The Oldest Sailors On Board Acknowledged That They Had Never
Witnessed So Providential An Escape.
I said, from the bottom of my
heart, "Our Father - hallowed be thy name."
The next day we were near foundering, for the sea was exceedingly
high, and our vessel, which was not intended for sailing, laboured
terribly, and leaked much. The pumps were continually working.
She likewise took fire, but the flames were extinguished. In the
evening the steam-engine was partially repaired, and we reached
Lisbon on the thirteenth, where in a few days we completed our
repairs.
I found my excellent friend W- in good health. During my absence
he had been doing everything in his power to further the sale of
the sacred volume in Portuguese: his zeal and devotedness were
quite admirable. The distracted state of the country, however,
during the last six months, had sadly impeded his efforts. The
minds of the people had been so engrossed with politics, that they
found scarcely any time to think of the welfare of their souls.
The political history of Portugal had of late afforded a striking
parallel to that of the neighbouring country. In both a struggle
for supremacy had arisen between the court and the democratic
party; in both the latter had triumphed, whilst two distinguished
individuals had fallen a sacrifice to the popular fury - Freire in
Portugal, and Quesada in Spain. The news which reached me at
Lisbon from the latter country was rather startling. The hordes of
Gomez were ravaging Andalusia, which I was about to visit on my way
to Madrid; Cordova had been sacked and abandoned after a three
days' occupation by the Carlists. I was told that if I persisted
in my attempt to enter Spain in the direction which I proposed, I
should probably fall into their hands at Seville. I had, however,
no fears, and had full confidence that the Lord would open the path
before me to Madrid.
The vessel being repaired, we again embarked, and in two days
arrived in safety at Cadiz. I found great confusion reigning
there; numerous bands of the factious were reported to be hovering
in the neighbourhood. An attack was not deemed improbable, and the
place had just been declared in a state of siege. I took up my
abode at the French hotel in the Calle de la Niveria, and was
allotted a species of cockloft, or garret, to sleep in, for the
house was filled with guests, being a place of much resort, on
account of the excellent table d'hote which is kept there. I
dressed myself and walked about the town. I entered several
coffee-houses: the din of tongues in all was deafening. In one no
less than six orators were haranguing at the same time on the state
of the country, and the probability of an intervention on the part
of England and France. As I was listening to one of them, he
suddenly called upon me for my opinion, as I was a foreigner, and
seemingly just arrived. I replied that I could not venture to
guess what steps the two governments would pursue under the present
circumstances, but thought that it would be as well if the
Spaniards would exert themselves more and call less on Jupiter. As
I did not wish to engage in any political conversation, I instantly
quitted the house, and sought those parts of the town where the
lower classes principally reside.
I entered into discourse with several individuals, but found them
very ignorant; none could read or write, and their ideas respecting
religion were anything but satisfactory, - most professing a perfect
indifference. I afterwards went into a bookseller's shop and made
inquiries respecting the demand for literature, which, he informed
me, was small. I produced a London edition of the New Testament in
Spanish, and asked the bookseller whether he thought a book of that
description would sell in Cadiz. He said that both the type and
paper were exceedingly beautiful, but that it was a work not sought
after, and very little known. I did not pursue my inquiries in
other shops, for I reflected that I was not likely to receive a
very favourable opinion from booksellers respecting a publication
in which they had no interest. I had, moreover, but two or three
copies of the New Testament with me, and could not have supplied
them had they even given me an order.
Early on the twenty-fourth, I embarked for Seville in the small
Spanish steamer the Betis: the morning was wet, and the aspect of
nature was enveloped in a dense mist, which prevented my observing
surrounding objects. After proceeding about six leagues, we
reached the north-eastern extremity of the Bay of Cadiz, and passed
by Saint Lucar, an ancient town near to the spot where the
Guadalquivir disembogues itself. The mist suddenly disappeared,
and the sun of Spain burst forth in full brilliancy, enlivening all
around, and particularly myself, who had till then been lying on
the deck in a dull melancholy stupor. We entered the mouth of "The
Great River," for that is the English translation of Oued al Kiber,
as the Moors designated the ancient Betis. We came to anchor for a
few minutes at a little village called Bonanca, at the extremity of
the first reach of the river, where we received several passengers,
and again proceeded. There is not much in the appearance of the
Guadalquivir to interest the traveller: the banks are low and
destitute of trees, the adjacent country is flat, and only in the
distance is seen a range of tall blue sierras. The water is turbid
and muddy, and in colour closely resembling the contents of a duck-
pool; the average width of the stream is from a hundred and fifty
to two hundred yards, but it is impossible to move along this river
without remembering that it has borne the Roman, the Vandal, and
the Arab, and has been the witness of deeds which have resounded
through the world and been the themes of immortal songs.
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