Bridges, River, Convents; prevalence of Religious Bigotry; Moorish Remains; Beggars, and the cause of their abundance in Valencia; the Archbishop; the University; Academy of Fine Arts; the Cathedral and its Tower; the plain of Valencia and its productions; Rice Grounds and their produce; produce of Silk, and Silk Trade; export of Fruit; prices of Provisions; Pictures; Valencia Society; the Ladies of Valencia; the port of Valencia; Paseos; Valencia Tiles; Journey to Murviedro, (the ancient Saguntum); Convento de los Reyes; Murviedro, its Fortress, and Ruins of Saguntum; an Arrest; a visit from the Alcalde; Journey to Tarragona; pleasing Scenes; Catalunia; Catalunian industry and its causes; Tarragona, its Antiquities and Cathedral; Provincial Dialects; sorting of Nuts, and the Nut trade; Journey to Barcellona, and arrival.
When I had dispatched my introductory letters, I sallied, as usual into the street, and accident brought me to one of the bridges across the Guadalaviar, called Puente del Mar. The river sometimes fills its channel, a channel so wide, that some of the bridges have as many as thirteen arches; but I saw only an inconsiderable rivulet not much larger than the Manzanarez, as it flows through the bridge of Toledo at Madrid. I believe, however, the apparent scantiness of the stream is partly owing to its being diverted in numerous channels to water the plain. The view from any of the bridges over the river is fine, for a handsome line of irregular buildings follows the curve of the river, and the bridges one beyond another, and the great Moorish gates, give an air of grandeur to the scene. Almost all the conspicuous buildings seen from this point are convents; these add much to the external beauty and effect of the great Spanish cities; and few are more favoured in this respect than Valencia, for it contains no fewer than twenty-seven convents and monasteries for men, and twenty-two for women; and these, with sixteen churches, and twenty-four chapels and hermitages, amount altogether to eighty-six religious edifices. No wonder, therefore, that the streets abound in friars and priests, and that the influence of the religious bodies should be great in Valencia. Bigotry is not upon the decline here among the mass of the population; and whether for the sake of appearance, or from sincerity, religious observances are strictly practised by the inhabitants of all classes. I have not seen in the convents and churches of any town in Spain so great a number of persons at devotion as in those of Valencia. I several times attempted to enter the Dominican convent to see some pictures that I understood adorned the walls of the church; but though the Dominican church be one of the largest in Valencia, I always found the floor entirely covered with kneelers, not scattered, but so crowded, that it was impossible to wade among them. My apartment in the hotel was opposite to the gate of the cathedral, and there too a constant stream poured in and out. In Valencia, as in Toledo, tokens of faith and devotion are affixed to the doors of the houses; but in place of the “ave Maria purissima” of Toledo, engravings are seen pasted upon the doors in Valencia, representing different passages in the life of our Saviour; and I noticed upon some of the houses paintings, or at least daubs, as large as life, of Christ taken down from the Cross, the Crucifixion, &c.; crosses, the same as we meet with upon the highways, are seen in many parts of Valencia affixed to the walls of the houses. But these do not all, though many do, point out the place marked by a deed of murder. Several of them record examples of sudden death,—probably of some well-fed canon, or other dignitary, who dropped down dead from repletion or apoplexy.
Valencia is one of those cities in which traces of Moorish dominion are the most visible,—not in any splendid Alhambra or Alcazar, but in every-day sights and common objects. Independently of the great wall and fine Moorish gates, one observes, in walking through the streets of Valencia, many smaller signs of other days and ancient masters. Gateways are occasionally seen sculptured in marble upon Moorish designs; stones over the doors, or underneath the windows, shew, by their chiseled marks, their ancient fashioner. Looking one day accidentally through the open window of a house near the cathedral, I was surprised to see an arabesque roof, gilded like the halls in the Alhambra of Granada and the Alcazar of Seville; and if, from these inanimate objects, we turn to the population, we shall also find among them equally strong traces of former connexion with the Moors. All the Moorish tokens which I have already mentioned, as distinguishing the population of Seville, Malaga, and San Felipe, are found in even greater distinctness in Valencia.
