piece, and the small ones a penny a dozen. Stacks of sugar-cane, too, so sweet, fresh, and juicy, I cannot partake of them without wishing to share them with those I love. We have here, too, a currency to which we have been accustomed at home, and this is pleasant, as is anything of home. But I am tired now; in my next you shall have more of Malaga. Adieu.

MALAGA.

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LETTER XXXIII.

THE GHIBELFARO-ALAMEDA-BEAUTIFUL WOMEN-CATHEDRAL-ENVIRONS OF MALAGA-MODE OF IRRIGATION.

Malaga, Spain, March.

WE have now been here a sufficient time to enable me to give you some account of this delightful city. Its appearance from the water, I have already described. It has a good port, but at present not very well filled with shipping. On one of the points of its crescent, is a fine, large lighthouse; the other point has a good mole or landing, constantly filled with a busy, trafficking people. Along the bend of the crescent is a fine street, lined with stores and dwellings, not very high, but uniform, plain, and neat, with balconies looking upon the water, and having a bright and cheerful sun lighting their fronts.

On a height, at the north end of the town, is an old fortress-the Ghibelfaro-apparently in a state of ruin, but in reality it is at present in good repair. From this fortress, a wall runs along the side of the hill down to the old part of the town, which seems mingled with old fortifications and towers, built long ago by the Moors. Turning, and following this street south, you enter the Alameda, or public promenade. This is a broad gravel walk, shaded by orange trees and laurel. It is ornamented also, at short intervals, with handsome marble pillars, surmounted with busts, and at each end by a marble fountain. On either side is a carriage road, and elegant mansions front on both sides: one long range of these handsome dwellings, was built by

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THE ANDALUSIANS.

an American, Mr. Loring.

About five or six o'clock, P. M.,

all classes come here to walk or drive.

We saw very many beautiful donnas, and the children of Spain seem ever beautiful. In no country have we found so many lovely women as in Spain. The black eyes of the Italian signoras and the Turkish dames, are far excelled by the softer ones of Andalusia. And in no country have we seen the national characteristics or the local peculiarities so marked and distinct as here. The costume of the peasant is a velvet chapeau, with round, square, or conical crowns, all ornamented with two large rosettes or tassels; velvet or cloth jackets, much ornamented with braid, and fastened in front with clasps of gold or silver; a bright red vest and sash ; velvet breeches, fastened down the sides with pretty, bright metal buttons, thickly set, that make a merry jingling as they walk; these, with handsome leggins of yellow leather stamped or embossed, complete the whole. All classes wear a cloak of some sort, and all wear it with a grace unequalled in any other part of the world. The women wear the mantilla ; the better orders have them trimmed with broad, rich lace, which they at times allow to fall over the face. Always, when dressed for church or the promenade, they carry a fan; even the beggar that solicits your alms, petitions with her fan and mantilla. Then, too, they have all such a noble, graceful carriage; all walk well, and generally have small feet. And to see these cumbrous Spanish coaches, drawn by two sleek-bodied, long-tailed mules, as they wind their slow length along, is amusing; look at any old picture that gives a representation of them, and you will see them mirrored there, for they have never altered or improved. In all the balconies are plants and flowers, with cages of singing birds, mingling their cheerful notes with the lively ones of the guitar, heard at all hours, near or "more distant.

INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL.

307

Our first morning was passed in viewing the magnificent cathedral rising from the centre of the town, and seeming to crown, as with a diadem, the low buildings around, and it may certainly bear comparison with some of the most magnificent in Europe. It has a tower at each side of its front, one of which is unfinished, but the other shows a beautiful style of architecture, and is admirably proportioned. Fluted marble columns, with Corinthian capitals, rise one above the other, growing gradually less to the summit. The entrance is ornamented with rich carving and statues in bas-relief; the interior is equally rich and beautiful, and at the same time strikes one by its elegant simplicity. A row of arches line the cathedral all around, in each of which is a handsome altar, with columns of rich marble, and some paintings. A row of arches extend along on either side of the centre, enclosing the choir and the grand altar; these arches are supported by four large fluted columns, united so as to form one immense pillar, those of the grand altar having the capitals and fluting gilt; and between these hang magnificent chandeliers of massive silver, richly chased. Opposite the high altar, enclosed by the same grand arches, is the choir, the entire sides of which are lined with a rich dark wood, elaborately carved; over each seat a niche, containing a statue three feet high, beautifully carved in the same dark wood.

On each side of the choir, filling up one of the wide arches and reaching nearly to the top of the edifice, is a superb organ of bronze and gilt; the rich and harmonious chords of one was reverberating through the immense building during our visit. The ceiling is richly carved, apparently of stone, but of this we could not be sure from its great height: the pavement is composed of alternate blocks of red and white marble. The outside is equally grand and imposing, and we found on walking around it, there were four small

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THE ENVIRONS OF MALAGA.

towers beside the two large ones in front.

At the left of

the front is a splendid building, the archbishop's palace, and before this are two fountains, which though small have a pretty effect. After this we returned for rest and a luncheon, and then sallied forth again, accompanied by our kind and gentlemanly Consul. The streets are narrow and most of them badly paved, but are infinitely cleaner in appear. ance than the generality of Italian cities; they are drained by sewers under ground,. but from the frequent openings in the pavements issues at times a terrrible effluvium. We visited a manufactory of terra cotta figures, which they make here with great taste, giving an exact representation of the costume and peculiarities of the people of the different provinces. We extended our walk to one of the Moorish towers forming now a habitation, and situated upon an eminence commanding the whole extent of town and harbor as well as far out into the open sea, where we could discern a long line of vessels skirting the horizon.

The environs beyond the city are very lovely; the plain between the town and the mountains is beautifully cultiva ted and rich with vegetation of every shade of green, and the sides of the mountain are so broken and undulating that they have a singular and striking effect. The market is clean and nice, and filled with vegetables, green pease, tomatoes, asparagus and radishes being nearly out of season, but to us of course a great treat. Immense piles of oranges cover the ground of the market-place, and on these, I assure you, we luxuriated.

We went also to the corn-market, a square enclosure with arches around the sides forming a covered way, while the smoothly paved ground serves to display the different samples, and here the produce of the neighboring country is bought and sold. We went also to see a bull-ring, where the bull-fights take place-with this we shall have to content ourselves, as it is not the season