A Visit to Spain; Detailing the Transactions Which Occurred During a Residence in That Country, in the Latter Part of 1822, and the First Four Months of 1823 with General Notices of the Manners, Customs, Costume, and Music of the Country (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. JOURNEY FROM BAYONNE TO MADRID. As I was not in any particular hastej and was anxious to November, see as much of the country as possible, I agreed to join a party of four, who were about to proceed to Madrid in a voiture. This vehicle is not unlike one of the London hackney coaches, with this difference, that it is built on a stronger principle, and has a small cabriolet in front. It is drawn by seven mules, two-and-two a-breast, and a leader, which are connected with the pole and cross-bar by small strong ropes. Their heads are ornamented with red and blue worsted trappings, and round their necks is a leathern belt, to which are attached a number of small bells and three large ones, which emit a slender and not disagreeable sound as the animals move along. The leader obtains his principal station on account of the instinctive intelligence with which he guides the others through the short turns of the mountain roads. In order to give the voiture sufficient space, he walks slowly to the border of the angle; after traversing it, he suddenly quickens his pace, the rest of the mules, always obedient to his example, precisely follow his track, and the vehicle is thus drawn with facility and security over the most precipitous windings. The voiturier sits on a low bench, placed immediately under the cabriolet, and carries a small whip, which, however, he seldom applies. When he wishes the mules to go fast (a wish, by the way, he very rarely entertains), he speaks to them, and they trot on. He has names for each; now he accosts one, by and by another, and tells them to do their duty. But there is a tolerably good understanding between the voiturier and his mule that they November, are not to distress themselves for any particular set of passengers, not one of whom, ...