wonderful and delicious productions of nature; but to eat eggs and custards
and butter off the trees, seems unnatural.

The heat to-day is terrible; with a suffocating south wind blowing, and
were the houses not built as they are, would be unbearable. The dinner is
served in the gallery, which is spacious and cool.

After dinner, Senor Don P---o H---a rose, and, addressing C---n, pronounced
a poetical impromptu, commemorating the late victory of Espartero, and
congratulating C---n on his mission to the Mexican republic. We then
adjourned to the balcony, where the air was delightful, a cool evening
breeze having suddenly sprung up. A large ship, full sail, and various
barks, passed the View From the Balcony Morro. There were negroes with bare
legs walking on the wall, carrying parcels, etc.; volantes passing by with
their black-eyed occupants, in full dress, short sleeves, and flowers in
their hair; well-dressed, martial-looking Spanish soldiers marching by, and
making tolerably free remarks on the ladies in the volantes.... We had a
visit from the Captain-General.

In the evening we went out to see the Countess de V---a, at her pretty
quinta, a short way out of town, and walked in the garden by moonlight,
amongst flowers and fountains. The little count is already one of the
chamberlains to the Queen, and a diamond key has been sent him by Queen
Christina in token of her approbation of his father's services. These
country retreats are delightful after the narrow streets and impure air of
the city.... We saw there a good engraving of Queen Victoria, with the
Duchess of Sutherland and Lady Normanby.

17th.--Yesterday we went to see the procession of the patron saint, San
Cristobal, from the balconies of the Yntendencia. It is a fine spacious