It is impossible to stir out of doors in Valencia, without being beset by beggars, and by others also more decent in appearance, resembling work-people: the latter are those persons who were formerly engaged in the silk manufactories, but who are now thrown out of work by the diminished trade that followed the loss of the colonies. As for the common beggars, I can only attribute their abundance in Valencia to the easy relief which they find at the convents. Formerly, throughout every part of Spain, the convents fed the poor, and fed idleness at the same time; but now, with the exception of the poor orders of friars, who still continue to give alms, this practice has been discontinued; and to this improvement, for I cannot call it by a better name, I am inclined to refer the fact, that in those cities which were formerly the most distinguished for the numbers of beggars by whom they were infested, I found few: and when in Valencia, I saw every street swarm with them, and every door beset by them; and when I learnt that this city was an exception to the rest of Spain, inasmuch as almost every one of the forty-nine convents distribute indiscriminate charity, it was impossible to avoid the conclusion, that this had the effect of encouraging idleness, and beggary along with it. In Valencia, every idle person is sure of his dinner; and he endeavours, by begging, to supply himself with a few of those superfluities which the convent does not provide for him.
The church dignitaries, and the archbishop, give nothing to the poor. The revenues of the archbishop amount, at present, to about 17,000l. sterling per annum—an immense sum for Spain—and whatever part of this sum he can spare from his own expences, he employs in the erection and endowment of convents. It is only a year ago, since he endowed a new convent at the port of Valencia, the erection of which cost him forty thousand dollars—almost half a year’s revenue. Short-sighted man! twenty years more, and no trace of his ill-directed generosity will remain; but it is possible, that the wealth which he destines to maintain a corrupt system, to foster idleness, and dim the light of knowledge, may, before half a century pass away, be directed into other channels, and be employed in disseminating truth, and supporting useful institutions. Let us hope that it may be so.
The opportunities of instruction for the youth of Valencia are considerable, though greatly narrowed by the regulations which affect every seminary of learning throughout Spain. When I visited Valencia, the university contained nearly two thousand five hundred students; these were chiefly divided between law and philosophy. Theology here, as in Toledo, commanded but few disciples; not more than eight or ten attending a course. The professors of the different branches of knowledge, with the exception of law, are friars; and the salaries amount to about six thousand reals per annum—the law professors receiving more than double this sum. Education here, may be said to be gratis: formerly, the students, at entry, paid no more than four quartos; now, they pay three dollars at entry, and one dollar every succeeding year: but even this is next to free instruction. Among the estudiantes there are many paupers, who go regularly every day to one or other of the convents to get a basin of soup; and when vacation arrives, they beg their way home. One of these passed me on the road between San Felipe and Valencia; he had perhaps not heard of the royal order for closing the universities; and having travelled to Valencia, and found the university shut, he was no doubt returning home. His dress was scarcely removed from rags; he had a patched brown cloak thrown over his shoulder; a cocked hat; and a sack,—probably containing his books, and some provisions,—slung across his back.
Instruction in the fine arts is also provided for in Valencia; and as this seminary is not affected by the imbecile policy of the government, and has escaped the superintendence of jesuits and friars, its results are more successful. I visited this institution one evening, and found much to please, and a little to surprise me. In one room I found fourteen pupils engaged in drawing the same figure, a Venus, a cast from the antique, which was placed upon a pedestal on one side of the room; and the pupils were ranged before it in a semicircle, so that owing to the different position from which each pupil saw the object, every drawing exhibited a different view of it. From this room I passed into another, where sixteen pupils, of a maturer age, were employed, some in drawing, others in modelling from a group intended to represent despair; the group was composed of real figures,—two men, entirely naked, standing upon an elevated platform. The stillness of the men was so perfect, that they might have been mistaken for statues; but for that hue of flesh and blood, which marble cannot imitate; and which at that time, strongly reminded me of the painting of Murillo and Velasquez. This drawing from nature has been lately revived; it was discontinued for some time, owing to the great difficulty in finding persons who were willing to assist the views of the institution; but lately, high remuneration has produced its usual results. The drawings appeared to be in general, executed with spirit and fidelity. In still another room, I found fourteen students of agricultural design. The institution is decidedly flourishing, and finds many disciples. In a large hall which I did not see, because before I had satisfied my curiosity in the other rooms, the hour of dismissal had arrived, there are no fewer than three hundred pupils of a tenderer age, who are there instructed in first principles, and in drawing separate parts of the human body. The school of Valencia has always maintained its reputation, and from time to time, has produced many great painters; among others EspaÑoletto, Juanes, and Ribalta; and among the living painters, Lopez, and the author of “the famine in Madrid,” are both of this school.
