Journal of the Siege of Tarifa.

half a mile of the enemy's camp, three times put to flight an equal number of French dragoons sent to oppose him, although those dragoons were flanked by a very strong piquet of infantry, posted in a wood, within half-musket shot; and under a heavy fire, the hussars continued, with a most singular coolness, a long time.

"To Captain Hughes, commanding the artillery, who, with the officers and men under his command, on the 20th December, the day on which the town was closely invested, kept the immense force of the enemy in check, for near an hour, with the two guns under his command, and did considerable execution. To Captain Jenkins, and his company of the 95th regiment, who, at the same time advanced against a very superior force of the enemy's troops, and drove them, keeping them in check during the time the guns were in motion: had Captain Jenkins been allowed to advance, his company alone would probably have taken the enemy's field pieces in front of them. To Major Broad, who commanded the piquets of the 47th and 87th regiments on that day; and who assisted in keeping the immense force of the enemy in check, and who advanced on the enemy, and repulsed them. And to Captains Levesey and Summerson, of the light companies of the 47th and 87th regiments; and to Lieutenant Haines, of the royal artillery, who, on the 22d December, made a sortie with a field piece, and with the greatest intrepidity drove a very superior force of the enemy's light troops from their strong position in front of the convent, a fire from the gun doing great execution.

"To Captain Levesey and the officers and men of the light company of the 47th regiment, and the remaining officers and men of his detachment, amounting to one hundred of the 47th regiment, who, in the first instance, defended the east tower, and flanked the right of the breach, during the assault; and who, with admirable coolness, kept their position under a heavy fire from the cannon and musketry, and afforded, on that distinguished occasion, the most essential service. To the zeal and activity of Captain Campbell, 47th regiment, who, with a very small detachment, twice entered the enemy's intrenchments, and brought away a wall-piece, and a great many intrenching tools. And particularly to that active, intelligent, and brave officer, Lieutenant Guantee, deputy-assistant-quarter-master-general, who has been present, and engaged in almost the whole of the above affairs, and the loss of whose services, Colonel Skerrett sincerely regrets. Colonel Skerrett is happy to bear due testimony to the zeal and bravery of Major Broad, 47th regiment, who has offered himself on almost every occasion, on public service. To Brigade-major Banbury, and Captain O'Donahe, of my personal staff, who have always shewn the greatest zeal and activity, the last of whom has been wounded.

"To Lieutenant-colonel Lord Proby, 1st guards, Colonel Skerrett is on every occasion highly indebted, for the great assistance he has afforded him,

Journal of the Siege of Tarifa.

for his military experience, great zeal, and activity: in most of the above affairs his lordship has been personally present.

"To Major King, of the 82d regiment, and to Captain Thompson, royal marines, all forming the garrison of the island; and to Captain Wren, of the 11th regiment, who commanded the redoubts of Santa Catalina, during the whole of the siege, Colonel Skerrett is much indebted for their zeal and activity, for the assistance they have afforded the town, and for the fire kept up from the island, on the enemy's lines.

"The royal marines will join their ship at the earliest opportunity.

"Colonel Skerrett cannot part with this valuable detachment, without requesting Captain Thompson, with his officers and men, to accept his best thanks for their services, their zeal, and good conduct, and the good humour with which they bore all their hardships and fatigue, on a species of service so new to them.

"Colonel Skerrett is happy to bear testimony of the zeal and exertions of Mr. Deputy-assistant-commissariat-general Dobre, and the officers of his department; as also to Surgeon Harper, as long as he continued at the head of the medical department; and to all the medical officers under him, since the period of this brigade leaving Cadiz."

Thus ended a siege of seventeen days, during seven of which there was apparently a practicable breach, the wall in front of the besieged town, being but one yard thick, and incapable of bearing heavy artillery. From the first day it had been battered in breach, and was capable of returning little opposition, but in musketry. It was demonstrated, therefore, that the weakest points, when gallantly defended, can check the progress of boasting Invincibles. In fine, it appeared, that the losses suffered by the enemy in this fruitless attempt on this poor post, might safely be computed at about 2500 men, exceeding that of the garrison they assailed.

