on with the greatest order and decorum ; many of the "cigarreras" were young and beautiful, and all dressed in the neatest, cleanest, and most decent attire.

But although under an excellent state of discipline, our guide informed us that mutinies sometimes take place in this "backy" harem, and but very lately an unfortunate vender of cakes and sweetmeats, who frequented with his barrow the gates of the arsenal at the time allowed for their dinner, was beset and narrowly escaped with his life from the hands of these she-devils, merely for having pronounced the words, "Quiere usted un rabanito." There was, it appears, some curious story connected with the offensive phrase, and I was strongly tempted to try the effect of pronouncing it, as we went through the long apartment, where were seated these warlike virgins, but Baillie earnestly entreated me not to put all our necks in jeopardy, and, on this occasion, thinking prudence the better part of valour, I accordingly forbore the experiment.

Our last act of lionizing on this day was to visit the palace of the Duke of Medina Coli, where we found some Moorish remains, consisting of arches, and Saracenic fretwork, in a very complete state of preservation. There was also a large collection of Roman antiques, busts, pedestals, and other marble fragments, which had been collected at Italica, about four miles from Seville, where is found an amphitheatre and many interesting remains, which have lately been brought to light by the excavations now carrying on.

A small garden is also attached to the palace, very tastefully laid out, and planted almost entirely with orange trees and box-wood.

I cannot help relating, whilst I remember it, an anecdote of Mr. Baillie. We were quitting the tobacco manufactory, talking of the brass pieces of ordnance lying before the building; he mentioned a stream, existing somewhere in the neighbourhood, which had the extraordinary property of converting iron. into brass, if allowed to steep in its waters. Come, come, Mr. Antonio!" said Captain

C, "you may tell that to the marines, but none of your tough yarns for old travellers the thing is impossible, unless indeed your ironical face itself has undergone the process, to enable you to tell such crammers!" Antonio stopped short in the street, threw himself in attitude, "à la Napoleon," looked indignation personified, and, striking his breast with his clenched fist, declared that as a man of honour he felt himself grossly insulted, and that for a less offence he had before called more than one gentleman to a severe account.

C― also became choleric, and words were becoming so high, that it was not without considerable difficulty I restored peace, and prevented the effusion of blood, though it might have been from the nose. I have, however, since been assured that both Baillie's statements were correct; that a piece of iron, if left for some time in the abovementioned stream, does become coated with copper, and that our valiant guide actually did, on one occasion, call out an English traveller, for presuming to doubt some of his assertions.

CHANGE OF QUARTERS.

73

CHAPTER VI.

Change of quarters-Charges to travellers-Agua y Fuego-Fair of San Lucar-Solitude-Spanish Costume The mysterious stranger - Babel of tongues - Hindu-Russian spy-Italica-Excavations-Mosaic-Amphitheatre-The Gipsy girl— The dens of the wild beasts-A magic word--An Egyptian Bey-General Castaños-A rebuke— The steamer-Mems on Seville-San Lucar-A Ratero-Manteca Blanca-Provoking delay-Detained at Cadiz.

"Look on its broken arch, its ruined wall,
Its chambers desolate, and portals fall'n."

BYRON.

May 1st, 1839.

My companion, Captain C, taking his departure for Cadiz, I was left alone to my meditations, which, from what I had seen of his bill at Mr. Naish's, led me to the conclusion that, by going to a Spanish house, I might be just as well treated for about one

74

BOARD AND LODGING.

half of the amount. I accordingly packed up my traps, and proceeded, bag and baggage, to the "Fonda de la Reiña," kept by a Portuguese, a very civil person, who for a dollar per diem engaged to provide me with bed and board, (wine not included,) and I had subsequently every reason to be satisfied with his treatment. Abroad, there is a rule a traveller should never fail to observe,-viz., that of avoiding, like plague, pestilence, and famine, his own countrymen, more especially those who keep hotels, lodgings, etc., as they are sure to make you pay through the nose for the honour of Old England. In Spain, the usual charge at a "casa de pupilos," or pension, (always the best residence for the traveller who means to prolong his stay beyond a day or two,) is to an Englishman one dollar, including everything, even to a bottle of the "Vin de Pays." Under similar circumstances a Spaniard would have to pay probably ten or fifteen reals (twenty reals equal the Spanish dollar), but John Bull must submit to some little imposition, and five or six reals, more or less, will scarcely ruin him.