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bourhood；　　and　that　unless　we　took　our　departure　speedily　and　unexpectedly；　we　　should　to　a　certainty　be　plundered　on　the　road。　　I　did　not　pay　much　　attention　to　these　hints；　but　my　desire　to　quit　Leon　was　great；　as　　I　was　convinced　that　as　long　as　I　continued　there　I　should　be　　unable　to　regain　my　health　and　vigour。　　Accordingly；　at　three　　o'clock　in　the　morning　of　the　fourth　（yesterday）　we　departed；　　taking　the　route　for　Lugo；　a　principal　town　in　the　province　of　　Galicia。　　We　had　scarcely　proceeded　half　a　league　when　we　were　　overtaken　by　a　thunderstorm　of　tremendous　violence。　　We　were　at　　that　time　in　the　midst　of　a　kind　of　wood　which　extends　to　some　　distance　in　that　direction。　　The　trees　were　bowed　to　the　ground　or　　torn　up　by　their　roots　by　the　wind；　whilst　the　ground　was　plowed　up　　by　the　lightning　which　burst　all　around　and　nearly　blinded　us。　　The　　horse　which　I　rode　upon；　which　was　a　spirited　Andalusian　stallion；　　became　furious　and　bounded　into　the　air　as　if　possessed；　owing　to　　my　state　of　weakness　I　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　maintaining　　my　seat　and　in　avoiding　a　fall　which　might　have　been　fatal。　　A　　tremendous　discharge　of　rain　followed　the　storm；　which　swelled　the　　brooks　into　streams　and　flooded　the　surrounding　country；　causing　　great　damage　amongst　the　corn。　　After　riding　about　five　leagues　we　　began　to　enter　the　mountainous　district　which　surrounds　Astorga；　　the　road　was　flinty　and　very　trying　to　the　poor　horses；　who　　suffered　much；　whilst　the　heat　was　suffocating。　　It　was　with　the　　utmost　difficulty　that　we　reached　Astorga；　covered　with　mud　and　　dust　and　our　tongues　cleaving　to　the　roofs　of　our　mouths　from　　thirst。　　We　were　compelled　to　take　up　our　abode　in　a　wretched　　hovel；　full　of　pigs；　vermin；　and　misery；　and　from　this　place　I　　write；　for　this　morning　I　felt　myself　unable　to　proceed　on　my　　journey；　being　exhausted　with　illness；　fatigue　and　want　of　food；　　for　scarcely　anything　is　to　be　obtained。　　But　I　return　God　thanks　　and　glory　for　being　permitted　to　undergo　these　crosses　and　troubles　　for　His　Word's　sake。　　I　would　not　exchange　my　present　situation；　　unenviable　as　some　may　think　it；　for　a　throne。

Pray　excuse　the　style　and　writing　of　this　letter；　both　are　　inevitably　bad。　　I　hope　in　a　few　days　to　have　reached　Lugo；　where　I　　shall　be　more　at　my　ease。

GEORGE　BORROW。



LETTER：　20th　July；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　12th　August　1837）　CORUNNA；　20TH　JULY　＇1837＇。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　My　last　letter　was　dated　from　Astorga；　and　I　　stated　that　I　was　suffering　from　the　relics　of　the　fever　which　had　　assailed　me　at　Leon；　in　a　day　or　two；　however；　I　was　sufficiently　　recovered　to　mount　my　horse　and　proceed　on　my　journey　to　Lugo。　　I　　shall　send　a　regular　account　of　this　journey　next　post；　from　which　　those　at　home；　interested　in　Bible　proceedings　in　Spain；　may　gather　　some　idea　of　this　very　strange　country　and　people。　　I　arrived　　safely　at　Lugo；　but　much　fatigued；　for　the　way　thither　lay　through　　the　wildest　mountains　and　wildernesses。　　The　Lord　deigned　to　favour　　my　humble　efforts　at　Lugo；　I　brought　thither　thirty　Testaments；　all　　of　which　were　disposed　of　in　one　day；　the　Bishop　of　the　place　　himself　purchasing　two　copies；　whilst　several　priests　and　friars；　　instead　of　following　the　example　of　their　brethren　at　Leon　by　　persecuting　the　work；　spoke　well　of　it；　and　recommended　its　　perusal。　　I　was　much　grieved　that　my　stock　of　these　holy　books　was　　exhausted；　for　there　was　a　great　demand　for　them；　and　had　I　been　　able　to　supply　them；　quadruple　the　quantity　might　have　been　sold　　＇during＇　the　four　days　that　I　remained　at　Lugo。

