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　district；　after　having　examined　　me　and　perused　my　passport；　ordered　me　to　be　set　at　liberty；　and　　treated　me　with　all　manner　of　civility。　　By　this　journey　I　　accomplished　what　has　long　been　one　of　the　ardent　wishes　of　my　　heart。　　I　have　carried　the　Gospel　to　the　extreme　point　of　the　old　　world；　having　left　a　Testament　in　the　hands　of　Antonio　de　Trava；　an　　ancient　mariner　of　Finisterre；　who　took　my　part　in　a　very　friendly　　manner；　and　probably　saved　me　from　experiencing　much　violence　at　　the　hands　of　his　companions。　　Finisterre　is　a　place　of　wonders；　　which　I　hope　at　some　future　time　to　have　the　pleasure　of　narrating；　　but　at　present　I　must　speak　of　other　matters。　　About　one　hundred　　Testaments　have　been　disposed　of　at　Saint　James　of　Compostella；　and　　there　is　at　present　a　steady　regular　demand　for　them　there　which　　inspires　my　heart　with　gratitude　to　the　Almighty。　　Shortly　previous　　to　my　journey　to　Saint　James；　I　despatched　fifty　copies　to　Lugo；　　where　the　Lord　vouchsafed　me　good　success　on　a　former　occasion；　　this　second　supply　being　almost　exhausted；　I　have　sent　more。　　Only　　fifty…eight　copies　have　hitherto　been　sold　at　Corunna；　for　its　　inhabitants　are　far　too　much　engrossed　by　party　politics　to　　entertain　much　relish　for　heavenly　manna。　　I　pray　every　night　and　　morning　that　their　eyes　may　be　opened　to　their　eternal　welfare。

Having　now　arranged　matters　in　Galicia；　as　well　as　circumstances　　will　permit；　I　am　about　to　quit　this　province；　directing　my　course　　to　Oviedo　in　the　Asturias。　　The　way　is　long；　and　is　infested　by　　robbers　and　factious；　yet　I　go　forth　without　much　fear；　hoping　that　　the　Lord　will　prove　my　shield　and　guard　as　on　other　occasions。　　　From　Oviedo　I　proceed　to　Santander；　and　from　thence　to　the　Basque　　provinces。　　Santander；　being　a　large　and　flourishing　town；　affords　　me　a　tolerable　prospect　of　success；　and　I　have　accordingly　directed　　my　agent　at　Madrid　to　despatch　thither　forthwith　150　Testaments。　　　The　intermediate　country　is；　however；　in　a　most　distracted　state；　a　　great　part　of　it　being　in　the　hands　of　the　Carlists；　it　is　　therefore　probable　that　the　books　may　never　reach　me；　in　which　　event　I　shall　have　to　apply　to　England。　　To　the　Basque　provinces　I　　hope　to　carry　Saint　Luke　in　a　Biscayan　version；　which　I　shall　print　　at　Santander　should　an　opportunity　present　itself。

No　time　must　be　lost　in　accomplishing　all　that　is　possible　in　　Spain；　which　in　the　course　of　a　few　months　may　be　entirely　in　the　　hands　of　the　Pretender。　　I　received　the　lines　which　you　directed　to　　the　care　of　the　British　consul　at　Corunna；　and　was　thankful　for　　them。　　Pray　present　my　kind　remembrances　to　Mrs。　Brandram　and　　family；　to　Mr。　Jowett；　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Browne。

I　remain；　Revd。　and　dear　Sir；　most　truly　yours；

G。　BORROW。



LETTER：　29th　September；　1837



To　the　Rev。　A。　Brandram　（ENDORSED：　recd。　Oct。　17；　1837）　OVIEDO；　ASTURIAS；　29　SEPTR。　1837。

