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jtttociUaug*
THE TALISMAN;
AN ADVENTURE IN SPAIN.
A few leagues from ihe celebrated
city of Barculona is a small village,
called Puebla Carmona. It stands on
bast- of a lofty and singulatly shaped
mountain, the Sierra de Montserrat.—
The inhabitants ate chiefly ‘he propri
etors of the adjoining vineyard, and
thci’ tabourets hence, hence, the hous
es and cottages are neater, and present
ed to an English eye an appearance of
comfort not very usual out of the large
towns in Spain. During my wander
ing in Catalonia a few yeats since. I
took up my abode in this village, with
the intention of making it my head
qu.:i cr> sot a time, and effecting some
exeur-tons in me neignhorhuod, paittc
ulat ly o the ornamental caverns known
as Las Homitas (the Hermitages,)
whic h 1 understand to be situated at a
ve>y • onsiderable elevation, and inhab
ited by some poot monks. 1 found but
one public house in Cat mona, and it is
digtuficd by the title of Fond* Catalans
(the Catalan inn.) Fh e fanda can at
nil events boast of’ leaniiness, and I did
not look for any luxury beyond that
rare one in a Spanish hbtel. Never
theless, here were more agremens in
it than I was prepared to expect. I
usu Ity sallied for'h early in the morn
ing, and passed the day in the Sierra.
On uiy teturn in the afternoon from
mv mountain ramble, a well cooked
olla fiodrida awai ed me, which I w ash
ed ‘.town wi'ti a hot le of delicious >ed
wine they called guarnacha The even
ing did nos allt iwarus pass heavily
The daughter of the inkeeper and vine
yard proprierot, for he is both, Margu
etita by name—a lively olive cemplex
ioned beauty, with a pair of sparkling
in'elligent black eyes, ojos habladoers ,
as I < all them—would, after attending
upon me at my meals, bt ing her guitar,
and acto npanying her voice with con
siderable skill, sing to me some of her
national canciones, those romantic bal
lads of the inies of the Moors, w hich
are so little known out of Spain, altho’
the, contain muchbeau'tful poetry and
music. One of these was my especial
favoume, and always received an en
coie The number o! couplets amount
ed V more than iwenty It wa* a
M m'ish love tale, the adventures ol
the valiant Gazul and the beautiful
Lnvd label. this and other songs,
Uv time passed qui’ kly enough. I
found altogether so much amusement,
and I regained my health and spiiits so
rapidly, that I was induced to extend
my stay at Carmona, and at length I
determined to make a longer excursion
up the mountain than I had hitherto
accomplished. I resolved to endeavor
to teacn he sommi’ o! Montserrat, and
enj iv ft tn thence the splendoui ol sun
rise which I had often heard described
in flowing colon<s. Margucrita, how
cv. used the most earnest persuasions
to indue me to abandon the project.
Ai lioug ‘ she allowed that my health
had wonderfully imptoved, vet she in
sisted that I was not yet equal >o the
fatigue mat I must undergo. But she
more particulatiy dwelt upon the cir
corns ance of the Siena being the ren
dezvous of a formidable banditti, whose
detachments were then robbing r>n the
roads towards France. It was impos
sible, she aven ed, that I could avoid
falling in w i'hsome of the band, when
I should certainly be plundered, and
perhaps ewed and treated as a spy.
3 was, however, in an obstinate humor,
and would not be scared from mv pur
pose Having made every arrange
ment sot a pedestrian journey, I put in
to one pocket a few dollars, and into
the other my small bright double-bar
relled pistol, which although in reality
a vety efficacious weapon,l have known
to cause he gieatest alarm to even a
well armed Spaniard. They rarely
use the pistol, hut have an idea that it
is the Englishman’s national weapon,
and une mg ib his hand. At this mo
ment 1 i member me of an instsnee of
this. 1 was passing on foot through a
street in i'own in Andalusia, wneo a
sa’ age looking Spaniard rushed unex
pecl'y from a house, and nearly over
thiew me. Instead of apology, he ut- I
Heed seme rode exclamation, and I j
looked a turn, as I felt, indignant en-j
ougli, adding a Spanish word of insult)
w hich 1 1 eednot here record. My an
tagonist’s eyes flashed fire “ I have
something to punish you insolent for
eigners,” said he, drawing from his side
pocket the formidable knife, which al
itough prohibited by law, every man
carries in Spam.
“ But I have an article worth more
than toat,” I replied coolly as I could ;
aid I produced at the instant my small
pistol, which, however, was unloaded,
and by mere accident in my pocket. 1
cocked and presented at him. The
moment when he saw the shining bar
rels which glittered in the rays of the
noot day sun, he drew back and lower
ed lis knife.
