The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-04-22
LETTER FROM SPAIN.
correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
GIBRALTAR, March 24, 1869.


returned to Cadiz, whore We were received
with the utmost JOY by the whole household
of the Fonda de America, and by none more
ioyfully than by the flsas which it tinherits.
These esteem to be the finest in all Anda-
lusia, and so potent were they that for a
time they enabled my companionto to dis
nense with the counter-irritant lotions with
which he is wont to annoint himself. larry
ing here couple of days on the afternoon
of the lst of March, we embarked in q
comfortable little steamer, and at sunrise
mex. morning anchored in the port of Ma
lags-a place of sweet memoryin in the remi-
riscences of mine youth as the fountain and
origin of the Malaga grapes and raisins on
which rcveled in those blithesome days.
There is nothing in Malaga particularly
interesting, The best things pertaining to
1.-THE grapes and raisins above alluded
to-arc sent out Of it, and we get them in
our country as good as, and even better,
than they con be had in their native land.
I;s cathedral makes no impression upon one
who has just seen that at, Seville. On the
eset side of the city is lofty hill sur
mounted by the remains of q Moorish
fortress of historical interest. Designing
to inspect these remains, girded up my
loins and marched up tie hill till reached
point where warrior, towering on o PIN
nacle of the old castle, in the most urbane
manner offered me the alternative Of stop
ping where | vas, or Of being shot.
elected to stop, and contented myself with
gazing upon the panorama spread before
me. 1t was very beautiful. The city lay,
like map, at my feet, encircled by hills,
and washed by the Mediterranean, which
stretched far, far away. The situation Of
Malaga is peculiarly fine. It's circle Of
hills protects it from noxious winds; 80
tha; ii is regarded, and doubtless justly so,
as perhaps the best residence, in point of
climate, for invalids in the South Of
Europe. 1t is q pity that it has 30
little else to commend it. 1t shows
more tendency to business than any city
have yet seen in Spain, but it is full Of
becggrs, the streets are mostly narrow ard
twisted, the houses are sombre-l looking,
and, TO my mind, it is rather gloomy
place. There is nothing to be seen calcu-
listed 10 enliyen a sick man, who can do
little better than lounge about the Alame-
da, where he can, at any rate, obtain as
much exercise as his constitution will bear
by combating with OF flying from the vast
array Of tatterdernalions who bear down
upon him from every quarter. 10 one
whose physical organization is Of sort
that assimulatcs him to the chameleon suf-
fciently to qualify him for living on air,
no place could be found more salubrious,
for here he will find this staple abundant,
sweet, and wholesome and il, in addition,
his digestion completes with that of the
ostrich, and above all, ii he has that super
lative frame of spirit which can only de-
scribe as don't kser- e. -damativenesS, this is
the spot Of all others where he can let his
life ebb pleasantly away.
Having soiourned here for few days, we
set out for Grenada. There we're one Irish
and two Scotch gentlemen who designed
making the same journey, and in their
company We started at 6 o'clock in the
morning in the diligence. This vehicle is
species Of concentrated omnibus, though
hardly as comfortable, and possessing its
capacity for always holding one more. My
companion and myself had inside places,
and stoTed in with US were several greasy
and dirty foreigners, natives OF this coun-
try, who smoked horrible tobacco conhnu-
ally, and grieved our spirits sorely IL di-
vers ways. The fellowtrayeller next to
me was one of the most sOmnolent 1ndl-
viduals | ever met with, and using me for
q bed, he slept ell over me, and bored me
Literally almost out of my life with his
elbows, besides startling me with the
almost palpable certainty that ho was
transforming my garments into q kind OF
biological garden CT chronological museum.
Before got rid OF him my back was one
solid crick from top to bottom. We had to
carry food and water with Us, and l earn
es,ly recommend all who propose to go on
q similar journey to take, In addition, some
chloride OF lime, strengthening plaster,
and pot of mercurial ointment.
The road lei up mountain sideE, wend-
ing round and round, and frequently pass
ing by the edge Of dangerous precipices.
The country presented an aspect Of hill
and dale, and sterile crag and fertile
slope. Every now and then, as we ascend
ed to some commanding height, Malaga
would burst into view, far below Us, cm-
bosomed within its circle Of hills and bathed
by the blue and placid Mediterranean,
forming a beautiful and striking picture.
AS we advanced We presently caught occa-
sional glimpses of the lofty peaks Of the
far-otf Sierra Nevada, covered with snow.
/ do not remember that we passed through
more than one village, though the sight Of
habitations scattered amongst the hills was
frequent. The diligence was drawn by
eight mules, who were kept we'll warmed
up to their work by incessant thrashing
while they were going, besides being
Soundly wolloped before they started, by
way, doubtless, of On antepast as well as
receiving thorough correction after they
had stopped, in order to keep their memo
ries green against the next time their SER
vices would be required. The stages were
long, and the way 50 difficult, that no orea-
ture not endued with everlasting life would
be able to Withstand the pulling, and tug
ging, and lambasting inherent TO the jour,
ney. At 4 o'clock we reached LOLA, q
ard-lookipg and bad smelling town, satu-
rated with beggars. Here we took rail-
road train, and in two hours we were In
the famous city Of Grenade.
The genius Of Washington Irving has
thrown g charm over this region so great
that few are capable of approaching its
magnitude until personal inspection
enables them to make g discrimination
between the romance and the reality. The
Grenadians are vastly indebted to him, and
in grateful commemoraiion OF his services
they have called hotel by his name-an
honor which hold to be not little en-
hanced by the difficulties IN which the pro
nunciation of his name, and especially OF
his Christian name, involves q Spanish
tongue. At the Hotel de Washington Irving
we put up, and found it pretty fair inn,
th.,rL NTH a ta,da-,ny IN difFuSenpgS IN