I was not a long time in Valencia before I visited the cathedral, which is a pleasing and elegant structure of Greek architecture in the interior; but in many parts of the exterior, and in some of the chapels, displaying the Gothic style. It contains abundance of fine marble; and at the back of the choir, twelve bas reliefs in alabaster, representing our Saviour’s passion, will engage for a while, the attention of the passer-by. I noticed only three good pictures; one, a descent from the cross, by Murillo, but not in his best style, “the Adoration of the Shepherds,” said to be also by Murillo; and “the Baptism of Christ,” by Juanes. In the sacristy, and in the chapter-house, there are also two or three pictures by Ribalta, and one by Juanes, of singular merit. I was also shewn some of the relics, an arm of St. Luke, one of “the Innocents,” and a picture of the Virgin, by St. Luke, who, if we are to credit the keepers of the relics in almost every church, both in Spain and in Italy, has multiplied to a great extent, these specimens of his art. The cup out of which our Saviour drank at the last supper, is too precious, and too sacred, to be gazed upon by heretical and unbelieving eyes.
After satisfying my curiosity in the cathedral, I ascended the tower. The view of the plain is superb. Though not greener, or more beautiful, than the vale of Murcia, its immense extent, and great populousness, produce a more striking effect. I should guess the extent of the plain to be little less than thirty miles long, and twenty wide; on three sides it is bounded by the mountains, and on the fourth, by the sea; and throughout the whole of this vast extent, there is not an acre that does not produce its crop of grain, or vegetables, or rice. The olive, the mulberry, the ilex, the algarrobo, the orange tree, and the palm, with all of which the plain is thickly dotted, give to it the appearance of a union of garden and orchard; but the populousness of the plain is even more striking than its beauty and fertility. I counted in it no fewer than forty-two towns and villages, and sixty-four spires of churches and convents, exclusive of the sixty spires and towers of the city. The plain, the towns and villages, the mountains, the sea, the city, and the line of coast terminating in the hill of Murviedro (the ancient Saguntum), formed altogether a prospect, that in richness and animation, cannot be equalled in any other country.
The plain of Valencia produces every kind of crop that is congenial to the climate; two and three crops in the year are taken from it; and the greater part of the land returns as much as eight per cent. The rice crops are among the most valuable in this plain; they are chiefly found in the territory of Albufera, surrounding the lake of the same name; the nearest part of which is distant from Valencia about two leagues. This was the property first proposed to be granted to the Duke of Wellington; but the Cortes of Valencia objected to it; and the estates near Granada were substituted. The rice grounds produce only one crop in the year; but the return is from eight to ten per cent. The rice is put into the ground in June, and cut in September,—water is then let in upon the ground,—and when the stubble rots, the land is ploughed up; and no other manure is required. In Valencia and its neighbourhood, rice is in universal use by all classes; but the produce is much greater than the consumption of the plain; and the surplus is exported to the different ports of Andalusia. The whole produce is estimated at twelve million of arrobas (three hundred million of pounds), one half of which at least is exported; and the average price may be taken at fourteen reals, about 3s. the arroba, nearly 1½d. per pound; but the best rice for exportation is one dollar the arroba. The neighbourhood of the rice grounds is extremely unhealthy, being pregnant with all those maladies that originate in exhalations from stagnant water; for rice is sown in water, grows in water, and rots in water.
The other chief produce of the plain of Valencia is the mulberry, once the source of great riches, through the silk manufactories of the city. This trade had been declining for many years; first, the French invasion was the means of destroying the mulberry trees; and then, the loss of the colonies, to which the silks of Spain enjoyed an exclusive trade, gave the death blow to this source of wealth. The first blow was remediable, for new plantations now cover the plain; but when these began to be serviceable, the second severer blow rendered them almost valueless. At present, the silk manufactories of Valencia do not employ one twentieth part of the hands that were needed, previous to the loss of the colonies; for these silks cannot compete in the foreign markets with the manufacture of France or England. The only manufactured silk that continues to bear a remunerating price, is the damask, and rich silks used in religious ceremonies. The produce of silk from the plain of Valencia, is computed to be about one million of pounds; by far the greater part of which is exported in its raw state; and the average price is from forty to fifty reals per pound (8s. to 10s.).