“You are tight,” said he, with ama
zinf composure. “ That pistol is ol
mote value than my novoja. I ask
your pardon.”
I had rot altogether lost my temper
fiom the frst, so that I was enabled to
accept, win a good grace. his amende,
and to add the vaya usted con Dios
(God be wifj you, ) as I put up my
weapon and passed on.
But to return to my Catalonian ad
ventme. Prepared as I before stated,
I set out on ny trip. As I quitted the
door of the ini, I found Matgucrita a’
my side.
“ You English are strange creatures”
said she, Had I spoken to a man of
any othernation, half as much as I have
done to you, to induce him to give up
such a ramble, the scheme would have
been abandoned at once, I ought to
be offended. Nevertheless, lam in
terested shout you. Take this.”
She placed in my hand a lock of hair
of the same raven hue as hei own. It
was bound together by a narrow ribbon
snipped with a variety of brilliant co
lours.
“ If yon encounter robbers, as I fear
you will do,” continued she, “ make no
resistance; but, in a resolute manner,
demand to be at once conducted to
their chief—to Alonzo, and exhibit this
token; i> vil) protect you.”
I smilei at her earnestness, but ex
piessed my grateful thanks, and press
ing the talitman gallantly to my lips, 1
deposited it in my vest, as I bade her
adieu. I, lowever, considered that my
pistol, which I had carefully loaded,
would avail me more in any position vs
danger-; but this I did not believe I was
likely to fall into.
i proceeded cheerfully up the tnoun-’
tain, having ascertained that all the
footpiths, in the direction pointed out,
led to the hermitages, in one of which
I intended to pass the eatly pait of the
night and then start betimes, so as to
reach the summit at a proper hour of
the norning. It was late in the aftei
noonihat I had toiled through a thick
ly-covered brush-wood track, which
condicted me to a small open space.
A pah led across this ‘oanother wood.
1 followed it, and was advancing to a
large oak tiee, standing at the entrance
of the cover, when I perceived horn
behml it, the barrel of a gun levelled
at me. and, on looking attentively a
round, several others were distinct to
view. I could have nodoubt as to ‘he
profession cf the party into whose hands
I was about to fail, and I felt at once
how little avail, in this instance my
pocket pistol could prove. In a mo
ment, someone on the other side of the
tree spoke.
“Stand fat on the spot where you
now are! Stir not an inch 1 Lay down
on your fact instantly, or you are a
dead manl”
“ Enforce! as these commands were
by the array of armed men, who emer
ed from iheit hiding places, there was
no remedy and I obeyed. I was soon
surrounded by a numerous band. One
man approached close to me, and or
dered me torise, which I did quickly
enough, feeling much humiliated at
the grovelling posture I had been obli
ged to take The robber, whom I now
met face to face, was an uncommonly
handsome young man, dressed in the
singular but ra'her unbecoming cos
tume of the Catalan peasantry. He
evidently had the command, for, at this
signal, the guns which were all direct
ed at me in a threatening manner, wci e
removed.
“ Who are yob, my friend ?” de
manded he.
*• I am an Englishman,”, “ bound to
Las Hermiias, to pass the night ’!
“ Vulgami Dios!” (God same me !)
rejoined the bandit, with an “ un lordc
Ingles!” (an English lord 1) “ then you
have some valuable watches, and plen
ty of money. Hand them to me !”
I earnestly assured him that I was
hut a rambling English military officer
without even one watch, and with only
a few dolfors in my possession.
‘ So much the worse for you,’ said he,
“ If you hive no money, or cannot ob
tain any ftom Barcelona as a ransom,
there is bat one way of proceeding,
which is H shoot you through the head.
Heretic at I am sure you are, we will
give you Hew minutes to prepare your
self, and men you shall sup with the
angelic, r otherwise, as the case may
be.”
I did ot admire the half-jest, half
earnest tone in which these words were
uttered, and I heartily wished I had ta
ken the educe of my little brunette of
the inn at Carmona, of whose token I
now bethought myself. Producing the
curiously bound up lock of hair, which
I ihrust forward towards the capitano,
and assuming as much as I possibly
could an appearance of confidence I
must confess I did not really feel.—
“ Conduct me to your chief,” said I.
“ If you be not he, I demand to be es
corted to Don Aionzo. 1 have a com
munic ti nos some consequence to
make to him ”
He regarded me for an instant with
an expression of amazement, and then
looked at the token, which he had
snatched from my hand.
“ Caramba !” exclaimed he, “ is it
so ? Has she given you the safegoatd!
Why should she interest herself lot
such as you ? No matter—l have
sworn.
These words, muttered in various
tones, somewhat reassured me. In a
minute he motioned to the band ; they
immediately withdrew into the wood,
except one man, to whom a signal had
been made, and who loitered at a slum
distance from us.
