s of the Alhambra were even
covered with Ice an Inch Thick. Adieu! this is Post Day.

Loves to all,
Yours Sincerely,
E. S.

GIBRALTAR, _Jan. 22, 1803_.

MY DEAR BROTHER,--I promised in my last, which I wrote when I was on the
point of Setting out on a tour to Granada, to write again and give some
account of myself immediately on my return, which was delayed on account
of Sundry unfortunate Circumstances till the day before yesterday. From
Malaga I wrote to my Father, and you probably have heard that a fair
wind carried us in a vile vessel from this place to Malaga in one night,
from whence, staying as Short a time as possible, I set out on mules to
Granada, distant a journey of three days. Till this time I had never,
excepting from hearsay, formed a true idea of the perfection to which
travelling in Spain could be carried, and yet, bad as it was, my return
to land from Gibraltar has shown that things might be a degree worse. Of
the roads I can only say that most probably the Spaniards are indebted
to the Moors for first marking them out, and that the present race
follow the steps of their Ancestors, without troubling themselves with
repairs or alterations of any description. You may well then imagine the
delicate State in which they now are. The Ventas or Inns are in a State
admirably corresponding to that of the high-roads. Provisions of every
sort must necessarily be carried unless the traveller wishes to fast;
beds are occasionally, and indeed I may say pretty generally, to be met
with, such as they are; of course, bugs, fleas, Mosquitos, and so forth
must not be considered: they are plentifully diffused over the Country,
and are by no means confined to the inferior houses. With a Substitution
for "Pallida Mors" the quotation from Horace may with truth be applied,
"aequo pulsant pede pauperum tabernae, Regum turres." We passed thro'
Alhama, near which are some very fine hot baths; the exact heat I could
not ascertain (as my thermometer was actually jolted to pieces tho' in
its case in my pocket, travelling from Turin to Genoa), but it is so
great that I could scarcely keep my hand immersed for a minute. In
another Country they would be much frequented; as it is there are only
some miserable rooms for those who repair to them from necessity. On the
evening of the 21st of December we arrived at our Journey's end, and
found, what we did not expect, a very tolerable Inn, though as Granada
is considered the third To