If They Wore The Turban Or Barret, They Could Scarcely
Be Distinguished From The Moors In Dress, But In Lieu Thereof They
Wear The Sombrero, Or Broad Slouching Hat Of Spain.
There can be
little doubt that they are a remnant of those Goths who sided with
the Moors on
Their invasion of Spain, and who adopted their
religion, customs, and manner of dress, which, with the exception
of the first, are still to a considerable degree retained by them.
It is, however, evident that their blood has at no time mingled
with that of the wild children of the desert, for scarcely amongst
the hills of Norway would you find figures and faces more
essentially Gothic than those of the Maragatos. They are strong
athletic men, but loutish and heavy, and their features, though for
the most part well formed, are vacant and devoid of expression.
They are slow and plain of speech, and those eloquent and
imaginative sallies so common in the conversation of other
Spaniards, seldom or never escape them; they have, moreover, a
coarse thick pronunciation, and when you hear them speak, you
almost imagine that it is some German or English peasant attempting
to express himself in the language of the Peninsula. They are
constitutionally phlegmatic, and it is very difficult to arouse
their anger; but they are dangerous and desperate when once
incensed; and a person who knew them well, told me that he would
rather face ten Valencians, people infamous for their ferocity and
blood-thirstiness, than confront one angry Maragato, sluggish and
stupid though he be on other occasions.
The men scarcely ever occupy themselves in husbandry, which they
abandon to the women, who plough the flinty fields and gather in
the scanty harvests. Their husbands and sons are far differently
employed: for they are a nation of arrieros or carriers, and
almost esteem it a disgrace to follow any other profession. On
every road of Spain, particularly those north of the mountains
which divide the two Castiles, may be seen gangs of fives and sixes
of these people lolling or sleeping beneath the broiling sun, on
gigantic and heavily laden mutes and mules. In a word, almost the
entire commerce of nearly one half of Spain passes through the
hands of the Maragatos, whose fidelity to their trust is such, that
no one accustomed to employ them would hesitate to confide to them
the transport of a ton of treasure from the sea of Biscay to
Madrid; knowing well that it would not be their fault were it not
delivered safe and undiminished, even of a grain, and that bold
must be the thieves who would seek to wrest it from the far feared
Maragatos, who would cling to it whilst they could stand, and would
cover it with their bodies when they fell in the act of loading or
discharging their long carbines.
But they are far from being disinterested, and if they are the most
trustworthy of all the arrieros of Spain, they in general demand
for the transport of articles a sum at least double to what others
of the trade would esteem a reasonable recompense: by this means
they accumulate large sums of money, notwithstanding that they
indulge themselves in far superior fare to that which contents in
general the parsimonious Spaniard; - another argument in favour of
their pure Gothic descent; for the Maragatos, like true men of the
north, delight in swilling liquors and battening upon gross and
luscious meats, which help to swell out their tall and goodly
figures. Many of them have died possessed of considerable riches,
part of which they have not unfrequently bequeathed to the erection
or embellishment of religious houses.
On the east end of the cathedral of Astorga, which towers over the
lofty and precipitous wall, a colossal figure of lead may be seen
on the roof. It is the statue of a Maragato carrier who endowed
the cathedral with a large sum. He is in his national dress, but
his head is averted from the lands of his fathers, and whilst he
waves in his hand a species of flag, he seems to be summoning his
race from their unfruitful region to other climes, where a richer
field is open to their industry and enterprise.
I spoke to several of these men respecting the all-important
subject of religion; but I found "their hearts gross, and their
ears dull of hearing, and their eyes closed." There was one in
particular to whom I showed the New Testament, and whom I addressed
for a considerable time. He listened or seemed to listen
patiently, taking occasionally copious draughts from an immense jug
of whitish wine which stood between his knees. After I had
concluded he said, "To-morrow I set out for Lugo, whither, I am
told, yourself are going. If you wish to send your chest, I have
no objection to take it at so much (naming an extravagant price).
As for what you have told me, I understand little of it, and
believe not a word of it; but in respect to the books which you
have shown me, I will take three or four. I shall not read them,
it is true, but I have no doubt that I can sell them at a higher
price than you demand."
So much for the Maragatos.
CHAPTER XXIV
Departure from Astorga - The Venta - The By-path - Narrow Escape - The
Cup of Water - Sun and Shade - Bembibre - Convent of the Rocks -
Sunset - Cacabelos - Midnight Adventure - Villafrancs.
It was four o'clock of a beautiful morning when we sallied from
Astorga, or rather from its suburbs, in which we had been lodged:
we directed our course to the north, in the direction of Galicia.
Leaving the mountain Telleno on our left, we passed along the
eastern skirts of the land of the Maragatos, over broken uneven
ground, enlivened here and there by small green valleys and runnels
of water. Several of the Maragatan women, mounted on donkeys,
passed us on their way to Astorga, whither they were carrying
vegetables.
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