The export of fruit from Valencia is large, particularly of raisins; these are of two kinds, the muscatel, and an inferior raisin,—but neither are equal to the raisin of Malaga. These, like the lexia of Malaga, are used in England for puddings, confectionary, and wine; but since the introduction of cape wine into England, the manufacture of raisin wine has greatly decreased; and with it, in some degree, the export of raisins from Spain. This, however, is still very large. In the year 1829, 47,000 quintals of the best, and 42,000 quintals of the inferior raisin, were exported from Valencia;—in all, eight million five hundred and forty-four thousand pounds of 12 ounces. This export was exclusively for the English market. These statements I make upon the authority of Signor Trenor, the chief exporter of fruit from Valencia, and who has access to the export tables. The export of figs, oil, and wine, from the province and different ports of Valencia, is also considerable, particularly the latter, which is called Beni Carlo, and is exported from a town of the same name, lying considerably to the east of Valencia. This wine is sent chiefly to Cette, from whence much of it finds its way to Bourdeaux, by the canal of Languedoc, to give body and colour to the clarets.
The huerta of Valencia belongs, for the most part, to great proprietors; and many of the Grandees own estates in it. The Duke of Medina CÆli has a revenue of seventy-five thousand dollars per annum from his estates in the huerta. The families of Villa Hermosa and Benevento have almost as much; and in fact, there are very few persons who labour upon their own land. This is another explanation of the poverty that every where obtrudes itself in the midst of abundance. The price of labour is generally about three reals, and provisions are by no means remarkably cheap, considering the situation and advantages of Valencia. Beef is twelve quartos the pound of eighteen ounces, mutton seventeen quartos, pork a little more; a wild duck costs 10d. These are found in immense quantities on the lake of Albufera, a fowl costs 1s. or 1s. 3d. Wine, owing to the dues upon entry, costs in the city, three times its price in country; but bread is the dearest article in Valencia, notwithstanding the abundance of wheat: this is owing to a combination among the bakers, who are well known to bribe the corregidor not to interfere.
There are few good pictures in Valencia; I looked for them in the convents, but found scarcely any; and the only tolerable private collection is up five pair of stairs, in a remote alley in the house of a Peruquier. He has an extraordinary number of pictures,—some originals, but more copies: one picture by Alonzo Cano, and another by Juanes, are, however, sufficient of themselves, to repay the labour of mounting to the gallery of the peruque maker.
Society in Valencia differs little from society in other Spanish cities of the south. Many persons of high rank and great wealth, reside in Valencia; but they live without any display, and many of them even shabbily, sending to the wine shop for two bottles of wine, and to the cook shop for a stew. Among the middle classes, the Tertulia is universal; but its monotony is usually relieved by music and dancing. I had good opportunities at Valencia, of judging of the manners of the Valencian women; and I found among them, that agreeable vivacity—that ready wit—that perfect freedom from affectation—and that obliging disposition, which render them the most charming triflers in the world; and the graces of music and dancing, in which they almost all excel, greatly heighten the pleasure one finds in their society. But in Valencia, more than in any other city, I was struck with the absence of that mental cultivation, without which, vivacity, wit, and even good temper, must fatigue, or become insipid. I need scarcely say how much I was surprised, when one day showing a lady the beautiful sketch of the Alhambra, from which the engraving in this work is taken, she said, “what is the Alhambra?” It is a curious fact, that in Valencia society, professional men are not to be found. Neither law nor medicine carry with them any respectability in that city: I could obtain no explanation of this; but perhaps there, as elsewhere, riches are the best passport to society; and I was informed, that the fees paid to medical men are so low, that not one physician in Valencia makes 100l. per annum.
