A LADY'S TRAVELS & TROUBLES IN SPAIN.

West Coast Times, Issue 281, 17 August 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

A LADY'S TRAVELS & TROUBLES IN SPAIN.

(From the Athenmim.) People never take advice, and I went to Madrid, and in the hot season, not however out of contradiction or obstinacy, but because circumstances compelled me. I have already had one nervous fever, which confined me three months, and whose effects I shall feel all my life, from the , results of sea-sickness. I was unwell the whole time I was at Barcelona, from the combined effects of over violent exercise in traversing the mountains, and want of I good nourishing food ; and nearly five weeks of sleepless nights from the attacks of insects. I felt too ill to venture a sea voyage of three or four days, from Barce • lona to Alicante. I enquired about the railway fare, so far as the railway is open on that line, and found it would cost me double the fare to Madrid ; so I went to the capital, en route for Granada, travel-ling-blush for me, O ray critics! — third class, It cost me, for Keeper and myself,

about three pounds ten. I started from the hotel, or Fonda del Oriente, at seven in the morning, and had a fresh experience of Spanish delay and incivility. As I was going, it was not worth while to be civil to me any longer, and lo servire had been paid for in the hotel bill. I asked one waiter after another — in all I asked six times — to take down my three packages, that they might be ready against the omnibus came, explaining that I wanted to see them down, and then take Keeper into the town for a walk. ' Si, senora, prao, prao, senora, ora, ora, senora.' ' Tout de suite, a l'instant ; ' but no one ever came for them, though I rang, called, and went myself down two long nights of stairs (three several times) to seek for a waiter. The consequence was, Keeper never got his walk. At last a waiter entered, followed by another man ; ' the omnibus driver for madame ; he will take down the packets.' He shouldered and marched off with them. Before I could tie on my cloak (I had every other article of outdoor dress on), muzzle the dog according to law, and rush down stairs, he was gone. I rushed frantically to the porte-cochere of the Fonda. No omnihus was in sight. ' Where is the omnibus ?' cried I to the interpreter, who was. coolly smoking his cigar, and, like all the rest, clearly enjoying my annoyance, for your Spaniard is never so happy as when he can annoy a , foreigner. ' Probably that is it — yes, there it is,' pointing to one standing up the Rambla. I rushed after it. Had the conductor my pacquets ? ' Yes, entrez.' I looked, but saw no luggage. I went back to the driver. ' Had he been to the Fonda del Oriente? I—'No,1 — 'No, senora, al bagno.' The mischevious guide whom I had not employed had sent me to the wrong omnibus, and I should not be able to start that clay for Madrid, and should perhaps lose my luggage. Back I raced to the Fonda, called the valets who were lounging in the court, explaining what they knew, that I could not explain myself in Spanish ; and had lost the omnibus, and wanted one of them to help me to find ifc. No one stirred — I had left the Fonda. At last I saw the secretary ; he accompanied me to the Rambla, and, racing as fast as we could, we caught the omnibus on the point of starting. One place was vacant, into which I jumped with Keeper, and we started. I presume the object was to cause me to lose my place, and be obliged to remain at the Fonda del Orieute ; but what shortsighted policy i * * * When I went to get my railway ticket, tho throng, the crush, and the excitement were as bad as at an English railway station, where the clerks allow some five hundred, or thousand people, or twice that number, just ten minutes to get their tickets and their change, before the train starts ; that they may themselves have plenty of time to smoke their cigars, lead novels, and gossip. In Germany and in France ample time for getting all necessary tickets is allowed. Not so in Spain ; and as the Spaniards always put off anything that can be put off to the last, the crowd and pushing is great. When I applied for my ticket, a dirtylooking servant twice pushed herself before me in the rudest way ; so did others, who all came like her and myself to the counter. At last I said I had been long waiting. I wanted a third class ticket to Madrid ' Si ; it was so much.' I paid the money. 'But what did madame want then ?' seeing I did net move away. 'Her change and her ticket.' — ' Ah ! si ; the senora was right. Here is the change.'- — ' And the billet ? ' You will-get it within,' — expressed by pantomine. A man stepped forward — ' Vt j s, if the Senora follows me, she will get her billet.' I followed in mute despair. What proof had I, that I had paid near three pounds for a ticket not given me, but which I saw given to others ? My guide conducted me to the luggage office, where I pointed out my luggage. ' But before it could be weighed the Senora must show her billet.' — ' I had not one. The Senor had sent me here.' — ' I must go back ; it was there I should get it.' — ' Here,' said my guide, ' this man at the door gives them.' — ' No, he did not ; they gave tickets at the luggage office. I must go there.' I had been, and they sent m^ here.' — 'Then the Senora must go to the ticket office.' — • I had been,' &re. <fee. I went once moie. Tiie ticket-giver shrugged his shoulders, and waved and spread out his hands to heaven in mute despair at the Englishwoman's inconceivable stupidity, and sent me bick to the luggage office. My self appointed guide good-naturedly went with me, and again explained for me that I had had no ticket given, though I had paid my money. This time they weighed the luggage, and gave me — ' for n consideration ' — a ticket for Keeper. 'The train was on the point of starting, I had better get my own ticket.' 'Yes, but where? ' I was in utter despair,; the crowd rushing past me breathless in all directions to the train, which was on the point of starting, when the man of the ticket office rushed into its midst. ' The Senora Inglese ! ' cried he. 'My ticket ! ' cried I. 'Ah! si; here is the Senora' s ticket.' I then dimly comprehended that it was probable that only a certain number of tickets for every train were issued to him by his superiors, that he had sold all his tickets, and hud to send for fresh ones. I rushed off to the train through a salle d'attente, so densely packed that you could scarce have crammed another human being into it — Keeper tugging at his chain with such force as nearly to pull me down, and getting between men's legs, and under women's crinolines, and twisting his chain round people, and exciting universal indignation, in which his mistress fully sympathised, in his anxiety to reach the train. We got to it at last ; and that wretch of a dog jumped into carriage after carriage and had to jbe pulled out, till we got at last to his carriage, when, to the porter's intense surprise, he clambered up to his cage as soon as the door was opened, wagging his tail, and frisking with delight and eagerness. I do believe that dog delights in travelling, and likes the excitement of now walks, new scenes, and new companions of the caniue race } as much as any human being enjoys fresh scenes and fresh society.

The department of State has received unofficial but roliable information that the Imperial G-overnment of Brazil is resolved to open the coastwise trade to ships of all nations. This concession has been obtained by the liberal party after a long struggle, and it is believed to be an earnest of future and still more important changes in the commercial policy of tho couutry. The openiug of the Amazon cannot ho rauoh longer delved, — JJpw York oowspo.nd.ent,