Badajoz
Lies About A Hundred Miles Distant From Lisbon, And Is The
Principal Frontier Town Of Spain In The Direction
Of the Alemtejo.
To reach this place, it was necessary to retravel the road as far
as Monte More, which
I had already passed in my excursion to Evora;
I had therefore very little pleasure to anticipate from novelty of
scenery. Moreover, in this journey I should be a solitary
traveller, with no other companion than the muleteer, as it was my
intention to take my servant no farther than Aldea Gallega, for
which place I started at four in the afternoon. Warned by former
experience, I did not now embark in a small boat, but in one of the
regular passage felouks, in which we reached Aldea Gallega, after a
voyage of six hours; for the boat was heavy, there was no wind to
propel it, and the crew were obliged to ply their huge oars the
whole way. In a word, this passage was the reverse of the first, -
safe in every respect, - but so sluggish and tiresome, that I a
hundred times wished myself again under the guidance of the wild
lad, galloping before the hurricane over the foaming billows. From
eight till ten the cold was truly terrible, and though I was
closely wrapped in an excellent fur "shoob," with which I had
braved the frosts of Russian winters, I shivered in every limb, and
was far more rejoiced when I again set my foot on the Alemtejo,
than when I landed for the first time, after having escaped the
horrors of the tempest.
I took up my quarters for the night at a house to which my friend
who feared the darkness had introduced me on my return from Evora,
and where, though I paid mercilessly dear for everything, the
accommodation was superior to that of the common inn in the square.
My first care now was to inquire for mules to convey myself and
baggage to Elvas, from whence there are but three short leagues to
the Spanish town of Badajoz. The people of the house informed me
that they had an excellent pair at my disposal, but when I inquired
the price, they were not ashamed to demand four moidores. I
offered them three, which was too much, but which, however, they
did not accept, for knowing me to be an Englishman, they thought
they had an excellent opportunity to practise imposition, not
imagining that a person so rich as an Englishman MUST be, would go
out in a cold night for the sake of obtaining a reasonable bargain.
They were, however, much mistaken, as I told them that rather than
encourage them in their knavery, I should be content to return to
Lisbon; whereupon they dropped their demand to three and a half,
but I made them no answer, and going out with Antonio, proceeded to
the house of the old man who had accompanied us to Evora. We
knocked a considerable time, for he was in bed; at length he arose
and admitted us, but on hearing our object, he said that his mules
were again gone to Evora, under the charge of the boy, for the
purpose of transporting some articles of merchandise. He, however,
recommended us to a person in the neighbourhood who kept mules for
hire, and there Antonio engaged two fine beasts for two moidores
and a half. I say he engaged them, for I stood aloof and spoke
not, and the proprietor, who exhibited them, and who stood half-
dressed, with a lamp in his hand and shivering with cold, was not
aware that they were intended for a foreigner till the agreement
was made, and he had received a part of the sum in earnest. I
returned to the inn well pleased, and having taken some refreshment
went to rest, paying little attention to the people, who glanced
daggers at me from their small Jewish eyes.
At five the next morning the mules were at the door; a lad of some
nineteen or twenty years of age attended them; he was short but
exceedingly strong built, and possessed the largest head which I
ever beheld upon mortal shoulders; neck he had none, at least I
could discern nothing which could be entitled to that name. His
features were hideously ugly, and upon addressing him I discovered
that he was an idiot. Such was my intended companion in a journey
of nearly a hundred miles, which would occupy four days, and which
lay over the most savage and ill noted track in the whole kingdom.
I took leave of my servant almost with tears, for he had always
served me with the greatest fidelity, and had exhibited an
assiduity and a wish to please which afforded me the utmost
satisfaction.
We started, my uncouth guide sitting tailor-fashion on the sumpter
mule upon the baggage. The moon had just gone down, and the
morning was pitchy dark, and, as usual, piercingly cold. He soon
entered the dismal wood, which I had already traversed, and through
which we wended our way for some time, slowly and mournfully. Not
a sound was to be heard save the trampling of the animals, not a
breath of air moved the leafless branches, no animal stirred in the
thickets, no bird, not even the owl, flew over our heads, all
seemed desolate and dead, and during my many and far wanderings, I
never experienced a greater sensation of loneliness, and a greater
desire for conversation and an exchange of ideas than then. To
speak to the idiot was useless, for though competent to show the
road, with which he was well acquainted, he had no other answer
than an uncouth laugh to any question put to him. Thus situated,
like many other persons when human comfort is not at hand, I turned
my heart to God, and began to commune with Him, the result of which
was that my mind soon became quieted and comforted.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 23 of 218
Words from 22479 to 23482
of 222596