Martin of Rivadeo - The Factious Mare - Asturians -Luarca - The Seven Bellotas - Hermits - The Asturian's Tale -Strange Guests - The Big Servant - Batuschca "What may your business be?" said I to a short, thick, merry-faced fellow in a velveteen jerkin and canvas pantaloons, who made his way into my apartment, in the dusk of the evening.
"I am Martin of Rivadeo, your worship," replied the man, "an alquilador by profession; I am told that you want a horse for your journey into the Asturias tomorrow, and of course a guide: now, if that be the case, I counsel you to hire myself and mare.""I am become tired of guides," I replied; "so much so that I was thinking of purchasing a pony, and proceeding without any guide at all.The last which we had was an infamous character.""So I have been told, your worship, and it was well for the bribon that I was not in Rivadeo when the affair to which you allude occurred.But he was gone with the pony Perico before I came back, or I would have bled the fellow to a certainty with my knife.He is a disgrace to the profession, which is one of the most honourable and ancient in the world.
Perico himself must have been ashamed of him, for Perico, though a pony, is a gentleman, one of many capacities, and well known upon the roads.He is only inferior to my mare.""Are you well acquainted with the road to Oviedo?" Idemanded.
"I am not, your worship; that is, no farther than Luarca, which is the first day's journey.I do not wish to deceive you, therefore let me go with you no farther than that place;though perhaps I might serve for the whole journey, for though I am unacquainted with the country, I have a tongue in my head, and nimble feet to run and ask questions.I will, however, answer for myself no farther than Luarca, where you can please yourselves.Your being strangers is what makes me wish to accompany you, for I like the conversation of strangers, from whom I am sure to gain information both entertaining and profitable.I wish, moreover, to convince you that we guides of Galicia are not all thieves, which I am sure you will not suppose if you only permit me to accompany you as far as Luarca."I was so much struck with the fellow's good humour and frankness, and more especially by the originality of character displayed in almost every sentence which he uttered, that Ireadily engaged him to guide us to Luarca; whereupon he left me, promising to be ready with his mare at eight next morning.
Rivadeo is one of the principal seaports of Galicia, and is admirably situated for commerce, on a deep firth, into which the river Mirando debouches.It contains many magnificent buildings, and an extensive square or plaza, which is planted with trees.I observed several vessels in the harbour; and the population, which is rather numerous, exhibited none of those marks of misery and dejection which I had lately observed among the Ferrolese.
On the morrow Martin of Rivadeo made his appearance at the appointed hour with his mare.It was a lean haggard animal, not much larger than a pony; it had good points, however, and was very clean in its hinder legs, and Martin insisted that it was the best animal of its kind in all Spain.
"It is a factious mare," said he, "and I believe an Alavese.
When the Carlists came here it fell lame, and they left it behind, and I purchased it for a dollar.It is not lame now, however, as you shall soon see."We had now reached the firth which divides Galicia from the Asturias.A kind of barge was lying about two yards from the side of the quay, waiting to take us over.Towards this Martin led his mare, and giving an encouraging shout, the creature without any hesitation sprang over the intervening space into the barge."I told you she was a facciosa," said Martin; "none but a factious animal would have taken such a leap."We all embarked in the barge and crossed over the firth, which is in this place nearly a mile broad, to Castro Pol, the first town in the Asturias.I now mounted the factious mare, whilst Antonio followed on my own horse.Martin led the way, exchanging jests with every person whom he met on the road, and occasionally enlivening the way with an extemporaneous song.