“ You are safe,” said the chief to me.
“ I know not who you are, or w hy Mar
guerita should have given you this pass
port ; but I have vowed to respect it,
and I feel well assured that she would
not compromise us by putting it into
unwise hands, or allow a babbler to be
come possessed of our secret. You
are at liberty to proceed, but as you
may encounter others of my party, and
thus be delayed, I. will send one of my
people with you as a guide. He will
quit you to night at Las Hermitas, but
meet you again in the morning, and
conduct ytfu in safety to ,he vineyards
at the lower part of the mountain, from
whence you must return alone to Pue
bla Carmona.”
“ You say you are an Englishman,”
continued the robber after a short pause
“I therefore know your word is of
more value than a Fienchman’s oath.
Promise not only the strictest secrecy
as to what has now occurred, but also
that if you ever meet me again under
other circumstances, you will not give
the smallest sign of recognition.”
I did not hesitate a moment in ma
king these promises. Exchanging he
Spanish adieus of “ Faya usted en ho
ra buena ” (Good luck attend you.)and
“ Queda usted con Dios (God be
with you,) I parted from Alonzo. Ac
companied hv the man who had re
mained in sight, and who received his
directions in a few brief commands
whispered by the chief, I pursued my
way to the Hermitage. These I found
to be twelve small grottoes of chtysial
line spars, ornamented with hanging
crests in the form of icicles, the entrance
to the caves decorated with evergreens
odoriferous plants. A single hermit
dwells in each. I entered one of them
was received with cordiality by a ven
erable old man, and partook of his sup
per, consisting of wiULfruit, boiled mil
let, and delicious spring water. My
host also accommodated me with a bed
formed of fragrant dried leaves, upon
a heap of which was spread a course
rug. I obtained a few hours sound
sleep, and took leave of the hermit,
placing upon the couch a dolhr, which
although he observed, he did not ob
ject to. Not far from the cave I fell
in with my robber guide. I signified
to him my desire to move upwards be
fore we returned to Carmona. He
nodded assent, and marched on before
me. From one of the peaks of the
mountain, although not from its high
est point, I enjoyed a splendid view of
the sunrise, and then was conducted
down to the vineyards by my attendant,
who took a very circuitous route, evi
dently avoiding all the usual paths. I
endeavoured several times to enter in
to convetsation with him, but in vain ;
he always repulsed me, growling some
few words in the Catalan dialect, which
I could rot understand, and he firmly
declined to receive the two dollars I
offered him when wc parted.
I ptoceeded direct to my fonda, re
freshed myself with a bath, and sal
down to my meal with no false appe
tite, atterdtd, of course with Margari
ta, who evinced much impatience to
be made acquainted with the particu
lars of my journey, and wby I had re
turned so soon. I recounted to her my
adventure, expressing my sincere and
grateful thanks Tor her valuable talis
man, without which I considered it not
improbable but that I should have lost
my life. Margurita, however, vehe
mently assured me that Alonzo must
have been entirely in'jost on that point;
but she adnitted I might have been
stripped aid maltreated.
“ You will not I am sure betray me,”
continued the. “ I need scarcely tell
you tha’ Alonzo is my lover—that I am
his affiance! bride. He is a Valencia
no. Had he been of the violent and
jealous disposition of the Catalan, 1
dared not have aided you ; but he knows
me true, and justly confides in me. Hr
is about to give up his piesent danger
ous ptofeision, in which he has been
loriuna'c enough to amass some doub
loons. We aie to go to Valencia
where he has many relations, and we
shall set up an inn there. If, in your
travels, you visit that city, you may
possibly encounter us; but I feel se
cure in ycur discretion and honor.—
You will lot forget your promise. Re
member, vou must meet my husband
an entire stranger *
I remained a few more days in Pue
bla Carmona, and then returned to
Barcelona, I did not part from Mar
garita vithoui repeating my acknowl
edgements for her invaluable protec
tion, and expressing my sincere wish
es for her future happiness and welfare
I also forced on her acceptance a small
diamond ring, which, on on my first
arrival, tad several times attracted her
notice U was but a poor return for
the very important set vice she had ren
dered me „■
Correspondence of the Journal of Commerce.
