fare, disappointment, opposition, few friends, life in
danger, his path was rough and covered with stones; his flowers were
thistles, his songs attended with tears, and sorrow filled his heart.
But note his object, and mark his end. In speaking of some of the
difficulties in his travels, he says:--"My time lay heavily on my hands,
my only source of amusement consisting in the conversation of the woman
telling of the wonderful tales of the land of the Moors--prison escapes,
thievish feats, and one or two poisoning adventures in which she had been
engaged. There was something very wild in her gestures. She goggled
frightfully with her eyes." And then speaking of the old Gipsy woman
whom he went to see:--"Here, thrusting her hand into her pocket, she
discharged a handful of some kind of dust or snuff into the fellow's
face. He stamped and roared, but was for some time held fast by the two
Gipsy men; he extricated himself, however, and attempted to unsheath a
knife which he wore in his girdle; but the two young Gipsies flung
themselves upon him like furies."

Borrow says, after travelling a long distance by night, and setting out
again the next morning to travel thirteen leagues:--"Throughout the day a
drizzling rain was falling, which turned the dust of the roads into mud
and mire. Towards evening we reached a moor--a wild place enough, strewn
with enormous stones and rocks. The wind had ceased, but a strong wind
rose and howled at our backs. The sun went down, and dark night
presently came over us. We proceeded for nearly three hours, until we
heard the barking of dogs, and perceived a light or two in the distance.
'That is Trujillo,' said Antonio, who had not spoken for a long time. 'I
am glad of it,' I replied; 'I am so thoroughly tired, I shall sleep
soundly in Trujillo.' That is as it may be. We soon entered the town,
which appeared dark and gloomy enough. I followed close behind the
Gipsy, who led the way, I knew not whither, through dismal streets and
dark places where cats were squalling. 'Here is the house,' said he at
last, dismounting before a low, mean hut. He knocked, but no answer. He
knocked again, but no answer. 'There can be no difficulty,' said I,
'with respect to what we have to do. If your friends are gone out, it is
easy enough to go to a posada.' 'You know not what you say,' replied the
Gipsy. 'I dare not go to the mesuna, nor enter any house in Trujillo
save this, and this is shut