SKETCHES AND ADVENTURES THE ANDALUSIAS OF SPAIN. BY THE AUTHOR OP DANIEL WEBSTER AND HIS COTEMPORARIES.' NEW YORK: HARPER & BROTHERS, 82 <fc 331 PEARL STREET. 1856. Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S56, by HARPER <fc BROTHERS, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. Annex DP H-l PREFACE. PASSING the summer months in a village in New Hamp- shirea village, let me say parenthetically, which, from its nice houses, well-cultivated farms, and pleasant scenery, re- minds me more of Old England than any other country town I have seen in New England and being necessarily thrown for occupation mostly upon my own resources, I concluded to write out some recollections of a short residence in Madeira and the European Peninsula a part of the world which has been comparatively but little visited by the American or gen- eral tourist. The want of regular communication between the United States and those countries is doubtless the reason of their being so little known to our countrymen. The few who have visited them always speak with grateful acknowl- edgment of the pleasure they derived from the tour or sojourn. Two of our most eminent citizens General Dix and Mr. John Van Buren passed a winter in Madeira, receiving and conferring great gratification in their visit. The former has written the best book the island ever forth with- upon put ; out and full of details in a pretension, yet interesting ; chaste, concise and has created a desire lucid, and style ; among those whose means and education qualify them for travel to participate in enjoyments he so keenly relished. I have reason to know that his pleasant narrative has induced many to visit Madeira, as it doubtless will many more. While many books have been written upon Spain, I recol- lect no one that treats particularly and personally of the An- dalusias, or southern part. My sketches and adventures I reflect Andalusia as it is, or I have failed in my attempt. IV PREFACK. make no claims to any thing but to delineate manners and daily occurrences by transcripts from my own experience. Indeed, there was nothing else left to be done. Our own American Triumvirate Irving, Prescott, and Ticknor had divided Spain proper among themselves; one appropriating the province of romance, another that of history, and the last, of literature : and he would be rash indeed who undertook to disturb a supremacy resting upon the incontestable title of genius. I have not aimed to make an ambitious book. Had I done so, I should not have succeeded in the attempt. Both subject and ability would have failed me. But I have endeavored to convey to others some faint idea, of the attractions of the most interesting part of Europe, as I think the southern part of Spain decidedly is. Let the traveler go there and judge for himself. However it may be whether my success in that or other respects be commensurate with my intents of one thing I am sure : / have had my reward. I have lived over the perhaps six pleasantest months in my life in writing out their history; and on a spot endeared to me above all the rest of the world by hereditary associations and the poetry of childhood. GREENLAND, Nov. 1st, 1855. (J N T E N T S. CHAPTEE I. PAGE Start from Southampton Storm in the Channel Expected Din- ner at the Isle of Wight> Porto Santo Another Storm Arrival at Madeira . ... .13 CHAPTER II. Season of Madeira and England contrasted Agreeabilities of the Island Its Kesources City of Funchal The Fair Sex . 24 CHAPTER III. The Garden and Establishment of the American Consul The Plaza do Constitutiao The Canons of the Romish Church The Landed Proprietors 34 CHAPTER IV. Rides and walks near Funchal The Mount Church The "Water- fall Cumacha Description of a Quinta 41 CHAPTER V. The Longevity and Fecundity of Madeira Mendicancy Anec- dote of a precocious Youth Ill-repaid Labor . .49 CHAPTER VI. Tour of the Island The various Productions The different Peaks Arrival at St. Anna . 56 VI CONTENTS. CHAPT BE VII. PAGE Ascent of Pico Kuivo View from the Summit Sao Jorge Pass of the Torrinhas The Great Curral 66 CHAPTER VIII. The Vintage The Origin of the Madeira Grape The various kinds of Wine . '.74 CHAPTER IX. Arrival of President Roberts Dinner of the Consul Mr. Roberts' Account of Liberia Its Trade and Prosperity Line of Steamers between the United States and the Western Coast . .87 CHAPTE R X . Doubts ofthe Discovery of the Island Plutarch's Story The Phe- nicians The Romance, perhaps true, of Robert Machin and Anne D'Arfert . 