The Bible in Spain

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"May I mount this animal?" I demanded.

"He is a baggage pony, Senor, and is ill to mount. He will suffer
none but myself to mount him, who am his master. When he once
commences running, nothing will stop him but the sea. He springs
over hills and mountains, and leaves them behind in a moment. If
you will mount him, Senor, suffer me to fetch a bridle, for you can
never hold him in with the halter."

"This is nonsense," said I. "You pretend that he is spirited in
order to enhance the price. I tell you his work is done."

I took the halter in my hand and mounted. I was no sooner on his
back than the creature, who had before stood stone still, without
displaying the slightest inclination to move, and who in fact gave
no farther indication of existence than occasionally rolling his
eyes and pricking up an ear, sprang forward like a racehorse, at a
most desperate gallop. I had expected that he might kick or fling
himself down on the ground, in order to get rid of his burden, but
for this escapade I was quite unprepared. I had no difficulty,
however, in keeping on his back, having been accustomed from my
childhood to ride without a saddle. To stop him, however, baffled
all my endeavours, and I almost began to pay credit to the words of
the Gypsy, who had said that he would run on until he reached the
sea. I had, however, a strong arm, and I tugged at the halter
until I compelled him to turn slightly his neck, which from its
stiffness might almost have been of wood; he, however, did not
abate his speed for a moment. On the left side of the road down
which he was dashing was a deep trench, just where the road took a
turn towards the right, and over this he sprang in a sideward
direction; the halter broke with the effort, the pony shot forward
like an arrow, whilst I fell back into the dust.

"Senor!" said the Gypsy, coming up with the most serious
countenance in the world, "I told you not to mount that animal
unless well bridled and bitted. He is a baggage pony, and will
suffer none to mount his back, with the exception of myself who
feed him." (Here he whistled, and the animal, who was scurring
over the field, and occasionally kicking up his heels, instantly
returned with a gentle neigh.) "Now, your worship, see how gentle
he is. He is a capital baggage pony, and will carry all you have
over the hills of Galicia."

"What do you ask for him?" said I.

"Senor, as your worship is an Englishman, and a good ginete, and,
moreover, understands the ways of the Calore, and their tricks and
their language also, I will sell him to you a bargain. I will take
two hundred and sixty dollars for him and no less."

"That is a large sum," said I.

"No, Senor, not at all, considering that he is a baggage pony, and
belongs to the troop, and is not mine to sell."

Two hours' ride brought us to Palencia, a fine old town,
beautifully situated on the Carrion, and famous for its trade in
wool. We put up at the best posada which the place afforded, and I
forthwith proceeded to visit one of the principal merchants of the
town, to whom I was recommended by my banker in Madrid. I was
told, however, that he was taking his siesta. "Then I had better
take my own," said I, and returned to the posada. In the evening I
went again, when I saw him. He was a short bulky man about thirty,
and received me at first with some degree of bluntness; his manner,
however, presently became more kind, and at last he scarcely
appeared to know how to show me sufficient civility. His brother
had just arrived from Santander, and to him he introduced me. This
last was a highly-intelligent person, and had passed many years of
his life in England. They both insisted upon showing me the town,
and, indeed, led me all over it, and about the neighbourhood. I
particularly admired the cathedral, a light, elegant, but ancient
Gothic edifice. Whilst we walked about the aisles, the evening
sun, pouring its mellow rays through the arched windows, illumined
some beautiful paintings of Murillo, with which the sacred edifice
is adorned. From the church my friends conducted me to a fulling
mill in the neighbourhood, by a picturesque walk. There was no
lack either of trees or water, and I remarked, that the environs of
Palencia were amongst the most pleasant places that I had ever
seen.

Tired at last with rambling, we repaired to a coffee-house, where
they regaled me with chocolate and sweet-meats. Such was their
hospitality; and of hospitality of this simple and agreeable kind
there is much in Spain.

