There is little to interest between leaving this valley, and arriving at Andujar. I passed through extensive woods, both of olives and ilex, where I counted three crosses; and the muleteer assured me it was not at all unlikely that we might be robbed before reaching Andujar; though he admitted that our probabilities of escape were greater, owing to its being morning. This is considered one of the most dangerous spots between Madrid and Seville: about a week after my arrival at the latter place, the mail was robbed within about two leagues of Andujar. This robbery was attended with one circumstance, rather inconsistent with the usual civility of Spanish banditti. After every package had been rifled, the four passengers,--three gentlemen and one lady,--were stripped, all excepting the _camisa_, and in this plight were put into the carriage: the postilion also made his entry into Andujar in his shirt, I reached the Venta de Lequaca, however, without interruption; and after resting there an hour, taking chocolate, and refreshing my mule, I continued my journey, and arrived at Andujar early in the afternoon. Here I dismissed my mule and muleteer; though yet unresolved in what manner to proceed to Cordova and Seville: but soon after, learning that a light waggon and seven mules would leave Andujar at four next morning, I engaged a place in it to Cordova. The situation of Andujar is fine: it stands at the head of a wide plain, watered throughout its whole extent by the Guadalquivir, which I saw here for the first time; and the advanced slopes of the Sierra Morena rise close to the north of the town. Every where round, the country is under cultivation; a fine soil, and a delightful climate, insuring an abundant return: and the banks of the river, and the slopes of the Sierra are covered with vines and olives. The city itself is of considerable size, containing nearly twenty thousand inhabitants, six churches, and nine convents. I remarked an evident improvement in the appearance of the people: they were better clothed and better looking than the Castilians; but notwithstanding this, the population of Andujar, as well as of Cordova, is said to be a bad population,--thievish, deceitful, and violent. It is certain that, with the exception of the coast between Cadiz and Malaga, more robberies are committed in the neighbourhood of Andujar than in any other part of Spain.