United Srates Consulate }
Port au Prince, Feb- 19,1835. £
Sir,—allow me to inform you ol the
arrival at this port of the pilot boat
“chooner Georgia, w ith William Sum
merson only on board, who according
to his documents, is a branch pilot for
the Port of Darien, Georgia. He has
deposited with me the papers of said
vessel, and states that he left the before
mentioned port in the said boat, burth
en twenty one tons, on the 13th Janua
ry, in the prosecution of his duty as
Pilot , that his crew were put on board
sundry vessels bound in ; and that he
himself remained on board outside, in
expectation of meeting one of the New
York packets bound into Darien ; that
being at anchor off Sopply Island on
the night of the 22d January, he en
countered a tremendous gale of wind,
in which the chain cable was parted,
and thr boat was driven to sea;that he
endeavored to gain the land, but was at
last compelled to bear up; and on the
sth inst. after enduring the greatest
hardships, with little or nothing to sub
sist on, he made Watluds Island, and
then shaped his course for Crooked
Island, and arrived off that island on
the 6th, in a leaky condition ; was sup
plied with a chain, but could procure
no men heathen endeavored to reach
some port of Cuba, but blowing heavy
from the westward, he bore up for this
port. I have sold the boat for the ben
efit of whom it may concern. The pi
lot will return in one of the New York
packets. m
I have nothing politically interesting
to communicate. Every thing is qui
et, and the port healthy.
Respectfully your obedient servant,
F. M DIMOND.
Qf all descriptions, neatly executed at the
Office of the Telegraphy
fftic ffclcflraim.
THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1835.
The individual mentioned in the Consu
late notice published in our paper to day, is
doubtless the same person who left this
place about the time stated in said notice,
under the following suspicious circumstan
ces. His proper name is Tvmerson, and not
Summerson. Information was lodged with
tile Mayor of this city, by an individual who
appeared to be knowing to the facts, that
Totnmerson was engaged a few years ngo
with others, in committing murder and rob
bery at Musquito, Florida. How far truth
may be connected with the information com
municated to the Mayor, we cannot say—but
in a few days after it was made known, Capt.
Tomerson disappeared with no oueelse t\ itlv
him in his boat, leaving behind him the most
unfavorable impressions. The boat we nn.
derstand is owned by merchants in this place-
IVe copy to day from the Messenger, the
proceedings ot a meeting of the Merchants
held in Macon, for’ the purpose of devising
ways and means, to encrease their trade and
for other purpose! In furthering the ob
jects of this meeting, we aid ourselves, and
we hope a friendly and favorable response
will be made by the mercantile part of our
community to any, and every communication
that may be mace to them from the commit
tee appointed for that purpose. Anew tfe
velopement of the latent, and before un_
thought of advantages that belong to our no
ble river is every day presenting itself to
our view. It is truly astonishing that there
has been so mud apathy on this subject—
nature has the Altamaha and its
tributary streams to be the great channel of
intercourse between the seaboard and interi
or ot our State; and still there lias been a
continually forced current operating against
this course of niture. And so it is w ilh Dar
ien ; opposition upon opposition has been
exerting all its influence, and vainly attemp
ting to sustain oiler places, but it is useless,
this is the place, and the only place, as is
clearly pointed ait by nature, where the
encreasing trade cf the great western part
of our State, mus, and will, concentrate.—
But we are please! to find, by recent move
ments here, and elsewhere, that the eyes of
the people, are beginning to Lac opened on
this subject, snd their true interests will soon
be manifested, to tbeir entire satisfaction.—
The exertions making by the friends of
Brunswick will be a!! in vain, and will even
tuate to the advantage of Darien, for they
well know they cannot succeed, and every
dollar expended there will be a dollar thrown
away ; we are aWare this remark will not go
off without notice, and we would only add,
that as this is an honest convict ion, we would
recommend those interested in the cause
of Brunswick, to let nature have its perfect
work and abandon their visionary schemes.
We learn from a gentleman just returned
from the inlerior of this State,that the report
of Maj. Solomon Groce, of Bibb county, hav
ing declined being a candidate for Govern
or is incorrect; that Maj. Groce is, and will
be a candidate on the first Monday in Oc
tober next.
MEETING OF MERCHANTS IN
MACON.
A meeting of the merchants of the
city of Macon—present L. L. Griffin,
11. Craft, G. Jewett, J. Cowles, T. T.
Napier. F. Wriglev, F O’Callaghan,
T T. Wy. he, T L. Smith, H. Carter,
W. Baldwin, H. Candler, A.P. Pat
rick, D Flanders, M.Chisolm,J Hayes
W B. Johnston, J. Martin, C. Collins,
O Giegory, W. P. Parker, C. Camp
bell, D. Ralston, C. A. Higgins,— held
at the city Council Chamber, March.
10. 1835, David Ralston, Esq. was
called to the Chair, and C. A. Higgins
appointed Secretary.
L. L. Griffin, seconded by H. Craft,
offeied the following: As merchants
and citizens of Macon, it is conceded to
be their first and most vital principles
of action, to advance in every particu
lar manner the various facilities of
trade, so as to induce and invite busi
ness to the place. And knowing by
experience, that competition in any
line goes very far to lessen prices, and
that all combinations tend to enhance
and increase ; and that the present fa
cilities on the river from the seaboard