VELEZ STREAM.

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CHAPTER XVIII.

Leave Velez-Enter the Sierra-Village of VinuellaLadrones-Levy of black mail-Apathy of the Spanish government-Appearance of the arriereria -Las Puertas Averrarias-The Sierra NevadaSign of civilization-Alhama-The Tajo.

THE whole convoy got under weigh early in the morning, and, after a hasty breakfast of some very good strong chocolate and eggs fried in oil, (by the bye, rather rancid,) we mounted our chargers, slipped into the stream of the Arriereria, and wended our way through the plain bordering the Velez river, which for a few miles is broad and richly cultivated, till, after passing a sugar mill, about three miles from the town, it gradually assumes the ap

pearance of a mountain torrent; the hills close on it, and it at last dashes and foams over a rocky bed between high precipices, along one of which the road winds occasionally in fearful proximity to its overhanging ledge. The plains are now left behind, and a fine mountain scenery presents itself: the hills, at first covered with vines and fig-trees, gradually assume a more stern and barren appearance, the ruins of some old Moorish castle alone shewing the signs of former habitation.

The pretty village of La Vinuella, itself embosomed in olive and lemon groves, is the last boundary of the cultivated mountain. After leaving it, you enter a region apparently marked by the hand of famine and desolation.

On traversing the above village, we were not a little surprised at some very suspiciouslooking characters, who were seated before the steps of a ventorillo, being pointed out to us as some of the professed ladrones (robbers) who infest this part of the country, and whose presence renders the escort of Mr. Lance so ne

cessary to travellers; in fact, such is the shameful apathy of the Spanish government, that about a dozen of these ruffians are allowed and known to live peaceably in the town of Velez, and become the terror of the whole country, without any steps being taken to put a stop to the evil.

These gentry, on hearing of the approach of travellers, rise betimes in the morning, take up a snug position in the hills, and with half-adozen long guns stuck over a rock or old wall, request the overburthened traveller to lighten himself of his load, with which they return to their homes. With them our friend the muleteer enters into a regular convention: he pays them so much to allow all his travellers to pass unmolested, and thereby obliges the latter to put themselves under his protection for a consideration, or run the risk of losing all their property. Lance mentioned this arrangement without the least disguise; but I was not able to learn if the ladrones in their turn gave anything to the authorities to allow them to con

150

PICTURESQUE SCENE.

tinue their trade; but I think this is very

probable.

A train of Hottentot waggons at the Cape, camp-followers on a march in India, a cafila of camels in the plains of Barbary, are, each and every one, picturesque objects; but they all give way to that most picturesque of all scenes, an arriereria, composed as ours was, winding up the steep and rocky goat-path leading to the summit of a barren sierra. As the track in devious zigzags, like a vessel tacking against the wind, gradually gains the summit of the hill, either quite rocky and barren, or partially clothed with the palmitto, it discloses the whole caravan in every different point of view.

From Velez we continued for four leagues, almost continually ascending, till we reached the pass called Las Puertas Averrarias, or summit of the range of hills separating the sea coast from the plain of Grenada. From this point we had the first peep of the Sierra Nevada in all its grandeur. Although many of the hills we left on our right in winding

BARREN COUNTRY.

151

through the sierras were at their summits still covered with snow, they presented a very different appearance from the giant mountains now before us, whose tops are everlastingly clothed in this hoary costume. From Las Puertas Averrarias we commenced our descent through one of the most barren countries I ever witnessed; with not a tree, nor shrub, nor any living animal, except a few lizards, to enliven the scene. The barren rocks, barely covered with a few scanty and dwarfish plants, made you fancy yourself amidst the mountains of Iceland, or some other inhospitable region. The only sign of civilization was an occasional cross on a heap of stones, the memorial of some murder committed on the road.

As we approached Alhama, the appearance of the country gradually changed; a little cultivation of wheat began to make its appearance; the soil became of a clayey nature; the hills were rounded, but frequently divided by yawning ravines and clefts, the effects of the mountain torrents during the winter months.