The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-03-05
An Old Spanish City.

A correspondent of the Hartford Euening
Press very pleasantly describes some of the
external characteristics of the old Moorish
town of Cordova:
The streets of Cordova are Just wide enough
to admit of person on each side, and don
key in the middle; but if the donkey has his
pannlers on, man or beast must stop till the
other has advanced. When the water-carriers
pass, with thirteen little kegs tied in an m
comfortable manner about one mules body,
there is no resort for pedestrians except the
door-ways OF the houses, and he is Gextrous
who always secures this retreat The houses
themselves are like those everywhere in the
south OF Spain, presenting no decorations of
any kind to the street-only whitewashed wall
and dark windows crossed by iron bars. In
toe principal piazzas we find, perhaps balloon
les, but they are an innovation upon Spanish
architecture. The street door invariably
opens into court, and around the court you
will find the front of the house. Beautiful en-
frances and porticos, pillars and balconies
statues and fountains, and not uncommonly
frescoes will ornament the wal 8; while even
the poorest house will have its clean-swept
pavement, its oleanders, palms and orange
grove.
The court is as much part of the home as
the apartment itself; place to be enjoyed in
the heat OF summer, where the sun and the
noise are alike shut out. There is something
that strikes one as decidedly sensible in the
house the most beautiful, and that does not
decorate front walls for the passer in the
street, while the backyard, where the children
play, is left desolate and neglected.
A little stroll through the streets-where, as
everywhere in Spain, the staring of the people
indicates how unusual is travel in that vcin-
ity, and the traveller is regarded as an
OBJECT OF curiosity and amusement - and
we hnd ourselves within the market-place
To readers of Don Quixote it is an interest
ing spot, and the compass of book would
hardly suffice for its description. 'Tis an i'm
/ mense square, surrounded entirely by high
buildings, where the balconies, that originally
were crowded with the fairest danes and dam
sells OF Cordova, gathered to see the entertain
ments of all kinds for which the place was re-
nowned, are thronged with unwashed children
or hung with dirty clothes. There is left one
little path for the water carriers, and the mules
that bear away the refuse Of the markets.-
Aside from this the whole ground is COW
cred with the wares of the sellers-and es-
pied many little group, that would have been
indeed, a study for painter.
An old woman with her snuff-boX and her
knitting, set in frame of blue and yellow
crockery; both herself and the earthen-ware
distributed in the most picturesque, if not in
most artistic manner. Pomegranates We'd
with sweet potatoes, and great piles of oranges
lit up with gold mosaic of onions, figs and
vegetables. To reach any special point you
must thread very carefully, winding in and
out with dexterous skill and care, lest some
unfortunate move sweep aside some of the pos
sessions, and you be instantly assailed with q
torrent of lingo decidedly sbarpened to your
ears. Even foreigner can detect the tone of
abuse from petition! Over each little patch
sways the great straw covering, supported on
sticks, and a great cotton umbrella OF various
hues, particularly red-a color in which they
delight, makes protection over vegetables, or
a tent for repose. Leaving aside the beggars,
less numerous here than about the mosque it
was such a picture oflazy luxury, of poverty
sweetened by conrentment as is rarely seen