PRESENT STATE OF THE TOWNS OF SPAIN.

SEVILLE AND THE COUNTRY AROUND IT.

WE (ie. the travellers from whom this itinerary is taken) left Cadiz about noon, in the middle of the month of September 1809, for Seville, being resolved to travel at our leisure, that we might see the surrounding country. We crossed the bay, and landed at St. Mary about two o'clock. We lost no time, but immediately got into a coach, which was waiting for us, and were off. Our equipage was a coach and six mules; the coach resembled those which may be seen in French prints of the age of Louis XIV. solid, stately, and lined with yellow plush. It was roomy, however, and therefore cool and comfortable.

Present State of the Towns of Spain.

The country around St. Mary's is very pleasant. The Alameda, or public walk, which we passed in going out of the city, is extremely shady and beautiful. The country around is delightful; the trees and plants are those of the south of Europe, and the scenery united all the beauties of culture, and a fertile soil. The hedges are formed of the aloe, and prickly pear; and as they are plentifully intermixed with flowers of all hues and odours, they produce a very beautiful appearance.

entrance is by the end of the The streets of Xeres are wider footpath, and it is well lighted;

The road to Xeres, our first day's journey, was crowded with carts, loaded with stores; with horses, mules, and asses, carrying fruits and vegetables for the markets of Cadiz; together with flocks of sheep, and droves of oxen, attended by the owners well mounted on Andalusian horses, and each of them with a gun slung over his shoulder. The road was occasionally bordered by extensive fields of wheat, mixed with vineyards and olive trees. The approach to Xeres is striking; the Alameda, a pleasant, and well shaded walk. than those of Cadiz; there is a good paved some of the houses are splendid, and that belonging to Mr. James Gordon, a gentleman to whom we had letters, possesses every accommodation to be expected in an English habitation. This gentleman's family has been long established at Xefes, having sought a refuge here in consequence of its attachment to the House of Stuart. Mr. James Gordon, though married to a Spanish lady, sent his daughters to England for their education: they resided for some years in the convent at York, and then returned to this city. One of them is married to a colonel in the Spanish army. Mr. Gordon, besides being a wine merchant and distiller, is a very large farmer; he has purchased 2400 acres of good land, which is mostly in tillage, and which he farms upon the improved plan of English agriculture.

The rent of land is extremely low, being only about seven shillings and six-pence per acre, and the purchase money about £10. It is noble land, and an English farmer would raise a fortune on a very small capital, in three years. The greatest difficulty is to procure labourers.

The Roman walls are in excellent preservation. They divide the new from the old city, and are so thick that the wine merchants have formed excavations in them for their cellars. The parish church of St. Jago, is a fine pile of Gothic architecture, as well as those of St. Mathew and Mark. The church of St. Michael, however, is the finest building, and its tower is an excellent specimen of the Græco Roman architecture. About two miles from Xeres, stands the most celebrated convent in Spain, belonging to the Carthusians. The building is very magnificent, it is in the Gothic style.

We had a fine prospect of the surrounding country, from a new house. which Mr. Gordon is building in the midst of a vineyard just above the city; the scene is thickly wooded with olive trees, and the fields are small, snug, and richly hedged round with aloes. The view extends to the grounds about St. Lucar, but the principal beauty of the scene is the view of the

Present State of the Towns of Spain.

bay of Cadiz, with that city at a distance; still nearer, the cities of Medina, Puerto Real, Santa Maria, St. Lucar, and Rota, rise in succession, whilst just beneath, Xeres, with its lofty towers, and magnificent edifices, completes the attractions of this enchanting spot.

There is a bridge over the Guadaleta at Xeres. This river, though small, is very celebrated in Spanish history, on account of the great battle fought on its banks, between the Gothic Christians in Spain, and the Moors of Africa, in the year 711, which decided the fate of Spain, during several successive centuries, and established the power of the Moors, who conquered nearly the whole peninsula, and whose empire continued till the year 1493, when it was extinguished by the conquest of Granada.

