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letters-第55章

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 the aspect of  things I should say that the miseries of this land; far from having  reached their climax; are but commencing。  Yet let no one mourn for  Egypt:  she is but paying the price of her sorceries and  superstitions。

(UNSIGNED。)

P。S。 … At San Sebastian I shall need Davison's Turkish Grammar;  which you have in the Library。  It will be of assistance to me in  editing the Basque St。 Luke; the two languages are surprisingly  connected。



LETTER: 15th September; 1837



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 Oct。 9; 1837) CORUNNA; SEP。 15; 1837。

REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … About ten days have elapsed since my return  to Corunna。  I stated in my last letter; from Compostella; that it  was my intention to visit Pontevedra and Vigo; which I carried into  effect。  In the first of these places I left; as I passed through;  eight copies of the New Testament in the hands of Senor Garcia; the  public notary; three days subsequent; on my return; I found that he  had disposed of them; and I have since sent him a fresh supply。  He  is a very zealous and exceeding intelligent person; and I have no  doubt will prove a highly useful agent in Pontevedra and its  beautiful neighbourhood; which is the garden of Galicia。  In Vigo I  disposed of four Testaments; but was not so fortunate as to find  any person willing or calculated to undertake the charge accepted  by my friend in the former town。

Having reached Padron; in my journey back; I sent my servant and  horses forward to Saint James; and guided by a peasant; proceeded  across the country to Cape Finisterre; on whose rocky sides I so  narrowly escaped being shipwrecked last year。  The distance was  fifteen leagues; and the route lay over wild mountains and valleys;  where we suffered much from fatigue and the heat of the sun。   Arrived at Finisterre we were seized as Carlist spies by the  fishermen of the place; who determined at first on shooting us; but  at last contented themselves with conducting us prisoners to  Corcubion; where the ALCALDE of the district; after having examined  me and perused my passport; ordered me to be set at liberty; and  treated me with all manner of civility。  By this journey I  accomplished what has long been one of the ardent wishes of my  heart。  I have carried the Gospel to the extreme point of the old  world; having left a Testament in the hands of Antonio de Trava; an  ancient mariner of Finisterre; who took my part in a very friendly  manner; and probably saved me from experiencing much violence at  the hands of his companions。  Finisterre is a place of wonders;  which I hope at some future time to have the pleasure of narrating;  but at present I must speak of other matters。  About one hundred  Testaments have been disposed of at Saint James of Compostella; and  there is at present a steady regular demand for them there which  inspires my heart with gratitude to the Almighty。  Shortly previous  to my journey to Saint James; I despatched fifty copies to Lugo;  where the Lord vouchsafed me good success on a former occasion;  this second supply being almost exhausted; I have sent more。  Only  fifty…eight copies have hitherto been sold at Corunna; for its  inhabitants are far too much engrossed by party politics to  entertain much relish for heavenly manna。  I pray every night and  morning that their eyes may be opened to their eternal welfare。

Having now arranged matters in Galicia; as well as circumstances  will permit; I am about to quit this province; directing my course  to Oviedo in the Asturias。  The way is long; and is infested by  robbers and factious; yet I go forth without much fear; hoping that  the Lord will prove my shield and guard as on other occasions。   From Oviedo I proceed to Santander; and from thence to the Basque  provinces。  Santander; being a large and flourishing town; affords  me a tolerable prospect of success; and I have accordingly directed  my agent at Madrid to despatch thither forthwith 150 Testaments。   The intermediate country is; however; in a most distracted state; a  great part of it being in the hands of the Carlists; it is  therefore probable that the books may never reach me; in which  event I shall have to apply to England。  To the Basque provinces I  hope to carry Saint Luke in a Biscayan version; which I shall print  at Santander should an opportunity present itself。

No time must be lost in accomplishing all that is possible in  Spain; which in the course of a few months may be entirely in the  hands of the Pretender。  I received the lines which you directed to  the care of the British consul at Corunna; and was thankful for  them。  Pray present my kind remembrances to Mrs。 Brandram and  family; to Mr。 Jowett; and Mr。 and Mrs。 Browne。

I remain; Revd。 and dear Sir; most truly yours;

G。 BORROW。



LETTER: 29th September; 1837



To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 Oct。 17; 1837) OVIEDO; ASTURIAS; 29 SEPTR。 1837。

REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … A day or two after the date of my last letter  I quitted Corunna and passed over the bay to Ferrol; where I left  twenty Testaments in the hands of a person who has just established  a small book…shop in that place。  My servant Antonio went round by  land with my horse; the only one which I now possess; I having  disposed (1) of the largest of the two at Corunna; as I thought he  was unable to support the fatigue of a journey to Oviedo。  At  Ferrol I hired a horse and guide as far as Ribadeo; a distance of  twenty leagues; and somewhat less than half the way to Oviedo。   This journey was a terrible one; during the greatest part of it we  had to toil up and down mountain gorges and ravines; to force our  way through bushes and thickets; and to wade rivulets and torrents  swollen by the rain; which descended continually; our guide proved  perfectly ignorant of the country; and we had to bribe various  peasants to accompany us; though we incurred great risk by so doing  of being conducted to some den of thieves; and stripped and  murdered。  At Ribadeo we procured a fresh horse and guide; and  continued our way to Oviedo; encountering still greater  difficulties; the ground being still more rugged and broken than  that which we had previously passed over。  My own horse rolled down  a precipice; and was much maimed; whilst that of the guide was so  worn out by the time he reached Gijon; four leagues from Oviedo;  that he foundered。  As for Antonio and myself; we arrived  barefooted and bleeding; for I need scarcely say that during all  this journey; which amounted at least to 130 miles; we went on  foot; the poor horses being scarcely able to carry our books and  baggage。

I am now by the blessing of the Almighty in the city of Oviedo; the  capital of the Asturias; although at an unpropitious season; for  the bray of war is at the gate; and there is the cry of the  captains and the shouting。  Castile is at the present time in the  hands of the Carlists; who have captured and plundered Valladolid;  in much the same manner as they did Segovia。  They are every day  expected to march on this place; in which case they will probably  experience an obstinate resistance; very excellent redoubts having  been erected; and several of the convents stron
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