On the next day we pursued our journey, a dreary one, for the most
part, over bleak and barren plains, interspersed with silent and
cheerless towns and villages, which stood at the distance of two or
three leagues from each other. About midday we obtained a dim and
distant view of an immense range of mountains, which are in fact
those which bound Castile on the north. The day, however, became
dim and obscure, and we speedily lost sight of them. A hollow wind
now arose and blew over these desolate plains with violence,
wafting clouds of dust into our faces; the rays of the sun were
few, and those red and angry. I was tired of my journey, and when
about four we reached -, a large village, half way between Palencia
and Leon, I declared my intention of stopping for the night. I
scarcely ever saw a more desolate place than this same town or
village of -. The houses were for the most part large, but the
walls were of mud, like those of barns. We saw no person in the
long winding street to direct us to the venta, or posada, till at
last, at the farther end of the place, we descried two black
figures standing at a door, of whom, on making inquiry, we learned
that the door at which they stood was that of the house we were in
quest of. There was something strange in the appearance of these
two beings, who seemed the genii of the place. One was a small
slim man, about fifty, with sharp, ill-natured features. He was
dressed in coarse black worsted stockings, black breeches, and an
ample black coat with long trailing skirts. I should at once have
taken him for an ecclesiastic, but for his hat, which had nothing
clerical about it, being a pinched diminutive beaver. His
companion was of low stature, and a much younger man. He was
dressed in similar fashion, save that he wore a dark blue cloak.
Both carried walking sticks in their hands, and kept hovering about
the door, now within and now without, occasionally looking up the
road, as if they expected some one.

"Trust me, mon maitre," said Antonio to me, in French, "those two
fellows are Carlist priests, and are awaiting the arrival of the
Pretender. Les imbeciles!"

We conducted our horses to the stable, to which we were shown by
the woman of the house. "Who are those men?" said I to her.

"The eldest is head curate to our pueblo," said she; "the other is
brother to my husband. Pobrecito! he was a friar in our convent
before it was shut up and the brethren driven forth."

We returned to the door. "I suppose, gentlemen," said the curate,
"that you are Catalans. Do you bring any news from that kingdom?"

"Why do you suppose we are Catalans?" I demanded.

"Because I heard you this moment conversing in that language."

"I bring no news from Catalonia," said I. "I believe, however,
that the greater part of that principality is in the hands of the
Carlists."

"Ahem, brother Pedro! This gentleman says that the greater part of
Catalonia is in the hands of the royalists. Pray, sir, where may
Don Carlos be at present with his army?"

"He may be coming down the road this moment," said I, "for what I
know;" and, stepping out, I looked up the way.

The two figures were at my side in a moment; Antonio followed, and
we all four looked intently up the road.

"Do you see anything?" said I at last to Antonio.

"Non, mon maitre."

"Do you see anything, sir?" said I to the curate.

"I see nothing," said the curate, stretching out his neck.

"I see nothing," said Pedro, the ex-friar; "I see nothing but the
dust, which is becoming every moment more blinding."

"I shall go in, then," said I. "Indeed, it is scarcely prudent to
be standing here looking out for the Pretender: should the
nationals of the town hear of it, they might perhaps shoot us."

"Ahem," said the curate, following me; "there are no nationals in
this place: I would fain see what inhabitant would dare become a
national. When the inhabitants of this place were ordered to take
up arms as nationals, they refused to a man, and on that account we
had to pay a mulet; therefore, friend, you may speak out if you
have anything to communicate; we are all of your opinion here."

"I am of no opinion at all," said I, "save that I want my supper.
I am neither for Rey nor Roque. You say that I am a Catalan, and
you know that Catalans think only of their own affairs."

In the evening I strolled by myself about the village, which I
found still more forlorn and melancholy than it at first appeared;
perhaps, however, it had been a place of consequence in its time.
In one corner of it I found the ruins of a large clumsy castle,
chiefly built of flint stones: into these ruins I attempted to
penetrate, but the entrance was secured by a gate. From the castle
I found my way to the convent, a sad desolate place, formerly the
residence of mendicant brothers of the order of St. Francis. I was
about to return to the inn, when I heard a loud buzz of voices,
and, following the sound, presently reached a kind of meadow,
where, upon a small knoll, sat a priest in full canonicals, reading
in a loud voice a newspaper, while around him, either erect or
seated on the grass, were assembled about fifty vecinos, for the
most part dressed in long cloaks, amongst whom I discovered my two
friends the curate and friar. A fine knot of Carlist quid-nuncs,
said I to myself, and turned away to another part of the meadow,
where the cattle of the village were grazing. The curate, on
observing me, detached himself instantly from the group, and
followed. "I am told you want a pony," said he; "there now is mine
feeding amongst those horses, the best in all the kingdom of Leon."
He then began with all the volubility of a chalan to descant on the
points of the animal. Presently the friar joined us, who,
observing his opportunity, pulled me by the sleeve and whispered,
"Have nothing to do with the curate, master, he is the greatest
thief in the neighbourhood; if you want a pony, my brother has a
much better, which he will dispose of cheaper." "I shall wait till
I arrive at Leon," I exclaimed, and walked away, musing on priestly
friendship and sincerity.

