was ill shutting off things I wanted and his adjutant was boorish and
proud and haughty. Then I determined to go to Spain but found I had
arrived just one day too late for the last of the three days of the
Mardi Gras and too early for bull fights. Had I taken Saavedra's
letters I should have gone to Madrid and met the Queen and other proud
folks. So on the whole I was blue. But I have now determined to take
a boat for Tangier at once where I have letters to the Duke de Tnas who
is the Master of the Hounds there and a great sport and they say it is
very amusing and exciting. In a fortnight I shall go to Malta. I
called on Harry Cust's brother and told him who I was and he took me in
and put me at the head of the table of young subalterns in grand
uniforms and we had marmalade and cold beef and beer and I was happy to
the verge of tears to hear English as she is spoke. Then we went to a
picnic and took tea in a smuggler's cave and all the foxterriers ran
over the table cloth and the Captain spilt hot water over his white
flannels and jumped around on one leg. After which we played a
handkerchief game sitting in a row and pelting the girls with a knotted
handkerchief and then fighting for it-- During one of these scrimmages
Mulvaney, two others and Learoyd came by and with eyes front and hands
at their caps marched on with stolid countenances, but their officers
were embarrassed. It is hard to return a salute with your face in the
sand and a stout American sitting on your neck and pulling your first
lieutenant's leg. I am now deeply engaged for dinners and dances and
teas and rides and am feeling very cheerful again. I am also very well
thank you and have no illnesses of any sort. You told me to be sure
and put that in-- As you see, I have cut out half of my trip to avoid
the cholera, so you need not worry about THAT. To-day I am going over
the ramparts as much as they will allow and to-morrow I go to Tangier
where I expect to have some boar hunting. I would suggest your getting
The Evangelist in a week or two as Dr. Field's letters cover all I have
seen. I do not tell you anything about the place because you will read
that in the paper to the H. W. but I can assure you the girls are very
pretty and being garrison girls are not as shy as those at home in
England. I am the first American they ever met they assure me every
hour and we get on very well notwithstanding.

You can imagine what it is like when Sp