As I knew nothing of the river except that I was bound for Lisbon, it may be imagined that I was not perfectly easy in my mind, I did not know but that the next angle in a canyon might land me in a whirlpool or over a fall.
"A great majority of the peasants do not read and were therefore ignorant of my undertaking.

They are somewhat superstitious and my first adventure was with two of them.

It was some hours after I left Toledo that I spied these men.

They were great, hulking fellows, engaged in rolling a large stump up the steep hill, rising from the bank of the river.

Slipping quietly along the surface, I got close behind them without their seeing me.