The man, on
seeing me, raised a bugle to his lips and sounded a merry blast, which
was, answered by loud cheers further down. On arriving opposite the
lookout, I was informed that the Governor of Caceres and a party of
ladies and gentlemen were waiting for me at a short distance below, and
in a few moments I sighted the party and landed. I was warmly received
by a numerous gathering. The Governor informed me they had driven
across from Caceres the day before, to intercept me; that he had had a
message from King Alphonso to see that I wanted for nothing. He
pleasantly remarked to me in French, that it was an old Spanish custom
to say to a guest, 'my house is yours,' but he would change the
saying to 'my country is yours.'
"The place at which I landed was a ford or ferry. The Governor and his
party were sheltered under a large tent which had been erected for the
occasion, and were attended by a troop of servants and cooks. The latter
had prepared a regular banquet and oh, how I wished I was so
constituted that I could take enough food aboard to last me some days.
As it was, the bounteous feast deserted by the shepherds, had filled me
to repletion and I could do but scant justice to the load of luxuries
they spread before me.
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