From--to Leon, a distance of eight leagues, the country rapidly
improved: we passed over several small streams, and occasionally
found ourselves amongst meadows in which grass was growing in the
richest luxuriance. The sun shone out brightly, and I hailed his
re-appearance with joy, though the heat of his beams was
oppressive. On arriving within two leagues of Leon, we passed
numerous cars and waggons, and bands of people with horses and
mules, all hastening to the celebrated fair which is held in the
city on St. John's or Mid-summer day, and which took place within
three days after our arrival. This fair, though principally
intended for the sale of horses, is frequented by merchants from
many parts of Spain, who attend with goods of various kinds, and
amongst them I remarked many of the Catalans whom I had previously
seen at Medina and Valladolid.

There is nothing remarkable in Leon, which is an old gloomy town,
with the exception of its cathedral, in many respects a counterpart
of the church of Palencia, exhibiting the same light and elegant
architecture, but, unlike its beautiful sister, unadorned with
splendid paintings. The situation of Leon is highly pleasant, in
the midst of a blooming country, abounding with trees, and watered
by many streams, which have their source in the mighty mountains in
the neighbourhood. It is, however, by no means a healthy place,
especially in summer, when the heats raise noxious exhalations from
the waters, generating many kinds of disorders, especially fevers.

I had scarcely been at Leon three days when I was seized with a
fever, against which I thought the strength even of my constitution
would have yielded, for it wore me almost to a skeleton, and when
it departed, at the end of about a week, left me in such a
deplorable state of weakness that I was scarcely able to make the
slightest exertion. I had, however, previously persuaded a
bookseller to undertake the charge of vending the Testaments, and
had published my advertisements as usual, though without very
sanguine hope of success, as Leon is a place where the inhabitants,
with very few exceptions, are furious Carlists, and ignorant and
blinded followers of the old papal church. It is, moreover, a
bishop's see, which was once enjoyed by the prime counsellor of Don
Carlos, whose fierce and bigoted spirit still seems to pervade the
place. Scarcely had the advertisements appeared, when the clergy
were in motion. They went from house to house, banning and
cursing, and denouncing misery to whomsoever should either purchase
or read "the accursed books," which had been sent into the country
by heretics for the purpose of perverting the innocent minds of the
population. They did more; they commenced a process against the
bookseller in the ecclesiastical court. Fortunately this court is
not at present in the possession of much authority; and the
bookseller, a bold and determined man, set them at defiance, and
went so far as to affix an advertisement to the gate of the very
cathedral. Notwithstanding the cry raised against the book,
several copies were sold at Leon: two were purchased by ex-friars,
and the same number by parochial priests from neighbouring
villages. I believe the whole number disposed of during my stay
amounted to fifteen; so that my visit to this dark corner was not
altogether in vain, as the seed of the gospel has been sown, though
sparingly. But the palpable darkness which envelops Leon is truly
lamentable, and the ignorance of the people is so great, that
printed charms and incantations against Satan and his host, and
against every kind of misfortune, are publicly sold in the shops,
and are in great demand. Such are the results of Popery, a
delusion which, more than any other, has tended to debase and
brutalize the human mind.

I had scarcely risen from my bed where the fever had cast me, when
I found that Antonio had become alarmed. He informed me that he
had seen several soldiers in the uniform of Don Carlos lurking at
the door of the posada, and that they had been making inquiries
concerning me.

It was indeed a singular fact connected with Leon, that upwards of
fifty of these fellows, who had on various accounts left the ranks
of the Pretender, were walking about the streets dressed in his
livery, and with all the confidence which the certainty of
protection from the local authorities could afford them should any
one be disposed to interrupt them.

