part01-第2章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



rude　and　simple；　consisting　of　but　few　inflections。　These　he　chants

forth　with　a　loud　voice；　and　long；　drawling　cadence；　seated　sideways

on　his　mule；　who　seems　to　listen　with　infinite　gravity；　and　to　keep

time；　with　his　paces；　to　the　tune。　The　couplets　thus　chanted；　are

often　old　traditional　romances　about　the　Moors；　or　some　legend　of　a

saint；　or　some　love…ditty；　or；　what　is　still　more　frequent；　some

ballad　about　a　bold　contrabandista；　or　hardy　bandolero；　for　the

smuggler　and　the　robber　are　poetical　heroes　among　the　common　people　of

Spain。　Often；　the　song　of　the　muleteer　is　composed　at　the　instant；　and

relates　to　some　local　scene；　or　some　incident　of　the　journey。　This

talent　of　singing　and　improvising　is　frequent　in　Spain；　and　is　said　to

have　been　inherited　from　the　Moors。　There　is　something　wildly　pleasing

in　listening　to　these　ditties　among　the　rude　and　lonely　scenes　they

illustrate；　accompanied；　as　they　are；　by　the　occasional　jingle　of

the　mule…bell。

　　It　has　a　most　picturesque　effect　also　to　meet　a　train　of　muleteers

in　some　mountain…pass。　First　you　hear　the　bells　of　the　leading

mules；　breaking　with　their　simple　melody　the　stillness　of　the　airy

height；　or；　perhaps；　the　voice　of　the　muleteer　admonishing　some

tardy　or　wandering　animal；　or　chanting；　at　the　full　stretch　of　his

lungs；　some　traditionary　ballad。　At　length　you　see　the　mules　slowly

winding　along　the　cragged　defile；　sometimes　descending　precipitous

cliffs；　so　as　to　present　themselves　in　full　relief　against　the　sky；

sometimes　toiling　up　the　deep　arid　chasms　below　you。　As　they　approach；

you　descry　their　gay　decorations　of　worsted　stuffs；　tassels；　and

saddle…cloths；　while；　as　they　pass　by；　the　ever…ready　trabuco；　slung

behind　the　packs　and　saddles；　gives　a　hint　of　the　insecurity　of　the

road。

　　The　ancient　kingdom　of　Granada；　into　which　we*　were　about　to

penetrate；　is　one　of　the　most　mountainous　regions　of　Spain。　Vast

sierras；　or　chains　of　mountains；　destitute　of　shrub　or　tree；　and

mottled　with　variegated　marbles　and　granites；　elevate　their　sunburnt

summits　against　a　deep…blue　sky；　yet　in　their　rugged　bosoms　lie

ingulfed　verdant　and　fertile　valleys；　where　the　desert　and　the

garden　strive　for　mastery；　and　the　very　rock　is；　as　it　were；　compelled

to　yield　the　fig；　the　orange；　and　the　citron；　and　to　blossom　with

the　myrtle　and　the　rose。



　　*　Note　to　the　Revised　Edition。…　The　Author　feels　at　liberty　to

mention　that　his　travelling　companion　was　the　Prince　Dolgorouki；　at

present　Russian　minister　at　the　Court　of　Persia。



　　In　the　wild　passes　of　these　mountains　the　sight　of　walled　towns

and　villages；　built　like　eagles'　nests　among　the　cliffs；　and

surrounded　by　Moorish　battlements；　or　of　ruined　watchtowers　perched　on

lofty　peaks；　carries　the　mind　back　to　the　chivalric　days　of

Christian　and　Moslem　warfare；　and　to　the　romantic　struggle　for　the

conquest　of　Granada。　In　traversing　these　lofty　sierras　the　traveller

is　often　obliged　to　alight；　and　lead　his　horse　up　and　down　the　steep

and　jagged　ascents　and　descents；　resembling　the　broken　steps　of　a

staircase。

　　Sometimes　the　road　winds　along　dizzy　precipices；　without　parapet

to　guard　him　from　the　gulfs　below；　and　then　will　plunge　down　steep；

and　dark；　and　dangerous　declivities。　Sometimes　it　struggles　through

rugged　barrancos；　or　ravines；　worn　by　winter　torrents；　the　obscure

path　of　the　contrabandista；　while；　ever　and　anon；　the　ominous　cross；

the　monument　of　robbery　and　murder；　erected　on　a　mound　of　stones　at

some　lonely　part　of　the　road；　admonishes　the　traveller　that　he　is

among　the　haunts　of　banditti；　perhaps　at　that　very　moment　under　the

eye　of　some　lurking　bandolero。　Sometimes；　in　winding　through　the

narrow　valleys；　he　is　startled　by　a　hoarse　bellowing；　and　beholds

above　him　on　some　green　fold　of　the　mountain　a　herd　of　fierce

Andalusian　bulls；　destined　for　the　combat　of　the　arena。　I　have　felt；

if　I　may　so　express　it；　an　agreeable　horror　in　thus　contemplating；

