The Republican journal., 1900-12-06

-'o'' ~NAA>AoA oAo ooAAC IOOI ClaC Shell
tered the champion liar. The Santil-
lans have ceased to quaff the Tartan
drink of horses blood and asses milk
the luxury of their ancestors, when the
town was known as Santa Juliana. in
honor OF the patroness of pilgrims
Her body was brought here in 1907. and
buried in the fine old church which is
worth going far to see. 1t was built in
the 18th century and it's altar-frontal
is entirely of silver-work.
Portugalete, the real port of Bilbao
is village of perpendicular hills and
straight-up-and-down streets; of i'm
mense projecting roofs, picturesque
dresses Of Basque peasantry, jargon
OF strange tongues, and the noisy hustle
lnseparable from busy seaport-even
in sleepy Spain. Wheels are of small
use here, and most of the carriage is
done by mules and women. Intermina-
BILE flights of stairs lead down to the
quay, and up to the cloud-scraping resi-
dences of the merchants. During the
summer months the place is much fire.
quented by visitors from surrounding
regions, including French and Portul-
guese from lower and hotter cities be-
yond the Pyrenees and the Galacian
sierras. Aside from it's natural fea-
lures, Portugalete offers few 'sights''
to the tourist. There is a barn-like
English church, i'll a big, bare factory
yard, for the spiritual accommodation
OF the large British mining and sea-
farlng community; while the more
poetlc-minded natives worship in the
fine old Jesuit church of Santa Maria
whose wonderful retablo and choir
stalls were carved in oak by forgotten
artists, centuries ago. From the end
OF the new quay wide view may be
obtained of the harbor, which is twice
as large as that of Barcelona or Casta-
gena: and Of the long line of foam
crested breakers stretching across the
rivers mouth and defining it's danger
GUS bar. Even in tranquil weather the
Bay of Biscay is treacherous enough,
and its waters are lashed into indescrib-
able fury by Atlantic storms.
While in this part of Spain, you should
by all means visit Azpetia, the near by
town in which the great Ignatius 10y
ola was born. There is no railway or
diligence service from Portugalete to
the place, but carriage road leads to
it, through enchanting scenery-when
your wheels are not stuck in the mud
as too frequently happens. 1t rains a
good deal on this northern coast-a slow
persistent drizzle which seems to make
the wettest wet one ever encountered.
The only thing to do is to go prepared
in mackintoshes and rubber boots and
take heart from the good old saving:
"When it rains, you must do as they do
i'll Spain. And how is that? Why, let
it rain.''
You set out with three stout horses
harnessed abreast, and their bells make
merry jingling as they dash at full
speed round the Bay and up the hills.
Farther up the mountains the roadway
has been cut into their steep sides, or
built out on artifcalIy supported EN-
bankments: but all the way is so hard
and smooth that the horses trot at a
brisk pace and you have full enjoyment
of the changing views. now looking
down into deep valleys among the hills.
and anon a wide sweep of Biscay Bay.
Four hours drive brings you to Azpetia
"a village with one long street, at the
end of which rises a majestic pile,
worthy of the name it bears. and to
perpetuate to all ages the fame of Igna-
titus Loyola. In the open plaza before
it stands the statue of a SANTA sub
lime figure, which is an object of spec
ial homage at the time of year when
this place is thronged with pilgrims
AS we approached the great building
and ascended the steps, we found them
thronged, not with pious pilgrims, but
with beggars of the true Spanish sort,
squalid and importunate, who swarm
about the stranger with piteous moans
The massive structure serves the double
purpose of church and monastery. 1t is
round in shape, following the model of
the Pantheon at Rome. Its lofty dome
rests on enormous pillars of many-color-
ed marbles, with chapels ON every side,
in which masses are hourly said. The
chief interest of Azpetia is in the Santa
Casa, or ''holy house, in which Loyola
was born, and which remains intact, too
precious to be destroyed or altered. 1t
is therefore preserved with religious
care, like the holy places in Jerusalem,
the monastery having been built over
and around it, to protect it with it's
mighty walls. Passing down a long
vestibule and ringing bell you are
answered by the opening of an aper-
ture no larger than a pane of glass; and
to your modest request for admission a
voice replies that the Fathers of the
convent do not admit visitors, except
at a certain hour. However, as in all
the show-places of Spain little dinero,