Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-06-08
SPANISH SCENERY

Extract from Washington Irping' sne,u sketch
Book.
In the spring of 1899, the author of this
work whom curiosity had broughtinto Spain
made rambling expedition from Seville to
Granada in company with friend, mem
Der of the Russian embassy at Madrid Ac-
cident had thrown us together from distant
regions of the globe, and similarity of taste
led us to wander together among the roman
tic mountains of AndaluSia Should these
pages meet his eye, wherever thrown by
the duties OF his station, whether mingling
In the pageantry of courts or meditating on
the truer glorles OF nature, may they recall
the scenes ofour adventurous companionship.
and with them the remembrance of one, in
whom neither time nor distance will oblite-
rate the recollection ofhis gentleness s. worth
and here, before setting forth, let me in
dulge in few previous remarks on Spanish
travelling. Many are apt 10 picture Spain
to their imaginations as soft southern re-
gion, decked out with all the luxuriant
charms of voluptuous Italy. On the. con-
trary, though there are exceptions in some
OF the maritime provinces, yet, for the great
er part, if is a stern melancholy country
with ruggid mountains and long, make
sweeping plains, destitute oftrees, and inya-
rlably silent and lonesome, partaking of the
savage and solitary character of Africa. -
What adds TO this silence and loneliness, is
the absence of singing birds, a natural con-
sequence of the want Of groves and hedges.
The vulture and the eagle are seen wheel
ing about the mountain cliffs and soaring
over the plains, and groups of sky bustards
stalk about the heaths, but the mvriad
of smaller birds, which animate the whole
face OF other countries, are met iwith in but
few provinces of Spain, aud in them chiefly
among the orchards and gardens which sur
round the habitations of man
Ia the exterior provinces the traveller &C
CasiOnally traverses great tracts cultivated
with grain as far as the eye can reach, wa
vering at times with verdure, at other times
naked and sun burnt but he looks around
in vain for the hand that has titled the soil
at length he perCeives some village perched
on steep hill, or ruggid crag, with moul-
dering battlements and ruined watch-tow
er a strong hold, in old times, against civil
war or Moorish inroad for the custom a.
mong the peasantry Of congregating togeth-
er for mutual protection, is still kept UP in
most parts of Spain, in consequence of the
maraudlngs OF rowing freebooters.
But though great part of Spain is def
Gent in the garniture Of groves and forests,
anu lle SOiteI Charms OF ornamental CulllYd-
ton, yet lis scenery has something of high
and lofty character to compensate the want.
i partakes something Of The attributes of its
people, and think that better understand
the proud, hardy, frugal and abstemeous
Spaniard, his manly defiance of hardships
and contempt Of efIeminate indulgence since
| have seen the country he inhabits
There is something, too, in the sternIy
simple features Of the Spanish landscape,
that impresses on the soul feeling of sub
Unity. The immense plains of CASTLES
and La Msncha, extending as far as the eve
can reach, derive an interest from their We
~ nakedness and immensely, 8 have some
thing Of the solemn grandeur Of the ocean.
In ranging over these boundIess wastes, the
eye catches sight, here and there, Of strag-
ling herd Of cattle attended by a lonely herds
man, motionless as a statue, with his long
| slender pike tapering up like a lance into the
air or behods a long train Of mules slowly
moving along the waste like train Of cam
els in the desert, OF a single herdsman, arm
ed with blunderbuss and stilotto, and prowl-
ing over the plain. Thus, the country the