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.