near　at　hand；　these　terrific　animals；　clothed　with　tremendous

strength；　and　ranging　their　native　pastures　in　untamed　wildness；

strangers　almost　to　the　face　of　man：　they　know　no　one　but　the　solitary

herdsman　who　attends　upon　them；　and　even　he　at　times　dares　not　venture

to　approach　them。　The　low　bellowing　of　these　bulls；　and　their　menacing

aspect　as　they　look　down　from　their　rocky　height；　give　additional

wildness　to　the　savage　scenery。

　　I　have　been　betrayed　unconsciously　into　a　longer　disquisition　than　I

intended　on　the　general　features　of　Spanish　travelling；　but　there　is　a

romance　about　all　the　recollections　of　the　Peninsula　dear　to　the

imagination。

　　As　our　proposed　route　to　Granada　lay　through　mountainous　regions；

where　the　roads　are　little　better　than　mule　paths；　and　said　to　be

frequently　beset　by　robbers；　we　took　due　travelling　precautions。

Forwarding　the　most　valuable　part　of　our　luggage　a　day　or　two　in

advance　by　the　arrieros；　we　retained　merely　clothing　and　necessaries

for　the　journey　and　money　for　the　expenses　of　the　road；　with　a

little　surplus　of　hard　dollars　by　way　of　robber　purse；　to　satisfy

the　gentlemen　of　the　road　should　we　be　assailed。　Unlucky　is　the　too

wary　traveller　who；　having　grudged　this　precaution；　falls　into　their

clutches　empty　handed：　they　are　apt　to　give　him　a　sound　ribroasting

for　cheating　them　out　of　their　dues。　〃Caballeros　like　them　cannot

afford　to　scour　the　roads　and　risk　the　gallows　for　nothing。〃

　　A　couple　of　stout　steeds　were　provided　for　our　own　mounting；　and　a

third　for　our　scanty　luggage　and　the　conveyance　of　a　sturdy　Biscayan

lad；　about　twenty　years　of　age；　who　was　to　be　our　guide；　our　groom；

our　valet；　and　at　all　times　our　guard。　For　the　latter　office　he　was

provided　with　a　formidable　trabuco　or　carbine；　with　which　he

promised　to　defend　us　against　rateros　or　solitary　footpads；　but　as

to　powerful　bands；　like　that　of　the　〃sons　of　Ecija；〃　he　confessed　they

were　quite　beyond　his　prowess。　He　made　much　vainglorious　boast　about

his　weapon　at　the　outset　of　the　journey；　though；　to　the　discredit　of

his　generalship；　it　was　suffered　to　hang　unloaded　behind　his　saddle。

　　According　to　our　stipulations；　the　man　from　whom　we　hired　the　horses

was　to　be　at　the　expense　of　their　feed　and　stabling　on　the　journey；　as

well　as　of　the　maintenance　of　our　Biscayan　squire；　who　of　course　was

provided　with　funds　for　the　purpose；　we　took　care；　however；　to　give

the　latter　a　private　hint；　that；　though　we　made　a　close　bargain　with

his　master；　it　was　all　in　his　favor；　as；　if　he　proved　a　good　man　and

true；　both　he　and　the　horses　should　live　at　our　cost；　and　the　money

provided　for　their　maintenance　remain　in　his　pocket。　This　unexpected

largess；　with　the　occasional　present　of　a　cigar；　won　his　heart

completely。　He　was；　in　truth；　a　faithful；　cheery；　kind…hearted

creature；　as　full　of　saws　and　proverbs　as　that　miracle　of　squires；　the

renowned　Sancho　himself；　whose　name；　by　the　by；　we　bestowed　upon

him；　and　like　a　true　Spaniard；　though　treated　by　us　with　companionable

familiarity；　he　never　for　a　moment；　in　his　utmost　hilarity；

overstepped　the　bounds　of　respectful　decorum。

　　Such　were　our　minor　preparations　for　the　journey；　but　above　all　we

laid　in　an　ample　stock　of　good　humor；　and　a　genuine　disposition　to

be　pleased；　determining　to　travel　in　true　contrabandista　style；　taking

things　as　we　found　them；　rough　or　smooth；　and　mingling　with　all

classes　and　conditions　in　a　kind　of　vagabond　companionship。　It　is

the　true　way　to　travel　in　Spain。　With　such　disposition　and

determination；　what　a　country　is　it　for　a　traveller；　where　the　most

miserable　inn　is　as　full　of　adventure　as　an　enchanted　castle；　and

every　meal　is　in　itself　an　achievement！　Let　others　repine　at　the

lack　of　turnpike　roads　and　sumptuous　hotels；　and　all　the　elaborate

comforts　of　a　country　cultivated　and　civilized　into　tameness　and

commonplace；　but　give　me　the　rude　mountain　scramble；　the　roving；

haphazard；　wayfaring；　the　half　wild；　yet　frank　and　hospitable　manners；

wh