For a general rule, the traveller may consider the "cuarto" as equivalent to a French sou, something less than our English halfpenny, and as the smallest coin likely to come much under his observation. Those below it, fractions of farthings, have hardly any defined form; indeed, among the lower classes every bit of copper in the shape of a coin passes for money.

Silver Coins" Monedas de Plata ". -are

The real is worth somewhat more than 24d.; the dos reales, or 2 reals, somewhat less than 5d., and may be considered as equivalent to the half-franc, and representing in Spain the sixpence in England. The peseta comes very nearly to the French franc. Of these and the "dos reales" the traveller should always take a good supply, for, as the Scotchman said of sixpences," they are canny little dogs, and often do the work of shillings." The half-dollar varies, according to the exchange, between two shillings and half a crown.

The dollar of Spain, so well known all over the world, is the Italian colonato,” so called because the arms of Spain are supported between the two pillars of Hercules. The ordinary Spanish name is "duro." They are often, however, termed in banking and mercantile transactions pesos fuertes," to distinguish them from the imaginary "peso" or smaller dollar of 15 reals only, of which the peseta is the diminutive.

The "duro" in the last century was coined into half-dollars, quarterdollars, and half-quarter dollars. The two latter do not often occur; they may be distinguished from the " peseta" and "dos reales" by having the arms of Spain stamped between the two pillars, which have been omitted in recent coinages; their fractional value renders them inconvenient to the traveller until perfectly familiar with Spanish money. The quarter-dollar is worth 5 reals, while the peseta is only worth 4; the half-quarter dollar is worth 2 reals, while the dos reales is only worth 2. The duro in accounts is generally marked thus $. This coin is now getting scarce, having been much melted down abroad, and is nearly superseded in Spain by the French pièces de cinq francs, here called Napoleones, and these are the best coins a traveller can take, as each is current everywhere for 19 reals. The Gold Coinage consists of the

The new coin, the Isabelino, the Spanish sovereign, is worth 5 duros, or 100 reals. The ounce, when of full weight, is worth sixteen

66

dollars; the exact value, however, is uncertain, since these large coins, are much worn by time, and the sweating by the fraudulent, and seldom have preserved their legal weight and value. Those thus deficient ought to be accompanied with a certificate, wherein is stated their exact diminished weight and value. This certificate may be obtained in the principal towns from the "contraste," or fiel medidor," the person who is legally authorized to weigh gold coins supposed to be light, and his place of abode is well known. All this, however, leads to constant disputes and delays, and the stranger must take care when he receives onzas, except from first-rate Spanish bankers or merchants, to see that these great coins are of correct weight: two grains are generally allowed for wear. It is better, except when residing in large towns, only to take the smaller gold coins, to which objections are seldom raised. The traveller who is about to leave the high road and visit the more rarely frequented districts and towns, should have nothing to do with any onzas whatever; for, when these broad pieces are offered for payment in a small village, they are apt to be viewed with distrust, and are difficult to be changed, while with the smaller ones nothing of the kind occurs.

Some gold coins have a narrow thread or cord stamped round them, and are then termed "de premio." They have a small additional value -the gold duro, for instance, circulating for 21 reales 2 cuartos-but they should be avoided by the traveller, as he will seldom be reminded when paying them away, that he is giving more than he ought. These coins, in common with all which are not the simplest and best known, only entail on him probable loss and certain trouble in adding up accounts and making payments.

There are two imaginary coins with which old-fashioned Spaniards perplex strangers when naming prices or talking of values, just as is done with our obsolete guinea: one is the "ducado," worth 11 reals, or about half our crown; the other is the "peso," the piastre, worth 15 reals, and by which, although imaginary, the exchange on England is still regulated: thus so many pence, more or less, as the rate may be high or low, are reckoned as equivalent to this "peso:" the exchange on the principal cities of Europe is generally published in all Spanish newspapers. 36 pence is considered to be par, or 48 for the dollar, or "peso fuerte,” as it is called, to distinguish the whole piece from the smaller one. The traveller may calculate by this simple rule how much he ought to get for his pound sterling. If 36 pence will produce 15 reals, how many reals will 240 pence give?-the answer is 100. This being a round number, will form a sufficient basis for one newly arrived in Spain to regulate his financial computation: he may take a hundred reals as equivalent to a pound sterling, although he will be most fortunate if ever he gets it-or even 95, the practical par-after all the etceteras of exchange, commission, and money-scrivening, are deducted. The usual mode of drawing on England is by bills at 90 days after sight, at a usance and half, 60 days being the usance. The traveller who draws at sight, " corto," or at shorter dates, or a treinta dias," at 30 days, ought in consequence to obtain a more favourable rate of exchange.

