286

LA GARDE DE LA VIERGE.

by riding, walking, and climbing high places, to obtain a good view. We were told by our banker here, that there is in Toulon a very excellent school. Among its students, are two American boys, placed there by their father, a lieutenant in the navy, two years' since. The first year, they had of course the language to acquire; but the second, they both carried off the highest prizes in the school. Pretty well for Yankee boys! is it not? There is a very handsome triumphal arch or gate, erected in honor of Napoleon and the glories of France. As we passed through it, a military band were stationed within, discoursing most eloquently on their various instruments. The sweet sounds followed us, while we strolled along the winding ways of Napoleon's walk, as it is called. After a long and tedious ascent, we reached the summit of a rocky cliff, on which is a chapel, called "La Garde de la Vierge," to which the sailors resort to petition for a blessing on their voyage, before they put to sea; or to render their thank-offerings in gratitude for a safe return. Strangers resort to it, for the fine view obtained both of the city and port; which last is formed by a long slip of the Mediterranean, running like a river, up into the heart of the city. Its blue waters are concealed by the immense number of vessels that fill it. The long lateen sail of the Levant, mingling with the flags of every nation, whose ships fill the streets with a variegated multitude of Jews, Turks, Greeks, Arabs and others, from countries termed more civilized. At the Table d'Hote, we had two Arab chiefs, and a young lad, a son of one of them, as guests at dinner. They had just returned from Paris, so were not quite green. They were Algerines, and had been to pay a friendly visit to their conqueror, the French king. They wore their native costumes, a red velvet jacket, covered with embroidery of gold and silver braid. Small buttons were placed thickly down the front, and down the

seams of the sleeves. A rich sash round the waist, held their many weapons, and over all, they wore a covering of thin white silk, like crape, in which their forms were completely enveloped. Some of the same was thrown over their heads like a veil, confined by a rich sash or shawl, fringed with little gold "jingles"-I don't know what else to call them but very like what our Indians ornament their tobacco and game-bags with, except they are not of tin like those; but apparently of more precious metal. In the evening, they were at the opera, (Masiniello,) and seemed very much pleased, and to please in their turn; for they were really the observed of all observers.

And now, my dear brother, where do you think I am writing at this moment? I commenced this at Nice, and am at this present, at Malaga, in the south of Spain. I cannot say that what I have written are desultory thoughts; but certainly it is a desultory description. I cannot tell you how many times I have seated me down, wrote a few lines, and then left you in the most abrupt and unceremonious manner. It seems surprising, and I can scarce myself realize that we should, in the present disturbed state of the country, be in Spain. The last steamer that arrived at Marseilles before we left, had been detained twenty-three days at Alicante, by the insurgents. Alicante is in a state of blockade by sea and land; so that instead of being able to visit it, as we had hoped, the captain thought best to keep out of sight. And if what we heard at Valencia be true, at the time we passed Alicante, the royalists were bombarding the town, to bring it to terms. Carthagena was also in possession of the insurgents; so that we were disappointed in not seeing that, too. At Barcelona, when we were there, workmen were busy in repairing the houses injured by the balls during the siege, when the insurgents had possession of the town, and held it

from September to November. The royalists firing from a fortress on a height above, forced them at last to succumb. It was very interesting to me to see a town, so shortly after it had been a scene of warfare, to look upon the houses and walls battered and defaced. Even in the public promenade, the trees still give evidence of their suffering, having nearly all of them one or more holes made in their trunks by the cannon balls. Though there is risk, and even danger, in travelling here at this time, yet there is a deal of excitement in it, that I like. We arrived on the 4th, and shall leave on the 10th, for Gibraltar; from thence to Cadiz, thence to Seville, then to Madrid, then over the Pyrenees to Francegoing through the heart of the country, and what is a little funny (?) without being able to speak or understand a word of the language, except as we glean and gather a word as we go on. What harum scarums! Well, we are rejoicing in a sunny clime; the air soft and balmy, like our pleasant days in June. Green peas, tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, with all other kinds of vegetables, are in great profusion, and have been, I suppose, all winter; for they have no cold weather here. And such piles of oranges in the market place; not like those of Italy, fair to the eye, but sour to the taste; but these are large, sweet, juicy and luscious. I wish I could roll a great heap into your college room. What a row you would raise among them! Fresh dates and sugarcanes, too! Ah! we are in the land of dates and palms at last! How I do scribble! I wonder if you will ever make it out. This will be sent from Gibraltar, when I will write a few words on the back, to tell you of our latest welfare; but can only, on this edge of the sheet, bid you affectionately-adieu !

SPAIN-COINCIDENCES.

289

LETTER XXXI.

VOYAGE TO BARCELONA-ENTRANCE TO THAT CITY-TROUBLES IN SPAIN-PUBLIC PROMENADE-THE QUEEN MO.

THER-SHOPS-DEPARTURE.

It will not surprise you, my dear coz, to find this dated from the southern coast of Spain, if you have received our last letter advising you of our intentions, as doubtless will be the case ere you are in receipt of this. But for myself, though we have been for some time talking and thinking of pushing our adventures thus far, I can scarcely realize that the truth is as it is, and that we should, in the present disordered state of the country, have ventured into Spain. Yet, though there is danger, there is also excitement and novelty in travelling through a country under martial law, and where one may at any moment be in the midst of an insurrection or an "émeute."

You will remember, a few years since, during the rebellion in Canada, we had a steamer burnt in the month of December; we chose the following summer to make a tour of the Canadas, notwithstanding we were thought to run much risk. We had a delightful tour, we were treated with much politeness by the British officers, and encountered nothing unpleasant or in the least dangerous.

When in England, last spring, they said to us: "are you not afraid to enter into Ireland, where there is so much disorder and discontent ?" We were nothing daunted, and passed through the whole eastern portion, seeing a deal of poverty, misery, and degradation, but meeting with no disaster or impediment; on the contrary, much that was agree

able, and more interesting, perhaps, from the state of the times.

At Venice, last fall, just as we were on the point of embarking for the east, news came that there was a revolution in Greece; that the people had risen in a body, demanding of the king a constitution. We hesitated, and had doubts of the wisdom of proceeding; but ere other tidings had been received, we had decided, and were on our way; and perhaps could not have visited Greece at a more interesting period.

When in the south of Italy, we first heard of the insurrec. tion at Barcelona, of which place the insurgents had possession two months, from September to November. We were not altogether discouraged, though we had some fear, from the general disorder throughout the whole country. Before reaching Marseilles, where we expected to take the steamer for Spain, we had intelligence of the insurrection at Terragona, an old and interesting town south of Barcelona, that we hoped to have seen; this being one of the places the steamer advertised to stop at. Arrived at Marseilles, we heard that the last boat that came in was detained twenty days at Carthagena, by order of the insurgents, who were in possession of that place. Passengers, cargo, &c., all were obliged to stay, for no other boat came to take them on.

It so happened that the person who received the order to detain the boat was one of the consignees, and he at last took an opportunity to get the boat off. No boat had left. Marseilles for Spain for three weeks, not daring to venture until they had received certain intelligence. One was now to sail the morning after our arrival. We took passage and went aboard, but did not leave till the following morning, owing to the weather. The captain was obliged, by the laws of Spain, to go a day's sail out of his way, to the little port of Centa, east of Toulon, to obtain his papers of clear