THE　ALHAMBRA
  by　Washington　Irving
  Preface　to　the　Revised　Edition。
  Rough　draughts　of　some　of　the　following　tales　and　essays　were
  actually　written　during　a　residence　in　the　Alhambra；　others　were
  subsequently　added；　founded　on　notes　and　observations　made　there。　Care
  was　taken　to　maintain　local　coloring　and　verisimilitude；　so　that　the
  whole　might　present　a　faithful　and　living　picture　of　that　microcosm；
  that　singular　little　world　into　which　I　had　been　fortuitously
  thrown；　and　about　which　the　external　world　had　a　very　imperfect
  idea。　It　was　my　endeavor　scrupulously　to　depict　its　half　Spanish；　half
  Oriental　character；　its　mixture　of　the　heroic；　the　poetic；　and　the
  grotesque；　to　revive　the　traces　of　grace　and　beauty　fast　fading　from
  its　walls；　to　record　the　regal　and　chivalrous　traditions　concerning
  those　who　once　trod　its　courts；　and　the　whimsical　and　superstitious
  legends　of　the　motley　race　now　burrowing　among　its　ruins。
  The　papers　thus　roughly　sketched　out　lay　for　three　or　four　years
  in　my　portfolio；　until　I　found　myself　in　London；　in　1832；　on　the　eve
  of　returning　to　the　United　States。　I　then　endeavored　to　arrange　them
  for　the　press；　but　the　preparations　for　departure　did　not　allow
  sufficient　leisure。　Several　were　thrown　aside　as　incomplete；　the
  rest　were　put　together　somewhat　hastily　and　in　rather　a　crude　and
  chaotic　manner。
  In　the　present　edition　I　have　revised　and　re…arranged　the　whole
  work；　enlarged　some　parts；　and　added　others；　including　the　papers
  originally　omitted；　and　have　thus　endeavored　to　render　it　more
  complete　and　more　worthy　of　the　indulgent　reception　with　which　it
  has　been　favored。
  W。　I。
  Sunnyside；　1851。
  The　Journey。
  IN　THE　spring　of　1829；　the　author　of　this　work；　whom　curiosity　had
  brought　into　Spain；　made　a　rambling　expedition　from　Seville　to　Granada
  in　company　with　a　friend；　a　member　of　the　Russian　Embassy　at　Madrid。
  Accident　had　thrown　us　together　from　distant　regions　of　the　globe；　and
  a　similarity　of　taste　led　us　to　wander　together　among　the　romantic
  mountains　of　Andalusia。　Should　these　pages　meet　his　eye；　wherever
  thrown　by　the　duties　of　his　station；　whether　mingling　in　the　pageantry
  of　courts；　or　meditating　on　the　truer　glories　of　nature；　may　they
  recall　the　scenes　of　our　adventurous　companionship；　and　with　them
  the　recollection　of　one；　in　whom　neither　time　nor　distance　will
  obliterate　the　remembrance　of　his　gentleness　and　worth。
  And　here；　before　setting　forth；　let　me　indulge　in　a　few　previous
  remarks　on　Spanish　scenery　and　Spanish　travelling。　Many　are　apt　to
  picture　Spain　to　their　imaginations　as　a　soft　southern　region；
  decked　out　with　the　luxuriant　charms　of　voluptuous　Italy。　On　the
  contrary；　though　there　are　exceptions　in　some　of　the　maritime
  provinces；　yet；　for　the　greater　part；　it　is　a　stern；　melancholy
  country；　with　rugged　mountains；　and　long　sweeping　plains；　destitute　of
  trees；　and　indescribably　silent　and　lonesome；　partaking　of　the
  savage　and　solitary　character　of　Africa。　What　adds　to　this　silence　and
  loneliness；　is　the　absence　of　singing　birds；　a　natural　consequence
  of　the　want　of　groves　and　hedges。　The　vulture　and　the　eagle　are　seen
  wheeling　about　the　mountain…cliffs；　and　soaring　over　the　plains；　and
  groups　of　shy　bustards　stalk　about　the　heaths；　but　the　myriads　of
  smaller　birds；　which　animate　the　whole　face　of　other　countries；　are
  met　with　in　but　few　provinces　in　Spain；　and　in　those　chiefly　among　the
  orchards　and　gardens　which　surround　the　habitations　of　man。
  In　the　interior　provinces　the　traveller　occasionally　traverses　great
  tracts　cultivated　with　grain　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach；　waving　at
  times　with　verdure；　at　other　times　naked　and　sunburnt；　but　he　looks
  round　in　vain　for　the　hand　that　has　tilled　the　soil。　At　length；　he
  perceives　some　village　on　a　steep　hill；　or　rugged　crag；　with
  mouldering　battlements　and　ruined　watchtower；　a　strong…hold；　in　old
  times；　against　civil　war；　or　Moorish　inroad；　for　the　custom　among
  the　peasantry　of　congregating　together　for　mutual　protection　is
  still　kept　up　in　most　parts　of　Spain；　in　consequence　of　the　maraudings
  of　roving　freebooters。
  But　though　a　great　part　of　Spain　is　deficient　in　the　garniture　of
  groves　and　forests；　and　the　softer　charms　of　ornamental　cultivation；
  yet　its　scenery　is　noble　in　its　severity；　and　in　unison　with　the
  attributes　of　its　people；　and　I　think　that　I　better　understand　the
