ing without any fixed purpose as
to destination, and wander through unknown streets, lanes, and
archways, coming out upon a broad square--the Plaza Mayor, for
instance--containing a poor bronze statue of Charles III.; thence to
another with a tall stone fountain in the centre, where a motley group
of women and young girls are filling their jars with water; and again
through a dull dark lane, coming upon the lofty gate of Santa Maria,
erected by Charles V., and ornamented with statues of the Cid, Fernando
Gonzales, and the Emperor; thence on once more to some other square,
which proves to be full of busy groups of men, women, and donkeys,
gathered about piles of produce. Ah! this is the vegetable market,
always a favorite morning resort in every new locality. How animated are
the eager sellers and buyers, expending marvelous force over
transactions involving half a dozen onions or a few knock-kneed turnips.
What a study do their bright expressive faces afford, how gay the
varied colors of dress and vegetation, how ringing the Babel of tongues,
the braying of donkeys, the cackle of ducks and hens in their coops. All
ways are new, and many local peculiarities strike the eye, until
presently, by some instinct, one comes out again at the starting-point.

Our stopping place at Burgos was the Fonda de Rafaela, a hotel with a
good name, but with regard to the food supplied to the guests the less
said the better. There was one peculiarity of this Spanish inn which was
too constantly present not to impress us, namely, the extraordinary
character and variety of "smells," which were quite overpowering. The
principal stench arose from bad drainage, besides which there was a
universal mustiness. But one should not be too fastidious. Comfort is
best promoted by avoiding a spirit of captiousness in traveling, not
only in Spain, but upon life's entire journey. Opposite the Fonda de
Rafaela was a long line of infantry barracks, and, consequently, we had
plenty of the sort of music--fife and drum--which naturally accompanies
military drill and company movements. There seems to be, not only here
but all through the southern cities, an effort made to keep up the
discipline and standard of the army, as well as its numbers; but it was
observable that most of the private soldiers, especially in Madrid, were
merely boys of sixteen or seventeen years of age. Burgos, like Cordova,
is overrun with priests and beggars, who go as naturally together a