trees as the neighbourhood of Cordova.  Its oranges are, however, by no means good, and cannot compete with those of Andalusia.  The Pontevedrians boast that their land produces two crops every year, and that whilst they are gathering in one they may be seen ploughing and sowing another.  They may well be proud of their country, which is certainly a highly favoured spot.

The town itself is in a state of great decay, and notwithstanding the magnificence of its public edifices, we found more than the usual amount of Galician filth and misery.  The posada was one of the most wretched description, and to mend the matter, the hostess was a most intolerable scold and shrew.  Antonio having found fault with the quality of some provision which she produced, she cursed him most immoderately in the country language, which was the only one she spoke, and threatened, if he attempted to breed any disturbance in her house, to turn the horses, himself, and his master forthwith out of doors.  Socrates himself, however, could not have conducted himself on this occasion with greater forbearance than Antonio, who shrugged his shoulders, muttered something in Greek, and then was silent.

“Where does the notary public live?” I demanded.  Now the notary public vended books, and to this personage I was recommended by my friend at Saint James.  A boy conducted me to the house of Señor Garcia, for such was his name.  I found him a brisk, active, talkative little man of forty.  He undertook with great alacrity the sale of my Testaments, and in a twinkling sold two to a client who was waiting in the office, and appeared to be from the country.  He was an enthusiastic patriot, but of course in a local sense, for he cared for no other country than Pontevedra.

“Those fellows of Vigo,” said he, “say their town is a better one than ours, and that it is more deserving to be the capital of this part of Galicia.  Did you ever hear such folly?  I tell you what, friend, I should not care if Vigo were burnt, and all the fools and rascals within it.  Would you ever think of comparing Vigo with Pontevedra?”

“I don’t know,” I replied; “I have never been at Vigo, but I have heard say that the bay of Vigo is the finest in the world.”

“Bay! my good sir.  Bay! yes, the rascals have a bay, and it is that bay of theirs which has robbed us all our commerce.  But what needs the capital of a district with a