Chapter I: Front Matter

THROUGH SPAIN TO THE SAHARA.

THROUGH SPAIN

TO

THE SAHARA.

BY
MATILDA BETHAM EDWARDS

AUTHOR OF
‘A WINTER WITH THE SWALLOWS’ ETC.

LONDON:
HURST AND BLACKETT, PUBLISHERS.
13, GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1868.

_The right of Translation is reserved._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

SUNDAY AT TOURS--LA COLONIE DE METTRAY--BEAUTIFUL DORDOGNE--A FRENCH PARSONAGE--THROUGH THE LANDES--THE SOPORIFIC EFFECTS OF ARCACHON 1

CHAPTER II.

THE MISCONCEPTIONS OF LUGGAGE--THE COMFORTS OF SPANISH RAILWAY TRAVELLING--OUR LIBRARY--FROM THE TROPICS TO THE STEPPES--GREGORIA AND ISIDORA--JOURNEY TO MADRID 24

CHAPTER III.

THE GAIETY OF MADRID--THE IMPERATIVENESS OF TEETOTALISM THERE--THE QUEEN AND THE ROYAL BIRTHDAY--ROADS AND RIVER-BANKS--APROPOS OF BULLS 41

CHAPTER IV.

VELASQUEZ, THE PAINTER OF MEN--MURILLO, THE PAINTER OF ANGELS--RIBERA, THE PAINTER OF INQUISITORS--ZURBARAN, THE PAINTER OF MONKS--GOJA, THE HOFFMANN OF SPANISH ART--THE QUIETUDE OF THE GALLERIES 63

CHAPTER V.

A LEAR OF CITIES--GOTHIC, ROMAN, AND MOORISH REMAINS--COMMENTARIES ON STREET’S GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE AND ON TOLEDAN LANDLORDS--TILES, AND A DISCOURSE THEREON 81

CHAPTER VI.

A MIDNIGHT HALT--ITS CHARMS AND COUNTER-CHARMS--DON QUIXOTE’S COUNTRY--THE SLEEP AT CORDOVA--WE WAKE IN THE EAST--SHOPPING 108

CHAPTER VII.

“THE SWEETEST MORSEL OF THE PENINSULA”--COB-WALLS OR THE HOUSE THAT CAIN BUILT--PALMS--THE GOOD WORKS OF THE SISTERS--THE PRIESTS AND THE PEOPLE--IS SPAIN UTOPIA? 134

CHAPTER VIII.

“A BOAT, A BOAT, MY KINGDOM FOR A BOAT!”--THE VICTIMS OF A TUNNY-FISH--SENOR BENSAKEN SPEAKS HIS MIND, AND WE ARE REPROVED--RUNNING WATERS--HOWLINGS OF TARSHISH--PEPA’S FAMILY 158

CHAPTER IX.

DAYS IN THE ALHAMBRA--THE GRANDEUR WITHOUT AND THE BEAUTY WITHIN--“CIELED WITH CEDAR, AND PAINTED WITH VERMILION”--AZULEJOS AND ARTESONADOS--MR. OWEN JONES’ HANDBOOK 175

CHAPTER X.

PIGS, VULGAR AND ARISTOCRATIC--THE GIPSY CAPTAIN BEWITCHES US--WE GO DOWN TO THE POTTER’S HOUSE--A FAMILY DANCE--AN AWFUL DISCOVERY--A BOOKSELLER OF TARSHISH 187

CHAPTER XI.

THE ARCHBISHOP BLESSES THE ENGINE, AND WE HELP HIM--DELIGHTFUL LOJA--A FUNNY DINNER--STARLIGHT, TWILIGHT, MORNING 209

CHAPTER XII.

WE GET TO ALGECIRAS, AND ARE MADE WRETCHED--THE FAT SPANIARD AND THE LEAN ENGLISHMAN--A RED-LETTER DAY AT GIBRALTAR--THE LIGHTS--ADIEU TO EUROPE 222

CHAPTER XIII.

A BRIDAL PARTY--HORRIBLE STORIES--A LONG DAY--THE CAID AND THE DRIVER--A NEW ATMOSPHERE--TCLEMCEN 239

CHAPTER XIV.

TCLEMCEN, THE GRANADA OF THE WEST--ARAB POETS--THE CHILDREN--THE MOKBARA--SIDI BOU MEDIN--MANSOURA--PHILO-ARABES--TEMPTATIONS IN TCLEMCEN 253

CHAPTER XV.

HOSPITABLE ORAN--CHRISTMAS DAY AT LE SIG--THE LAST OF THE PHALANSTERIANS--BARRAGES--THE MALARIA--ABD-EL-KADER’S MOSQUE--SAIDA 270

CHAPTER XVI.

OPINIONS, CIVIL AND MILITARY--A LOOK TOWARDS THE SAHARA--WILD GEESE--OUR SPAHIS, AND THE CARE THEY TAKE OF US--A NORMANDY APPLE-ORCHARD IN AFRICA--NEW YEAR’S DAY 287

CHAPTER XVII.

RAIN--HOW TO CARRY ONE’S WARDROBE--AN ENGLISH LADY’S OPINIONS ON THE ARABS--WILD BIRDS--THE EARTHQUAKE 304