The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-25
TRAVELS IN SPAIN.
Interesting Reminiscen
SEES Of a Tour Through
That Ancient Land.
dissertation ON THE WINES or
HIsPASIA.
The Old Town of Aerey

| III 81 10 HaNNi thN ,sV'N "
the late war 10 America. Each bad long
desired 10 travel in old Spaip, but had
been told it was not safe 10 20 singly, on
account OF danger from tandiiii We
therefore concluded 10 go together. but
could not understand why the gentle
men of the road" should not be able 20
, Eob two IS well as on'i osc eislly as 70
citizen or stranger was allowed TO carry
arms in that country Before going fur.
sher let the reader feel assured we DO not,
propose to drag him. guide book fashion;
through the details Of a tedious journey
through that interesting but priest rid
den county.
TStnly.ttIee years ago Spain was al
most a century behind the rest OF west
crn Europe 10 everything Railways
were scarce. the cultivation Of the land
was agriculture only in name; TIE towns
and villages were picturesque but dllap:-
dated, and the people idle. depraved and
ignorsnt This stste OF things prevailed
chi, ily in the middle and southern prov
| inces In the more northern part OF the
| Peninsula were evidences Of thriit aud
| industry. The hills and pastures OF TIE
As,uiias abouud,d 10 sheep and cattle,
and the busy cities of Catalonia and
Aragon redeemed the country from the
hligh, OF universal ruin and decay.
Their insecure 5nl rickeiy railroads
were built by foreign capital, while the
proceeds of their traffic were stolen by
corrupt OFF ials If the travellers Al
.eniion should be attracted 20 jet OF
steam in the dismal distance, relieving
the mOnOlOny OF n treeless landscape OF
rocks and ruggedness, upon inquiry he
would be informed that yOnder copper
mine was being worked with profit ty
English money and English brains.
What have been The causes of this con-
dition of things, or what changes Tor
the better may have occurred ~
the meantime, we have no time 10 con
slider here, our sole purpose being to It.
count few incident, Of travel gathered
during a months experience in that IL
governed country. The journey from
Paris to Bordeaux by the way OF Paw
spd Bayonne and liaritz. Napoleon the
Thirds favoritc watering place, had
come to an end II had been adelghtful
tin. We had yisi'ed the country OF the
Basuues and the district Of lhe L'nder:
where the peasanlry Oh account Of The
deep sands have TO walk on stills had
stood upon the sea-worn cliffs, and view
ed with awe the pillows Of TIE Bay If
Biscay in their cease ess war upon the
comment. We were now just ohteilng
the tunnel under the Pyfcuocs which in
few minutes brought us 90 the Spanish
! & 1 Oh. All 40
and boW sudden. Officials In dirty uni
forms, chatteriug portcrs, RAILROAD lack
eys. trunk examiners, an al-ptrvadlng
cdor Of sulphur aud garlic, together
with exasperaling delay, made such an
impressiOn upon our minds as did not
aurur an inviting future. As TO this in-
tue We propose not 10 delay The reader
/ longer in this part Of the country. We
viii not detain him at Nalladolid Or Bur
COS or even at Madrid, where so much Is
/ 10 be seen not only within the roxy
bounds of this curious place. but in the
surrounding country. AranJu.z Win us
gardens. It's palaces and pictures and The
world renowned E.curial are passed by
We reach the terminus of the only rail.
way going south from Madrid and find
, o lrsel,es, with many other travellers
slowed away in Spanish diligence on
+ Stage. which is one Oi zine OF ten form
, ing guile "a caravan of odd looking Yehi.
cIes. (We ourselves had spent two week.
amid the wonders of the cities aud coul.
/ trv here referred TO- A :. snish dill
eence. as We saw il and travelled IA u Is
worthy Of description here u j. Nehi-
Gle about fourteen or fifteen feet long,
paipted black, mOuuiec on four wheels,
with or without springs. II is DIVIDED
into compartments wh oh altogether nc
commodaie from twenty i've 90 thirty pas
srngers The central part Is called The
"intcfi0r' has seats ON al four sides.
Then comes the "beTlina," on the top 81
the vehicle, behind aud above the
drivers seat, and l. protected by mon
Scr Reproduction OF "a common buggy
tod. In front below this is tue coupe,
with It's doors and glass windows, allow
ing a view in front and on the sides On
the top behind the "berlina," under a
huge leathern cover. is the baggage. The
mail bag is carried under The coupe
he coach and It's team OF nine mules
and one horse are often gsudily deco
. rated IN icu anu NtllON ht A'hN 80
OCCUPIES a small seat near that Of the
driver, has charge of the way bill, ana l.
responsible for the mails aud baggage
The driver controls only the two largest
mules near the foreN heels These Two
animals are bitched 10 short, strong
pole. the end of which is attached 10 "A
heavy yoke. each end OF which Is Sc
,ureiy fastened to a saddle strapped
round the mules b 'dy by This ar
rangemeni these two mules with the AID
of The brakes manage 10 co troll the
numbering and ponderOus Vehicle. The
driver LAS at his command long. keen
whip for the benefit Of lazy mules ahead
of him. The nine mules are hitched
two aud two by rope traces, the odd one
having on his right an active Andslusian
horse for mis- mate. On this horse Is
seated generally youth or small man.
in costume riding position, and j. eN
pected 10 use his whip freely in order 10
keep Up the speed and spirits Of the
whole team. The roads in Spain, as all
over Europe, are kept in fine order, con
sequenily diligences and other vehicles
Tor travelling make very good time, ex
cepi when crossing mountains On The
occ sion now referred 10 the passengers
from the railway train were 10 be trans
90 hpva rod Na1lnX