Midway　between　Lugo　and　Corunna　I　was　near　falling　into　the　hands　　of　robbers。　　Two　fellows　suddenly　confronted　me　with　presented　　carbines；　which　they　probably　intended　to　discharge　into　my　body；　　but　they　took　fright　at　the　noise　of　my　servant's　horse；　who　was　　following　a　little　way　behind。　　This　affair　occurred　at　the　bridge　　Castellanos；　a　spot　notorious　for　robbery　and　murder；　and　well　　adapted　for　both；　for　it　stands　at　the　bottom　of　a　deep　dell　　surrounded　by　wild　desolate　hills。　　Only　a　quarter　of　an　hour　　previous；　I　had　passed　three　ghastly　heads；　stuck　on　poles　standing　　by　the　wayside；　they　were　those　of　a　captain　of　banditti　＇and　two　　of　his　men＇；　who　had　been　seized　and　executed　about　two　months　　before。　　Their　principal　haunt　was　the　vicinity　of　the　bridge　I　　have　already　spoken　of；　and　it　was　their　practice　to　cast　the　　bodies　of　the　murdered　into　the　deep　black　water　which　runs　rapidly　　beneath。　　These　three　beads　will　always　live　in　my　remembrance；　　particularly　that　of　the　captain；　which　stood　on　a　higher　pole　than　　the　other　two；　the　long　hair　was　waving　in　the　wind；　and　the　　blackened　distorted　features　were　grinning　in　the　sun。　　The　fellows　　whom　I　met　were　themselves　of　his　band。

I　have　a　depot　of　five　hundred　Testaments　at　Corunna；　from　which　it　　is　my　intention　to　supply　the　principal　towns　of　Galicia。　　I　have　　as　usual　published　my　advertisements；　and　the　work　enjoys　a　　tolerable　sale　…　seven　or　eight　copies　per　day　on　the　average。　　　Perhaps　some　will　say　that　these　are　small　matters　and　not　worthy　　of　being　mentioned；　but　let　these　bethink　them　that　till　within　a　　few　months　the　very　existence　of　the　Gospel　was　almost　unknown　in　　Spain；　and　that　it　must　necessarily　be　a　difficult　task　to　induce　a　　people　like　the　Spaniards；　who　read　very　little　and　who　in　general　　consider　money　expended　in　books　of　any　kind　as　cast　away；　to　　purchase　a　work　like　the　New　Testament；　offering　them　little　　prospect　of　amusement；　and　which；　though　the　basis　of　all　true　　religion；　they　have　never　been　told　is　useful　as　a　guide　to　　salvation。

Let　us　hope　that　the　present　is　the　dawning　of　better　and　more　　enlightened　times；　and　though　little　has　been　accomplished；　still　　it　is　more　than　nothing　that　Testaments　are　being　sold　in　unhappy　　benighted　Spain；　from　Madrid　to　the　northernmost　part　of　Galicia；　a　　distance　of　nearly　four　hundred　miles。

In　about　a　fortnight　I　shall　depart　for　Santiago；　where　I　intend　to　　pass　several　days；　then　retracing　my　steps　to　Corunna　I　shall　visit　　Ferrol；　whence　I　shall　perhaps　shape　my　course　for　Oviedo　in　the　　Asturias；　either　along　the　seashore　or　by　the　mountain　route；　in　　which　latter　case　I　should　have　to　revisit　Lugo。　　Every　part　of　　Galicia　abounds　with　robbers　and　factious；　so　that　almost　all　　travelling　is　at　an　end；　and　the　road　to　Santiago　is　so　bad　that　no　　one　is　permitted　to　travel　it　unless　in　company　with　the　weekly　　post；　which　goes　attended　by　a　strong　military　escort。　　This　gives　　me　some　uneasiness；　as　the　stallion　I　ride　is　so　vicious　and　　furious　that　it　is　dangerous　to　bring　him　in　contact　with　other　　horses　whom；　with　the　exception　of　his　companion；　he　invariably　　attacks；　getting　me　into　all　manner　of　scrapes。　　An　old　Castilian　　peasant；　whose　pony　he　had　maltreated；　once　said　to　me；　'Sir　　Cavalier；　if　you　have　any　love　for　yourself；　get　rid　of　that　beast；　　who　is　capable　of　proving　the　ruin　of　a　kingdom。'　　But　he　is　a　　gallant　creature　who　seldom　tires；　and　he　has　borne　me　too　far　to　　permit　me　to　think　of　parting　with　him。