On the Sunday before I left Valencia, I walked to the port, which is situated about two miles distant from the city. Passing towards the bridge, I met a religious procession issuing from one of the churches, carrying with it the pope’s bull, published that day in every church of the city, granting permission to eat animal food during the approaching Lent: this resource of the papal exchequer, I should think fast declining. A fine broad avenue leads in nearly a straight line, from Valencia to its port, which is but an insignificant place, with a harbour, suitable only for boats; and a roadstead very ill protected against a south or south-west wind. The view from the end of the pier, laid open the whole reach of that wide bay which lies between Cape St. Antonio and the high lands in the neighbourhood of Propesa; but, excepting the charm of a calm sea, there was little more to attract. Between the port and the city, the country on both sides of the avenue is laid out in vegetable gardens, for the consumption of the town. At this season,—the month of December,—every kind of choice vegetable was seen upon the table, particularly cauliflower, and green peas, which I ate in the utmost perfection at Valencia.
The paseos of Valencia are scarcely proportionate to the greatness of the city; but indeed, every road from Valencia is a paseo, because they all lead through its beautiful plain, and are all skirted by trees, close enough planted to afford a sufficient shade. The captain-general, too, kindly throws open his garden, which is remarkable for its profusion of flowers, its myrtle bowers, its acacias, and its orange-trees, which I saw there for the first time as a wall-fruit. I counted no fewer than sixteen in one cluster.
I have several times spoken of “Valencia tiles,” which, in all the cities of the south of Spain, are used for floors; and are not only highly ornamental, but most appropriate to the climate. In Valencia, these tiles are, of course, more universally in use than elsewhere, owing to their greater cheapness; but the best qualities are expensive, even when bought at the manufactory. I saw there a very large assortment, varying in price according to the design, from two to six reals; and when it is considered that the squares are not more than nine inches, it is obvious, that to cover an extensive suite of apartments with these at 1s. a-piece, must be greatly more expensive than the most sumptuous carpet. A good workman, employed in painting the tiles, earns as much as a dollar per day.
I now prepared to leave Valencia. There is a diligence twice a week to Barcellona; but, being desirous of visiting the site of the ancient Saguntum (now Murviedro), I resolved to make only partial use of the public conveyance. Accordingly, having hired a tartana, I left Valencia after an early breakfast, and took the road to Murviedro. About half a league from Valencia, stands the Convento de los Reyes, one of the richest in Spain; and leaving my little vehicle at the gate, I applied for leave to see the interior, which was immediately accorded by a very civil, and even courteous monk, who accompanied me through the building. In a former chapter, when speaking of the riches of the convents, I referred to this, and mentioned the conversation that passed between the friar and myself; I need not, therefore, repeat it here. The chief distinction, however, of this convent, is the collection of manuscripts which were bequeathed to it by the founder, who, along with his magnificent endowment, enjoined that every day, and for ever, a mass should be said for the repose of his soul. Among the manuscripts, I was shown a fine copy of Livy, and many illuminated copies of the fathers; but the chief treasure is the Roman de la Rose, of so early a date as the ninth century. I was glad to see the friar show something like enthusiasm in displaying these literary treasures.
Still continuing to pass through the rich vale, we gradually approached the ancient Saguntum; and passing a thick olive wood, where I observed two Franciscan friars tending a flock of sheep, we wound round the base of the hill upon which the fortress stands, and entered the town. One can scarcely be accused of affectation in saying that this spot, so connected with the most momentous periods in Carthagenian and Roman history, cannot be viewed with indifference; and I hastened to leave the posada and ascend the hill. The hill of Saguntum, about a mile and a half long, and less than a quarter of a mile broad, is now surmounted by a modern fortress; but mingled with its walls, and covering other parts of the summit of the hill, and strewing its sides, the ruins of the ancient Saguntum are every where visible. The most entire among these ruins, though quite a ruin, is the theatre; parts of the outer walls are still standing, and the seats hewn out of the rock, are likely to remain for ever. I ascended to the summit by a steep ascent, but by a good road, constructed from the town to the fortress, where I was admitted after a little hesitation. Even if there had been no vestige of antiquity here, the view from the summit would have well repaid the labour of the ascent; for the wide, rich, and populous plain of Valencia stretched before me, bounded, forty miles distant, by the mountains of San Felipe,—the city in its centre; the sea, almost washing the foot of the hill, spread towards the south, bounded by the horizon; while to the north and east, ruins spread over the fore-ground, backed by a range of romantic mountains; and the coast of Valencia, stretched in a long curve of green and wooded fertility, till no longer distinguishable from the waters that laved it.
