“What are you doing there, Cavalier?” roared several voices.  “Stay, Carracho! if you attempt to run we will shoot you!” I looked round and saw three or four fellows in dirty uniforms, to all appearance soldiers, just above me, on a winding path, which led up the hill.  Their muskets were pointed at me.  “What am I doing?  Nothing, as you see,” said I, “save looking at the bay; and as for running, this is by no means ground for a course.”  “You are our prisoner,” said they, “and you must come with us to the fort.”  “I was just thinking of going there,” I replied, “before you thus kindly invited me.  The fort is the very spot I was desirous of seeing.”  I thereupon climbed up to the place where they stood, when they instantly surrounded me, and with this escort I was marched into the fort, which might have been a strong place in its time, but was now rather ruinous.  “You are suspected of being a spy,” said the corporal, who walked in front.  “Indeed,” said I.  “Yes,” replied the corporal, “and several spies have lately been taken and shot.”

Upon one of the parapets of the fort stood a young man, dressed as a subaltern officer, and to this personage I was introduced.  “We have been watching you this half hour,” said he, “as you were taking observations.”  “Then you gave yourselves much useless trouble,” said I.  “I am an Englishman, and was merely looking at the bay.  Have the kindness now to show me the fort.” . . .

After some conversation, he said, “I wish to be civil to people of your nation, you may therefore consider yourself at liberty.”  I bowed, made my exit, and proceeded down the hill.  Just before I entered the town, however, the corporal, who had followed me unperceived, tapped me on the shoulder.  “You must go with me to the governor,” said he.  “With all my heart,” I replied.  The governor was shaving, when we were shown up to him.  He was in his shirt sleeves, and held a razor in his hand.  He looked very ill-natured, which was perhaps owing to his being thus interrupted in his toilet.  He asked me two or three questions, and on learning that I had a passport, and was the bearer of a letter to the English consul, he told me that I was at liberty to depart.  So I bowed to the governor of the town, as I had done to the governor of the fort, and making my exit proceeded to my inn.

At Vigo I accomplished but little in the way of distribution, and after a sojourn of a few days, I returned in the direction of Saint James.

CHAPTER XXIX

Arrival at Padron—­Projected Enterprise—­The Alquilador—­Breach of Promise—­An Odd Companion—­A Plain Story—­Rugged Paths—­The Desertion—­The Pony—­A Dialogue—­Unpleasant Situation—­The Estadea--Benighted—­The Hut—­The Traveller’s Pillow.