The Alhambra . a^ ^^^^ ^*ij. Ronda, and even to the gates of Gibraltar. He lives frugallyand hardily : his alforjas of coarse cloth hold his scanty stockof provisions; a leathern bottle, hanging at his saddle-bow,contains wine or water, for a supply across barren mountainsand thirsty plains; a mule-cloth spread upon the ground is hisbed at night, and his pack-saddle his pillow. His low, butclean-limbed and sinewy form betokens strength; his com-plexion is dark and sunburnt; his eye resolute, but quiet inits expression, except when kindled by sudden emotion ; his THE JOURNEY 9 demeanour is fran
The Alhambra . a^ ^^^^ ^*ij. Ronda, and even to the gates of Gibraltar. He lives frugallyand hardily : his alforjas of coarse cloth hold his scanty stockof provisions; a leathern bottle, hanging at his saddle-bow,contains wine or water, for a supply across barren mountainsand thirsty plains; a mule-cloth spread upon the ground is hisbed at night, and his pack-saddle his pillow. His low, butclean-limbed and sinewy form betokens strength; his com-plexion is dark and sunburnt; his eye resolute, but quiet inits expression, except when kindled by sudden emotion ; his THE JOURNEY 9 demeanour is frank, manly, and courteous, and he never passesyou without a grave salutation: ?• Dios guarde a listed! Va listed con Dios, Caballero ! God guard you ! Godbe with you, Cavalier ! As these men have often their whole fortune at stake uponthe burden of their mules, they have their weapons at hand,slung to their saddles, and ready to be snatched out fordesperate defence; but their united numbers render them. Serrania dc Ronda. secure against petty bands of marauders, and the solitarybaudoleio^ armed to the teeth, and mounted on his iVndalusiansteed, hovers about them, like a pirate about a merchantconvoy, without daring to assault. The Spanish muleteer has an inexhaustible stock of songsand ballads, with which to beguile his incessant airs are rude and simple, consisting of but few he chants forth with a loud voice, and long, drawlingcadence, seated sidewavs on his mule, who seems to listen TlIK ALIIA^IBRA with infinite gravity, and to keep time, with liis paces, to thetune. The couplets thus chanted are often old traditionalromances about the Moors, or some legend of a saint, or somelove-ditty ; or, what is still more frecjuent, some ballad abouta bold contraba?idista^ or hardy bandolero^ for the smugglerand the robber are poetical heroes among the common peopleof Spain. Often, the song of the muleteer is composed at theinstant, and relates to some l
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherlondon, bookyear190
