ff ROMM CORD OCGA TO MG AIH Aya.

a bright morning in April that I left the city for a trip to Palos, and the valley
of the Guadalquivir was bright in greenest fields of grain and of olive orchards.
Seville is in truth of queenly aspect, sitting in the midst of the fertile plain, her
towering Giralda rising far above the outline of distant hills. For two thirds
the distance the railroad runs through a fertile and highly-cultivated plain, but
the rest was mainly barren, though covered with sheets and beds of purple
flowers in beautiful bloom.

We passed the ruins of a Roman fortification of times most ancient, and
then crossed a river flowing over iron-colored rocks, curiously worn. The
character of the soil was shown in its color, which was yellow and deep red;
and when I
noted this I
inferred, and
rightly, that we
had seen at last
the historic
Rio Tinto, that
Wine-colored
River, from
which Colum-
bus sailed four
hundred years
5 oe ago.
eee oar ee i Just sixty

SEVILLE, QUEEN CITY OF THE GUADALQUIVIR. years b efo re
(The Giralda, or “ tower of gold,” in the foreground.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Iie gud tiemtahnue
spring of 1828, a man more famous than I traversed this same route, and with
the same intent — gentle and genial Washington Irving. But there was no
railroad in those days, and he was obliged to make the journey on horseback,
taking as many days, perhaps, as I did hours, but enjoying it, every mile.

Leaving the railway at the station of San Juan del Puerto, I took the diligen-
cia, an old carriage, for the town of Moguer, a league distant on a hill, where I
found, contrary to my expectations, good accommodations: a fonda, or house of
entertainment, with clean beds and an excellent table. I was soon served with
a good breakfast, and “mine host” took quite a fancy to me, insisting on
taking me to the places of interest, and telling me all the local news.

But he was lamentably ignorant respecting things Columbian, though intel-
ligent and inquisitive. When I inquired about the scenes of interest to one
studying Columbus, he excused himself, saying he was from another province,
and not posted regarding the affairs of Palos. “But thisman Columbus, when did
he sail, Sefior? And are you sure he sailed from Palos? No ship of any size has
left there this many a year ; the village, even, is half a mile from the river.