He Asked Me Two Or Three Questions, And On Learning
That I Had A Passport, And Was The Bearer Of A Letter To The
English Consul, He Told Me That I Was At Liberty To Depart.
So I
bowed to the governor of the town, as I had done to the governor of
the fort, and making my exit proceeded to my inn.
At Vigo I accomplished but little in the way of distribution, and
after a sojourn of a few days, I returned in the direction of Saint
James.
CHAPTER XXIX
Arrival at Padron - Projected Enterprise - The Alquilador - Breach of
Promise - An Odd Companion - A Plain Story - Rugged Paths - The
Desertion - The Pony - A Dialogue - Unpleasant Situation - The Estadea-
-Benighted - The Hut - The Traveller's Pillow.
I arrived at Padron late in the evening, on my return from
Pontevedra and Vigo. It was my intention at this place to send my
servant and horses forward to Santiago, and to hire a guide to Cape
Finisterra. It would be difficult to assign any plausible reason
for the ardent desire which I entertained to visit this place; but
I remembered that last year I had escaped almost by a miracle from
shipwreck and death on the rocky sides of this extreme point of the
Old World, and I thought that to convey the Gospel to a place so
wild and remote, might perhaps be considered an acceptable
pilgrimage in the eyes of my Maker. True it is that but one copy
remained of those which I had brought with me on this last journey,
but this reflection, far from discouraging me in my projected
enterprise, produced the contrary effect, as I called to mind that
ever since the Lord revealed himself to man, it has seemed good to
him to accomplish the greatest ends by apparently the most
insufficient means; and I reflected that this one copy might serve
as an instrument of more good than the four thousand nine hundred
and ninety-nine copies of the edition of Madrid.
I was aware that my own horses were quite incompetent to reach
Finisterra, as the roads or paths lie through stony ravines, and
over rough and shaggy hills, and therefore determined to leave them
behind with Antonio, whom I was unwilling to expose to the fatigues
of such a journey. I lost no time in sending for an alquilador, or
person who lets out horses, and informing him of my intention. He
said he had an excellent mountain pony at my disposal, and that he
himself would accompany me, but at the same time observed, that it
was a terrible journey for man and horse, and that he expected to
be paid accordingly. I consented to give him what he demanded, but
on the express condition that he would perform his promise of
attending me himself, as I was unwilling to trust myself four or
five days amongst the hills with any low fellow of the town whom he
might select, and who it was very possible might play me some evil
turn.
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