venerable for their antiquity. This plan of gathering in the harvest is mentioned in Scripture, and its Oriental origin is easily accounted for. The climate here is said to undergo the greatest changes from heat to cold, the winter, from its proximity to the sierras, being rigorous in the extreme, and the summers proportionably hot.

After travelling for about a mile and a half through scenery such as I have attempted to describe, we descended a steep rounded hill, which soon brought us to the bed of a torrent, the same which washes the walls, or rather the cliffs, of Alhama. A short distance from this, and having its source amidst huge rocks, are the hot springs we were in quest of. These are covered in by a building, whose Eastern shaped arches leave no doubt as to its origin. It contains one large apartment, or rather bath, through which the stream flows over the purest sand, and whose depth varies from three to five feet; the water, which is very warm at this early hour of a cool morning,

exhaled vapours, which rendered the whole scene indistinct, and gave it such a mystical appearance, that imagination could people the space either with bearded and turbaned Moors, or with the softer forms of the Haram, according to the fancy of the spectators. The presiding deity of the site, the fair Juana, was in the meantime warmly expatiating on all the merits of the place, the virtues of the waters, and the wonderful cures they had been often known to effect.

It appears that during the summer months they are much frequented by invalids from Madrid, for whose accommodation there are very comfortable lodgings; for the pious, a small chapel; and, in fact, the whole place is a little town in itself, embosomed in rocks, and where I have no doubt an invalid or an idler might spend a fortnight very pleasantly. I was so pleased with the whole, and particularly with my pretty cicerone, that I vowed I would get a rheumatic attack as soon as the bathing season commenced, and put myself

under her charge, when she promised to take the greatest care of, and do every thing in her power to cure me.

My friend was now beginning to shew evident signs of impatience at this lengthened conversation, particularly as he did not understand a dozen words of it, and was very urgent to make a start, as José said it was high time we should be off, if we wished to overtake the arriereria.

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DEPARTURE.

CHAPTER XX.

Departure from the Alhama baths- -Camino Real Cairns and crosses-Young José, the muleteerDon Francisco Zenolos-Salt springs at the village of Malach-View of the Vega-Inglis' description of Grenada—Bridge of the Xenil—The Fonda del Comercio-Bed-rooms-Wines-Ices-Ladies frequenting the coffee-rooms-False delicacy of Spanish women-Hasty conclusions on habits and customs of foreigners-Custom-houses-Temporary fortifications-Alameida and "salon" near the XenilQuickness of vegetation-The Abaneco-Its language-Spanish customs and equipages-Their criticism of English manners-Fire-boys.

Monday, March 19.

"VAMOS-NOS," (Let us go,) said José, as he sprang lightly on his laden mule in the patio

of the Moorish baths.

6

"Yes, vamos-nos, grumbled my friend,

laying hold of the stirrup of the piebald, "for we have lost a deal of time here."

ROYAL ROAD.

999

161

Yes, 'vamos-nos,' said I, after paying a parting compliment to the pretty Juana.

The unanimous wish appearing to be a start, we left this romantic spot, after I had taken a couple of rough sketches of it; and ascending a steep goat-path, soon reached the track dignified by the name of the Camino Real, (Royal Road,) which led us over hills covered with diversified and aromatic plants, amongst which I noticed in plentiful profusion the rue, wild lavender, and thyme, with many others, of which, I regret to say, from my slight acquaintance with botany, I was ignorant of even the names.

Through scenery of this description, only varied by an occasional cairn of stones, or a rude cross, the scene of death or murder, we wended our way; my friend's wish to join the caravan, and get out of reach of the Ladrones, increasing at every one of these signs of being, if not in a civilized, at least in an inhabited part of the world. He pushed on with such