I learned moreover from Antonio, that the person in whose house we
were living was a notorious "alcahuete," or spy to the robbers in
the neighbourhood, and that unless we took our departure speedily
and unexpectedly, we should to a certainty be plundered on the
road. I did not pay much attention to these hints, but my desire
to quit Leon was great, as I was convinced that as long as I
continued there I should be unable to regain my health and vigour.

Accordingly, at three in the morning, we departed for Galicia. We
had scarcely proceeded half a league when we were overtaken by a
thunder-storm of tremendous violence. We were at that time in the
midst of a wood which extends to some distance in the direction in
which we were going. The trees were bowed almost to the ground by
the wind or torn up by the roots, whilst the earth was ploughed up
by the lightning, which burst all around and nearly blinded us.
The spirited Andalusian on which I rode became furious, and bounded
into the air as if possessed. Owing to my state of weakness, I had
the greatest difficulty in maintaining my seat, and avoiding a fall
which might have been fatal. A tremendous discharge of rain
followed the storm, which swelled the brooks and streams and
flooded the surrounding country, causing much damage amongst the
corn. After riding about five leagues, we began to enter the
mountainous district which surrounds Astorga: the heat now became
almost suffocating; swarms of flies began to make their appearance,
and settling down upon the horses, stung them almost to madness,
whilst the road was very flinty and trying. It was with great
difficulty that we reached Astorga, covered with mud and dust, our
tongues cleaving to our palates with thirst.

CHAPTER XXIII

Astorga--The Inn--The Maragatos--The Habits of the Maragatos--The
Statue.

We went to a posada in the suburbs, the only one, indeed, which the
place afforded. The courtyard was full of arrieros and carriers,
brawling loudly; the master of the house was fighting with two of
his customers, and universal confusion reigned around. As I
dismounted I received the contents of a wineglass in my face, of
which greeting, as it was probably intended for another, I took no
notice. Antonio, however, was not so patient, for on being struck
with a cudgel, he instantly returned the salute with his whip,
scarifying the countenance of a carman. In my endeavours to
separate these two antagonists, my horse broke loose, and rushing
amongst the promiscuous crowd, overturned several individuals and
committed no little damage. It was a long time before peace was
restored: at last we were shown to a tolerably decent chamber. We
had, however, no sooner taken possession of it, than the waggon
from Madrid arrived on its way to Coruna, filled with dusty
travellers, consisting of women, children, invalid officers and the
like. We were now forthwith dislodged, and our baggage flung into
the yard. On our complaining of this treatment, we were told that
we were two vagabonds whom nobody knew; who had come without an
arriero, and had already set the whole house in confusion. As a
great favour, however, we were at length permitted to take up our
abode in a ruinous building down the yard, adjoining the stable,
and filled with rats and vermin. Here there was an old bed with a
tester, and with this wretched accommodation we were glad to
content ourselves, for I could proceed no farther, and was burnt
with fever. The heat of the place was intolerable, and I sat on
the staircase with my head between my hands, gasping for breath:
soon appeared Antonio with vinegar and water, which I drank and
felt relieved.

We continued in this suburb three days, during the greatest part of
which time I was stretched on the tester bed. I once or twice
contrived to make my way into the town, but found no bookseller,
nor any person willing to undertake the charge of disposing of my
Testaments. The people were brutal, stupid, and uncivil, and I
returned to my tester bed fatigued and dispirited. Here I lay
listening from time to time to the sweet chimes which rang from the
clock of the old cathedral. The master of the house never came
near me, nor indeed, once inquired about me. Beneath the care of
Antonio, however, I speedily waxed stronger. "Mon maitre," said he
to me one evening, "I see you are better; let us quit this bad town
and worse posada to-morrow morning. Allons, mon maitre! Il est
temps de nous mettre en chemin pour Lugo et Galice."

Before proceeding, however, to narrate what befell us in this
journey to Lugo and Galicia, it will perhaps not be amiss to say a
few words concerning Astorga and its vicinity. It is a walled
town, containing about five or six thousand inhabitants, with a
cathedral and college, which last is, however, at present deserted.
It is situated on the confines, and may be called the capital of a
tract of land called the country of the Maragatos, which occupies
about three square leagues, and has for its north-western boundary
a mountain called Telleno, the loftiest of a chain of hills which
have their origin near the mouth of the river Minho, and are
connected with the immense range which constitutes the frontier of
the Asturias and Guipuscoa.

