FEBRUARY 2
Yesterday the only very striking point of view ( although the
whole of the raod was piccturesque0 was "the Cove," situated
between the Blue-fileds and Lakovia ; but our journey to-day was a
succession of beautiful scenes from beginning to end. Instantly
on leaving "the Gutturs" we began to ascend the May-daay
mountains, and it was not till after travelling for five and twenty
miles that we found ourselves at the foot of them on the other
side, at a place called Williamsfield. To be sure, the road was
so rough that it was enough to make one envy the Mahometan
women, who having no souls at all, could not possibly have
them jolted out of their bodies; but the beauty of the scenery
amply rewarded us for our bruised sides and battered backs.
The road was for the most part bounded by lofty rocks on one
side, and a deep precipice on the other, and bordered with a profusion of
noble trees and
flowering shrubs in great variety. In
particular, I was struck with the picturesque appearance of some
wild fig trees of singular size and beauty. Although there were
only two of us besides servants, we found it necessary to employ
seven horses and a couple of mules; and as our cavalcade wound
along through the mountains the Spanish look of our sumpter mules and of
our kittereens (which
are precisely the vehicle in
which Gil Blas is always represented when travelling with Scipio
towards Lirias) gave us quite the appearance of a caravan; nor
should I have been greatly surprised to see a trap-door open in
the middle of the road, and Captain Rolando's whiskers make
appearance. Every one spoke to me with contempt of this
south road in respect of beauty, when compared with the northen ;
however, it certainly seemed to me more beautiful than any road
which I had ever travelled.