  proud；　hardy；　frugal　and　abstemious　Spaniard；　his　manly　defiance　of
  hardships；　and　contempt　of　effeminate　indulgences；　since　I　have　seen
  the　country　he　inhabits。
  There　is　something　too；　in　the　sternly　simple　features　of　the
  Spanish　landscape；　that　impresses　on　the　soul　a　feeling　of
  sublimity。　The　immense　plains　of　the　Castiles　and　of　La　Mancha；
  extending　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach；　derive　an　interest　from　their
  very　nakedness　and　immensity；　and　possess；　in　some　degree；　the
  solemn　grandeur　of　the　ocean。　In　ranging　over　these　boundless
  wastes；　the　eye　catches　sight　here　and　there　of　a　straggling　herd　of
  cattle　attended　by　a　lonely　herdsman；　motionless　as　a　statue；　with　his
  long　slender　pike　tapering　up　like　a　lance　into　the　air；　or；　beholds　a
  long　train　of　mules　slowly　moving　along　the　waste　like　a　train　of
  camels　in　the　desert；　or；　a　single　horseman；　armed　with　blunderbuss
  and　stiletto；　and　prowling　over　the　plain。　Thus　the　country；　the
  habits；　the　very　looks　of　the　people；　have　something　of　the　Arabian
  character。　The　general　insecurity　of　the　country　is　evinced　in　the
  universal　use　of　weapons。　The　herdsman　in　the　field；　the　shepherd　in
  the　plain；　has　his　musket　and　his　knife。　The　wealthy　villager　rarely
  ventures　to　the　market…town　without　his　trabuco；　and；　perhaps；　a
  servant　on　foot　with　a　blunderbuss　on　his　shoulder；　and　the　most　petty
  journey　is　undertaken　with　the　preparation　of　a　warlike　enterprise。
  The　dangers　of　the　road　produce　also　a　mode　of　travelling；
  resembling；　on　a　diminutive　scale；　the　caravans　of　the　east。　The
  arrieros；　or　carriers；　congregate　in　convoys；　and　set　off　in　large　and
  well…armed　trains　on　appointed　days；　while　additional　travellers　swell
  their　number；　and　contribute　to　their　strength。　In　this　primitive
  way　is　the　commerce　of　the　country　carried　on。　The　muleteer　is　the
  general　medium　of　traffic；　and　the　legitimate　traverser　of　the　land；
  crossing　the　peninsula　from　the　Pyrenees　and　the　Asturias　to　the
  Alpuxarras；　the　Serrania　de　Ronda；　and　even　to　the　gates　of　Gibraltar。
  He　lives　frugally　and　hardily：　his　alforjas　of　coarse　cloth　hold　his
  scanty　stock　of　provisions；　a　leathern　bottle；　hanging　at　his
  saddle…bow；　contains　wine　or　water；　for　a　supply　across　barren
  mountains　and　thirsty　plains；　a　mule…cloth　spread　upon　the　ground　is
  his　bed　at　night；　and　his　pack…saddle　his　pillow。　His　low；　but
  clean…limbed　and　sinewy　form　betokens　strength；　his　complexion　is　dark
  and　sunburnt；　his　eye　resolute；　but　quiet　in　its　expression；　except
  when　kindled　by　sudden　emotion；　his　demeanor　is　frank；　manly；　and
  courteous；　and　he　never　passes　you　without　a　grave　salutation：　〃Dios
  guarde　a　usted！〃　〃Va　usted　con　Dios；　Caballero！〃　（〃God　guard　you！〃
  〃God　be　with　you；　Cavalier！〃）
  As　these　men　have　often　their　whole　fortune　at　stake　upon　the　burden
  of　their　mules；　they　have　their　weapons　at　hand；　slung　to　their
  saddles；　and　ready　to　be　snatched　out　for　desperate　defence；　but　their
  united　numbers　render　them　secure　against　petty　bands　of　marauders；
  and　the　solitary　bandolero；　armed　to　the　teeth；　and　mounted　on　his
  Andalusian　steed；　hovers　about　them；　like　a　pirate　about　a　merchant
  convoy；　without　daring　to　assault。
  The　Spanish　muleteer　has　an　inexhaustible　stock　of　songs　and
  ballads；　with　which　to　beguile　his　incessant　wayfaring。　The　airs　are
  rude　and　simple；　consisting　of　but　few　inflections。　These　he　chants
  forth　with　a　loud　voice；　and　long；　drawling　cadence；　seated　sideways
  on　his　mule；　who　seems　to　listen　with　infinite　gravity；　and　to　keep
  time；　with　his　paces；　to　the　tune。　The　couplets　thus　chanted；　are
  often　old　traditional　romances　about　the　Moors；　or　some　legend　of　a
  saint；　or　some　love…ditty；　or；　what　is　still　more　frequent；　some
  ballad　about　a　bold　contrabandista；　or　hardy　bandolero；　for　the
  smuggler　and　the　robber　are　poetical　heroes　among　the　common　people　of
  Spain。　Often；　the　song　of　the　muleteer　is　composed　at　the　instant；　and
  relates　to　some　local　scene；　or　some　incident　of　the　journey。　This
  talent　of　singing　and　improvising　is　frequent　in　Spain；　and　is　said　to
  have　been　inherited　from　the　Moors。　There　is　something　wildly　pleasing
  in　listening　to　these　ditties　among　the　rude　and　lonely　scenes　they
  illustrate；　accompanied；　as　they　are；　by　the　occasional　jingle　of
  the　mule…bell。
  It　has　a　most　picturesque　effect　also　to　meet　a　trai