Whether owing to the length of time I lingered in the fortress, or my narrow scrutiny of its walls and ramparts, or the rumours of revolution and refugees, I somehow awakened the suspicions of the non-commissioned officer on guard; and while looking into a small ruined building that seemed half ancient, half modern, I was addressed by a soldier, who said he had instructions to carry me before the governor. I of course made no remonstrance, especially as I had satisfied my curiosity, and suffered myself to be marched into the town, and to the governor’s house, attended by a corporal, and followed by a soldier with his shouldered musket. The governor had gone to the paseo, and although I knew that dinner was ready at the posada, I was obliged to wait the return of this great man. The soldiers desired me rather roughly to wait in the open yard; but I took the liberty of knocking at the governor’s door; and entering his house without leave, I seated myself upon his sofa to wait his arrival. When he entered the room, I took the first word, saying it was the most extraordinary thing in the world that an Englishman, carrying a proper passport, should be marched through the town like a felon, and detained for an hour, when his conduct had afforded no ground of suspicion. The governor replied that the soldiers supposed I was a Frenchman. He looked slightly at my passport, said he was sorry I had been detained, and I made my bow, well pleased to return to the posada and to dinner.
But although I had escaped from the governor, the alcalde thought himself bound, as civil magistrate, to take some cognizance of a stranger who had attracted the suspicion of the military powers. Accordingly, while I was sitting after dinner, enjoying my dessert, and a bottle of excellent wine, two visitors were announced; and the alcalde, with a sabre buckled round his waist, and with some lesser insignia of office, and accompanied by a friend, entered the apartment. He laid aside his sabre, lighted his segar, and then explained the object of his visit. Strict orders, he said, had been received at all the fortified towns along the sea coast, to keep a watchful eye upon strangers, particularly French; and as positive injunctions had been given by the governor, that no stranger should be admitted within the fortress, it was supposed I had bribed the soldiers. I answered, that in the first place I was not a Frenchman; and that in the second place, I had not bribed the soldiers, unless he considered it bribery to give a peceta to the person who took the trouble to walk round the fortress with me. The alcalde then said, that if I was not a Frenchman, that altered the case; that he knew I had told the governor I was an Englishman; but that the governor was so short-sighted, that he could not read my designation, &c., in the passport; and that he (the alcalde) would be glad to see it. With this request I of course immediately complied; and the alcalde being satisfied from an inspection of my passport, that I was, what I pretended to be, buckled on his sabre, re-lighted his segar, which the importance of his mission had made him forget; and with an apology for the intrusion, left me to relate the history of his visit in the next room, where I heard his voice, along with others, at least an hour longer.
I knew that between Murviedro and Tarragona there was not much to interest the traveller; and I accordingly resolved to take advantage of the diligence which passes through Murviedro before midnight, on its way to Barcellona. I found a vacant place, and rolled onward as fast as seven mules could carry me. I passed in the dark, through Nules, and Villa Real; and through a country, as far as I was able to judge, fertile and well wooded. At the earliest dawn we reached Castellon; but it was too early to gain admittance to the church of Dominicans, or the chapel of la Saugne, where there were once, and perhaps still are, some good pictures by Ribalta, who was a native of this town. By travelling six hours in the dark, I had also missed the aqueduct of Almasora, interesting to antiquarians. But this aqueduct being a tunnel almost the whole of its length, cannot possess any of those attractions which are allied with the majestic, or the picturesque; and which are the chief sources of interest to those who do not make antiquities a study.
From Castellon we passed through a fine country, and between immense fences of aloes, to Venicasi,—an inconsiderable place with a fine church,—and not long after, we reached Cropesa, whose castle, crowning the summit of a high rock, and rising out of woods, overlooks the sea. The castle of Cropesa, which gives its name to a military order, is now a ruin, having been entirely destroyed by the French. A country, but partially cultivated, lies between Venicasi and Torreblanca. The rich carpet of aromatic plants, and the luxuriance of the trees, shew what the soil is capable of; but the temporal, as well as spiritual sovereignty exercised by the Bishop of Tortosa, falls so heavily upon the produce of land, that it is not able to support its burdens; and therefore lies for the most part uncultivated. Torreblanca, a poor little place, is undeserving of notice; but Alcala, which lies two leagues behind it, is a pretty town, remarkable for a magnificent church, and for the number of its clergy. The dinner at the posada appeared so little inviting,—the soup covered with oil, and the stew fragrant with garlic,—that I preferred a stroll through the town, and a loaf of bread.
