It still wanted nearly two hours to sunrise; but the crescent moon lighted our path. It has been said, truly, that the waning moon is the moon of the traveller. In southern countries, where the nature of the climate creates a necessity for night journeys, or in any country when a long journey is necessary, it cheers many a lonely hour, and gives security to the traveller in uncertain and dangerous paths. When day dawned, I found myself travelling among uncultivated hills, with pine trees scattered over them, and the ground entirely covered with the crocus, and many other beautiful flowers; the track seemed to depend entirely upon the knowledge of the guide, who wound in and out among the glades and the trees, and up and down the declivities, with the assured step of a man who knows his business. The sun rose with its usual splendour; and soon after, we descended into a valley full of pleasing, and even cheerful scenes. No one could have believed it to be the beginning of November; it was like a July morning in England,--calm, and mild, and sunny,--the sky was without a cloud, and the little birds were at their play and their song. The valley was finely wooded, and covered with thousands of aromatic shrubs; a flock of milk-white sheep was feeding in one place, and a small herd of cattle in another; two or three muleteers, and their trains, were winding down the neighbouring heights; and a peasant, with his gun, and two dogs, was wading among the underwood, in search of provender for his cabin. From this valley, we passed again into a more deserted country, where, in one spot, I observed a small hut constructed of branches of trees, bound together by the Esparto rush, and inhabited by a woman, who brought a bottle of brandy to the door, and tempted the muleteer by an encomium upon its excellence. The owner of the hut was no doubt the man we had seen with his gun and dogs. Soon afterwards, we came in sight of Vegé, a small village situated upon a conical hill about one thousand feet high, which stands at one side of a charming fertile valley, full of orange groves and fig trees; and at the foot of the hill, we stopped at a venta to refresh the horses, and ourselves. This was a wretched place, where nothing could be had to eat, and where there was neither table nor chair; a little hot water however, was got with some difficulty; and with tea without sugar or milk, and bread, which I had brought along with me, I made an indifferent breakfast. The master of the venta and his wife, struck me as being two of the most suspicious-looking people I had seen in Spain; and the guide afterwards almost admitted that they were not to be depended upon. It was in this venta, about three months before, that a robbery, attended with some violence, was committed: ten banditti entered, while three travellers were at supper; and it was well known that the owners of the venta were not unacquainted with some of the number.