Since　my　arrival　at　Corunna　I　have　received　advice　from　my　agent　at　　Valladolid　that　the　forty　copies　which　I　deposited　in　his　hands　　have　been　sold；　and　that　he　was　anxious　for　a　fresh　supply。　　I　have　　accordingly　ordered　fifty　more　to　be　sent　him　from　Madrid。　　Since　　my　departure　from　the　capital　I　have　myself　disposed　of　sixty…five；　　without　including　those　sold　at　Lugo　and　other　places　by　means　of　　the　advertisements；　on　which　I　principally　rely；　as　they　speak　at　　all　times　whether　I　am　present　or　absent。

I　wish　it　to　be　distinctly　understood　that　throughout　my　journey　I　　have　given　away　none　of　the　books；　having　invariably　received　money　　for　them；　viz。；　from　10　to　12　REALS。　　The　enemies　of　the　Bible　　Society　have　stated　in　several　publications　that　it　has　no　vent　for　　the　Bibles　and　Testaments　which　it　publishes　in　many　foreign　　languages　but　by　sending　them　to　the　various　countries；　and　there　　distributing　them　gratis　or　selling　them　by　auction；　when　they　are　　bought　for　waste　paper　（see　in　particular　Wiseman's　LETTERS）。　　My　　conduct　in　this　point　has　been　principally　influenced　by　a　desire　　to　give；　in　the　case　of　Spain　at　least；　the　direct　lie　to　this　　assertion；　and　this　conduct　I　shall　pursue　until　I　receive　direct　　orders　to　abandon　it。　　I　will　now　conclude　by　repeating　that　in　a　　few　days　you　will　receive　my　journal；　which　will　prove　more　　interesting　than　the　above　hasty　scrawl。

I　remain；　etc。；

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　Undated



To　the　Rev。　Andrew　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Aug。　23；　1837）　JOURNEY　FROM　ASTORGA　TO　LUGO

Before　proceeding　to　narrate　what　befell　me　in　this　journey；　it　　will　perhaps　not　be　amiss　to　say　a　few　words　concerning　Astorga　and　　its　vicinity。　　It　is　a　walled　town　containing　about　five　or　six　　thousand　inhabitants；　with　a　cathedral　and　college；　which　last　is；　　however；　at　present　deserted。　　It　is　situated　on　the　confines；　and　　may　be　called　the　capital；　of　a　tract　of　land　called　the　country　of　　the　Maragatos；　which　occupies　about　three　square　leagues；　and　has　　for　its　north…western　boundary　a　mountain　called　Telleno；　the　　loftiest　of　a　chain　of　hills　which　have　their　origin　near　the　mouth　　of　the　river　Minho；　and　are　connected　with　the　immense　range　which　　constitutes　the　frontier　of　the　Asturias　and　Guipuscoa。　　The　land　　is　ungrateful　and　barren；　and　niggardly　repays　the　toil　of　the　　cultivator；　being　for　the　most　part　rocky；　with　a　slight　sprinkling　　of　a　red　bricky　earth。　　The　Maragatos　are　perhaps　the　most　singular　　caste　to　be　found　amongst　the　chequered　population　of　Spain。　　They　　have　their　own　peculiar　customs　and　dress；　and　never　intermarry　　with　the　Spaniards。　　Their　name　is　a　clue　to　their　origin；　as　it　　signifies　'Moorish　Goths；'　and　at　this　present　day　their　garb　　differs　but　little　from　that　of　the　Moors　of　Barbary；　as　it　　consists　of　a　long　tight　jacket；　secured　at　the　waist　by　a　broad　　girdle；　loose　short　trowsers　which　terminate　at　the　knee；　and　boots　　and　gaiters。　　Their　heads　are　shaven；　a　slight　fringe　of　hair　being　　only　left　at　the　lower　part。　　If　they　wore　the　turban；　or　barret；　　they　could　scarcely　be