94 CHAPTER XI. Departure from Madeira Entrance of the Tagus First view of Lisbon First Interrogatory there Monopolies Arrival . CHAPTER XII. Vexatious Police Lisbon Taxation Military Service Carriages The Queen King Consort 105 CHAPTER XIII. Cintra Palace Quinta of John de Castro Panoramic View Torres Vedras Coimbra Story of Inez de Castro Oporto . Ill CHAPTERXIV. Early History of Portugal The Roman Domination The Arabs The Recapture of Lisbon by the Crusaders The Discoveries under Dom Manuel and Dom Henrique 123 CONTENTS. vii CHAPTER XT. PAGE Arrival at Cadiz Hotel Blanco Olla Podrida The Muchachas Robbers Cigar Manufactory Asylum for the Poor . 133 CHAPTER XVI. San Maria Xeres Pedro Domecq's Establishment Wines of Xeres Journey to Seville 151 CHAPTER XVII. Seville Table d'Hote Las Delicias Outside the Walls Don Gaetano Peickler 161 CHAPTER XVIII. High Mass The Cathedral Dolores Bull-fight . .170 CHAPTER XIX. Dolores Study of Spanish The Alcazar Casa de Pilatos El Museo Murillo Spanish Courtesy Baile The French Danc- ing-master 185 CHAPTER XX. The Franciscan Friar Visit to Dolores Her views of Confession The Giralda The Cathedral The Drive around the City . 196 CHAPTER XXI. Mr. Peickler on Gipsies Our WalktoTriana Washington Irving's Haunt Gipsies Their Eye Chastity of the Girls The Gipsy Dance 213 CHAPTER XXII. Ride to Cordova Carmona La Luisiana Adventure at a Posada Ecija Cordova Its History The Mosque .... 228 CHAPTER XXIII. A short Exordium Dolores The Theater Catalina The Story of her Life 250 I* CONTEXTS. CHAPTER XXIV. PAGE Danger Scipio Africanus and the Author encountered in Spain The Author greater than Demetrius Polioreetes Breakfast on the Steamer Voyage to Cadiz, and Arrival History of Cadiz Departure for Gibraltar, and Voyage 264 CHAPTER XXT. Gibraltar The Guides and Monkeys The Bock St. Michael's Cave English Officers Rides San Roque . .285 CHAPTER XXTI. Start for Ronda- My Costume and Companion Gancin Story of Pcpe Ronda 297 CHA PTER XXVII. View from the Moorish Tower La Casa Del Rey Moro The Fair Bull-Fight Alameda Moonlit Scenery Hog-Funcion Fruit Wild-Boar Hunt 317 CHAPTER XXVII I. Departure Sheep Robber-cave Arrival at Malaga Its Pro- ducts Vintage Raisins The Muchachas cracking Almonds Alameda Start for Grenada 336 CHAPTER XXIX. The Vega of Grenada My Arrival Visit to the Alhambra " El Nieto" Grandson of the Alhambra The Influence of Irving upon ite Present Condition 358 CHAPTER XXX. P6p& Fonda de San Francisco The Hill of the Alhambra Mateo Ximenea His Story The Generaliffe La Silla del Moro An Epitome of Spanish History 373 CHAPTER XXXI. The Moor from Tangier* His Dress The Former Glories of the Alhambra The Moorish and Christian Religions Compared . 393 CONTEXTS. CHAPTER XXXII. PAGE The Archbishop's Palace The Cathedral The Royal Chapel- Ferdinand and Isabella French Occupation and Influence Society of Grenada The Alameda 397 CHAPTER XXXIII. BoabdiTs Gate Pepe's Story of the Haunted Tower . .405 CHAPTER XXXIV. Bide to El Picacho de la Vileta The Venta The Immaculate Con- ception The Robbers The Copita of Aguardiente The Night at El Prevesin The Ascent of Picacho The View The Re- turn . .415 CHAPTER XXXV. Mendicancy The Man with Crutches The Beggars' Frolic The old Hag The Muchacha The Contrabandista . .431 CHAPTER XXXVI. Sympathy with Traditions and Superstitions Freshness of Span- ish Life Peculiar Institutions Cheapness of Living My De- parture 443 L VIEW OF FUNCHAL FROM THE SEA FRONTISPIECE. II. RAVINE OF SAO JORGE 68 in. BRINGING WINE TO MARKET ix GOAT-SKINS 76 IV. HAULING WINE ON A SLEDGE WITH OXEN 79 V. THE MAJO OF SEVILLE. 175 VL DOLORES KNEELING IN CHURCH. 186 VII. JOSE, THE RETIRED BANDIT 299 VIII. RONDA 313 XL CUCHARES AND THE BCLL : . 329 X. THE ALHAMBRA 361 XI. THE BEGGAR. 418 .' XII. THE SMUGGLES. , . 441 CHAPTER I. START FROM SOUTHAMPTON STORM IN THE CHANNEL EXPECTED DINNER AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT PORTO SANTO ANOTHER STORM ARRIVAL AT MADEIRA. Some love to retain O'er the dark sea foam, Where the shrill winds whistle free." SOME are great fools then, and, on the well-advised interposition of friends, should be confined to a private lunatic asylum. And no less fools, in my opinion, are they who, induced or compelled to a sea-voyage, relin- quish steam for sails. In the latter predicament I stand on the first of October in the of ; for, day year Grace one thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, and of the Independence of the United States the seventy- sixth, I left Southampton for the Island of Madeira, in " the brig Brilliant," of some two hundred tons burden. It had been particularly commended to me as having been previously the yacht of a lord. Had it been con- secrated to the Lord, it had hardly found more favor in the eyes of snobbish John Bull. We started with unpropitious omens. It was on Friday wr e left our moorings a day ever disastrous in nautical calends.