Granada," or "The Red Palace." The colour of the
earth here is precisely that of the plains of Dukala and Marrakesh,
and the buildings, being all constructed of tabia, are naturally of
that colour. In no part of Spain could one so readily imagine one's
self in Morocco; indeed, it is hard to realize that one is not there
till the new European streets are reached. In the palace grounds,
apart from the fine carriage-drive, with its seats and lamp-posts,
when out of sight of the big hotels and other modern erections, the
delusion is complete. Even in the town the running water and the
wayside fountains take one back to Fez; and the channels underneath
the pavements with their plugs at intervals are only Moorish ones
repaired. On walking the crooked streets of the part which formed the
town of four centuries ago, on every hand the names are Moorish. Here
is the Kaisariya, restored after a fire in 1843; there is the street
of the grain fandaks, and beyond is a hammam, now a dwelling-house.

The site of the chief mosque is now the cathedral, in the chief chapel
of which are buried the conquerors of Granada. There lie Ferdinand
and Isabella in plain iron-bound leaden coffins--far from the least
interesting sights of the place--in a spot full of memories of that
contest which they considered the event of their lives, and which was
indeed of such vital importance to the country. The inscription on
their marble tomb in the church above tells how that the Moors having
been conquered and heresy stamped out (?), that worthy couple took
their rest. The very atmosphere of the place seems charged with
reminiscences of the Moors and their successful foes, and here the
spirits of Prescott and Gayangos, the historians, seem to linger
still.

On either side of the high altar are extremely interesting painted
carvings. On one is figured the delivering up of the Alhambra.
Ferdinand, Isabella and Mendoza ride in a line, and the latter
receives the key in his gloved hand as the conquered king offers him
the ring end, followed by a long row of captives. Behind the victors
ride their knights and dames. On the other the Moors and Mooresses are
seen being christened wholesale by the monks, their dresses being in
some respects remarkably correct in detail, but with glaring defects
in others, just what might be expected from one whose acquaintance
with them was recent but brief.

Before these carvings kneel real likenesses of the royal couple
in