REVD。　AND　DEAR　SIR；　…　A　day　or　two　after　the　date　of　my　last　letter　　I　quitted　Corunna　and　passed　over　the　bay　to　Ferrol；　where　I　left　　twenty　Testaments　in　the　hands　of　a　person　who　has　just　established　　a　small　book…shop　in　that　place。　　My　servant　Antonio　went　round　by　　land　with　my　horse；　the　only　one　which　I　now　possess；　I　having　　disposed　（1）　of　the　largest　of　the　two　at　Corunna；　as　I　thought　he　　was　unable　to　support　the　fatigue　of　a　journey　to　Oviedo。　　At　　Ferrol　I　hired　a　horse　and　guide　as　far　as　Ribadeo；　a　distance　of　　twenty　leagues；　and　somewhat　less　than　half　the　way　to　Oviedo。　　　This　journey　was　a　terrible　one；　during　the　greatest　part　of　it　we　　had　to　toil　up　and　down　mountain　gorges　and　ravines；　to　force　our　　way　through　bushes　and　thickets；　and　to　wade　rivulets　and　torrents　　swollen　by　the　rain；　which　descended　continually；　our　guide　proved　　perfectly　ignorant　of　the　country；　and　we　had　to　bribe　various　　peasants　to　accompany　us；　though　we　incurred　great　risk　by　so　doing　　of　being　conducted　to　some　den　of　thieves；　and　stripped　and　　murdered。　　At　Ribadeo　we　procured　a　fresh　horse　and　guide；　and　　continued　our　way　to　Oviedo；　encountering　still　greater　　difficulties；　the　ground　being　still　more　rugged　and　broken　than　　that　which　we　had　previously　passed　over。　　My　own　horse　rolled　down　　a　precipice；　and　was　much　maimed；　whilst　that　of　the　guide　was　so　　worn　out　by　the　time　he　reached　Gijon；　four　leagues　from　Oviedo；　　that　he　foundered。　　As　for　Antonio　and　myself；　we　arrived　　barefooted　and　bleeding；　for　I　need　scarcely　say　that　during　all　　this　journey；　which　amounted　at　least　to　130　miles；　we　went　on　　foot；　the　poor　horses　being　scarcely　able　to　carry　our　books　and　　baggage。

I　am　now　by　the　blessing　of　the　Almighty　in　the　city　of　Oviedo；　the　　capital　of　the　Asturias；　although　at　an　unpropitious　season；　for　　the　bray　of　war　is　at　the　gate；　and　there　is　the　cry　of　the　　captains　and　the　shouting。　　Castile　is　at　the　present　time　in　the　　hands　of　the　Carlists；　who　have　captured　and　plundered　Valladolid；　　in　much　the　same　manner　as　they　did　Segovia。　　They　are　every　day　　expected　to　march　on　this　place；　in　which　case　they　will　probably　　experience　an　obstinate　resistance；　very　excellent　redoubts　having　　been　erected；　and　several　of　the　convents　strongly　fortified；　　especially　that　of　Santa　Clara　de　la　Vega。　　All　minds　here　are　at　　present　in　a　state　of　feverish　anxiety　and　suspense；　more　　especially　as　no　intelligence　at　present　arrives　from　Madrid；　which　　by　the　last　accounts　was　beleaguered　by　the　bands　of　Cabrera；　　Palillos；　and　Orejita。　…　But　I　am　interrupted；　and　I　lay　down　my　　pen。