The drive along the sea coast, from Alcala to Venicarlo, is singularly pleasing; the road is generally close to the sea, which is not here, as we are accustomed to see it in northern countries, bounded by barren sands, or chalky cliffs; but is fringed by the finest verdure, and often throws its little impotent waves almost to the roots of the lovely Algarrobos that bend over it. The sun, too, was getting low; the sea glittered beneath it, and the crowded trunks of the dark green trees, were all bright in its beams. Venicarlo, I have already mentioned as famous for its exported wines; but there is also a wine made for consumption, which I tasted as we changed mules, and found it so excellent, that I filled a small wine-skin with it, which I borrowed from the conductor. The chief produce of the country between Venicarlo and the river Ebro, after the vineyards cease, is the Algarrobo. In this part of Spain, the bean is bought of the owner at sixteen reals three quarters the quintal; and I was informed, that a good bearing tree will produce about four quintals and a half: this, however, I can scarcely credit. The produce of a single tree would, in that case, be worth 15s.; and a forest of Algarrobos would therefore be the most productive of all lands. It was dusk before we reached the confines of Catalunia, and the bank of the Ebro,—here a very different stream from that which I had crossed at Miranda, where it divides old Castile from Biscay. The river, at Amposta, is about three hundred yards wide,—less than might be expected from a river which runs so long a course as the Ebro,—and within so short a distance of the sea. We crossed in a boat, and walked to the venta, which is about a mile distant from the bank. Here we remained all night; but the entrance to Catalunia was rather discouraging. Although the diligence was expected, no supper had been provided, nor was there any thing in the house that could be converted into a supper. I was forced to be contented with a cup of chocolate; and the night being cold, and the fire bad, I was glad to escape to bed.
We were now in Catalunia, which in its accommodations, in the industry of its inhabitants, and in the perfect security with which it may be travelled in every part, has the advantage over all the other provinces of Spain, with the exception, perhaps, of Biscay. It is not, however, more, but perhaps less interesting to the traveller, for these very reasons; if the accommodations on the road are better, they are more like other countries, and therefore less novel; if there be no danger from robbers, there is less excitement; and as for the industry of the Catalunians, industry, although always a pleasing spectacle, possesses no novelty. Catalunian industry does not arise from any superior education, by which men obtain a clearer insight into their moral duties, and higher views of the human character; on the contrary, no Spanish peasant is more ignorant than a Catalunian boor; none are more enslaved by the priesthood; and in no other province, have the inhabitants shewn so much, their veneration for the apostolical party both in church and state. The secret of Catalunian industry, is the same as that which has covered with fertility many an Alpine valley in Switzerland,—self-interest. Give to the labourers of the earth an interest,—a property in the land which they cultivate, and the world would become one wide extended garden. The land upon which the Catalunian labours, is either his own, or held by him upon a lease, sometimes for lives, sometimes in perpetuity, with a fine upon succession or alienation; but at all events, for so long a period as to invest the tenant with a real interest in the property which he cultivates.
From the Venta, where we slept, to Tarragona, the road winds among rugged hills, along the sea shore. I noticed many beautiful heaths by the way side, but the soil is not rich enough to repay cultivation. At a venta close by the sea, called Hospitalet, we stopped to breakfast. Soon after, we entered the plain of Tarragona, almost vieing in fertility with the huertas of the more southern provinces, and reached the city to a late dinner.
I had expected much from the antiquities of Tarragona; but I confess they disappointed me. They possess few of those features which strike or delight the traveller who is not professedly an antiquarian. When a Roman amphitheatre is shewn to me, I always think of the amphitheatre of Nismes; if I look upon an aqueduct, I see placed beside it the Pont de Gard. The remains of the amphitheatre are little more than visible; the aqueduct, though fine, is certainly not comparable to that which I have named; and the tower of Scipio is merely the tower of Scipio. I was greatly surprised at the ignorance of the inhabitants respecting their antiquities. The cicerone whom I first engaged, scarcely knew of their existence; and one group of priests whom I addressed, and another group of respectable looking men, could give me no information upon the subject.
