The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-06

have gone direct 10 loleuo WlNhol
a change Of cars by the regula
line between Cordova and Madrid had No
vagrant fancy led US this roundabout va
or the trail Of Don Quixote. Probably ID
orthodox tourist would have visited Gre
NADIA next after the Calph capital as
was only a few hours distant, in the south
eastern corner OF the same province, bu
We decided to reserve that greatest sHo-
place for a last tid-bit Of our desuitor
wanderings in Spain on the way back [
the Mediterranean coast.
Having left Cordova very early in th
morning on a train that creeps slowl
through beautiful Andalusia toward th
dark Sierra Moreno. you feel the Joy G
living" as seldom before. Spanish train
never do more than creep at a pace whicl
an active person might easily oUtrun on b.
own two legs; but you bless their SLOW
ness when turning your back on Southern
Spain. Nature is at her very best il
spring attire-birds singing, peoples an,
daisies Haunting in the fields amid ;
multitude OF other brilliant flowers, ulanta-
tions Of roses filling the air with fragrance,
and poisoning creepers TIoting over every
house wall and hedge row. ] he dark,
glossy green and golden fruit Of lemon
and orange orchards, alternate with the
familiar foliage Of peach, pear, and apple
trees now past their blooming time.
while here and there a royal palm lifts
its plumed head high above all in truly
regal pride. Cacti and pricky pears, used
everywhere as fencing for fields and gar
dens, grow wild in dense masses along the
railway embankments, oyerrun by gor-
geous nasturtiums. All the country roads
are guarded by Spanish bayonets,' brist-
ling with formidable spikes and gigantic
aloes, the highly decorative plant Of Spain,
with its base Of long. swoTd-like leaves. its
tall, slender trunk rising twenty or thirty
feet and its broad candelabrum of Grim
son blooms. Green meadows and low hills
are covered with cork trees, and for miles
the country is clothed with olive groves
as with robes Of monkish grey gradually
giving way to isolated trees Of aged and
solemn aspect. Most of these olive orch
ards that cluster around Cordoya and form
such d prominent feature OF Southern
Spain are very ancient-many Of them
planted long before the Pilgrim Fathers
sought America. Everybody has heard Of
the monster olive tree near Nice. which
=
old, whose trunk is twenty-three feet in
circumference at the height of mans
head, aud whose yield in its prime was
bUO pounds OF oil per annum
i have no doubt that its counterpart
could be found many times over in Anda-
lusia, barring the inevitable exaggeration
OF watering place tradition Each or
chard has its guard, who tends il care
fully the year round occupying a grass
matched hut under the trees in summer
time and a sort of burrow. or cave. in
winter. During the harvest season a watch
is kept up all night as well as bv dav
for an expert thief-and there are many
in Spain-might easily strip an entire
orchard in a few hours single vfgor-
Gus shake dislodges every ripened berry
from the branches, which may be noise
lessly loaded into the panniers Of waiting
donkeys. As harvest time approaches the
olive trees exchange their melancholy grey
FOR brighter garb. The ripening fruit va
ries in tint from vivid green to CAV reds
and lovely puppies, while the willow leaf
tonnage, always restless and quivering. as
sunes tender, shimmering tint which
can best be described as moonlight green.
or greenish silver-if one can imagine
what such color might be. The crop is
mainly harvested by young women; and
then the sombre orchard is a picnic
ground all day long for Spanish girls
turn all their labors into merrymaking.
Inc aged trunks form an admirable back
ground for the rainbow hues Of peasant
costumes, and the air is musical with
knatches OF song and the tinkle of donkey
bells, while the overseer, stretched on a
grassy bank in the sun, finds double en-
loyment in his interminable cigarettes
ana me power OF controlling the drudgery
Nearing the northern border Of Apdalu-
hla you md the whole country covered
with vineyards far as the eve can see
This is the famous Val de Piuas region
whIch gives its name to one of the best
though commonest. wines Of Spain. Il is
TicheF IN color than claret with more body
ana sNeetness-somewhat resembling the
unfermented grape juice made in New Jer-
sey and extensively used throughout the
United States (much adulteratedl for com
munion purposes. Val de Pinas is Of
course, fermented, but the natives always
mix water with il and rarely drink too
much, though a winesKIn fun. holding a
quart or more. costs only cents Water
costs as much in most parts OF Spain. but
the poorest peasant. who cannot afford
water enough to wash his face in. buvs IL
10 sdulterate his wine. Drunkenness Is
not Spanish vice though IN every peas
ants bag the wineskin keeps constant com
pany with the garlic pot At every stop-
ping place OF the train female water
carriers, each with an Arab alcarazza
poised lightly en- her head. approach the
car windows and deal out tepid water to
ready customers al the moderate price OF a
penny per gill Innumerable small vii
lagos, each embowered in green. are scat
tered along the Andalusian levels Their
only visible business appears to be con-
Quoted exclusively by women. at open-air
restaurants, 10 supply passing travellers
with drinks OF fresh milk Each restau-
rant consists OF a rude bench. or table. set
by the wsyside. a few mugs and a goat or
COW. tethered uear-the tactical beverage
being always ''on tap" This borderland
soil is. red and the grass grows so sparse
~ that the color Of the ground shows
through, giving a sun-blghted look to the
landscape. The farmers huts are built
OF red clay and their clothing is Of the IN
dyed wool OF the brown sheep Of the Sierra
Morena- To add to the prevailing russet
hue, the one occupation of the people is the |
herding Of thin, brown pigs on the bare
brown plains. Il is said that these hide
Gus swine derive their color from feeding
exclusively or the big brown beetles
which abound in the soil. Fancy eating
pork fattened on bugs You count droves 10 |
pigs by scores, each drove in charge OF two |
recumbent but always smoking swine |
herds
Farther up the foothills the whole scan 1
~ population IS given over 10 the raising |
Of sheep But the fiocks do not dot the |
landscape with peaceful white. as in Eng