We left Xeres very early on the following morning, in continuation of our journey, proposing to reach Lebrixa, our next principal resting place, at an early hour. The road lay through corn fields. The country, immediately on leaving Xeres, was very pleasant and beautiful, abounding in gardens and vineyards, and enclosed within hedges of aloes and flowering shrubs. The face of the country is rendered still more agreeable by the intermixture of olive trees, whose dark green hue forms a pleasing variety, as contrasted with the lighter shade of the hedges. We passed a number of farmers with their wives, mounted on horses, mules, and asses, going to a fair about thirty miles distant, near Medina. This fair continues three days, and is the most considerable cattle fair in all Andalusia, being particularly famous for its horses. We passed over some extensive plains, leaving the high mountains of Borno on the right hand, and the Guadalquiver, at a considerable distance on the left. We had a distant view of the city of St. Lucar, and though we did not approach within eight miles of it, the clearness of the atmosphere was such, that the objects were more distinct than they would have appeared in England, at the short distance of a mile.

Our first view of Lebrixa was very impressive. Near the town is a Roman camp, situated on an eminence, over-looking the surrounding country, from the centre of which rises a once magnificent castle, built in very remote times, and improved by the Moors; which now lies partly in ruins, and partly converted into a convent, adding great solemnity to the scene. The town is by no means well built, though some of the public edifices have the appearance of magnificence. The brilliancy of the atmosphere gives an unusual air of liveliness to the town and scenery. We went to view the castle. The lower part of the walls is very thick, and built with Roman bricks: the upper part is evidently of Moorish construction. The Romans built as they wrote for ever.

At the side of an archway, which leads to the castle, there is a marble statue of a female, as large as life; it is undoubtedly a Roman work; the drapery is admirably executed. During the wars between Julius Cæsar and Pompey, this town was the head quarters of the army of the latter, and is remarkable from having been the place where three Roman knights, Bebius,

Present State of the Towns of Spain.

Flavius, and Trebellius, deserted to join the standard of Cæsar. All the cavalry in the place, had resolved to revolt from the party of Pompey, but the secret was discovered by a slave, and thereby frustrated. This was a short time before the decisive battle of Munda, which terminated the civil wars of the Romans in Spain.

Having taken a short rest at Lebrixa, we continued on for Seville, proposing to reach it the same evening.

The country in the immediate vicinity of Lebrixa is very rich, abounding in olives, wing, and corn, and for several miles we experienced a pleasing variety of gently swelling hills, till we entered on the extensive marshes called the Maresma, which are only passable in dry weather. The Maresma is the most extensive tract of rich pasture I ever beheld; it extends from Lebrixa to Seville, a distance of nearly forty miles. The river Guadalquiver, runs through the plain, and in winter overflows its banks, so as to inundate the whole country, to the very foot of the mountains.

On this plain, between Lebrixa and the neighbourhood of Seville, we found only one venta, or small hedge ale-house. The accommodations were as miserable as the situation was solitary; the house was too filthy within to be endured, and we therefore ate our provisions under shade, sub dio. In this way we made a dinner, after which we continued forwards for Seville, which we reached about sun-set. The appearance of cultivation increased as we approached this city; and several extensive melon gardens at once gave a variety to the prospect, and afforded us a most grateful repast, after the dusty roads, and excessive heat we had endured.

We remained at Seville several days, and as the reputation of this city had excited our warnest curiosity, we employed almost every minute of this time in walking, visiting, and inquiring.

seen.

The appearance of the city was very different from any that I have yet Each house occupies a large space of ground, and all have an open court in them, called the patio. In the centre of this space there is usually a fountain of cool water, occasionally surrounded with orange trees, and other evergreens. The streets are extremely narrow; very few are wide enough to allow two carriages to pass. Several of them, indeed, are literally nothing but alleys, and you touch their opposite sides, as you walk along. The bouses being lofty, the sun never penetrates to the bottom of these streets, and they have therefore on the very hottest days, the coolness of our cellars. There is no footpath for passengers, and very few carts and coaches. There are not many squares nor open places in the city, but the environs have some beautiful public walks. One of them by the side of the banks of the Guadalquiver.

It is almost unnecessary to say, that Seville is one of the most ancient cities in Spain, being the Hispalis of the Romans, which name is now corrupted into that of Seville. Its present state does not disgrace its former