The land is ungrateful and barren, and niggardly repays the toil of
the cultivator, being for the most part rocky, with a slight
sprinkling of red brick earth.

The Maragatos are perhaps the most singular caste to be found
amongst the chequered population of Spain. They have their own
peculiar customs and dress, and never intermarry with the
Spaniards. Their name is a clue to their origin, as it signifies,
"Moorish Goths," and at the present day their garb differs but
little from that of the Moors of Barbary, as it consists of a long
tight jacket, secured at the waist by a broad girdle, loose short
trousers which terminate at the knee, and boots and gaiters. Their
heads are shaven, a slight fringe of hair being only left at the
lower part. If they wore the turban or barret, they could scarcely
be distinguished from the Moors in dress, but in lieu thereof they
wear the sombrero, or broad slouching hat of Spain. There can be
little doubt that they are a remnant of those Goths who sided with
the Moors on their invasion of Spain, and who adopted their
religion, customs, and manner of dress, which, with the exception
of the first, are still to a considerable degree retained by them.
It is, however, evident that their blood has at no time mingled
with that of the wild children of the desert, for scarcely amongst
the hills of Norway would you find figures and faces more
essentially Gothic than those of the Maragatos. They are strong
athletic men, but loutish and heavy, and their features, though for
the most part well formed, are vacant and devoid of expression.
They are slow and plain of speech, and those eloquent and
imaginative sallies so common in the conversation of other
Spaniards, seldom or never escape them; they have, moreover, a
coarse thick pronunciation, and when you hear them speak, you
almost imagine that it is some German or English peasant attempting
to express himself in the language of the Peninsula. They are
constitutionally phlegmatic, and it is very difficult to arouse
their anger; but they are dangerous and desperate when once
incensed; and a person who knew them well, told me that he would
rather face ten Valencians, people infamous for their ferocity and
blood-thirstiness, than confront one angry Maragato, sluggish and
stupid though he be on other occasions.

The men scarcely ever occupy themselves in husbandry, which they
abandon to the women, who plough the flinty fields and gather in
the scanty harvests. Their husbands and sons are far differently
employed: for they are a nation of arrieros or carriers, and
almost esteem it a disgrace to follow any other profession. On
every road of Spain, particularly those north of the mountains
which divide the two Castiles, may be seen gangs of fives and sixes
of these people lolling or sleeping beneath the broiling sun, on
gigantic and heavily laden mutes and mules. In a word, almost the
entire commerce of nearly one half of Spain passes through the
hands of the Maragatos, whose fidelity to their trust is such, that
no one accustomed to employ them would hesitate to confide to them
the transport of a ton of treasure from the sea of Biscay to
Madrid; knowing well that it would not be their fault were it not
delivered safe and undiminished, even of a grain, and that bold
must be the thieves who would seek to wrest it from the far feared
Maragatos, who would cling to it whilst they could stand, and would
cover it with their bodies when they fell in the act of loading or
discharging their long carbines.

But they are far from being disinterested, and if they are the most
trustworthy of all the arrieros of Spain, they in general demand
for the transport of articles a sum at least double to what others
of the trade would esteem a reasonable recompense: by this means
they accumulate large sums of money, notwithstanding that they
indulge themselves in far superior fare to that which contents in
general the parsimonious Spaniard;--another argument in favour of
their pure Gothic descent; for the Maragatos, like true men of the
north, delight in swilling liquors and battening upon gross and
luscious meats, which help to swell out their tall and goodly
figures. Many of them have died possessed of considerable riches,
part of which they have not unfrequently bequeathed to the erection
or embellishment of religious houses.

On the east end of the cathedral of Astorga, which towers over the
lofty and precipitous wall, a colossal figure of lead may be seen
on the roof. It is the statue of a Maragato carrier who endowed
the cathedral with a large sum. He is in his national dress, but
his head is averted from the lands of his fathers, and whilst he
waves in his hand a species of flag, he seems to be summoning his
race from their unfruitful region to other climes, where a richer
field is open to their industry and enterprise.