In the passive commerce of Spain the infant trade of banking is

seldom separated from the general business of a merchant, except in the chief towns; among these the circular notes of Messrs. Herries and Farquhar, and others, are tolerably negociable.

The traveller, on arriving at the first principal city on his projected line of tour, if it be one at all out of the beaten line, should draw a sum sufficient to carry him to the next point, where he can obtain a fresh supply and, in order to prevent accidents on the road, the first banker or merchant should be desired to furnish smaller letters of credit on the intermediate towns. Those acquainted with the mysteries of bills and exchanges in London may frequently obtain paper on Spain here, by which a considerable turn of the market may be made. Of foreign coins, the English sovereign is worth 95 reals, the French napoleon 75. It is needless to trouble the traveller with the infinite local coins which circulate in the different provinces, remnants of their former independence, and the more as a scheme is in contemplation of reducing the varied monies of Spain to the decimal system of France-from centigranos copper, to Isabelinos in gold, to be worth 100 reals.

V.-STEAM COMMUNICATIONS.

The whole line of coast, an extent of nearly 600 leagues, is provided with steamers. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which takes her Majesty's mails on to Malta and Alexandria, offers a regular conveyance from London to Gibraltar. To secure passages and to obtain information of every kind, applications may be made at the Company's office, No. 122, Leadenhall Street, or at Oriental Place, Southampton. The Company publishes a little Handbook, which contains everything necessary to be known, as to days of departure, fares, &c. As these are liable to annual changes, travellers should apply personally or by letter to the secretary, Mr. Howell, and may be assured that they will meet with great civility and attention. The Company has agents in the principal seaports abroad, of whom all necessary information can be obtained on the spot. The average fares may be thus stated :—

Children under 10 years of age, if with the parent, are charged half the above rates; under 3 years of age, free. The fares include a liberal table, and wines, for first-cabin passengers; and for second-cabin passengers, provisions without wines.

Baggage.-First-class passengers are allowed each 2 cwt. of personal baggage; all above that quantity will be charged at the rate of 1s. per cubic foot. Each vessel carries a medical officer approved of by government. Experienced and respectable female attendants for the ladies' cabin. Private family cabins for passengers, if required. The average passages may be taken as follows:

The vessels generally remain about 3 hours at Vigo, 14 off Oporto, 12 at Lisbon, and 3 at Cadiz; Gibraltar is usually reached the 8th day. The direct passage is accomplished in 5 days. A new Screw Steam Shipping Company was contemplated in 1854, to run weekly between London and the South of Spain. Fares, to Cadiz or Gibraltar, chief cabin, 107. 10s,; 2nd cabin, 67. 10s. The steamers on their arrival at Spanish ports are soon surrounded with boats to convey passengers on shore, the demands of the unconscionable crews rising with the winds and waves. The proper charges per tarif are a peseta per person, two reals per portmanteau, and one for each smaller package; a passenger without luggage has to pay two reals for being landed, or put on board. The word "tarifa " itself generally settles disputes.

The foreign steamers are neither such good sea boats, nor so regular or well manned as their English competitors. From La Teste, near Bordeaux, one runs to San Sebastian and Corunna; another touches at the ports between San Sebastian and Malaga. There is regular communication between Cadiz and Marseilles. The steamers usually remain about half a day at Algeciras, a whole one at Malaga, a few hours at Almeria, half a day each at Cartagena and Alicante; a whole one at Valencia, a few hours occasionally at Tarragona, two days at Barcelona, and half a one at Port Vendres. The exact particulars, times of sailing, fares, &c. are to be seen in every inn on the coast, or may be ascertained from the local agents. Remember, if you wish to forward baggage or packages by these steamers, to have them very carefully directed to the person to whom they are consigned, and to take a receipt for them and forward it per post to your correspondent, desiring him to send for the articles the moment the steamer arrives, or they will either be left on board, or lost, after the usual fashion of the unbusinesslike, pococurante Mediterraneans.

