CADIZ SPANISH PILOT.

3

execution of quadrilles. Mrs. Fox joined in them with much spirit.

Tuesday, 19th Oct.-The wind becoming contrary during the night, we were driven back to the South coast of Portugal, and came within a few miles of Faro, a city of some magnitude. We observed the cathedral very distinctly. Friday, 22d Oct.-The continuation of adverse winds induced the captain to put into Cadiz. At some distance from the town we took up a Spaniard. He had a singularly intelligent countenance; and his round hat of grey cloth, blue naval jacket, and scarlet sash tied tightly to the waist, presented an object which pleased perhaps from its novelty. A signal gun being fired for a pilot, a boat put off from the shore, and brought out a little fat man, whose appearance indicated a deep feeling of self-importance, which was rendered truly ridiculous by his diminutive height and oleaginousness*. Cadiz has an imposing as

* In a country of olives and olive-yards, perhaps such a word may be admissible. The term is not a bad one; and describes well enough the oily sudatory character of the Spanish countenance not uncommon amongst the lower orders.

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CADIZ-SPANISH PILOT.

pect from the sea. Its régularly built houses of white stone shine gaily in the sun; and in addition to this, the numerous fleet of ships stationed off the town-some with their sails set, others at fanchor, interspersed with a variety of feluccas, cruising up and down on the beautiful morning of our arrival, were extremely enlivening. The fat pilot, on being desired to allow as much time as possible for the crew to take their wine, (such is the liberal establishment of the British navy!) with much of his country's haughtiness, replied, "that they would have time enough to take it afterwards," colouring at the same moment to the very brow, even through the dinginess of his sun-burnt complexion. It seemed to me a characteristic introduction to the land and the people-to that people who formerly required the Persian monarch, when addressing their king, to superscribe his epistles," AU ROI QUI A LE SOLEIL POUR CHAPEAU * " veral French men of war are stationed off Cadiz; and a French garrison, we are told, is quartered in the town.

Se

* See Moreri.

CADIZ CATHEDRAL.

Saturday, 23d Oct.-I arose this morning at an early hour, that I might the more speedily gratify my curiosity in Cadiz. The approach to this place from the water is fine, and of a kind altogether new. The uniform and white-washed fronts of the houses, surmounted generally by a small turret, have a particularly pleasing effect, and render Cadiz a great attraction to foreigners. The first thing that struck me after passing the batteries, was the market. The peculiar cries of the venders of fruit and poultry, with their not less peculiar appearance, operated powerfully upon my risible faculties. Wandering along at random, I accidentally turned into the old magnificent cathedral of Cadiz; which is, and, I understand, has long been, in a state of repair. A great length of time must elapse before its completion, which, indeed, may never take place: for the distresses brought upon the town by the revolution, have exhausted the funds of the ecclesiastics, not less than the property of the citizens. As much as they have done, however, to this building, is singularly, beautiful. It displays much classical taste; and its execution equals the design.

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CONVENT OF THE AUGUSTINES.

From hence I turned to the convent of the Augustines. A number of females were offering up their orisons-such at least ought to have been their employment. But though their "lips moved, there was war in the heart." One damsel knelt before a small crucifix-her arms folded, so as to bring the fan which was contained in her right hand into pretty good play. This genial weapon, the auxiliary of love or war, was kept in constant motion; while her eyes, rambling about as much as the position of the body would admit, were attracted to every object, save that which it might have been presumed she was contemplating. Another, almost illimitable in bulk, with the utmost difficulty, "screwed" herself up to a sticking-place. She reached, with laudable exertion, the very steps of the altar, and there, as overcome by the unusual effort, squatted motionless on the ground. This is a common posture, and seems, among innumerable others,

66

"

the remains of Moorish habits.

Like all the buildings of Roman Catholic worship, the one in question (which is the chapel of the Augustine monastery) is adorned with a bewildering profusion of gold and silver

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RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.

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wax, stone, wood," &c.: and unquestionably is "wondrous fine." But the impression left upon my mind was, that their devotion had converted the temple of the Deity into a toyshop the women into arrant coquettes, not to say worse; and the men into bigots. The mummery, so universally practised here, was disgusting enough; and seems to me the very last stage of a confirmed idiotcy. In conse crating the host, we remark that the priest first bows to the crucifix, then elevates the cup as if to examine whether the expected liquid begins to flow, and how far it has risen. By and bye his hand is extended toward the crucifix, and wafted backwards and forwards from the cross to the

cup, with the intent, as well as one can judge, of transferring the holiness of the relie to the wine he is about to administer. To this succeed bows and bell-ringing, touching of noses and chins and breasts, which last is understood to typify the cross. Representations of saints, angels, virgins, and cherubs in every state and stage of beauty and deformity may here be met with; the most unhappy "pagodlooking things" by the side of the ecstatic, downcast, dreary countenance of the blessed