started for Ceuta, about 

 thirty miles distant from Tetuan. The track for several 

 miles lies at some distance from the coast, which on the 

 north side of the mouth of the river forms a projecting head- 

 land, called by the Spaniards Cabo Negro. After riding 

 through green lanes, we mounted gradually by a broad 

 path that winds amidst bushy hills for a couple of hours, 

 and then descended towards the sandy shore ; and for the 

 remainder of the way kept close to the beach. After fording 

 one or two smaller streams issuing from the marshy pools 

 that lay between us and the hills on our left, we had a little 

 trouble in crossing a more considerable torrent that seems 

 to bring down most of the drainage of the Angera 

 Mountains lying behind Ape's Hill. The horses' feet sank 

 deeply in the yielding sand of the bed, though we were 

 able to wade across without difiSculty. It was an anxious 

 moment for us as we watched the baggage mules struggling 

 and floundering, until the water rose very nearly to the 

 precious packages of paper that contained the fruits of 

 our work since we left Tangier. Several villages were 

 seen on the slopes of the hills to our left, but during the 

 entire day we passed only three or four small houses. 



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