The cathedral of Tarragona is worth a visit, particularly the court and cloisters, which are surrounded by innumerable pillars. The canon who accompanied me, said they were Roman, but upon one I noticed a representation of the crucifixion, and upon another the last supper,—and upon others I could trace Gothic designs. It is possible that some Roman pillars found elsewhere, may have been conveyed to this court. The ecclesiastic who walked round the cathedral with me, spoke in earnest language of the decline of piety; and so deeply did the old man lament this that, as he laid his hand upon his heart, I saw the tears start into his eyes.
I was delighted with the posada at Tarragona; the posadero, an Italian, put forth his utmost skill in cookery, and seeing that I relished the wine he set before me, which was really excellent, he brought a pint bottle of choice wine, which he had had eleven years in his cellar. It proved perfect nectar, and the owner was quite charmed with the praises I bestowed upon it.
I found it impossible to understand the Catalunian dialect, which is indeed almost a distinct language,—this is a difficulty that is felt in all the provinces. The dialects of Biscay, Andalusia, Valencia, and Catalunia, are all different from each other, and distinct from the Castilian; the better classes in all the provinces, of course, understand and speak Castilian,—with certain imperfections in pronunciation, such as in Andalusia, where th is used in place of s, which gives a softness, but an indistinctness to the language; but the lower classes, the persons met with in the ventas, and the muleteers, often speak a dialect that is altogether unintelligible.
I was much pleased at the port of Tarragona, with the operation of sorting the nuts, which form an important article of export. In one of the principal warehouses I saw from two hundred to two hundred and fifty girls, seated upon stools, at a table which extended the whole length of the room; heaps of nuts lay upon the floor, and men were constantly filling baskets with these and emptying them upon the table. The girls drew the nuts towards them by handfuls, and distinguishing, as if by an instinctive knowledge, the empty from the full nuts, they swept the good into a basket between their knees, and the empty, they dropped into a basket at their feet. Nothing can exceed the rapidity with which these operations are performed; it is really a busy and an animated scene; the labour employs the hands only, for it is by the touch the quality of the nut is distinguished; and the mind being disengaged, the constant prattle and the frequent laughter, give to the scene an appearance almost of a party of pleasure.
Tarragona is the chief exporting port of Catalunia. Its exports consist of nuts, almonds, wines, and brandy. The nuts sent to the English market are known by the name of Barcellona nuts; but they are neither grown near, nor exported from Barcellona. They are grown more in the interior of the province, and are all exported from Tarragona. The average export of nuts from Tarragona is from twenty-five to thirty thousand bags. There are four bags to a ton; and they were placed on board last autumn at 17s. 6d. per bag. The whole of this export is for the English market. The export of almonds is about twelve thousand bags. From five thousand to five thousand five hundred pipes of wine are exported from Tarragona, to Rio Janiero, the Brazils, Guernsey, and Jersey; and of brandy, about four hundred pipes are exported, chiefly for Cette, and Cadiz, from which places, it finds its way into the wine butts of Bourdeax and Xeres. Cork wood, and cork bark, also form a small export from Tarragona.
I left Tarragona for Barcellona in a small carriage, something better than a tartana, and two mules, which trotted all the way. The country is chiefly a wine country; and the road winds among hills, covered in the lower parts with vines, and higher up, with pine. Numerous villages, engaged in the wine and brandy trade, are scattered along the shore, but all of these have considerably suffered from the loss of the colonies. After passing Vendrill we left the sea coast; and about three leagues from Barcellona, entered a charming country, covered with romantic hills,—clothed with fir, and embosoming numerous small and beautiful valleys; and emerging from these, I found myself in the Huerta of Barcellona. The approach to Barcellona is less striking than the approaches either to Murcia or Valencia; nor does the city itself present so imposing an appearance; but the commerce upon the road, greatly exceeded what I had seen in the neighbourhood of any other city in Spain. I reached the gate before dusk, and alighted at the Fonda de las quatros Naciones.