Vl.-TRAVELLING BY LAND-ROADS-POSTING-POST-OFFICE-MAILCOACHES-DILIGENCES-COCHES DE COLLERAS MULETEERS

RIDING TOURS.

The railroad is in its infancy. Spain, a jumble of mountains, with few large cities, and those far between, with an unvisited, unvisiting population, and a petty passive commerce, is admirably suited for the time-honoured national locomotive, the ass and mule. There has, however, been much talk of the Ferro Carril system, which is to cover the Peninsula with an iron net-work of communications, level the sierras, and pay 20 per cent., &c. This is proposed to be done chiefly by English gold and Navvies. A comedy or tragedy might be written on the plausible schemes by which the gullability of John Bull has been tickled and his pockets lightened. Hitherto the "Powers that be" in Spain have scarcely settled the sine quâ non preliminary step, i. e. the

division among each other of the plunder in granting "concessions,” &c. Permissions, forsooth, for silly foreigners to be allowed as a favour to do the work-throw away time and cash, in order to be laughed at, insulted, and ultimately cheated for their pains.

Meantime there are eight royal roads, caminos reales-carreteras generales, which branch forth from the capital like spokes of a wheel, and run to Irun, to Barcelona by Valencia, to Cadiz by Seville, to Granada, to La Junquera by Zaragoza, to Corunna, Oviedo, and to Portugal by Badajoz. These first-class roads are also called Arrecifes, from the Arabic word for chaussées, causeways: they are made on the Macadam system, admirably engineered, and kept in infamous neglect. The wear and tear of traffic and weather has destroyed the surface material, forming holes, and malos pasos, by which coach-springs are cracked and travellers' bones dislocated: nevertheless, heavy turnpike and ferry tolls are raised at the portazgos y barcas; recently some stir of improvement is visible both in the repair of the older roads, and in the construction of new ones; ordinary but carriageable roads are called caminos carreteros, caminos de carruage, de carretera, and are just practicable bridle-roads are called caminos de herradura. Bye-ways and short cuts are termed trochas, travesias and caminos de atajo, and familiarly and justly called caminos de perdices, roads for partridges; nor should any man in his senses or in a wheel-carriage forget the proverb no hay atajo, sin trabajo-there is no short cut without hard work. A rambla-Arabicè raml-sand, serves the double purpose of a road in summer for men and beasts, and a river bed in winter for fish, fools, and wild fowl. This term and thing is pretty general in Valencia and commercial! Catalonia.

Internal locomotion has been lately facilitated throughout the Peninsula as regards public conveyances, but the progress is slow; travelling in your own carriage with post horses, changing at each relay, is only practicable on the high road from Irun to Madrid, and even then is certainly not to be recommended; nor is it usually done except by Cabinet couriers or very great personages. However, by making an arrangement with the persons who horse the diligences, journeys have been performed on the leading roads by persons in their own carriages. The Guia General de Correos,' by Francisco Xavier de Cabanes, 4to., Mad., 1830, is useful, since posting, being a royal monopoly, is fettered with the usual continental checks and bureaucratic bothers.

The distances are regulated and paid for-not by posts, but by leagues, leguas, of 20,000 feet, or 20 to a degree of the meridian, and somewhat less than three miles and a half English, being the nautical league of three geographical miles. The country leagues, especially in the wilder and mountainous districts, are calculated more by guesswork than measurement. Generally you may reckon by time rather than distance, the sure test of slow coaching, and consider the league a sort of German stunde, an hour's work. The term "legua" is modified by an explanatory epithet. "Larga," or long, varies from four to five miles. "Regular," a very Spanish word, is used to express a league, or anything else that is neither one thing nor another, something about the regular post league. "Corta," as it implies, is a short league, hree miles. These leagues, like everything in Spain, vary in the