Between Puerto Lapiche and Manzanarez, we passed through Villaharta, a place, attesting in its ruins, and wretchedness, the desolating effects of war; and we also stopped a little while at the venta de Quesada, under which the river Guadiana is supposed to flow. It is certain that the Guadiana looses itself about two leagues to the left, and again emerges at a short distance to the right of this venta. In approaching Manzanarez, the appearance of the country improves: a brilliant sunset blazed across the landscape, giving great richness to the fields, which were covered with the blue flower of the saffron; and touching with gaiety and lightness, even the unrefreshing green of the olives, which, in long straight avenues, intersected the wide plain. Manzanarez is a place of some size, and of proportionate poverty. Almost all the surrounding land belongs to the knights of Calatrava, and to the Duke of San Carlos, who has extensive cellars of Val de Peñas, in the neighbourhood. The landlord of the posada, a fine old man of seventy, used to be entrusted with a commission to send prime wine of the country to his late Majesty, when Prince Regent: he made me taste a choice glass, which I found not at all inferior to that which I drank from the king’s cellar, at St. Ildefonso. At Manzanarez, I vacated my seat in the diligence,--securing for my next day’s journey, a small caleche, and two strong mules, by which I hoped to be carried to the foot of the Sierra Morena. If I had proceeded by the diligence, I must have passed through all the intervening country, and Val de Peñas, during the night. We supped well at this posada; and when I retired to bed, it was with the agreeable knowledge that I should not, like my travelling companions, be roused at midnight, to continue my journey. In taking leave of Polinario, I asked him if I might consider myself safe in sleeping the ensuing night in the venta, at the foot of the Sierra Morena; he replied, that he would desire them to prepare a bed for me, and that I might sleep in security. I slipped a dollar into his hand, and felt that I was secure in his promise.