A　strange　adventure　has　just　occurred　to　me。　　I　am　in　the　ancient　　town　of　Oviedo；　in　a　very　large；　scantily　furnished　and　remote　room　　of　an　ancient　POSADA；　formerly　a　palace　of　the　Counts　of　Santa　　Cruz。　　It　is　past　ten　at　night　and　the　rain　is　descending　in　　torrents。　　I　ceased　writing　on　hearing　numerous　footsteps　ascending　　the　creaking　stairs　which　lead　to　my　apartment　…　the　door　was　flung　　open；　and　in　walked　nine　men　of　tall　stature；　marshalled　by　a　　little　hunch…backed　personage。　　They　were　all　muffled　in　the　long　　cloaks　of　Spain；　but　I　instantly　knew　by　their　demeanour　that　they　　were　CABALLEROS；　or　gentlemen。　　They　placed　themselves　in　a　rank　　before　the　table　where　I　was　sitting；　suddenly　and　simultaneously　　they　all　flung　back　their　cloaks；　and　I　perceived　that　every　one　　bore　a　book　in　his　hand；　a　book　which　I　knew　full　well。　　After　a　　pause；　which　I　was　unable　to　break；　for　I　sat　lost　in　astonishment　　and　almost　conceived　myself　to　be　visited　by　apparitions；　the　　hunch…back　advancing　somewhat　before　the　rest　said　in　soft　silvery　　tones：　　'SENOR　Cavalier；　was　it　you　who　brought　this　book　to　the　　Asturias？'　　I　now　supposed　that　they　were　the　civil　authorities　of　　the　place　come　to　take　me　into　custody；　and　rising　from　my　seat　I　　exclaimed；　'It　certainly　was　I；　and　it　is　my　glory　to　have　done　so。　　　The　book　is　the　New　Testament　of　God；　I　wish　it　was　in　my　power　to　　bring　a　million。'　　'I　heartily　wish　so　too；'　said　the　little　　personage　with　a　sigh。　　'Be　under　no　apprehension；　Sir　Cavalier；　　these　gentlemen　are　my　friends。　　We　have　just　purchased　these　books　　in　the　shop　where　you　have　placed　them　for　sale；　and　have　taken　the　　liberty　of　calling　upon　you　in　order　to　return　you　our　thanks　for　　the　treasure　you　have　brought　us。　　I　hope　you　can　furnish　us　with　　the　Old　Testament　also。'　　I　replied　that　I　was　sorry　to　inform　him　　that　at　present　it　was　entirely　out　of　my　power　to　comply　with　his　　wish；　as　I　had　no　Old　Testaments　in　my　possession；　but　did　not　　despair　of　procuring　some　speedily；　from　England。　　He　then　asked　me　　a　great　many　questions　concerning　my　Biblical　travels　in　Spain；　and　　my　success；　and　the　views　entertained　by　the　Society　in　respect　to　　Spain；　adding　that　he　hoped　I　should　pay　particular　attention　to　　the　Asturias；　which　he　assured　me　was　the　best　ground　in　the　　Peninsula　for　our　labour。　　After　about　half…an…hour's　conversation；　　he　suddenly　said　in　the　English　language；　'Good　night；　sir；'　　wrapped　his　cloak　around　him；　and　walked　out　as　he　had　come。　　His　　companions；　who　had　hitherto　not　uttered　a　word；　all　repeated；　　'Good　night；　sir；'　and　adjusting　their　cloaks　followed　him。

In　order　to　explain　this　strange　scene　I　must　inform　you　that　this　　morning　I　visited　the　petty　bookseller　of　the　place；　Longoria；　and　　having　arranged　preliminaries　with　him　I　sent　him　in　the　evening　a　　package　of　forty　Testaments；　all　I　possess；　with　some　　advertisements。　　At　the　time　he　assured　me　that；　though　he　was　　willing　to　undertake　the　sale；　there　was　nevertheless　not　a　　prospect　of　success；　as　a　whole　month　had　elapsed　since　he　had　sold　　a　book　of　any　description；　on　account　of　the　uncertainty　of　the　　times　and　the　poverty　which　pervaded　the　land。　　I　therefore　sat　　down　to　write　this　letter　much　dispirited；　this　incident　has；　　however；　admonished　me　not　to　be　cast　down　when　things　look　　gloomiest；　as　the　hand　of　the　Lord　is　generally　then　most　busy：　　　that　men　may　learn　to　perceive　that　whatever　good　is　accomplished　　is　not　theirs　but　His。

I　shall　quit　Oviedo　in　a　few　days；　but　whither　I　shall　now　direct　　my　course　I　have　not　determined。　　It　would　be　easy　for　me　to　reach　　Santander；　which　is　but　thirty　leagues　＇distant＇　and　the　road　　tolerably　free　from　accidents；　but　the　state　of　affairs　at　Madrid　　gives　me　considerable　uneasiness；　for　I　remember　that　Madrid　is　the　　depot　of　our　books；　and　I　am　apprehensive　that　in　the　revolutions　　and　disturbances　which　at　present　seem　to　threaten　it；　our　whole　　stock　may　perish。　　True　it　is　that　in　order　to　reach　Madrid　I　　should　have　to　pass　through　the　midst　of　the　Carlist　hordes；　who　　would　perhaps　slay　or　make　me　prisoner；　but　I　am　at　present　so　much　　accustomed　to　perilous　adventure；　and　have　hitherto　experienced　so　　many　fortunate　escapes；　that　the　dangers　which　infest　the　route　　would　not　deter　me　a　moment　from　venturing。　　But　there　is　no　　certain　intelligence；　and　Madrid　may　be　in　safety　or　on　the　brink　　of　falling；　perhaps　a　few　hours　will　inform　us；　when　I　shall　at　　once　decide。　　My　next　letter　will　therefore　be　either　from　　Santander　or　the　capital　of　Spain。

Oviedo　is　picturesquely　situated　between　two　mountains；　Morcin　and　　Naranco；　the　former　is　very　high　and　ragged；　and　during　the　　greatest　part　of　the　year　i