Front matter

THROUGH SPAIN TO THE SAHARA.

THE ALHAMBRA. FROM AN ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH.

T H R O U G H S P A I N TO T H E S A H A R A.

Tents of the Nomade Tribes. Sahara Desert. 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.

CHAPTER I.

SUNDAY AT TOURS—LA COLONIE DE METTRAY—BEAUTIFUL DORDOGNE—A FRENCH PARSONAGE—THROUGH THE LANDES—THE SOPORIFIC EFFECTS OF ARCACHON1

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 MADRID24

CHAPTER III.

THE GAIETY OF MADRID—THE IMPERATIVENESS OF TEETOTALISM THERE—THE QUEEN AND THE ROYAL BIRTHDAY—ROADS AND RIVER-BANKS—APROPOS OF BULLS41

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 GALLERIES63

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 THEREON81

CHAPTER VI.

A MIDNIGHT HALT—ITS CHARMS AND COUNTER-CHARMS—DON QUIXOTE’S COUNTRY—THE SLEEP AT CORDOVA—WE WAKE IN THE EAST—SHOPPING108

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 FAMILY158

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’ HANDBOOK175

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 TARSHISH187

CHAPTER XI.

THE ARCHBISHOP BLESSES THE ENGINE, AND WE HELP HIM—DELIGHTFUL LOJA—A FUNNY DINNER—STARLIGHT, TWILIGHT, MORNING209

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 EUROPE222

CHAPTER XIII.

A BRIDAL PARTY—HORRIBLE STORIES—A LONG DAY—THE CAID AND THE DRIVER—A NEW ATMOSPHERE—TCLEMCEN239

CHAPTER XIV.

TCLEMCEN, THE GRANADA OF THE WEST—ARAB POETS—THE CHILDREN—THE MOKBARA—SIDI BOU MEDIN—MANSOURA—PHILO-ARABES—TEMPTATIONS IN TCLEMCEN253

CHAPTER XV.

HOSPITABLE ORAN—CHRISTMAS DAY AT LE SIG—THE LAST OF THE PHALANSTERIANS—BARRAGES—THE MALARIA—ABD-EL-KADER’S MOSQUE—SAIDA270

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 DAY287

CHAPTER XVII.

RAIN—HOW TO CARRY ONE’S WARDROBE—AN ENGLISH LADY’S OPINIONS ON THE ARABS—WILD BIRDS—THE EARTHQUAKE304